I'm sure most of us all have stress in one form or another. I for sure have my share, mostly $$$. I like to spend money and have done so foolishly over many years now I'm paying the piper back. Nobody's fault but mine. I have other stress from work but I can keep a lid on that, in most cases.

So, what's the main thing that stress's your life out?

Feel welcome to add another category that I should have listed.

Some of you may be totally happy without no worries, I respect ya for that. You did everything right in life.

Human stupidity - sometimes including my own. I was going to say greedy, corrupt politicians and the news media, but I think the broader category takes care of them nicely.

Stressing over stupidity observed in others is probably a form of stupidity itself.

I am the only one to vote kids so far.

Other - Family issues. Parents at odds with me, losing my Grandfather soon, cousin that is like my sister to me lives too far away, and I'm terrified to have a kid of my own and perpetuate my family madness in a new generation.

Money would be #1, specifically cash flow. If you're self-employed, no further explanation is necessary. If you're not, none is possible.
Running a business as I have for over 25 years is a daily exercise in stress. Aside from the aforementioned there is keeping a full, competent staff all on the same page and happy. Then there is dealing with the various government agencies, ALL OF WHOM I LOVE AND HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR!!! (Just in case they are monitoring the Forum). Then we have keeping the Lovely Wife, who retired two years ago happy, as well as the two kids still at home. And finally there are the clients, most of whom have serious "issues" and they see me as their best friend as long as I am providing them with my services and often long after that. They have my cell phone number and often will call to talk about their case, but usually the hour-long conversation is just because they needed somebody to talk to. And BTW, they are almost all Women, which really pleases the wife.
Other than this my life is stress-free. I tell people I have proof stress is not a killer.........I have a pulse.
Jim

I must be in the wrong thread. Couldn't find anything there to check. Got enough money for anything that I really need. Got a terrific wife. Got good health. Got no kids (might be a relationship to the money thing there). Really pretty happy with what life has dealt me. Can't think of anyone I would want to change places with.
Bob

To many folks, today, seem to feel that OK is good enough and there is little reason to try and excel. To many folks don't understand the difference between a hand up and a hand out.

Same here, been lucky enough to have everything we need, and everything we want, within reason. I will be the first to admit it I've been lucky in my life.

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Always Stay Strong!

all of the above!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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George Jamison

I had to vote for my job. I still have one, and it pays well, so I shouldn't complain too much. But I hate what I do, am burned out, and can hardly stand getting up in the morning.

johngalt, that's not good. Been there many times and it is really a bad thing. My job is going pretty good right now and I don't mind going to work. Can't say that it has always been that way. My wife on the other hand, is in a situation like yours. She likes what she does but her boss is a real female pup. Hang in there buddy, I hope your situation changes soon. It could happen.

Here's the really frustrating part - a month or so back, we had furloughs. They were taking volunteers to leave, and offered everyone a severance package. I thought about it, but didn't really have a plan as to what to do next and I got talked out of it by my folks.

I am good at my job and didn't get furloughed, but I have been kicking myself ever since for not taking the offer.

My boss is a racist with delusions of grandeur and is frequently threatening to terminate me for some minor issue. My co-workers hardly speak english and can barely communicate their issues with the machines I have to keep running for the bosses and them.

Thirty-two years in mechanical and quality engineering taught me all I need to know about stress. There are 2 things we as individuals can control: bladder and bowel. Early in my engineering career, I was laid off in Minneapolis about 2 months after Control Data Corp folded up. I was told by a recruiter that 10,000 engineering jobs had been lost in the Twin Cities, thats from File Clerk to VP of Engineering.

I found out that no matter how much money I made it wasn't enough; but no matter how little it was, it lasted until the next 'paycheck'. Right, now I stress about one thing. I like a 15 minute church sermon. The current preacher is a 30 minute wind bag. I still attend church every Sunday morning because I need it.

There just isn't much to stress about because I can't change it, but it sure is easy to ignore. And life is good.

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S&WHF 366

Age will change your mind about that!

I'm self-employed, but I have no cashflow problems. We live so far below our means that we sock away a significant amount. We also have no debt aside from small mortgages on two homes (one of which pays us money). I also have no stress over future income. I really believe I will always be able to go out, kill it, and drag it home because I will study harder than the next guy and my inexpensive life allows me to compete on rate, if necessary. Even in 30% unemployment, 7/10 people will still be working, and I intend to be the seven.

But I still voted for finances, and economy, TOGETHER. Why? Because I have an enormous opportunity to build wealth and retire (perhaps early) with no lack. I know there are people who think money is for spending and they save nothing; I am not one of those people. One of my life goals is to accumulate wealth so that I may do with it what I please and pass it on to others. The dilution of our currency through bank credit expansion, currency printing, and debt monetization gives me stress. The uncertainty of my investments' future value, exacerbated by the huge distortions caused by government interference and bad monetary policy, gives me stress.

Is this stress a "luxury" stress? Yes. I am grateful to live a life such that my financial stresses are not caused by problems in the present, but instead by the specter of lost opportunity. I've experienced the stress of living paycheck to paycheck, and I much prefer the kind of stress I currently experience. But just because my stress seems like a luxury to somebody living paycheck-to-paycheck doesn't mean it's fake. It's just that the stakes are higher and I've adapted.

I am also grateful that I don't have health, family, or threat-of-life issues (disasters, war). I'm sure my stress levels would go up considerably in those circumstances.

And then, I've been married for 12 years. We're a typical couple. I say we never do "it" enough. She says our frequency is just fine. Same old, same old.

for me the whole stress thing is sex i have NEVER had sex! and the fact that i have never had causes me lots of stress

I never knew that work was suppose to be fun. What am I going to do with all this education at this point in my life?

The economy, American greed, healthcare costs and entitlements for those who don't want to work. I' tired of standing in line at the store behind someone using food stamps and driving off in a much nicer vehicle than I drive while yapping on a cell phone. Here in Texas I see mom at the convience store with 5 kids using the Lone Star card for chips, burritos, sodas and everything else not healthy. I guess we're trying to create more diabetics so they can receive more healthcare entitlements.

Well out of the list, I have no mortgage or credit cards. no employer as I'm retired. Never had no wife. So ,no wife, you can't have no kids. I just mowed the yard. Alcohol? I drink, I go to bed. Economy, no money, who cares?

No ma-in-law. No pa-in-law.

So I picked terrorist. Got enough guns/ammo that here at the house it don't bother me, but I had to participate in the poll.

Sorry I forgot sex. What is that again???

Interesting point.

A parent 100 years ago could do little but stay by the bedside of their sick child and hope they survived... that was stress. Today we stress over having high insurance deductibles for the miracles of 21st century medicine.

As a licensed Counselor for years, I can tell you that most stress is self induced, and dangerous. It affects your health, your quality of life, and your outlook. Stress is usually caused by two categories, Things you can't do anything about or control, and those that you can control and do something about. Dismiss the first. Recognize the fact it is out of your control and move on. The second, too involved to deal with here, but if you recognize the problem go about fixing it, make a plan, and work toward a conclusion. If anger is at the root of your stress, now that's the tough one. You have to work on forgiveness. If you stop and think about it, anger is self-defeating. It hurts only you and your health. Think about forgiveness, making amends, or just moving on. Remember, YOU are your own worst enemy. Nobody else can come close. Hope this helps. Have peace and enjoy life.

I had a nice Job twenty years ago that I had 18 Electricans and 6 truck drivers to worry about, stress was very high on the worry of someone getting killed or killing someone. When the guys and gals was working high voltage anything can happen. We were in NYC and watched two electricans enter to turn on transformer that we just serviced, it was a 15000 volt service and it blowed up, leveled the building and the two electricans died with no remains found. Had a truck driver have a person to step out in front of him, Ryder had to come and take a wheel off the rear dual wheels to get him out from between the tires. I had the bad luck of being there when both happen. We were lucky that both were found not to be our fault. The electricans didn't remove a log chain on the sec. of the transformer, and the man step out in front of a truck doing 60mph. I am happy to be a no-body when I get to work these days, my big worries is getting there, working safe, and getting home safe. God has been good to me, I'm still on the green side of the grass .

I wasn't sure how to answer this question, but M29since14 surely hit the nail on the head!
I have more than I need, a great boss, great wife and kids, I enjoy yardwork, alcohol isn't a problem, I can't do anything about the economy, so why worry?, I haven't been terrorized, my mother in law has been very good to me, and I have a fulfilling sex life. Stupid, as well as inconsiderate people sure make my blood boil.

Being in the constuction industry I've had plenty of financial stress in the last couple of years. Thankfully my work has been picking up but now that my new girlfriend who was the love of my life 15 years ago(and is again) has lung cancer the stress level is still pretty high.

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sticks-n-stones&hollowpoints

Sir, you have my prayers. God bless you and your girlfriend. I just recently lost my cousin from cancer, her whole body got it, very bad. Joe

Thank you for your prayers and I'm truly sorry for your cousin.

I'm starting a thread to go into a little more detail

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sticks-n-stones&hollowpoints

Stress? What stress? It's simply a matter of mind over matter. If you don't mind it don't matter. Seriously though, many years ago my son had a stress fracture in his left femur. It was originally diagnosed as bone cancer... several very painful surgeries later it was finally properly diagnosed as the stress fracture - and the next step would have been amputation. On another occasion I was in a business deal with a gentleman in Detroit. He falsely represented our venture to some investors that later were less than pleased with the results. The resulting phone calls were quite disturbing. I can relate, as we all can, many more situations that were very stressful. Suffice it to say that somewhere along the way I read or heard that 90% of the things we worry about (cause us stress) never occur and the other 10% will occur and there's nothing we can do about it. So I quit stressing out. Recently I have found peace and great comfort in the following Bible passage: Isaiah 55:8-9 "(8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord (9) For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Enough of stess! It sure makes life a lot more bearable without it!

You didn't put "the decline of morals and ethics in this country." Not trying to make this in anyway political. Just talking about the general attitude of most people these days. Every day seems to bring less self respect, less respect for others and their property, and less personal responsibility. PC has a lot to do with it.

I find this to be very stressful, and exasperating.


WG840

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Freedom above all else.

My stress is job related as the company just laid off three guys and their work load has mostly fallen on me. It's an impossible task and I and others with my position are set up for failure. This decision by management is to be reviewed in a year and we're certain we'll be replaced by contractors then.
I'm 58 with a broke down back and too young to retire but too old to find work in the field I'm trained in, supermarket refrigeration.

I know worry won't help but find myself not sleeping at night and generally feeling ill most of the time now. The other guys in my situation are dealing with these changes about the same way.

It's only been a month now and I'm slipping behind more in my work each day with huge tasks left undone now. Maybe I'll become accustomed to this all but I seriously doubt it.

You left 'Government' out of that pole. In my line of work, there is a new set of fee's, taxes, hoops, and re-written regulations to bleed people out of money ......

I've got no kids, a wonderful wife, enough money for our lifestyle as well as to save, good health, and a full head of luxuriously thick hair that will never leave me (Thanks mom!!!!) ....

What I don't like are the revenuers and their constantly changing plans to squeeze another 10k from a business owner.

Government: Bringing you terrible roads, terrible schools, terrible health care, and loving to throw anyone who works hard into a 51% tax bracket .. I'd rather not work 6 months out of the year free of charge.

I think G. Gordon Liddy said it best when he said 'When govt agents are coming into your home.... aim for the head, those guys wear body armor.'

I see that the highest percentage of stress on the survey is about employment. I figure that different type personalitys are a big part of what type job you have to match yours. I spent my life in high clearance security guard work. While I never loved my job, it seldom bothered me either. The strange thing was I would hear co-workers talk about our job to their wives and friends and I could hardly belive we did the same job!
When I hired in we had a 90 day probation period. The chief called me in the last day and started telling me that my captains had told him that I didnt seem to take my job serious. I said well chief, that might be because I am so happy here. You see, every other job I had was bull work and I still can hardly belive there is such a good job as this one!
While he did a good job of throwing a scare in me, he kept me on. I belive I hold the all time record for seniority out of no doubt over at least a thousand guards or more that I worked with at lockheed I still have badge #1.
There are many type jobs out there that I dont think I would even want to try due to my type of personality.

I try not to stress about things that I have no control over. It is often a struggle. I know of no one who is stress free. Some just manage it better than others.

For those that find themselves in a rough patch, it'll pass. For those that find themselves in high cotton, it'll pass. But what about the big picture-one day at a time? I have, in retrospect, had the privilage of putting, and finding myself, in some pretty serious life situations. Some of these brought be to the point of suicide and death. Figureatively, my manhood was in a vice, tightened down real good. But fortunately, this all worked to my good, although it sure didn't look like it on many days.There weren't a lot of choices, but I had been around some people that demonstrated, in real life, that they had a Faith that worked, and they said that the Faith that worked for them, would work for me too. I was guardedly interested, but very cynical, until the aforementioned "vice." So, when I had come to the end of myself, I cried out to a God that I wasn't sure was even there, and if He was, would want anything to do with me. And because my need was real, and I was therefor sincere, He immediately answered me, and began to turn my life around-inside out really-which is what I needed. I have had a relationship with Him now for more than 35 years, and He has always been the answer, and never been the problem in my life. I have made many mistakes durring that time; big, dumb mistakes, but He has never left or forsaken me. He has blessed and prospered me, despite my many efforts to foul things up. Some of you might think I am talking about religion, but I'm not. I'm talking about relationship. I walk and talk with Him daily. He is with me, and will never leave me. Nothing that happens in my life will catch Him off guard, and He will work the situations that come upon us all on earth, together for the good, if I ask and heed His direction. Stress is at the root of much of what afflicts mankind, and He is the Prince of Peace. He is an ever present help in time of need, and He invites us to cast our cares over on him-to lean to His understanding, so that He can direct our path, from that high vantage point that one gentleman refered to. I thought it was too late for me, that I had gone too far, was too bad, and all of that, but it was too late for me to be too bad, because He had already paid for all of our sins and forgiven us all! He is my life, and now I actually am glad that I came back. But you know, I had to ask Him to take me, He wasn't going to kick down the door to my life-that wouldn't be love. I had to accept what He did for me and ask Him to be Lord of my life: the greatest thing that will ever happen to me, and the source of all things good in my life. But you know, even folks that win the lottery have to show up and claim it. Flapjack.

So the majority of us have too much debt, a sucky job, and don't get any! No wonder we're stressed out.

We should start a club.

We could call it the "Sucky life Club".

Flapjack, that was cool. Thanks for sharing. Quite the real life story.

I considered it but did not want politics to take over the thread and have the big guy delete it.