I love this quote. It is so true and is such useful counsel in our world of potential stress and struggle. But we don’t have to be victims, right?

We have control over ourselves and our choices, and one choice we can make is to take measures to stress-out a lot less. When it comes to de-stressing techniques, unsurprisingly, exercise tops the chart (a recent study published by Scientific American tells us that “being physically active is the single most important thing that most of us can do to improve or maintain health”), closely followed by good nutrition and sleep; these three things impact our ability to cope with stress directly.

In addition to the three biggies, I wanted to share some of my favorite de-stressing resources, which are available to us through some wonderful leaps in technology.

Favorite De-stressing Technologies

My Thought Coach

If you are meditating regularly, then you already know the benefits. If not, then you might try a guided meditation like this one (or the one below). Guided is the only way I meditate, because I am a SPAZ and cannot otherwise stay focused. This one is my fave: http://www.mythoughtcoach.com/. You can get a ton of free stuff here, but I recommend buying her app and downloading her meditations. They range from 6-20 minutes and cover many topics.

Oprah & Deepak’s 21-Day Meditation Experience

Here is a free one to try: http://www.chopra.com/ccl-meditation/21dmc/free-stream.html. There are nine different 21-day options to choose from, and over four million people have downloaded them. Oprah starts each meditation by giving an inspiring little talk on the subject. Then Deepak explains the concept, poses thought-provoking questions, then takes you into a meditation and provides a mantra.

Gratitude app

Excess time on social media will add to your stress. If you want to augment your social media time with something more meaningful, try this gratitude app. It only takes a minute and it’s a fun way to be more grateful: http://gratitude365app.com/

GPS for the Soul app

This is a great little app which pulls up quotes and pictures that can de-stress you. Only available on iTunes: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/25/gps-for-the-soul-app_n_4324970.html

Try a podcast

In a recent survey of my client base, less than 5% said they listen to podcasts. The reason I mention them in this article is that learning something new decreases stress in the brain, and listening to a podcast is an easy way to do it. For instance, I recently learned about the benefits of storing my son’s wisdom teeth so that he’ll have the stem cells in case he needs them much later in his life—to fight a disease or heal from an accident. Top that! I encourage you to go to one of these links—search on a topic of interest, choose a podcast and download it. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/podcasts/id525463029?mt=8

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-download-listen-to-podcasts-android-ios-iphone/

Try at least one item on this list and see if you feel less stress—you can always go back to your old ways if you don’t feel a difference.

Download My Free WorkBook

A Workbook to Guide You Through 3 Action Steps to Name it, Blame it, and Reframe it.

People who make a commitment to reduce their stress and find healthy coping strategies can see results right away. Experiencing greater joy, a sense of calm, and a clear, powerful, productive mind is all possible; the resources for reducing nearly any kind of stress are readily available to us. This book is one of those resources.

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