Ditch the Doldrums: 9 Keys to Health and Happiness in the New Year

Photo Credit: Stephanie Berghaeuser

Ditch the Doldrums: 9 Keys to Health and Happiness in the New Year

by Mark Allen and Brant Secunda

Adapted from their bestselling book, "Fit Soul, Fit Body"

Are you stressed-out, overweight, overworked, uninspired, or plagued by negative emotions? Don't worry -- anyone can achieve health and happiness by trying out some new behaviors and attitudes, and working at it step-by-step. Here are nine ways to achieve a fit body and soul in 2012.

Key #1: Balance your responses to the six types of stress. Chronic stress produces high cortisol levels that don't go away. Chronically high cortisol will make you sick, physically and emotionally. Stress can come from multiple sources including these six: negative emotions, too little sleep, poor diet, overwork, toxic chemicals, and inflammation. The antidote for stress is balance. Look at each of these six stress triggers individually and work on finding small ways to reduce excesses and achieve more balance in each area. Seek more laughter, calmness, and clarity in your life.

Key #2: Quiet the mind. Ignoring external chatter and focusing on one thought or a single repetition is an extremely effective tool for dissipating emotional stress and helping shift negative thoughts. Learning to quiet your mind also helps to reduce cortisol levels in your body and increase DHEA, a feel-good hormone that promotes feeling of serenity. Quieting your mind can help you sleep better, eat more healthfully, and keep work and life pressures in perspective. One of the best ways to quiet your mind is to exercise, especially outside.

Key #3: Transform fear, anger, and jealousy. Good thoughts lead us to incredible awareness and experiences. Olympic athletes know this, which is why they psyche themselves up before a big event. Each day brings personal "Olympic moments"--for instance, an important meeting, a big workout, a tough but necessary talk with a friend, or a commitment to a daily spiritual practice. Fear, anger, and jealousy hinder our optimal performance. Bite off a smaller chunk of tasks that seem overwhelming. Get perspective on the real significance of your troubles and reactions by being out in nature. Accept the fact that challenge is normal and life is not controllable.

Key #4: Reconnect with the spiritual world of nature.

Who hasn't been touched by a rose in bloom or trees coming to life in the springtime? Having a sense that you and Mother Earth have a special relationship lets you know that everything is as it should be, which makes our souls happy. The more you connect to nature, the more open you will be to its wisdom and calming influence.

Key #5: Honor yourself. Self-love is the best way to honor yourself, and the most immediate tool you can use to fortify yourself against negative emotions like fear or self-doubt. Learning to honor and love yourself instantly transforms "need" into "peace." One of the factors that eats away at self-love is boredom--boredom with work, boredom with your own repetitious behaviors, boredom with life. Try to find what's new in the old; seek out new ways of thinking and behaving. Draw strength, support, and affirmation from community.

Key #6: Know and set the quest. To get somewhere, you first have to know where you want to go. What physical goals are you striving toward? What kind of person do you want to become? Having these answers sets your intentions, helps focus your efforts, and provides you with tangible ways to measure the results. Set small goals. Set yourself up for success; for example, schedule your workouts at a time when you'll be most likely to do them. Turn your attention away from negative thoughts.

Key #7: Live what you ask for. Asking for a healthy soul but choosing unsupportive friends will only prevent you from finding peace. Asking for a fit body, but eating junk foods, will only sabotage your own success. Surround yourself with actions, thoughts, and people who will empower you and allow you to achieve your personal success.

Key #8: Slow down to get faster. In the modern world, most people feel they must push their bodies and souls to the limit to make any gains in fitness, or in life. Slowing down allows your body to run more efficiently. Apply small focused changes that are gradual versus intense.

Key #9: Invite your inner cave man to the table. Our bodies weren't built to withstand the rapid changes we've witnessed in our food industry. The hunting and gathering we once did has turned into drive-throughs, super-sized meals, and chemically laden foods our organs don't have the ability to use or process. Eating the right amounts of carbohydrates, fats, and protein based on ancient genetics keeps you from eating either too little or too much, both of which cause us to hold onto unwanted and unnecessary body fat. Drink lots of water and eat whole, unprocessed foods.

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Shaman-healer Brant Secunda and six-time world champion Ironman Mark Allen are body-soul fitness experts and seminar leaders known for blending ancient shamanic wisdom with the latest scientific findings on nutrition, fitness, mood, and stress, and turning them into fresh tips and advice for improving health and well-being. Their new book is Fit Soul, Fit Body: 9 Keys to Healthier, Happier You (BenBella Books). Learn more at www.fitsoul-fitbody.com.