Wednesday, May 1, 2019

IWSG- WATCH OUT FOR THAT STRESS...

Hi All,


Sorry for the late post, but it's been one of those LONG days. I'm sure you can relate. 

Last month I had posted about some health issues. Thank you, all for your prayers and positive vibes. They certainly worked; I am very HAPPY to report that it's nothing too serious. However, it was quite the scare. 

I have had high blood pressure for a while now because of my weight gain triggered by the prednisone I was taking for my chronic arthritis...this is a very toxic drug that blows you up like a balloon. I had put on over 70 pounds in two months, which of course, triggered the HBP. 

Between this and LIFE's pressures, stress sent my BP through the roof. It created horrible chest pains, which felt like heart attack symptoms. Being a middleaged man, this was a great concern. Men and women of our age are prone to heart disease and it's a number one killer of people in our age group. 

For the past month, I have changed my lifestyle dramatically; I'm now monitoring my stress levels, eating right, and exercising. As many of you remember I was in peak health only a few short years ago. It doesn't take long for stress to take over our health. SO, I am speaking to all of my wonderful friends who are stressing... Stress comes from everywhere. We, as creative people, are passionate, so everything affects our lives. Even writing stresses many of us. Not having time to write, not figuring out our plots, character developments, fight scenes, beginnings, endings, middle slumps, etc. You get the picture. Take some time to reflect. Take time for YOU... step away, take a leisurely walk, meditate, start a workout program. Find ways to relieve this deadly stress. When you think of that quote, "Stress can kill you..." Realize that it CAN.

I took some time off even from my rewrites of MOMMY KAY. I needed to step away from everything. It was so good for my recovery. My BP is almost normal. I dropped close to 40 pounds of the 70 I had gained last year from the prednisone, and my mind is fresh and ready to jump back into the rewrites. Be kind to yourself. I have said this many times before, but we all have a tendency to forget this when we are spreading ourselves too thin. Spring is a time for rebirth... it's the perfect time to slow things down and concentrate on treating yourself to some much needed personal time.

Thank you, Alex, and the wonderful IWSG team for keeping all of us in check as well as having the opportunity to vent our anxieties as well as to connect with our fellow writers once a month. If you haven't signed up yet, don't hesitate to join our group and become part of this wonderful family. Pop over to Alex's site right now.

Sending out a HUGE hug to you all!

Have a wonderful month!