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Stress is everywhere in our lives. No one can hope to eliminate stress, but it can be controlled. But before you let yourself collapse under a mountain of worry, try these seven methods to reduce and cut out excessive stress in your life.

1) Learn to relax. Life is meant to be lived, but you can't enjoy what life offers under the weight of neck and shoulder pains. High blood pressure, irritability, inability to concentrate are some of the symptoms that you are overstressed. There are a number of ways you can learn to relax and get a better perspective on life.

* Get a relaxing massage
* Take a relaxing bath
* Listen to soft music. Baroque music produces a beat that calms the mind.
* Meditate to get a better perspective on life.

2) Take a weekend mini-vacation. Sometimes you need to take a break from the routine. But you don't need to fly down to Cancun. A weekend mini-vacation can take your mind off your worries. You simply book yourself into a hotel in a small town and spend the weekend touring, eating out and getting to know some of the townspeople. Go town hopping over the weekends. You won't spend as much as you would for international travel, but you have a chance to see what your local community has to offer.

3) Laughter is the best medicine and it can relieve those stressful shoulders and calm those troubling thoughts. Pop in a funny video and laugh to the antics of Lucille Ball or rent a movie like Dumb and Dumber. You can find humorous clips on You Tube. Find ways to laugh and you'll find it easier to cope with your problems.

4) Get enough sleep. The right amount of sleep helps the body adjust to the stresses of the day. Most of us simply don't get enough and what we do get is often interrupted. If your place of business offers a couch to lie down on, take a power nap during your lunch break.

5) Eat healthy foods. They typical diet today consists of highly processed foods that are high in calories, fat and sugar, but do next to nothing to help you stay healthy. The chemicals added to food means that your body cannot process food properly and that leads to weight gain and health problems that add to already elevated stress levels. Organically grown food in its most natural state will help toward weight loss and balance the body for optimum health.

6) Exercise is one of the best stress relievers around. That doesn't mean straining tired muscles by running a marathon. A simple walk with the dog or your life's partner can help rejuvenate health and improve mental clarity. Any kind of activity increases the endorphins that make you feel good. Learn yoga techniques, tai-chi and Qi-gong for improving your health and circulation.

7) Stop smoking. Smoking fills your body with the chemicals that interfere with proper body and mind functioning. The environment, the food you eat and the medications you take all elevate stress levels and make you susceptible to many of the illnesses so prevalent in our society.

These are just some of the best ways that will help you reduce anxiety and cope with the stresses of modern life. Your life can be filled with anticipation and excitement which is what life is meant to be.

Learn more about this author, Mario Carini.
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