kellsborojack's posterous

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time for a doctor to encourage everyone to adopt a healthier lifestyle, and to wheel out insider’s tips for tackling diet, exercise, alcohol and tobacco. But this year I would like to suggest that you don’t worry too much about your physical health, and instead concentrate instead on being happier.

Last year was difficult for many of us, and 2010 is unlikely to be very different. So much so that the Department of Health has launched a stress-busting Credit Crunch helpline to “offer practical advice, guide you to useful online resources and put you in touch with other people who can help”. What impact the helpline will have on the mental wellbeing of the nation remains to be seen, but I am not overly optimistic. That said, it’s a step in the right direction and it does highlight a need that is all too often forgotten.

In the ideal world we would all be both happy and healthy. But if I were forced to make a choice, I would pick happiness every time. So, with that in mind, here are my 12 tips for a happier 2010.

Change your routine. Although many people find routines comforting, it is good to add variety. This may be as simple as going somewhere different on holiday, buying your clothes from a new shop or getting your hair cut by another stylist. Or try a new activity that you wouldn’t normally consider. Have you ever driven a racing car, ridden a horse, been to the opera, tried salsa or ballroom dancing, learnt how to paint or taken music lessons? Not your cup of tea? Don’t you believe it — give it a go and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Don’t be too self-conscious. It is only natural to be concerned about how others perceive us, but they are rarely as interested as we think. You may be all too aware that you are having a bad hair day, that you have a spot on your chin or a ladder in your tights, but everyone else is probably too busy worrying about their own imperfections to notice yours. Don’t blow them out of proportion.

Set yourself a major challenge. It is best to set yourself easily achievable goals to avoid disappointment, according to conventional wisdom, but I follow the contrary view. I ran the London Marathon in 2003 and in the process went from being unable to run 400 yards without stopping, to running 30 to 40 miles a week — all in less than six months. The beauty about the marathon, and similar physical feats, is that you can use a rigid training regime to break them up into achievable steps. The sense of achievement when you reach your goal can be life-changing. If you think a marathon is beyond you (and it probably isn’t), try a half-marathon or enter one of the many 10-kilometre (six-mile) races that take place throughout the year. There are few people who can’t run 10km if they follow a proper training regime.

Control your anger. One person in three surveyed by the Mental Health Foundation knows someone prone to angry outbursts. One in eight admits to being worried about his or her own short tempers, but is often too embarrassed to seek help, or doesn’t know how to access it.

Step one in tackling the problem is to realise that anger is not a psychological illness, but a normal healthy emotion that becomes an issue only when it is triggered inappropriately.

Step two is the dawning realisation that losing your rag gets you nowhere and often makes you look daft. Why is it that people who lose their temper think they are the only ones who get taken seriously when they rant and rave?

Step three is to learn some basic techniques to control your temper. Access to this sort of anger management on the NHS is patchy, but your GP may be able to help. Alternatively, you can ask The British Association of Anger Management (www.angermanage.co.uk) about taking part in one of its courses, or try the DIY approach using a guide such as The Anger Habit Workbook : Practical Steps for Anger Management by Carl Semmelroth.

Be charitable. Helping others can be immensely satisfying, but you need to plan carefully to maximise the rewards for all concerned. Do your research before deciding who, or what, you would like to support. Give something that is valuable to both you and the recipient — that may well be time rather than money. If you are giving money, do it anonymously, and if you are donating your time or other resources, try and keep it to yourself. The aim is to enjoy the act of giving, not to bask in the reflected glory.

Worry about things you can change. It is hackneyed advice, but no less poignant for being so — there is no point in worrying about things that you cannot influence or change. Doing so just increases stress and the likelihood of myriad health problems, ranging from indigestion to high blood pressure.

Smile. It pays to think of the mirror analogy when interacting with others — you invariably get back what you put in.

If you smile and are polite, you are likely to get a better response from everyone you meet. We all know it works, so why not smile more often?

Treat yourself. It is important to pamper yourself now and then, and I can’t think of anything more self-indulgent than having a massage. If you haven’t experienced a massage, or how you feel afterwards, you have missed out on one of life’s great pleasures, and the definition of relaxation.

Don’t criticise. Constructive criticism may be helpful, but in my experience well-directed praise works even better. Parents soon learn that a carrot works better than a stick, but we seem reluctant to transfer this knowledge to other aspects of our lives. Try it for a week and see what happens.

Buy a comfortable bed. If you already have a good bed, you will understand the benefits. If you are still sleeping on the £99 mattress that you bought when you were first married, you won’t know what you are missing. Suffice to say that a good bed is key to a decent night’s sleep, and a proper night’s sleep is the foundation upon which your mood the following day is likely to be based.

Don’t worry about the Joneses. Envy is a corrosive emotion that serves no useful purpose. So what if X has a new car, Y is wearing the Christian Louboutin shoes you have always wanted and Z has the latest iPhone. They are probably peering back over the fence coveting many of the things that you have — and they won’t always be material goods. Celebrate what you have — including friends and family — rather than yearning for what you don’t.

Put yourself higher up your list of priorities. Sometimes it pays to be selfish, particularly when you are struggling, so don’t be ashamed if you occasionally put your needs ahead of others’.

Happy new year.

NHS Credit Crunch Stressline: 0300 1232000 (open 8am-10pm every day)

Excellent and sensible advice