Stress and relaxation

Don't bottle it all up, take Alison Porter's 'Coach Fabulous' guide to a relaxed and stress-free life

Deep in our hearts we know it shouldn't be this hard - mobiles that don't stop ringing, overflowing inboxes, stressed-out colleagues, fractious families and fraught friends. If you want a laid-back and luscious life, you'll need to learn to shake off stress and find joy even on a bad hair day.

When you treat yourself kindly, you'll take the ups and downs of life in your stride, with strategies up your sleeve to help you cope when the going gets tough. Punishing schedules might seem like a fact of life, but you do have a choice about where to draw the line and take time out.

Stress-proof your life
Don't rely on summer holidays to de-stress you. Chances are you'll be so exhausted when you get there, you'll just collapse in a heap. Make plans to get out of town at least once a month. It doesn't have to be expensive - even a day trip is enough of a change of scenery to blow away a few cobwebs. Doing new things gets your thoughts out of their habitual patterns, helping you to feel positive and refreshed.

Start as you mean to go on. Find a few minutes in the morning to plan some relaxation into your day, building in time to meet friends or give yourself a treat. Morning's the best time for a blast of inner stillness too. Meditation sets you up with a sense of peace that stays with you throughout the day. Novices can download free 15-minute guided Meditations To Go at www.hayhouseradio.com. Upload them to your iPod and be blissed out without even getting out of bed.