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Earlier, I shared the story of the most stressful year of my life, when job loss, financial fear, a cross-country move, and the pressure of a growing family collided with my MS. I didn’t realize at the time how badly stress was damaging my body. I thought I was just “pushing through.”

But MS doesn’t care how tough you are. If you don’t manage your stress, your symptoms will manage you.

That year ended with a relapse. And from that point forward, I knew I had to take stress seriously, not just emotionally, but physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Over time, I built a toolkit. Not a perfect system. Not a miracle cure. Just a handful of strategies that help me stay grounded when life gets loud.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, maybe one of these tools will help you, too.

1. Breathe first

It sounds simple, but most of us forget to do it.

When I feel panic start to rise, tight chest, racing thoughts, the whole deal, I pause and breathe. I’ll count slowly: in for four, hold for four, out for six. It’s called box breathing, and it’s helped me hit the brakes on full-blown stress spirals more times than I can count.

When nothing else is working, I go back to deep breathing.

2. Move a little

There were days when I couldn’t walk more than a few feet without a cane. But even then, I tried to get outside and move.

Movement doesn’t have to mean exercise. It can be as simple as standing in the sun for five minutes, walking the dogs around the block, or just stretching on the living room floor. When my world feels out of control, movement reminds me I’m still here, still in this body, still alive.

3. Talk it out

I used to bottle everything up. I didn’t want to scare Jocelyn. I didn’t want to burden anyone else. But the truth is, silence is heavier than honesty.

Now, I talk. To my wife. To my sons. To trusted friends. Sometimes to a counselor. Sometimes even to you, through blogs such as this.

Talking doesn't erase the stress, but it loosens its grip.

4. Write it down

I started writing long before I knew it would help anyone else. I wrote because I needed to.

Journaling helps me make sense of my thoughts. It gives my stress a shape — and once it has a shape, I can manage it. Whether it’s a private entry or a story I end up sharing with the world, writing helps me reclaim control.

5. Tap into faith

Stress isolates. Faith connects.

When I’m overwhelmed, I turn to prayer. I ask for strength. I ask for wisdom. I don’t always get answers right away, but I do get peace. And when I can’t find the words, I lean on old verses I’ve carried since I was a kid. “When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

Faith doesn’t fix everything. But it reminds me I’m not carrying it alone.

6. Set boundaries with screens

Stress can come through the front door, or through your phone.

I’ve learned to set digital boundaries. That might mean turning off the news. Logging off social media. Putting my phone in another room. Creating distance from noise helps me focus on the real life in front of me — my family, my faith, my health.

7. Soundtrack the comeback

Music has always been medicine for me.

Some days, it’s Billy Joel, the Beatles, or Steely Dan. Other days, it’s Jack Johnson taking me back to a different season of life. Music reminds me of who I was before the stress, and helps me find my way back. I throw on headphones, close my eyes, and let the rhythm rewire my nervous system.

It’s not just background noise, it’s a lifeline.

This isn’t a magic list. I still have bad days. I still feel overwhelmed. But these tools help me return to center. They help me respond instead of react. And that’s made all the difference.

If you're living with MS and wrestling with stress, just know, it's okay to feel what you're feeling. But it's also okay to take your peace seriously.

You deserve tools. You deserve rest. You deserve to breathe, to move, to heal, and to hope.

And you are never, ever alone.