First, do not rely on alcohol or drugs. Second, have someone that loves you, rub your feet in olive oil. Third, drink a glass of whole milk. Fourth, if you have it, fix yourself a turkey sandwich. Sound weird? i guess it does, but no matter, it works. try it.

I have been told that you need to elminate the stressful things in your life. I am a very stressed person also i have tried to do this. My kids stress me out the most so now i just try to stress about the major thing if they spill something i make them clean it up because if i don't have to stop what i am doing to clean up their mess that is less stress. Bills is another one that gets me I just pay what i can and deal with the rest. I just take it one day at a time and put things in godshands and not worry so much everything has a way of working themselves out.

If you just want a good band-aid for stress, then try meditateing for an hour or so each evening.

Sometimes we can't eliminate the things that cause stress, but we can eliminate the thoughts that cause it. For e.g. Instead of taking on a task you can't complete, then being stressed out because you can't complete it. Take a stand for yourself... accept that you cannot complete the task, and adjust the task's schedule. Or, simply accept that the task cannot be completed well in the time alotted, and that hurrying won't make you perform better. Taking a long deep breath, and clearing your mind is a good "reset" from stress -- during that time that you are exhaling -- blow out the negative "I can't handle this" thoughts that go with it. The more you think positive, the less you'll find yourself being troubled with negative stressed out thoughts.

Meditation is the best long-term solution for stress, but it can be difficult to develop sufficient skill. Some of the other quick-fix solutions posted here sound like they can be helpful. Ultimately, to master stress you do have to do a lot of self-observation to see that it is your own thoughts which are the source of the stress, not the circumstances of your life. However, changing circumstances (a less stressful job, etc.) can help in the short run. And no, positive thinking is a *bad* answer: trying to manipulate your thoughts is not helpful, it just creates more stress ("oh what's wrong with me, why can't I think more positively!?"). Fortunately, most of the positive thinking fad has died down in the last 10 years or so, although that stinker isn't completely gone yet. Other quick fixes: breath deeply, and count the breaths slowly. Pick something in your immediate area which has a lot of detail, and observe it very carefully (e.g. study the grain of the wood on the table in minute detail, etc.). The idea is to get your mind preoccupied with direct and immediate experience (here-and-now) to interrupt the incessant ego-based internal narrative which is causing the stress.

clear your mind. rest. listen to soft music or do something relaxing, like painting, for example, is what i do.