Writing to a Prompt: Stress (1/22/13)

I respond to stress by putting myself into familiar situations, with familiar people. This makes the uncertainty of life seem a little less relevant when I am hanging out with the ones that I grew up around. I also respond to stress by listening to music – the ultimate short-term stress reliever for me. It seems to wash away all problems that I may have at a particular time when I listen to an album, or song that I enjoy. Stress grabs a hold of me much too frequently, and it is something I am consciously working on fixing. I do not want to be dependent on a substance to relieve stress, which is why up until now I neglected mentioning this tactic. It is true that I use this strategy, but my favorite green medicine has become such a normal part of my life that I don’t even know if I could consider it a “stress reliever”. I have never felt addicted to this particular substance, and have always been able to stop usage when need be. I also have had the sneaking suspicion over the past few years that I could put down the “left-handed cigarette” if I was permanently happy.