Dealing with Anxious Times

We are in the middle of a stressful time in our country’s history. The election is pending; home values are sliding; Wall Street is a roller coaster and jobs are ending. This is a frightening time even for those who are not in an immediate crisis. The basic tools of stress management work just as well on money stress as they do on other kinds of stress. Many people mistakenly believe that money stress can only be reduced by money itself.

Stress management involves simple acts that reduce anxiety: breathing slowly and thoughtfully, sitting and meditating, going for a walk, spending...