Stress

The other day, I had a discussion with a friend over the 's' word. Stress. Just reading the word creates a sense of uneasiness to most. Sitting in a smelly cab inching across 42nd street, a looming deadline, a biological clock running out of batteries. Need I say more?

However, in this conversation, we began to understand the drivers of stress. Interestingly, it is never the exact matter at hand that causes one to stress, but rather the chain reaction of unfortunate circumstances.

For example, you have a document due to the client at 6pm and at 5:30 you are not nearly complete. Stress sets in, of course. But what exactly could happen if you deliver the document 15 minutes late? Will you lose your job? Doubtful. But in your mind, if the document is late, the clients will be pissed, the agency will lose the account, you will lose your job, you will run out of money and have to live with your parents, because you now live with your parents you never will get married, if you never get married you won't have children, if you don't have children, you will die alone. Whew!

But in reality you will just deliver the document 15 minutes late. That's it.

I am currently in the airport in Memphis, Tennessee. It was bad enough that we arrived 2 1/2 hours before the flight (which is about two hours too early for me) but upon arriving, we found out that our flight was delayed an hour. Playing out the stress chain in my mind, I could very easily get upset that I am late, not going to be able to make plans tonight... you get the point.

But, you know what? Fuck it. I'm going to get some ice cream.