Leaf Caroline. 101 Ways to Be Less Stressed: Simple Self-Care Strategies to Boost Your Mind, Mood, and Mental Health

Baker Books, 2020. — 160 p. — ISBN 978-1-4934-2898-4.Although many of us prioritize our physical health through exercise and healthy eating, we often forget to spend time boosting our mind, mood, and mental health. Yet the mind is the source of all our thoughts, words, and actions; when our thinking is unhealthy, our lives will be unhealthy--even if we go to the gym seven times a week and eat kale every day.It is so important that we focus on mental self-care and reducing daily stress, since mental toughness and resilience will get us through difficult times and help us achieve success in every area of our lives. Using the incredible power of our minds, we can persist and grow in response to life's challenges.Let bestselling author and neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf help you change your life by changing your mind with 101 simple ways to reduce stress. With simple strategies for mental self-care, we can change the way we think and how we live our lives.cover
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copyright pageSet your intentions for the week
Be open and honest with your intentions
Learn what your body needs and make it a priority
When you are panicking about something, focus your attention on one thing
Incorporate more “thinker moments” into your day
Avoid claiming panic attacks as part of your identity
Take a warm bath or shower before bed
Get creative
How to keep your brain young and healthy
Make sure you are getting enough omegas
Be aware of your thoughts
Practice deep breathing
Engage in conversation with people who have different points of view
Practice “purposeful procrastination”
Red light therapy can potentially help improve your mental and physical health
Be careful of relying too much on “self-help”
Walk more
Give yourself time to forgive
Sometimes it’s better to focus on facts rather than emotions
Don’t suppress your anxiety
Improve your nutrition and boost your mental health
Acceptance is important
Work on your insecurities
Don’t let your failures define you
Be careful of basing your words and actions on assumptions
Watch how you judge situations
Chase curiosity, not passion
Start each morning by reminding yourself of three things
Recognize the difference between reacting and responding
The most important conversations you have are with yourself
What kind of advice do you give to others?
Be vulnerable with those you love
Join a community
Freak out in the “love zone”
Do you criticize others?
Argue well
Don’t assume you know what someone is thinking or feeling
Watch what you think and say about yourself
Don’t celebrate the workaholic
Start and end the day right
Don’t regret making mistakes in front of your children
Just because you think something, that doesn’t mean it’s true
Learn how to manage stress
Define your own success
Don’t just wait for life to give you what you want
Make “gathering time” an important part of your life
Use your free time to build your brain
Don’t be afraid to argue
What kind of language do you use?
Don’t avoid hard tasks
Take measures against cognitive decline
Reach out and help others when you are feeling down
Be proactive in building human connections
Don’t panic if you can’t fall asleep
Anticipating the worst moments creates the worst moments
Focus on the “now”
Don’t downgrade the seriousness of someone else’s struggles
When dealing with difficult people, sometimes it’s best to build trust first
Appreciate the journey of life
Don’t judge a book by its cover
Get your mind in order before you go to sleep
Protect your own mental health when dealing with difficult people
Make “mental autopsies” a regular part of your day
Make mental plans of what you want to change or achieve
If someone you know is struggling, listen to their story
Teach your children that feeling sad or anxious isn’t wrong
Recognize that material objects aren’t everything
Think about happiness differently
Learn to handle rejection
Watch what you think
Practice doing nothing
Be a peacemaker, not a people-pleaser
Adopt a curiosity mindset
Change the way you value yourself
Listen to your body and stop overthinking
Ask for clarification if you’re overthinking a situation
Choose not to be oversensitive
Make it a priority to spend at least an hour a day reading
Take measures to prevent overeating
Change the way you react to negative feedback
Keep an “unease” journal
Become aware of the problems in your life
Don’t be afraid to admit you are jealous
Don’t be discouraged if the journey is taking longer than expected
Make gratitude a priority today and every day
Smile and laugh often
Daydream often
Change the way you see a stressful situation
Replace negative, toxic thoughts with an “attitude of gratitude”
Don’t spend too much time defining the problem
Don’t make decisions when you’re tired
Have a “possibilities mindset”
Have a strong support system in place
Don’t get stuck in a victim mentality
Work on your self-confidence
Focus on healthy habits, not quick-fix solutions
Step up to the challenge
Stop comparing yourself to others
Set work boundaries
Focus on your journey
Write a gratitude letter to someone in your lifeabout the author
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