7 Powerful Stress Busters for a Happier and Healthier Life

Most of our lives are filled with work, family, and social commitments and responsibilities. At some point, we run out of fuel. Here are seven evidenced based and better yet, common sense strategies to help you fill up the tank, recharge your batteries and get the most out of life.

Keep a Sense of Humor

Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, challenge, and uncertainty. Nothing is more dependable or works faster to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good belly laugh.

Humor can lighten your burdens, inspire hope, connect you to others, and keep you focused and alert. Humor in the workplace boosts morale, improves job satisfaction and increases productivity. Be sure to get your RDA of 11 laughs per day!

Stop Your “Stinkin – Thinkin”

One of the dangers of dealing with stress is negative thinking. Dr. Daniel Amen teaches people how to kill the ANTs that invades their mind metaphorically. ANTs stand for Automatic Negative Thoughts. They just happen but can ruin your day, week or maybe even your life if you don’t change them.

Learn to “Savor” Life’s Many Pleasures

Savoring means to relish and enjoy life. Dr. Fred Bryant coined the term “savoring,” and says savoring can take three forms related to the timing of the thing being appreciated. Some people savor the future through the anticipation of things to come, other savor the past through reminiscing, and others enjoy just being in the present moment. Through his research, Dr. Bryant has also confirmed that savoring is beneficial and healthy for people. Those who regularly and frequently savor life are happier, more satisfied, more optimistic, and less depressed.

Learn to Forgive

Learning to let go of negative thoughts toward oneself and others, surrendering regrets and resentments, and making peace with the past can clear the way for happiness to be felt more often and more deeply. Don’t get stuck in the wake (past) of your life.

and “discover the silver lining.”

Express Gratitude

Most people’s brains focus more automatically on the negative or what’s not going well. So the skill is to train our minds to flip the negative over and concentrate on the positive side. You can begin by making a list all the things in life that you are grateful for. Every morning add something new to your list. Like any skill, learning to “develop and attitude of gratitude” may be difficult at first. Just stay the course, keep going and in 21 days and it will become a new habit that will help you to get the most out of the day and out of life!

Practice Acts of Kindness

Our lives could be happier and more fulfilled if we were kinder and paid a little more attention to the needs of other people around us. Look for opportunities to make someone else’s day.

Give positive feedback and be generous with your praise.

Commit to Your Goals

The power to change is already in you. Let go of all the wavering, questioning, and vacillating of indecision and move forward on your path! Be confident and take action on your six months, yearly, and three-year goals. Stay connected to your purpose, the bigger picture and your “why.” Remember,

We all can plan our way to less stress and more happiness! No matter what personality you were born with, no matter what your circumstances are, you can decrease your level of stress and boost your happiness! Put these strategies into practice in your daily life, and you’ll find yourself more productive in your work, more loving in your relationships and more successful in your life!

I hope you find these strategies useful for stressing less and living more. What did I miss? What stress-busting strategies work for you?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tim Crowley, Ph.D.

Motivational Keynote Speaker, Leadership, and Resilience Expert

Dr. Tim Crowley is a well-known speaker with a passion for growing agile leaders, teams, and organizations that produce extraordinary results. For more than 25 years his services have touched the lives of leaders in some of the most recognizable companies in the world. Including AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ernst & Young, Hallmark, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, Marriot, Microsoft, Nestle-Purina, along with numerous organizations, universities, state and federal agencies.

When not speaking, leading workshops, and blogging he looks for inspiration through mountain biking, volunteering, and spending time with his family and friends. Invite Tim to speak at your next event. You can learn more about Tim and how his services can help you and your team at drtimcrowley.com. Connect with Tim on LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, and Twitter.