Conquer stress first before any other New Year's resolution

 

[caption id="attachment_18325" align="alignleft" width="290"] Social worker, likely to have increases in caseloads that causes stress[/caption]

Minimizing or conquering stress is the first step in making sure you are able to meet other New Year's resolution, for as experts remind us:  stress kills and is also responsible for many health problems.

Many people vow to lose weight every year but have trouble doing it.  Others look toward increasing physical activity or finding new ways to meet people or to expand creative outlets.  Yet all of these things can be impacted by stress, for good or ill.

There are a number of ways to reduce stress, experts remind us.  Much of that good information is from health-related sites, like the one managed by the Mayo clinic.  There are also recommendations given by professionals who specialize in helping people resolve emotional issues.

The basics of reducing stress, culled from many areas, include:

1.  Stop bad habits, gossiping, watching negative news and indulging in conspiracy theories and other areas where the emphasis is on the worst behaviors, not the best.

2.  Find like-minded people whose company you enjoy and who offer positive diversions, such as book discussions, visits to museums, dinners out or just a casual evening at home watching a favorite program.

3.  Comedy is a stress-reducer, as research has established.  It also promotes longevity.  If you have a bad moment or bad day, turn the channel away from the negative news to the Comedy Channel instead.

4.  Find time for yourself, even if it's a few minutes throughout the day.  Short snippets of time sandwiched between other activities that require attention, and sometimes involve stress, where you can meditate or relax your mind are important.  Having short intervals throughout the day that allow you to escape the pressures of everyday life is as important as the proverbial eat a number of small meals as opposed to big meals, for the frequency coupled with time allow breaks for the mind to be restored from the stress of its daily chores.

5.  Read a book, watch a play, find ways of creating things that help to restore the mind and heart.  Right-brain activities such as music, drawing and painting are activities that help reduce stress.

So the time that stress strikes, vow to conquer it with as many return "strikes" instead, that offer escapes of the heart, mind and soul that can make way for other New Year's resolutions to come true.