The Four S’s of Success
 There are four S’s of general behaviors that you can use to make lifestyle change more successful — stress reduction, stimulus control, self-monitoring, and social support.
1. Stress Reduction
Express your feelings. If feelings of stress, sadness, or anxiety are causing physical problems, keeping these feelings inside can make you feel worse. It’s okay to let your loved ones know when something is bothering you. However, remember that your family and friends may not be able to help you deal with your feelings appropriately. At these times, ask someone outside the situation — such as your family doctor, a counselor, or a religious advisor — for advice and support to help you improve your emotional health.
Live a balanced life. Try not to obsess about the problems at work, school, or home that lead to negative feelings. This doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be happy when you feel stressed, anxious, or upset. It’s important to deal with these negative feelings, but try to focus on the positive things in your life, too. You may want to use a journal to keep track of things that make you feel happy or peaceful. Research has shown that having a positive outlook can improve your quality of life and give your health a boost. You may also need to find ways to let go of some things in your life that make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Make time for things you enjoy.
Calm your mind and body. Relaxation methods, such as meditation through exercising, stretching or breathing deeply, are useful ways to bring your emotions into balance.
Take care of yourself. To have good emotional health, it’s important to take care of your body by having a regular routine for eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep, and exercising to relieve pent-up tension. Avoid overeating and underexercising, and don’t abuse drugs or alcohol.
2. Stimulus Control
Plan ahead. If you knew that you would be waking up to a cold floor when you got out of bed, it would make sense to prepare by leaving a pair of slippers at the side of your bed. Similarly, if you are going to eat at a restaurant, plan ahead and think about how to ensure you eat healthy foods. If you are going to be stressed, you may need to have a heightened level of determination to stick with your plan. If you can plan your week and make an appointment with yourself for exercise and relaxation at appropriate times, you will be more likely to follow through.
3. Self-Monitoring
A conscience is said to be the knowledge that someone is watching you. While implementing change behaviors, be your own conscience and monitor your actions. Set up a food and exercise log to track your progress. Use an established computer-based program or just a paper journal. Try to record the behaviors as they happen in terms of foods, exercise, and lifestyle behaviors and set a time to review the record so that you can chart your performance weekly.
4. Social Support
Social support is available from family, friends, relatives, religious groups, hobby groups, or prostate cancer survivor groups. It is important that you maintain a healthy relationship with individuals who understand what you are going through. In particular, prostate cancer support groups can be helpful in finding fellowship among others who are dealing with the same issues you are facing now.
Lifestyle changes carried out in a balanced fashion can lead to optimum health in the physical, mental, and spiritual realms — establishing for you a healthy approach toward thrivership.
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