Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.
– John Muir

We often hear about the excessive demands that modern life places on us. With all the pressures placed on our time, and the relentless pace at which we live every day, we can easily get overwhelmed and feel the burden of stress on our minds.

Although it’s better to avoid getting too stressed in the first place, often that’s not possible. However, managing your stress levels by learning some techniques for mental relaxation can help a great deal. Below are a few simple suggestions to help you reduce the feelings of stress that you may be experiencing.

Exercise

Exercise is well known as an excellent form of stress relief. Going out for a run, having or swim, riding a bicycle or just going for a swift walk are all great stress reducers. Firstly, exercise tends to make your mind focus on physical sensations in your body, taking your mind off your worries and concerns. Secondly, exercise releases endorphins which are a chemical associated with feelings of happiness. Exercise can literally make you happier!

Get Creative

Another great way to release stress and tension is through creative pursuits. These can be anything from writing, painting and making music, to dancing and cooking. Creativity can help relieve stress by focusing the mind on something constructive, leaving you with a feeling of satisfaction and pride. Creative acts can also provide a kind of emotional release, a cathartic experience that can help purge you of excessive emotional strife.

Meditate

Meditation comes in many forms, but most types of meditation can help with stress relief. Not only does meditation allow you to set aside some time for yourself, but it gives your mind a break from the thoughts and feelings which may be stressing you out. Meditation can help you face your problems from a calmer frame of mind, and help you to see things with a little more perspective. Like exercise, meditation can also be mentally relaxing.

Spend A Day Away

This is an obvious option, but taking a day or two away from all of your problems can really give your mind the break it needs to recuperate. A day away can mean taking time to relax with the family, going go-karting, spending some time at the beach or spending a night or two at a quiet bed and breakfast.

Relax In Nature

Spending some time in nature is often suggested as an antidote for stressful modern life. It really can help though. Taking a day for a leisurely stroll through the woods can help you to slow down to nature’s pace. Watching wildlife at work and coming face to face with huge trees and great hills or mountains can help to put things into some perspective, and may also help you to clear your mind. Just relax and enjoy!

For me, the beauty of nature is a powerful reminder of God’s power and love. It isn’t just a matter of aesthetic enjoyment, but a deep, spiritual appreciation that brings peace to the soul.

Read the next article: External – How am I reaching out to others this week?

Read the previous article in the series: Recreational – Are we having fun yet?

Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed

You can sign up to receive a daily devotional email that consists of:

• A Bible verse
• A short inspirational story
• A suggested prayer

This is in addition to the inspirational email that you might already be signed up for.

If you’d like a daily reminder to nurture your spiritual side, sign up today.

We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
– Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

If you don’t see yourself as a spiritual or religious person, you might wonder why there is a place for Spiritual needs on the My Inspired Year Planner.

If this is you, hear me out, and be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to nurture your spiritual side.

I believe we are all spiritual beings, in addition to being flesh and blood. And I mean here something that goes beyond the mental or the emotional, although for our purposes it does include them.

Granted, some people are more spiritually sensitive than others, but we all have that certain hunger for beauty, for righteousness, for justice, for more in life, that can be characterized as inherently spiritual.

How you feed this and care for it is up to you.

Christianity makes sense to me. The message of Jesus resonates with me. So prayer, thanksgiving, Bible reading, quiet time, worship, fellowship with others, and service are all part of my plan for good spiritual health.

Maybe you just can’t see that as working for you. But I encourage you to make time in your life for spiritual things. For meditation. For mindfulness. For nature. For stillness.

But also for fellowship. For friendship. For loyalty. For service to others.

I welcome your comments below.

Read the next article: Physical – How am I taking care of my body?

Read the previous article: Spiritual – Am I living a balanced life?

Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed

To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.
– Buddha

If your body isn’t getting the foods and nutrients it needs to function properly, then Unfortunately, you can’t expect your brain to respond appropriately either.

Your brain feeds on the foods you feed your body and if you’re constantly eating an unhealthy diet then not only does your body slow down, so does your brain. Often this comes on so slowly it’s not noticed until you’re old enough that the blame falls on aging.

To lead a healthy and productive life, it’s imperative to care for your body and your mind so that both are functioning efficiently.

Of course, you need to exercise, keep your blood pressure in check and get proper rest, at least seven hours of sleep at night. If you smoke, stop. And concentrate on a diet that’s rich in mind and body enhancing nutrients. Supplements can be useful, but it’s best to rely on natural foods for the best results.

Choose to eat foods that are rich in antioxidants such as fruits and berries including grapes, cherries, apples, plums and oranges. Blueberries and cranberries have proven to be especially high in antioxidants that aid in memory retention.

Vegetables high in antioxidants include green and leafy types such as spinach, broccoli, kale and brussels sprouts. Beets, red bell peppers, onions and garlic are also great sources. Chard, turnip and collard greens are also high in antioxidants but not as much as their cousins.

Omega 3 fatty acids must not be forgotten and they can be found in salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel and sardines. Seafood also is packed with B vitamins as are dairy products, eggs, spinach, carrots and various nuts and seeds.

Some spices are also excellent in providing a better memory and healthy body by improving your motor skills and aiding your brain to communicate and regenerate.

Curcumin, found in turmeric and curry blends, has been said to prevent memory loss and reduce inflammation. Rosemary, both fresh and dried, stimulates and enhances the memory while it also calms your nerves and promotes a healthy circulatory system.

Good news for coffee lovers. Recent studies have revealed that caffeinated coffee in moderation helps to prevent memory loss and stimulate brainwave activity. The study showed it to be more effective in helping women than men.

Maintaining a healthy body and mind will give you the physical strength and mental toughness you need to stay focused and motivated as you work toward your dream.

Read the next article in the series: Intellectual- Read Any Good Books Lately?

Read the previous article: Physical – How am I taking care of my body?

Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
– William James

If you’re working through this course, you obviously want to start approaching your work and your life in a more productive and efficient manner.

Once you have defined the goals and habits that will help you most as you work toward your dream, you must list out the tasks that need to be done. These become the items on your weekly to-do list.

How do you make sure that you get through that to-do list and that you aren’t constantly treading water?

You need to set out the tasks you need to do and then work through them in order until they’re all complete.

And there’s a definite art to coming up with a to-do list. Timothy Ferriss, author of The Four Hour Workweek, always talks about having one task that he absolutely must get completed that day and then completing that. Everything else, he considers to be ‘extra’.

This is generally the best attitude to take to any list of objectives. Complete the biggest and most important task first and then move on to the smaller ones.

The reason this is so important is that the biggest task is going to take the most time, the most focus and the most energy. It’s also going to give you the biggest sense of satisfaction once completed.

If you finish all the smaller tasks first, then you risk taking up a lot of time with switching between tasks, answering emails and setting things up.

Small, unimportant tasks can end up taking longer than you think and then you will be left with not enough time to complete that one ‘big task’ that you needed to finish. As a result, the day ends and you’re left feeling stressed.

Instead, work on that one massive task that will make a real difference first. Then start on those smaller jobs and get as many as possible out the way. You can do those after 4 p.m., at the point in the day when you’re starting to feel less productive.

If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?
― Timothy Ferriss

Read the next article in the series: Spiritual – Am I Living a Balanced Life?

Read the previous article: Necessary

Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed

The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.
– Hubert Humphrey

The E stands for External. This is the area of your planner where you would track your social life. If you’re an introvert like me, you might need a little nudge in this department.

How are you reaching out to show care for friends and family? Here you can track how well you’re doing.

Keep track of your volunteer days at the soup kitchen. Record your lunches with the ladies. This is where you can do it. Really, you can put anything you want in these spaces.

Want to track your Twitter posts? You could use this to track your social media postings, if you are into social media. Or record who is coming to your dinner parties.

Just to give you some options, there are four daily checklist spots for you in your MIY Planner.

Read the previous article: Recreational – Are We having Fun Yet?

Read the first article in this series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed

Rest when you’re weary; refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.
– Ralph Marston

The R in INSPIRE stands for Recreational. This space in your planner is for you to track what you do for restoration and relaxation. These are areas that can sometimes get forgotten in our busy lives. I have included them as a reminder that you need to take time to rest and just restore your soul.

For some people, life can be all work and no play. That’s why I have included this special section to remind you to take some time to rest, relax, and just enjoy whatever recreational activities happen to float your boat.

Even the Ten Commandments include a reminder that we need to set aside a day of rest. This requirement is not because God needs a day for himself, but because we need a day of rest. So be sure to take time for rest, relaxation and recreation in your week.

Read the next article in the series: Tips to Help You Relax and Unwind

Read the previous article in the series: Intellectual – Read any good books lately?

Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts; therefore guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.
– Marcus Aurelius

Can you remember the last book you read? If not, maybe this is an area you want to work on. Do you love reading but can’t remember who wrote that great thriller you read last month? Track it here, so you can look back and find out. You might like another book by the same author.

I made sure to include Intellectual growth here, not just because I’m a teacher, but because this is another area that can fall by the wayside for many of us. It’s so much easier just to watch television.

But good books engage your mind in a quite different and more beneficial manner.

Learning through video counts. Puzzles and brain games are awesome, too.

Do something good for your mind every week.

If you are working through a course, reading a book, or watching videos on a certain subject, you can record them in your planner. That way, at the end of the year, you can see all that you have read and all that you have learned, and note your progress.

Read the next article in this series: Recreational – Are we having fun yet?

Read the previous article: Physical – How am I taking care of my body?

Read the first article in this series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed

There’s nothing more important than our good health – that’s our principal capital asset.
– Arlen Specter

The P stands for your Physical needs. Depending on the state of your health, you might want to track exercise, how much water you drink, if you’re eating well, or if you’re sleeping well. If you are watching your weight, you can record your weigh-ins.

I hope that you are eating food that’s good for you, getting enough sleep, drinking water every day, and making time for exercise. If you are, great! If not, here is where My Inspired Year can help you improve.

Track the areas you need to work on. There is room in your planner for several items. If you’re already doing well, you can track your fitness goals here, such as running, reps, etc.

Be sure not to neglect your physical body. It just might have to last you a hundred years or more!

Read the next article in the series: Intellectual- Read Any Good Books Lately?

Read the previous article: Spiritual – Am I living a balanced life?

Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed

A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.
– Thomas Merton

The S in INSPIRE stands for Spiritual. In this area you can track devotional books you’re reading, your daily quiet time, prayer concerns, or anything else that just makes you connect to God or to a higher purpose for your life.

This is also where you could track what might be called Soul Care – things that you do to take care of yourself and your emotional well-being.

How you define and use this area is up to you. For most of us, our spiritual lives are personal. But if there is an area of spiritual discipline where you are seeking to grow, here is a place in your planner where you can track it.

Are you feeling you’d like a more structured prayer life? Do you need to take some quiet time each morning to be still and meditate before the daily chaos begins? Do you want to start the habit of spending time each week outdoors? Would you like to be able to read through the Bible this year?

In the busyness of the week, it is easy to ignore the spiritual side of life. Here is a reminder for you to be sure that your life is balanced.

Just a caution though. I want to warn you against developing a spirituality that is strict and rule-based. It is easy to become inordinately hard on yourself if you fail, or overly judgmental of those who don’t live up to your exaggerated standards.

Let your spirituality build you up and inspire you, not crush you.

If you aren’t sure where you stand on this, or the notion of spirituality makes you uncomfortable, please read the next article in the series.

Read the next article: Don’t Neglect Your Spiritual Needs

Read the previous article: Necessary – Tracking What Needs to Be Done

Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed