STRESS

(Chose a few of my favorites to pass on to you - hope you try some or all of them.  ENJOY!)

Good Housekeeping - diet & health
Excerpts from '52 Ways To Beat Stress'
by Kate Hanley


Walking meditation:
Some days are like the conveyor belt in the I Love Lucy candy factory episode — relentless. Turn down the speed on your life with walking meditation. For 20 paces, walk as slowly as you can, feeling every inch of your feet as they move, hearing your breath flow through your lungs, and noticing all the smells and sounds around you. This simple practice helps you remember that every step we take is a little miracle.

Swallow Truth Serum:
Declare your independence from hiding your true feelings by choosing one day this week to pretend that you've swallowed truth serum. The goal isn't to drop bombshells ("I've always hated you in black"), but to be honest in loving way. For example, "I'd love to meet for dinner this weekend, but I am tired and need to rest. Let's pick another time." It's incredibly liberating and is a quick way to reduce your stress levels.

Spend Time with Someone Great:
Of all the things you do in a week, how many of them do you actually enjoy? This week, treat yourself to some time with someone you admire whose company makes you feel great. We all need real-life role models; spending time with yours can help you remember what’s most important to you. If you can’t see each other face to face, call them on the phone or write an old-fashioned letter.

Study Yourself:
Ask yourself the following questions, preferably on a daily basis, to develop objectivity on how stress is affecting your life: How did I sleep? What is my mood? How did I respond when something unexpected happened? How does my body feel? Did I have any time to myself? Taking stock in this way can help you see your relationship with stress more clearly, which helps you develop a stress-reduction plan that fits your unique needs.
 
Celebrate the Small Stuff:
This year, take the emphasis off creating the “perfect” holiday by taking a moment to appreciate the many things you have to be grateful for. Make it real by writing down your list — the hot coffee you had with breakfast, the way your husband makes you laugh, the blue sky — nothing is too small or too big. Whatever we focus on magnifies; but choosing to highlight the positive you’ll only invite more of it to grow.
 
Stress-Busting Smoothie:
Magnesium is key to warding off the physical effects of stress. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the first minerals to be depleted by stress. Replenish your stores and boost your body’s ability to handle stressful situations with a smoothie made with raspberries, bananas, orange juice, and plain yogurt — all good sources of magnesium. To boost the relaxing effect, take 10 minutes to sit and sip your smoothie instead of guzzling it as you dash out the door.
 
  Celebrate Yourself:
Remember when Mom used to make your favorite meal for your birthday, and how great it made you feel? Pretend it's your birthday this week and treat yourself to one of your very favorite things — whether it's homemade mac and cheese, a bouquet of fresh flowers, or even a nap. When you make it a point to treat yourself well, other people will be more likely to do the same.

Give Something Up:
In Being Perfect, Anna Quindlen wisely advises us to “give up the nonsensical and punishing quest for perfection that dogs too many of us through too much of our lives.” What's something on this week’s list that you can just...not do? Maybe it's one load of laundry, or the belief that you should finish the book you're not really enjoying. When you let something go, you create space for something wonderful and unexpected to take its place.
 
Follow Your Intuition:
Everyone has a gut instinct, but when our lives are fully scheduled, it doesn’t get the space it needs to rise to the top. Taking a walk with no particular destination in mind can help you get in touch with this inner wisdom. At every corner, ask yourself which way you should go, and follow whatever hunch you get. You might just be delighted with where you end up and what you experience along the way.

Tree Time:

"That quality of air that emanates from trees...wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit." —Robert Louis Stevenson


Spend time this week sitting under a tree. If you can, bring a blanket and settle in. But even if you only have 5 minutes on your next dog walk, do it. Taking a break from the beeps, rings, and honks of modern life to listen to the leaves rustling in the wind is soothing and uplifting (and free).

That One Thing:

Chances are there’s one particular thing you’ve been avoiding because it’s unpleasant, tedious, or just plain old boring. Whether it’s calling a friend you’ve lost touch with, making a dentist’s appointment for a tooth that’s been bothering you, or taking that box in the garage to Goodwill, do “that one thing” this week. By taking care of it, you’ll be able to stop spending your energy on dreading it and start focusing on more important things.
 
Chamomile Tea Bag Soak:

Treat your tired eyes to a treatment that’s as relaxing as it is beautifying. Soak two chamomile tea bags in lightly warmed milk until soft. Place the tea bags over your closed eyes and rest in a quiet, comfortable spot for 10 minutes. The milk replenishes moisture in the delicate skin, and the scent of chamomile is soothing to frayed nerves. After 10 minutes, gently rinse with warm water and apply your favorite eye cream.
 
Do Less:

World-class travelers offer great advice: once you've finished packing, remove three things. You likely won't miss them, your remaining clothes will be less wrinkled, and you'll have room for souvenirs. This week, look at your to-do list cross three things off. Whether you move them to next week or decide they're not necessary, this exercise helps you keep enough time to accommodate the unexpected or spend an afternoon doing whatever you darn well please.
 
Shake It Off :

Although it’s hibernating season, too much sluggishness can lead to the winter blues. Shake off lethargy, stress, and stagnant emotions and re-energize with this simple exercise: Stand with your knees bent slightly. Begin shaking your hands. Gradually add your forearms, upper arms, shoulders, and head. Allow your movements to grow into little jumps. Keep all your joints soft as you jump in a circle first to the right, then to the left. Feel better?
 
Stroll Down Sensory Lane:

While a heart-pumping power walk can do wonders, this week your mission is to rediscover the lost art of the stroll. What can you smell when you slow down? A neighbor's barbecue? A flowering lilac bush? By giving yourself permission to walk slowly, you're inviting the overall pace of your life to decelerate so that you may savor moments—not race through them.

Hold the Caffeine:

Instead of reaching for the caffeine to get you going tomorrow morning, wake your body up from the outside in by invigorating your biggest organ—your skin. With hands in loose fists, lightly tap your entire body—your heart, chest, armpits, arms, belly, thighs, shins, calves, and back. Open your hands when working on the back of your neck, head, and face. The resulting warm flush will be a sweet reward.