You don't have to listen to hippie music or burn incense. You don't need a meditation space. Make the world your meditation space. Make your desk, the free throw line, the jog out in the park your meditation space.

Whatever circumstances are going on in the outer world, outside your control, you always have the power to create a peaceful and harmonious inner world.

Though each expert approached the subject of stress from a different angle, we all agreed that research indicates chronic stress may contribute to heart disease, hypertension, anxiety and depression.

Simple mindful breaks throughout the day will do wonders to the culture as a whole. If we all looked at our breathing and checked in with ourselves throughout the day, we would feel a lot better.

Meditation can essentially be seen as emotional weight-lifting for the mind. If we do meditation in the morning and focus on the feeling of laughter, then we can carry that feeling throughout the day.

I remembered a much-loved picture book from my childhood, "A Fly Went By," by Mike McClintock. This story not only illustrates how stress can be contagious; it also shows us a state of mind that can help us stop the stresscalation.