In a stressful state?

  A recent survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that folks in Hawaii and the upper Midwest (including the Dakotas, Nebraska, and six other states) are the most laid-back, based on how many days per month the residents said they felt stressed. (We didn't exactly need government researchers to tell us that Hawaiians were living in bliss.) Regardless of where you call home, this 13-minute exercise from The Quiet by Paul Wilson can help you chill out when you feel tense.

• Take two minutes to let go of the outside world, focus your attention on the present moment and listen to your breath.  
• For 10 minutes, observe what's going on in your mind without analyzing it.
• In the final one minute, simply enjoy feeling relaxed.