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10 Secrets to a
Stress-Free Life
WebMD Feature from "body+soul" Magazine
By Kathleen Hall
Upgrade your outlook and keep your day from
unraveling with these mental strategies
Start Small
Don’t overwhelm yourself with big changes. Alter one
small thing—a morning habit, a food choice. Over
time, these will add up to the intentional life you
crave.
Connect
Put
love and friendship first in your life, scheduling
dates with others as you would doctors'
appointments. Connection may help improve heart
health, prompt the release of the stress-relieving
hormone oxytocin, and allow you to sidestep the
health risks of isolation. While you’re at it, get a
pet—you might further reduce stress and ease
depression.
Focus on Now
Rather than disperse your energy with multitasking,
take one job, one person at a time. The more mindful
you are, the quicker you can stop stress and turn
yourself around.
Write it out
Release stress by getting negative feelings out of
your body. Pick up a pen and write down your
thoughts.
Own the News
Change the way you approach the bleak information
you get from the media. Don’t shy away from knowing
the facts—apathy can prove as damaging to your
spirit as stress or depression. But use what you
learn to become part of the solution. Send light,
positive energy and prayers to those suffering,
while finding tangible ways to get involved. You’re
in a position of power and control. Embrace the
media—look at it and use it as your classroom.
Walk softly
When
we’re stressed, we tend to hit the floor hard with
every step. Imagine you’re walking on a lotus
flower—tenderly, gently. Unplug through your feet,
and you’ll calm down to a more tranquil mental
place.
Try a Mini-Meditation
Memorize a three-to-five-word phrase, a mantra, that
will bring you back to center when things get rough,
such as “I am strong” or “Spirit will guide me.”
Also, keep a peaceful image mentally on hand (a
beach scene, a quiet forest) to call up in stressful
moments.
Love your commute
See
your travel time as a chance to cultivate patience
and compassion. If you can use calming breaths to
stay relaxed and unruffled in traffic, you can
handle anything.
Practice gratitude
It’s
hard to feel gratitude and stress at the same time.
Devote five minutes a day to giving thanks for all
the gifts in your life—starting with your breath,
the source of everything.
Take stock
Make
a list of things that bring you joy—and another list
of things that drain your energy. Do this 10 minutes
daily for a week, and then review your lists and see
how your own life matches up.
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