BeNiceOrElse.com

We all know that stress can lead to emotional eating, and we all know that stress is pretty much guaranteed in life. Newspapers, magazines, Web sites, and blogs are filled with techniques for curbing your appetite and reducing your cravings, but here's an idea you might not have heard of before: Find yourself a bitch-buddy!

We all have times when we feel stressed out. We all need time to process, whine, moan, and complain. It's a natural part of who we are. What's important, however, is that when you're having one of those times, you don't pollute everyone around you. Instead, you need a bitch-buddy: a nonjudgmental, confidential sounding board who will listen to you gripe. A bitch-buddy is a person you can talk to when you feel bitter, mean, nasty, and ugly.

At least once a week, I let my bitch-buddy know I needed a "session" with him -- I need for him to be my listening, nonjudgmental ear as I download my latest thoughts, adventures, and struggles. I've learned through past mistakes that if I were to whine and complain to friends or team members who perhaps didn't understand that I was just having an off day, they'd jump to all sorts of inaccurate conclusions: "Uh-oh, Winn's depressed. I'd better warn everyone. The company must be in trouble. My paycheck is going to bounce. I'd better find a new job."

You might be wondering why I need to talk to my bitch-buddy so often. Please know that I'm not always whining and complaining in these sessions. Most of the time, I just need a sounding board' -- just need to hear my own voice speak my own thoughts. I don't want to gamble with the words I speak, so my bitch-buddy fits the bill. Bottom line, these sessions are more about my growth than they are about negative complaining and drama.