Food for Thought
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TWO MINUTE STRESS SOLUTIONS...
Smile: It is proven to soothe you. So put on a happy face, even if you are just going through the motions. :-)
Donate: Giving money to a good cause can make you feel better than buying something for yourself. It doesn't have to be a lot. Donating $5 will do wonders.
Eat All-Carb Whole Grains: Feeling grumpy? An all-carb whole grain snack should make you feel happier within a half hour. Carbs raise blood sugar which boosts serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with calm, positive feelings. 30 g of carbs with can be 4 cups of air-popped popcorn or half of a whole wheat English muffin.
Garden: Studies show 30 minutes of gardening reduces stress levels more effectively than reading quietly.
Exhale: Deep breathing is important but try to focus on the exhale. When you elongate your exhale, it slows down your heart rate. So take three long exhalations, making them twice as long as your inhalation.
Raise Your Heart Rate: 2 minutes of exercise will change your mood, as long as you raise your heart rate. Try squats or jumping jacks!
Think Sensually: Next time you are stressed, doing something that feels good physically like taking a warm shower or listening to your favorite music.
Coffee with whole milk: Caffeine may promote a can-do attitude. Adding whole milk instead of fat free milk will make you feel more satiated and calmer.
Have some chocolate: The taste of sweetness causes a surge of good endorphins. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids which improve mental acuity and attitude. Small amounts of dark chocolate can also lower stress hormone levels.
Prevention.com. December 2012.
Smile: It is proven to soothe you. So put on a happy face, even if you are just going through the motions. :-)
Donate: Giving money to a good cause can make you feel better than buying something for yourself. It doesn't have to be a lot. Donating $5 will do wonders.
Eat All-Carb Whole Grains: Feeling grumpy? An all-carb whole grain snack should make you feel happier within a half hour. Carbs raise blood sugar which boosts serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with calm, positive feelings. 30 g of carbs with can be 4 cups of air-popped popcorn or half of a whole wheat English muffin.
Garden: Studies show 30 minutes of gardening reduces stress levels more effectively than reading quietly.
Exhale: Deep breathing is important but try to focus on the exhale. When you elongate your exhale, it slows down your heart rate. So take three long exhalations, making them twice as long as your inhalation.
Raise Your Heart Rate: 2 minutes of exercise will change your mood, as long as you raise your heart rate. Try squats or jumping jacks!
Think Sensually: Next time you are stressed, doing something that feels good physically like taking a warm shower or listening to your favorite music.
Coffee with whole milk: Caffeine may promote a can-do attitude. Adding whole milk instead of fat free milk will make you feel more satiated and calmer.
Have some chocolate: The taste of sweetness causes a surge of good endorphins. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids which improve mental acuity and attitude. Small amounts of dark chocolate can also lower stress hormone levels.
Prevention.com. December 2012.
STARTING TODAY...
1. Smile.
Don't wait for people to smile. Show them how. A genuine smile makes you and everyone around you feel better and it sends a message to your brain that you're happy.
2. Treat everyone with respect and kindness.
Yes, everyone, even those who are rude to you - and not because they are nice, but because you are.
3. Perform one selfless act.
You get what you put in. When you make a positive impact on someone's life, you make a positive impact on your own life. Do something that is greater than you and something that helps someone else be happy. It will be an extremely rewarding experience and something you will likely remember forever.
4. Avoid needless drama and those who create it.
Choose to spend time with people who you are proud to know, people you admire, and who love and respect you. Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.
5. Think of the positives.
Start thinking of what could go right, instead of being afraid of what could go wrong. Think of everything that already is right and use this positively to fuel an even brighter tomorrow.
6. Take decisive and immediate action on something that needs to be done.
You can't change anything or make any sort of real-world progress without taking action. It's as simple as that.
7. Follow your intuition when making decisions.
Do what feels right, even if it doesn't look or sound right to others. Our human instincts are rarely ever wrong. Don't worry about what everyone else thinks. Keep living and speaking your truth.
8. Spend time working on something you believe in.
Never put off or give up on a goal that is important to you. Follow your heart today.
9. Meet someone new.
You will be surprised at the lessons people will teach you and the new opportunities they will inject in your life.
10. Exercise and eat healthy.
Those who exercise and eat healthy have a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.
11. Be a student of life.
Experience it, learn from it and absorb all the knowledge you can!
Reference: Chernoff, Marc & Angel. (2013) 1,000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently. http://www.marcandangel.com.
1. Smile.
Don't wait for people to smile. Show them how. A genuine smile makes you and everyone around you feel better and it sends a message to your brain that you're happy.
2. Treat everyone with respect and kindness.
Yes, everyone, even those who are rude to you - and not because they are nice, but because you are.
3. Perform one selfless act.
You get what you put in. When you make a positive impact on someone's life, you make a positive impact on your own life. Do something that is greater than you and something that helps someone else be happy. It will be an extremely rewarding experience and something you will likely remember forever.
4. Avoid needless drama and those who create it.
Choose to spend time with people who you are proud to know, people you admire, and who love and respect you. Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.
5. Think of the positives.
Start thinking of what could go right, instead of being afraid of what could go wrong. Think of everything that already is right and use this positively to fuel an even brighter tomorrow.
6. Take decisive and immediate action on something that needs to be done.
You can't change anything or make any sort of real-world progress without taking action. It's as simple as that.
7. Follow your intuition when making decisions.
Do what feels right, even if it doesn't look or sound right to others. Our human instincts are rarely ever wrong. Don't worry about what everyone else thinks. Keep living and speaking your truth.
8. Spend time working on something you believe in.
Never put off or give up on a goal that is important to you. Follow your heart today.
9. Meet someone new.
You will be surprised at the lessons people will teach you and the new opportunities they will inject in your life.
10. Exercise and eat healthy.
Those who exercise and eat healthy have a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.
11. Be a student of life.
Experience it, learn from it and absorb all the knowledge you can!
Reference: Chernoff, Marc & Angel. (2013) 1,000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently. http://www.marcandangel.com.
BOOST YOUR MOOD INSTANTLY...
Go outside into the sunlight. Light stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood. Not getting enough light is one reason people feel tired.
Go for a brisk walk. Studies show even a 10-minute walk can increase energy and decrease tension.
Act with energy. Trick yourself into feeling energetic by moving quicker, moving while you are on the phone and put more energy into your voice.
Listen to a favorite upbeat song. Stimulating gives you an instant lift and is one of the quickest ways to affect your mood and energy level.
Create a "happy" wardrobe. There is a strong link between wardrobe and mood. Based on a study conducted by psychologist Karen Pine, PhD, wearing clothes we associate with positively can help when we're feeling down. In the study, women felt good in figure enhancing clothes and bright colors. This study simply shows that we instinctively know what makes us feel good, so we need to focus on creating a "happy" wardrobe.
Surround yourself with upbeat, positive people. According to physician Susan Biali, MD, the author of Live a Life You Love, often our insecurities and inner negative thoughts come from voices of pessimistic people from our past. Keep cheerful company. "Optimism is a learned skill," says Dr. Biali.
Take time to daydream and reflect. Boost brainpower by disengaging during relaxation. It has been shown that reflection and daydreaming can make you more attentive when doing tasks.
References
Go outside into the sunlight. Light stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood. Not getting enough light is one reason people feel tired.
Go for a brisk walk. Studies show even a 10-minute walk can increase energy and decrease tension.
Act with energy. Trick yourself into feeling energetic by moving quicker, moving while you are on the phone and put more energy into your voice.
Listen to a favorite upbeat song. Stimulating gives you an instant lift and is one of the quickest ways to affect your mood and energy level.
Create a "happy" wardrobe. There is a strong link between wardrobe and mood. Based on a study conducted by psychologist Karen Pine, PhD, wearing clothes we associate with positively can help when we're feeling down. In the study, women felt good in figure enhancing clothes and bright colors. This study simply shows that we instinctively know what makes us feel good, so we need to focus on creating a "happy" wardrobe.
Surround yourself with upbeat, positive people. According to physician Susan Biali, MD, the author of Live a Life You Love, often our insecurities and inner negative thoughts come from voices of pessimistic people from our past. Keep cheerful company. "Optimism is a learned skill," says Dr. Biali.
Take time to daydream and reflect. Boost brainpower by disengaging during relaxation. It has been shown that reflection and daydreaming can make you more attentive when doing tasks.
References
- Rubin, Gretchen "Find Your Happy Place." Good Housekeeping. June 2012 Published: 107-108. Print.
- Prevention.com. November 2012. December 2012. Winter 2012.
Heart Crayon Project
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