In our society, more and more people are burning-out. Their jobs cause them stress, their family life, and their busy schedules. It seems like every where we go, there’s always stressed-out people in a stressed-out environment. Here are some thoughts on how to deal with stress and ultimately, on how to dissolve it;

1) De-dramatize your life. Events that seem stressful now will not be next week. Breathe, know that whatever is going on now, even if it seems the end of the world, shall pass. Stress comes from our biased perceptions of the world around us. It exists only if we choose to let it exist. Consider Shakespeare’s notion that, “Life’s but a walking shadow/ A poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage/ And then, is heard no more”. Life is like a stage and we decide to make it either a drama or a comedy.

2) Laugh a little. They say that laughing can cure anything, even cancer. If your boss is pissing you off again this week, try to make a joke about it, even to his face. See his reaction and observe how you feel at the end of the day. Joking can relieve a lot of built-up tension inside, and can even make you forget about the event causing you stress. Laugh at yourself in the morning too. It sounds crazy but this helps to deflate our self-importance a little. If you can’t make jokes or laugh at yourself, rent a Ben Stiller movie and laugh about other people’s miseries. Or laugh simply because it’s Ben Stiller.

3) Do sports. We’re all so lazy in our society now. We prefer to surf the internet, watch television or talk on our cell phones instead of evacuating the stress that is lodged in our bodies. Bodies are like crystals: they accumulate bad energies and stress, and if we don’t wash them clean through sports, they become crammed with toxins and eventually might become quite sick. Run, walk, play tennis, do whatever you like to do that is physical, but do it at least twice a week. After your sport, you will feel physically tired for once instead of mentally tired. And you’ll sleep better that night.

4) Take vacations. I know that in the States and in Canada we are limited to very few weeks off, unlike Europeans who have up to six weeks of vacation time per year. When those two weeks come around the corner, instead of moping around the house and doing the same old things, get away, even if it’s to the next village. Save your money, jump into your car or take the bus, and get away from your daily environment. It’s refreshing to be in a new place, you might meet new people, and you just might have time to wash your spirit and mind clean of the year’s accumulated perceived stresses.

The most important thing in the end is to take the time to do something that makes you happy every week, or every day even. Not something for the kids, the dog, the boss or the mother, something for you. If you like to eat chocolate while watching a romance movie, do it. If you like to shop with friends, do it. If you like to eat Sushi, do it. Do it for yourself and no one else. The greatest joy is when you take your mind off of the daily stage you have created for yourself, and delve into a place much like a blank slate in which you can enjoy the peace of your spirit.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (The Bible)