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Something that works for me to reduce stress is to do some kind of exercise, and to go out for a long walk. Being in nature also has a de-stressing and grounding effect.

The main topic in week 3 is "Mindfulness of the Breath and the Body in Movement: There is both pleasure and power in being present." For week 4 it's "Learning about our Patterns of Stress Reactivity: Wherever you go, there you are." In the two Mindful Yoga exercises, we tune in closely into our bodies which is similar to the bodyscan yet completely different as we are moving. What came up for you during the exercises? How do the practices evolve as you get more familiar with them? Share your experiences during the Mindful Yoga/ Movement exercises with your fellow participants. Personally, this is the exercise where I lead most from my own experience when guiding a group. Like for any other mindful exercise I have a script and a dramaturgical arch for the practice (yes, you do have that in mediations too) but here I let the practice and the group to guide us more. Where, what do we move next? While I enjoy mindful yoga, I struggle with mindful walking. I was mindfully walking in the most beautiful surroundings, in busy streets, even in Plum Village, and yet I struggle to find any sort of engagement with the practice I seem to be stuck with boredom. Now that I have said it out loud, I wonder if it'll change. Acceptance precedes change.

Congratulation that even on these days, when it's the hardest you did sit. That's a big accomplishment. The stress engine is running and while if sitting is hard our body and mind recognize the break and it's an amazing moment of self-care which is paying off at every moment of you day to come.

Hello everyone! This is Cherry from Hong Kong. I was recently introduced to Buddhist studies, in which I discovered practices about meditation, happiness and mindfulness. I came across happiness.com in one of my research projects, and I love this site! This is very relevant to what I am personally working on, as I work on projects that seek to help students with their studies, reduce stress and improve mental health of high school students in Hong Kong (it is called hkdsegayau - feel free to check it out if you're based in Asia too!) Feel free to pop me a message to discuss more on the topic of happiness and mental health. Have a great day everyone!

I love listening to music.I try to everyday.It makes me feel happier.Ive noticed if I don't I start feeling depressed.Music also helps me relieve stress and keeps me calmer.

Absolutely, it's the one and only stress reliever I can ALWAYS count on.

It can be used as a stress relieving tool. Nowadays it's used as a Healing technique as well

Yes..music is a great tool to releas and manage stress its very helpful..some times soothing piano,guiter or flute used to listen personally..

I totally agree with you Tine, awareness is very important.....even the women we know closely won’t open about it and that’s where the problem arise...it’s tough and also our healthcare people sometimes just put it all on stress or its normal kinda thing...this needs to change and we all need to learn on how to communicate about it strongly... And you are absolutely right our kids needs to know so it doesn’t remain a taboo anymore.. Coming back to MBSR it very strong subject itself and if we incorporate it with Menopause then it has the capacity to change first us as a women to feel strong about this topic so we can come up and discuss ...thank you Tine so much for moving this conversation forward it’s much appreciated cause this is the topic which is hurting so many lives in so many different ways...it can’t be described.... kind regards Jo

Over the past couple of years i can say i was in a dark place and couldn’t find happiness and health being present at the same time. It was always about risking another to get the other. Now i can confidently say that i have conquered the obstacle that kept me from being the best version of myself. And i’d like to share some useful tips on how i made it possible. Exercise: I cannot begin to explain how important it is to actually go out there and start working out. It could be as simple as taking a walk around the street or even going out into the nature. Exercising is not only good for you physically but also a great way to stay positive and energetic mentally. Cut back on alcohol: Alcohol and nicotine are one of the worst decisions you can choose to feel happy or relieve stress. Highly addictive unhealthy and unnecessary supplement will only eat your money and health away. What you’re looking for is long lasting happiness and health. A glass of wine or night out with your friends is never bad for you, as long as it doesn’t become a habit. Take time for yourself: If you work 9–5 jobs, or even more than that. It’s important to know when you need to use those hard earned holidays and do something you are truly passionate about, or always wanted to experience. It could be as little as cooking a royal dinner for friends and family, or spending the day with your pet dog at the local dog park. Be optimistic: Things usually tend to go bad when we start thinking things will go bad. Being open and optimistic about harsh and hard events in life could be the deciding factor in your happiness. Instead of drowning yourself in guilt after dropping your moms favorite cup on the floor, be thankful that no one got hurt and now you have a good reason to surprise your mom with a new cup. Stop caring what other people think: No one could ever know everything about you, or the way you feel and experience things. You know yourself best and should always do what you think is best for yourself. Your neighbor George might not be the best source of right answers, when it comes to your health and happiness. I believe in you and hope that my methods in finding myself be happier and healthier will provide you with valuable information. If you found these methods helpful, or would like to find methods for your needs. I highly recommend checking out this program that helped me get to where i am today. Dr. Partha Nandi's Health Hero: Masterclass

Hello everyone. My name is Navy and I just joined this community. I am a seeker of light, and all things spirituality. If anyone likes a good read, I would check out, “The Power of Now,” by Eckhart Tolle. its important to be present, and I can’t stress that enough. We are so stuck in our heads about the past and future. But all we have is now. If we aren’t creating the lives we keep envisioning for ourselves now, the future will always be just these thoughts without the actions of putting what we want into action now. Time is an illusion, and we are more powerful then this illusion. we must be mindful of our thoughts and actions. Enjoy the little things in the now. Look at what is around you. Focus on your senses, be full of gratitude. if anyone is interested in having deep conversations, wants someone to talk too, whether it’s just to vent, or for advice, or just to explore ideas back and forth, I am here for you all. stay mindful. Focus on your life path. Find yourself. You are not alone. We can do this together. Stay present, and always be the best version of yourself, for you should want to be the change you want to see in the world. You have a purpose. you are more than your thoughts. Let’s embrace our inner soul and manifest the life we desire. all love, Navy☮️

Hello Tyrell, it is impressive how clear you see and describe your challenges. In MBSR (meditation-based stress reduction) we say "acceptance proceeds change" and when I read your post in the forum and what you write on your profile I think you are at this vital step. Have a look at the free MBSR online course here, it helped me a lot with helping myself and if you have questions about it, feel free to get in touch with me any time. :-) All the every best! Tine

@Danica2020 Thank you for adding that. I haven't looked deeper into it yet, but it already resonates. One of the most hands-on (or hands-off for that matter) learnings through MBSR for me was related to eating. Listening to my own needs and not mistaking the need for a break for hunger as I used to, not mistaking thirst for hunger. Not mistaking the need for self-care for hunger, not trying to ease stress through eating. As the amount of food I consumed did shrink, I also got more conscious about what, when and how much I eat to be fully satisfied. I'll take a closer look into intuitive eating. :-)

The second questionnaire in our "Happiness at Work" series is all about motivation and Self-determination Theory. (The first questionnaire was about "Stress at Work") Take the "Motivation at Work" questionnaire and let us know what you think about the result. How well are the areas of competence, relatedness and autonomy developed in your case? Can you define critical areas and how to improve them? How do you nurture and support the areas that work well?

It will be a long time. And, I don't think things will go back to the way they were. That is both good and bad. Avarice, greed, and ignorance have made this whole thing a disaster. It was bad enough, but our inadequate and delayed response, coupled with a lack of discipline, has made it much worse. We are floundering. We lack a cohesive, coherent, and reasoned response. The question is will we learn from it. This is like a stress test. All our individual and collective weaknesses are exposed. Like raw nerves. What to do? Victor Frankl said: “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” I think this is an opportunity for us to re calibrate ourselves, and if enough of us do that we can re-calibrate our nation. When I was a Corpsman the Marines taught me to "embrace the suck." A nicer mindfulness way to put it is radical acceptance with a dab of hope. Mike

Hi.. Many loosing jobs. This has nothing to do with your capability. I am sure you will find another one soon Just don't stress much. It's a temporary phase which will go and new dawn will bring more light. Stay blessed

I'm sure that everything takes its toll eventually - even "good stress". However I'd rather my body was "done in" in a good way because of amazing adventures and fun healthy pursuits than to look back at a lifetime of misery and no end results. Great topic though.

yeah i got 11..pretty good. no stress ...hehehheh

I got 20, but I think the questionnaire misses possibly the most important factor, and that is whether you're happy and fulfilled at what you do, or not. My workload, deadlines, responsibilities etc would probably be regarded as crazy to some people. And I would probably question it myself if I didn't find what I do as fun and exciting. I "explored" the idea of "purpose" in depth a few years ago while suffering serious lack of energy levels. The main cause of my energy level was lack of purpose and fulfilment. In short, the job I was at didn't inspire me. It was a means to earn money, and only that, which is not enough to keep me motivated. The stress therefore was resultant and therefore secondary to the lack of purpose and future ambition. Focusing on doing a job for money alone is toxic and sadly not a lot of people realise this. With the current state of what's going on in the world, a lot of people are focusing on money and health - but not in the correct way I feel. (I apologise to anyone who misinterprets what I'm trying to say here. It's not to make light of real anxieties etc). As hard as it may seem (and it can be quite the discipline to get used to), focusing on creating, focusing on looking for opportunities rather than problems, can give back a sense of ownership of one's universe. You become cause again, and not effect of what's going on. It increases your vibe, gives you more energy both mentally and physically. Follow your purpose!

My score was 29, which I guess is low. I enjoy doing my tasks and maybe that's why it's not very stressful, but I did find the Stress Management info very useful!

Technically, every day is self-care day, but if you live a busy life, that's not always possible and we forget to take time for ourselves which often leads to stress, exhaustion and tension in the body. I've started doing something called self-care Sundays where every Sunday afternoon I take 2-4 hours completely for myself to do slow down, replenish my energy, and do something I love that makes me feel energised and relaxed. This includes either all or some of the following: Take a guilt-free nap Journal for at least 15 minutes Yoga or body stretches Hair mask Face mask Long bath with sea salts and dried flowers Eat a healthy dinner Read a few pages of my favourite book What are some of the things you do to unwind and reconnect with yourself?

I'm in the 4 week now. I am able to notice some changes within me and I'm so happy and excited about it. Sometimes negative thoughts just comes in and it takes me to far bigger thoughts and let me grow weaker physically and mentally. Now that I'm able to accept things as it comes and just let it flow over or through me and let it go vanish. Doing the mindfulness Yoga for the last one week brought a relief to my body physical pain. Those pain I had on my right leg cuff muscle and the hip joint is considerable reduced and I'm feeling much at ease and pain-free. This mindfulness meditation and yoga had worked on me like a magic spell, it is such a powerful tool for my body physical and mental pain & stress. It is amazing!

My understanding of Qi Gong (chee gong) is that it's a Chinese medicinal therapy based on breathing control, and it helps eliminate tension, stress, and brings health and vitality. I suppose they could be categorised into the same healing therapies like tai chi or reiki? They all come from Eastern traditions and support the importance of properly channelling the qi - or vital energy - through the body's meridians. According to these principles, the good state of one's health will depend on our ability to achieve the correct balance between body and mind; thus achieving wellbeing, mainly through meditation and breathing control. Has anyone tried? What are the benefits and how often would one have to practice? Please comment and share your experiences :)

Online Meditation Sessions with Acharin (Webinars) (free introductory session) Deeply Relax by Nada (sound/energy based induction) Do you know that a single session of sound-based induction by Acharin can get you in touch with your peaceful inner awareness, regardless of where you are geographically, or what your level of experience in meditation? It indeed can...you can find this out by joining the next free introductory event: This session will teach you how to: Relax deeply and let go of stress increase your awareness and attention span Enter in to a natural state of samadhi (deep stillness and awareness of mind) Q&A Dates & Timings : Saturday 25 April 2020 16.30-18.00 Colombo | 16.30-18.00 Delhi | 21.00-22.30 Melbourne |12.00-13.30 London | 19.00-20.30 Beijing | 13.00-14.30 Berlin | 7.00-8.30 Toronto You need to register the webinar first to receive webinar link to join : Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3YZZ71oZTFuDcCYJosNyHA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Sunday 26 April 2020 16.30-18.00 Colombo | 16.30-18.00 Delhi | 21.00-22.30 Melbourne |12.00-13.30 London | 19.00-20.30 Beijing | 13.00-14.30 Berlin | 7.00-8.30 Toronto You need to register the webinar first to receive webinar link to join : Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_doLZ781WRpiWLkghEuiZuQ After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Online Meditation Sessions with Acharin (Webinars) (free introductory session) Deeply Relax by Nada (sound/energy based induction) Do you know that a single session of sound-based induction by Acharin can get you in touch with your peaceful inner awareness, regardless of where you are geographically, or what your level of experience in meditation? It indeed can...you can find this out by joining the next free introductory event: This session will teach you how to: Relax deeply and let go of stress increase your awareness and attention span Enter in to a natural state of samadhi (deep stillness and awareness of mind) Q&A Dates & Timings : Saturday 25 April 2020 16.30-18.00 Colombo | 16.30-18.00 Delhi | 21.00-22.30 Melbourne |12.00-13.30 London | 19.00-20.30 Beijing | 13.00-14.30 Berlin | 7.00-8.30 Toronto You need to register the webinar first to receive webinar link to join : Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3YZZ71oZTFuDcCYJosNyHA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Sunday 26 April 2020 16.30-18.00 Colombo | 16.30-18.00 Delhi | 21.00-22.30 Melbourne |12.00-13.30 London | 19.00-20.30 Beijing | 13.00-14.30 Berlin | 7.00-8.30 Toronto You need to register the webinar first to receive webinar link to join : Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_doLZ781WRpiWLkghEuiZuQ After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.