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The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living
In this book, Amit Sood, M.D., M.Sc., a Mayo Clinic specialist in stress and resiliency, reveals how the mind's instinctive restlessness and shortsightedness generate stress and anxiety and presents strategies for living a more peaceful life.
Have you ever driven several miles without noticing anything on the road, or read a page in a book without registering any of it? Do the day's worries and disappointments crowd your mind as you're trying to fall asleep at night? Do you feel stressed much of the time and aren't sure how to find peace?
This book is based on the highly popular stress management program offered at Mayo Clinic that Dr. Sood developed after two decades of work with tens of thousands of people. Drawing on groundbreaking brain research, Dr. Sood helps you understand the brain's two modes and how an imbalance between them produces unwanted stress. From this basis, you learn skills that will help you:
Develop deep and sustained attention
Practice gratitude, compassion and acceptance
Live a meaningful life
Cultivate nurturing relationships
Achieve your highest potential
All of these concepts are weaved into a practical and fun journey that has been tested in numerous scientific studies, with consistently positive results. Take the first step to discover greater peace and joy for you and your loved ones.
"Dr. Sood has put together a simple, secular and structured program that is anchored in science, is free of rituals and dogmas, and is accessible to everyone. This book can change your life." -- Dr. Andrew Weil
"An important innovative approach to well-being, one we all should know about." -- Dr. Daniel Goleman
Have you ever driven several miles without noticing anything on the road, or read a page in a book without registering any of it? Do the day's worries and disappointments crowd your mind as you're trying to fall asleep at night? Do you feel stressed much of the time and aren't sure how to find peace?
This book is based on the highly popular stress management program offered at Mayo Clinic that Dr. Sood developed after two decades of work with tens of thousands of people. Drawing on groundbreaking brain research, Dr. Sood helps you understand the brain's two modes and how an imbalance between them produces unwanted stress. From this basis, you learn skills that will help you:
Develop deep and sustained attention
Practice gratitude, compassion and acceptance
Live a meaningful life
Cultivate nurturing relationships
Achieve your highest potential
All of these concepts are weaved into a practical and fun journey that has been tested in numerous scientific studies, with consistently positive results. Take the first step to discover greater peace and joy for you and your loved ones.
"Dr. Sood has put together a simple, secular and structured program that is anchored in science, is free of rituals and dogmas, and is accessible to everyone. This book can change your life." -- Dr. Andrew Weil
"An important innovative approach to well-being, one we all should know about." -- Dr. Daniel Goleman
336 pages, Paperback
Published December 24, 2013
317 people are currently reading
875 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
December 4, 2017
2.5 stars
I did it! It's been over a year, but I finally finished this book! Some of the information was quite useful, especially if you want to understand how the brain works under stress, but other things were a bit obvious (meditating helps you relax? Really?). My main problem with this book is that, more than helping you deal with stress, it gives you some guidelines to live a fulfilling, meaningful life. And while that's great, really, and I'm sure that if you find meaning in what you do you're not as stressed, I was hoping for something more specific. I wanted to know what to do when you wake up and all you can think of is the thousand things that you're supposed to do over the next 16 hours, or when you're panicking right before an important exam or interview.
Overall I'd say it's a good book, if you're looking for a guide to leading a happy, meaningful life. If you're dealing with some serious anxiety issues, though, you'd better get yourself a different book.
I did it! It's been over a year, but I finally finished this book! Some of the information was quite useful, especially if you want to understand how the brain works under stress, but other things were a bit obvious (meditating helps you relax? Really?). My main problem with this book is that, more than helping you deal with stress, it gives you some guidelines to live a fulfilling, meaningful life. And while that's great, really, and I'm sure that if you find meaning in what you do you're not as stressed, I was hoping for something more specific. I wanted to know what to do when you wake up and all you can think of is the thousand things that you're supposed to do over the next 16 hours, or when you're panicking right before an important exam or interview.
Overall I'd say it's a good book, if you're looking for a guide to leading a happy, meaningful life. If you're dealing with some serious anxiety issues, though, you'd better get yourself a different book.
February 1, 2015
I'm not someone people typically think about as a high-stressed person. But I'm also good at hiding my stress. And while I have good years in regards to stress management, I've had bad years, with panic and anxiety and other side-effects.
What I love about this book is the entire first section is about the science of how the brain works, and this scientific basis in turn informs the rest of the book. What I learned in reading this book is that some of my automatic impulses to try to fix myself actually do the reverse. For example, I went through a period of time where to try to make myself happier, every day in my journal I wrote things I was looking forward to. But as it explains in this book, looking incessantly to the future and the past can actually make it harder to be happy, if we're not truly experiencing and finding joy in the daily moments.
I really liked how the author took subjects like Gratitude and Compassion, showed their scientific base, and then gave practical tools for applying and increasing them in your life.
This is a book I will be referring back to, and would recommend to anyone who struggles with stress, anxiety, or depression.
What I love about this book is the entire first section is about the science of how the brain works, and this scientific basis in turn informs the rest of the book. What I learned in reading this book is that some of my automatic impulses to try to fix myself actually do the reverse. For example, I went through a period of time where to try to make myself happier, every day in my journal I wrote things I was looking forward to. But as it explains in this book, looking incessantly to the future and the past can actually make it harder to be happy, if we're not truly experiencing and finding joy in the daily moments.
I really liked how the author took subjects like Gratitude and Compassion, showed their scientific base, and then gave practical tools for applying and increasing them in your life.
This is a book I will be referring back to, and would recommend to anyone who struggles with stress, anxiety, or depression.
June 25, 2014
The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living
By Amit Sood, M.D., MSc.
The entire title is: The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living. I didn’t put it up there because I was afraid I would scare you off with all those words. Thank goodness you’ve decided to read on because this is really an important guide.
You really should read this and have a couple of Post-It pads nearby to jot words down and put them around your house to remind you of key elements and prompts. We all need cues, and that’s exactly what the entire concept behind this book is. Instead of a review this go around, I’m going to give you a general idea of the key concepts and let you be the judge.
This collection contains over twenty years of extensive study and offers you some key realizations author Sood discovered:
“Most of us have little information about how the brain and mind work. And, we do not use our brains and minds as well as we can or should…Your brain and mind work very hard to keep you stressed…Your brain is wired to escape the present moment into a default mode of mind wandering.”
Does this sound familiar? Do you get busy doing one thing and before you know it your mind has wandered on out the door into some other task that you may or may not even get to? Let alone you just stubbed your toe because you weren’t paying attention to what was in front of you. Not only are most of us not focused, we’re not present. This is a guide to bulk up your brain and limber up things like imagination and creativity and how to find joy again.
This collection is meant to be read over a period of time. Not in one or two sittings, but to delve into the tools Sood presents and then he suggests you try them on. Use them. Fold them into your life and rediscover something pretty amazing.
You.
One basic tool many of us have lost or never developed well, is attention. You need to be present and pay attention. Sood suggests several ways to embrace this and keep it alive. Then he moves into different areas of focus with simple ways to move them into everyday life. Gratitude, Compassion, Acceptance, Higher Meaning, Forgiveness and Tribe. Then he closes with some simple methods to relax your mind and allow you to reflect on what you’ve experienced.
“The first step…is to log on to your life. Direct your attention away from the mind into the world. Realize you aren’t your thoughts. Your mind can be your prison or your wings.”
C’mon—be the change you’ve been waiting for!
By Amit Sood, M.D., MSc.
The entire title is: The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living. I didn’t put it up there because I was afraid I would scare you off with all those words. Thank goodness you’ve decided to read on because this is really an important guide.
You really should read this and have a couple of Post-It pads nearby to jot words down and put them around your house to remind you of key elements and prompts. We all need cues, and that’s exactly what the entire concept behind this book is. Instead of a review this go around, I’m going to give you a general idea of the key concepts and let you be the judge.
This collection contains over twenty years of extensive study and offers you some key realizations author Sood discovered:
“Most of us have little information about how the brain and mind work. And, we do not use our brains and minds as well as we can or should…Your brain and mind work very hard to keep you stressed…Your brain is wired to escape the present moment into a default mode of mind wandering.”
Does this sound familiar? Do you get busy doing one thing and before you know it your mind has wandered on out the door into some other task that you may or may not even get to? Let alone you just stubbed your toe because you weren’t paying attention to what was in front of you. Not only are most of us not focused, we’re not present. This is a guide to bulk up your brain and limber up things like imagination and creativity and how to find joy again.
This collection is meant to be read over a period of time. Not in one or two sittings, but to delve into the tools Sood presents and then he suggests you try them on. Use them. Fold them into your life and rediscover something pretty amazing.
You.
One basic tool many of us have lost or never developed well, is attention. You need to be present and pay attention. Sood suggests several ways to embrace this and keep it alive. Then he moves into different areas of focus with simple ways to move them into everyday life. Gratitude, Compassion, Acceptance, Higher Meaning, Forgiveness and Tribe. Then he closes with some simple methods to relax your mind and allow you to reflect on what you’ve experienced.
“The first step…is to log on to your life. Direct your attention away from the mind into the world. Realize you aren’t your thoughts. Your mind can be your prison or your wings.”
C’mon—be the change you’ve been waiting for!
March 6, 2024
The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living by Amit Sood, M.D., M.Sc
493-page Kindle Ebook ends on 435
Genre: Self Help, Adult Health, Nonfiction, Psychology, Mental Health, Reference, Spirituality
Featuring: Stress Management, Mind and Body, Self-Actualization (Psychology), Good and Bad Stress, The Brain and the Mind, Why Your Mind Wonders, Default Mode and Focus Mode, Books, Focus and Imperfections, Key Points, Attention Training, Black Holes, Rumination, CALF, Kindness, Refining Interpretations, Integrating Interpretation Skills, Gratitude, Compassion, Acceptance, Higher Meaning, Checklists, Forgiveness, Tribe, Seed and Feed, Weed, Relaxation and Reflection, Meditation, Prayer, Biblical Quotes, Self Actualization, Index, Advertisements, Notes
Rating as a movie: PG
Quotes: Your brain and mind work very hard to keep you stressed. Your brain is wired to escape the present moment into a default mode of mind wandering. Your mind is gifted at recognizing threats and flaws, an essential survival instinct in the perilous past. Today, this instinct serves you well when confronting true physical danger. But if thoughtlessly applied to people around you, this instinct causes tremendous anguish. Further, the mind is a brilliant but restless and shortsighted tool that gets hijacked by impulses, infatuation and fear. As a result, we carry oversized emotional baggage in our heads. We crowd our memory banks with unresolved fears and unfulfilled wants. Fears and wants, in toxic overdose, generate stress.
We make inaccurate assumptions about what will make us happy. We don’t know what we want, and when we get it, we seek something else. Some psychologists call this “miswanting.” Our wants are often guided by what we believe others think we should have rather than by what we truly want. We care less about who we are and more about how we appear to others. In this state, we are acting, not living. We underestimate the value of nurturing relationships while overvaluing work and material assets. We don’t realize that material things can only give us transient happiness. Dr. Deepak Chopra summarized it well: “We buy things we don’t need, with the money we don’t have, to impress the people we don’t like!”
Over time, we become imprisoned by our biases. Even if overwhelming evidence negates our beliefs, we are unwilling to let them go. Once we have made a decision, we become “anchored” — reluctant to re-evaluate it. This is partially related to selfishness. Author Upton Sinclair astutely noted, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!” Our egos also become invested: If you reject my idea, you’re rejecting me.
Mentoring children is a tremendous responsibility and privilege. Every child is a potential Einstein, Gandhi or Curie. Children tend to become what they are reminded of and motivated to become. A child raised with love, respect and inspiration to behave well will be less likely to bully or accept being bullied. No job is more important than raising a self-aware and self-regulated child who has a mature sense of right and wrong.
Ask yourself if you are choosing thoughts or is thinking just happening. When you choose your thoughts, you’re more likely to think positively; ran-dom thoughts are more likely to be ruminative and negative. Ruminative thinking is like driftwood. It might ferry you to shore, but it will take a long time. Speedboats, on the contrary, are intentional and purposeful. The more intentional your sensory experience and thoughts, the happier and more efficient you will be. Efficiency is important, because you have finite time and energy.
In several studies, sunlight exposure was associated with less pain and lower stress, and in patients with heart disease, a shorter hospital stay and even improved survival.
Every day, serve yourself some fresh air, brewed moments ago by the trees that surround you.
The prejudiced mind selectively collects information that agrees with its preconceived conclusions. It also globalizes the negative. If you reject an entire restaurant chain because of one bad burger or trash an airline because of a rude gate agent who was having a bad day, you’re carrying a prejudice. The mind loaded with prejudices experiences only itself and is not open to the world.
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟😩➡️😃
My thoughts: 🔖Page 73 of 493 Chapter 3 The Anatomy of an Experience - I was going to stop here anyway but I appreciated that she suggested a chocolate break. This has been great so far. I'm not going to document the books mentioned because I need the room for quotes.
🔖154 Part 3 Refining Interpretations (just before Chapter 8) - The book says to take a break so I'm taking one, my husband came through the door moments later so just in time. Now I can finish my audiobook while making lunch. This book has a lot of good information. I feel relaxed from reading it.
🔖187 Chapter 11 How to Practice Gratitude - I wish I could quote Chapter 10 in its entirety, these are the best chapters so far. I love the lessons on gratitude.
🔖259 Chapter 17 How to Practice Acceptance - I was only supposed to read one chapter and then go to bed but it was nearly impossible to stop. 🤭 This book has so much insight I may need to read it twice. I wish it had audio, but I would be willing to eyeball this one twice.
This book is fantastic! There is tons of information and the title doesn't do it justice, this book goes far beyond stress when it comes to self-help.
Recommend to others: Yes. This book is great for working on you and getting the best out of life with a new mindset.
493-page Kindle Ebook ends on 435
Genre: Self Help, Adult Health, Nonfiction, Psychology, Mental Health, Reference, Spirituality
Featuring: Stress Management, Mind and Body, Self-Actualization (Psychology), Good and Bad Stress, The Brain and the Mind, Why Your Mind Wonders, Default Mode and Focus Mode, Books, Focus and Imperfections, Key Points, Attention Training, Black Holes, Rumination, CALF, Kindness, Refining Interpretations, Integrating Interpretation Skills, Gratitude, Compassion, Acceptance, Higher Meaning, Checklists, Forgiveness, Tribe, Seed and Feed, Weed, Relaxation and Reflection, Meditation, Prayer, Biblical Quotes, Self Actualization, Index, Advertisements, Notes
Rating as a movie: PG
Quotes: Your brain and mind work very hard to keep you stressed. Your brain is wired to escape the present moment into a default mode of mind wandering. Your mind is gifted at recognizing threats and flaws, an essential survival instinct in the perilous past. Today, this instinct serves you well when confronting true physical danger. But if thoughtlessly applied to people around you, this instinct causes tremendous anguish. Further, the mind is a brilliant but restless and shortsighted tool that gets hijacked by impulses, infatuation and fear. As a result, we carry oversized emotional baggage in our heads. We crowd our memory banks with unresolved fears and unfulfilled wants. Fears and wants, in toxic overdose, generate stress.
We make inaccurate assumptions about what will make us happy. We don’t know what we want, and when we get it, we seek something else. Some psychologists call this “miswanting.” Our wants are often guided by what we believe others think we should have rather than by what we truly want. We care less about who we are and more about how we appear to others. In this state, we are acting, not living. We underestimate the value of nurturing relationships while overvaluing work and material assets. We don’t realize that material things can only give us transient happiness. Dr. Deepak Chopra summarized it well: “We buy things we don’t need, with the money we don’t have, to impress the people we don’t like!”
Over time, we become imprisoned by our biases. Even if overwhelming evidence negates our beliefs, we are unwilling to let them go. Once we have made a decision, we become “anchored” — reluctant to re-evaluate it. This is partially related to selfishness. Author Upton Sinclair astutely noted, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!” Our egos also become invested: If you reject my idea, you’re rejecting me.
Mentoring children is a tremendous responsibility and privilege. Every child is a potential Einstein, Gandhi or Curie. Children tend to become what they are reminded of and motivated to become. A child raised with love, respect and inspiration to behave well will be less likely to bully or accept being bullied. No job is more important than raising a self-aware and self-regulated child who has a mature sense of right and wrong.
Ask yourself if you are choosing thoughts or is thinking just happening. When you choose your thoughts, you’re more likely to think positively; ran-dom thoughts are more likely to be ruminative and negative. Ruminative thinking is like driftwood. It might ferry you to shore, but it will take a long time. Speedboats, on the contrary, are intentional and purposeful. The more intentional your sensory experience and thoughts, the happier and more efficient you will be. Efficiency is important, because you have finite time and energy.
In several studies, sunlight exposure was associated with less pain and lower stress, and in patients with heart disease, a shorter hospital stay and even improved survival.
Every day, serve yourself some fresh air, brewed moments ago by the trees that surround you.
The prejudiced mind selectively collects information that agrees with its preconceived conclusions. It also globalizes the negative. If you reject an entire restaurant chain because of one bad burger or trash an airline because of a rude gate agent who was having a bad day, you’re carrying a prejudice. The mind loaded with prejudices experiences only itself and is not open to the world.
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟😩➡️😃
My thoughts: 🔖Page 73 of 493 Chapter 3 The Anatomy of an Experience - I was going to stop here anyway but I appreciated that she suggested a chocolate break. This has been great so far. I'm not going to document the books mentioned because I need the room for quotes.
🔖154 Part 3 Refining Interpretations (just before Chapter 8) - The book says to take a break so I'm taking one, my husband came through the door moments later so just in time. Now I can finish my audiobook while making lunch. This book has a lot of good information. I feel relaxed from reading it.
🔖187 Chapter 11 How to Practice Gratitude - I wish I could quote Chapter 10 in its entirety, these are the best chapters so far. I love the lessons on gratitude.
🔖259 Chapter 17 How to Practice Acceptance - I was only supposed to read one chapter and then go to bed but it was nearly impossible to stop. 🤭 This book has so much insight I may need to read it twice. I wish it had audio, but I would be willing to eyeball this one twice.
This book is fantastic! There is tons of information and the title doesn't do it justice, this book goes far beyond stress when it comes to self-help.
Recommend to others: Yes. This book is great for working on you and getting the best out of life with a new mindset.
August 25, 2014
I have always struggled managing stress and I have a knack creating too much to do for myself. I appreciate that this book doesn't teach you how to prioritize your schedule or "how to say no" to people asking for your help/time. I've heard that and tried that concept a million times and it frankly just doesn't work for me because I always have a plethora of important things to do and I would never turn away anyone asking for my help - it's just how I am.
I appreciated that instead this book focuses on gratitude and giving thanks for what you have (even if it's not much - everyone has SOMETHING to be thankful for). I have found that as I look for more things to be thankful about in my life, the stressful things just kind of melt away and become unimportant and it's easy for me to postpone them to a different time when I have that perspective. I have meditated and prayed for opportunities for gratitude to be placed in my mind when I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed and as I have given my best effort, I have found that it has not been hard to notice blessings and to wish others' well.
So, I did find the book to be a little wordy and didn't end up finishing it all the way because it went on and on and on about the same precepts over and over. But, I do feel like it was a worthwhile and helpful book. It could have been shorter and still covered the important points.
I appreciated that instead this book focuses on gratitude and giving thanks for what you have (even if it's not much - everyone has SOMETHING to be thankful for). I have found that as I look for more things to be thankful about in my life, the stressful things just kind of melt away and become unimportant and it's easy for me to postpone them to a different time when I have that perspective. I have meditated and prayed for opportunities for gratitude to be placed in my mind when I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed and as I have given my best effort, I have found that it has not been hard to notice blessings and to wish others' well.
So, I did find the book to be a little wordy and didn't end up finishing it all the way because it went on and on and on about the same precepts over and over. But, I do feel like it was a worthwhile and helpful book. It could have been shorter and still covered the important points.
March 18, 2018
Great book to understand what causes stress and offers a lightweight practical blueprint to overcome it. I picked it up, because it was highly recommended by a long-time NBA coach George Karl in his book. The first couple of chapters were especially good, but the book became a little bit too repetitive and "spiritual" towards the end, hence 4 stars instead of 5.
April 21, 2016
This is one of those books you will need to read over and over as a "refresher course" and to internalize all the information.
December 11, 2021
I had to read this book for my MBA program. I appreciated it on a number of levels and a few quotes really spoke to me, particularly, “The least important aspects of life are often the most controllable.”
The first couple chapters were introductory and a bit less detailed in terms of strategy. After I got through those, the remaining chapters I found to be extremely helpful, particularly the specific strategies for stress relief that he presents throughout the remainder of the book. I felt like it could have been a bit shorter, towards the end I felt like there was a lot about spirituality (which I do understand can significantly help with stress) and everything started to feel a bit repetitive. I also don't think I loved his writing style, it didn't feel like there was any flow between one sentence and the next - so sometimes it felt like reading inspirational quote after inspirational quote.
The first couple chapters were introductory and a bit less detailed in terms of strategy. After I got through those, the remaining chapters I found to be extremely helpful, particularly the specific strategies for stress relief that he presents throughout the remainder of the book. I felt like it could have been a bit shorter, towards the end I felt like there was a lot about spirituality (which I do understand can significantly help with stress) and everything started to feel a bit repetitive. I also don't think I loved his writing style, it didn't feel like there was any flow between one sentence and the next - so sometimes it felt like reading inspirational quote after inspirational quote.
April 17, 2021
This book has some great content, but it just wasn't for me - I will admit I'm not into self-help books, but thought I'd give this one a shot since I attended a presentation from the author and really enjoyed it. Really great bits of food for thought, and I found the meditation exercises at the end to be very helpful. I deducted a star because this book could have been way fewer pages.
October 16, 2019
This is one of those books that deserves a good, thorough review, but I'm too busy implementing the ideas to take the time to dissect the book here. It came to me at just the right time and has been a life-changer for me as I've been reexamining my life and reprioritizing to put the "big rocks" in first. Dr. Amit Sood gives an easy-to-use framework for helping to retrain our brains to be happier--and become a better member of the human race.
I was turned on to Amit Sood by a friend posting a link to his TED talk (thanks, Amanda!). I think everyone would benefit from taking the short 18 minutes to watch this talk, "Happy Brain: How to Overcome Our Neural Predispositions to Suffering."
If you watch it and it doesn't speak to you where you are right now, that's OK; you only lost a few minutes that you probably would have wasted anyway scrolling mindlessly through social media. :)
If it does resonate with you, get this book! It details each of the ideas more fully that he only briefly introduces in the video and teaches you how to put them in to practice.
Ben and I each got our own copy of this because it was so good and we wanted to be able to annotate our own books. If you want to know more about Dr. Sood's ideas or what I'm doing differently in my life, or get my (rough) lists of daily journaling/meditations that I pulled from the book, just ask! I'm happy to share.
I was turned on to Amit Sood by a friend posting a link to his TED talk (thanks, Amanda!). I think everyone would benefit from taking the short 18 minutes to watch this talk, "Happy Brain: How to Overcome Our Neural Predispositions to Suffering."
If you watch it and it doesn't speak to you where you are right now, that's OK; you only lost a few minutes that you probably would have wasted anyway scrolling mindlessly through social media. :)
If it does resonate with you, get this book! It details each of the ideas more fully that he only briefly introduces in the video and teaches you how to put them in to practice.
Ben and I each got our own copy of this because it was so good and we wanted to be able to annotate our own books. If you want to know more about Dr. Sood's ideas or what I'm doing differently in my life, or get my (rough) lists of daily journaling/meditations that I pulled from the book, just ask! I'm happy to share.
June 27, 2024
There are a lot of self help books to choose from but this book does a great job about describing how the mind works, attention and mind wandering. The he goes into very practical principles:
• Gratitude
• Compassion
• Acceptance
• Higher Meaning
• Forgiveness
This aligns with many others but few have such a complete practical approach.
Very well done.
• Gratitude
• Compassion
• Acceptance
• Higher Meaning
• Forgiveness
This aligns with many others but few have such a complete practical approach.
Very well done.
November 9, 2014
Parts of this book were great. Other parts felt like information I already knew. Other parts were a little long on studies and results. I liked suggested specific things to do to effect the stress reducing result.
Basically felt like, be a good person and stress will go away.
Would have given 3.5 stars if that were an option.
Basically felt like, be a good person and stress will go away.
Would have given 3.5 stars if that were an option.
February 12, 2019
So I recently was diagnosed with mild depression and anxiety. This was a book recommended my my doctor and omg, what an amazing book, I have taken SO much from it and apply it daily. It is so good I have recommended it to my friends and family and they seem to love it ! If you need a peace of mind, don’t understand what may be going on.. I RECOMMENED.
March 27, 2016
A couple interesting things in here but otherwise it's tell me something else I already know.
January 20, 2025
I have put this title in my "newest" category... Rest-of-life Knowledge...I consider this a book that has "gems" or deeper learnings that I want to continue throughout the rest of my life. I'm going to # and briefly explain what I pulled from this book:
1. The more intentional and focused your thoughts, the more positive your thoughts (and decrease in rumination).
2. It's never too late to be the person you might have been (Neuroplasticity - your brain "remodels" every time you get new thoughts).
3. A "busy" mind is much too busy to enjoy life (don't multi-task and stop the constant to-do lists).
4. Find joy in the present moments! (like a toddler/child).
5. Kindness is compassion in practice (you have to pay attention) to find time/place to be kind).
6. You stop enjoying what you are constantly trying to improve.
7. A museum visit is a good excursion. You get absorbed in the details and your mind gets a break from what you are trying to "solve".
8. Challenge yourself to celebrate a little when you meet your loved ones at the end of the day!
9. Teach less, Love more! Let regrets be few!
10. Grief muscle - the furrow between your eyes. Relax it and your mood will improve.
11. Train and practice these emotions: gratitude, compassion, acceptance, higher meaning, forgiveness, celebration, reflection and prayer. Be intentional about practicing them.
12. Your brain can experience another's pain as if it were your own.
13. When you experience compassion, you increase oxytocin in body.
14. Suffering is a reality of life, but be grateful for the good in the world.
15. My mind is valuable real estate (don't let negative take up space there).
16. A true friend dilutes your sorrow and rejoices in your joy.
17. Charitable donations "light up" your brain in the same way as acquiring wealth.
18. It takes 5 Positive instances of feedback to overcome every 1 instance of negative.
19. Strong social relationships as we age are crucial (50% lowered stats of death).
1. The more intentional and focused your thoughts, the more positive your thoughts (and decrease in rumination).
2. It's never too late to be the person you might have been (Neuroplasticity - your brain "remodels" every time you get new thoughts).
3. A "busy" mind is much too busy to enjoy life (don't multi-task and stop the constant to-do lists).
4. Find joy in the present moments! (like a toddler/child).
5. Kindness is compassion in practice (you have to pay attention) to find time/place to be kind).
6. You stop enjoying what you are constantly trying to improve.
7. A museum visit is a good excursion. You get absorbed in the details and your mind gets a break from what you are trying to "solve".
8. Challenge yourself to celebrate a little when you meet your loved ones at the end of the day!
9. Teach less, Love more! Let regrets be few!
10. Grief muscle - the furrow between your eyes. Relax it and your mood will improve.
11. Train and practice these emotions: gratitude, compassion, acceptance, higher meaning, forgiveness, celebration, reflection and prayer. Be intentional about practicing them.
12. Your brain can experience another's pain as if it were your own.
13. When you experience compassion, you increase oxytocin in body.
14. Suffering is a reality of life, but be grateful for the good in the world.
15. My mind is valuable real estate (don't let negative take up space there).
16. A true friend dilutes your sorrow and rejoices in your joy.
17. Charitable donations "light up" your brain in the same way as acquiring wealth.
18. It takes 5 Positive instances of feedback to overcome every 1 instance of negative.
19. Strong social relationships as we age are crucial (50% lowered stats of death).
Read
May 22, 2025excellemt book on ways to lead a less stressful life Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress Free Living Brain: Focused- being present or meditation Default- our minds play when not focused Mind wandering- ruminations equals unhappiness Neuroplasticity- right wiring your brain Mind &focus: vision- limited vision creates over wariness, no real multitasking Attention training: joyful attentions, gratitute, calf with new people Daily affirmations Grateful: small things, we have so much to be thankful Compassion- be proactive, be in another's shoes Acceptance- failure can be a spark to go forward, realizing things happen to everyone Higher purpose- some goal to live for, connect with others Forgiveness- sincerely apologize, don't hold grudges, anger only hurts you Arguements-- use love not hate, everyone deserves their opinion Relaxtion- use a method like meditation, art, reading, Tai chi, yoga, stretching, etc..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2020
It has sound enough advice within it; however, I disagree with just letting things go, with not proving the other person wrong. That has been my sticky point for years and years on end. I will tell you, even privately if you wish, but it is important to me, that if it is wrong, it must be rectified.
Since, honestly, I am not going to let the other person leave the room with inaccurate information if I can possibly help it.
This book named a number of emotional movies I honestly loathed, such as Slumdog Millionaire, Schindler's List, and the other absolutely wretched one.
Overall, though, it is OK. I like most the cover design and wish I could still somersault without dire consequences.
Since, honestly, I am not going to let the other person leave the room with inaccurate information if I can possibly help it.
This book named a number of emotional movies I honestly loathed, such as Slumdog Millionaire, Schindler's List, and the other absolutely wretched one.
Overall, though, it is OK. I like most the cover design and wish I could still somersault without dire consequences.
January 8, 2018
A good book. Gives an understanding how our brain works, suggests practices how to adjust it to reduce stress in life and live more fulfilled and productive life.
The core recommendations are:
1. Gratefulness
2. Empathy
3. Acceptance
4. Search for higher meaning
5. Forgiveness
6. Create a group of similar-minded people
Many spiritual suggestions/practices are similar to the books such as "Emotional Intelligence", "The power of NOW", "Flow".
SmartReading.
The core recommendations are:
1. Gratefulness
2. Empathy
3. Acceptance
4. Search for higher meaning
5. Forgiveness
6. Create a group of similar-minded people
Many spiritual suggestions/practices are similar to the books such as "Emotional Intelligence", "The power of NOW", "Flow".
SmartReading.
July 12, 2019
This book loses itself somewhere in the last 1/3 or 1/4, or maybe I lost myself and that’s why I never finished the last bit. I would recommend this book to anyone who is stuck in a pattern of thought crap. It gave me hope and steps to break the pattern without making me gag on self help woopdidoo. I keep it as my “pull in case of emergency” book, because I know it works for me. Maybe it will work for you.
January 11, 2024
3.5 stars
If there were a condensed version of this book, it would be a five star book for me. It was incredibly repetitive, even for a self-help book, a genre I already find quite repetitive. There were some extremely helpful ideas in this and some beautifully presented lessons. I don’t regret reading it one bit, but it isn’t one I will revisit often. I was happy to find some new ideas in the mix, and look forward to emphasizing some of them in my life!
If there were a condensed version of this book, it would be a five star book for me. It was incredibly repetitive, even for a self-help book, a genre I already find quite repetitive. There were some extremely helpful ideas in this and some beautifully presented lessons. I don’t regret reading it one bit, but it isn’t one I will revisit often. I was happy to find some new ideas in the mix, and look forward to emphasizing some of them in my life!
June 5, 2017
I did everything I could to stick out reading through this book, getting to 27% of the way through. I got so sick and tired of his concept of "sending silent thoughts of gratitude to people." There were several really, really irritating things about the book. If you like quasi-scientific Buddhism, perhaps you will like it.
January 2, 2018
Взагалі-то я прочитала скорочену версію книжки, але відзначу прочитаною і "really liked it", оскільки дуже уподобала айтішні метафори "фонової діяльності" і "відкритих файлів", на які витрачається занадто багато ресурсу, тож ми і відчуваємо стрес. Ці слова змусили мене замислитися над багатьма речами.
June 23, 2018
I think this book is loaded with helpful exercises to encourage anyone from persisting in doing things that contribute to stress in their lives. However, it would take me a long time to work through it. I don't know if I have that much patience, but I am confident that it would be very beneficial.
I think I'll start with the sections that spoke to me the most.
I think I'll start with the sections that spoke to me the most.
April 6, 2019
There's no such thing as "stress-free living" and the title bothers me. But I can't see it as: Guide to a less stressful life" and that's what this book is--it offers a plan for reducing stress and thereby living a more pleasant fulfilling life, while not expecting perfection ever given that our brains are what they are.
April 7, 2020
I liked it very much. Good hints for avoiding and or dealing with stress. I have read it about four times and many passages more than that. Being grateful is an important part of dealing with stress. Learning ways to calm ones mind is also important. Again, naming what you are grateful for -- being very aware of gratitude -- is another way to dealing with stress.
October 1, 2024
Not what I expected at all. It’s not really a book about managing or lowering stress. It follows its own advice - rising above the problem instead of dwelling on it - to teach you how to be a better person. Stress, I gather, isn’t all that relevant to the conversation.
It’s not what I was looking for but I greatly appreciate it for what it offered. I’m trying what it suggests and I notice positive changes, but I’m still stressin.
It’s not what I was looking for but I greatly appreciate it for what it offered. I’m trying what it suggests and I notice positive changes, but I’m still stressin.
January 19, 2018
Loved reading through this book and will continue to go back to it from time to time for helpful reminders on what I can do to focus on what is most important in life. Great examples and life tips that apply no matter where you are on life’s journey.
July 25, 2025
I just happened upon this while walking through the library and took it home almost as a joke. It turned out to be way better than I ever could have expected! Packed full of great reminders and although not explicitly Christian, it was very easy to apply within the framework of my faith
February 25, 2018
a very comprehensive guide on small changes and shifts in perspective that lead to a fulfilling life
May 22, 2018
Practical smart. Dr soot has collected the current wisdom on stress free living
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