Yesterday morning I sat in a doctor’s waiting room as Alice was in for a checkup. Like most guys, I hate waiting and it was even worse yesterday because they had a new widescreen HDTV on the wall. I looove those High Definition televisions and every time I see one I resent the behemoth in our family room. Fifteen years old, if it’s a day, it weighs so much that it takes a forklift, a crane, and 300 able-bodied men just to move it. (What do you mean I’m exaggerating?) When we moved into our house, it went where it was going and it stays there until we move again, if we ever do.

There is no way in this economy we are buying a new one. (Sorry, Mr. President.) Dave Ramsey is right, as far as I’m concerned; we should eliminate debt and live on what we actually have. Unfortunately, the vast majority of us aren’t there yet.

That leads me to the subject at hand. Stress. Especially now. On that wonderful TV yesterday I watched NBCs Today show as I waited for Alice. Natalie Morales and Al Roker interviewed a couple psychologists on how to deal with stress in the current economic climate. (Though pretty on camera, even HDTV doesn’t do Natalie justice. In person she’s stunning. Don’t know about Al; never been interviewed by him. Maybe he’s stunning, too.)

Because the volume was low I couldn’t hear much of what the psychologists said, but every few seconds they’d put a point on the bottom of the screen so I think I got the gist. Common sense stuff, of course, but who thinks with a lot of commons sense when they’re stressed?

In another blog, I will address a few spiritual methods for overcoming stress. In this one let’s just list a few practical things you can do right now:

1. Walk, jog, exercise — whatever physical activity you can motivate yourself to do. It really helps.

2. Talk, share, interact with people who are positive and upbeat about what the future holds. Not idealistic idiots, but people with confidence and faith. As Ziz Ziglar says, “I will not be SNIOPED!” (Susceptible to the Negative Influence of Other People.)

3. Think, dream, plan — in tough times you usually lose if you do the “same old, same old.” Evaluate your strengths, abilities, and talents and find a new way to put them to use to make income and/or make a difference.

4. Stop being omphaloskeptic. Look beyond yourself and your own situation. See the big picture.

5. When you see the big world picture, thank God that you have the benefits and blessings that you have. I could link here to pictures of starving children, elderly people still working under heavy loads just to survive, people being beaten or tortured. Most of the world is much worse off than you. Be thankful, not gloomy.

6. DO SOMETHING! Get off the sofa, not matter how sorry you feel for yourself, and do something today that makes a difference, either in your income, or in the life of someone who needs you. Do both if you can.

7. Stop being negative and become positive in how you think, act, and talk. Even to yourself. Positive affirmations lead to much better results than self-recrimination, self-pity, and helplessness. So the next time you have a negative thought, repeal it with twenty positive repetitions to yourself. (Things such as, “We survive and prosper,” or “God controls all,” or “I am successful,” or “I am blessed beyond measure.”