100 WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS!

We all suffer from stress at some point in our lives which can leave us feeling out of control. 

What simple things can you do today to help reduce that stress and channel it in a positive way? 

Below are some suggestions - which ones might help you and can you add any more to the list?

And always remember, a simple prayer will be heard at any time of the day of the night......

1. Tell yourself you are doing well
2. Exercise regularly
3. Make time to relax
4. Run a hot bath
5. Have a hot shower
6. Reduce your caffeine
7. Eat well
8. Meditation
9. Sleep
10. Set goals
11. Celebrate each little success
12. Be optimistic about the future
13. Better time management
14. Do the things you must do
15. Abandon the things you should do
16. Do more of the things you want to do
17. Play with your children
18. Play with your friends
19. Play with yourself
20. Treat yourself to something nice
21. Simplify your life
22. Tidy your desk
23. Clear out clutter
24. Go to a comedy show
25. Watch your favourite movie
26. Count your blessings (literally)
27. Forgive someone
28. Breathe deeply
29. Drink more water
30. Stop beating yourself up
31. Pamper yourself
32. Make love with your partner
33. Buy yourself a present
34. Volunteer to help others with more serious problems
35. Say thank you when you go shopping
36. Say thank you to machines
37. Say hello to your colleagues
38. Listen to music
39. Smile
40. Get a pet
41. Eat some chocolate
42. Get a massage
43. Go for a walk
44. Take the phone off the hook
45. Leave work early one day
46. Say 'no' and feel good about it
47. Go swimming
48. Set up a squash, tennis or darts match with a friend
49. Walk to the pub and chat with the people there
50. Dig the garden and plant some seeds
51. Arrange a weekend away
52. Go to a cafe, order a drink and watch the world go by
53. Call a friend and have a chat
54. Take a walk and pay attention to the coloursm the plants and any birds and animals you see, hear or smell
55. Prepare for tomorrow
56. Transfer items from your "To Do" list to your "To Don't" list
57. Turn down the lighting
58. Have an early night
59. Make a nice healthy meal
60. Take a day off from stimulants like caffeine, alcohol and television
61. Curl up with a good book
62. Go out to lunch with one or two good friends
63. Control your urge to be strong and independent, and ask for help
64. Make time to laugh during the day - chat at the coffee machine
65. Read a funny novel or buy a copy of Dilbert, Far Sidei or Calvin and Hobbs
66. Let go of any grudges or resentments towards any colleagues
67. Replace chocolate snacks with fruit or even vegetables like carrots and celery
68. When you eat, pay close attention to the smell, taste and texture of your food
69. "I should have" is a major cause of stress - if it's important do it, if it's not then let it go!
70. Try out a new non-sporting form of exercise - yoga, tai chi, Pilates, Chi Kung, Aikido, Alexander, Shiatsu.....
71. Join a dance class or club
72. Turn on some music at home and just dance like no one is watching (it's best to make sure no-one is watching!)
73. Get a manicure, pedicure or facial
74. Get some toys and play with them
75. Plan a great holiday
76. Create and use a positive, de-stressing, self-affirming mantra
77. Learn advanced techniques for managing your mental state such as CBT or NLP
78. Turn off your email
79. Turn off your computer
80. Have a lie-in in the morning
81. Take a break from the news - avoid papers, television or radio news and Internet news services
82. Ask yourself: "How important will this seem, this time next year?"
83. Pay compliments to the people you meet
84. Eat more fruit
85. Have a good stretch
86. Take a nap
87. Set aside time for silence - sit quietly and close your eyes
88. Eat more nuts and seeds
89. Have a good breakfast
90. Savour the moment and focus on experiencing what you are seeing, feeling, smelling and tasting now
91. Satrt to value your time as your most precious commodity
92. Confide in a friend and share your stresses and strains with them
93. Take a break - in fact, schedule regular five-minute breaks into your work pattern
94. Make sure you have half an hour of time to yourself each day
95. Plan what you will do on your weekends so you will use them well
96. Go out to a concert or play
97. Take yourself to somewhere beautiful and spend time admiring the view - especially at that golden hour around dawn or dusk
98. Take a day or even a week off and go away somewhere spontaneously
99. Have a nice cup of tea and a biscuit
100. RELAX!