Stress Management
12 Ways to Lighten your Day
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- Pay attention to the moment
notice the things around you-the scent in the air, the colors of the grass, flowers, trees, and buildings.
- Be a good friend to yourself
say the things to yourself that you would like to hear from others, “good job! well done!” a mental pat on the back.
- Keep humor in your heart
learn a joke a day or a week that you can tell others. Find something humorous in those who stress you out.
- Create fantasies with happy endings
it's your fantasy, have a good one.
- Be aware of life's little gifts
such as when there are cookies left in the dining hall, no wait in the laundry room, or your favorite jeans on sale.
- Set realistic goals
reward yourself for your accomplishments. It's not OK to beat yourself up for the ones left undone.
- Smile
it softens your face and responses from others.
- Be good to yourself
eat right, exercise in ways that make you feel good, get enough sleep, and take breaks-at least sometimes.
- Question common beliefs
anger can be healthy. It is not possible to be loved by all. Knowing yourself is not selfish.
- Decorate your space with pleasant reminders
calendars, flowers, artwork, potpourri. Keep a favorite photo handy under a mouse pad, or a screen saver, in a cabinet that you can “visit” when you need a break.
- Use your imagination
imagine yourself in a restful place: at the beach, on a mountain trail, at a summer cabin a favorite spa, or having a massage. Relive a pleasurable event. Imagine a different ending to an unpleasant event. Focus on the related sights, sounds, scents, and touches of the experience.
- Reevaluate your conclusions
what else might it be?
