ExposedNYC

Single life in New York City can STRESS YOU OUT (it even makes it worse in all capital letters, huh?). Between holding down one or more jobs, dealing with the always daunting “general public” on streets and subways, keeping up with the news- which I admit to neglecting to the point of needing public service intervention, and maintaining a social life, it can get overwhelming. Oh yeah, and I’m supposed to be dating so that I can have something exciting to write about.

I’ve had a lot on my mind lately and realized that I deal with stress in a variety of responses- some being definitely healthier than others. My first clue was last Friday night, when I met a friend for a drink, which became multiple drinks, and multiple bars, and eventually more glasses of wine than could possibly fit on one hand or in an empty stomach. Luckily, I made it home in one piece and with a little less money in my wallet, but this was a clear indication that I needed to blow off steam.

On Saturday, I found a healthier alternative to all of my pent up energy- exercise. After a few hours of working out I could manage the walk down the street with a smile replacing the don’t-fuck-with-me scowl that stress paints on my face. Sadly, it didn’t last and by evening I was snapping at my roommate for just being nice and resisting the urge to throw my phone at the window when it dared to interrupt my peace with it’s obnoxious ringtone (keeping in mind that I had personally chosen said ringtone).

So finally, I decided to step back and examine what was really bothering me. I was extremely nervous for an upcoming job interview, particularly after a series of high hopes and disappointments in interviews past. The various part-time positions I hold while searching for stability have all also hit crunch times. I’m worried about various illnesses that keep popping up in the lives of people I care about. Add to that the financial and time-consuming strain of the holidays, and it’s no wonder I haven’t been sleeping well (not exactly adding to my cheery disposition).

But nothing relieves stress like facing it. After identifying everything that was bothering me I managed to address some of them. I spent some time doing research for my interview, faced and accepted a limited budget for the holiday season, and managed a great conversation over one glass of wine with a girlfriend.

It paid off today with what felt like a great interview, and a compliment on my writing from the owner of the company. In the meantime, while I wait to hear back from them, I treated myself to a completely indulgent fast-food dinner. Hey, I said I realized my unhealthy outlets for stress, not completely cured them.

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