Heal Stress - Inspire the World

Share Your Soul Story: Heal Stress and Inspire the World

Since 1992, April has been officially recognized as Stress Awareness Month. But if your life feels anything like mine lately, we don’t exactly need a national designation to remind us that stress is a constant presence. It seems to lurk around every corner — buzzing in the background of our thoughts, weighing down our shoulders, tightening the muscles in our necks.

Some stress, of course, is a natural and necessary part of life. It’s hardwired into our biology, part of our primal "fight or flight" response, designed to keep us alert to danger and help us survive life-threatening situations. A certain amount of stress can even be healthy — the kind that lights a fire under us when we need to meet a deadline or rise to a challenge.

But here’s the deeper question we must all ask ourselves now:
How do you tell the difference between stress that motivates and stress that paralyzes? Between the energy that pushes you forward and the heaviness that pulls you under?

We are still piecing together what life looks like after the global upheaval of the Coronavirus. Every single person — every man, woman, child, and even our pets -- have been touched by it in some way. Loss, uncertainty, disruption, isolation — these have been woven into our collective story.

Yet, within the challenges, there have also been glimmers of grace.

Maybe you discovered a creative spark you didn’t know you had.
Maybe you reconnected with loved ones over slow, meaningful conversations.
Maybe, for the first time in years, you gave yourself permission to slow down.

As the world asks us to return to "normal," it’s important to pause and consider:
What kind of normal do we want to return to?
And what are we doing to take care of our hearts, our minds, and our spirits in the process?

Managing stress isn’t just about surviving the day. It’s about creating a life where your soul can breathe.
It’s about tuning into your own story — the unique, beautiful, sacred story only you can tell.

Here are a few soulful ways to navigate stress and share your light along the way:

Move Your Body, Move Your Spirit

One of the most effective ways to release stress is to get out of your head and into your body. Exercise isn’t just about looking good; it’s about feeling alive.

Whether or not you belong to an organized gym with specific hours, the world outside is always open. Parks, sidewalks, backyards — they are waiting for you. Lace up your sneakers and go for a walk or a run. Dust off that bicycle hiding in your garage. Try an online yoga class in your living room.

Movement is medicine. Every step, stretch, or deep breath helps your body release pent-up stress and invites a sense of groundedness to return.

Explore meditation to regain a sense of peace. If sitting still in meditation feels impossible, why not turn your walk into a sacred practice?

Walking meditation is exactly what it sounds like — moving with mindfulness. As you walk, notice the rhythm of your breath, the sound of the wind, the feeling of your feet connecting with the earth. With each step, you can breathe in peace and breathe out worry.

You are not just moving your body; you are moving your spirit toward balance.

Write Your Soul Story

If you know me, you know I’ll always suggest writing — because it’s more than just an outlet; it’s a way home to yourself.

Start a daily journal, even if it’s just a few minutes each morning or before bed. Let the page become a sacred space where you can pour out your worries, your dreams, your doubts, your gratitude.

Don’t censor yourself. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling. Just write.

Write the questions you’re afraid to ask. Write the hopes you dare not say aloud. Write letters to your future self. Write prayers, rants, celebrations, sorrows.

And when you’re done? You get to choose: keep your pages as treasures, tear them up as a symbolic release, or burn them in a sacred ritual, watching your worries turn to smoke and disappear into the sky.

Writing your Soul Story isn’t just for you — it becomes a torch for others who need the light of your journey.

Feed Your Mind, Fuel Your Dreams

Learning is another powerful antidote to stress.

Pull that book off the shelf — you know, the one you promised you’d read "someday." Watch a documentary that expands your mind. Finally start that online course you downloaded months ago.

Every time you learn something new, you are growing. Stretching. Creating new pathways inside your brain — and new possibilities in your life.

You are reminding yourself that you are more than your circumstances. You are a creator, a dreamer, a lifelong student of wonder.

Tell the Stories That Matter

Long before Netflix and smartphones, storytelling was how humans made sense of the world. Stories connected us. They healed us. They taught us how to survive and thrive.

What stories live inside you?

Maybe it’s the tale of how you met your soulmate.
Or the story of your first heartbreak — and what it taught you about love.
Maybe it’s the memory of your first home, your wildest adventure, your most courageous moment.

Your life is a library of miracles.
When you share your story — even the messy, imperfect parts — you give others permission to honor their own journeys too.

So, tell your children how your family came to be. Share with a friend the funniest (or most embarrassing) moment of your teenage years. Record your memories, not because you have to, but because they matter.

Because your Soul Stories matter. Because you matter.

This April, don't just survive stress. Transform it. Listen to what your soul is whispering. Write it. Move with it. Speak it. Share it.

Your Soul Story is your gift to the world.
It’s medicine.
It’s hope.
It’s a shining reminder that even in the face of fear and uncertainty, life continues to rise, to bloom, to sing.

The world needs your story now more than ever.

Will you share it?