STRESS! Between 24/7 news reports, rampant consumerism that encourages us to keep up with the neighbors, demanding jobs and any number of other factors, we live in a high stress world. High levels of stress in our daily lives contribute to certain types of illness, depression, anxiety, and a generally lower level of satisfaction and contentment with life, among other things. If you're feeling overwhelmed by your life, it might be time to rethink your habits in order to get a handle on stress, before it gets a handle on you.

Here are eight steps proven to help diminish stress when used consistently:

1) Regular exercise - A program of exercise, even 3 to 4 times per week for 30 to 60 minutes will strengthen both mind and body and contribute to better immunity to disease and an increase feeling of well being. Regular exercise releases healthy hormones in the body and helps to eliminate toxins. It also helps to regulate sleep and boost metabolism.

2) Healthy diet - Cut out the caffeine and sugar - or at least cut back. These two components of today's busy-person diet are extremely detrimental. Their effects can include increased anxiety, sleeplessness, wildly fluctuating blood sugar and that horrible feeling of exhaustion in the middle of the afternoon. A healthy daily diet consisting of several smaller meals that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins will keep your body and mind alert and running more effectively. Make sure to include foods rich in antioxidants.

3) Meditation - Meditation is not difficult to learn, doesn't require lots of time (even 15 or 20 minutes per day will help), and really works to create better awareness of your body/mind state, leading to increased calm and relaxation. There are many good "how to" articles, books, cds and dvds on meditation. It will help to do a bit of research and try a few methods. Meditation isn't about emptying your mind; by the way, it's about increased awareness. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of meditation for religious reasons, you can substitute writing in a journal, ideally every day, as a method of increasing your own awareness.

4) Routine - I'm not talking about routine in a bad, boring way. Create routines that simply help you move through each day more smoothly. Some people have chaos from the moment they wake up to the moment their head hits the pillow. Creating simple routines especially in the morning and at night will help you feel more relaxed every day.

5) Laugh - Laughter releases endorphins into your body and helps you feel good. The physical act of laughing is a stress release.

6) Breathe - When you feel stressed or anxious, check your breathing. Are you "shallow" breathing? Take time out to take 3 deep breaths. Breathe in deeply so that you feel even your lower belly move outward. Hold for a couple seconds and then release all the breath, so that you feel the belly move back inward. Take breaks throughout your day to check your breathing.

7) Don't try to do everything - Delegate, ask for help, or let it go. Seriously, the world won't end if you don't do everything yourself. And it's not going to end if the end tables aren't dusted. Choose your priorities carefully and ask for help when you need it.

8) Learn to say "no" - Many people have a hard time saying no and end up overwhelming themselves with commitments and deadlines. It's important to know when to back off and give yourself a break. If you aren't used to saying no, practice on small things and work up to bigger things. Again, the world will not end if you aren't involved in everything and at every party. If you need a break, take one.

In this day and age, it's not always easy to battle stress. And some stress is actually OK - it keeps us on our toes. But making even smallish efforts towards reducing stress will increase your satisfaction in your every day life, and can help you live longer and healthier.

©2007

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