10 keys to happiness


 By GRETCHEN SUNDERLAND
 SPECIAL TO FEELING FIT

 Because I am a life coach and work
with hundreds of people on life strat-
egies, I am often asked about what I
think makes people truly happy. There
are probably many answers, but here
are some common themes that I see
in my work, and in my own life. Use
these keys and watch happiness fill
your life:
 1. Take responsibility. Take full
ownership of your actions, moods
and feelings. If you can take responsi-
bility for your life, you can change it.
Blaming others for your circumstanc-
es only keeps you stuck.
 2. Feel your feelings. Don't stuff
your feelings until they become toxic
or leak out. There are no "wrong"
feelings. Acknowledge them, let
yourself fully feel them when you are
in private, and then you will be able to
move on.
 3. Practice gratitude. Make a daily
practice of asking yourself, "What am
I grateful for?" Keep a gratitude jour-
nal and write down 10 things that are
good in your life. Do this at bedtime


Gretchen Sunderland
and you will enjoy better sleep. Being
grateful for what you have creates
space for new energy to come into
your life.
 4. Live in the "now. "Don't drag your
past into your present. Don't try to live
in the future. Be here now, this mo-
ment. When you fully engage in the


piesent, theie i. n,:, loo,:,,m t,:,l(-iaggaige
friom tie p.iat ,i1 fe;u if trle future
 5. Control your gremlins.
"(Glemll-hl ;-ie tliose ii;-iVt\ o,_-,he
in y,:,Ul head that teat v,:,u dn ,Wn
You knoi,, tlie one that isa\. Yci'ie
not good enough" ,01,' Yull ne\ei
amnolunt to, anilling You ,culdn't
even sa\ tliose tll tog t,:, \, i best
friend, :,ould M u-' o fnd thos-e
gieminl iand zaip thliem Hn-'\\'ite
all ---f them down, 1sk \,ulselt if \,:,u
reaIll\ I\ ;in thliemi c-ntiol \o _,L.
anid tlien icliiiange thliem into po-.itike
afim[iatis iii-ne-id
 6. Practice forgiveness. Fig ie
evei \,:,ie e\en if it', jul t ,-i ;-i imeiitil
exeicise Othiei v-le tlio-.e people ;ind
situitioii-,i g;ainl poxei o\el \,,t ;iand
lihe in \oui lieaid. lent-flee .\nd. ,of
couile. fIoigi\e \,ouli.elf o\,,ui did the
best \,u kine h lio, iat the time Todia\
is ai ne dai\ Lettrig go of ,iangei ind
reseiitinent w ill set \,:,it flee
 7. Connect with others. Let tle
negank ve. \ living people in \,out life
find .,-,me,:ne else itoi coimplaiii ili
You di-in'tf haive ime t-i it ,uiilund
youiself withli uppil tie iand p,.mrtike
people Don't kno i ;in\ people like


tlii-t'' Putai ;i m ile -,i \1 i i-LIface ;ind goi-1
hind thliem
 8. Manage your energy. Leaiin t,-
,ai\ ni,:, to ti ak mid people \lio-i di;-iil
Vo,_it elneig Le-ii11g to [ ,,-iv ,,o c;in
be difficult, but once \:,u do, it. \,:,u
will expei mence ai neiex level of pei,-,iiial
poxei ;nid \kell-bemg 'ia\ \es to,
aictiite thliait gie V,,il eine ig L Mlike a
lilst o- tliehee actwi\lies ;-ldi plain t1 do) ;-I
tfex thliem dail
 9. Give back. Feel good-Id kbv \,lhmi-
teei mg to li help. memoi,r,. 0it peid
nin e with-l li o ,_thel hIo, do-,i't[ eilll,_ \,_-,it
le\ el if ibundaince (Gi\e i,,ut p,,smtve
eiieiga ;miid it ill co-me back ri i \oi_-,
min\ tmmnes
 10. Change. Chligie is g,:,,:,d Be
tlemble Life is alx;rli\ tliuio i:ng neex
iltuff ;it VouI Gc- withli tlie fl, ;ilmid
hliape \- iut life the a;xv, \-,u V;-Li lt it
to be Keep le;iiimmig. ;id;iptmig ;iid
elhbilatllg thlelie\ en;ild \,_-,ldeiful
thllgi tlhait ill slioLi imp Iii VOLi life
 (i cOWlilcii 'ld0i lildil'd 0 I i7 'Oi cla'iI
till lIIt' lI' --a c1 Ollt"1 a1[iL'[luc uoacil.
p_'iSO iUil [ii7il'. L'OiuOia[h' a'OiL'cli idid i7
lif I t' citcifI co cl' I liL' Itics nII ['IuII
(moii7 Foi IMWuic ii iloIi7ii. IVISI
lI'li'li t'Oilt'l i t'itC'L' I i C i


Hypnosis can be a useful element of anti-anxiety therapy


 By Dr. MICHAEL CRAIG MILLER
 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY

 Q: Is hypnotherapy effective
for generalized anxiety and panic
disorders?
 A: Hypnosis is not just a parlor
trick. When taken seriously, it is an
effective relaxation technique. And
some people say it helps manage
their anxiety.
 Here's how it works: You're invited
to relax. You focus your attention
inward. You use your imagination to
alter your perceptions.
 The hypnotherapist may make sug-
gestions. But he or she cannot control
you. You remain alert and in control
of your own thoughts and actions.
 The goal of hypnosis is to divert
your attention. By turning your
thoughts away from what's bothering
you, you may find some relief.
 Some people are more easily hyp-
notized than others. This trait is called
"hypnotizability." About 10 percent of
people are highly hypnotizable. About
10 percent can't be hypnotized at all.
The vast majority of adults can enter


at least a light hypnotic state.
 Psychotherapy and anti-anxiety
medications are still the most effec-
tive anxiety treatments. But hypnosis
is worth trying, especially if you're
motivated and reasonably able to be
hypnotized.
 Hypnosis rarely gets rid of all anx-
iety symptoms. Sometimes hypnosis
can reduce the physical discomfort
of anxiety disorders (muscle tension,
trembling, unsettled stomach, or rap-
id breathing). By controlling physical
symptoms, you prevent them from
making you more anxious.
 Panic anxiety symptoms are forceful
and concentrated, so they're tough to
manage with hypnosis. But hypnosis
may help you master your fear of the
things that trigger panic.
 A hypnotherapist may be a psychi-
atrist, psychologist, social worker, or
psychiatric nurse. Whoever you con-
sult, that person should be licensed in
their field.
 Also, don't start hypnosis for anxiety
unless you've seen someone who's
trained to evaluate your anxiety
symptoms first. That person should


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