In today's complex world, we often have to face a lot of different events and responsibilities that can stir up complicated feelings. Sometimes life becomes overwhelmingly stressful. I’m a practicing psychologist, and I want to share with you some strategies to cope with daily pressures that proved to be useful:

● Make space for self-care.

We all manage stress in different ways. Some self-care basics are getting enough sleep, prioritizing healthy food and getting exercise. Consider what specifically works for you - perhaps, it’s walking in a park on a sunny day, going to a cinema, dancing to your favorite music, meditating or having a warm bath. Make a list of all the activities that help you relax and recharge, and try to do at least one each day.

● Set boundaries.

It's important to recognize situations or people that trigger stress, so you can prepare for them or avoid them when needed. If some situations are hard to escape, set clear boundaries. For instance, at a family gathering, ask relatives not to bring up certain tense topics, or plan an exit strategy if conversations get a bad turn - excuse yourself politely and leave the room until it calms down. Another example: if a friend or a family member always calls you at night when you don’t want to talk, ask them to stop doing it or create a clear time limit on how long you can be on the call.

● Practice being present.

Being present in everyday life helps us enjoy the moment more, be aware of our thoughts and feelings without being caught up in them, and reduces stress and anxiety. Try being fully engaged in whatever you’re doing. The best way to do it is by using all of your 5 senses. Pay attention to the warmth of a hot drink, the aroma and taste of food, the texture of a blanket. Listen closely to your friends and family when you’re with them. As you walk outside, feel the wind or sun on your face and the ground under your feet. Focus on your surroundings, houses, trees and plants, and notice every sound: cars passing, people laughing, birds singing, songs from local cafes.

Focusing on these small details can help us instantly ground ourselves and feel more calm even amongst chaos. You can even create a “calm dawn kit” that will include objects to help you ground yourself at any time: for example, a squeeze ball, a scented cream or a candle, your favorite candies, a recording of nature sounds, a calming picture.

● Take a moment for gratitude.

Studies have shown that being grateful and thinking of positive things helps us cope with stress and improves emotional well-being. Here’s a simple practice that you can try:

- In the morning, after waking up, think of three things you are grateful for at this moment in your life. These can be simple but meaningful things. For example, the warmth and comfort of your home, the support of your loved ones, or the nice weather outside. Allow yourself to immerse in the state of gratitude and enjoy it.

- In the evening, before you go to bed, think about the past day. Remember three positive events that happened during the day - whether they were big events or small joys. For example, you had a great chat with a friend, tried a new dish in a cafe, watched a good movie, completed a task or just got through the day. Also allow yourself to feel gratitude for these moments.

For a better effect, write these things down as you think about them. It’s okay if you have a hard time feeling gratitude right away. Keep doing the practice on a regular basis and over time you may notice it feeling more natural.

● Reach out for support.

There’s something very healing in human connections and in knowing that we’re not alone in our struggles. Don't hesitate to reach out to close friends or family members you trust. Share your concerns and feelings with them. If there’s no one you can talk to, call a mental health helpline in your country. A person on the other line will listen empathetically and help you deal with these difficult emotions. It also can be helpful to search for local support groups where you can share your stories and talk about what’s bothering you in a safe environment. And if you feel like the stress is becoming too overwhelming, consider reaching out to a counselor or a therapist that will help you find the root of your problem and figure out ways to overcome it.

I hope these tips give you some ideas to make each day feel more manageable and less overwhelming. The key is to gently experiment with self-care strategies until you find what works for your needs. Feel free to share any other coping strategies that you find useful.

Hi, my question will be somewhat delicate. I’m not quite sure whom to turn to or what to do next, so guess I just need some opinions on the matter.

I work in a library, and we have a mentally handicapped man working with us. I don’t know the details of his condition. He’s in his forties but acts like he’s 16. All my other colleagues are middle-aged women, I’m the only one without a family or kids. When I took the job, that man immediately took a liking to me and it sort of became our routine to chat a bit in the morning and after work. Nothing personal, we talk about favorite music and TV-shows. He tells me what he had cooked for breakfast (he lives with his mother) and the new Lego set he had bought. Initially I thought it was normal work chitchat, especially when we both get bored with repetitive daily tasks. But lately our communication has turned to direct flirting on his side. He always wants to help me with something, even though I don’t need any help. I tried to be polite and friendly, but eventually snapped a couple of times telling him he was distracting me from my work. He got offended and ignored me for several days walking back and forth past my working desk twenty times a day with a blank face. It was actually a relief, but it was not for long, and meanwhile my colleagues kept joking that I’d been rude to “our Jeff”. I secretly hoped he’d stay offended, but he showed up with a rose instead and doubled his flirting. He also became more aggressive, last month he came to work and put his arms on my shoulders asking for “free hugs” all the while smiling like it was something natural. I didn’t know how to react and tried to detach myself as quickly as possible. My colleague who was standing next to me patted him on the back and told him to go do his job, which he did. She finds his attentions to me “cute” and reminds me that he doesn’t fully understand the full consequences of his actions. I’m not sure this is true because he doesn’t act the same way to any other woman, but I never gave him any reasons to believe I’m interested. I took two weeks off before the holidays, hoping that we’ll all take a healthy break from one another and things might change for the better. My friend advised me to treat the man as I treat my female colleagues, to be very reserved and focus on my work. However, I find it hard to follow! I began avoiding our small cafeteria on the first floor and take the pains to have lunch at the mall next to the library, just to avoid any communication with Jeff outside work. It’s both longer and lonelier. I feel uncomfortable when he is around. Two days ago, he grabbed me by the hand near the elevator and tried to hold me, making inappropriate comments about my skirt. I told my manager about it, she shrugged it off, like all my other colleagues do. They think he’s harmless, and I almost feel ashamed for complaining to them. I tried to casually lie to Jeff that I have a boyfriend and am about to get married, and he didn’t show any signs of comprehension at my words, as if I were talking about my brother or about pizza. I feel like I’m some sort of trophy, and I’m supposed to be kind and understanding because I have no mental issues and he has.

So, how to handle this situation appropriately? I don’t want to get Jeff in trouble, but I don’t know how to stop it, without quitting my job? Or should I quit? The pay is not worth it, and the only reason I took it was to pay the bills quickly and because I thought it’s a great relaxing job.

I am raising a child, which I am very happy about. I'd like to have another one, but there are problems. Let me start from the beginning. I'm healthy, but my husband is infertile. We wanted children and I didn't want to cheat on him. So we went to expensive medical procedures.

I was "pumped" with hormones, and then they "planted" an embryo. And so three times, because the first and the second one didn't work. It's easy to write, but it's not easy to bear it when you already feel life inside and then it stops. It's shocking and stressful.

It's tears, and feeling bad from excess hormones. It's a bad figure from the medication.

It's debts and loans, procedures are expensive. Several years passed in the exercise. When I cried, I lkmaoa that if I had cheated on my husband, I wouldn't have to suffer so much

But I'm honest, and I suffered. After raising my head a bit from my problems, I began to suspect that my husband was cheating on me. This was especially disgusting in the face of my exploits.

I did a little investigation and my husband's adultery was quickly discovered. You have no idea how angry I was! I'd agonized in clinics about not cheating, and he didn't agonize. And he didn't appreciate it.

I didn't want to see my husband anymore. I took a mop in my hands, opened the door, and kicked him out of the apartment. I cried for a long time. For days I walked around like a robot, feeling nothing.

A friend told me that I should try to get pregnant naturally. I agreed out of anger. We started looking for a donor.

Yes, a donor. I just wanted a baby, not a new husband. We had a long discussion about what kind of father he should be. Smart, healthy, handsome. And he should have a family. That's a good indicator of character, too.

I spent a week looking for him on the Internet. I've been texting men. I'd given up hope. But suddenly I found him. I liked him, and we had an "affair". In the process of communication I found out that he is healthy, educated, and has two children. Everything's fine.

Since I was healthy, I got pregnant very quickly. The goal was achieved. And I "disappeared" from my lover's sight. I was no longer angry with my husband. I've committed adultery, too. After all, I was also looking for

Maybe the lover was looking for me, but I didn't care. I was getting ready to have a baby. At some point my husband came back and we made up. I told my husband I'd used a medical service.

Although I had no money for it and chose the "free option". Shortly before the birth, my lover found me. He was bored, and I think he was starting to guess that the baby might be his. He asked me the due date. I told him. And we agreed to just text each other.

The baby that was born looked so much like him that the photo couldn't be shown. I didn't want him to claim the baby. Soon enough, the baby developed allergies. And it was important for the diagnosis if the father had it.

I mysteriously mumbled in the correspondence "and how do you tolerate milk?" to which he replied that he did not. Of course, it was my fault for choosing a donor like that.

Since he was smart, after these questions, the lover started demanding a picture of the baby. I had to send it. I could have ended it, of course. But I wanted a second child. After the baby photo, he sent me a baby photo of himself. The resemblance is obvious.

I blocked him and left town. The baby's growing up, my husband and I are raising him. But how do you have a second child..

Ever since college, the fear of death and the meaninglessness of my own existence have been one of the main sources of my depression. I remember the first time I experienced what I now know to be a panic attack. It was during a philosophy class in college, where we were discussing the concept of mortality and the absurdity of human existence. Suddenly, my heart began to race, my palms grew clammy, and I couldn’t stop imagining my own death. Since then these panic attacks have become a regular occurrence in my life, striking without warning. I try to push such thoughts away, but they always come back. When I think that my life will end one day, I want to cry. I often wonder how others can be so positive about their existence. What’s your secret? Do you simply ignore the existential questions that plague me? How can I make it easier for me? I really need to find ways to get over this, cause I’m tired of being afraid.