I ask myself what I am thankful for every Thanksgiving, but now I am seeing things a little different. Rather than being thankful for physical things, I am aware that my focus has dramatically changed to those inner qualities I am thankful for… to what I am becoming. I am aware that my health is what I am most thankful for.

Since I believe my health is my most valuable possession, I have been working diligently through the years to restore it through the integrative counseling work I do as well as various alternative health care practices. I have worked on many of the things listed below that have helped my health improve, I am now finding that I am enjoying a higher level of energy and stamina and excited about passing this on to others.

Many of us may go through life feeling like we aren’t enough, life isn’t enough, or we haven’t done enough for others. It can create a lot of despair and resentment, which doesn’t lead us to being grateful.

I challenge you to make this holiday a time of much joy and gratitude. Focus on the feelings you choose to experience during the day and allow your focus to be on gratitude. Studies have proven that when you allow your mind to rest on these thoughts, it will eliminate stress and move you closer to a more peaceful state.

Here are Ten Commandments for Living Stress-free During the Holidays:

• Thou shalt not vegetate- Find yourself some outlet for physical energy and exert yourself. You’ll find you sleep better.
• Thou shall not keep quiet- Seek out a close friend, go to counseling or do some journaling so that you can talk out your feelings and not hold them in.
• Thou shalt not try to move mountains- You must learn to accept what can’t be changed. What you can change is your reaction or perspective on your circumstances.
• Thou shalt not try to covet thy pharmacist’s goods or alcohol.- Do not resort to medicating yourself. You are just treating the symptom and can make the stress worse.
• Honor thy sleep and thy rest- Lack of proper sleep and rest can lead to irritability which is a major sign of stress. Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep.
• Thou shall not keep pushing without any pulling back- Balance your work and play. Get out there and recreate.
• Thou shall not be selfish- Don’t concentrate on yourself and your problems. Make yourself meet new people and focus on others’ needs.
• Thou shall not spread yourself thin. You need to set priorities in your life to get things done. Trying to get it all done at once, only leads to more worries.
• Thou shall not have the last word- Unless it’s an argument of great importance, give in occasionally, breaking the tension.
• Thou shall not wallow in self-pity.- Turn your thoughts into gratefulness and focus on what is working well in your life.