Whoever is not experiencing any stress in their lives, please raise your hand. Uh-huh. Exactly as I thought. And it's not just writers who don't have their fingers in the air. But who's got spare cash to go get a massage these days?

So today I'll do us all a favor and brainstorm some ways to take the hiss out of stress (and make sure to tune in on Fun Friday when I'll break the news on why I'm freaking out today).

You may not be able to contort your body into giving yourself a back rub, but most of us can reach our tootsies. Grab some moisturizer and work it into your feet. All over. Press hard. Ahh. Not as great as a pedicure but it'll do in a pinch.


Take a magazine break. Toodle over to the library and check out some periodicals. I'm not talking high-tech intricate reads. Go for the picture-licious copies. Then take your stash home, make a cup of tea, and park your behind on the couch. There's something eerily soothing about mindlessly looking at all the pretty colors.

This time of year (namely frigid in my parts) a long soak in a hot tub is a guaranteed win. As a bonus, make it a detox bath. Here are some recipes.


If the sun is shining, stand in it. Yes, you can stand just inside a window and not out in the frozen tundra. Close your eyes and lift your face to the sun, soaking in the golden rays. This is especially necessary if you are in my neck of the woods. Cloudy days are the norm, so when the sun does finally peek out, I make a run for it.

Shake it off, as in go for a walk. Normally I'm not the athletic type, but sometimes getting outside, alone, even if my nose hairs are freezing, whacks my thinking back into shape.

Kick the dog. Oops. Did my fingers type that? Yeah. More on this on Fun Friday.

So...what are some of your favorite ways to de-stress?