Now we take a look at putting the brakes on and coming to a complete stop. As difficult as this task may be, we need to pause and collect ourselves. Its simple as sitting, close our eyes, and take deep breaths. This is a perfect after lunch activity. Trust me. Doing this once a day is a huge step towards happiness.

Here’s how. As the day progresses obstacles get in our way, our bodies tense, and stress rises. Taking a “moment” allows us to relax, unwind, and collect our thoughts. By breathing deeply we slow our heart rate. This allows our brain to release endorphins. You know, the “happy” chemical.

Another aspect of stopping is abstaining from technology. Are you addicted to your phone? How long can you go without looking at it? In truth most of us are addicted to this little gadget; and why not. It provides so much information in a compact format. Ever start searching for a pair of jeans and end up looking at videos of pets being funny? Yea, me neither. Any-who, this rambling of information can provide a huge tax on the brain. We need to take the time to stop and think about nothing. No TV, internet, blogs, or cute videos. Just as we give our muscles breaks we need to do the same with our brain.

Believe it or not, a lot of people tell me they’re too busy to stop. There isn’t a five to fifteen minute break available in their day. They are on the go! And yet these same people have the time to stop when they become ill, or worse, have a complete break down. As harsh as this may seem, its true. If we have time to be sick, then we have time to be well.

Take the five minutes Janet (random name).

We owe it to ourselves.

We will always make excuses for not changing our life style. Life is chaotic and once we have our pattern of serenity in place, we don’t want to lose it. How serene is our life if we never take a moment to breathe? Stop and smell the roses. It’s not just an aphorism. It how we keep our sanity.

Until the next blog, live life, be happy, and find life’s happiness.

at1_retired@yahoo.com

Steve Curtis