Get rid of stress, now, what are you waiting for?

James S. Gordon, clinical professor of psychiatry and family medicine at Georgetown Univ, says we’re a mess.

Writing in the Washington Post (Sept 29, 2009), Gordon says in 40 years, he has never seen this level of stress and worry and fear of the future.

Me, either! I feel like the country is careening off a cliff. Gordon says his patients ask what they have done, why do they deserve this, is this what their life will be now.

Me, too!

He suggests starting meditation. Slow deep breathing, in through the nose, out through the mouth, keep your belly soft. Several times a day for 10 minutes. This calms the fight-or-flight chemicals.

Exercise also enhances mood chemically.

Reach out to family, friends, and coworkers—don’t withdraw and brood.

Find someone to go over your situation financially—it may not be as bad as you think. Does that Dave Ramsey guy annoy you? Me, too!

One man cut out pictures from a magazine that “said” success to him. Another imagined a safe place several times a day.

I have pictures of a special lake we went to as kids on my screen all day.

Sit quietly, try to clear thoughts—let them drift across your mind without stopping—then a guide may appear, a person you know or knew, an animal, something. Ask about what is happening and see what your mind and guide “answers.”

This is different.

Doing something different is good. If you do something different several times a day is it still different? Meditate on that one for awhile.

You don’t want stress chemicals sloshing in your system, gnawing at your organs and sending you lunging for the bottle or the pills.