The next time someone cuts you off in traffic or is too slow starting up when the light turns green, send him or her a pleasant thought. Try I wish you happiness or May you be safe and healthy. This is an aspect of “loving kindness” meditation that can help to keep you calm and generate a feeling of compassion. Once you try this for a little while, you’ll have a whole new, softer outlook on your fellow travelers and a happier commute, and you’ll be a more relaxed driver!

More on the benefits of meditation...

• The Power of Compassion
• Why "TM" Is Making a Comeback
• The Power of a Personal Mantra
• Qigong for Beginners

The next time someone cuts you off on the road or bumps into you on a crowded sidewalk, instead of getting mad, try this trick. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Imagine the situation as it appears to him/her. Maybe you were driving well under the speed limit or not looking where you were walking. Maybe the other guy is having a harder day than you are. Seeing another perspective can calm you down. And if you can quell your anger, maybe it will ease the other person’s. A lot less anger…annoyance…intolerance between us goes a long way.