Stress & The City

Why Modern Life Feels Like a Group Project You Didn't Sign Up For

This week, we’re taking a break from the usual political hot takes to look at something a little more... human. You’re probably thinking, “Wait—did I just sign up to be this guy’s unpaid therapist?” Don’t worry, there’s no co-pay required, and you won’t have to awkwardly nod while I talk about my dreams.

I just believe in keeping things fresh. Nobody wants the same menu every day—even Chick-fil-A closes on Sundays. So hush now, you’re distracting the audience.

Let’s talk about stress, that persistent, ever-evolving frenemy of the human condition. Whether you were dodging saber-toothed tigers 50,000 years ago or dodging Karen in the group chat today, stress has always been the boss level of existence. Back then it was survival of the fittest. Now it's survival of the most caffeinated.

Modern stress? It’s paying a mortgage, finding daycare that doesn’t cost the GDP of a small country, and trying to get your kid to baseball practice while a lifted truck with an airbrushed actual saber-toothed tiger tailgates you on the 202. Full circle.

Welcome to the Stress Olympics

Stress is the Olympic torch we all pass around—except we’re all running with it at the same time, the track is on fire, and we’re being chased by genetically modified saber-toothed tigers. One of the biggest culprits? Work.

Now, I’m not saying your job is bad, but if your boss asked you to “circle back” one more time, you’d probably reenact The Purge. Our work culture feels like an episode of 24, where Jack Bauer’s life-or-death mission has been replaced with “Will Todd finish the TPS reports before the WiFi goes down? Stay tuned for another episode of Cubicle Countdown.”

Even off the clock, work follows us around like a clingy ex. Work-life balance? LOL. We turned “hustle culture” into a personality trait, and somehow convinced ourselves that burnout is just a fancy way to say “I’m passionate.” You don’t even relax anymore—you schedule self-care like a meeting. "10 AM: cry in the car. 10:30: deep breaths and affirmations."

Family Ties or Family Tired?

You’d think family would be the emotional safe zone. You’d be wrong. Whether it’s kids, in-laws, or the cousin who treats every holiday like a live taping of Love & Hip Hop, family stress is its own genre.

Sure, family can be your peace. But sometimes it’s more like that slow-closing garage door—you think you’ve got time to get through without being crushed, but here comes Aunt Cheryl with her unsolicited thoughts on your parenting, your weight, and your life choices.

Social Media: The Stress Flu Shot That Gave You the Flu

Let’s talk about social stress, the silent killer of good moods everywhere. Remember when keeping up with the Joneses meant peeking at their new car in the driveway? Now the Joneses are a TikTok family with 2.5 million followers, a collab with Nike, and a Labradoodle named Biscuit who has brand deals.

We compare ourselves to strangers, influencers, AI-generated avatars, and everyone's filtered highlight reel. It's like signing up for a marathon you didn’t train for—and every water station is just another reminder that your self-esteem is dehydrated.

But here’s the plot twist: it’s not social media’s fault. That would be too easy. Social media is just the mirror. The real issue? Our unresolved stuff. Childhood insecurities. Comparison complexes. That one time in middle school when you wore socks with sandals and nobody let it go.

Social stress is the air freshener that covers the mold of every other kind of stress. It’s not just what we see—it’s how we let it shape our worth.

So What Do We Do? Besides Cry in the Shower?

Glad you asked.

Look, I’m not a therapist—I just play one in Facebook comment sections. But here are a few ways to put stress in its place without selling all your belongings and moving to a yurt in Sedona.

1. Get Active

Walk. Run. Dance like nobody’s watching (but pray nobody’s recording). Or try painting. If Bob Ross can turn stress into happy little trees, so can you. And while rooftop brooding sounds cool (trust me, I’ve tried it), the building manager usually doesn’t agree. Especially when you’re in all black whispering about justice.

2. Watch What You Eat

Now, I’m on the “see food” diet—if I see it, I eat it. (I didn’t say I was good at this advice.) But seriously, your fourth coffee and that third Monster might be why your heart thinks it’s starring in Mad Max: Fury Road.

3. Laugh. No Seriously—Laugh

Laughter is medicine. Not Joker-level laughter—that’s a different problem—but actual, joyful, side-splitting laughter. Let your brain know it’s okay to unclench. Just maybe avoid doing it during a funeral unless the dearly departed had a good sense of humor.

4. Perspective, People

It’s a tough world out here. But it’s not 536 AD bad. (Look it up—volcanic eruptions, sun blocked out, global crop failures. Stress had stress.) The point? Humanity’s always been on hard mode. Don’t play the “who’s more stressed” game—no one wins that one, and it definitely ruins the vibe at potlucks.

So if you're feeling overwhelmed, underwater, or like Thanos just snapped your emotional stability—breathe. Laugh. Hydrate. And for the love of Beyoncé, take a nap.

Until next time:

Stay grounded. Stay hydrated. Stay petty—but only a little.