How do you cope with stress?

> Recently, I've been feeling kind
> of stressed-out....

> How do you cope with stress? Anyone have any
> good stress-reducing tips to share?

Dien,

There is NO SUCH THING AS STRESS. So thinking you have it and trying to get rid of it does no good - how can you get rid of something that doesn't exist?

Instead, try only to realize what it is that you're actually feeling and calling stress.

Are you nervous about something? Anxious? Doubtful? Frustrated? Angry things aren't going your way? Uptight? Overwhelmed?

Knowing WHAT you're actualy feeling solves half your problem. Saying you're "stressed" is like going to a Doctor and saying "I'm sick, how can you make me better?"

You think You have problems? How 'bout the millions of people who will go to bed tonight and not wake up in the morning? Bigger problem than you have?

Those who live in the Third World. Think they have more to be concerned about?

How does your "stress" whatever it really is, relate on the grand scale of things? Still a big deal?

Does it really matter at all to anyone but you, or a close few? And in 1000 years, how will it have mattered?

NOTHING MATTERS WHATSOEVER. Nothing at all.

We ALL move on. The world changes and eventually it will be gone as well.

I've seen couples come to blows over money... or rather... a lack of it. Yet the reality is, money isn't real. And the worse thing that could happen is nothing really that bad. Phone turned off. Electricity cut. Car taken away. Whatever. Nothing really ever happens to THEM... the person. Only to things... all of which will be gone in time any way.

Many years ago I backed my car (van) into a concrete pillar in a shopping centre - if you've ever driven a van you'll know how this is possible.

My wife sat quietly not sure how I was going to react to this.

I got out and had a look. Hoped back into the car and said, "Oh well, that'll need to be fixed" and drove off. Certainly blase. A least I wasn't "stressed" ;o)

Hope this helps.

Michael Ross

PS - as Gordon says sort of, if you go to the beach for a day, will anything happen to this "stressful" thing?