Desserts is Stressed Spelled Backwards

My apologies for not posting Wednesday AND Friday this week.  The CA Girl home has been, to say the least, hectic and unnerving.  I foolishly thought that when my son began school, my life would slide easily into peace and serenity.  Why on earth would I be so ridiculous??  When life turns on a dime, as it often does, how do we handle it?  Are we fierce in the face of adversity?  Or do we seek out comfort?   I look for comfort.  And for me, comfort comes in the form of chocolate.  Let's face it, chocolate is the best comfort.  It is a scientific fact that chocolate contains properties which calm the nerves.  However, as wonderful as chocolate is, it is a saboteur in our efforts.  So what do we do?

1. Talk to someone.  Isn't that what BFF'S/Mom's/Sisters are for???
2. Blog about it!  You know I had to.  Honestly though, I am always impressed with the amount of love and compassion I have seen in the blogging world.
3. Distraction.  Read, watch TV, clean(gasp!)  pull out that project you have hidden away for later.
4. If you must eat, choose the healthy alternative.  No it's not the sweet decadent friend we know and love, but the healthier one will leave us with far less guilt and a smaller waistline.  Think of foods such as:  carrots, low fat popcorn--there are some really good ones that have little or no fat.  Grapes.  Freeze them.  It's good.  Apples.  "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." They also will keep the pounds away! 
5.  Are you familiar with the serenity prayer?  I love this little prayer:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference. 

  

Those are just a few ideas of how to handle stress differently in our lives.  We must retrain our thinking.  It's not an easy thing to do, and it is likely that we will have lapses.  That is what is being human is all about.  We can do this.  What are your methods of handling stress?