Oh, No More Stress!

Posted by Terry Spears, 09/19/08 02:00 AM

Top Stressors in Life are Divorce, Family Issues, Death, Move, New Job, and a myriad of other major life changes. And for writers, major edits and rejections, and deadlines can add to the stressful mix. For me, my mother’s currently in the hospital, I have a new job, moved, new email address (belive me that is a big stressor—having to change blogger—am on 6 accts, wordpress.com, websites, yahoo groups—which turned out to be a major nightmare, and have a million people to notify)and have had edits for 4 books, one set of galleys waiting now, one set of edits on the back burner, final edits coming on two books, AND, I teach online classes so am finishing one, starting a new one, and creating an even newer one, plus have a contracted book I need to finish, and another I need to write. Sooo, stress is the name of the game. How to get through all of it with keeping all my marbles intact?

Hmm, well, I’m afraid I misplaced a few in the move. But, prioritizing helps. Not worrying about the stuff, but jumping in to getting whatever needs doing, done. Like selling the house. I started fixing it up and cleaning it out right away. Course that’s when the bottom dropped out of the market too. And believe me, getting the place ready to sell, having it on the market, selling it, and moving have all been major time-consuming stressors. But I didn’t do them all at once. I took them in steps, one problem at a time. Now it’s all done. Can’t find anything, but the move, the selling, the fixing up…all that stuff is done. And that’s how to deal with stressful situations. Set goals. Tackle them instead of stewing about what needs to be accomplished. Don’t worry about what can’t be fixed (the economy, the house market) And finish them. One down, ninety-nine left to go.

My goal? To unstress in October. Hopefully. For now, I just have to get my mom home from the hospital and care for her, get ready for my next class, and keep on revising manuscripts. It’ll all get done. Stress or no stress. :)

What do you do when stress gets you down?

Terry Spear
The Vampire…In My Dreams, Deadly Liaisons, Heart of the Wolf, Don’t Cry Wolf
www.terryspear.com

Category: | 09/19/08 02:00 AM
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Comments: [5]

  1. 1 Karen Erickson

    Wow Terry you have a lot on your plate. You deserve a day to relax! I hope you get to do that in October.

    Sorry for posting right on top of you. I feel like a schmuck who can’t tell time…but I pimped your blog post at the cafe! LOL

    Comment by Karen Erickson · Sep 19, 09:16 AM
  2. 2 sandie

    Terry I hope your mom gets better quick. And good luck on your being able to unstress.

    When I’m stressed I jump into something that keeps my mind really busy. Or if I’m lucky enough to have a vacation coming up, I’ll go camping and get away from it all.

    Hope it all settles down for you Terry.

    sandie

    Comment by sandie · Sep 19, 11:21 AM
  3. 3 B

    Thanks – very helpful.

    Comment by B · Sep 19, 01:54 PM
  4. 4 N.J. Walters

    Wow, Terry, you do have a lot going on in your life. I’m stressed just reading about it.

    Honestly, I try and keep life as simple as possible. I don’t like stress. LOL Beyond that, I have priorities. You can’t do everything all the time.

    Hope you mom is feeling better soon. And good luck with everything! I hope October is a lot less stressful for you.

    Comment by N.J. Walters · Sep 19, 01:56 PM
  5. 5 Terry Spear

    No problem, Karen! I would never have noticed! :)
    Thanks for the well wishes!

    Thanks, Sandie, B, and NJ. Mom’s not doing well so not sure if she’ll get out of the hospital tomorrow or not. This was SUPPOSED to be bandaid surgery—after six hours of surgery….NOT. Anyway, hope she’s doing better soon so I can bring her home.

    Comment by Terry Spear · Sep 19, 11:42 PM

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