stress comes from being backed into a corner. this may be from bad decisions or from unforseen circumstances. in countries where healthcare mostly depends on having a job and support is not guaranteed or not easy to come by this can happen much faster than you expect, and it's not always possible to prepare for that.

stress is also created by other people who insist that i am doing something wrong, and don't respect that i have a different opinion on that matter. people who have expectations that i can't or don't want to meet.

i did learn to avoid stress, even as i live in countries where there is no safety net. i am out of work now, and while putting in applications day after day is tiring, i am not stressed. but i come from a country that has a strong safety net, and i know that if i have to i can always go back there. i grew up with that safety net, and i know that i'll never be homeless unless it's by choice. that alone removes a major stress factor. i don't know how i would feel without that safety net.