Be Good to YourSELF!
Win in the Morning and you WIN in LIFE!
1. Get some exercise! Walk if you can. Fill your lungs with air, and oxygenate your body. It is always amazing to me how my mood is affected by moving my body. Yoga is great too. Find something you love...dance...run...whatever makes you feel great!
2. Drink lots of water. I drink about 100 ounces of water a day. It helps me in so many ways. I feel so much better. I take out four 24 ounce bottles and put them on my counter and make it a goal to drink them all each day.
3. To keep myself from anxiety I stay away from most forms of caffeine. Your body may handle caffeine just fine. But if you have anxiety I recommend cutting out the caffeine for a few days and seeing how you feel. I do drink tea.
4. Take loving care of your body. Get a massage. Massage is healing. It literally helps to drain the toxins from your body.
And get enough sleep! Studies are coming out every day about how important sleep is to overall health, mood, even weight loss.
5. Take your vitamins. I found a reliable person to help me understand what my body needs, and I follow the regime. I take a lot of vitamin D3. I can feel the difference if I don't take it. Even if it's sunny I need my Vitamin D!
6. Chant as much Daimoku as you can. I know sometimes my voice gets tired and raspy. But I am keeping up my two-hour a day campaign. I have to. I am skyping with friends all over to chant and get and give support.
7. Study Buddhism to get perspective and re-fire your faith. When you are studying you can tap into your deepest and most powerful prayer.
8. Laugh! Have some fun with your friends. Make room for spontaneity. This week I ended up on a sunset boat cruise on Lake Michigan viewing my favorite skyline with the sun going down behind it, and the lights of the city coming up. Truly a magical moment. Or watch something that makes you laugh. Most of us have heard about Norman Cousins who healed himself of cancer by watching old funny TV shows. Laughter fills your body with oxygen.
9. Be grateful for all you DO have. When I am really stressed I write down all the things I am grateful for...my eyes, my ears, my sense of smell, the fact that I can walk, and sleep, and all my close friends.
10. Do something for others. Doing shakubuku is the highest cause you can make for your own happiness. Give out Nam-myoho-renge-kyo cards, invite people to your house to chant. Call up a fellow member and say "How are you?"
Of course, chanting a lot of daimoku is the cornerstone to handling stress, but the other things I mentioned here are also important to me. I hope they are helpful to you.
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