None of the above. Meditation, No. 1, and then music.

But only one glass of red wine.

My best friend is not human. It is my little dog, she listens and then I get hugs and kisses. She never gives her opinion, just her ears and her unconditional love.

Exercise! Without a doubt. I am highly stressed right now because my exercise capacity is extremely restricted while I recover from surgery. I know I only get one chance to heal correctly and I am following all the doctor’s orders but at the same time, I am not sleeping well and feel constant stress and tension in my back and neck and shoulders… my whole body! I can hear that aerobic class going on without me! The spring wildflowers are blooming beside the hiking trails and I am missing it! Perhaps I should try one of the other stress relievers on the list.

Reading is my all time stress reliever. I can crawl inside classic literature, such as Edith Wharton, Bronte,or Jane Austin and forget my woes for a while. My favorite is “House of Mirth” because Lily Bart is a complex contradictory character. We have 3 Abys that are fun to watch and always provide a laugh…My favorite snuggle love purr face is Snazzy Mae.

Well since shopping is not on the list I picked being alone. Even being alone I am not alone because the cat will scratch on the door wanting to come in. Yesterday I found myself standing in a closet for a few minutes of peace and tranquility. Meditating, praying for all those people worse off than me.

Most of my stress is related to my work, so the very best way to deal with it is to keep working until it is done.

My cat, reading for hours, writing articles, walking miles with my mp3, taking a long bath, reading some more, going to a book store to read even more.

Soaking in a hot bath.

Reading a good book is my stress reliever.

scotch/rocks and the NYTimes crossword - taken together they are magic

Depends on what causes the stress. Work, family (I am raising a child with bipolar disorder, and have 3 teens at home). The best escape is Saturday night poker and vodka tonics with my girlfriends.

May I suggest for future polls an option: None of these, let me explain in my post. That would have been my selection this time. Like Carol Wilson *waves* reading, most especially something truly engaging and positive. Talking with friends always helps as well, but sometimes that can be troublesome. Bless our hearts, women sometimes talk ourselves into worse states of strain. I know exercise helps as well, but *hangs head* I rarely turn to that de-stressor.