Dealing with Stress

[wizard210]

Hello everyone!

I'm on my path to debt freedom. It's been very rocky. I've had to stop my debt program right now due to a flooded basement. So I'm in the process of replenishing my EF.

The stress is getting to me. The misses is never fails to remind me how we have no money because of my stupidity. I fret everyday where all the money should go to, even though I know I have a budget and am sticking to it.

I guess the stress is making me crazy. How does everyone deal!

[kork13]

Stress is a part of daily life, and a necessary one -- it keeps us motivated and on our toes. We just need to manage it healthily (is that a word? It is now). There are alot of ways to do that, and it just depends on your personality and preferences. Exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress. Going for a walk/run/jog/swim/bike ride/weight lift for just 30 minutes a day will go a long way for both your mental and physical health. Reading, prayer, meditation, yoga, or similar is also a common way to reduce your stress. Even a short nap in the middle of the day, like around 1-3PM can help with stress. Do you eat a balanced diet, drink at least 2 litres of water daily, and get a full 7-8 hours of sleep each night? They seem like small things, but feeling stressed is one way your body has of telling you that you're not doing something right. And above all, if you you identify exactly what is stressing you out the most, the best thing you can do is to eliminate, reduce, or change it. Money stress? Build up your savings. Can't do that quite now (like dealing with flood damage)? Put together a solid plan for how you'll save once the basement is dealt with. Having a plan you know will work can help allay your concerns. And lastly, talk about it! Discuss your concerns with your wife, and figure out ways together to deal with all of the issues you're having, big or small. Even if you can't fix them now, talking about it with someone you trust can help your mind sort it out and you'll be less stressed as a result.

Don't let your stress cause you problems. Use stress as a motivator to improve, and you'll be much healthier for it. Keep working for your goals, and you'll be just fine. Good luck, and we're also always here as a financial sounding-board.

[TheStreetCeo]

First of all, your misses is probably the one causing most of the stress by reminding you of your mistakes if they are your mistakes. Perhaps she could learn to support you and let the past be the past. You appear to be on the right track now so she should get over it and move on. I'm sure she has made mistakes too.
Secondly, being on the right track is motivating and having some pitfalls such as a wet basement is just part of the fun. If getting out of debt was easy, everyone would do it, but the truth is there is a lesson that needs to be learned by you and that's just how it goes. Take your lumps (not from your wife) and move on. Keep focused and you'll get through this. As Kork13 said, come back here, there are a ton of people who can help or listen.