Even though I stress stress as an important topic in my work and in this blog, I’ve only stressed the word stress in three previous post titles:
Now, I’d like to stress the importance of a telephone exchange I had with my boyfriend Michael, last night, at the end of a stressful day at work:
Me: Michael, I always get more stressed at work right before I’m taking time off, right?
Michael: Oh, I can’t tell the difference, baby.
I then released some stress by laughing out loud at the thought that even though it’s soooooo obvious to me when I’m feeling more stress, it might not be obvious to others, even those who know me very well.
Laughter is good for stress.
I also released some stress by laughing out loud earlier this week, when a beloved friend — who also stresses a lot but doesn’t show it — stressed that her husband likes to liken her to a duck: calm and serene above the surface of the water while paddling rapidly, unseen, below.
Let’s see, what else do I want to stress about stress, in this stressful post?
Are any of my pictures from yesterday related to stress?
One thing I want to stress about those photos above: I found the person who owns the yellow moped that looks EXACTLY like the one I owned and loved for decades before giving it away when I moved in 2011. I’m afraid I may have stressed out the owner of that moped, yesterday morning:
(In a new Greek restaurant, near where the moped is always parked)
Me: Hi! I’m looking for the owner of the yellow moped outside.
Guy who works at Greek restaurant: That’s me. Why? Is there a PROBLEM?
Note that I’m stressing the word “problem” in that exchange. Why? Because people tend to stress the importance of problems, and that causes stress.
After talking to the moped owner for a few minutes, I found out there is no way to determine whether that yellow moped and my moped are one and the same. How stressed am I about that? Not at all.
I don’t want to stress you out, but I cannot stress how much I love getting comments here. However, as I wrote in a therapy group last night, “It takes bravery to share. You need to feel safe enough to share. It’s okay to share or not share. You decide.”
I am now deciding to share this stress-relieving music by Stevie Wonder on my last work day before a week’s vacation.
In this stressful life, I like to stress gratitude, so thanks to all who helped me create this post. And I’d especially like to stress my gratitude to you for visiting this blog today.