The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living

A couple years ago I ran across a book by Amit Sood, Train Your Brain....Engage Your Heart....Transform Your Life: A Course in Attention & Interpretation Therapy (AIT) . That was a wonderful find, although I admit I didn't finish reading it. It was apparently self-published and I guess was a little too long or something. I lost focus on the book and got distracted by other interests and life-events. Ironic, if you know Dr. Sood's teachings. (Amazon apparently no longer sells that book, but at least for the time being you can read most of it using the Look Inside feature on its Amazon page.) So when I noticed last year that Dr. Sood was publishing this new book, The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living, I immediately put it on pre-order. I have this book now, and I'm still working through my first-read of it so this is a preliminary review - I will update it later with my full reaction. I would say this book is a more concise, more streamlined version of that "Train Your Brain....Engage Your Heart...." book, which is exactly what I was hoping it would be. This is one of those books you want to spend time absorbing and implementing. I know it will take several readings and months, probably years, to do this, but I know it will be worth all the time I invest in it. This book puts you on a path of real, meaningful change, and that takes time. It's also one of those books you want to shout to the world, "Everyone should read this book! Now!" This is like the missing manual of 21st century American life. Other reviewers have discussed the content already. I will just say, get this book and make it your (second?) Bible. This is just about the best, most useful self-help book I have found. For me this is alongside the most helpful book ever for me, Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy . I'm grateful for this new book, although my Internet-cynical side wonders if some marketing consultant was a little too involved in packaging it for publication. The title on the cover is The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living. Stress-free, is that even possible? This title contrasts with the actual contents inside the book, where Dr. Sood discusses both positive and negative types of stress. If Dr. Sood is reading this, then I want to thank him for this book. I hope his ideas get wider dissemination with this Mayo Clinic version. This book should be on the best-seller list. I hope it will, so that more people can learn what's in this book.

When I was going through a divorce, someone recommended this book to me and said, "Read only 2 pages a day. Let it soak in." That was excellent advice. Don't get this book and plow through it quickly. Read one or two sections a day (preferably at the start of your day), and let it soak in. Every time I read this book, something new speaks to me. This book is packed with wisdom and common sense for daily living. The title of the book seems like an understatement -- Guide to Stress-Free Living -- it's more like a bible for letting go of all the things that you allow to weigh you down and lose sleep ... but that's not a catchy title :-). There are a lot of excellent self-improvement books out there, but I highly recommend this one because of its simplicity. But I also recommend getting it and making it part of your daily practice. Reading it once is not going to change your life. Making it part of your daily practice (practice, not perfection) will not only change your life, but it will help you sustain the change. Train it and sustain it ... hmmm, where have I read that!?

I was introduced to this book by a friend who thought I would enjoy reading it. My first reaction was, “I already know a lot of ways to relax…I doubt there will be anything new that I haven’t already heard.” However, I soon discovered that this book on stress was different. Instead of teaching about different relaxation methods, Dr. Sood takes the latest research from neuroscience, effective principles and practices from psychology, and wisdom from a variety of spiritual teachings then insightfully melds it all into a user-friendly daily practice that builds resiliency and fosters good mental health. As the back cover says, “…you learn skills that will help you develop deep and sustained attention, practice gratitude, compassion and acceptance, live a meaningful life, cultivate nurturing relationships, and achieve your highest potential”. There are many components of this book that I particularly liked. First, I found the latest research on brain information to be very compelling, and I appreciated learning how our minds operate either in “default mode” or “focused mode”. After reading about this in the book, I began more carefully considering what my brain attends to, how and why it interprets what it attends to, AND how I can impact my attention. Understanding the evolution and function of brain and mind seems critical to creating the world we live in individually and collectively, and Dr. Sood’s explanation of recent research shines new light on why we tend to function the way we do, as well as how we can make changes for the better. Secondly, Dr. Sood’s suggestions on ways to practice living with gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, and higher meaning were straightforward and manageable for most anyone’s schedule. I found that practicing these simple principles daily is a hugely helpful mental health habit. And, if my mind falls into a “black hole”—a rumination about past or future—I can use either kind attention or joyful attention strategies (as discussed in the book) to help move out of it. Lastly, the fact that this book does not promote one religion over another allows anyone to be open to learning the material in Stress-Free Living. Dr. Sood has uncovered the key ingredients found in the wisdom of any religion and has attached concrete behaviors to foster these ingredients in one’s self. This book is a modern day owner’s manual for humanity, and not only do I highly recommend reading it, I hope every person does!

Stress-Free Living By Amit Sood, M.D., MSc. The entire title is: The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living. I didn’t put it up there because I was afraid I would scare you off with all those words. Thank goodness you’ve decided to read on because this is really an important guide. You really should read this and have a couple of Post-It pads nearby to jot words down and put them around your house to remind you of key elements and prompts. We all need cues, and that’s exactly what the entire concept behind this book is. Instead of a review this go around, I’m going to give you a general idea of the key concepts and let you be the judge. This collection contains over twenty years of extensive study and offers you some key realizations author Sood discovered: “Most of us have little information about how the brain and mind work. And, we do not use our brains and minds as well as we can or should…Your brain and mind work very hard to keep you stressed…Your brain is wired to escape the present moment into a default mode of mind wandering.” Does this sound familiar? Do you get busy doing one thing and before you know it your mind has wandered on out the door into some other task that you may or may not even get to? Let alone you just stubbed your toe because you weren’t paying attention to what was in front of you. Not only are most of us not focused, we’re not present. This is a guide to bulk up your brain and limber up things like imagination and creativity and how to find joy again. This collection is meant to be read over a period of time. Not in one or two sittings, but to delve into the tools Sood presents and then he suggests you try them on. Use them. Fold them into your life and rediscover something pretty amazing. You. One basic tool many of us have lost or never developed well, is attention. You need to be present and pay attention. Sood suggests several ways to embrace this and keep it alive. Then he moves into different areas of focus with simple ways to move them into everyday life. Gratitude, Compassion, Acceptance, Higher Meaning, Forgiveness and Tribe. Then he closes with some simple methods to relax your mind and allow you to reflect on what you’ve experienced. “The first step…is to log on to your life. Direct your attention away from the mind into the world. Realize you aren’t your thoughts. Your mind can be your prison or your wings.” C’mon—be the change you’ve been waiting for!

We all experience stress. We can feel inundated from too many people wanting too many things in too short of a time. Or maybe we feel that we don’t have control in our life, or we lack meaning behind our challenges. Without meaning, the pain becomes suffering. We are not at fault when we feel stressed. Dr. Amit Sood explains the neuroscience behind our mind that keeps us stressed and how we can lift up from this mindset that creates worry and rumination. In The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living, Dr. Sood describes the two brain modes: The Default Mode and the Focused Mode. The Default Mode is internally directed thinking that often engages with threats and flaws. Has your mind wandered off during a meeting? Have you missed your exit while driving because you were thinking about problems or concerns? The wandering mind is an unhappy mind. However you can’t and need not silence the Default Mode. Dr. Sood teaches us a better way to work with the Default Mode and how to switch to the Focused Mode. With your attention externally directed, you can perceive the world as novel, interesting, and meaningful. In the Focused Mode, you stop worrying. The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living teaches us practical principles and skills that add meaning to our lives and help us become more resilient. We learn how to create new interpretations, to find balance, and foster flexibility in our preferences. From the first day I added these skills, my life changed. I catch myself quicker when I begin to fall into my old habits of handling stress with irritation, worry and anxiety. The added benefit: I live more fully each day and no longer miss my life, waiting for some future event or regretting the past. Every day brings the possibility of joyful and kind attention to the world, to ourselves, to those around us. Don’t postpone your new beginning.

This book was recommended to me my last visit to mayo clinic. It is a life-changer. Better, I think than most inspirational or self help books as it explains, in simple terms, how the mind works, what natural biological barriers to stress free living the brain has been evolutionarily programmed to create - and why. Understanding the physiology for me was half the battle. It then provides solution for programming your mind for successful peace. I have given this book to half my family to read as it is written so beautifully, is easy to read, and can make a difference. The only real control we have in this world is how we react to all life brings us (most of which if out of our control). If you are dealing with grief, illness, extreme stress or just want a new perspective this book is a must read.

I enjoyed this book immensely. Written by a physician who specializes in integrative medicine, Sood has a lot of wisdom to espouse on work-life balance, the power of meditation, and the power of forgiveness. I enjoyed the idea of having a virtuous "theme" for each day - one day a week focusing especially on gratitude, one for compassion, etc. In a world where it is so easy to be drawn inward - to retreat to our houses, our electronic devices, ourselves - Sood emphasizes the importance of reaching out, of learning about the world around us and the people around us, and maintaining a sense of community. There is a lot of very specific and helpful advice in this book - solely reading it will not change much, but taking it to heart and making a conscientious effort to actively pursue these principles will. This book isn't a panacea to stress-free living, but I do think that heeding the advice in this book is likely to lead to a sense of fulfillment, a calm demeanor, and an overall more 'full' life.

I expected this book, written by a well-regarded Mayo Clinic physician, to present an evidence-based program of self-help rooted in facts and proven methods. Instead, this book largely describes one man's philosophy of stress reduction, with a slight "new age" feel. Certainly, there are some good points; I thought the sections on gratitude and acceptance were well done and useful to almost anybody (!). However, any scientific studies are very greatly simplified and glossed over. Some of the author's advice actually seemed to invoke the paranormal or psychic transmission of thoughts. For instance, "Look at the plants and trees as selfless sages standing quietly, emblems of peace, purifying the air, holding the soil together and giving us flowers and fruit while asking nothing in return. Send them your silent gratitude for adorning your environs." Another example: "When waiting for the red light to turn, send good wishes to the people around you." Finally, "A compassionate person becomes a fearless conduit for material, emotional and spiritual energy to distribute itself to the world." There are countless more of these tidbits interspersed throughout the book. Perhaps these ideas/techniques work for some people -- and that's fine! -- but I expected a book written by a Mayo Clinic doctor to be more rigorous. Granted, the entire book is NOT mushy headed, but I found these moments difficult to get past.

My daughter is finding this helpful as she tends to worry and stress about many things. Helps to give her an understanding and try to keep a calmer head !

Los libros de la clinica Mayo son muy buenos, este en especial es un regalo que yo haria a mis amigos, porque realmente ayuda si lo aplicas.

Great read, very helpful to those experiencing stress, and good exercises to do. I highly recommend it.

Highly recommend this book :)

This book is very well organised and and the author is able to convey what he wants to its readers, Hi is able to convey with great clarity what certain concepts like Gratitude, Compassion and Forgiveness. I am incorporating a lot ideas in my life and seeing visible benefits I salute the author for his intentions to make life free from suffering for its readers which would significantly improve ones' quality of life. I owe a deep Gratitude to him for writing such a remarkable book. I hope and wish he can read this review.