20 May 10 Simple Tips to Reduce Stress and Boost your Happiness
By Jennifer Johnson from MindBodyGreen
We live in a fast-paced world. We can all benefit from incorporating stress reduction into our daily routine in order to nurture and encourage our wellbeing. Stress manifests differently for all of us, but some of the common symptoms of stress include headaches, anxiety, muscle tension or pain, gastrointestinal upsets, insomnia, and depression. Stress also lowers our immunity and leaves us more vulnerable to illness.
Following are 10 things you can do to reduce stress:
1. Practice extreme self-care. Eat healthily, get adequate sleep, and exercise regularly. Know when your plate is full, and practice saying no. Schedule down time for being instead of always doing.
2. Practice living in the moment. Stay focused on the present moment rather than regretting the past and worrying about the future. The present moment shows up in three aspects of our being: in the physical body through sensations, in the emotional body through feelings, and in the mental body through thoughts.
3. Practice mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation can help you train to live in the present moment. Studies show that it results in increased feelings of peace and wellbeing, decreased stress, increased work productivity, and increased creative thinking.
4. Live intentionally. Create intentions for designing the life that you want, continually put effort toward your intentions, and maintain optimism about creating the life you desire. Decrease the amount of time spent watching TV, surfing the Internet, or other activities that drain your time and energy.
5. Savor the simple pleasures. Find pleasure in the simple things. When you experience a moment of happiness or pleasure, stop to become aware of how you feel in your body, mind, and heart, savor the experience, and then recall the experience several times throughout the day…
…keep reading the remaining 5 tips, and the full & original article HERE