Reducing Financial Stress in 20 Minutes

The economic crisis is affecting millions of Americans today. Banks are failing, houses are being foreclosed upon and jobs are fading away. We are reminded of this downfall continuously by the media. It seems that the American Dream is disappearing. These events are creating emotional upheaval for many of us. Others feel totally immobilized. It is important to seek strategies to cope with this uncertainty and find areas that promote hope.

Here are some activities you can do to reduce the stress you feel from our country’s financial catastrophe:

• Take a twenty minute walk and allow the endorphins to kick in and you will discover a sense of tranquility.
• Read a book that will distract you from screaming headlines.
• Listen to music that will lift your mood.
• List the positives that are going on in your life.
• Focus on the dreams you have for your life and make a plan to attain them.
• Think about the personal crisis’s you have endured and realize that you have the strength to deal with financial suffering.
• Do something totally outside of your box. Take an art class, pick up the guitar that has been sitting around, and become politically active.
• Rent a movie that you know will be uplifting or funny in order for your spirits to rise.
• Have a day long moratorium at watching television, internet news or the stock market.