Stress Management

I read this blurb online recently and thought I’d share it with you:

A young lady confidently walked around the room with a raised glass of water while leading a seminar and explaining stress management to her audience. Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, ‘Half empty or half full?’ She fooled them all. “How heavy is this glass of water?” she inquired with a smile. Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance. In each case it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

She continued, “and that’s the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.”

I instantly thought about my cult experience when I read this. While the stress, depression, anxiety and guilt overwhelmed me and my family while I was part of that church, it carried on into my life years after I got out too.

It was such a unique experience (at least I thought. People from all over are coming out of the woodwork now.) I didn’t talk about it for the longest time. The only people that knew were the people that sat in the room where my intervention was held. I came to realize though, that wasn’t a healthy way to live life. I had this constant feeling that no one knew who I really was. I felt alone. There was this huge part of me that I was trying to throw out forever; it’s a part of me I’ve realized I can’t live without. Now, I’m obviously pretty public about everything and I love it! Being open with others was one of the best decisions I ever made.

The stress is gone. I feel like Jesse is back in the world. People know who I REALLY am.

Yeah, some people may not completely understand what you’re going through, if it’s a cult experience, a crazy ex-girlfriend, whatever. It’s kind of entertaining to see how people react when I tell them I was in a cult. ☺ But I’ve learned that who I tell my story to can at least sympathize with how it affected me, and so can they with you.

Tell your story. Your past is what makes you who you are today. Embrace it and love who you are!

My book, The Church Next Door, is now available on Amazon. See the details here!