All over the world tonight, champagne glasses will be raised to toast the beginning of the new year. Anyone who's ever tasted champagne knows the delightful effect of that first satisfying sip—cool effervescence tickles your nose as the sweet and nutty flavors roll over your tongue and the gentle alcohol stimulates your brain. "Ah!" The relaxation response kicks in, and you can't help smiling. If we only had a glass of champagne at hand when daily stresses overwhelm us! I've discovered that a breath cocktail works almost as well (though the flavors aren't so obvious). When the driver behind me honks; the woman ahead of me in the checkout has a meltdown; charges on the credit card bill are incorrect; my flight is delayed—whatever it is that spikes the cortisol and sets off anxiety—I take a deep, cooling breath. I let myself feel the air as it rises into my nostrils and flows down my throat, and I let my lungs expand as they fill up. Then I release the breath slowly, reminding myself to smile. Over the years it has helped me to imagine I am sipping air the same way I sip champagne, and so the breath cocktail was born. Try it, it works! I wish all my friends and readers a happy and healthy New Year. Breath cocktails all around!