d renew your spirits rapidly!

What's your favorite hobby? Can you lose yourself in nature? Perhaps a romantic evening with your partner or spouse will bring you present in the moment.

Here and Now Lessons for Stress Relief

Looking back, here is what we can learn from that incredible moment on my first date.

Allowing yourself to be fully present and engaged in the moment

1) Lets you know you're really alive!

2) Keeps you young!

3) And when you are fully present and fully engaged in the moment, even when the Billies of life create wrinkles in your experience, you rebound fast!

4) Stressors fade out and you feel renewed, peaceful and content.

Seriously, folks, keeping that zest of being present in the moment is a great way to cut down on stress and enjoy more inner peace. When you are fully engaged in living your life one moment at a time, you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish and at how effortless and joyful it seems. The trick i

Stress Relief Right Now I'm guessing that if you're reading this, you're probably a stressed out grownup. With all your responsible roles and daily duties, you may have fallen into the "been-there, done-that" syndrome. Besides pushing and driving yourself to succeed, and wearing stress and tension like a mandatory ID badge, you may be a little drained and bored, forgetting to be fully engaged in the moment.

Perhaps, like me, you occasionally find one of your biggest entertainments is lying awake at night listening to your skin go "wrink, wrink, wrink."

I propose that to combat the slide into stress, cynicism and other typical middle aged attitudes, we focus on living fully right now - being fully engaged in the moment.

Being fully present is easy in youth - everything seems new! Looking with the fresh eyes of youth can inspire us today.

Magical Moments from a Louisiana Hayride Let me illustrate by telling you a little story. When I was fourteen, in Shreveport, Louisiana, I liked the preacher's oldest boy. He was fifteen. He seemed gentle and had a warm smile. We both sang in the youth choir.

Mostly we were fully engaged in just looking at each other from one side of the choir to the other. It was a quick glance . . . I think I might like you. Another glance. I think you might like me. Look away quick. I think you think I might like you. My heart went all fluttery and there were some other sensations that I couldn't quite identify at the time. And then the choir director would say, "Ilenya, are you singing with us or against us?"

When Bobby asked me to the fall hayride of the Methodist Youth Fellowship, I was ecstatic!

So here we are at the hayride. It's a beautiful October evening, not really cold. We are sitting on the edge of an old-fashioned wagon, with some hay-bales behind us for back rests. A team of horses draws each wagon. We hear the clop clop of the hooves, the occasional knicker and snuffle of the patient horses, and the chatter and laughter of the other kids around us.

Bobby is on my right, and by now we are shyly holding hands. We are gently swinging our legs over the side of the wagon, kicking casually in the air, trying to think of things to say and still be cool.

My inner dialogue is, "Oh my God, I can't breathe, we're holding hands!" So I say, "How long till they start the weenie roast?"

At the back of our wagon are some kids who are going steady, really smooching and making out. How disgusting! But from time to time I just have to peek back there. How are they kissing so loooong?

On my left is Billy. Billy has taken pains to annoy me a lot lately. My girlfriends think he has a crush on me. Just recently, he tried to win my heart by swallowing a live tadpole. . . .

The scattered clouds overhead conspire to help my evening with Bobby. It starts raining - just enough to make everyone pull brown wool blankets over our heads to stay dry. Oh, magic! Here I am under a blanket with my date! Just the two of us in our own little world.

As the wagon creaks slowly around the fields, Bobby and I lean closer together. Our shoulders are touching. I can hear his breathing. Our heads lean closer. Our temples touch. Ever so slowly, our heads turn toward each other. I can feel his breath and his skin. Then, slowly, slowly, our lips meet, light as butterfly wings. Nothing else exists.

At that moment, Billy elbows me in the ribs. "Hey, Girl," he says, "How come are your legs sticking straight out in the air like that?"

This is clearly a case of kissus interruptus!

I peer out from under my blanket. Are those my legs extending stiffly off the wagon? I never even missed them. . ..

Zest and Adventure for Stress Relief

Now, we can't go around having a first kiss every day, but we can live with zest and enthusiasm, with a sense of freshness and adventure every day. I guarantee that if you are happily engaged in an activity you enjoy, you will forget about stress and renew your spirits rapidly!

What's your favorite hobby? Can you lose yourself in nature? Perhaps a romantic evening with your partner or spouse will bring you present in the moment.

Here and Now Lessons for Stress Relief

Looking back, here is what we can learn from that incredible moment on my first date.

Allowing yourself to be fully present and engaged in the moment

1) Lets you know you're really alive!

2) Keeps you young!

3) And when you are fully present and fully engaged in the moment, even when the Billies of life create wrinkles in your experience, you rebound fast!

4) Stressors fade out and you feel renewed, peaceful and content.

Seriously, folks, keeping that zest of being present in the moment is a great way to cut down on stress and enjoy more inner peace. When you are fully engaged in living your life one moment at a time, you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish and at how effortless and joyful it seems. The trick is

Shreveport, Louisiana, I liked the preacher's oldest boy. He was fifteen. He seemed gentle and had a warm smile. We both sang in the youth choir.

Mostly we were fully engaged in just looking at each other from one side of the choir to the other. It was a quick glance . . . I think I might like you. Another glance. I think you might like me. Look away quick. I think you think I might like you. My heart went all fluttery and there were some other sensations that I couldn't quite identify at the time. And then the choir director would say, "Ilenya, are you singing with us or against us?"

When Bobby asked me to the fall hayride of the Methodist Youth Fellowship, I was ecstatic!

So here we are at the hayride. It's a beautiful October evening, not really cold. We are sitting on the edge of an old-fashioned wagon, with some hay-bales behind us for back rests. A team of horses draws each wagon. We hear the clop clop of the hooves, the occasional knicker and snuffle of the patient horses, and the chatter and laughter of the other kids around us.

Bobby is on my right, and by now we are shyly holding hands. We are gently swinging our legs over the side of the wagon, kicking casually in the air, trying to think of things to say and still be cool.

My inner dialogue is, "Oh my God, I can't breathe, we're holding hands!" So I say, "How long till they start the weenie roast?"

At the back of our wagon are some kids who are going steady, really smooching and making out. How disgusting! But from time to time I just have to peek back there. How are they kissing so loooong?

On my left is Billy. Billy has taken pains to annoy me a lot lately. My girlfriends think he has a crush on me. Just recently, he tried to win my heart by swallowing a live tadpole. . . .

The scattered clouds overhead conspire to help my evening with Bobby. It starts raining - just enough to make everyone pull brown wool blankets over our heads to stay dry. Oh, magic! Here I am under a blanket with my date! Just the two of us in our own little world.

As the wagon creaks slowly around the fields, Bobby and I lean closer together. Our shoulders are touching. I can hear his breathing. Our heads lean closer. Our temples touch. Ever so slowly, our heads turn toward each other. I can feel his breath and his skin. Then, slowly, slowly, our lips meet, light as butterfly wings. Nothing else exists.

At that moment, Billy elbows me in the ribs. "Hey, Girl," he says, "How come are your legs sticking straight out in the air like that?"

This is clearly a case of kissus interruptus!

I peer out from under my blanket. Are those my legs extending stiffly off the wagon? I never even missed them. . ..

Zest and Adventure for Stress Relief

Now, we can't go around having a first kiss every day, but we can live with zest and enthusiasm, with a sense of freshness and adventure every day. I guarantee that if you are happily engaged in an activity you enjoy, you will forget about stress and renew your spirits rapidly!

What's your favorite hobby? Can you lose yourself in nature? Perhaps a romantic evening with your partner or spouse will bring you present in the moment.

Here and Now Lessons for Stress Relief

Looking back, here is what we can learn from that incredible moment on my first date.

Allowing yourself to be fully present and engaged in the moment

1) Lets you know you're really alive!

2) Keeps you young!

3) And when you are fully present and fully engaged in the moment, even when the Billies of life create wrinkles in your experience, you rebound fast!

4) Stressors fade out and you feel renewed, peaceful and content.

Seriously, folks, keeping that zest of being present in the moment is a great way to cut down on stress and enjoy more inner peace. When you are fully engaged in living your life one moment at a time, you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish and at how effortless and joyful it seems. The trick i

tter and laughter of the other kids around us.

Bobby is on my right, and by now we are shyly holding hands. We are gently swinging our legs over the side of the wagon, kicking casually in the air, trying to think of things to say and still be cool.

My inner dialogue is, "Oh my God, I can't breathe, we're holding hands!" So I say, "How long till they start the weenie roast?"

At the back of our wagon are some kids who are going steady, really smooching and making out. How disgusting! But from time to time I just have to peek back there. How are they kissing so loooong?

On my left is Billy. Billy has taken pains to annoy me a lot lately. My girlfriends think he has a crush on me. Just recently, he tried to win my heart by swallowing a live tadpole. . . .

The scattered clouds overhead conspire to help my evening with Bobby. It starts raining - just enough to make everyone pull brown wool blankets over our heads to stay dry. Oh, magic! Here I am under a blanket with my date! Just the two of us in our own little world.

As the wagon creaks slowly around the fields, Bobby and I lean closer together. Our shoulders are touching. I can hear his breathing. Our heads lean closer. Our temples touch. Ever so slowly, our heads turn toward each other. I can feel his breath and his skin. Then, slowly, slowly, our lips meet, light as butterfly wings. Nothing else exists.

At that moment, Billy elbows me in the ribs. "Hey, Girl," he says, "How come are your legs sticking straight out in the air like that?"

This is clearly a case of kissus interruptus!

I peer out from under my blanket. Are those my legs extending stiffly off the wagon? I never even missed them. . ..

Zest and Adventure for Stress Relief

Now, we can't go around having a first kiss every day, but we can live with zest and enthusiasm, with a sense of freshness and adventure every day. I guarantee that if you are happily engaged in an activity you enjoy, you will forget about stress and renew your spirits rapidly!

What's your favorite hobby? Can you lose yourself in nature? Perhaps a romantic evening with your partner or spouse will bring you present in the moment.

Here and Now Lessons for Stress Relief

Looking back, here is what we can learn from that incredible moment on my first date.

Allowing yourself to be fully present and engaged in the moment

1) Lets you know you're really alive!

2) Keeps you young!

3) And when you are fully present and fully engaged in the moment, even when the Billies of life create wrinkles in your experience, you rebound fast!

4) Stressors fade out and you feel renewed, peaceful and content.

Seriously, folks, keeping that zest of being present in the moment is a great way to cut down on stress and enjoy more inner peace. When you are fully engaged in living your life one moment at a time, you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish and at how effortless and joyful it seems. The trick i

o of us in our own little world.

As the wagon creaks slowly around the fields, Bobby and I lean closer together. Our shoulders are touching. I can hear his breathing. Our heads lean closer. Our temples touch. Ever so slowly, our heads turn toward each other. I can feel his breath and his skin. Then, slowly, slowly, our lips meet, light as butterfly wings. Nothing else exists.

At that moment, Billy elbows me in the ribs. "Hey, Girl," he says, "How come are your legs sticking straight out in the air like that?"

This is clearly a case of kissus interruptus!

I peer out from under my blanket. Are those my legs extending stiffly off the wagon? I never even missed them. . ..

Zest and Adventure for Stress Relief

Now, we can't go around having a first kiss every day, but we can live with zest and enthusiasm, with a sense of freshness and adventure every day. I guarantee that if you are happily engaged in an activity you enjoy, you will forget about stress and renew your spirits rapidly!

What's your favorite hobby? Can you lose yourself in nature? Perhaps a romantic evening with your partner or spouse will bring you present in the moment.

Here and Now Lessons for Stress Relief

Looking back, here is what we can learn from that incredible moment on my first date.

Allowing yourself to be fully present and engaged in the moment

1) Lets you know you're really alive!

2) Keeps you young!

3) And when you are fully present and fully engaged in the moment, even when the Billies of life create wrinkles in your experience, you rebound fast!

4) Stressors fade out and you feel renewed, peaceful and content.

Seriously, folks, keeping that zest of being present in the moment is a great way to cut down on stress and enjoy more inner peace. When you are fully engaged in living your life one moment at a time, you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish and at how effortless and joyful it seems. The trick i

d renew your spirits rapidly!

What's your favorite hobby? Can you lose yourself in nature? Perhaps a romantic evening with your partner or spouse will bring you present in the moment.

Here and Now Lessons for Stress Relief

Looking back, here is what we can learn from that incredible moment on my first date.

Allowing yourself to be fully present and engaged in the moment

1) Lets you know you're really alive!

2) Keeps you young!

3) And when you are fully present and fully engaged in the moment, even when the Billies of life create wrinkles in your experience, you rebound fast!

4) Stressors fade out and you feel renewed, peaceful and content.

Seriously, folks, keeping that zest of being present in the moment is a great way to cut down on stress and enjoy more inner peace. When you are fully engaged in living your life one moment at a time, you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish and at how effortless and joyful it seems. The trick is to pick the things that you most value and enjoy and, as much as possible, spend your time and energy doing those things. You'll live with greater inner peace and much less stress!