I'm a reader, too, and I love walks with my dogs (when they behave). I was just wondering if you have thought about what really makes you feel good - about life, about yourself - and is there a way for you to build some time into your life so that you can pursue that thing? Do you paint? Or sing or play music on an instrument? Is there a local group you could join that would help you discover hidden talents? I'd love to take a cooking class, for instance. I don't have time for this right now, but I know I'd find it rewarding to do this. I had wanted to learn how to work on my cuckoo clocks, and I have a clockmaker interested in teaching me, but his town is sufficiently far away and my mother's condition sufficiently difficult that I can't be that far from home. Alas. It won't always be this way, but what one needs is something that will be fulfilling *right now*. I'm still working, so my time is quite limited, as it is.
But really, if you find yourself feeling stressed, it might be nice to find a way to develop some talent or skill that would really engross you, so that your thoughts would find a path toward something fulfilling for you rather than worrying about others. Maybe?