Here are seven ways to turn a bad day good.

Walk it off. Put on your walking shoes and take off. Walk for at least twenty minutes. Walk briskly and with purpose. Focus on the movement of your body and your breathing to tune into the moment. Imagine that you are walking away from your stress, leaving it behind you. Choose a mantra for your walk; repeat to yourself, “I attract positive experiences into my life!” Or, “I am happy, healthy, and well!” Your mantra can be anything, so long as it is positive (i.e., avoid mantras that begin with “I don’t want” or “I don’t like”).

Sweat it out. Go to a gym or pick up your own weights and give your muscles a workout. Research suggests that when you engage in weight resistance training with weights of 20lbs or more, your body responds by releasing youthful, energizing hormones (such as testosterone and growth hormone). Work out until you sweat—and for at least thirty minutes. Be sure to throw in about ten minutes of cardio to elevate your body core temperature. And push yourself. You’ll feel better and stronger in no time.

Dance the blues away. I do this quite often. If I am in a funk or having a bad day, I grab my iPod, turn to a great song and start to move to the beat. Certain songs instantly make me want to smile and groove. You can do this in the privacy of your home or your office. Close the door, crank the tunes, and dance! No kidding—it really works.

Have a cuppa. In my book, 52 Ways to a Healthy You, I devote an entire chapter to the benefits of drinking caffeine in moderation. Drinking coffee elevates dopamine levels in your brain. And studies show that regular coffee drinkers have a higher tolerance for stress than non-coffee drinkers. It sounds crazy, but it’s true! So the next time you are feeling down, swill a cup of espresso or black coffee. Add skim milk, stevia, or agave as desired, but try to forego the high sugar, high-fat alternatives. And remember: no more than two cups of coffee per day is recommended.

Pasta baby, pasta! Eating carbohydrates can elevate serotonin levels in the brain. So if you are one of those people who avoid carbs like poison, now and then, you might think about eating a bowl of pasta. Pasta won’t elevate your blood sugar as quickly as bread will, but it provides a nice slow release of glucose into your system. Carb addicts might want to use this trick as a last resort!

Laugh. I am a huge advocate of laughing and smiling. Did you know that when you smile, blood flow increases to your brain, literally cooling down those hot-headed moments? And when you laugh, stress hormones are lowered, and feel-good hormones are elevated! Do what you can to laugh, smile, and make yourself happy. Fake it until you make it, as they say!

Beat Hormone Hell. Sometimes, hormonal fluctuations get the best of us, despite our best intentions. If you feel your moods are out of control, be sure to consult with a primary health care provider for treatment. I lean towards alternative health care, so I consult with a doctor of oriental medicine and take the supplements she recommends to keep my mood swings in check. Sometimes just a tweak of the brain biochemistry can make all the difference in the world.

The hunger to feel good has a flip side. Hence addiction is a huge problem for many in our society. I should know. My genetic heritage is laden with those who have struggled with alcoholism and prescription drug abuse. My Grandpa Len died from it. He was such a great guy, too, and I adored him. It’s too bad he died at age 57. I still miss him to this day. Want to skip the bad stuff and just get high naturally? Here are 6 ways to do just that:

1. Workout. Move. Do something that involves physical activity. I enjoy fitness walks and hopping on my spin bike. And I adore the gym and try to get there at least three to four times per week. What do you love?

2. Gossip. I had no idea, but it’s true. Gossiping, according to researchers, is much like grooming among primates and helps humans bond. And elevates endorphins too. I am not a fan of “mean gossip” and recommend being kind when you do gossip.

3. Eat Chocolate. Why? If you are a chocolate lover, you have a hunch. When you eat chocolate, the simple consumption of the luscious, rich treat causes the release of phenylethylamine in the brain: the same chemical released when you fall in love.

4. Get Stuck…with Acupuncture Needles. If you haven’t tried it, you should. I love it. My acupuncturist has been treating me for years. I must say, the endorphin high is simply lovely. Researchers have proven acupuncture treatments significantly improve moods.

5. Have Sex. Post orgasm, natural pain killers are released. No wonder you feel “oh so good” afterward.

6. Laugh, Giggle, Chortle, or Guffaw. And do it a lot. I love to laugh, smile, and make others laugh. Have you laughed lately? If not, rent a funny flick. Call a friend that makes you laugh. Listen to a stand-up comic that makes you laugh. Laughing is one of the easiest ways to elevate your mood.

Do you have an all-natural endorphin-releasing habit not listed here? Leave a comment and share your unique approach to getting high naturally.

As a single parent, my phone is my mainline to my kids. It’s always with me. It sits on the table during my meetings and even on my dates. When the phone died, I acted as if I was four years old, and someone had yanked away my precious blankie.

When it died, I was not in the Zen mode. I should have been. No—I reacted emotionally, with anger and frustration. My daughter, Victoria, came into my office to find me dealing (badly) with the situation. “Mom, look at you,” she said. “Why are you reacting this way? You should actually be happy that you can take a break from it.”

Okay. I contemplated this idea, and as the evening wore on, I became more and more comfortable with the absence of my phone. I took my dog for a walk without it in my pocket. I watched my son as he swam in the pool without it by my side. When I woke the next morning, I felt unusually calm, not worried about who to call or text. I made myself a cup of tea, walked the dog, and enjoyed my morning.

I had a bit of a nostalgic feeling throughout–a longing for a technology-free life. I reflected on the days of my youth. Then the joys of my life were riding bikes with my friends in upstate New York, exploring the birch- and poplar-filled woods, sitting outside, and talking to my grandmother as we munched on fresh strawberry shortcake, lying on my bed listening to (gasp!) records. Life was simpler then, for sure. No ringing cell. No texts to send or answer. No multitudes of channels to choose among…just four! To make a phone call, all we needed a dime.

I date myself here, I know. Do I love and appreciate the convenience of technology? Absolutely. But the loss of my phone forced me into a zone of calm and helped me to realize that I don’t need to be dependent on technology every moment of every day.

My new phone arrives tomorrow, and I am happy about it. But I know now that I will turn my phone off more often when I’m meeting with someone. I’ll leave the phone at home when I walk my dog or head into the natural foods market. I vow to enjoy my days even more. It’s funny. I thought that my life was fairly balanced. But the death of my phone allowed me to experience much-needed serenity and gave me a fresh perspective on my own life.

Discomfort and resistance to change go hand in hand. Resisting change may cause one to become unhealthy, both in mind and body, due to an elevation of stress. And as a result, not going with the flow may even cause folks to dive off their health and fitness tracks, to gain weight, to experience lowered self-esteem, to become more stressed out about relationships — thus the spiral begins. flowersIf you are like me, you need tips and tools for navigating change so you won’t go down with the ship. So here are eight tips and tools just for you.

8 Ways to Cope Healthfully with Change:

Chill Out. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, two-thirds of doctor visits are prompted by stress-related symptoms. Practicing meditation or simply quieting your mind for at least 10 minutes each day can help lower stress hormones throughout the day. When stress is lowered, you may feel more in control in the face of change. And you will be less likely to indulge in foods and beverages that are not good for you or your waistline.

Stop Negative Talk. Feeding the “beast” of negativity is simply not productive. Think about it. Continuing to harp on the unfairness of life, how much you dislike another person or complaining, in general, will only bring you more negativity. I have no doubt about that. So as my Grandma Ruby used to say, “If you don’t have something good to say, then keep it to yourself.” I’ll take that one step farther and ask you to stop that negative self-talk too! Changing the way you think can change your life.

Go with the Flow. “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Author unknown. Letting go and going with the flow is challenging, especially if we feel our survival is threatened in some way. But then again, if we let go of the oars in our rowboat of life and see where the current takes us, letting go of resistance to the flow of life, we might just be surprised by the gifts that lie at the end of what seems to be a tumultuous journey.

Keep the Faith. Getting online with the divine, as I like to say, can help you to stay balanced in an uncertain world. Louis Ferman, a University of Michigan researcher investigating the unemployed, found one fellow who had been laid off by the Studebaker corporation in 1962, another time in the 70′s by a truck manufacturer, and then later by the Chrysler corporation. He said this guy, by all accounts, should have been a basket case — but he was one of the most well-adjusted folks he had ever met. When asked his secret, the unemployed fellow replied, “I have a loving wife and go to church every Sunday.” Now that is food for thought.

Focus On You. Your fitness. Your diet. Your sleep. Your fun. In the face of change, it is more important than ever before to stick to your workout routine, eat healthy foods, get adequate sleep, and build fun into your life. By doing this, you can face change with a clear head and a healthy, fit body.

Get Present. Instead of focusing on the past or future, focus on the good things in the moment. As I walked my dog this morning, I focused on the budding flowers, the sounds of birds chirping, the feeling of my muscles as I moved silently alongside my faithful friend as we both breathed in the crisp morning air. Connecting with the essence of what is happening right now can be magical in helping you to stay in the flow of life.

Explore Creativity. How long has it been since you listened to music, visited an art gallery, squished some clay between your fingers, contemplated writing a book? In the face of change, you may find you have more free time on your hands — and what better time to reawaken the creative parts of you?

Reach Out. Change can be challenging when you are all by yourself. Join a group. Find a therapist. Volunteer to help out at a food pantry or join others who are building homes for those in need through Habitat for Humanity. Reaching out can help bring a fresh and positive perspective to your life in transition.

Living a passionate, healthy life requires you to become a “master of change.” I believe you can become that expert by making conscious and courageous decisions along your path in life. You are in control of the most important asset you have — and that asset, your most valuable possession, is YOU!

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” Victor Frankl

How stressed out are you?