S is for Stress

Writers live stressful lives. Not only do we juggle real life and its struggles, we also have to stress over an entire fictional world of imaginary characters that become dear to us, characters with problems to work out that aren't necessarily at first any easier to solve on paper than our real life issues are.

Stress and writing go hand in hand. So does a lot of other jobs, or even being a student! Man, I thought being a teen was rough when I was in high school. That was 10 years ago. I know it's ONLY gotten harder in so many ways.

So how do you handle stress and life? Life and writing? School and stress? Do you have a healthy method of coping? I usually pray, then eat chocolate, or vice versa. Or throw a cupcake in for good measure ;)

Seriously though, I do turn to comfort food when I get stressed, which isn't great. But I also like to indulge in relaxing methods like vegging out with a mindless movie or the show Cupcake Wars (love it!), or taking a hot bath, reading a new book, or doing something good for someone else to get my mind off my own drama. (like sending a handwritten card) I try not to go overboad on the comfort eating because man, wouldn't a professional counselor have a hayday with that one! Or the shopping, which is my other natural real-life-distraction technique. New shoes can really cure a LOT. So can white chocolate mochas....hehehe.

What do you do? And more importantly what SHOULD you do? (a.k.a, pray more, eat less?) I think we gloss over stress too much, and chalk it up as normal and common and a "get through it" thing but stress can really be bad for our bodies. My husband has been stressing over a paramedic test that really is a big deal, and its given him headaches and stomach pains. Sounds ridiculous, but when you're in that mode, it's hard to come out. That's why I think its important to fight the stress off from the beginning, then when it's gotten out of hand (like, with an ulcer, or in that moment where you realize you just ate 17 powdered donuts)

What do you think? How can we handle stress better? What does God say about it? I think essentially, stress is worry, and worry is ultimately a sin. Worry says we aren't trusting God for our good and for the outcome. Worry is fear over not being able to be in control. Yet GOD is in control. So much better than me being in control!

I'm totally preaching to the choir here, guys, but would love your feedback and thoughts and accountability.

Are you stressing today? Trusting? Eating? Shopping? =P Let's hear it...