Keep your cool (and relax)

When you think about keeping a cool head during the summer months, you mainly think about keeping your head literally cool. But now that the sparrows have stayed put on the roof and the fan sits idle in the corner of the cupboard, heat-fighting tips aren't necessary. What can make you hot? Stress... do you worry easily about things? Then here are some tips to prevent yourself from going into stress mode so quickly.

Tip 1 - Just breathe

Feeling tension building? Focus on your breathing. Are you familiar with the 4-7-8 technique? Place your hand on your stomach and inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Hold your breath for 7 seconds, then exhale for 8 seconds. Do this regularly, and you'll find it easier and easier to breathe correctly automatically. At Happlify, you'll find various breathing exercises and ways to relax, like this one: De-stress in 5 minutes? These ideas will help!

Tip 2 - Stop! Me-time

Do you still have 127 things to do and are already 87 behind? Stop! Take some time for yourself. It sounds contradictory, because you don't have time for that anyway, do you? But just turning off your phone for fifteen minutes, making a cup of tea, and enjoying the silence will bring you peace, allowing you to power through the day at full speed like Max Verstappen. Finding it hard to make time for yourself? Then schedule it with a nice planner, for example.

Tip 3 - Back to nature

Research shows that spending time in the woods significantly reduces your stress levels. A great reason for a walk! It doesn't have to be a two-hour hike through the Hoge Veluwe National Park. The small woods behind your house or the park around the corner have the same effect. Also read this blog post: Back to Nature , where Samatha offers inspiring tips for experiencing nature in different ways.

Tip 4 - Stop worrying

Are you a real worrier? Then, while you're worrisome, ask yourself: Is worrying about this doing me any good? Can I solve this NOW? No? Then move on. Scheduling fifteen minutes of worry time and jotting down everything that pops into your head on a piece of paper also helps. That way, it's out of your head and you have more time for other things.

Did you know that worrying makes you anxious? And being anxious doesn't make you happy. You can find out how to deal with this, including simple exercises, in Mariko's brand-new Happlify Your Life workbook . Now available for a limited time for €20, including a free online reminder (worth €47). Order here .

Tip 5 - Exciting date

...like the dentist? Or another nerve-wracking item on your schedule? Try not to worry about it too much beforehand. They have a nice expression for it: Cross that bridge when you get to it. Only worry when the moment actually arrives. When what you're afraid of (the drilling will hurt, or you'll forget your lines during a presentation) actually happens. It's a waste of all the days leading up to it to let your nerves ruin them.

Tip 6 - Switch off your mind and do it

This takes some experience/practice, but your fear is a feeling, and nothing more. It says nothing about what's about to happen. You might have already imagined 60 scenarios beforehand about how something will go, but you never know how it will actually turn out. Let it go and surrender to the moment. Don't think about it and just go, right through the fear . Feel the fear and do it anyway. The fear is there, let it be. Feel the fear, but don't do anything with it. Just take that leap, and it will appear naturally.

Tip 7 - Adventure

Are you stressed about something unfamiliar? For example, are you flying for the first time? Think of it as an adventure instead of something "scary" you've never done before. Changing the way you look at something often changes how you feel.

Hopefully these tips are helpful. And if not, remember: Stressed spelled backwards is desserts . And that makes us all happy.

💬 Tell me, how do you keep your cool?

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