Many people will tell you that life is not meant to be easy. But that’s only because they haven’t figured out how to remove stress from their daily existence. Folks, I’m here to tell you that there are two ways to deal with life’s challenges: the stressful way, the regular way, and the easy way!

Let’s see an example. Let’s say you’re an overworked mother fighting a never-ending battle to convince the children that, as members of the household, it seems only fair that they help the slaves (ie parents) with daily chores. “Sorry, Mom… I’d like to help, but I’m SO busy.”

Now, the regular way to deal with this situation is to start by appealing to your children’s sense of fair play. Yeah, ridiculous, I know, but it was worth a try as an opening gambit. Then comes the threat of taking away their assignment. For some reason this no longer works. What is going on, are they printing counterfeit money on their inkjet printers? Threats of violence don’t work either. They will sue you if you even seem to raise a hand in anger. So for most parents, it’s easier to do the work and dream of the day their loved ones have children of their own.

Alternatively, you can try an easier way to fix the problem. One thing all teens respond to is shame; use this tool wisely and control is yours. As the guardian of your family photo collection, you have a wealth of useful material at your fingertips. What teen would want an unglamorous reminder of their lanky years every time a new boyfriend hits the scene? A slightly embarrassing opening shot is probably all you need to win the battle when using these tactics.

Well, we’ve fixed mom’s life, now what can we do for dear dad? You are stuck in a worldwide office job; his career seems stalled as younger employees overtake him on the fast track to success. Clearly, by choosing the regular path, Dad finds himself trapped in a stressful and unrewarding situation. I wonder if he can further his career by taking a page from his wife’s success story.

Office Christmas parties are notorious for their binge drinking and behavior best forgotten. But that could be difficult if the events are somehow recorded for posterity. For the next party, our hero must come armed with a camera and a plan to stay completely sober. By keeping a close eye on a few key targets (bosses and rising stars) and generously refilling their drinks, Dad can end up with a nice portfolio of “insurance” material (“blackmail” is such a nasty word). Stressed dad should now be on an easier path.

Unfortunately, some people simply lack the vision and rat cunning to sixteen these kinds of opportunities. Are they then doomed to a life of endless hardship? Hell no! Thanks to a breakthrough in technology and marketing (well, mostly marketing, if we’re being honest), a tool has been developed that can magically make anyone’s life a whole lot easier. Folks, I’m talking about the Easy Button!

You’re probably wondering how such a thing could work, but unless you have a Ph.D. in Applied Metaphysics, an explanation would be a waste of time for you and me. All you need to know is that, in the time you’ve spent reading this article, a large number of people have enthusiastically pressed its big red button, reducing your stress load and, if the marketing hype is to be believed, increasing their life expectancy. to 25 years!