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The Emotional Toolkit Monthly
Practical Strategies to Boost Your Happiness, Health & Longevity
April 2008
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In This Issue:
-- Are You Crazed?
-- Tip of the Month
-- In the News

Are You Crazed?
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 Have you ever felt so stressed out that only a vacation to Bora Bora will do? Who hasn't? Trouble is, you'd still have to come home again - home to the traffic, the demands of work, and the needs of family.

Women are well-acquainted with the world of doing too much with too little time. Take this quiz to discover if you're crazed:

  1. Are you snapping at the people you love?
  2. Are you more forgetful than usual?
  3. Do you get irritated over little things like a red light that's too long?
  4. Are you catching colds more often than normal?
  5. Are you afraid that you won't get everything done in time?
  6. Do you have trouble falling asleep at night?
These are just some symptoms of being crazed. If you checked more than one - and it's not due to a medical cause - you're probably the average over- stressed woman.

Here's the million dollar question: Do you think it's possible to escape your stress and get that Bora Bora feeling without ever leaving your home? You can, and here's a few ways to do it.


Tip of the Month
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Get that Bora Bora feeling:

  • Nature Is Calling: When you get a dose of Mother Nature, your brain waves shift, blood pressure drops, and tense muscles relax, all contributing to a happier mood. Although the tropical beaches of Polynesia are nice, your body can benefit from less exotic locales, too. Simply sitting in a garden, looking at a fish tank or keeping flowers on your desk can boost your mood.


  • Accept the Situation: Stalled traffic, an elevator that stops at every floor, a delay at the airport. What do they have in common? There's not much you can do about any of them. In these stressful events, your best reaction is to stop, take 3 deep breaths, and focus your attention on something else like the music on your car radio or reading a book.


  • Eliminate or Delegate Where You Can: Look at your To-Do list. Is it causing you anxiety? If so, go through each task, and ask yourself these questions: Do I really need to do this? What's the worst that would happen if I didn't? Can I delegate this to someone else, like a coworker or my children?


  • Move It: When you're stressed, your primitive body thinks there's an emergency, and releases stress hormones to help you run or fight. You probably won't need to do either, but now you're stuck with a revved-up body. To relax, try some movement. Go for a walk, do some yoga, or dance in your living room for 10-minutes, and your body, thinking the emergency is over, will become calm.

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    In the News
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    Your Happiest Life:
    A New Blog


    Check out Dr. Mininni's new blog, "Your Happiest Life." The blog features articles, links, and recommendations to live your happiest and healthiest life.

    Check it out, and tell a friend! http://yourhappiestlife.blogspot.com.





    Be Happy, Dammit!
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    Karen Salmansohn is SIRIUS/Lime radio's lively host of Be Happy, Dammit! (http://www.lime.com/radio/be_happy_dammit) and best selling author of 29 books including How To Be Happy, Dammit!

    I like Karen because she does something I love. She takes scientifically tested ideas and makes them user- friendly. That's why I'm honored Karen's chosen to feature my work on her blog. Check out her March 16, 2008 article, "7 Booster Shots for Happiness": http://www.notsalmon.com/2008/03/ 7-booster-shots-for- happiness.html





    About Dr. Darlene Mininni
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    Dr. Darlene Mininni is the author of The Emotional Toolkit and creator of UCLA's acclaimed emotional education course. She has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and a Masters degree in Public Health. Through her keynotes, writing and one-day workshops, Dr. Mininni teaches people of all ages practical strategies to boost their happiness, health and longevity. Woman's World Magazine describes her emotional toolkit as "Cutting-edge advice...that really works." She's appeared on CNN, NPR and PBS and been quoted in SELF, COSMO, Woman's Day, Marie Claire, Ladies Home Journal and Prevention.



    Darlene Mininni, Ph.D., M.P.H.
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