57 Days - In Times of Stress. . .

These past few weeks have been busy, overwhelming (not necessarily in a bad way), and stressed the max. 

I give you the Stress Originators:

• Lack of sleep -  We averaged about 4.5 -5 hours of sleep last week while we were working on our invitations.  Thankfully, the invites are addressed, stuffed, and out the door.  (I'll worry about RSVP stress later.)
• Lack of results - I joined Bally's gym at the beginning of June in order to get myself in better shape for the wedding.  I started working with a trainer less than a week later.  He adviced me to cut calories to around 1200 - 1400 per day, keep a food journal, and mix cardio and strength training four nights a week for at least an hour.  I was committed to my goal and motivated.  Unfortunately, at my one month weight-in, my trainer told me I hadn't lost any weight or body fat.  This started the emotional roller-coaster that was "WTF! You have got to be kidding! - angry stage, then "Rachel - Pity Party for One" stage, to "acceptance that I am doing what I can and I can't do anymore" stage.  I'm still going to the gym and I have one more session with my trainer, but my first dress fitting was last week and I was adviced not to lose any weight.  Dear goal, meet the drain.
• Busy, busy, busy - Big project at work, weddings, visitors, travel, gym, invites, yada, yada, yada.  As a result, our apartment is in God-awful shape.  My past roommates will tell you that I don't do well in apartment chaos.  For real.  My favorite appliance in college was my Wet/Dry Dust Buster.  So last night, I looked up and I realized what our schedule has been doing to the apartment and I went on a very stressful cleaning spree, where I needed to pick-up everything in sight and vaccuum. . . ten minutes before I was supposed to go to bed.  I don't think Sam likes when this side of me comes out.
• Los Budgets - Life, wedding, saving for a house, bills. . . there isn't much money to spare in the Munn/Batkins household. We've all been there.  There's no point in belaboring the point.
• Other people, places and things - I call this the straw that breaks the camel's back stuff.  Its detailed and messy and almost always comes out of left field.  

The Metaphors:
Most days you can stay the course.  Things get stressful and you keep on keepin on because that is what you have to do. C'est la vie!  Then the straw hits at just the wrong place and just the wrong time and then you cue the waterworks.  This may or may not have happened yesterday when I was chugging along and juggling all of these stress balls and then the "straw" hit me and my evening fell apart. 

Insert Coping and Stress Relievers:

Moral of the story: 

I stress, you stress, we all stress.  Somedays, we stress harder then others.  When those days hit you, grab your honey, a box of tissues, and some nachos and let it all out.  Go ahead and get messy.  I have found that messy cries are usually the most cathartic. Chances are these measures won't take away the stress originators, but it'll make you feel better for a little while.  Here's another tip - make enough nachos for leftovers.