With the financial and economical market in turmoil, everyone has higher amounts of stress. Many people resort to drinking to combat their stress as a way to “get away.” However, drinking or even taking your anger and frustrating out on your loved ones is not the solution. Next time, instead of reaching for that alcoholic beverage, reach into yourself. Take one hour everyday to get away from your stressors and focus on you. Focus on taking care of yourself. Here are my top five recommendations on how to please your heart, mind, and soul, so that you are better able to deal with the stress.

1) Exercise. Have you noticed that exercise is always on every list? Well, that’s how important exercise is. Besides keeping you in shape, exercise is also a great way to loosen up and release all that built up frustration and heat into something more productive and meaningful. Next time you feel like “exploding,” go for a run, lift some weights, or take a boxing class.

2) Meditate. Meditation is an excellent way to nourish the heart and soul. This will give you the inner peace and stability to better handle your stress. Your daily meditation will be the time for you to go inward, explore yourself, release stress, and become a fresher you. You’ll be surprised how many people meditate, including corporate executives. Give it a try, you have nothing to lose.

3) Journal. No matter how old you are, there is nothing wrong with keeping a journal. Writing in a journal is a great way to release all your thoughts onto paper. Many people find that after writing in a journal, they feel more at ease and begin to even wonder why they were so tense to begin with. When you journal alone, its just you, your thoughts, and your notebook, therefore there is no judging and there are no secrets. Most find it helpful to journal at the end of their day in order to have a good night’s sleep.

4) Read. There is nothing like a good novel to get lost in. Do not be afraid to entertain yourself. Reading a good book means that for the time you are reading, you are following another story, thereby taking a break from your normal routine and thoughts. Your mind will thank you later.

5) Once a day! Do one thing everyday that makes you truly happy from within. Your one a day supplement should be the one activity that brings a smile to your face. Whether its  going for a walk, talking to your loved one, baking, knitting, crossword puzzles, anything really, just do it. Happiness and laughter is the best remedy for the soul.

After all, what does happy hour really mean? It means the hour that you are happy. So why not put your happy hour into a productive, healthier use? Next time you feel like drinking off your worries, try one or more of these five techniques and I guarantee you that you will feel much better.

Happiness and Health,

Varsha