Have you ever seen yourself as ambitious? Have you ever seen yourself as a creator, someone who’s able to be authentic with their audience, waking up each day with fresh ideas for new work, new ideas, well, new everything? But the second you try to do anything productive, you’re just instantly hit, completely bombarded with thoughts of work deadlines, unpaid bills, and even households. Instead, it’s just the stress that’s building up; you’re not being productive, your whole mind is just clouded, and it’s almost as if it’s a blank screen.

You’re feeling overwhelmed and disheartened. Despite your passion and talent, stress has become a formidable barrier to your personal growth. So, does this ring a bell? Is this exactly what you’re having to go through? Well, you have to keep in mind that stress, in its various forms, affects all of us, stifling our potential and hindering our personal development.

Your Creativity Is Going to be Reduced

You have to understand that creativity thrives in a relaxed and open state of mind. Stress, however, creates a closed and defensive mental environment, stifling creativity and innovation. If you're an artist, writer, or any type of creative professional, stress can be particularly damaging. 

So, you’ll have to make time for activities that you love and that bring you joy. Think about other creatives, people online, celebrities, and people you know, they all have hobbies, right? In fact, some are even known for using more unique methods for relaxation in their hobbies such as using THCA infused pre-rolls from time to time thanks to their positive effects. But overall, you need to have a break from stress and just reignite your passion for creativity. 

You Can Count on Health Issues

All right, literally, everyone knows this, but it still deserves some attention because it technically goes hand in hand with personal development. Prolonged stress can lead to various health problems, including anxiety, depression, and physical illnesses. When your health is compromised, it becomes even more challenging to focus on personal growth and development.

Poor Decision Making

It goes back to clouded judgment and your brain being a blank screen; you just don’t think as clearly as you should. Stress can cloud your judgment, leading to poor decision-making. When you're stressed, you're more likely to make impulsive decisions or avoid making decisions altogether, both of which can hinder your progress.

Where’s the Motivation?

You have to understand that chronic stress can drain your energy and enthusiasm. The things that once excited you may start to feel like burdens. This lack of motivation can prevent you from pursuing your goals and dreams. This can get to the point where more signs start pointing to depression as they are both tightly connected.

Decreased Cognitive Functioning

During periods of hard stress, does everything feel like a giant blur to you? Do you have a great idea, and then it instantly fizzles, and you just can’t remember it at all? Well stress affects our brain's ability to process information. It can impair memory, reduce attention span, and make it difficult to think clearly. When you're constantly stressed, it's hard to absorb new information or develop new skills.