10 Ways to be less stressed in 2009 (OMG, another list!!!!)

It’s the season of it’s-the-end-of-the-year-and-we must-do-a-top-(or bottom)-10 list…… Are we sick of lists yet? Well, just in case you aren’t (grin) here is the Calm and Sense List of 10-Ways To Less Stress in 2009:

1. Sing in the shower or car. No one needs to know that you are tone deaf and can’t carry a tune. Singing increases your respiration and the extra oxygen brings a great rush.
2. Don’t make new year’s resolutions. Why start out the year with a sense of defeat when you don’t fulfill the resolution? If you are the type who must (and you know who you are) make it something fun and easy, like “Finally watch “Casablanca” in its entirety.”
3. Indulge yourself in something you love every day. Is it chocolate? A cup of good tea? Or lighting a fragrant candle to lift your mood? Of course, if what you love is Bulgari Diamonds, then you might want to skip this one ;-).
4. Pet a dog or cat. Better yet, adopt one if you have room in your home and heart. Studies show that pets help to lower our blood pressure and stress. Must have something to do with the fact that pets are incapable of stress themselves, so it’s contagious.
5. Say hi and smile to those you see in the halls and street. Granted, one is ten is curmudgeon and won’t respond, but nine others will smile back. And that’s nine more smiles that you wouldn’t have otherwise received.
6. If the economy is keeping you from making a donation to a good cause, then donate your time instead. Nothing puts your life in perspective like recognizing that others might have needs larger than yours.
7. Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep improves your mood and reduces stress, so use a cup of chamomile tea, lavender scents, or soothing music to help you drift into a deeper and healthier sleep.
8. Make time for the comics. The news isn’t always good on Page 1 of the paper or the internet, so balance it with something that makes you smile.
9. Stretch. If you are like most of us, our neck and shoulder muscles are good indicators of our stress levels. So when you find a knot the size of Kansas back there, stretch, do some yoga or apply heat to relax.
10. Love making lists? Then get a journal start a list of the ways that your life is good. Because it is often better than we give it credit for in the short term.