> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.cjchilvers.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Choose your stressor.
- URL: https://www.cjchilvers.com/blog/choose-your-stressor/
- Published: 2023-04-05T11:55:27.000Z
- Updated: 2023-04-05T11:55:26.000Z
- Author: CJ Chilvers
- Tags: work, health, independence, leisure, photography, writing

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/93/30/933059b9-0a90-40a6-8ecc-04cdf152178d/content/images/2023/04/IMG_2330-1.jpeg)

Here’s just a quick lesson I learned from a road trip to the Smoky Mountains this past week.

Even with the views, the southern cooking, and time with family, I put in plenty of work — both for myself and others (related: see my new post at StudioNorth on [B2B marketing email ROI](https://www.studionorth.com/your-marketing-emails-have-two-jobs-are-they-working-hard-enough/?ref=cjchilvers.com)).

Why? Don’t I preach about the importance of leisure?

You can’t escape stress. But, at times, you can gain enough independence to choose what you stress over. That’s my goal.

This week, I choose to fully enjoy hikes with my family, three different kinds of fried chicken, and the most beautiful sunrises in world. I also chose to  
think, write, and speak on how AI will change the lives of professional writers.

Yeah, it was a perfect week.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/93/30/933059b9-0a90-40a6-8ecc-04cdf152178d/content/images/2023/04/IMG_2219.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/93/30/933059b9-0a90-40a6-8ecc-04cdf152178d/content/images/2023/04/IMG_2177.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/93/30/933059b9-0a90-40a6-8ecc-04cdf152178d/content/images/2023/04/IMG_2099.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/93/30/933059b9-0a90-40a6-8ecc-04cdf152178d/content/images/2023/04/IMG_2305.jpeg)

— [CJ](cjchilvers.com)