How do you manage stress?
Probably not very well. I take four high blood pressure medications, which is odd considering I have no problem telling people to go screw themselves. I was actually a bit more graphic with a guy during a staff meeting about 25 years ago. In my defense, he was an asshat.
A Quote I like:
Over the years, I have learned to let things go and try to focus on what I’m doing. However, life is not that easy. Between work, bills, commuting, raising a family, and the daily responsibilities of a job, there was plenty to worry about. I worked in technology for large financial firms, so stress was just part of the job.
One time at work, they held a health screening, and my blood pressure was so high they wanted to take me to the hospital. I told them I hadn’t taken my medication yet and asked, “Have you looked at the name on this building? We’re all stressed every day!”
Now that I’m retired, I have fewer of those events, but the worries have simply changed. I worry about my kids and their lives, my grandkids, my wife, and both of us getting older, along with my elderly parents. Retirement may remove the daily pressures of a job, but it certainly doesn’t remove the responsibilities or concerns that come with life.
Some Life Perspective:
I don’t think there is an ideal way to manage stress, but I have at least learned to slow down, take a break, relax, and breathe. Keeping things in perspective, I can only control what I can control and let the outside events run their course. Sometimes, that’s the best any of us can do.
How do you handle stress? Have you found that retirement actually makes life less stressful, or have your worries simply changed along with you? Share your experiences in the comments.
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