What is the most stressed out you have ever felt in your entire life?

If you've ever experienced the extremes of stress, you know how it can affect you.

It can make you sick, weak, irrational, irritable. At the extremes, stress can be debilitating.

So I want you to imagine, put yourself in the place of someone who went

through one of the most stressful situations that I can imagine. Her name was Empress Alexandra

of the Russian Empire. She was born in Northwest Germany and spoke fluent German in English,

but fell in love with Prince Nicholas of the Russian Empire. She almost didn't marry him because she hated Russia so much,

but she really, really loved him,

and so she finally did agree to the marriage.

But now, she spent all her time in a country

where she spoke the language haltingly,

even after years of living there,

and where she never truly felt at home.

She was also a naturally introverted and very private person.

She had been born into minor nobility in Germany in what was a pretty obscure situation.

But here, she was like the ultimate celebrity.

Her every move, private and public, was scrutinized for meaning and to ensure that it conformed

to proper manners.

And not only that, but she soon found that the Russian monarchy that she had married into

was in terminal decline.

And her husband did not have the strength of will, the strength of character, to maintain it.

The only thing that she could contribute to the success of the monarchy was an heir.

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