How to Increase Serenity
True serenity comes from within, but even Buddhists can use a little jump start now and then.
Up next in How to Relieve Stress (11 videos)
Feeling a little tense? Learn how to relax with the stress relief tips in these Howcast videos.
You Will Need
- Opportunities to laugh
- Time for family and friends
- TV-watching time
- Absorbing hobbies
- And a gratitude journal
- A new job
Steps
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Step 1
Laugh often
Laugh as often as you can. It causes your heart rate and blood pressure to drop dramatically, leaving your feeling profoundly relaxed.
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People with a strong sense of humor are less prone to depression and anxiety.
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Step 2
Find time for friends
Find time for friends and family. Researchers who studied very content people found that every single one was extremely outgoing and reported strong social bonds.
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Step 3
Take charge
Take charge of your life—even if that means standing up to a controlling loved one or finding a job that gives you more freedom. Confronting a troubling issue now will ensure more serenity later.
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Step 4
Do what you love
Start a career doing what you love. A Swedish study found that people who work hard at something they find fulfilling are more satisfied with their lives.
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No matter how much you love your job, take vacations: people who don't are more susceptible to heart attacks!
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Step 5
Don't feel guilty
Be a couch potato without guilt. A study of women who kept a daily mood diary found that watching TV at night was their daily relaxation peak.
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Step 6
Sleep more
Get more sleep. A major impediment to serenity is fatigue due to lack of sleep.
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Step 7
Return to nature
Go for a hike, take a walk on the beach, or garden—just get outside. Scientists believe that we're actually hard-wired to relax when we're in the presence of the natural world, including plants and animals.
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Step 8
Go with the "flow"
Go with the "flow," which is the state of intense well-being that occurs when we are so immersed in an activity that we lose all track of time—researchers say this is a key to contentment.
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Step 9
Keep a gratitude journal
Keep a gratitude journal. Studies show it helps us want what we already have — the true key to happiness.
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The well-known "serenity prayer," attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, says, "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
