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Bernardo de La Paz

(58,724 posts)
7. Reduce stress by not renting free space in your mind and by taking action
Wed Sep 24, 2025, 11:20 AM
Wednesday

Do that by: Doing what you can and not stressing on the rest.

Anger and hate are toxic to you but the target feels nothing.
Action and speaking out free you from emotions and the target is affected.

If news makes you angry, severely limit your exposure to news until you learn how to receive it without anger. An angry warrior makes mistakes and becomes a dead warrior or ineffective or negatively effective. Cold focused determination is highly effective and healthier. Healthy warriors accomplish more.

Worry is good in very limited way. It helps you figure out things you can do. But beyond that, spinning the hamster wheel of worry is debilitating and not helpful. Once you've figured out actions and set them in motion, let go of the worry. If you find yourself worrying, ask yourself if it is about new info that is not fully digested, or if there is a new angle you thought of. If neither of those apply, let go and sweep the worry out of your mind. Metaphorically open a door in your mind and let a breeze blow out the worry.

How do you get good at not worrying, not raging, not fearing, not hating? By not indulging it. As many times as necessary.

Make the healthy decision to let the toxic emotions go. If it comes back seconds later, don't get angry at it or your self. Just let it go again. Action is distracting in the most positive way. Even protesting is action. If posting on DU helps, then post, but please work on reducing the doom, anger and hate in posts for the sake of DU members and yourself. "Accentuate the positive" is not trite, it is wisdom.

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Some of the stress has been caused by the financial pressure and that is caused by Trump's bad policies Walleye Wednesday #1
Exactly. LuckyCharms Wednesday #4
It sure is stressful, my dear LuckyCharms! It does take a toll. CaliforniaPeggy Wednesday #2
How are you today? Back in the world! 1WorldHope Wednesday #22
oh there are lots of studies on the effects of stress Kali Wednesday #3
I think the "variables" the OP was talking about Wednesdays Wednesday #14
That's right. You said it better than I did. n/t LuckyCharms Wednesday #19
I SCAN post titles and only open ones where I think I can help. usonian Wednesday #5
Agree 100%, but my point is... LuckyCharms Wednesday #6
Taking action is less stressful than not taking action. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Wednesday #10
Yes, in most cases. LuckyCharms Wednesday #16
"It only hurts if you care" usonian Wednesday #15
Reduce stress by not renting free space in your mind and by taking action Bernardo de La Paz Wednesday #7
I had a conversation about this with my department chair last week Redleg Wednesday #8
Keep the awareness. REGAIN the tranquility. . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Wednesday #11
I wish it was that easy Redleg Wednesday #18
Don't diminish this fight. It's not just one man. Biophilic Wednesday #9
This is a good point and probably what bothers me the most Redleg Wednesday #12
They should move to another county. CaptainTruth Wednesday #61
"...a good number of people in this country are flaming assholes." 3catwoman3 Wednesday #62
Yes, hence my point #2 in the OP. LuckyCharms Wednesday #17
Like zombies being brought to life PatSeg Wednesday #40
"Like zombies being brought to life" LuckyCharms Wednesday #42
Thanks PatSeg Wednesday #49
Exactly. yellow dahlia Wednesday #90
"Maybe it is true, anyone CAN become President!" PatSeg 15 hrs ago #105
Yes and no. They've been working towards this for a long time. Biophilic Wednesday #47
Post removed Post removed Wednesday #52
Damn, all that work to set up an account... LuckyCharms Wednesday #53
Message auto-removed Name removed Wednesday #56
You are not. You are dull. You bring your echo chamber here. We read Reichwing sites, so we know. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Wednesday #57
The trolls are active today, MarineCombatEngineer Wednesday #58
Her 3rd of the day so far! BumRushDaShow Wednesday #63
Kinda figured it was LG. MarineCombatEngineer Wednesday #65
The tRump Derangement disease is strong in you. You've been CONned about antifa and a lot of stuff. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Wednesday #54
I have had the same observation - he let them crawl out from under their rocks. yellow dahlia Wednesday #89
I remember when they did not want to be so public because they knew what would happen if they came out in public. OldBaldy1701E 18 hrs ago #98
I don't understand it either PatSeg Wednesday #48
Joan Baez suggest 85% of time in denail WhiteTara Wednesday #13
Understand that DU is a highly concentrated news aggregator. usonian Wednesday #20
But DU is only a portion of my life. LuckyCharms Wednesday #24
Work on root causes? usonian Wednesday #29
Hits home, LuckyCharms some_of_us_are_sane Wednesday #70
I was living a similar experience. yellow dahlia Wednesday #91
I remember the morning after election day in 2016... LuckyCharms Wednesday #92
I have not fully lost that feeling. yellow dahlia Wednesday #96
How about THIS, usonian some_of_us_are_sane Wednesday #68
But I can't join my own club? usonian Wednesday #72
The chin isn't important... some_of_us_are_sane Wednesday #74
Thanks for the best compliment I've gotten since the divorce! usonian Wednesday #75
Paul Giamatti? nt. druidity33 Wednesday #81
NO MERLOT !!! thought crime Wednesday #86
You are right... kentuck Wednesday #21
A Fragile Ego BOSSHOG Wednesday #23
There are PLENTY of reasons why I am going to party like its 1999 the day he dies... Moostache Wednesday #25
Let's bottle the tears! ChazInAz Wednesday #44
You hit this one out of the park! pandr32 Wednesday #26
I am truly sorry for the violence you have endured. LuckyCharms Wednesday #34
Thank you. pandr32 Wednesday #37
I am sorry for your treatment in this life. yellow dahlia Wednesday #93
Yes, it is extremely stressful. People like me who have struggled with anxiety and depression are particularly Martin68 Wednesday #27
I can't stop doomscrolling because I don't want to be blindsided by the next awful thing Alice B. Wednesday #28
Same here PatSeg Wednesday #39
And do you tell yourself you'll stop for the day when you find a piece of hopeful/good news? I do that. Alice B. Wednesday #84
Mostly I try to barrage myself PatSeg 15 hrs ago #104
I am MAKING myself read good books again, too Alice B. 15 hrs ago #106
I've been reading more this past year PatSeg 15 hrs ago #107
In one of my classes Turbineguy Wednesday #30
So true PatSeg Wednesday #38
We are moving to a retirement community, Masonicare, full of old liberals, like us... CTyankee Wednesday #31
I think what you are describing is one answer (a very major answer) to the problem. llmart Wednesday #71
Well, I try to avoid the ones I call "the religiously insane." They are the worst. CTyankee Wednesday #76
...and a saguaro cactus. lastlib Wednesday #32
I rec'd this post based on the last line alone. Yes please. Maru Kitteh Wednesday #33
It has all taken quite a toll PatSeg Wednesday #35
Exactly and perfectly stated. Thank you. LoisB Wednesday #36
And his fuckhead kkkuktists endlessly accusing us of TDS Orrex Wednesday #41
I know. I just want to wake up and not hear the name. LisaM Wednesday #43
Message auto-removed Name removed Wednesday #45
I agree with every word. mountain grammy Wednesday #46
Gosh, Lucky. I wish I could recommend this post a gazillion times! hamsterjill Wednesday #50
We keep each other propped up. yellow dahlia Wednesday #94
I feel your pain. Gimpyknee Wednesday #51
Ten years, plus. Miles Archer Wednesday #55
Not often I read an DU OP I completely agree with. maxsolomon Wednesday #59
It would not be like that if the extreme court "judges" Justice matters. Wednesday #60
100%!!! He's going to be obnoxious and make our life hell every day until he's left his mortal form. LymphocyteLover Wednesday #64
My go to these days is, Prairie_Seagull Wednesday #66
Part of the plan... 2naSalit Wednesday #67
A lot of inspirational information... GiqueCee Wednesday #69
I feel like I've aged 20 years in the last 6 months. Initech Wednesday #73
I second that emotion. yellow dahlia Wednesday #95
so perceptive - thank you RT Atlanta Wednesday #77
This morning I did a search on how unrelieved longterm stress Mme. Defarge Wednesday #78
I say this everyday... PittBlue Wednesday #79
It's "Living the Crisis Lifestlye" "On the cortisol rollercoaster" "Always constant drama"............. Clouds Passing Wednesday #80
My only hope is that *he* also is subject to the effects of stress intrepidity Wednesday #82
Tell me about it!!! BigmanPigman Wednesday #83
Amen, thank you, recommend. nt babylonsister Wednesday #85
In the book Surviving Autocracy, Masha Gessen likens the stress to living during a war. thought crime Wednesday #87
You are absolutely correct. yellow dahlia Wednesday #88
I go out to my shop and listen to music or podcasts. Woodwizard 19 hrs ago #97
The real stress comes from the lack of oversight by those that took an oath to protect the constitution mdbl 17 hrs ago #99
Amen coolhandlulu 17 hrs ago #100
3) an enabling SCOTUS Ferrets are Cool 17 hrs ago #101
I was comparing a picture of me from 2016 and one from a couple of months ago. Aristus 16 hrs ago #102
Same here, Aristus. LuckyCharms 16 hrs ago #103
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