The secret to surviving today's world: Drink a lot of water

Due to the economic turmoil, uncertainty, tumult, crisis, recession, depression, obsession, it should not surprise you that many people are having a hard time.

The Financial industry from traders to messengers; the Real Estate Industry (Realtors, Builders, Suppliers & Trades), are all feeling it, and so are the people with whom they do business, and so are the people that they do business with, and on and on and forward and so forth, and the entire world is now in a tail spin.

So how are people dealing with it?

When I am not feeling quite right, I find the best thing to do is to try to get into my daily routine as closely and quickly as possible. (Up at 6am, make breakfast, make lists for the day, drive grand-daughter to school, gym, appointments or office, etc.). In the movie "Oh God," God (George Burns), appears in John Denver’s house, who starts freaking out because God just materialized in his bathroom, and he says he doesn't know what to do, so God tells him to “shave.” When you are lost and confused, do something normal. Same concept.

Getting into your routine is a lot like drinking a lot of water every day. When you drink it, the water has to go through your body, that’s a rule, which turns on all of the process’s involved in digestion, circulation, etc. Not only that, water keeps all the other junk moving too, so there is little chance that stuff will get stuck in your inners. But that’s another story, suffice it to say that it is important to shave, drink water and get into your normal routine.

But really, what I do to get rid of my stress is go to the gym. There I will do some aerobics by going on one of the machines (treadmill, lifecycle, cross trainer, stair master, etc.), and then some weight routines. While I am on the machine, I work on Sudoku Puzzles. Same theory as drinking a lot of water. On the machines, I am exercising my mind and my body. Working up a sweat, and solving puzzles. The whole body is moving, the brain is in action, functioning at its higher levels, and the mind and body are working together in high gear – (By the way- the word Yoga means union of body and mind). So while sweating, thinking, and moving and a grooving, the problem or whatever is dragging down your head comes to the forefront, but only now, it is always much clearer. Instead of being stuck “oh no, whoa is me”- or even worse- “poor me”, your internal A team (or Y team) is able to give you your best shot, and maybe come up with a solution and solve it? Definitely put it into perspective- and help to get you unstuck, and on with your day. (Same probably holds for anything athletic- but try to do something that you do well, or that you enjoy so that you get a sense of satisfaction).

Now there are other things that some people do:

My favorite is Pathmark fresh baked oatmeal raisin cookies (baked in squares like chunky- (remember- open wide for chunky?). They have to be the square ones. Sometimes they make them round, but they aren’t as good. Before you buy them though, you have to squeeze the clear plastic package to make sure that they are still soft. Anyway, you buy a package of these (or two or mix it up with chocolate chips), and eat them. It doesn’t help in getting rid of any of the problems, but they give you a sense of fullness that I can’t seem to find any place else. I’ve been let down by lots of people, lots of time, but never been let down by a good (fresh) box of cookies. (Be sure to drink a lot of water).

Now when I was a young whippersnapper (what the hell is a whippersnapper anyway?), and I found myself in a funk, I would go out and buy a new new shirt. I no longer do that. Firstly because I ran out of money, but the wisdom of my age has taught me that anticipation is 90% of satisfaction, and that once I bought the thing, the thrill was gone. I’ve learned that things really don’t make you happy. (I often get more joy from giving things away, then owning them)- but to those of you who are out there buying shoes or whatever to find some relief I say cest le vie.

There is nothing good that can be said about drugs. Whatever great feeling there may be initially, doesn’t last, and is rarely duplicated. The damage done to your mind and body is not worth it.

Same with alcohol. Lots of people drink to escape. Hey, once in a while, when you don’t to drive, okay. If you can handle one or two and stop, more power to you. (and its fattening).

Of course everyone knows that the biggest problem with alcohol and drugs is that they become bigger problems then whatever you are trying to drown out.

Now some people go for massages. The masseuse finds the places that are blocking the flow of the stuff of life (sometimes called prana) through the passageways throughout your body. (Same concept as drinking water).

Some people find relief in punching holes in walls. Others knock their heads against the wall. Still others like to kick things. Breaking things: (dishes?) or throwing things is another cool way to chill out.

Yelling is a very popular stress reliever. Work your blood up to a boil till you have a heart attack- that will solve your other problems. (When my granddaughter Skylar was about 2 years old, (before she was really talking), I took her out to the garage, and we had a screaming contest. I would yell, and she would yell, and we did long ones and short ones, and high lows, and had a great ole time. (Primal therapy?).

Speaking of little kids, a fantastic de-stressor is getting down on the floor and playing with a toddler. Pick them up, throw them in the air, play silly toddler games. Make faces, stick out your tongue as far as it will go; go to their level. That will bring your problems into perspective for you.

Speaking of being silly, be silly. Get dirty. Jump in the mud, roll in the mud, buy body paint and paint yourself or someone else, go play paint war.

How about singing in the rain?

Nothing can clear your head like diving into an ice cold pool from a diving board, when you are dry.

MAKE A LIST: Things you like about yourself. List of lists that you need to make. What you would do if you hit the lottery. Everything that you have to do. Your GOALS.

Go out disco dancing. Wear tight black clothes. Get sexy, dance and get sweaty.

Go to see someone less fortunate. “I was sad because I had no shoes, until I saw a man who had no feet”

But these days, my absolute favorite, best secret formula for feeling great is writing these emails.

Thanks for listening.