According to Stanford psychologist Kelly McGonigal, there are three things that will stress you out the most during the holidays: spending more than you have, overbooking your schedule and remembering a loved one you miss.

“We envision picture-perfect holidays,” says McGonigal, “and can feel crushed by the gap between imagination and reality.”

Saying we won’t let ourselves get emotional is like saying we won’t eat a second slice of Abuelita’s flan: not going to happen. So how do we fight the inevitable surge of stress? The first step is to pay attention. Be on the lookout for throbbing tension headaches, excessive fatigue, and blood pressure spikes, which are early signs that you are on your way to meltdown. And when you’re full-on overwhelmed, don’t go for the usual indulgences. A recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that eating junk food, shopping, drinking alcohol, surfing the Web, watching TV/movies and spending money frivolously were the least effective ways to relieve symptoms of stress.

Here’s what worked, according to the survey:

• Exercising and playing sports
• Reading
• Listening to music
• Spending time with family, friends and pets
• Meditating and practicing yoga
• Praying or attending religious services
• Doing creative projects and hobbies

Jot this list down and slip it into your wallet, along with soothing words such as “happy,” “accept” and “free.” It may sound corny, but it works! Not your style? Try a five-minute walk: “It boosts mood,” says McGonigal. “That’s a pretty immediate payoff, and it offers more stress-relief than you’d get from an hour-long jog!”

“You can’t come home. No one here wants you.” These were the words Susana De Anda heard from her brother -- her only close remaining family member since her parents died -- when she called home from college, crying.

In spite of feeling lost and alone during her first year, De Anda went on to pursue a double major at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in environmental Studies and geography. She worked in several different organizations on water issues and environmental justice before serving as a community organizer at The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment.

Susana eventually co-founded the Community Water Center, a nonprofit that she now directs. The organization is solely dedicated to helping low-income communities gain access to clean, safe and affordable drinking water -- a cause to which she is devoted.

Susana works with 11 communities in Central California, each of which is struggling with water-quality issues because their tap water is contaminated by cancer-causing agents. Her organization acts as a catalyst for community water-driven solutions through advocacy and education.

In 2005, Susana was awarded the Rising Tortuga Award from the Latino Issues Forum for her willingness to “stick her neck out” for California’s Latino communities.

In retelling the story, Susana says she later realized that her brother, who has always been her anchor throughout her life and continues to be, had said this in order to give her the strength to keep going. Having lost their parents at a young age, they were there for each other.

From a meager past, Susana -- still a young woman -- has created work, a family and a life she loves.

Trying to follow your dreams? We took a look at the accomplishments of four entrepreneurs who are using their culture to change their field.

	Sisters Claudia and Silvia Ortiz loved baking as young girls in Chicago. As adults in 2010, they turned their passion into Casa Girl Cupcakes, a much-frequented cupcake store. From horchata, to churro, to arroz con leche, you won’t find these typical Latin flavors in cupcakes anywhere else in Chi-Town or beyond.
	As a working mom with three young boys, Tanya Diaz had little time to exercise. But when she met personal trainer and makeup artist Maria Barrerra, the pair wanted to help other busy women stay in shape. In 2010, they started Knockout Fitness and Beauty, a women-only beauty and fitness regime in Chicago. They offer many packages, including a 10-week boot camp with hair and beauty makeovers.
	While writing an article about online wedding-planning for Latinos, Lilian de la Torre-Jiménez realized little was offered in Spanish. In 2008, she began publishing Bodas La Revista USA, the first Spanish-language bridal magazine in the country. The California-based glossy has since won several prestigious awards.
	As a teen mom in Tularosa, N.M., Tina Cordova knew early on that she’d have to work twice as hard to succeed. After learning about an opportunity in the construction business, Cordova took $5,000 -- her life savings -- and started Queston Construction Inc. Despite the recession, in 2012 Cordova will celebrate 20 years of constructing and repairing roofs. A tireless advocate for Hispanic business owners, Cordova is also the president of the New Mexico Minority Business Association.

For most of her career, Dr. Nora Volkow, a 55-year-old neuroscientist, has studied the brain’s inner workings. And as the director of the National Institute on Drug Addiction, she applies her groundwork to expand our understanding of addiction.

Now that a prescription drug abuse crisis is flaming across the U.S., Volkow’s pioneer work is finally gaining more attention. Essentially she’s showing how drug addiction is an actual brain disease, and not the result of a weak personality.

Of particular concern is the disproportionate number of Latinos and African Americans whose lives have been shattered by addiction, and the incarceration to which it often leads. That’s why Volkow’s self-professed obsession is to bring her scientific breakthroughs to mainstream medicine and the general health-care system. Part of the conundrum, however, is that doctors are the legal pushers of the very drugs that are treating pain and harming so many.

It doesn’t help that addiction is starting at younger ages. According to the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 17 percent of Latino high school seniors were abusing prescription drugs. What’s worse is that doctors who are often at a loss to care for afflicted patients.

The good news is that Volkow is sharing her findings with doctors, giving them treatment tools to heal pain -- without sparking an addiction. When you treat an addict, she has said, you’re giving them -- and their family -- a chance.

Yes, we know your Latina blood gives you natural rhythm. But are you getting the most out of your girls’ nights out? It’s time to shake up your half-hearted merengue routine and sign up for a class. The health benefits of regular vigorous dance sessions, such as Zumba aerobics and Brazilian capoeira, are vast. In addition to strengthening bones, toning muscles and boosting heart health, hooking up with comadres for regular dance-offs will also make you happier and smarter. Science shows that exercise, especially in groups, can work as an instant antidepressant. Here are three ways to add a dash of sexy to your summer exercise routine:

1. Zumba Aerobics. This workout originated in Colombia, but it takes Latin dance moves from everywhere: salsa, merengue, reggaeton, hip-hop, pop and more. Unlike typical aerobics routines that focus on counting out loud, Zumba sessions are high-energy parties where you dance to the beat and burn between 400 and 600 calories. The high levels of feel-good hormones you will release help lower stress, avoid hypertension and keep your heart healthy.

2. Brazilian Capoeira. A combination of martial arts and music, this art form originated in the quilombos -- or slave settlements -- of South America. The practice was both a way for slaves to entertain themselves and a cunning way for them to practice self-protection moves in case of an attack. Today, this “dance-fight” is practiced around the world. It can be a lethal workout on the dance floor, burning as many as 500 to 700 calories per hour. The best part? You will be using your entire body -- head, arms, legs, and feet -- to kick, cartwheel and do handstands. You’ll have incredible flexibility.

3. Argentine Tango. This well-known dance is best described as a combination of walking and gymnastics. Though it can burn anywhere from 200 to 400 calories per hour, the dance’s powerful workout is often overlooked. Those slow, deep lunges are amazing for improving coordination and toning legs. And its sharp turns require a strong, wide upper body frame, which in turn improves posture.