Stress Less, Accomplish More highlights the benefits of meditation and then gives an easy to follow meditation practice. According to Fletcher, it is meant for busy individuals who would like a better life.

Meditation is very beneficial for your body and your life because it allows you to take a time out and breathe. Doing so increases the feel-good hormones (dopamine and serotonin). Fletcher calls these bliss chemicals. In addition, the stress hormone (cortisol) decreases and thus helps you look younger, be healthier, have a better sex life, have greater intuition, clarity, confidence and creativity.

One caveat: While doing the meditation, Fletcher recommends focusing on the past and allowing the meditation to resolve issues. I tend to believe that she doesn’t exactly mean think of the past as much as she means let the thoughts come up and then let them go.

This book is a good overall description of the benefits of meditation. It gives a simple to follow meditation practice that you do for 15 minutes twice daily. While there are many meditation practices available, the one that keeps you meditating is the right one for you. I suggest giving this one a try.

Golden Nugget: The Z-Technique of meditation (used in this book) includes three parts:

• Mindfulness: Notice your environment as you sit down to meditate.

• Meditation: Breathe in and out as you let thoughts come and go, then refocus on a mantra. For a few moments of the meditation, focus on what you are grateful for in your life.

• Manifestation: Spend a minute or two and focus on what you would like to manifest.