I wanna talk about beating stress today. You know life here in Hong Kong is very stressful so I think today’s topic is very useful for everyone because we can do something about it, just to cope with the stress. So maybe you have some change(s) in your life, maybe big change and small change, but instead of being afraid, I think you should have a positive attitude and think of change as a normal part of life. 

And I think maybe here in Hong Kong, the family (families) are crowded into a very small housing space, so maybe you would sometimes argue with your family and I think try (trying) to resolve the disagreement with people is very important because then you can build strong relationships and keep commitments you have made. For example, sometimes maybe you are feeling alone and you want to make some comfort and I think you can ask the people you trust for help is very important because if you have a bunch of friends, they can listen to you, then you can release some stress through talking to them. 

And do you know that actually I find a very funny thing that if you want to reduce some stress, you can reduce this by the word S-T-R-E-S-S, that’s stress. How about, let’s begin with the ‘S’. Well, I think ‘S’ is that you can have the ‘scheduling’, for example, you don’t have to schedule too many things in your day and if you feel you are too busy, you can cut out an activity or two. 

And how about the ‘T’ word? The ‘T’ word is ‘treat your body well’, because experts say that exercise can reduce stress and also if you eat healthy food, then your brain and your body get the nourishment they need. 

And the word is ‘R’…the next word is ‘R’ - ‘R’ is very important, it says ‘relax’. You can do an activity you enjoy or that relaxes you, maybe you can read a good book or learn a new hobby and spend time with your pet or even you can visiting (visit) a spa and that could make a very good difference. And for me, I like to play piano when I feel stressed and sometimes I may just watch some movie (movies) that make me laughs (laugh) a lot. 

And the next word is ‘E’ – ‘E’ is about expectations, and I think be realistic about yourself is to (be) true to yourself and others. So you can just do your best and don’t try to be perfect and don’t expect others to be too… because that will release and reduce a lot of stress for you and the people around you. 

And the next word is ‘S’ – ‘S’ is, stands for ‘sleep’ and I really really love to sleep to be honest, that’s my hobby I think, because sleep…if you get a good night’s sleep, then it will keep your mind and your body in shape. And experts say if you sleep more than seven hours, you will actually get tired, so don’t sleep too much in the day, just sleep it when you feel enough. 

And the last word is ‘S’ again. I always do this action, the S word is ‘smile’ – if you smile and have confidence, your attitude and your thoughts influence the way you see things. And if you are a negative person, you can actually learn to think in a more positive way because that makes you feel more comfortable when you are coping with the stress. Finally I think we should take action and applies (apply) these tips to your life (our lives), so everyone can beat stress.