“I can’t make my mind a blank…” Is a common complaint and ‘monkey mind’ (the mischievous wandering mind) seems to be the biggest problem for anyone ‘sitting’ without proper direction. Trying to make your mind ‘blank’ is a thought in itself – and therefore self defeating.

The Japanese word ‘Mushin’ or ‘no mind’ means no thinking mind, the only way you can create this spontaneous mental state is to gradually reduce the activity of the thinking mind until it ‘flatlines’ and allows the aware, non thinking, ‘wisdom mind’ to come to the foreground. The best route to achieving this is as follows:

Happiness is a decision and a habit. It has doesn’t necessarily have to do with where you are, what you are doing or who you are with. It’s possible to be a happy person by deciding to be happy and by setting up a few habits that help you to remember that you are a happy person and why.

How do we find that elusive state of being whatever is going on in our life and maintain it?

Make the decision. Decide that you are a happy person and that wherever you are, whoever you are with and whatever you are doing that you will be happy.

Press the ‘Happy Button’. Every morning when you wake up, put an imaginary ‘Happy Button’ in the middle of your chest and press it first thing to remind yourself to be happy – and keep pressing it throughout the day until it becomes a permanent habit.

Do you get that niggling ‘worry’ pain in the tummy? It seems that life is getting to you with one thing after another, maybe relationship troubles, annoyed at what people are saying about you, the never ending cascade of bills and never having enough money?

You could be suffering from stress.

You end up feeling angry, worried and picked on – life seems to be working against you and in the end your health begins to suffer.

You feel that everything is getting you down and it doesn’t matter what you do it seems to make matters worse…..

Well cheer up! Here are 10 things you can do to help you to combat that stress…..