Because May is National Meditation Month, it's the perfect time to start a meditation practice if you haven't already, or try some new meditation techniques if you're already established in meditation. Because meditation brings some wonderful health benefits as well as short-term and long-term stress relief, it's truly worthwhile to start a meditation practice, beginning today. The following are resources that can get you started, help you along, and provide trouble-shooting tips for bumps in the road you may find along the way. Give it a try, and have a wonderful week!

Please feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments section, sign up for the free stress management newsletter for ongoing updates, and have a wonderful week!

• Meditation for the Masses
  I'm a big fan of meditation, both as a technique to recommend to readers and clients, and as a personal practice for stress relief, so I'm happy to publicize that meditation has its own month. But some may ask, 'Why meditation? And why nudge people into it?' Find out more about the benefits of meditation, and how to get started, and you just may find yourself nudging your friends toward it as well!
  • Benefits of Meditation
  • Research on Loving Kindness Meditation
  • Study: Meditation Relieves Stress in People Like You!

• Types of Meditation to Try
  There are almost as many different ways to meditate as there are people who meditate, but techniques fall into main categories. Here are some popular meditation techniques that have brought peace to many people.
  • Walking Meditation
  • Mantra Meditation
  • Loving Kindness Meditation

• Meditation Challenges--How To Get Past Them
  Meditation can be a little more challenging for some people than for others. While it is a stress relief technique that is available to everyone, if you're having some issues with meditation, the following resources can help:
  • Meditation For Perfectionists
  • Meditation For Busy People
  • "I Can't Meditate--Help!"

• Find Other Stress Relief Techniques That Work For You!
  Meditation is a fantastic technique that works very well, but there are many more ways to relieve stress. And while there are many great stress relievers available, but not every one is a good match for every personality. This stress reliever personality quiz evaluates different aspects of your personality, including your strengths, weaknesses and tastes, and points you to the best stress relievers for your particular personality traits, making it easier for you to find--and stay with--healthy new stress relief habits.
• Find Stress Relief On Facebook
  For more ongoing stress reduction resources delivered right to your wall, visit and "like" this page--About Stress Management. You'll find inspirational quotes with articles that address the same concepts, with some great comments from other stress-relief fans. You can also follow me on Twitter for the same great stuff!

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May is National Meditation Month. I'm a big fan of meditation, both as a technique to recommend to readers and clients, and as a personal practice for stress relief, so I'm happy to publicize that meditation has its own month. But some may ask, 'Why meditation? And why nudge people into it?'

The first question is easy to answer: meditation brings many benefits for overall wellbeing: health benefits, emotional resilience, and of course, stress relief, to name a few. (See this article for more on the benefits of meditation.)

But why the nudging? Many people try meditation and aren't immediately thrilled with it. (Being honest, I fell into this category, so I can sympathize completely!) It's difficult for perfectionists who are concerned about doing it 'wrong'. It's challenging to those who lead very too-busy lives and find their 'to do lists' screaming at them from the inside after a few minutes of sitting. Some may worry that meditation conflicts in some way with their religious views. And for those who like instant results, meditation doesn't always supply the quick surge of endorphins of exercise or the obvious tension release of getting a massage--it's more subtle.

However, meditation and meditation-based techniques bring both short-term and long-term benefits that make it absolutely worth the effort to work past these hurdles. And if you're experiencing these challenges, you're not alone. In fact, very practiced meditators and beginners alike can find themselves contending with copious amounts of internal chatter; the difference is that the practiced meditators understand that this is part of the process, and don't let it create doubt or stress within them. If you think you can't meditate, think again.

So this month, why not give meditation a try? Or a second chance? (Or a third!) Read some of the articles below that are geared toward those seeking to get past their meditation roadblocks, and try a new meditation technique today. Then tell me what you think, via the 'comments' section, or post in the Facebook group. And if you find this post helpful, please pass it on via the 'share' button.

Meditation Resources:

Why Meditate?
Meditation has many wonderful benefits for health and stress relief. If you haven't read about them already, learn why the goal of regular meditation is worth every minute of practice.

Meditation For Perfectionists
Meditation can be especially difficult for perfectionists, at least at first. However, perfectionists are among those who could benefit the most from meditation, and perhaps may become some of the most committed to meditation once they master the concept. If you are a perfectionist (or if you just find meditation difficult), these meditation tips for perfectionists are for you!

FAQ: What If You Can't Meditate?
Have you tried meditation, but find yourself getting MORE stressed? Here are some alternatives and techniques to try!

Meditation Techniques to Try
Here are some different techniques to try.

5-Minute Meditation
If you only have a few minutes, here's a quick way to feel less stressed.

Share Your Thoughts:
Do you meditate? Why or why not? And, if you do, what method works best for you? Share your experiences in the 'comments' section. If you enjoyed this post, please pass it on with the 'share' button.

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Today, I had a big smile on my face, and my husband asked me why. Well, nothing really big had happened, but it was the culmination of a lot of little things--those pleasures in life that relieve stress and bring a little mood lift. Here's what was working for me today:

• A Relaxing Environment. I just re-decorated my home office and made it much more "zen" with aromatherapy candles and incense, soothing decorations, and comfy chairs. It's nice and quiet there, too. I already knew that de-cluttering could bring stress relief, and I'm having a great time realizing how much of a difference it's made with this one room.

• Delicious Tea. Something about tea makes is such a relaxing drink for me. It's warm and soothing, it's delicious, and it just begs to be sipped slowly, which helps with slowing everything down and savoring the moment. But I always enjoy knowing about the health benefits of tea as well. It all adds up to a nice experience and a happy part of my day.

• Chocolate. Okay, I've said it before, and I need to stress the words in moderation, but I love chocolate as a stress reliever! It's so delicious it always brings a smile to my face. But some studies have compared the benefits of chocolate with green tea with favorable results, which also helps. (See this more more about the health benefits of chocolate.) Also, I love using it for chocolate meditation to combine it with another of my favorite stress relievers. That's enough reason for me to admit that chocolate was part of today's smile equation.

• Exercise. I'd also just returned from a long bike ride with my son, which is great fun for both of us. I try to get some exercise every day, not only for the health benefits, and the stress relief benefits, but for the lift it brings my mood. And exercising in nature is always more fun.

• Humor. I try to make laughter part of my everyday experience. And it's not hard. Having funny friends, maintaining my own sense of humor, and actively pursuing the laughs with jokes and comedies when necessary--it all helps.

So how do you keep your smiles? What kind of pleasures make your day a little better? See what other readers have to say (and here are some more ideas), and share your own answers in the comments.

Here are some strategies to savor life more and enjoy those little pleasures in life.

Having fun is one of the best ways to relieve stress. Here are some ways to create more fun in your life and relieve stress at the same way.

Also, I invite you to join more conversations on our Facebook Page About Stress Management, and sign up for our Free Weekly Stress Management Newsletter.

I've already written about the stress relieving benefits of laughter, maintaining a sense of humor in the face of stress. New research shows a new benefit of laughter: it can help relieve stress hormones even before it happens!

Researchers from Loma Linda University in California studied the cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline) and dopac (a brain chemical that helps produce epinephrine) levels of male volunteers both before, during, and after a humorous event that they were anticipating. They found that cortisol was reduced by 39%, epinephrine by a whopping 70%, and dopac by 39%, even before the laughter began!

The same team studied the health effects of laughter two years ago in a similarly structured study that examined beta-endorphins (the family of chemicals that alleviates depression) and human growth hormone (HGS, which helps with immunity), and found that they increased by 27% and 87% respectively when subjects anticipated watching a humorous video. (The control group experienced no such increase.)

Dr. Lee Berk, the lead researcher from the team, said in a press release, "Our findings lead us to believe that by seeking out positive experiences that make us laugh we can do a lot with our physiology to stay well."

I heartily agree! Laughter is one of my favorite stress relievers. And, even though my favorite kind is that side-splitting laughter that comes from spontaneous silliness that can't be planned, this research confirms that watching shows, videos and movies that you know will make you laugh can start relieving stress before you even begin watching them! Here's my list of favorite comedies if you need some inspiration. (And if you really crave that spontaneous, organic laughter that comes from life, check out these suggestions for having more fun in your life.)

_{Sources:
Berk LS, Felten DL, Tan SA, Bittman BB, Westengard J. Modulation of neuroimmune parameters during the eustress of humor-associated mirthful laughter. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, March 2001.}