There are tons of ways to reduce stress: Eliminate stressors. Exercise regularly. Eat well. Sleep enough. You’ve heard them before, because they’re true. 

But I’ve noticed another source of stress is the way we approach stressors. Put another way, it is the way we think about them.

It might not be possible to erase all sources of stress from your life. But, if you can learn to find the good in good things, then the way you experience your situation will feel closer to gratitude. Here are six habits people have successfully followed to keep their lives stress-free:

1. Find the Good in Spending Less Than You Earn

Among relatively healthy people, finances are the #1 source of stress. Debt can be particularly stressful, because owing and having to pay a large chunk of your income prevents you from achieving your financial goals or pursuing new experiences. 

On the other hand, spending less than you earn is liberating — if you make the effort to appreciate it. 

Sure, it’s easy to feel “less than” if you can’t buy as much as your friends or neighbors. But, you need to be intentional about finding satisfaction in saving. Notice how much stress you eliminate when you set up your money to grow. You will not feel “less than” when you run into an emergency and you have money at your fingertips when you need it the most.

2. Find the Good in Eating Nutritious Foods

Eating well isn’t the same as dieting. It’s about self-care, not deprivation. Notice how your body and mind feel when you eat nutritious foods. That capability and clarity can be yours on a regular basis if you ditch sugar, vegetable oils, and processed junk. 

3. Find the Good in Exercising

Exercising offers plenty of physical benefits with the added bonus of making you feel great by reducing stress and improving your mood. The problem is, people become discouraged when they don’t see instant results. That, or they set unrealistic expectations that leave them frustrated.

Be realistic about your goals and try to find the good by noticing your physical progress and celebrating small wins. You don’t have to run for 30 minutes or bench press 100 lbs. Why not start with a walk? Just don’t make it too easy — a one-minute walk to the fridge doesn’t count. 

4. Find the Good in a Clean Home

Is your house cluttered or in need of a deep cleaning? It might be contributing to your stress! 

Our surroundings create energy and influence our moods. I don’t know about you, but I find it so much easier to relax in my space when it’s clean and orderly. 

Want to create a zen vibe in your home but don’t know how to tackle the cleaning? Check out these cleaning hacks you’ll wish you knew sooner and notice how calming a clean home feels. 

5. Find the Good in Reading

Reading is great for stress relief because it transports you to another world, away from your worries. 

While reading non-fiction can be relaxing and certainly drives self-improvement, there’s lots to learn from fiction, too. Stories have lessons to teach, if you’re receptive to them. Savor your reading time and notice how much it enriches your life. 

Reading is the perfect frugal hobby. Head to your local library to access hundreds or thousands of books for free.

6. Work for Good Things and Appreciate Them  

Perspective is a powerful thing. There’s more than one way to look at the goals you’re working to achieve. The key is to appreciate the journey. 

Consider paying off debt. Working towards becoming debt-free can feel like a stressful chore that eats up all your money. Or, it can feel like an exciting accomplishment that will give you a better future. It all depends on how you look at it. 

Find joy in working towards good things and you’ll feel content with your day-to-day experiences and build a low-stress life in the process. 

7. Eliminate Procrastination and Take Steps Today to be Stress-Free

When we push things aside, whether it is decluttering the house or starting to exercise, we increase stress because stuff stacks up and remains undone. Procrastination doesn’t promote a stress-free environment, it only gives the appearance we have everything taken care of. We didn’t resolve anything, we just delayed taking care of it.

Start reducing your stress today by implementing one of these stress-free habits, then build on it.

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7 Habits of People Who Are Always Stress-Free Story