I have an excellent book that's been around since 1976 called "Your Erroneous Zones," by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. For those of you who are struggling with guilt, fear, worry, anger, dependency, living in the past, demand for justice, then this book is for you. Whenever I start to lose control of my feelings, I grab this book out of my library and I read it. It's been my life saver. It will help you with your struggles through Y2K.

-- Overcomer (Overcomer@Overcomerr.com), August 18, 1999

Answers

If I'm stressed, I talk to God about the problem for a while, then take my dog for a long walk. My stress is gone by the time that we get back.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), August 18, 1999.

Good point. It's easy to forget that we're not machines. We need stress reduction, no matter how serious an impending event is.

What's the good of all your preps, if come 1/1/00, you're in a rubber room somewhere, chewing on your thumb or if you're dead from a coronary?

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), August 18, 1999.

Thumb chewers will be the nonpreppers.

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), August 19, 1999.

I bet your dog is relieved of stress too. Did you think to take a doggy pooper bag with you?

-- poop for soles (poopforsoles@poopforsoles.com), August 19, 1999.

Preparing will relieve your Y2K stress. Being outdoors has always drained stress away for me. When I'm outdoors I know God is listening. I also love music. Sitting on the porch as the sun comes up with that first cup of coffee. (I sound like a Folgers commercial) :)

The level of stress in our current society is reason enough to anticipate serious problems. A giant pot of bubbling 'postal'.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), August 19, 1999.

Preparing hasn't relieved my stress. In fact, it's made me more stressful! Like, what have I forgotten, what if it's not enough, how will I pay for all of this, will my family be with me, what about water, what if it doesn't happen and I'm stuck with all this stuff, what a fool I have been, I was a sucker, I was duped, WOW it really happened, no lights, where's the lamp and oil, there's a knock on the door, where's the shotgun?

-- toooo stressed out (toooostressedout@toooostressedout.com), August 19, 1999.

i kinda like what=jesus/GOD=said. he asked the question>who by worrying,can add an inch to his life. kinda gives me the idea,that worry is a waste of energy. anyone like puppies?

-- stress-pill. (dogs@zianet.com), August 19, 1999.

Don't fight it.

You're a "normal" person swimming in abnormal times.

We live in an insane age -- the inmates (80%?) are running the asylum. You feel like you may be one of the keepers (20%?) but you don't even get recognized as such.

You probably _won't_ find your life in peril, but if it is, you'll have a better headstart on survival than those who were subjected to: the Turkey earthquake, the Galveston flood of 1900, the bombing of Hiroshima/Nagasaki, the siege of Leningrad, the Johnstown Flood, the 1918 worldwide flu epidemic, etc. etc....

Hypervigilance? You're a "scout". For whatever reason in your past, you scan the horizon looking for the "next" thing (or threat).

Say to yourself something like: "This is the way I am. Sure, I'll waste time worrying that others won't waste. I wish I could just get through it. But I'll work my way through it in my own way, and I'll get over it. I'll also be more ready -- and more relaxed -- as a result of working through it my way. A one time event, most likely. I'll learn about myself from it, and move on."

-- jor-el (jor-el@krypton.uni), August 19, 1999.

This is a copy of an e-mail I recently sent to someone suffering from Y2K emotionally. Hope this helps -

Please DO NOT loose hope. The way you feel at the moment is the same way I felt about 2 years ago, after I started to examine the issue. The 4 stages of the Y2K issue are as follows -

1. Denial

We all know about that one - we were all pollys once. The situation is so deep and complex, the easiest way to reconcile the event emotionally and intellectually is to deny that there is any possible negative outcome. It is a prime characteristic of when our world view is challenged that we take this position. The same goes for bereavement, bankruptcy and imprisonment. The rational and the emotional need to come to terms with what is going on ......

2. Fear

You examine the facts, and your world view is starting to collapse. You start examining the political legal, social and personal ramifications. You realise you are mortal. You realise that the government, the world and any other 'protector' is not going to be in a position to assist. This is the darkest hour, and again many return to the warm safe place of the polly. It is only those who have courage that move on .....

3. Preparation

This includes "compliance", personal preparation, both emotional, intellectual and physical. This is where the 'crazy survivalists' come in - 'the world' does not like to be shown up as not having all the answers. In some ways, Y2K is very close to a religious experience - it strips away all the pre-conceived ideas and lies that we have been fed over the years. The problem here is how long do we prepare for ? Ultimately, even the most hard core survivalist is going to have problems as few man can be adequately self-sufficient in our society. The chasm is too wide to go back to the horse and cart (although we may be forced in that direction it will not be a 'consenting' trip) and this is where the survivalists lose the plot. Off the record. personally, I have made preparations, but this is short/medium term and I have no plans to try and become totally self-sufficient, but I will be OK for a period of months. Where I have concentrated is intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Common sense dictates that in the three examples above (bereavement, bankruptcy and imprisonment) one looks to ones faith ....

4. Confidence

This is where you need to get to. Your heart does not condemn you, for you have done everything you can and cannot be held accountable for your irresponsibility. You can then sit back and watch the show - knowing that if it is a damp squib, you have learned something, and confident that if the worst does happen you are in a better position than 99% of the population to respond. You may also have additional resource (physically, emotionally or intellectually ) that can help others when their world collapses.

As I have said in earlier posts Midas, I really do feel for you. I know where you are coming from, and it is so difficult being "prophetic" amongst an unbelieving generation. I am not 'touting for business' or trying to get something from you, I offer you my support as you obviously want to do your best. From my perspective, so many people are blind to the issues, it is a pleasure to help someone who genuinely wants/needs/recognizes there IS an issue. Why waste time trying to get the message across to those who DONT care ????

Anyway, I hope things improve for you and don't worry about politico's. My favorite quote about politicians is as follows -

"Politicians are like nappies - They are generally full of s**t and they need to be changed regularly. "

All the best,

Rob Somerville

-- Rob Somerville (merville@globalnet.co.uk), August 19, 1999.

Monk,

Do you attribute your peace to god, or to dog?

-- faithfulone (dog@god.backwards), August 19, 1999.

Too Stressed,

You can't catch all the pieces of a falling sky. You just have to decide what is most important to you and reach for that. Everyone has to decide for his or herself, just what they're trying to accomplish. Am I just trying to save my own miserable hide, or am I trying to save some piece of the world, to carry on.

WE are mistaken, if we make this whole thing about the fear of death. We will all die, one way or another, sooner or later. There will be lots of people who are preparing, that will meet untimely ends, before this year is out. We're preparing, but we could die in a firey car crash, tomorrow. Does this mean I avoid travel, and not finish my preps? How many catastrophes can I avoid, before I'm so busy, and so balled up with anxiety, that I can't function properly to prepare for any?

If you have preps, you will live. Now think about what you will build with that life you have sustained.

Sure, events may work out that not a single one of your plans comes to pass. But planning brings focus, and focus brings serenity.

On the other hand, too much self-focus, too much self-obsession, breeds anxiety. If the only thing this is about, is avoiding The Reaper, then you are wasting your time.

My own plan, is to catch the pieces of the falling sky, that allow me to survive and then move on to other things. If it all goes KABOOM tomorrow, then I will have died with a sense of purpose, instead of cowering in abasement.

Reminds me of a joke: I want to die peacefully, in my sleep, like my grandfather - Not screaming in terror, like his passengers...

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), August 19, 1999.