Stress Case

I am itchy. Because of this itchiness I cannot stop scratching - my hands, my legs, and my neck. The most problematic thing is that I am pretty sure I know the reason I can't stop the itch - stress.

Stress is a term oft thrown around - "I'm so stressed out", "The stress is killing me", "I need to de-stress." But even though we talk about it quite casually, I am not sure those afflicted (99% of the adult population) realize how much it impacts our lives in a negative manner. That is until you start to have an itch that you cannot stop scratching, like me, and then you notice that this stress thing is a real pain.

Some say stress is the fuel in the fire that makes us work harder and faster. I myself have been fond of noting how well I work under pressure - a procrastinator delights at excelling at the last minute. However, I think this added fuel to the engine of life, as it were, is starting to consume bits of happiness in its' wake. And it is destroying my skin in the process.

So, what is Miss DeMilo stressed about? The usual toil: work, money, and relationships (or rather the lack thereof). The money stress is the hardest because as much as we'd like to control our own destiny; so much of about money is out of our hands - as is the money itself. And while you can plan and plot, the macro-economy doesn't really care that you are saving for a long awaited trip to Italy or even that you rather not deplete your savings account to zero just to make ends meet this month (and then you will be more stressed about next month's bills).

I am trying to remain positive about everything working out and trying to leave the stress behind once I exit the office doors but obviously my body doesn't feel I truly have as attested by this infernal need to scratch. I am beginning to think that winning the lottery is the only salve that is going to calm this itch!

If only I could scratch the stress out for good.