Life is what we make of it. Even the most stressful experiences of our lives are not stressful by themselves. Stress is clinically defined as how our minds react to certain experiences. We always have the choice to respond a little more thoughtfully, a little more wisely to any event in our lives. A little change in our behavior and attitude can make a great difference in our lives. Here are ten principles to live a happy and stress free life.
1. Love yourself. You need to love yourself before you love others. Become your best friend. You are here on earth to live your life and not others, — not even the lives of your children. When you take care of yourself and you are happy and stress-free, you become even more capable of taking care of others. You are here to learn to love yourself. It is important to understand that love doesn’t come from outside. It comes from within. If we believe that we can compensate our lack of love for us through somebody else’s we are living in illusions.
2. Take care of your health until it is too late. Everything looks better when you are healthy and your body feels well. Your body is the shrine of your soul. Spare some time everyday for the well-being of your body. Do some walking, jogging, aerobics, yoga, exercises or tai-Chi. Your body will thank you. Take note of your posture- of how you sit, work or walk. Postures are important keys to health.
3. Take care of your mind. Think good and positive thoughts. Thoughts are energy travelling in space. Your thoughts create your life and a better world. You can use affirmations and visualization techniques for culturing a healthy mind.
4. Take care of your soul. Learn to meditate. This will help you to establish a connection with your soul and you’ll feel nourished from inside. There are many forms of meditation. Mindfulness or Vipassana Meditation, Om Meditation, Zen meditation are some of the popular meditation practices. Or you can just practice focusing on your incoming and outgoing breath. This is a highly effective practice.
5. Take responsibility and stop blaming others. This is easier said than done, though. We tend to blame a person or a situation, when we find something difficult or distasteful. Blaming is easy. We don’t understand that by the very act of blaming we move to the victim mode and we are dis-empowered ourselves. We empower ourselves when we learn to take the responsibility of whatever happens to us. Do not give your power away to anybody. Taking responsibility for your life is the first step in living a happy and stress-free life.
6. Learn to enjoy your life. Find innocent sources of enjoyment that won’t hurt you and others. Sing, dance, go out with friends, listen to music and celebrate your life.
7. Go to nature often. Nature is the best cure for a stressful mind and a tired soul. Hug a tree. Listen to the chirping of the birds. Enjoy the Sun.
8. Be organized and take time to de-clutter your home and work-place. Life will be easier when you adopt a routine to organize your things.
9. Laugh enough and learn to be grateful. Be grateful for whatever you have. Count your blessings. Be grateful for a well-cooked meal, for a perfect apple in your breakfast, for the Sun light, for the warmth in your rooms. You can have countless opportunities for being grateful in your life, if you live alertly, no matter how your life is going at present. You have many of the above things that many of our brothers and sisters on earth can’t afford to have. Learn to say ‘thanks’. Learn to laugh- alone or in company.
10. Take action, stop comparing with others and be consistent. Taking action where required casts away fear. Don’t postpone what you should do now. Listen to your body if you are tired and then resume your work. When you stop comparing yourself with others, you are gaining freedom, because you are unique. Learn to accept yourself as you are. Integrity in your thoughts, words and actions will make you more lovable. Say what you mean and do what you say. By doing so you’ll find it easier to love yourself and make your life happy and more fulfilling.
Source: “Yoga Lifestyle: The Way of Getting Connected with Your Blissful Self”, By Amit Ray and Banani Ray