When it Rains Stress

Hello, 2025

We have been hearing from our Don’t Retire, REWIRE! readers that they are looking forward to a New Year and hoping for less stress.  It seems 2024 was a time of a lot of highs and lows. Some reported that it seemed that every time they speak with someone, they were hearing bad news; someone is sick, someone has died, or so and so has family problems. The list goes on. Several people said they are afraid to pick up the phone for the fear of hearing more bad news.  It can be overwhelming to add the stress of others to your own. After all, most everyone has something going on in their own life that is challenging, anxiety provoking, or stressful.  

Being surrounded by bad news, whether it's from family, friends, or the world around us, can feel emotionally draining. When it feels like the "sky is falling," it’s important to find ways to protect your well-being while still being compassionate to those who are reporting their problems. Remember the Charlie Brown cartoon character Pig Pen who always walked around with a cloud of dust and dirt surrounding him? Unfortunately, there are some people like Pig Pen, but their clouds aren’t dust, but stress: their own and from others who they feel an obligation to report on.

You need to set some healthy boundaries as best we can and limit your exposure to negativity. It’s okay to step back from conversations or interactions that consistently bring you down. For example, you can kindly excuse yourself from a phone call or change the subject if it's too much. Be intentional about the people and situations you engage with. Offer support where you can and recognize when you need to take a break. Offering support doesn’t mean you need to “fix” their problems. Sometimes, just being present and compassionate is enough.

Live in the now.  Feelings of being overwhelmed often come from worrying about things beyond the present moment. If it gets too hard, share your feelings with a trusted friend, a support group, or a therapist. Just voicing how overwhelming things feel can lighten the burden.  Concentrate on what you can control. You can’t control the bad news, but you can control how you respond.  Speaking of news, watching TV or following the news obsessively on the internet is a formula for depression. Take a break and turn off your devices from time to time.  The world will keep spinning. Don’t let bad news or anyone steal your dreams.

Focus on your own life to make it as positive as possible. Go and have some fun. Remember good things are happening around us every day, but they’re often overshadowed by a phone call or the world news. Take care of yourself whether that’s a walk outside, exercising, enjoying time with positive friends, spending some time on a hobby or a sport, or watching a funny movie. Do what brings you joy and fulfillment. actively add things into your day that make you smile.

REWIRING is a journey with ups and downs, surprises, opportunities and occasional curves in the road.  Yes, it’s called life.