Greet the Day

We've all read about relaxing sleep rituals, but why not develop a waking ritual? Practice waking up with a relaxed attitude. Allow yourself to wake up slowly and take a few moments to notice your surroundings. How you wake up influences the remainder of your day. Make it a more positive one today.

Eerily Accurate Fortunes from Fortune Cookies

• Your husband will ask the same question repeatedly, regardless of your answer. :)
• You will spend five minutes looking for your keys, only to realize that, yes, they were in your handbag after all. :)
• You will receive an e-mail that includes an emoticon. ;)
• You will have good intentions about going to the gym this week but instead get sucked into So You Think You Can Dance. :)
• You will lose cell-phone reception, only to find it again. :)
• You will fall asleep during any movie you start watching after 10 p.m. :)

Happy Women Live Longer

Optimistic women are 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease, according to a new Women’s Health Initiative study, so thinking positively is even more crucial as you get older.

How do you make that a habit?

Study author Hilary A. Tindle, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, recommends making time for simple pleasures like watching movies and planning vacations.

Another approach: Learn how to become more hopeful by meditating, exercising, building closer friendships, and—if you need it—getting therapy, says Anthony Scioli, PhD, a professor of psychology at Keene (New Hampshire) State College and co-author of the new book Hope in the Age of Anxiety ($29.95; Oxford University Press).

From Health magazine

What Energizes You?

Universal fixes help, but managing your energy levels can also be a very personal process.
Here's what some whole-living luminaries do to recharge:

"To paraphrase Thoreau, my tonic is the wilderness. When I am low on energy, I go to nature, and it restores me every time. Whether I'm sitting next to a lake or canoeing in it, just being in a place where plants thrive feeds my energy."--Rosemary Gladstar, herbalist, teacher, and founder of United Plant Savers

"Doing deep yogic breathing, Sun Salutations to fun and upbeat rock music, and inverted poses like handstands get me going. Plus, I conserve my energy and redeploy it into the priorities of what must be done, cutting out all extraneous activities, like internal dialogue (negative and overwhelming banter), anger, frustration, and fears."--Ana Forrest, yoga pioneer and creator of Forrest Yoga

"My dogs walk me twice a day, and they're the best energizer I know. There's nothing like getting out in nature with two joyous beasts who don't have to think twice about the meaning of unconditional love, both for me and the trail, however well beaten a track it is."--Kenny Ausubel, founder of the Bioneers Conference and co-executive director of the Collective Heritage Institute

"A frothy cup of green matcha tea and some breathing exercises help get me energized, as does an invigorating swim in my pool. Plus, looking forward to something with excitement always motivates me."--Andrew Weil, M.D., author of "Healthy Aging" and editor of Dr. Andrew Weil's Self Healing Newsletter

"I love my work and get pulled in by endless to-do's, often chugging along until I'm exhausted and 'too-done.' While exercise, yoga, and meditation help keep my energy high, so do regular breaks from the usual routine. I keep my knitting bag, beading box (I love to make malas and prayer bracelets as gifts), and a fast-paced mystery novel handy for 10- to 15-minute breaks three or four times a day. Letting go of responsibility to bask in creativity, or to drop into a fictional world very different from my own, keeps the juices flowing."--Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., psychologist and best-selling author of 12 books, including "Saying Yes to Change"

body+soul : First Published: September 2006

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May is Mental Health Month

10 KEYS to HAPPINESS

1- PLAY YOUR STRENGTHS "as you are seeking contentment, it's better to focus on your assets rather than try to compensate your weaknesses"

2- GET A HOBBY "creativity helps people adapt to life by making them more flexible and open to experiences, this then in turn fosters satisfaction and self-esteem"

3- SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE "people who say making a lot of money is important to them are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and headaches- and less likely to report being satisfied with their lives. those pleasures only bring the kind of happiness that disappears quickly. to achieve lasting contentment, you need to focus on experiences, not things"

4- DECIDE THEN MOVE ON "people who continually seek out the best of everything- be it a job, a mate, or a lap-top, are more stressed and less-fulfilled. to reduce anxiety, don't revisit a decision already made. tell yourself that good enough is good enough"

5- WIDEN YOUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS "relationships with close friends are one of the best vehicles to hapiness. these bonds give us a sense of purpose. research shows that friends keep us healthy, reduce anxiety, and even foster longevity.

6- ACCEPT THE FACT THAT SOME PEOPLE WON'T LIKE YOU "if you take everyone's judgment to heart, you surrender your own ability to view yourself clearly"

7- ACCENTUATE THE GOOD "gratitude is the cornerstone of happiness. it's all about noticing what's right in our lives instead of what's wrong"

8- SILENCE TOXIC SELF-TALK "research shows that thinking about your mistakes obsessively drags you down and gives you an increasingly negative disposition"

9- MATCH YOUR INTENTIONS TO YOUR ACTIONS "we find happiness when we derive pleasure as well as meaning to what we do"

10- MOVE IT "to or three short bursts of exercise each day can help to improve our outlook and attitude"