Don't Worry and Be Happy in 3 Steps

We live in a world that is so fast paced and stressful that we now have to shell out loads of cash just to de-stress.  We take vacations, spa days, yoga classes, etc just to relax. We make efforts to "get away" from our lives but it's a temporary reprieve. Why not reduce stress permanently?

This is not a 3 step guide to becoming the happiest person in the world with no stress what-so-ever. I'm talking about taking small steps to ensure that we make a long lasting reduction in high stress levels. Small reductions in stress levels that will improve the overall quality of our life. 

Step 1: Talk to yourself.

I don't mean talk to yourself out loud at all times and have emotional or heated debates in public. If it works for you go right ahead (don't be surprised if you get some suspicious or scared glances).

I mean talk to yourself throughout the day. Studies show that talking to yourself can actually make you smarter, more efficient and motivated. Do you speak more than one language? Did you know that talking to yourself in your native language also helps you better analyze situations, assess pros and cons and lead to better decisions?

I usually laugh at myself for feeling so strongly about things that seem insignificant when I say them out loud. When you have to put feelings in to words, it forces you to break them down from uncontrollable feelings to description which somehow doesn't sound so bad anymore. Talk yourself out of negativity. Give yourself a pep talk. Whatever it takes to help you get it all out. Repressing feelings only amplifies them and they end up coming out anyway but usually at the worst possible times.

Step 2: Reflect about others.

No better way to forget your own troubles than to realize the troubles of others. Are you worried about your children? Money problems? Relationship? Go online and Google news about less fortunate children who don't have food, shelter and no parents. How about reading about those parents who cannot feed their children? You might want to splurge on those spa days if you have a teenager or two (joking!) Remind yourself that whatever you are facing, there are those out there that are facing something similar or worse. It's a way to count your blessings. I feel a little guilty for even worrying at this point.

Step 3: Do something positive.

Doing something positive in your life gives you hope. It reminds you of the power you hold within you to do good despite everything that you face. I know this will not make sense to a lot of people when they first read it but I urge you to try this. The next time you are so stressed out that you cannot even think straight...go do a random act of kindness for someone. Give a homeless person some change, bake cookies for your neighbor, call that one person in your family that you don't really talk to just to see how they're doing, make a donation, say a prayer for someone, make amends with someone you dislike etc. It will give you control over yourself. 

So start talking to yourself, count your blessings and make the world a better place.

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." -  Epictetus

Brain Boost: Easy Ways to Train Your Mind

You ever meet someone who was beautiful, attractive and confident and then they open their mouth to talk...All that glitters ain't gold! Great conversations, passionate debates, thoughtful insights are just some signs of a beautiful brain.

Here are some things you can do to improve your cognitive skills and overall "brain power"! 

Reading Exercises:

1. Read more than one book at a time and different types (fiction, non fiction). This helps your brain improve it's multitasking capacity.

2. Read something for ten minutes and then grab a piece of paper and detail what you read. Compare notes. What did you miss? Keep doing this and watch your memory retention grow. 

3. If you want to go the extra mile ask yourself questions about the material you just read.Questions such as; What concepts have been discussed? What are the applications in the real world? What if you changed one significant event in a characters life? How do you they will do things differently? Has the book changed your preception and how?

Questions like these will require higher order thinking skills. You will be able to analyze pieces of information and bring them together to solve problems, make accurate assumptions and better decisions. Why do you think we had to do book reports in grade school or essay analysis in high school or critical thinking projects in college?

Writing Exercises

1. Try writing a creative short story. Build a character profile with a background story, personality traits, dialogue patterns and physical attributes. This will improve your attention to detail and creativity.

2. Write out a sales pitch for yourself. Think of yourself as a product. What are your features, benefits and what objections would people have when hiring you? Then write out the rebuttals or goals to improve those objectionable traits

This exercise is cool because you get a self analysis and a self improvement plan. You will never have a problem answering questions about your strengths and weaknesses in an interview!

Physical Exercises:

Work out! It helps clear your brain, produces adrenaline which promotes heightened clarity and chemical balance. 

Coffee:

Drinking coffee in moderation helps jump start your brain on those slow mornings.

Diet:

Eat brain food! Almonds, walnuts, complex carbs like whole grains and wild salmon can have some incredible impact on the brain.

Play:

Games like Sudoku, Tetris and Chess have known to improve your strategic thinking, spatial analysis and logic.

Draw:

You can doodle stick figures all you want but try sketching a real life objects. Try to replicate the same shades, angles and perspective. You will improve your spatial analysis, hand-eye coordination and creative thinking skills. Plus it can be extremely relaxing for some.

Quick Tip:

You will retain up to 95% of information you read, hear, or see IF you teach it to someone else.