A good belly laugh gives your heart muscles a workout, improves circulation, fills your lungs with oxygen-rich air, helps relieve pain and counteracts anger and depression, all of which are linked to illness and stress. Find ways to laugh more every day and find ways to celebrate life and look for God's blessings all around.

Focusing on the positive, even during difficult times, will transform your life. Write a thank you note, express your gratitude to a loved one or offer prayers of thankfulness during your meditation or prayer time. A recent study from Harvard revealed that optimistic people live 10-15% longer than pessimistic people. Your future depends on the choices you make today. Choose wisely.

Don’t leave the task of counting your blessings only for Thanksgiving Day in November. Each day be grateful for all you have. What you think about consistently brings more of the same into your life. As my mom reminded me often: "Cultivate daily gratitude; it's a dynamic energy that allows you to exert a mighty influence on your world and makes you a magnet for miracles."

Those who catalog the positive things in their lives on a regular basis are healthier, happier, more motivated, less stressed and more well-rested. They have more positive and fulfilling relationships with others. To help you to be more positive, repeat positive affirmations or quotes that you can say to yourself daily. On my website, each day you'll find a new positive affirmation.

Focusing on all of your blessings rather than harping on what is wrong or unsatisfying can help you to maintain a bright, optimistic perspective. Start with gratitude for your body, which is made up of approximately 100 trillion cells. They all came from the division of one single cell. Every minute, 300 million cells die, yet we produce 300 billion new cells daily for repair and rebuilding.

Lack of sleep is damaging for our emotions and physical well-being. Minimal sleep undermines our body’s ability to deal with stress. Cheating sleep boosts insulin levels, which increases the risk of heart disease. Having a consistent bedtime routine, avoiding screens before bedtime, doing exercise daily, and practicing all of the mindfulness techniques in this book help.

Shakespeare once wrote that sleep "knits up the raveled sleeve of care." That's a poetic way of saying that sleep repairs and restores the mental and physical damage wrought throughout our stressful days. In addition to taking a shower or bath before bedtime to relax your entire body, here are more surefire tips to sleep like a baby.

Eating fiber-rich, colorful fruits and veggies has the added bonus of beautifying skin, boosting metabolism and elevating mood. When it comes to the best way to eat, "mostly plants" is a pretty safe bet! Produce such as berries, melons, mangos, papayas, pineapples, leafy greens and carrots is also an excellent source of nutritious water hydration. 

Fruit and vegetable consumption correlates with reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and obesity. These fiber- and nutrient-rich foods help your digestive tract keep humming along healthfully. So always remember that fresh, colorful produce, including a variety of leafy greens daily, is the most important health care that your money can buy.

One of my favorite golfers, Phil Mickelson, sees himself winning before he even starts to play. If visualization can make that much of an impact on human performance, imagine what it can do for you in your everyday life! Albert Einstein once wrote, "Your imagination is a preview of your life's coming attractions." Today, in your mind's eye, see your body healthy, strong and fit.