When you focus on what is really important to you, you stay aligned with your true self and reduce your stress in the process.

When I started this weekly blog and video series over two years and 100 plus publications ago, my very first stress relief tool was gratitude. Gratitude remains my number one technique because of the positive energy it creates in your life. When you are grateful for what you already have, you attract additional abundance. And of course, when you are not grateful and are instead jealous of what others have, you attract negative energy that doesn’t serve you.

Important things you should never take for granted include your:

• Health – I learned the hard way that when you put your career or other responsibilities ahead of your health, that is a very bad trade.
• Family and friends – they are your support system in good times and bad.
• Nature – a simple grounding activity can work wonders for your stress.
• Job – even with career choices that don’t inspire you, giving your job some love can work wonders to make your work day go more easily.
• Time – a precious resource that once is gone, you cannot get back. Why waste your precious time worrying about the past or the future? Understanding your personal values is a great way to make sure you are spending your time on what is important to you.

When you focus on what is really important to you, you stay aligned with your true self and reduce your stress in the process.