In July, I am headed to present at the AAMSE Conference in St. Louis. The title of my talk: “The Psychology of Happiness: What You Need to Know for Life Balance.” Are you an optimist or pessimist? If you are an optimist, not only are you happier, you life longer with a better quality of life. How does your attitude affect happiness? How about “profoundly?” A positive attitude gives you a greater sense of pleasure, flow and meaning. If your life is out of balance, your body will let you know. How? By more colds and flu, headaches, pain, sleeplessness, muscle tension, stomach problems and much more. Stress gets expressed through the body and mind. Anxiety, depression, worry are all manifestations of a life being out of balance. How do you get back into balance? Actually, you already know the answer. My question to you is, why aren’t you doing what you know works? Problems, symptoms, worry actually are “opportunities” for you to notice that you are out of sync and take charge. Get back to the basics, good sleep hygiene, relaxation, exercise, healthy nutrition, social support, spiritual connection and cutting back on work. Play, fun and positive thoughts can bring you around to balance. Don’t ignore “symptoms” or “problems”, they will escalate and amplify more distress.