When facing a stressor, consciously view it as a challenge and opportunity by thinking, ‘I can do this’ or ‘I have what it takes,’ as this promotes a healthier physiological response (more cardiac output, less inflammation) and slower biological aging.
Identify unwanted, unchangeable situations in your life and practice radical acceptance by acknowledging their permanence, which frees mental and emotional resources from futile worrying or problem-solving.
Develop and use personal strength statements (e.g., ‘I got this,’ ‘I have what it takes’), recall past successes, list resources, or practice distancing (e.g., ’this won’t matter in 5 years’) to shift from a threat response to a challenge response.
When experiencing physical signs of stress (e.g., heart racing), reframe it by telling yourself, ‘This stress response is empowering; my body is doing just what it should,’ to improve performance, problem-solving, and recovery.
Skillfully navigate life by knowing when to ‘muscle it’ (exert effort on productive work) and when to ‘release it’ (let go of unchangeable situations), recognizing that both approaches are necessary for effective stress mitigation.
Regularly pause during the day for mindful check-ins, including closing eyes, feeling the body, labeling emotions, slow breathing, and mind-body movement, to reduce stress, improve awareness, and shift focus from ruminative thoughts.
Create a coherent narrative around your life experiences, focusing on what is meaningful to you and your purpose, to make sense of events, find resolution, and rise above deterministic stress responses.
Actively build your capacity to tolerate uncertainty, as this resilience factor is associated with less anxiety and depression, and quicker recovery from stressful events.
Explore short-term bursts of ‘hermetic stress’ like aerobic activity or the Wim Hof Method (extreme breathing) to promote stress resilience and boost daily positive emotions, leading to reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression.
At the end of a stressful day, actively cultivate feelings of contentment, ease, confidence, or joy, as this practice is correlated with better long-term health trajectories, including less depression and heart disease.
Utilize breathing strategies as the most direct and fast physiological path to reducing stress in the body.
Designate a small, pre-designated physical space populated with comforting items like photos, pets, smells, or music, as these act as safety signals to alleviate stress and enhance mood.
When catching yourself rehearsing or reliving stress, or worrying, consciously affirm ‘right now I’m safe’ to interrupt the thought pattern and turn off the stress response.
Actively engage in life’s challenges and risks, as avoiding all stress can lead to lower cognitive health and hinder brain growth, even in later years.
View uncertainty as the ‘beauty of the mystery of life’ and a source of freedom, approaching the unknown with curiosity and a receptive mindset rather than a need for control.
When facing uncertainty, adopt a ’leaning back’ and relaxed posture with slow breaths, shifting from an alert, predictive stance to a receptive mode that allows you to receive what happens with curiosity.
Practice a body scan by focusing on each part of the body from head to toe and breathing into it to release tension, as this simple practice can significantly reduce cravings.
Engage in daily meditation to potentially achieve slower biological aging, dampen inflammatory pathways, and boost telomerase activity, which protects cells and rebuilds telomeres.
Continue meditation practices long-term, as it can lead to sustained reductions in depression and improved mental health, especially for individuals with a history of early adversity.
Engage in mindfulness training during pregnancy (e.g., weekly classes, daily check-ins, slow breathing, mind-body movement) to improve maternal insulin sensitivity and mental health, and promote healthier stress responses and reduced obesity in offspring.
Before eating, perform a mindful check-in to label your emotions and rate your hunger (1-10), helping to discern if you are truly hungry or eating due to emotions like boredom.
If prone to compulsive eating, practice mindful eating by checking in with hunger, slowing down, and increasing body awareness to improve insulin sensitivity, glucose regulation, and long-term weight management.
Engage in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or other short-term physical stressors to metabolize stress in the body, which can help break the compulsive eating cycle and reduce cravings.
When experiencing a craving (e.g., for sugary drinks), observe the craving pass without immediately consuming, understanding that the urge will subside over time with practice.
Remove tempting foods like soda from your home and workplace to create environments that do not trigger cravings and compulsive eating, making it easier to avoid unhealthy choices.
Eat highly processed or ‘junk’ food very slowly and mindfully to experience its actual taste and texture, often revealing it to be less satisfying than anticipated and reducing its perceived reward.
Practice savoring small amounts of truly rewarding foods, like good chocolate, by eating slowly to fully enjoy the experience without needing to feel full or binge.
Understand how the food industry manipulates desires and designs addictive foods to reduce reward drive and compulsive eating, fostering a sense of rebellion against unhealthy choices.
Drink one packet of Element in 16-32 ounces of water first thing in the morning and during physical exercise to ensure adequate hydration and electrolytes for optimal brain and body function and to prevent diminished cognitive and physical performance.
Engage in yoga nidra or non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) for even 10-minute sessions to greatly restore levels of cognitive and physical energy.