Let’s get real for a minute, Wolfpack. Stress sucks. Yeah, we’re going there and we’re getting personal, so strap in.
Stress is a strange thing. It can help you rise to the occasion or send you into a downward spiral. It never fails to amaze me how you can be chugging along happily and get bowled over by a big ball of stress. (Hormones don’t help.)
Everything that seemed so wonderful and peachy yesterday seems like utter rubbish today. And in my case, the smallest things set off my emotions. I can be annoyed one second, perfectly happy the next and balling my eyes out the next second.
Crazy, right?
I’ve found that it helps to not let stress and frustration mount or pile up. Confronting them head on helps. And sometimes you simply need a break.
This morning I found myself trying to reason with a 9 week old puppy. He puts anything and everything in his mouth. We’re working on it. But today I’m trying to get my pages in, things are spiraling out of control, my mood is all out of whack and I look over and he’s chewing on something. I could tell it wasn’t something he was allowed to chew on so I dive out from under my computer, blanket, headphones. Wires are strangling and tripping me and I’m reaching for him. I pluck a quarter sized piece of fairly hard, clear plastic from his mouth. I have NO idea where it came from or what it belonged to. Only that he was chewing it, it could have killed him and I lose it. I stare hard into those soulful brown-ish gray (seriously, they are the most hypnotizing color I have ever seen) eyes and tell him “no!” and “why must you chew everything? Keep your mouth off of stuff. Gah!”
I was literally trembling with anxiety, fear and fury all at once. That is one potent cocktail, let me tell you.
Everyone needed a time out. Him. Me. The universe in general?
TALK TO ME
Do you have days like that? Moments? Please tell me I’m not alone.
SMILE OF THE DAY
As Jon Stewart might say on the Daily Show… here’s your moment of cute!
Pup chillin’ beneath the couch. Won’t fit much longer.
GIVEAWAY
Congrats to Jean for winning a copy of Bound to the Vampire!
Seems that a few folks didn’t get a chance to enter, so I’m running another giveaway.
Enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway
IN THE NEWS
Did you guys see this story about Germany allowing erotic book sales ONLY between 10pm and 6am? Apparently that’s the only time people have sex.
So to address your issue with the puppy, writing, and destressing..
I will assume you have children old enough to vacuum. Make that their responsibilty this summer, As the family wanted a new puppy,then they need to make sure it is safe, before they go do whatever makes them happy in the summer. Then, they can have fun, Mom can write and/or have fun and not be stressed over puppy, playfully trying to kill itself with things it should not get into. My things are cats. Believe me, they can get into equally as much trouble!! Have a great summer and enjoy your new “baby” !! Love your books!! 🙂
I agree with Susan – when what used to motivate you suddenly weighs so heavily on your shoulders.
Time out is important. REALLY important.
I just tweeted you – you are so not alone. Every deadline, I become this mass of insecurity. I’m certain I’ve screwed up everything, that I can’t do anything right, and that I am basically the suckiest of the suck pile. I know that it’s stress making me irrational, but that doesn’t matter. It’s that feeling of time closing in on you that makes you lose the ability to think clearly.
You’re right. THe time issue is tricky. I think the key to tackling the time stressor is to create a strong to do list and just get to work. I always feel better when I see progress. And I find myself “spinning my wheels” when I feel overwhelmed. Usually there are things that I simply don’t need to do, but they’re on my mind.
Creating that master list stops me from feeling I have to remember everything (which is stressful enough.)
I think stress gets to all of us. The scary part is when the stress that used to motivate you suddenly paralyzes you. I went through that and it’s not pretty.
I totally agree that the best way to deal with things is to confront them! Don’t let things mount up.
That’s what happened to my office. Every day I would say, I’ll clear this out when this book is done and when the book was done I’d be bogged down with the next book. This week I had to say…Enough! I need to clear this trash bin! LOL And having started with just one hour a day, I’m feeling so much better!
susan
You’re right Susan. Confronting the things that stress you out make you feel in control again and that control is a heady feeling, for me it combats the stress.
With the puppy, I added an extra practice session of “leave it” with him where I’d use the turkey training treat in return for him leaving whatever ant, rock, piece of grass, etc. he was interested in. This gives him extra training, combats the specific issue that’s stressing me out (him picking up so many random things he shouldn’t.) And I get a break from the stressor because his attention is on me. Okay, it’s on the turkey, but whatever. LOL
Thanks for stopping by!