Consider five pathways for managing stress: Focus, Interpret, Prepare, Process, and Distract. "Focus" means giving attention to what you can control (e.g., finding ways to make dollars stretch further so you worry less about bills). "Interpret" means redefining stress (e.g., looking on the bright side of a problem). "Prepare" means taking action to ward off stress in the future (e.g., doing holiday shopping early). "Process" means communication (e.g., discussing stress and solutions with others). "Distract" means diverting attention from the stress (e.g., listening to pleasant music, taking a walk, etc.). When under stress, consider these pathways of intervention and you are more likely to find the one that works best.