I love finding new websites that cover my interests. Some of my favorites are ChangingThePresent.org for charitable contributions, About.com's Political Humor site for a good laugh, and now I've finally gotten on Facebook for social networking and free word games. (I love Scramble!) What I love about sites like these are that they are good at what they do--they offer a variety of different resources centered around their niche, and always have something new and interesting to grab my attention.

I strive to offer a stress-management-equivalent version of those sites that I admire, so I offer a wealth of resources to help you relieve stress. There are articles, quizzes, polls, e courses, a free newsletter, and more. I'm bringing this to your attention because there's so much here that sometimes people leave without realizing that they've missed some valuable resources. For example, did you know about the free newsletter? Or that I've recently started a Facebook page? (If you're on Facebook, enter my email address--stress.guide@about.com--and we can be 'friends'!)

I'm also bringing it up to invite your comments and suggestions. If there's something that you'd like to see here--a topic you'd like to see covered more, or a resource you'd like to find here--I'd really like to hear from you! (Just post in the comments, or email me.) In 2009, this site can be more of a place for you to link into for daily updates on all things stress-related! (If you're commenting, along with your topic suggestions, feel free to name-drop your favorite blogs, including your own!)

For a more complete list of this site's offerings, see this page of Ongoing Stress Reduction Resoruces.

While I am a huge fan of healthy coping, and continually strive to try and incorporate new stress-coping strategies while consistently maintaining the ones that work best for me, there's a coping strategy that I find myself using subtly but regularly: chocolate.

When I first realized that I was somewhat addicted, I was concerned. Obviously, chocolate isn't going to solve anything. It's not a proactive coping mechanism like journaling, visualizations or assertiveness training. Also, it won't make me less reactive to future stress like meditation, PMR or exercise can. (And it's far more likely to lead away from--rather than toward--my fitness goals.)

But then I realized a few things, and have come to accept (okay, embrace) chocolate as part of my coping repertoire:

• Chocolate Can Be Good For Me
  According to this article by my friend and colleague, Mark Stibich, chocolate can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and most of the fat in chocolate does not affect your cholesterol. It also contains antioxidants (about 8 times the amount that strawberries contain!) and can actually work to balance your hormones.

• Chocolate Does Make Me Feel Better
  Chocolate actually stimulates the production of endorphins (the 'feel good hormones') and the release of serotonin (a natural anti-depressant), and has a jolt of caffeine (but not too much), to provide a burst of energy and a mood boost.

• Chocolate Signals That More Coping Is Needed
  Chocolate--dark chocolate, with a high percentage of cocoa, eaten in small doses--can have health benefits. It's not the best stress management technique out there, but I don't find myself craving meditation, exercise or visualizations when I'm stressed the way I crave chocolate--I have to remind myself to do those. And sometimes I find myself craving chocolate before I realize I'm stressed! In that way, chocolate cravings can act as an early-warning system to remind me that my stress levels are rising and one of the more standard stress management techniques should be employed. Thanks, chocolate!

Many 'vice' coping mechanisms, such as smoking or excessive drinking, are problematic because they cause more problems long-term than they alleviate. However, I'm taking sweet little chocolate out of that category.

What about you? Do you use chocolate (or another un-traditional stress reliever) to help you through the stressful days? And are you okay with it? Why or why not? Leave your musings in the comments or start a thread in the Stress Management Forum.

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New Year's Resolutions, if done right, can lead to a happier, more fulfilling, and less stressed lifestyle. (See this article for how to set and keep your New Year's Resolutions more effectively.) However, keeping resolutions can also be stressful. Especially if you go about trying to keep your resolutions the way most people do, by this time of January (or sooner), you may start getting discouraged, may have even given up, or may be experiencing a buildup of stress from trying to change too much, too fast, or as a natural by-product of the changes themselves (especially if you're trying to give up an unhealthy habit without lots of support or preparation). For example, those who are trying to give up smoking--a popular resolution--may be feeling the effects not only of nicotine withdrawal, but of the stress that comes with giving up a primary coping strategy and needing to find new coping techniques to deal with the stress.

Even if you're not fully aware of it, this stress may be spreading to the people around you, or may be wearing on you in subtle (or obvious) ways. You may be short-tempered or out-of-sorts. If others are dealing with their own stress (and January is perhaps the most stressful month of the year, so this isn't unlikely), this can lead to stress within relationships.

Where does the stress come from? And what can be done to successfully manage it? Read about New Year's Resolution Stress and see!

Discuss: Did you set any resolutions this year? How are they coming? Are you feeling stress associated with making the changes, or are you just feeling good about the whole thing? Share your experience in the comments or in the Stress Management Forum.

We all know that the holiday season can be a time of stress. But what surprises many people is that once the holiday shopping, traveling and endless social obligations are over, the real stress begins--in January! In fact, many experts believe that January is actually the most stressful month of the year for several reasons that, for some reason, seem to catch most of us off guard every year. Some of these stressors can be prevented and minimized, others can be dealt with via stress management techniques, but they all must be addressed.

Learn more about the Causes of January Stress, and find out how to cope.

Discuss: Do you agree? Is January the most stressful month of the year--or among them? And what stresses you this time of year? For me, it's my penchant for trying to do too many things at once, now that the holiday season is over and I have more 'free time'. What about you? Leave your answers in the comments section, or start a discussion in the Stress Management Forum.

_{Photo from iStockphoto.com}