Is there a preferred way to handle stress and to take control of things better?

Handling stress: There are many ways to handle stress. Many people have found it useful to establish a daily practice such as meditation and/or yoga, tai chi, etc. Mindfulness-based stress reduction programs are all over the us now -- also some online: http://www.Emindful.Com/ practicing consistently settles your nervous system, and trains you to attend to what's actually present rather than future worries.