The Cure For Stress Is Action

Not a day goes by that I don’t read or hear or see people marinating in stress and anxiety.

After all, there IS tremendous pressure right now. Not more than other times in human history, but enough to be a serious concern. And those who survive and thrive will be those who can stay centered enough to keep their minds clear and their hearts light. THOSE will be the people who can support and lead their families, become the bedrock on which frailer spirits find safety.

While the Five Minute Miracle is the core of this process (minimum investment, maximum results) you want to take it to the next level as soon as possible: the Morning Ritual. If you can motivate yourself to do this every day for just a week, you’ll never be the same again. Higher investment, but even greater benefit.

When I’m hammered by life, the Morning Ritual is what saves me, I kid you not. Your Ritual is based on the notion that your emotions are controlled by three things: your body movement, your mental focus, and your use of language. Negative experiences and stress cause us to hunch, catastrophize and speak negatively, but the feedback loop works the other way as well — if we consciously move and breathe with power, hold a smile on our face, focus on positive experiences and expectations, and speak positively, we actually change the way we feel and experience life.

1. Choose a physical activity that you enjoy, the daily practice of which has a value in and of itself. Walking, dancing, sun salutations, Tai Chi…