If your new year’s resolution is to have a positive attitude, just thinking happy thoughts isn’t enough. Health professionals say positive thinking stems from healthy habits. So, if plummeting markets have you stressed and worried, here are some steps you can take to improve your outlook.

>  Walk It Off. When the pressure is on and stress is wearing you down, a quick walk down the hallway or around the block is the cure.

“A short walk can moderate changes in blood pressure, increase positive effect and decrease negative effect,” says Guy Faulkner, associate professor of health and exercise psychology at the University of Toronto.

A short walk can even reduce smokers’ nicotine cravings, Faulkner’s studies have shown.

The key is distraction, he says. Just removing yourself from the situation helps you focus on other things.

As well, three to six short walks a day add up to Canada’s Physical Activity Guide’s exercise requirement of 30 to 60 minutes of fitness on most days of the week.

“Research proves fitter people respond to stressful situations better,” says Katy Kamkar, clinical psychologist with the work, stress and health program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. “When we exercise, we release some pressure on the physical system. As a result, your system eases up and you can think more clearly.”

The feeling of release comes from endorphins, “feel good” chemicals the brain creates while the body is active.

Physical activity will also put you in a better mood, says Tony Mark, a personal trainer and partner with Balance, Personal Training, Fitness and Rehabilitation, a studio in Toronto. Whether it’s yoga, weight lifting or skiing, as long as you are doing that activity three to five times a week, you’ll notice your spirits increase. “It’s that you are doing something to get away and remove your mind from the everyday BS,” Mark says. “I tell people to find an activity they like, since they’ll be more likely to stick with it.”

> Stay Socially Active. “Inter-actions build positive emotions,” says Peter Ubel, a medical doctor and director of the Centre for Behavioral and Decision Sciences in Medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbour, Mich. The need for social interaction is hard-wired into our biology, says Ubel, and that is why we are often happier and more productive when functioning as part of a group than when working alone.

Spending more time with friends and family can be quite soothing. Activities can include going out for dinner with the family, taking the kids to the skating rink or simply staying in and renting a movie — as long as its something you’re doing with other people.

> Help Others. With the markets tumbling and clients blaming you for their losses, you may be feeling sorry for yourself. Volunteering at a homeless shelter or a food bank can cure that. “If you’re financially stressed out and in the financial services industry, there are people still worse off than you are,” says Ubel, “for example, those who are homeless or completely bankrupt. Volunteering at a soup line can help you think: ‘My situation is bad but it could be worse’.”

Ubel’s research has shown that happier people live longer.

> Reset Your Goals. A gloomy financial market is a good reason to rethink your performance expectations. “People who adapt their goals to face a new adverse situation,” says Ubel, “do better than those who don’t.”

Ubel’s research on patients with severe illnesses has shown that those who adjust their expectations around social and physical activities such as sports to accommodate their illnesses were happier than those who did not. As an advisor, you can use this principle to shift your perspective from performance goals to process goals. Focus on prospecting methods, client meetings or other aspects of your service that can be viewed as positive. Ubel also suggests spending 10 minutes a night jotting down what you want to accomplish tomorrow, in six months and before you die.

“Adversity forces us to focus on what’s important in our lives,” he says. “You may not achieve everything, but you’ll be more likely to maintain good spirits.”

> More Zs. Many people don’t get enough sleep. Studies have shown a direct link between sleep deficit and bad moods. In fact, sleep is even more influential than diet when it comes to moods. If anxiety or another cause is keeping you awake at night, identify and treat the cause — through a health professional, if necessary.

@page_break@“Power naps are also restorative,” Ubel says. “If you can get a 15-minute nap in once in a while, it can reset your emotions and thoughts.” IE