Let’s not play dumb.
You feel it.
In your shoulders. In your stomach. In your damn patience.
You call it "tired."
But it’s stress. And it’s been putting in work longer than your paycheck.
You Ever Wonder Why You Can’t Sleep?
It’s not just the mattress.
It’s the fact your body thinks it’s still in a fight
Even when you’re lying in bed.
Stress isn’t just a feeling.
It’s a full-time operator.
Messing with your hormones.
Whispering to your blood pressure.
Slowing your digestion.
Plotting its next trick while you think you're just "pushing through."
Stress Doesn’t Show Up Loud. It Shows Up Consistent.
It creeps.
One skipped meal.
One fake smile.
One “I’m fine” when you know you’re not.
And then boom your body quits the game before your mind does.
Burnout Isn’t Lazy. It’s System Failure.
They tell you to "grind" and "hustle."
Okay.
But nobody tells you that the grind grinds back.
And when you’ve been grinding for too long, you lose something real:
Your rhythm.
Your care.
Your spark.
You stop caring.
You stop feeling.
That isn’t laziness. That’s burnout.
Distress. Eustress. Know Who’s Who.
There’s stress that sharpens you. That’s eustress.
And there’s stress that strangles you. That’s distress.
You better know the difference.
Because they both show up sweaty.
They both show up with pressure.
But only one leaves you better on the other side.
Stress That’s Inherited
Let’s talk facts.
For some of us, stress isn’t just happening
It’s been happening.
Mama had it. Her mama had it. Her mama’s mama had it.
No shade. No blame.
But when stress becomes a lifestyle, it stops being a response and becomes a culture.
You can inherit money or trauma.
Guess which one’s more common?
But just because you were born into it doesn’t mean you got to die in it.
You can break the rhythm.
Your Kids, Your Job, Your Spouse They Isn’t in Charge
Look, your kids will stress you.
Your partner will stress you.
Your job, your past, your future, your group chat all stress.
But none of them are holding the remote to your nervous system.
That’s your job.
Stress might knock, but don’t hand it the key and offer it a seat.
You Are the Gatekeeper
Nobody’s coming to regulate your peace for you.
You don’t get to blame the world and keep the weight.
Do you want peace? You choose it.
It’s what you eat.
It’s what you listen to.
It’s who you let in the room.
It’s knowing when to shut it all down and just breathe.
Expression Is Survival
Don’t get it twisted art isn't just for creatives.
Expression is how humans release.
You don’t always need a therapist, sometimes you need a mic, a brush, a journal, a run, or a dancefloor.
That’s how you reclaim control.
That’s how you burn stress instead of storing it.
Have you ever seen somebody explode out of nowhere?
They didn’t explode that day.
They’ve been simmering for months.
Music, Media, and the Noise You Let In
Listen. If your playlist is full of murder talk and heartbreak,
Don’t act shocked when your nervous system doesn't trust anybody.
What you feed your ears feeds your energy.
You want peace but stay tuned into chaos.
That’s like wanting clear skin while rolling around in dirt.
Switch it up.
Choose sounds that ground you.
Pick vibration over hype.
Love Heals, If You Let It Touch You
Real love? The type that doesn't need explanation.
It changes your whole chemical layout.
It slows your breath.
It makes your nervous system exhale.
But if you are always on guard, always the strong one, always “handling it” …
You might be blocking the very thing that’s built to heal you.
Don’t Stress About Being Stressed
Yo, if you recognize you’re stressed don’t panic.
That’s not failure. That’s clarity.
It means you’re finally seeing the setup.
This isn’t about pretending you're fine.
It’s about finally understanding the assignment.
Move Differently. Breathe Intentionally.
What you do today: That's tomorrow’s story.
So, breathe on purpose.
Eat with care.
Rest without guilt.
Laugh hard.
Create without apology.
Be with someone who makes your stress melt instead of multiply.
And stop trying to outrun stress.
Outsmart it.
Final Word
Stress is the silent killer.
But silence isn’t just what kills it’s also what heals.
So, the question is…
Which silence are you listening to?
STREAM: https://unitedmasters.com/a/the-resilient-arts-department