A health commitment doesn’t have to be hard. That little walk on a day when you’d rather stay inside can reveal a wonderland you’d never want to miss.

Last week I felt like I hadn't had enough vacation time even though I was just returning from the long holiday break. The fact that it was consistently less than 10 degrees outside certainly was a factor but another was my deep sense of fatigue. My spirits picked up some once in the office. Lots of self-care over time helped too – yoga, Zumba and sleep -- but I still felt tired. 

Looking for refuge after a busy, somewhat chaotic pre-holiday season, I latched onto this book I've been wanting to read titled "Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation" by Sharon Salzberg. Here is one of my favorite parts so far:

Today is the day before we elect our next president and the world is swimming with vrittis of chitta (swirls of energy), as am I. There is concern about what will happen and how it will affect us all. I can’t have all this in my head and concentrate today. So I am meditating on this: 

As a psychotherapist and coach, I say with certainty that many people are stressed now. The constant chaos around who said what outrageous thing and who is telling the truth is like a thick veil of ugliness that weighs heavy. Maintaining good mental health is a bigger project than it usually is.

Here are 8 ways to cope:

Yes, meditation can be a part of brain training. It’s a superpower which helps in many ways. It’s a wonderful supplement to the primary component of my practice: neurofeedback. And it’s an excellent aid for my clients who are focused on peak performance, have anxiety concerns and are dealing sleep issues and ADD.