memaafkan

Dari Abu Hurairah r.a meriwayatkan bahawa Rasulullah saw bersabda: Musa bin Imran as pernah berkata, “Wahai Tuhanku, siapakah orang yang paling mulia pada pandanganMu? Allah swt menjawab: Barangsiapa yang memberi maaf meskipun dia memiliki kemampuan untuk membalas dendam.”(HR Baihaqi)

Disebut dalam hadis tersebut bahwa orang yang paling mulia pada pandangan ALLAH adalah orang memberi maaf pada orang yang telah berbuat salah padanya, walaupn dia mampu untuk membalas dendam. Oleh yang demikian, sama-samalah kita muhasabah untuk kita sentiasa dalam keadaan bisa memaafkan kesalahnan orang lain, kerana yang hanya layak menghukum adalah ALLAH SWT. Adalah mustahil untuk kita sebagai manusia tidak melakukan kesalahan, kadang2 kita berbuat salah pada orang lain, jadi ambil sikap memaafkan supaya kesalahan yang kita lakukan juga akan dimaafkan...biizniLLAH...

Dari Muaz r.a meriwayatkan bahawa baginda Rasulullah saw bersabda: “Barangsiapa menelan kemarahannya sedangkan dia berkuasa untuk membalas kemarahannya itu, maka pada hari kiamat kelak Allah akan memanggilnya di hadapan seluruh makhluk dan dia diberi peluang untuk memilih bidadari mana sahaja yang dia sukai.”(HR Abu Daud)

Banyak kelebihan bagi orang2 yang memaafkan kesilapan orang lain, bukan hanya ketenangan di dunia ia perolehi, malahan akan mendapat kelebihan di hari akhirat kelak. Berusahalah kita untuk mencari dan mendapatkan peluang2 kelebihan yang telah ALLAH sediakan.


Dari Atta bin Abdullah Khurasani r.a meriwayatkan bahawa, Rasulullah saw bersabda: “Berjabat tanganlah di antara kamu kerana ia akan menghapuskan kebencian, dan berilah hadiah antara satu sama lain kerana ia akan menimbulkan kasih sayang dan menjauhi permusuhan.”
(HR Muwatta Imam Malik)

Sikap memaafkan juga dapat menimbulkan kasih sayang sesama manusia, menjauhkan kebencian, menjatuhkan nafsu amarah dan juga menjauhi daripada permusuhan dan pertelingkahan.

Daripada Abu Hamzah Anas ibn Malik r.a., khadam Rasulullah SAW, daripada Nabi SAW, Baginda bersabda:Seseorang kamu tidak benar-benar beriman sehingga dia mengasihi saudaranya sebagaimana dia mengasihi dirinya sendiri.
(HR Bukhari dan Muslim)

Sebagai seorang muslim, berusahalah kita sedaya upaya untuk menjauhi sifat2 mazmumah seperti berdendam dan sebagainya dan eratkan silaturrahim kerana ia juga merupakan tanda seorang itu beriman dengan sebenar-benarnya...sama-samalah kita muhasabah..menilai semula diri kita untuk perbaiki kepada yang lebih baik...insyALLAH...

Donald Miller explains how to forgive someone—and why it's so important to do so.

I confess I’m the type of person to hold a grudge. It’s not that I want power over people, which is often the motive for holding a grudge; it’s just that I want all-due glory for my suffering. If somebody is causing me some pain, I want them to know I am bearing it for them. For this reason, it’s hard for me to forgive my enemies. If people slam me on the Internet, it’s hard to forgive. If people screw me in a business deal, it’s hard to forgive, too. And for so long it seemed there was nothing I could do about it. I knew I’d be better off to forgive, but how? What are the steps to controlling your uncontrollable emotions?

I don’t fully know the answer to that question. Part of the reason it’s so hard to forgive is pride. If I forgive, it feels like I’m also saying they had the right to do me wrong. That doesn’t feel right. But it’s a real feeling.

Additionally, if I’m having to forgive somebody who really has no idea what they did that was wrong, it’s even more difficult. It means you are doing the hard work of forgiving them and they have no idea they wronged you, or worse, they don’t honestly care. So why forgive?

Before I say why, I should say how. Here’s how:

• Go through the stages of grief. Let the offense shock you, then let it completely hurt you. Don’t avoid the pain. Sit with it and feel it no matter how unbearable it is. Please know it will end in time. It will get 2 percent easier every day. Just feel it like a toothache and soon enough it will transition into something bearable.

• Then let the offense make you angry. Don’t lash our or you’ll be guilty yourself. Talk about it with trusted friends but confess you’re angry and your emotions aren’t under control. And don’t feel bad for being angry. The last thing you need is anger and shame. Just punch a pillow and make it through. The anger, like the pain, will lessen over time.

• After being angry, accept what has been done. Accept it as a fact and don’t over-analyze it. It happened. This will still be shocking at first, but in time, you will accept it as a fact you can’t change.

• From there, you’re at a place to forgive. It will be hard work, but it’s worth it. Sit and pray for the person you’ve been hating. Sit and imagine them with a good life, them coming to realize that what they did was wrong, maybe not to you, but to somebody—perhaps to God. Then be willing to love them in your heart. Want the best for them. Hope for the best for them. Stop praying for God to destroy them and pray for God to bless them. Pray for God to open up their hearts so they can receive the love that will stop them from hurting others. This is the only way I know how to forgive.

Why should we forgive? Well, there are many reasons, but I’m only going to focus on a few.

• The first is because, believe it or not, forgiveness is a pleasurable experience. No kidding, it feels much better than anger or hate. God has designed forgiveness as a powerful blessing for those who have been hurt. The experience of truly forgiving somebody can make you more happy than if you’d never been hurt in the first place.

• The second reason for you to forgive is that it removes you from being entangled in the rather dark thing that hurt you in the first place. If it was a bad business deal, then you get to be free of it and maintain your integrity. If it was a family member talking behind your back, you get to remove yourself completely from all the complications of gossip. Forgiveness sets you free from being bogged down in knee-deep mud. Forgiveness gives you a taste of what it feels like to be God, and it’s a terrific feeling. God forgave us because it gave Him pleasure to do so. He was happy to do so. Love forgives, and so does God, and so can you.

• The third reason to forgive is that you open yourself up to amazing possibilities for a happy life. When you don’t forgive, you draw the curtains in your soul and your life gets dark. When you forgive you let the light in again, and you go on about your life in peace. And don’t you want some peace? Isn’t it time for some peace?

But the greatest thing about forgiveness is it will allow you to love again. It will allow you to love and be loved. And believe me, it’s worth it. Forgiveness is tough, for sure, but love is infinitely more valuable than the pain of forgiveness costs. No matter what you have to go through to forgive, you’re getting a steal of a deal to be able to love and be loved again. Pay the price and I promise you’ll be happy you did.

true friends

1. A good friend is honest.

A good friend may not share every detail of every second of their life, but they do try to be clear about their intentions. This means that they try to present an accurate picture of who they are and of different situations. When something doesn't seem right, they let you know.

2. A good friend is fun, unique and interesting.

OK, this is a given, and probably the reason you became friends in the first place. But there's a lot to be said for chemistry and shared interests.

As for fun, it depends how you define it: Some friends are fun because they're the life of the party, others are fun because they notice every strange little detail about a situation. Some people are fun simply because they see life like no one else does.

A good friend is at least a fairly good listener and notices how little, day-to-day things affect you. They can't read your mind, but chances are they can usually tell when you're happy, sad, excited, shocked or upset. If they're aware that they're doing something that annoys you, they try to change their ways or at least talk to you about it.

3. A good friend is supportive of you and your goals.

Sure, your friend may think you're cool, but are they on the same page as you? Do they know what you want most out of life? A
 really good friend will know what makes you tick and help you become the person you want to be. They won't try to change who you are or drag you into situations that make you uncomfortable or put you at risk of losing something that matters to you.

4. A good friend is a friend you can trust.

A true friend won't try to steal your girlfriend or boyfriend, your job or your personality. They won't gossip about you constantly or try to damage your reputation. They will let you know when they're concerned and do their best to stick up for you when you're in trouble.

5. A good friend makes it clear that they care about you.

Different people may have different ways of letting you know that they care about you. One person may give you a big hug whereas another person might gently tease you. A big clue that someone cares is that they talk to you fairly often and, in general, know what's going on in your life and act interested about it.

6. A good friend sticks with you in good times and bad.

Loyalty is a quality almost everyone lists when asked what they look for in a friend. A loyal friend will stick with you when your new play is a flop, when you bomb the SATs or when your parents get divorced. If you move or switch schools, they'll do their best to stay in touch with you.

7. A good friend accepts you for who you are, even when you're being a butthead.

In friendship, being accepting goes hand in hand with being loyal. A true friend rolls with the punches as you grow and change and know how to deal with your quirks and faults.

They are also patient with you when you make mistakes -- even big ones -- and learn how to forgive you when you hurt them. In other words, they treat you as you'd like to be treated, even when you aren't at your best.

secret to happy life

Top Ten Secrets to a Happy Family

1) Enjoy Laughter TogetherOne of the best gifts you can give your children is a happy family.

 When your children grow up and look back on the family time that you spent together, you want them to have fond memories of the good times that they had growing up. Although every family has their occasional problems and difficulties, there are some tips that you can use to insure that your family will experience a lot of happiness together.

Laughter is one of the things that helps draw families closer together. Sharing funny stories or watching humorous movies or television shows together is a wonderful way to create a connection with your children. You will find that plenty of laughter will make almost any situation that can occur in your family much easier to handle.

2) Concentrate on What You Have to Be Thankful For

So many times it seems that people focus more on the problems that they have in life, instead of truly enjoying the many blessings that they already have. One of the best ways to not only create more happiness in your family, but also teach your children the fine art of seeing the good side of things, is to focus more of your attention on the positive, instead of dwelling on the negative.

3) Share Your Happiness as a Couple with Your Children

One of the best gifts you can give a child is the knowledge that their parents truly love each other. Not only does this give them a strong sense of security, but it also provides them with a positive role modeling experience that they can look back on and emulate when they grow up.

4) Be Happy with Less

Many times financial worries and concerns can drain happiness from a family. Although you might try to hide your worries from your children, they can sense when there are problems. Try to keep your finances in order, but one of the best things you can do financially in your family is to learn how to appreciate the smaller pleasures in life. You don't need reservations at an expensive restaurant and a movie afterwards when you can enjoy spaghetti night and a comedy DVD with your children at home.

5) Practice Courtesy

Sometimes it can seem like common courtesy is a lost art. Teach your children to give happiness to others by setting a positive example of courtesy and consideration for each other.

6) Make Your Home a Place of Kind Words

Many times sibling fighting often starts when one child says something mean or puts down another child. That child responds with another insult. The fight soon escalates. To break this cycle, there should be a rule that no person puts down any other member of the family and the rule needs to be enforced, both with children and parents alike.

7) Believe in Each Other

Children build a lot of the self-esteem that they will carry for the rest of their life during the time they spend with their parents. If you ask a person with many skills how they learned to do these things, many times the answer will be that when they were growing up, their parents truly believed in them. When you believe your children can do anything, it usually becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy.

 Offer Praise Instead of Criticism

Although it might be easy to find fault in small things that your children and spouse do throughout the day, remember that you can create a lot of happiness with one small word of praise, but also have the power to destroy happiness by offering criticism instead. Try to find something nice to say about everybody every single day.

9) Worry Less

Too many times families miss out on a lot of joy and happiness because they are too busy worrying about things. It could be work, school, finances, or any one of a number of other things in life that people often worry about. Try to remember that most problems tend to work themselves out, and that almost nothing is as bad as it sometimes can seem. If you sense that your spouse or child is especially worried about something, plan a private date with them and give them an opportunity to share their concerns. Often just talking about the problem can help relieve the stress and worry, and you might be able to offer some suggestions or tips for helping them deal with the issue.

10) Help Each Other

Finally, and most importantly, remember that your family is a team, and you should always fully support your "team mates." This includes assisting each other with chores when necessary, doing nice things for each other just because you know it is something they would like, and lending an ear or a helping hand when things are going bad. There is nothing better than knowing that you have the full support of all of your family members behind you.

11) Stay Active Together

Bonus Secret. Quality family time is very, very  important.  Whether it is family means, times at the park, or doing chores together. The family that stays active, and does more things together creates stronger bonds and is much happier.

amalan hidup sihat

Setiap orang pasti mahu melalui kehidupan seharian yang sihat dan ceria. Tapi, bagaimana? Ikuti 10 tips penting yang boleh menjadi amalan anda setiap hari. Mulakan dari sekarang!

1. Jangan tinggalkan sarapan pagi

Jika tidak sarapan, bermakna anda menyediakan tubuh anda tanpa tenaga! Biar bagaimana sibuk sekalipun, peruntukan waktu untuk mengambil sarapan pagi. Mungkin bijirin atau roti.

2. Tinggalkan kasut tinggi

Tidak ramai wanita memikirkan tentang osteoporosis. Sedangkan, kalau diikutkan kajian, 50 peratus wanita mengalaminya berbanding lelaki.

Apakah puncanya? Kasut tinggi anda! Malah kadar kesihatan pada bahagian khaki lebih tinggi di kalangan wanita yang memakai kasut tumit tinggi melebihi dari dua inci. Bukan bermakna anda tidak boleh memakainya langsung. Cuma, kurangkanlah kadar ketinggiannya.

Pakailah kasut yg ketinggiannya kurang dari dua inci. Jika masih mahu mengenakan kasut lebih tinggi dari dua inci, pakailah hanya pada waktu majli-majlis tertentu sahaja.

3. Makan Badam

Berdasarkan kajian di Universiti california, jika individu mempunyai kadar kolesterol yang tinggi dan dalam diet hariannya memakan badam, paras kolestrol menurun. Para penyelidik berpendapat badam kaya dengan”polyunsaturated fat’. Jadi jangan berlengah lagi, jika anda terlebih kolestrol, berusaha untuk mengurangkannya dengan mengambil badam setiap hari.

4. Sebiji oren setiap hari

Kajian di British menunjukkan sebahagian 20 peratus dari punca sakit Jantung ialah usia, tekana darah, paras kolesterol dan merokok. Kajian yang di lakukan ke atas 20,000 orang di sana, menunjukkan dengan menambahkan 50 gram vitamin c dalam diet harian, cukup untuk membuat jantung sihat. Jika anda mahukan jantung anda terus sihat, amalkan memakan oren sebiji setiap hari, tak kiralah pada waktu bila sekalipun.

5. Ketawa

Tapi, awas pastikan anda ketawa bersebab. Mungkin dengan menonton filem komedi, membaca buku cerita lucu, mahupun berbual-bual dengan rakan yang suka berjenaka.

6. Tambahkan potassium

Tahukah anda, bagi individu yang kurang potassium di dalam tubuh, berisiko tinggi untuk diserang stroke. Jadi, perhatikan makanan yang boleh menambahkan potassium dalam tubuh anda. Antaranya ialah pisang.

Memakan sebiji pisang setiap hari juga sudah cukup untuk membolehkan Potassium dalam tubuh anda sentiasa stabil. Selain itu anda boleh mengambil tembikai dan kentang rebus.

7. Kuasa bunga

Anda mungkin antara penggemar bunga segar. Mungkinkah anda juga selalu harapkan pemberian bunga dari orang lain. Mungkin, dari suami, kekasih, sahabat karib,malah sesiapa sahaja. Tapi cuba anda pergi ke kedai bunga, pilihlah jambangan bunga yang anda idamkan. Bawa pulang dan anda akan dapati, bunga yang anda beli membawa satu perubahan pada perasaan anda. Kesegarannya boleh merubah suasana di ruang yang anda letakkan bunga itu.

8. Katakan ‘cheese’

Kenapa begitu? Maknanya senyumlah. Dua ulas bibir yang tersenyum bukan sahaja menggambarkan diri anda ceria. Bahkan, ia sebenarnya membantu diri untuk melalui kehidupan seharian dengan benar-benar gembira.

9. Jangan kosongkan perut

Selepas makan pagi, jangan biarkan perut kosong. Ambillah biskut, kentang goreng mahupun bijirin. Perut yang kosong dan anda dalam keadaan lapar bermakna kadar gula dalam darah anda turun. Jadi, untuk mengelakkan perkara ini, jangan biarkan perut kosong. Makanlah sesuatu, tetapi sedikit sahaja. Nanti terlebih makan, berat pula naik mendadak.

10. Tidur berkualiti.

Tidur berkualiti bukan bermakna masa tidur yang panjang! Sebaliknya tidur apabila mata sudah mengantuk. Bangunlah apabila tubuh sudah terasa segar. Titiskan beberapa titis minyak lavender pada bantal. Tidur anda lebih selesa. Pastikan perut juga tidak terlalu kenyang sebelum melelapkan mata.

Sumber : Majalah Mingguan Wanita ,Okt/Nov 2001

stress management

you can do about your stress level. The bills aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your errands, and your career or family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management.

Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.

Identify the sources of stress in your life

To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress.

• Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things going on right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?
• Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things are always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of nervous energy, that’s all”).
• Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.

Start a stress journal

A stress journal can help you identify the regular stressors in your life and the way you deal with them. Each time you feel stressed, keep track of it in your journal. As you keep a daily log, you will begin to see patterns and common themes. Write down:

• What caused your stress (make a guess if you’re unsure).
• How you felt, both physically and emotionally.
• How you acted in response.
• What you did to make yourself feel better.

Look at how you currently cope with stress

Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your stress journal can help you identify them. Are your coping strategies healthy or unhealthy, helpful or unproductive? Unfortunately, many people cope with stress in ways that compound the problem.

Unhealthy ways of coping with stress

These coping strategies may temporarily reduce stress, but they cause more damage in the long run:

Smoking Drinking too much Overeating or undereating Zoning out for hours in front of the TV or computer Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities

Using pills or drugs to relax Sleeping too much Procrastinating Filling up every minute of the day to avoid facing problems Taking out your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence)

Learning healthier ways to manage stress

If your methods of coping with stress aren’t contributing to your greater emotional and physical health, it’s time to find healthier ones. There are many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress, but they all require change. You can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose, it’s helpful to think of the four As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.

Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no “one size fits all” solution to managing it. No single method works for everyone or in every situation, so experiment with different techniques and strategies. Focus on what makes you feel calm and in control.

Dealing with Stressful Situations: The Four A’s

Change the situation: Avoid the stressor. Alter the stressor.

Change your reaction: Adapt to the stressor. Accept the stressor.

Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress

Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.

• Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
• Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.
• Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
• Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.
• Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same.
• Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.
• Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say up front that you only have five minutes to talk.
• Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under.

Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.

• Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.
• Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.
• Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”
• Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

Adjusting Your Attitude

How you think can have a profound effect on your emotional and physical well-being. Each time you think a negative thought about yourself, your body reacts as if it were in the throes of a tension-filled situation. If you see good things about yourself, you are more likely to feel good; the reverse is also true. Eliminate words such as "always," "never," "should," and "must." These are telltale marks of self-defeating thoughts.

Stress management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t change

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.

• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.
• Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.
• Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.
• Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

Stress management strategy #5: Make time for fun and relaxation

Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come.

Healthy ways to relax and recharge

Go for a walk. Spend time in nature. Call a good friend. Sweat out tension with a good workout. Write in your journal. Take a long bath. Light scented candles.

Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea. Play with a pet. Work in your garden. Get a massage. Curl up with a good book. Listen to music. Watch a comedy.

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.

• Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.
• Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.
• Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike.
• Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

Stress management strategy #6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle

You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.

• Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.
• Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.
• Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary "highs" caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll sleep better.
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.
• Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally
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