Self Improvement with Stress Management

Yoga for Emotional Stability

2011-06-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

By Faye Martins

You have probably been in a situation where you had feelings of anxiety, stress and were unable to calm down. Maybe you took a few deep breaths to help calm yourself. Since breathing is a large part of yoga practice, this is a perfect example of how yogic techniques can work in everyday life to shift your emotions from negative and anxious to positive and calm. As you make the practice of yoga a regular part of your life, you will notice that you are motivated in all areas of your life. You will begin to have a positive outlook on life and will be able to deal with stress and anxiety in a calm and controlled manner.

Generally, any form of exercise can reduce stress and give you more energy. Yoga has been known to help with depression and bipolar disorder and the symptoms associated with these conditions such as mood swings, anxiety, fear, tension, anger and fatigue to name a few.

Yoga helps by releasing energy blockages within the chakras at the navel region, the heart and the throat. This allows energy to flow freely, giving you a feeling of vitality and renewed health. This will help you to connect with others and the world around you. Yoga has an effect on the endocrine system and organs of the body leading to a positive effect on hormonal changes in the body. Such hormonal changes can lead to a positive shift in emotions. A study that was conducted showed that yoga reduced stress hormones produced in the heart and cardiovascular system which had a sedating effect.

The practice of yoga will open your mind allowing you to balance your mood. With daily yoga practice, anxiety will be replaced with calmness, sadness with happiness and fatigue with energy. The different postures will allow you to regain control over your body and mind, which will help you control your emotions.

Yoga is especially important if you have had an unusually stressful day. Use the breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation to help you settle down after a long day. Yoga for emotional flow is an easy path to navigate. This will not only calm you down at the time, but will also ensure that you will be able to rest more soundly which will help you face the next day with a renewed spirit. You should incorporate the practice of yoga into everyday life in order to reap the full range of holistic benefits it provides.

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

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Yoga for Fear – Can Yoga Help Treat Panic Attack Syndrome?

2011-05-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Panic attacks can be crippling, with waves of fear, racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, and other symptoms that make victims feel like they are about to die. These disabling attacks are common, as well; at least 20% of adult Americans will suffer from a panic attack at some time in their lives. That is around 60 million people facing intense distress; and following one attack, the risk of having another is increased. Clearly, panic attacks have a major impact on sufferers’ lives, and treatment is very important. One area, where positive results, regarding the reduction of attacks have been noted, is in Yoga practice.

The emphasis in Yoga on mind, body, and breath is a classic relaxation technique. A 2007 article, in Yoga Journal, by Dr. Timothy McCall, suggests some specific practices for anxiety and panic attacks: “[the best method is] a good asana practice, which burns off the nervous energy that can contribute to anxiety… A number of breathing practices, including abdominal breathing and lengthening the exhalation relative to the inhalation, help reduce symptoms of anxiety. Scientific studies suggest that left-nostril breathing can effectively reduce symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder.”

The effects of paying attention to one’s body, and breathing in a Yoga practice can make individuals more self-aware and allow them to detect early signs of a panic attack. Since anxiety often builds on itself, early detection is the key to heading off major attacks; calming techniques work best, if practiced early in the cycle of anxiety, breaking the negative feedback loop.

So how can you help your Yoga students, who may be suffering from anxiety or panic attacks? Encourage awareness, throughout practice, of sensations in their bodies. Breathing through postures will help give them control over their breathing in situations where they experience shortness of breath; and controlled breathing, in turn, controls the nervous system.

As anxious people tend to be self-critical, the teacher should adopt a warm, reassuring style, letting students know that it is all right not to understand all the sensations they may be feeling. Have students practice flowing through the Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskara), at their own pace, concentration on their breathing, and not trying to keep pace with a teacher or another student.

This feeling of continuous movement and controlled breathing, at their own pace, will help them “break the spell” of feeling paralyzed when anxious. Finally, teaching some hand mudras for relaxation will give Yoga students a focal point, in situations where they cannot perform a full series of poses.

To see our complete selection of Yoga teacher training courses, please feel free to visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/Teacher-Courses/

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Stress Relief Can Be Easily Found If You Know Where to Look

2008-06-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

Written By Brett Thomas

Many people who suffer from stress do not know where to find stress relief and thus are plagued by various problems such as insomnia because they are constantly fretting about the events of tomorrow. If you are one of these people, then it is high time you started searching for methods of achieving stress relief.

You must also shed any reservations that you may harbor over confiding in other people about your stress and its causes, as this is one of the main obstacles to finding true relief for your stress.

Problems, Problems Everywhere

Stress can be caused by any number of factors that include problems related to work, school, and relationships gone wrong or some kind of financial difficulty. Whatever the source of your stress, it is imperative that you find some form of stress relief as soon as possible, before your stress causes you to develop stress-related disorders and illnesses.

It is, in fact, fairly easy to find stress relief, provided you know the right stress management techniques. You must also not ignore the fact that you have problems with stress, and this means actively searching for the best options available to help prevent and deal with stress.

Meditation For Stress Relief

One of the simplest and yet most effective methods of stress management is meditation. This simple activity can be carried out in several different ways, and you will need to determine which method is best suited to your needs. You will also need to find a peaceful and quiet spot in which to practice your meditation, as this will better enable you to drive all the negative thoughts that you may be harboring in your mind, clearing your mind of everything that causes you to become stressed.

Music For Stress Relief

Another possible method of stress relief is listening to soothing music. The best time to immerse yourself in such music is just before you go to sleep, or when you are in dire need of relaxation after enduring a particularly stressful situation. While listening to such music, you should focus only on enjoying the moment. This method of relaxation can greatly reduce your stress levels, allowing you to rid yourself of tension and to achieve a state of calm.

Deep Breathing For Stress Relief

Deep breathing is also a great method for relieving stress. After extremely stressful experiences, you should pause for a moment and take deep, slow breaths, thinking about nothing but your own breathing. Your heart rate will begin to slow as you do so, and you will feel calm and more collected, both physically and mentally. This method of stress relief can be of great help in relieving the stress you may be experiencing.

Reduce stress. Live and feel better.

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4 Easy Steps - How To Reduce Your Stress?

2008-05-23T03:44:00.000-07:00

Written By Ganda Putra

Sometimes there is a period when we feel saturated, boring and dizzy that cause to the stress. Of course we all do that experience either stress due work, boyfriend or girlfriend, family etc. I can understand if those stresses can lead to suicide, because mentally they can't face and accept the reality.

Why is that? It is because our mind is limited, if there is a situation which is outside of our mind range, of course it will cause shock with our mind and generating "Mind stress" and if is not get solution immediately cause fatal to our life.

Then how we can reduce our stress? Those 4 easy tips that I give to you how to reduce your stress:

What is your hobby that most simple, most favorite that you love, and which you can reach anytime and everywhere you are? If you have one do your hobby without postponed anything if you under stress. You know that actually if you get stress, you always want to immediately forget that thing right? So don't be delaying do your hobby. Of course this action must be in positive which is not disservice you or other people like "Drunk in public place or angry overreact with kids, etc". So what kind hobbies is that?

It could be walking around get some fresh air around your neighbor and find those green stuff like trees or you can listen the calm music in your room, or you can play and make a jokes with your children, or you can play with your dog and so on. Mostly must to be remember is don't do hobby which disservice you or others, okay!

Prepare your self free spare times for 1-3 hours come if you under stress of which your problem and make promise to yourself that you will be solve that problem once your spare times is finish or done. Because with that promise you will not focus to your problem on your free spare times and you get easier to relax your mind which frees time is running. If your spare time is running out maybe less than 15 minutes, soon prepare everything with mentally or physical or material. Try not to postpone or lengthening your spare time so that your problems come quickly solved. Therefore prepared your spare time maturely which you will take most effective as possible, the point is you have enough time to solve your problem.

If your problem causes stress is caused at enragement, like made angry by your boss, you can do self satisfy by hitting something soft in your warehouse or you can scream in the middle of large lonely field until you get satisfied.

Make practice everyday to think positive, get the true principle into your life, get the beautiful purpose or destination to your life and feel be blessed what you've got anywhere and anytime.

Trust me whenever you get hardly stress if you get those 4 things, it will be help a lot to reducing your stress when it comes.I don't know you, are you have a complicated problem caused you stress, maybe by work or girlfriend or boyfriend or something else.

But believe of one principle that "There is no problem that can't be solved". I personally hope that you have a beautiful destination which is useful to your life or others people life and feel be blessed what you got now. I hope this article more or less can help you, thank you for keep reading.

"Did you find those tips on stress reduction useful? You can learn a lot more about how to reduce your stress at the following Yoga information web site.

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/yoga-community/blog/

Breathe, Once, In & Out

2008-05-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

Written By Marty Murphy

You may not have thought about breathing even once today. You have, however been breathing. Well, duh!

The act of breathing has unique life sustaining power. When we become aware of breathing, we experience the foundation of most meditative exercises.

This is not just the physical process of moving air into and out of our lungs. That physical breath is truly the vehicle that the life-force (spirit) employs to manifest in the physical world.

When we took life, the first thing that we accomplished was inspiration, we literally breathed air into our lungs. That was followed soon thereafter by expiration...we breathed out. Thereafter, we respire. Note that these words are rooted in the Latin word spiritus (spirit). To inspire is to breathe in the spirit. To expire is to breathe the spirit out. When we leave this life, the last thing that we do is to breathe out, hence, to expire (spirit leaves).

The Hindus call this force Prana, the Chinese Taoists, Chi, Hebrews, the Breath of Life, Christians, Holy Spirit.

In order to avoid the requirement that we believe something, we are referring to spirit here as un-manifested (spiritual) energy. It could be called Pure Awareness, the essential nature of who we are.

Because our breath is intimately connected to the spiritual life-force, it controls all aspects of the mental, physical and spiritual processes in our human life. Our breath controls experiences of pain and fear. It contains powerful healing energies.

When you close your eyes and notice that you are breathing, consider that this has been going on all day, perhaps without your having to assist it or to even be aware of it. Now that you are aware, notice one breath. By the way, that's all you are able to notice...this one breath. Notice the tempo of your breathing.

Notice, if you can that while you are aware of this breathing, the pace of your "thinking" has significantly decreased. When you notice this, your thinking will then probably "jump back" into your consciousness. Just relax and focus again on your breathing. Notice, if you will that you achieve even more relaxation and relief from random mind chatter.

If this seems to be some sort of meditative practice, that's because it is. For a few moments here, we have been meditating. Just close your eyes again. Breathe.

Be aware, each day of at least one breath. That way, you meditate every day.

For more than 30 years, Marty Murphy has studied the effects and healing of unresolved emotional pain. In 2005, Marty founded The Freedom Step
(http://www.thefreedomstep.com/).

TFS guides us to an experience of the joy of Pure Awareness. Each of us is Spirit; each a healer, here to wake up and heal ourselves and each other.

Marty wrote The Mind Whisperer: The Freedom Step Out of Slavery to take readers deeper into the philosophy and workings of The Freedom Step program. Marty and Monita, his wife of 45 years, live in La Mesa, CA. Visit The Freedom Step site to learn more about energy healing of emotional pain.

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Meditation - A Key To Stress Management

2008-05-17T04:23:00.000-07:00

Written By Della Franklin

We often see people break down in depression, or incapable of thinking properly in times of great need or problems. These are people who let stress rule their lives, and it's never a pretty sight to begin with. The only way for you to be free from stress is to make sure that you don't let it rule you. Here are some stress management tips on how to relax and push the problems out of your system.

It's all in the mind

Our mind is the first to be affected in stressful situations. The harmony of your thoughts can be disrupted if you let your worries and problems seep into your conscious mind and control how you think. Financial burdens, quarrels or petty fights can leave devastating effects on your mind - if this does happen then the first thing you should do is try to relax.

Relaxing your mind is a great way to control stress but not so easily done. It needs a lot of concentration and willpower to achieve. There are ways to induce your mind into a relaxed state; aromatherapy is a great way to induce a sense of relaxation and can help you think straight. The scent of lavender or jasmine can put you in a meditative state and help you relax almost immediately. You can choose scented candles, incense or oils that will suit your preference. You can find a large selection of these scented candles at Dogwood Square.

Meditation is the key to a stress free life

It's almost impossible to find a solution to your problems when you are deep in stress, no matter how petty it is. Learning to focus all your energy in telling your mind to relax can be done through the ancient art of meditation.

Meditation allows you to focus your mind on a single idea and letting everything else melt away to nothing. Meditation classes will guide you through steps on how to intiate your mind into meditation and keeping it there during times of need. This will allow you to focus on a single thought, like finding a solution to your problem, while letting the worries and anxiety float away to nothing.

Steps to meditation

The first step of meditation is to look for a place of peace. Stress management always starts with serenity and solitude, so you better pick a location that will help you start with meditation. You can pick a room in your house with the least amount of noise or go camp out with nature.

Next, you need to relax by focusing your mind on specific parts of your body. Start with your toes, legs, torso, stomach, hands, and chest. It's best if you close your eyes and let your mind zero in on these areas. Tell each one to relax. Be extra careful not to fall asleep since this will immediately cease all meditative attempts.

Once you have relaxed each and every part of your body, you will feel a slight heaviness. This usually happens during your first try at meditation. After a while, you will no longer feel your body - as if it's a non-existent part of yourself.

Focus on a question, like a solution to your problem, with your mind. You might notice that some thoughts or scenes appear and disappear like a fleeting memory - keep note of these in passing and don't focus on them too much since this will defeat the practice of meditation. Imagine these thoughts like you are watching a movie.

When you encounter problems that will eventually lead to stress, you can invoke meditation almost instantly. If you practice enough, your mind will instantaneously clear itself of all cluttered nonsense and allow you to focus on how to deal with your stress.

http://www.stressmgmtsite.com/ brings you all the latest information you need to assist you with stress management. Be sure to check it out. © 2008 copyright by DSquare Marketing and Della Franklin. Also check out Dogwood Square.

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Stress-Busters For Busy Boomers

2008-05-14T05:56:00.000-07:00

By Joyce M Dillon

Stress is a big deal in midlife. It is everywhere. It plagues us at home. It travels with us on the road. It sleeps with us at night.

Compared to today's multitasking, time-challenged, cyber-stressed baby boomers, cave people led relatively stress-free lifestyles. Between family and financial demands, working overtime, rapidly changing technologies, time compression, corporate downsizing, and caregiving for older relatives, people in midlife are struggling with more stressors than previous generations have ever experienced.

Life is stressful. Eliminating stress entirely is not an option.

Stress can and does happen even when you have your life in order. Stress can recede in one area and increase in another. Just as you get your finances in order, your relationship goes sour. Get your relationship together and a family member becomes ill.

This is life.

Andrew Weil, MD, in Healthy Aging says, "the goal of managing stress is to change your reaction to stress." Stress is simply your body's way of reacting to your mind's messages. What messages do you tell yourself all day long? Most of us spend our day thinking of negative, stressful events that are in the past or events that may happen in the future.

Echart Tolley, author of The New Earth says, "Most stress comes from the resistance of not accepting what is and not taking action to make a change in the situation."

The first step is to get clear about the issue and thentake action on the problem or situation that creates your stress. In addition, it is critical to learn new ways to manage your perception of stress. How we react to crisis or disturbing events is mainly a matter of old habits and beliefs.

We need to become aware of how we respond to stress and the thoughts we are thinking, and then consciously move out of those negative thoughts by bringing our mind back into the present moment. If you practice this "being in the moment" technique along with other relaxation techniques, you can reduce your stress significantly.

Do you ever really get relaxed?

Whatever stress you have to deal with, you can learn to activate the relaxation response. You can do this in many ways, some of which are: by working with your breath, practicing yoga, meditating, floating in water, walking in nature, and playing with animals. When I develop a client's wellness assessment, I always ask: What is the major source of stress in your life? What do you do to relax? Have you ever had any relaxation training?

The answer to the last question is usually "no." Many people tell me they have a drink, watch television, go on vacation and/or exercise. Some of these activities may or may not be relaxing, and most of them do not elicit the relaxation response.

To experience the healing benefits of deep relaxation or the relaxation response, the mind needs to be focused through meditation or on other repetitive mental activities that help the body respond with a dramatic decrease in heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and metabolic rate. Our body responds in the opposite way of the flight or fight response. We do have the amazing ability built into our cells to heal and rejuvenate our bodies if we just slow down and relax.

Take an inventory of your life in order to identify the ways that you can activate and cultivate deep relaxation. Remember, to benefit from relaxation this needs to be done regularly and consciously. The next time your have a stressful event notice if you have been able to change your perception of the stressful situation. This life change practice takes awareness and practice.

Keep at it!

Joyce Dillon, RN, MN, is a midlife expert, coach, author and CEO of Healthy Living and Balance. She is a pioneer in the field of healthy aging, empowerment and midlife transition. Teacher of transformative education for women, spa and Costa Rica retreat leader, and author of Embracing Your Soul's Calling in Midlife.

Learn more at http://www.healthylivingandbalance.com/ or blog http://www.healthyboomerlifestyles.typepad.com/ or contact Joyce at 404-881-1322.

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Comprehensive Stress Management

2008-05-13T04:03:00.000-07:00

Written By Dr Peter Lind

A comprehensive approach to stress management is to make sure you deal with each part of stress. There are three major stresses that need your complete attention: physical, nutritional, and emotional. To be complete, each of these causes of stress need to be studied and dealt with.

Physical stress is tearing you down

To reduce stress physically you have to do the most effective exercise with the least risk of symptom, injury, and death. Exercise must improve your strength, your cardiovascular system, your body fat, and bone strength. It must improve your muscle mass and its tone.

Physically, you must:

Know the difference between aerobic, anaerobic exercises and fit these both into your exercise program.

Know how is health lifestyle and exercise related and take the steps to improve your health through exercising.

Know what is the definition of aerobic exercise and do some easy aerobics today even if it means walking around the block.

Understand what makes anaerobic exercising so important and how to begin this type of exercise.

Know the types of aerobic exercise and work aerobics into your exercise without stressing more of your system.

Nutritional stress is eating you up

Think about what you eat. Why are you causing even more stress? Nutrition is the soil for your health. If you are ill all the time your body is not repairing itself from the ground up. To heal you need the right diet. You need the right source of minerals, vitamins and enzymes that are optimal for your body to heal and repair.

Nutritionally, to receive the best benefit you must:

Know what is the definition of nutrition, let's start there.

Know what makes up good nutrition.

Know why is nutrition important when exercise.

Know how bad fast foods really are.

Know the reason why the food pyramid changed.

Understand how the basic food groups are put together.

Know the effects of cooking methods on food.

Repressing emotional stress will just come up as stress

All illness, disease, and malady has an emotional component. Every health problem reoccur over and over until the hidden emotional components are found and corrected.

Emotional control is paramount for reducing stress and one of the most important aspects for helping the body maintain homeostasis.

To enjoy a healthy balance of emotions, you must:

Know how stress affects health.

Know how stress affects lifestyle.

Know how stress produces physical symptoms.

Know what do with negative emotions.

To address each of these issues will take dilegence and time but what else do you have? As you begin now you can really change your life. Tell someone what you have learned.

You can do this research on your own or you can get help with this information on my website. However you do this make sure you do. It will help you now and it will prolong your long, healthy life.

For more stress information go to Manage Stress

Permission is granted to reprint the article, free of charge, providing that the article remains unchanged.

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The Effects Of Stress On The Body And What You Can Do About It

2008-05-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

Written By Elke Neher

Stress is a very common symptom nowadays. Nearly everyone is experiencing stress from time to time. Although this is no necessarily good, it will do no harm to your body. But what happens if you experience stress nearly all the time? What are the effects of stress on the body and what can you do against it?

Hair is considered by many a barometer of your inner health. So in stressful situations your hair may be the first part of your body to feel the repercussions. Hair loss is just another annoying way it can get the best of you. It basically boils down to your body being out-of-whack. This is just one of the many effects that stress can have on the body.

Cortisol is one of our primary stress hormones, and is often used to measure the stress response. Stress in itself is not necessarily a bad thing. Cortisol however is required in other processes such as laying down of new memories. But elevated levels of Cortisol affects the memory and if prolonged, can damage the hippocampus, the part of the brain which is concerned with memory. Chronic stress can definitely harm your memory.

Cortisol strongly suppresses the immune system. This means that a person experiencing chronic stress is more vulnerable to colds and viral flare ups. Cortisol, a hormone produced in the adrenal glands, plays an important role in the body's regulation of cardiovascular function and fat, protein and carbohydrate utilization. When the body experiences stress, Cortisol secretion increases, thus causing a breakdown of muscle protein and the release of amino acids to form glucose via gluconeogenesis, which means you are losing muscle tissue.

Chronically elevated hormone levels shift the balance of water, oxygen and vital nutrients - which skin needs to thrive - impairing its natural immune function and its ability to properly heal and replenish itself. The result can range from excess oil production and breakouts to dehydration, irritation and inflammation, all of which can contribute to premature skin aging.

Chronic stress can lead to heart disease or unstable angina. Angina leads to pain in your chest brought which is caused by insufficient supply of oxygen. Chronic daily stress (ie. a few common signs of weak adrenal function are: overeating and weight gain, low feeling of energy or fatigue, irritability, chronic tiredness, oversleeping and frequent immune system break down.

Feelings of being insecure, lacking in confidence, and feeling overwhelmed are also the emotional effects of stress to a person. Feel that tension in your neck, are your shoulders around your ears? The body will restrict circulation in an effort to limit the movement of bacteria and invading substances. Feel your stomach rising and falling. If your mind is racing, count your breaths, to slow down and get the relaxation you need.

Yoga can help you greatly to change your stress level. Yoga also helps to improve body alignment resulting in better posture and helping to relieve back, neck, joint and muscle problems. Yoga is a great way to reduce stress. Studies have shown that daily meditation can actually reduce blood pressure and helps in getting rid of stress symptoms and it is a wonderful way to alleviate the effects of stress on the body.

Do you want to find out more about the effects of stress on the body? Then head over to http://www.stopstressanxiety.com/ Don't forget to sign up to get my free report and read more great articles on stress and anxiety

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Beat The Stress Clock!

2008-05-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

Written By Ronnie Nijmeh

Not all stress is distress. A certain amount of stress or pressure is necessary to maintain a healthy balance physically and mentally. There are actually several degrees of stress. Probably one of the most important aspects of dealing with the negative stress in your life is through positive stress affirmations.

Positive affirmations can be a part of your first response to stress triggers.
It would be wonderful if we could a place that is calming and peaceful so you can relax and recite positive affirmations without interruption. The problem is, stress generally doesn't choose the moments in our lives when we have the luxury of stepping away and collecting ourselves; therefore your affirmations have to be rooted and instinctive.

The lowest degree of stress is distress, which can lead to frustration, boredom or dissatisfaction - even severe health effects such as complete exhaustion, heart attacks, and stroke. This stress chips away at us, which can slowly disintegrate our body and mind. And it can even create many negative affirmations ingrained in our minds. This, of course, needs to be addressed and we need to refocus our mind.

Examples of Positive Stress Affirmations

Here are two examples of positive stress affirmations for the distress situations that arise:
"There are so many things to explore and do in life." or "I am content to be in my circumstances."

The most destructive stress is the extreme stress, which leads to irrational problem solving and very often anger. This stress can cause you to make poor judgment calls that destroy your credibility and decision making processes.

Coping with Extreme Stress through Affirmations

Some positive stress affirmations that need to become ingrained to counteract extreme stress could be the following: "I will never make a major decision when I am angry or totally stressed." "I will seek a trusted friend for wise counsel before taking action when I am stressed out."

There is such a thing as "healthy" stress. It's called eustress, or positive stress. This stress leads to positive growth, satisfaction, newfound knowledge, rational problem solving and creativity. Using this particular stress to energize your positive stress affirmations for the destructive distress and extreme stress would be productive.

We need to reevaluate how we manage the stress in our life and recognize the situations that are unique to us that put us into stress mode. For one person the craziness of an insanely busy workday could stretch them to the limit; while another person would thrive on this high energy. Find the eustress in your life that you can tap into and use the creative energy to calm you when you are under the distress or destructive stress influence.

Some free positive affirmations to help you achieve your goal for inner harmony in a stressful world are as follows:

I can balance my time in order to keep me from being bored.
I choose not to make life-changing decisions when I am stressed.
I take a step back from conversations when I am too stressed to be rational.
I evaluate what I find stressful and choose to move past it.
I am a calm problem solver.
I value the counsel of others when I can't see the forest for the trees.

Ronnie Nijmeh is the Chief Inspiration Officer at ACQYR.com, a motivational website with a vast list of affirmations, motivational articles, and free desktop wallpapers. Learn how you can get inspired today!

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Job Stress - 8 Tips to Help Handle Job Stress

2007-12-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

By Tery Robertson

Trent Jensen was a quiet, mild mannered, polite hard worker. He wasn't sullen and he wasn't overly jovial. He was just...well, normal. Trent generally arrived early to his cubicle in the IT Department of a Fortune 250 company and worked diligently until noon when he generally lunched with several co-workers. He then returned to his desk (located in Building C, floor 2, the third row down, 5th cubicle on the left) and worked or attended meetings until time to leave.

His job was quite stressful with numerous deadlines and meetings, however Trent seemed to take it in stride. As more and more deadlines piled up, he started taking his laptop home with him and spending nights and weekends trying to get caught up. The pattern was followed year after year. That's why everyone was surprised when one morning, Trent just flipped out.

Trent was preparing for a meeting and needed to make copies of some documents. Once again, the brand new color copier (that cost more than the average worker's salary) jammed. And it didn't just jam a little - it jammed completely and utterly. That's when Trent just lost it. He screamed, he yelled, he cussed, he picked up the closest thing (which happened to be an umbrella) and attacked the helpless copy machine. Of course, everyone's heads popped up out of their cubicles to watch the spectacle but no one tried to calm or stop Trent - they just stared, slack-jawed, and let him rant and rave. After several minutes the copier was totally destroyed and Trent was escorted from the building by 5 armed company security guards.

Of course, Trent's melt down was the main topic of conversation for days. Those who were his friends were concerned but many others just enjoyed discussing what had happened and how he looked as he was demolishing the copy machine. Of course, the story became embellished and soon spun out of control.

Trent took a medical leave of absence and never returned to his Building C, floor 2, the third row down, 5th cubicle on the left position.

So just what was it that triggered Trent's melt down and how could it have been prevented?
Here are 8 tips that if Trent had followed, his melt down might have been prevented.

1. Meditate - An open cubicle environment can be particularly stressful to workers. The constant noise level, phones ringing, interruptions cut down on productivity and raise stress levels. By using some simple meditation techniques, Trent could have learned to relax and filter out the background interruptions.

2. Create - As the mental and emotional stresses of his job increased, Trend changed his priorities from his family and interests to spending more and more time working. His free-time disappeared and he started experiencing marital problems which further multiplied his stress.

If Trent had created several important elements he could have made his life a bit easier.
Create Free Time. Schedule a set time to spend with those you love. Put away the work and don't allow it to impede quality time with friends and family.

Create an Exercise Routine. Although Trent's company had its own expensively equipped gym, tennis courts, and jogging trail, Trent never felt that he had the time to spend exercising. Therefore, his health started deteriorating and he stopped enjoying any kind of physical activity.

Create a "things-to-do" list. Trent was so wrapped up in constantly feeling as though he was "putting out fires" that he never seemed to get ahead of his work load. He jumped from one crisis to the next - and the tasks that were routine last week, became critical this week. By setting up a list and prioritizing his tasks, Trent could have handled his job tasks in a more efficient manner.

3. Concentrate - The environment that Trent worked in wore upon him more than he knew. The constant low-level noise distracted him and therefore tasks took longer than they should have. There are several techniques that Trent could have utilized that would have allowed him to improve his concentration. They include meditation techniques, white noise machine and even ear plugs.

4. Relocate - It doesn't hurt to check into the possibility of relocating to a quieter part of the floor. Trent was in a high traffic area next to the copy machine. He could have possibly moved to a quieter area.

5. Eliminate - There are multiple techniques that Trent could have used to eliminate, or at least alleviate his stress.

6. Evaluate - Oft times people are so caught up in their moment to moment business, that they don't take the time to just sit and think. If Trent had stopped to taken some time to prioritize and then perhaps his melt down could have been prevented.

7. Medicate - Sometimes people's body chemistry goes haywire. Trent's meltdown is an indication that something extreme was happening. Perhaps a quick trip to the doctor would have been in order.

8. Rejuvenate - Trent was so caught up in his job that he spent more and more time working and less time relaxing. He became so tightly wound that he broke. When you're in a high stress position, it's important to prioritize things.

Although Trent's name has been changed, the scenario is true. I was one of the prairie dog people who stood with my mouth agape, watching Trent attack the copy machine with an umbrella. (This happened 10 years prior to Brittney's umbrella attack on the SUV). I was one of the people whom Trent lunched with almost daily. After witnessing Trent's behavior that day, I realized that almost anyone in our department could be in the same position as Trent. That's when I started making changes in my life - positive changes that allow me to work from home, have my own schedule and make a lot more money than Trent ever dreamed of making.
If you are in danger of being a "Trent", then contact me or put together a plan to make positive, healthy changes in your life.

Tery Robertson is an Internet Marketer/Online Network Marketing Coach who spent many years in Fortune 500 corporate environments and now enjoys the personal and financial freedom of creating her own online businesses. She consults and mentors other entrepreneurs who are interested in creating their own 6 figure plus incomes. She can be contacted at info@nourishinglife.com or http://www.nourishinglife.com/

Panic Attack At Work

2007-11-23T07:39:00.000-08:00

By Giri Anantha

Suffering from a panic attack at work can be very upsetting. When you're at work, you might want to keep certain things private, but having a panic attack can ruin this for you.
The problem with panic attacks is that they can happen anywhere and at any time. NOTHING about panic attacks follows any logical rules. You can be stressed and still be fine; you can be relaxed and suddenly get one.

An employee can lose their confidence, perhaps under performs and also become extremely self-conscious of what their co-workers might be thinking.

Panic Attack Sufferers Guard Their 'Secret'

This is why panic attack sufferers want to keep this private and hope their 'secret' is never known. A panic attack can make this incredibly difficult. There may be an urge to escape.
Panic attacks can lead to panic disorder, which can lead to agoraphobia. This could result in being absent from work or worse, even lead to becoming unemployed.

Sufferers will go to extreme lengths to conceal their secret and will even resort to lying and making up excuses. This may eventually catch up with them and they may be let go.
This is why it is VERY important to do something about the problem, because, as mentioned, one problem can so easily lead to other problems, including depression.

It is a treatable condition, but it will require work. Only by working at the problem and practicing will you eventually get better. There are things that can also reduce the frequency and intensity of attacks.

Conventional And Alternative Treatments Do Work

Taking medication along with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is very helpful. CBT requires your active participation, so be prepared to face the challenges.

There are many drugs available today, so one will be right for you. If something doesn't work, tell your doctor so that you can go onto something else. There are many other treatment options too.

Panic Away and The Linden Method are two drug-free programs created by ex-sufferers. Thousands have used their programs to overcome their issues and live normally and free of fear.

If you've postponed looking for help but then suffered a panic attack at work, it's time you did something. There's no reason to keep suffering because you can get better.

http://www.panic-and-agoraphobia.com/

http://www.panic-and-agoraphobia.com/panic-attack-at-work.html

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Yoga for Stress Management Course

How Stressed are You? Take the Stress Test

2007-11-14T15:59:00.000-08:00

By Dr Jenny Tylee

Stress leads to physical and or mental tension. If stress becomes unrelenting and chronic it is a major factor in causing disease. The stress reaction involves the whole body. Relaxation and visualization, exercise, balanced diet, vitamin and mineral supplementation and herbal remedies are just some of the approaches that can be of benefit to manage your stress.

What is stress?

Stress has many definitions including anything that causes us to change, anything that throws us off our equilibrium or when we are under unusual or excessive pressure. Some stress is necessary - it is what stimulates us and without some stress we become bored and frustrated. Stress can be seen as the 'spice of life' or the 'kiss of death' and what one person considers to be stressful another person will see as a challenge and interesting. There are some events which all experience as stressful of course. These include divorce, death of a loved one, terrorism and sudden unforseen events such as car accidents, for example.

However there are other events that are seemingly trivial that can be experienced as stressful such as being delayed in a queue or doing something that is 'fun' like going on a vacation. There is evidence to suggest that 'little stressors' are often harder on health than some of the big stress events. It seems that the body was not designed to deal with prolonged chronic stress. We aren't meant to drag around bad memories and feelings of anxiety and frustration.

The fact that stress is a serious health problem can be seen in the following figures:

89% of adults experience high stress levels
60 - 70% of all disease and illness is stressed related
one in four people experience sleep loss as a result of stress
more than 25% of adults have high blood pressure due to or aggravated by stress
75 - 90% of visits to medical practitioners are stress related

The physical response to stress is what has been called the 'fight or flight' syndrome. This is where the body sends messages to your body in the form of stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline).

The message is that we need to take quick action and our body's response to these hormones is to:

send stored fats and sugars into our blood stream to provide the energy for action,
increase the rate of our breathing so that we have the oxygen needed,
increase our heart rate and blood pressure so that the extra oxygen can be carried to the muscles, our digestive system action is slowed down to make extra blood available for the muscles, activate the blood-clotting mechanisms in anticipation of injury.

In short, all our systems are ready to go. This is a healthy response if we are in physical danger, but it is not a healthy response to the majority of stressors that we face in our modern society. In the modern world we do not physically fight the nagging boss we grin and bear it. The stress is not soon over and it can be continual and chronic.

In addition to the physical responses to stress we have emotional responses. When we are unable to act - that is no, fight or flight, our reaction can be internalised. We tend to 'bottle up' our feelings and 'stew' over things. There is also the possibility that we develop long term vigilance where we look into the future with fear - watching and waiting for something disastrous to happen. This is a response to lack of control and the attitude of 'there is nothing I can do about it.' This in turn can lead to feelings of self-doubt, a sense of failure, depression and feelings of entrapment.

Stress Warning Signs

Chronic stress, anxiety and feelings of pressure are common with modern Western lifestyles. When does this stress become a problem for our health? Some of the physical, emotional and behavioural warning signs of over stress are:

increased muscular tension in the neck, back and shoulders,
chest pains or a feeling of pressure in the chest - like a brick being placed on the chest,
shortness of breath,
numbness or tingling, especially in legs, feet, fingers or hands,
stomach and digestive problems,
irregular menstrual periods, increased menstrual cramping and more severe premenstrual tension,
skin eruptions and cold sores,
feeling there just isn't enough time to get everything done,
difficulty meeting deadlines,
difficulty making decisions,
low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness,
increased sensitivity to criticism,
feeling that everything and everyone is against you,
fatigue and boredom, unhappiness and sadness,
difficulty with concentration or being creative and productive,
difficulty controlling your temper and a tendency to criticise and be argumentative,
difficulty in remembering things,
overeating, abusing alcohol or drugs, being too tired or busy to exercise, smoking, and
oversleeping or not getting enough restful sleep.

A person under excessive stress can show many of these signs. Unfortunately the reactions to stress often create further stress. If you are showing the signs of overstress outlined above talk to your health professional and begin to make serious changes in your life. Check yourself out on the stress test below.

Test your stress

Is your energy less now than it used to be?
Do you feel guilty when relaxing?
Do you feel a persistent need for achievement?
Are you unclear about your goals in life?
Are you especially competitive?
Do you hate being corrected, lectured or scolded?
Do you work harder than most people?
Do you easily become angry?
Have you been in a physical fight since high school?
Are you irritable much of the time?
Do you often do two or three tasks simultaneously?
Do you get impatient if people or things hold you up?
Do you have difficulty getting to sleep?

A score of five or more puts you in a high stress category.

If you are in the high stress group then you need to take measures to bring your stress under control. Take action for the sake of your health. relaxation, visualization, cleansing your body, taking vitamin and mineral supplements - especially the B group vitamins and calmative herbs can all help keep your stress under control. You will find supplements to help with stress, anxiety, depression, sleep and general mental wellbeing.

Dr Jenny Tylee is an experienced health professional who is passionate about health and wellbeing. She believes that health is not just absence of disease and seeks to actively promote vitality and wellness through empowering others. She encourages people to improve their health by quit smoking, cleansing their body, taking essential vitamin and mineral supplement and many other methods, including herbal remedies. Visit Dr Jenny's blog and join her newsletter for more quality information.

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Yoga for Stress Management Course

2007-05-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

Stress Management - 6 Lessons Your Kids Can Teach You about Managing Stress

By Sherrie St. Cyr

As adults we have our pastimes and our hobbies. We bowl in leagues, go to the gym to work out. We do things that we don’t consider work, but we hardly ever play. When we do we often base our play on expensive toys - 4 wheelers, boats, water skis, snow skis. Children can play with anything. They don’t need fancy toys to entertain themselves, although advertising would have you believe they do.

Picture a child of about 3 or 4 at Christmas or a birthday. He gets help unwrapping the perfect educational, guaranteed to entertain him for hours toy. It is placed in front of him at last. What does he do? Toddles right past it to the box is was wrapped in and entertains himself for the rest of the day. He uses it as a fort, a race car, and a drum. Toys are a dime a dozen to a child, but a good box will last until Mom finally makes it disappear.

When my oldest son was small, I decided we would not have guns in our house. Personal preference. Lost cause. He made guns from sticks, Legos, and when nothing else was available, he used his finger.

Last Labor Day morning I woke up to the sound of rain. I wasn’t sure that’s what it was at first. I hadn’t heard the slow, soft sound of a lingering rain in a long time. I went to the door and looked out just to make sure. I stepped out onto the porch and drank in the fresh, cool air. * I love rain. I think it has something to do with growing up in Louisiana. It rains a lot there - you might as well love it.

I remember being little and watching it rain, playing in the puddles, and making mud pies. I knew what was coming last Labor Day morning- “Mom, can I go play in the rain?”

Of course you can, I told my eight year old son. Out he went, before he even had breakfast. He didn’t just play IN the rain, though. He went beyond that. He played WITH the rain.

For a long time he sat in one of our plastic lawn chairs out in the rain and sang. Not words, really, just joyful sounds. Soon he was soaked.

The he decided to splash. Not just little splashes in the puddles. He took a lawn chair and positioned it just perfectly so one of the streams coming off the roof fell right into the seat. When it filled up as far as it could, he turned around and quickly sat down. SPLASH! Over and over! SPLASH! He had three chairs going at once. He would fill them in turn, then sit in them and SPLASH! This went on for about an hour.

Finally he came in, dried off, changed clothes, had breakfast, and decided to call a friend to play with him in the rain.

Not long after Xan came down I heard the hose running. They were having water gun fights in the rain. After I mentioned something about there being enough water, they began to fill the guns in the streams coming off the roof.

This led to a game of jumping onto and off the porch without getting into one of the streams. Of course they were already soaked. What difference would a little more water make?
They came in the house for lunch, dried off, changed clothes, and went back out to play in the rain. Finally they were tired. Did they come in the house? No, they laid down in the rain on the back patio and just rested with the raindrops falling on their heads.

It rained all day. They went through 3 towels each and 4 sets of clothes. My son’s friend ended up in one of my t-shirts. His parents had already brought him dry clothes and I didn’t have the heart to call them and tell them those were wet, too. I watched all manner of games form and reform with the rain not as a backdrop, but as an active playmate. I think he really should have asked, “Mom, can I go out and play with the rain?”

Children can play with anything. We can learn a lot from them. About making the most of what is rather than waiting for what could be. About enjoying each moment without thought of accomplishment, goals, or what anyone else thinks. About not worrying that we’ve gone through 4 days of laundry in a little under 8 hours. About entertaining ourselves with small pleasures, savoring the moment, and seizing the day. Children can play with anything. We can learn a lot from them.

For more stress management tips, you are invited to visit http://www.SherrieStCyr.com To receive a weekly stress tip by email, send a blank message to 52weeks@aweber.com.

From Life Coach and Stress Management Specialist - Sherrie St. Cyr, LCSW

Stress Busters: 10 Ways to Manage Stress

2007-02-14T05:25:00.000-08:00

By Hope Wilbanks

Are you stressed out to the max? Do you need help managing your stress? According to a survey conducted by the American Institute of Stress, 54% of Americans are concerned about the level of stress in their everyday lives. Are you among these?

The best way to bust stress before it gets out of control is to manage it properly.

Here are the top ten ways you can manage stress, starting now:

1. Breathe – One of the easiest and best ways to manage your stress is to take control of your breathing. When your anxiety levels rise, you may notice your breathing increasing. You might start taking fast, shallow breaths. Close your eyes, inhale deeply, and then exhale slowly while counting to ten.

2. Exercise – Any form of exercise is conducive to stress management. Creating a regularly scheduled exercise routine can not only help you work tension out of your body, but can help to eliminate unnecessary stress as well.

3. Guided imagery and meditation – Guided meditation is often perceived as “weird.” However, it is one of the easiest ways you can relax. These CDs contain a person who assists you in meditating by providing you with guided imagery. (It is usually about a 10-20 minute track.)

4. Laugh – It has been said that laughter is the best medicine—and it’s true! Research proves that laughter is especially good for the heart. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine say that laughter contributes to an increase of blood flow to. See a funny movie, buy a book of jokes—LAUGH.

5. Take a break – When was the last time you went on vacation? Everybody needs a break every now and then. Plan a nice getaway with your spouse or family. Leave work at work. Get out and have some fun, relax and reduce your stress levels.

6. Manage your time wisely – One of the biggest causes of stress is poor time management. Do you often feel as though there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything you need to do? Do you run from one appointment to another, sometimes even arriving late? Planning and managing your time in a more wisely manner can greatly reduce a lot of stress.

7. Loosen up – Are you uptight? Do you take little time off for fun? While your time should be managed, stress can be caused by living a life that is too strictly controlled. If you find it difficult to have fun anymore, try loosening up the reigns just a bit. Take a day off; go for a stroll in the park; buy a flower and give it to a stranger.

8. Journal – Journaling is nothing new, but not many people take advantage of the positive benefits journaling can have. Journaling is a good way to get things off your chest without exploding at those at you love. It helps you to put things in their proper perspective and discover things you didn’t recognize about yourself before.

9. Take a daily vitamin – If you don’t already take a vitamin, start today. Purchase a bottle of multi-vitamins and begin the habit of taking good care of your body today. Doctors often suggest that both men and women benefit most from a pre-natal vitamin because these are power-packed with all the nutrients your body needs.

10. Start a hobby – Do you have a hobby? All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy. Try something that you’ve always wanted to but never made the time for—golfing, knitting, swimming, reading.

Hope Wilbanks publishes Nurtured Soul, an online inspirational magazine for women. You can find more inspirational articles at Nurtured Soul: http://www.nurturedsoul.com

Stress Relief - Some Suggestions About How Not To Deal With Stress

2007-01-05T16:11:00.000-08:00

By Donald Saunders

There are many techniques available today which can deal with the short-term symptoms of acute stress and provided a cure for chronic stress. Unfortunately, there are also a large number of common strategies being employed today that are counter-productive. There are many ways in which you can go wrong when it comes to dealing with stress and here are some of the more frequently seen errors.

One common symptom of stress is that it can lead to your being short tempered and inclined to lash out at both your loved ones and trusted friends. It can also lead some people into drinking excessive alcohol and coffee, both of which simply create increased stress and an even greater tendency towards a shortness of temper.

Another common result of stress is insomnia. If something is worrying you and you are feeling physically uncomfortable then it is often difficult to relax sufficiently for sleep. And, when you do for sleep, your sleep is often light, interrupted and anything but restful.

As a solution for insomnia many people turn to sleeping pills and, while in the very short term these can be useful, it is all too common for people to become dependent upon sleep medication. The result of this is that you not only have your original stress, but you now have the added problem of a dependency on sleeping pills.

Another problem is that people under stress often tend to lose their objectivity. A heightened focus on problem solving can be extremely beneficial but obsessing about a problem will almost certainly be counter-productive. When addressing the problem that is causing your stress, try to look at it as if it were that of a friend rather and yourself. You'll find that we are often much better at maintaining our objectivity and coming up with a solution to a problem when that problem is someone else's.

Some people will try to cope with stress by doing the right thing but by doing it for the wrong reason. If your stress is being caused by a problem at home for example you might decide to throw yourself into a project at work. Shifting your focus away from the problem at home will allow you to avoid it in the short-term but this is only a temporary solution and one which is likely to simply mask what could well be a growing problem at home.

Of course there are times when ignoring a problem might well be the best course of action and on occasion problems do indeed simply go away by themselves. In the case of chronic stress however the circumstances which give rise to stress do not normally fall into this category and it is rare for them to simply go away because you're not thinking about them. A temporary break can be useful in helping you to gain perspective and perhaps to get your emotions under control but be careful to ensure that the temporary break doesn't turn into a case of burying your head in the sand.

At the end of the day our lives are filled with hurdles which we need to overcome and when we meet these hurdles with doubts about our ability to do so we inevitably become stressed. From time to time it is possible for us to simply sidestep these hurdles, but more often than not we will need to face them head on and to find a way to cross them. The secret lies in learning to cope with these hurdles and in banishing any doubt about our ability to overcome them.

For further information about stress, including such things as stress symptoms and stress relief, please visit Stress-Relief-And-Anxiety-Relievers.com

Get Rid of Panic and Anxiety for Good

Sit Back And Relax:10 Steps To Help Cope With Stress

2006-12-20T04:57:00.000-08:00

By Shalom Issenberg

It is time to begin your list for the day. You have a family to take care of, a job to go to, an extra couple of pets, and of course, the hours that you need to spend with the hobby that you are trying to build. As you continue to build your life, the stress that is in your life also continues to build. Eventually, you are physically and mentally strained. Coping with stress should be before any other item on this list in order to keep you at a healthy and functioning level.

Even though stress is considered to be an important part of every day life, coping with stress and stress management is just as important. By learning how to use stress management effectively, you can take the daily responsibilities, extra pressures and needs that you have and learn to cope with them effectively. This will prevent anything traumatic from occurring as a result of the stress. The idea is to learn how to balance out your every day lifestyle.

1. Identify the problem. As many say, recognition is half the battle. You can’t learn to get rid of stress unless you know exactly where it is coming from. Maybe you have new responsibilities at your job that you can’t handle. Or, have you possibly gone through a major personal change that is affecting how you react to things? Identifying the root of the problem is the first step to managing your stress.

2. Begin to think about balance. Whatever is stressing you out is most likely doing so because it is overburdening you in your life. It will be important to find ways to balance out what this is. Once again, the extra burdens at your job can be taken care of by speaking to others about sharing in some of the work, simply changing your deadlines, or working on other possibilities to relieve you of your burden. No matter what the circumstance, there is always a way to slow down the rush.

3. Begin to manage what you have. Organization and simple management skills can never be underestimated with handling stress. By taking a simple moment or two to make notes, keep a calendar or write out what has to be done for the day, you will have the ability to take the burden out of your mind. By simply looking at what you have to do, it will seem possible instead of overwhelming.

4. Build your network. We live in a time period where it is impossible to do everything by ourselves. One of the most important keys to coping with stress is to begin to network. There are several people out there who are willing to share your burden, help you move past it and can provide you with the support that you need. No matter what you are asking, make sure you have someone there that can help.

5. Simplify. It is important to recognize what you can and can’t do. It is also important to prioritize. Maybe you are trying to do some things that aren’t important. If you want to make sure that everything is falling together without your extra energy or effort, than simply simplify what you have to do for the day. It’s okay to decide to not take on the world sometimes.

6. Change your mind. Are you one of the types that see something happens, recognize that it is going to throw everything off, and try to fix it? If you are like most, you know that things are supposed to be a certain way, work in a certain manner and have a specific place. However, this is simply a way of thinking. Instead, stop your stress by recognizing the beauty of things not being quite right. It is all just a learning process. By adjusting your mind, your life will also begin to adjust.

7. Relax. Every day, you should try to take some time to simply stop. Clearing your mind through things such as meditation is a great way to cope with stress. Simply sitting and breathing for 15 minutes will change everything about your day as well. Finding simple relaxation techniques that will clear your mind are an effective way of coping with stress.

8. Nurture yourself. Despite what popular thought says, you don’t have to do everything for everyone but yourself all the time. Make it a top priority to do something for yourself at least once a week that will help you unwind. Things like getting a massage, watching a movie, or doing something frivolous are all just as important as the responsibilities.

9. Change your lifestyle. For some, coping with stress is not purely mental. It may also be linked to physical symptoms. If you are still having a hard time relaxing, even after a day at the spa, you might want to consider lifestyle changes. Not drinking as much caffeine or alcohol can help you to relieve stress. Eating more nutritiously will also help as it will slow down the stimulants that are affecting your body and that you don’t need. You can also try exercising in order to balance out the physical functions in your body.

10. Evaluate what you are doing. At the end of the day, look back at what you have done. What has stressed you out? Where were there moments of peace? You can keep a journal in order to do this and to let things go. Some will simply prefer to sit back and let go of what happened during the day.

As can be seen, the most effective rules with coping with stress all involve letting go and letting be. If you are coping with stress from the everyday responsibilities and pressures that are occurring, you never have to look further than a deep breath in order to stop the stress from taking over your enjoyment of every day life.

For effective Stress Relief get the Theramood Stress Relief Patch.

What's New In The War On Stress?

2006-11-30T05:18:00.000-08:00

What's New In The War On Stress?

By Paul Anderson

What’s new in stress management? Stress and its sources increase as time goes by.

What’s old in the management of stress? The same thing as always: we don’t use what we know and could be using to handle daily living stressors.

A few facts to prove the point that stress is caustic to quality living and is not going away. These are as recent as 2004, according the American Psychological Association and the National Institute of Mental Health.

Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide.

Seventy five (75) percent of visits to doctor’s offices concern stress-related ailments.
In a typical workplace with 20 employees, four will likely develop a mental illness in the year.

Nearly 15 percent of college students have been diagnosed with depression.Two observations for your health: first, acknowledge you are not immune to stress. Accept it. Secondly, practice mindful stress reduction. Build at least five management activities into your daily life.

To get a read on your current level of stress take the Holmes Stress Assessment Test. Quick and easy with results instantly available online, no charge!

Next, do something to reduce and manage stress, anything. Okay, so you can’t/won’t start doing five things daily. Do this one thing, the best thing: breathe deeper. If you smell the roses or any flower for that matter, you breathe deeper than usual. If you laugh, you breathe deeper than usual. If you cry, yell, run, hit something, cheer at a sporting event you will inhale and exhale with more volume. That’s the point, get the oxygen flowing.

Of course there are other more conscious and mindful ways to breathe deeper: yoga, meditation, walking, playing with children and dogs, sitting up straighter and deliberately inhaling, or taking breathing lessons as in qui kong or voice lessons.

You choose, but please do choose something for your stress reduction. Then, there will be something new in your life regarding stress management.

A licensed psychologist, Paul W. Anderson, Ph.D. has coached people in their careers, relationships and business aspirations for many years. He helps women believe in themselves and men use their emotional intelligence. He is experienced in working with family business snarls and people in personal chaos who need strategies that will turn their best into success.

You may reach him at http://www.bulletproofcoach.com or http://www.netpsychologist.com

Reduce Stress With Yoga

2006-11-22T05:16:00.000-08:00

Yoga for Beginners: A Stress Management Program that Really Works

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Every time of year, there is an occasion for stress with work, holidays, family obligations, education, moving, and weddings. There is no shortage of reasons to be stressed out over something. Here is a Yogic method, which can help you handle stress all year long.

Learn from a Yoga teacher who remains calm “under fire.” It is easy to have the appearance of being calm and quite another matter to actually put it into practice daily. In life, you will see stressful situations and hectic moments, but the person, who remains calm, during a naturally stressful time, is a person you can learn from.

Now, what if the calmest person you know is not a Yoga teacher? You should learn by watching him or her, in action, and enhance your own powers of observation. Later, you could visualize yourself being calm in a similar chaotic situation.

Does this sound unrealistic? No, but the Sanskrit word “Grahana” comes to mind. This is a complex word, but one of the ways it can be defined is, as a perception, or the process of seeing things as they are. Grahana is a meditative state where your mind focuses on observing without judgment.

Some people scoff at the idea of Yogis, who practice positive visualization and observe life, with mindfulness. You may hear people say, “That will never work,” or “Meditation is a waste of time.” The truth is the person who is negative in life, does practice his or her own negative brand of Grahana. In fact, some Yoga teachers would say negativity is the opposite of Grahana because it is non-acceptance.

On the other hand, if we constantly look at the world with a pessimistic viewpoint, is this a truthful perception of life? To the pessimist, a negative perception of life is reality. A negative perception creates the “cloud of doom,” which follows this person around in life. Self-pity and negative thoughts are created, envisioned, and become a constant daily cycle, within the life of a pessimist.

Remember the saying: “Be careful what you wish for.” You could also say, “Be mindful of what you visualize.” A mindful and positive perception of life is “light baggage,” in comparison to the burden of negative thought.

Look at stress as a tool, which you can use for good. When you come to a Yoga class, you will notice that some of your problems seem to evaporate. What happened? You filtered thoughts, concentrated, meditated, and prioritized all of the day’s problems.

If you took part in a Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, or Kundalini Yoga class, the muscles in your body feel much less tense; due to the physical techniques you learned and practiced. When you finish your Yoga class you are ready to put the daily stress of life to good use. This is a form of “Yoga off the mat.”

Yoga is not a “magic stress killer,” but Yoga does have many techniques for effective stress management.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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7 Secrets for a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

2006-11-15T12:57:00.000-08:00

By Paula Gregorowicz

Before you know it Thanksgiving will be upon us. In just over a week we will sit down once again with our families (biological and/or chosen) and gorge upon a feast until we need to unbutton our jeans and snooze on the couch.

Thanksgiving officially launches what people refer to as "The Holiday Season" which means it is the beginning of what is often the most stressful time of the year. I'm here to tell you - it doesn't have to be that way! Consider these top tips and you can enjoy your meal without all the stress and heartburn.

Keep It in Perspective

It's just a meal. It is a chance to be with people you care about. It is not a contest nor is it a measure of your personal worth. Lives do not hang in the balance. So, take the pressure off of yourself! If you're hosting the meal, nothing has to be perfect. No one really cares and if someone is that filled with criticism, it is their issue, not yours; chances are nothing you do could please them anyway.

Pace Yourself

Start now. Don't wait until the last minute when everyone with a pulse is roaming the grocery stores like predators on a hunt. If you can buy ahead of time - do it. Even better is to buy local and from the little guy. Then you not only know where your food is coming from but you support local farmers as well. Give yourself permission to ask for help where you need it whether it is assistance cleaning or having guests bring a dish to share.

Mind Your Budget

While Thanksgiving is not nearly as bad as Christmas when it comes to breaking the budget, it is still important to be mindful of your money. Now is not the time for the finest wine known to man (unless you have a family of oenophiles) and you most definitely don't need a 30lb. turkey to feed a half dozen people. Take it from someone who once made 10lb of potatoes for 6 guests -- people can only eat and drink so much in one day.

Focus on What Matters

The whole point behind gathering at Thanksgiving is just that -- to give thanks. Keep an attitude of gratitude and reflection in the forefront of all you do. If you can do that, you will effortlessly flow as little petty things crop up. If I can survive a call to Roto-Rooter (backed up sewer) the first time we ever hosted our families for Thanksgiving, you too can cruise through the bumps in the road.

Experience People as They Are

You're not going to change anyone. It's a fact. The same quirks and pitfalls you've experienced from the same people year after year are not going to suddenly vanish. If you love them, enjoy them for who they are and don't let them push your buttons. If you feel your angst rising, pretend that you are watching the day unfold as if it were a movie on a screen. It'll allow you to be an observer and be present to the day without all the drama.

Remember Moderation

You don't need to eat like you've never seen food before. There will be leftovers and you shall be fed. While I'm not suggesting you deny yourself or follow the strictest of diets on this day, overeating is a sure fire way to feeling lousy physically and emotionally. Enjoy the food, the drink, and the goodies but do so consciously knowing you get to choose how you feel.

Savor the Moment

Tomorrow is promised to no one. Celebrate who you are and those around you on this day because you never know if you'll have the opportunity to gather together next time around. This tip isn't meant to depress you or make you anxious about the future - just the opposite.

If we are fully present in the moment and share how we really feel with those we care about we get to live a life free of regrets no matter what tomorrow brings.

If you follow these tips you can almost feel the stress melting off of you and making room for you to enjoy the juiciness of this autumn holiday.
(END)

Paula Gregorowicz is the owner of The Paula G Company which partners with women who don't like what they spend their days doing and helps them blow the lid off their wildest dreams. Learn more at her website http://www.thepaulagcompany.com/ .

Yoga for Stress - Free eBook

2006-11-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Stress Busters

By Chris Chenoweth

Stress is the way we respond to changes that occur during our normal balance of life. When we are experiencing stress our adrenal glands release adrenaline, a hormone that activates the defense mechanisms in our bodies. This can result in a pounding heart, a rise in blood pressure, and tense muscles.

Basically, anything that overwhelms us can cause us to experience stress. Common signs indicating you may be under stress are anxiety, chronic fatigue, crying, and a change in eating habits. The illness or death of a family member or the loss of a job are examples of situations that are stressful enough to cause physical or psychological symptoms.

Some people are more vulnerable to stress than others. For some, even ordinary daily decisions seem insurmountable. For these people, deciding what to have for dinner or what to buy at the store can be a seemingly monumental dilemma. At the other end of the spectrum are people who thrive under stress by becoming highly productive as they are being driven by pressure.

Research shows that women with children have higher levels of stress-related hormones in their blood than women without children. This means for women with children, it is very important to schedule time for yourself. You will be better able to help your children and meet the daily challenge of being a parent, if you can reduce your stress level.

Reducing stress also reduces your risk for heart disease, the number one killer of American women, and certain types of cancer. Many women who experience PMS and other menopausal symptoms reduce their symptoms dramatically once they decrease their stress level.

Untreated stress leads many people to depression, anxiety, headaches and a host of other complaints. This makes reduction of stress an important factor in improving your total health.
WAYS TO BEAT STRESS IN YOUR LIFE

*Eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein, and low in fat.

*Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine that can increase anxiety. Often we reach for a cup of coffee to calm our nerves. Next time, try tea made with chamomile, valerian, or ginseng and CUT DOWN on the coffee.

*Avoid alcohol, which can mask symptoms and often make symptoms worse.

*Aerobic activity such as vigorous walking is one of the best ways to reduce stress and improve overall quality of life. Walk or do whatever type of exercise you feel comfortable with.

*Join a health club. Go often and make it your special time. Do not concern yourself with your family while you are working out. This is your time.

*Go outdoors whenever possible. A little sunshine and activity can have an amazing effect on your entire outlook towards life. Your improved attitude will have a positive effect on everyone in your family.

*Aromatherapy can be a tremendous help for alleviating stress. Put five or six drops of lavender oil in a warm bath or put a few drops on a cloth and inhale from time to time during the day.

*Give yourself permission to be a kid again. What did you enjoy when you were a child? Draw, paint, dance, read, play music, whatever makes you feel better.

*Other ways to beat stress include deep breathing exercises, massage, guided imagery and a healthy sex life.

*Allow yourself the freedom to express yourself without worry that you are not keeping with the image of who you are 'supposed' to be. As adults, we forget how to just relax and enjoy life.

*Do not set unrealistic for goals for yourself. Many of us set ourselves up for defeat simply by setting unrealistic goals. For example, if you are dieting, realize you cannot lose 40 pounds in one month.

*Whatever your goal is, allow sufficient time to reach your goals and realize occasional setbacks may occur. Do not expect anything. Expectations and reality are often two entirely different things.

*When you are facing an unpleasant circumstance, take a deep breath and count to ten before saying or doing anything. Taking a break produces a calming effect and allows you extra time to reassess the situation before acting on impulse.

*Learn it is okay to say 'no' occasionally. We often feel we have to say 'yes' to everyone. However, YOU CANNOT BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. You must first meet your own needs before you can truly give others what they need. Make time for yourself, your number one priority.

Once your own needs are met, things that used to seem overwhelming will soon become trivial matters, causing you to wonder what the predicament was. Not only will you be less stressed, you will be healthier, happier, and more energetic, ready to face whatever obstacles come your way.

Chris Chenoweth, author of the DO-IT-YOURSELF MONEY, HOME, & HEALTH GUIDE, writes articles pertaining to diet, exercise, health, and business.

Resources for Self Help

2006-10-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Best Ways To Reduce Stress

By Javier Fuller

Stress has the solution within the word. Rest plus two syllables to spare. Yes...yes...It is a product of self-creation. For the stress, you have to mostly blame yourself.

They say you are the creator of your destiny and circumstances. When you think that you are the victim of circumstances, you are under stress. In short, when you are unable to cope up with a given situation, you are under stress!

Whether the businessmen have more stress or those in service have more stress? The answer is not 'No'. Both have stress. Stress or no stress, is the manner in which you manage your life. Your response to a given situation is the indicator whether you have the stress or not! To give you an example- it may be the best orchestra of the town; but if your heart is the muffled drum, what you can do about it? How you can enjoy the vibrations of the music?

When you know the signs and understand the sources of stress, with a firm resolution, you can find a remedy for it as well. Ups and downs are common in business. It is part and parcel of its sustainability. Women businessmen have a different type of stress. They have to strike the balance between running the business and the household duties.

One of the important steps to tackle the stress is to organize your environment, and budget your time. Set a time table and work according to that schedule. You can't have more than twenty four hours in a day. Your competitors too have just that many hours. Then how they are in a more advantageous position?

Think positively. Whether unnecessary thinking and stressful living, has solved any problems? Then, why worry over a matter over which you should not worry at all?

Your habits have lot to do with your stress. Never postpone for tomorrow, what you can do and complete today. Tomorrow never comes. Today it will be too late. Do it just now.

The sold saying goes, “A stitch in time, saves nine.” What nine? I do not know. Again the wise saying goes:
“One thing at a time, and that done well, Is a very good rule, as many can tell.”

“So if you want, to gain your way, Work while you work, and play while you play. That is the way to be happy and gay!”

Remember, you can't control what happens in life. You can just face the situation. On the physical side, have a regular exercising schedule. Set a goal and continuously work on it. Take enough rest, but not to the point of laziness!

To get more information on stress management, stress management and stress management tips visit http://www.aboutstressmanagement.com/stressrelief/

Self Help Course for Stress, Panic, and Anxiety

2006-10-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

Discover a natural soultion to Stress Management, Controlling Weight, and Positive Thinking!

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Stress and How to Reduce its Effects

By Michael Russell

Stress is a response that includes both physical and mental responses to what we experience in our day to day life. In this context, stress may be defined as the collective physical and mental responses to an unacceptable disparity between personal expectations and actual physical and/or imaginary personal experiences.

Although stress has been around us since the very beginning of our existence on planet earth, there is probably more stress today than there has ever been in human history. Stress is America's number one health problem and job stress in particular is widely believed to be the major culprit.

In spite of all the aggravating different disorders caused by stress, it looks like stress is somehow an unavoidable consequence of life and a life without stress is probably not worth living. As long as some stress can be a major cause of disease, the good news is that there are many types of good stresses that may promote wellness. Stress triggers different biological responses from individual to individual.

Winning a football match or a race can be just as stressful as losing one. In spite of the different stress triggers from one person to another, there are some common warning signs of stress that are shared between many. These may include headache, stomach ache, difficulty concentrating, cold sleep disorders, clammy hands, shaky and strained voice, fatigue, anxiety or panic, hyperactivity, Increased perspiration, difficulty in falling asleep or frequent nightmares as well as others.

Reducing stress levels is generally advantageous to one's emotional and probably physical stability and it is advisable to know how one can reduce one's stress level. Some tips for reducing stress levels include being more organized, planning time well, listing the "to do things" and prioritizing them, deciding about the time we need for completing each job and finally sticking to the plan, which is the most decisive and crucial step of all.

While these tips are general, it is important to be realistic about judging our abilities while planning our time and setting our goals. Realistic expectations based on our actual abilities are key for avoiding depression due to unexpected shortcomings, which leads to stress. A wise decision is always an informed decision, so getting all relevant information is equally important for a stress-free outcome.

In many cases, when we look at what someone is depressed about, we think that it is not really worth the stress and panic he or she is making out of it. That is because we all have different approaches to the same conflicts of life. The approach largely depends on our accumulated experiences and what we actually have in our subconscious. That, to reasonably good extent, determines how we react to the world events around us.

Recent research has shown that stress can have serious effects on our bodies and lead to devastating long term and short term consequences. It can worsen the situation we are in and make us more likely to fall sick. Thinking positively, sharing our problems, learning to like ourselves, building happy families, making friends and giving ourselves some breaks are just a few of the other stress reducers that we can actually exercise and achieve in a reasonably short period of time. It might not be easy for some, but it is definitely something that is worth the effort.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Stress

Get Rid of Stress, Panic, and Anxiety.

2006-10-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

Understanding Stress Management to a Highly Effective Working Life

By Christopher Wen

The most important aspect of understanding stress management is the fact that the classes or guidance you receive will teach you to like yourself and enjoy your work life. It allows you to let go of old goals that may have or may not have been met in your work and to always stay positive despite any problems you face in your work.

It's natural that we will fail and we will succeed. Stress management will allow you to let go of the negative feelings and reinforce positive feelings. Let us look at other reason to why it is so important to practise stress management to a highly effective working life.

Today, society has a lot of stress when it comes to working. Today, a lot of pressure has been put on many due to long working hour. To deal with the stress that comes from all this pressure, you should begin an exercise routine so that you will feel better about yourself. It was been proven that physical activities would improve a person's mental health, help with depression, and relieve the side effects of stress. In addition, with even light exercise, a person's depression and stress will become less intense. Exercise allow us to feel full of energy and make us more alert, hence allow us to work effectively during working hour.

The first step to stress management is to identify stress factors, and the second step is to recognize the steps to help change the situation. Sometimes we are able to eliminate the problem, but most of the time, we must find ways to grin and bear it.

However, you can reduce the time you spend on or with the causes. You can also find ways to reduce your stress by stretching the task out over time or delegating. The next time time you are under stress with lots of workload, remember not to panic or complain. Just tell yourself you definitely can do it, and just boldly go ahead to challenge it. You will be amazed how a change of mindset can change the situation around.

Stress is a killer! Stress will raise a person's blood pressure and it will put a strain on the heart. Stress is one cause to many heart health issues. That is the most important reason why you should learn how to manage your stress levels. You may take a stress management class at the local college or take a self-help class that addresses stress management. If you really have no time, then spend just 5 minutes a day to read some motivational book to spur you forward for the rest of the day.

Stress management is very simple. In addition to exercise, you should also try to avoid stimulants like nicotine or caffeine. This makes a person's heart rate increase and will be more likely to be affected by stress. I know coffee is a must when it comes to long working hour. But just try not to take more than 2 cups of coffee a day. Try taking lemon juice or green tea, these are also helpful in keeping you awake, and they are better than coffee in many ways.

Lastly, stress management teaches others about self-love and how you can expect some set backs in life. You will find that stress management will teach you a new way of thinking. You will find that you will be able to be in control and stay in control of your own destiny with the help of stress management. Do not complain about your boss or your swear at your colleagues, this would not help to relief stress and might even cause things to get worse. Have more dialogues and understanding, and you will find that your work environment will gradually change for the better.

Christopher Wen is the webmaster for greenHealth information site where he provides articles, news, and remedies to current health issues we faced in our everyday life. Check out his blog at http://greenhealthinformation.com.

Get Rid of Stress, Panic, and Anxiety.

Stress Relief Self Help: Three Quick Stress Busting Tips

2006-09-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

By Angela Chen Shui

Stress relief self help tips help you to remain in your center, balanced and able to create your everyday magic and synchronicity.

You get to choose who you are being in each moment. As a result, you’re in the driver’s seat in terms of shifting your thoughts and feelings that comprise your personal energy balance in each moment. Anytime you begin to feel yourself getting stressed and out of your center, shift back.

Doing this helps you to prevent your day from running away from you and helps you to keep your energy balance intact.

Here are three quick stress relief self help techniques you can use to create and maintain your centered balance each day:

1) Breathe Deeply from Your Belly:

Take at least five minutes in both the morning and evening to center yourself through deep belly breathing. Breathing gets you back into your center and aligns you with your Soul

Place your hand on your belly, blow out all the air from your lungs as much as you can through your slightly opened mouth, then take a deep breath in through your nostrils, filling your lower lung first. You will see and feel your hand moving outward as you do this. Continue filling your lung, moving upwards until you feel like your chest is chock full of air. Hold for a count of four then slowly release the air through your mouth.

As you inhale, feel yourself breathing in any two combinations of Peace, Love, Wisdom, Abundance, Joy by saying to yourself: ‘I Am Peace and Joy’ or ‘I Am Love and Wisdom’. As you exhale, breathe out all stress, anxiety and fear, saying ‘I release all anxiety and fear’.

2) Release Your Pent-Up Emotion:

It’s a great idea to learn how to release all pent up emotions regularly to help you to keep relaxed, centered and Soul-aligned while you create your highest vision of your passionate and fully self expressed life.

A quick easy way that I’ve used for years is to allow myself regular time to release and express all pent up emotions. You’ll need to lock your door when you set aside some private, alone time. You’ll also need a glass of drinking water, a pillow or two and either a radio, music or television.

Take a few minutes to remember what upset you over the past day or two, allowing yourself to fully feel any emotions that you experienced. Turn up the radio, music or TV and use your pillow to muffle loud sounds. Cry, vent, curse, sob, laugh.. whateverrrr. Allow, in the privacy of your safe space, the full release of all emotions that didn’t get a chance to be honoured and expressed at the time you originally felt them.

The emotions will come up in waves, so allow yourself at least 10 minutes each day for this for the first two or three weeks. You will be amazed at how empty and refreshed you will feel once you get into the rythym of this. Always give thanks for the release and always visualize your body filled up and surrounded with loving and healing purple energy. This will help to finish up any emotional cleansing as you go about the rest of your day.

3) Write Your Morning Pages:

This is another technique that I’ve used for aeons to help me cleanse my heart and mind of ‘stuff’, leaving me free to create my day freshly and passionately. I first learnt it from Julia Cameron’s book “The Artist’s Way”.

Get a notebook to use for your Morning Pages and wake up 15 minutes earlier than you usually do. It’s important that you do this first thing as you awaken, perhaps after going to the bathroom. Write everything that comes to mind or heart. Anything and everything. This is your private book that no one else will see. Fill one and a half pages or sheets (three sides) full of all your thoughts, all your feelings. If you can’t think or feel a thing… write that. The key is to completely fill three sides of notebook paper first thing in the morning, every morning.

Do this for one month BEFORE you review anything of what you have written. You’ll be amazed at the stuff that was taking up all that space within you. You will get many insights into what bothers you deep down inside, what makes you happy, and what issues you are ready to work through in your life.

OK, there you go. You’re now armed with three deceptively simple but highly powerful stress relief self help techniques. I cannot recommend these Stress Busters highly enough. I use them all the time and always get great feedback from those I teach them to.

These stress management self help tips will help you if you feel stressed, overwhelmed and anxious. They are also excellent for increasing and expressing your creativity more fully in your daily life. Increased creativity is the mother of all abundance so enjoy the process of centering each day and reaping the rewards of full self expression as a great bonus.

Online Spiritual Life Coach, Teacher of Divinity and Internet Mompreneur Angela Chen Shui publishes the beyond-the-mind, Soul-thrilling online, sometimes audio newsletter, "Soul Self Help Insights". If you're ready to access your inner wisdom, create and celebrate a more magical life and express yourself more fully and passionately, get your FREE monthly self help and spiritual Insights newsletter at: www.soulselfhelp.com

Copyright 2006 - Angela Chen Shui. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author name credit and and include this entire resource box.

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Stress Management Technique

2006-08-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

By John Furnem

Stressed out? Nothing seems to be going right? Don’t worry; you are among the millions of people worldwide who reportedly are stressed out. This article will help with stress management techniques that will help manage the stress in your life.

Meditation

There is nothing mystical about meditation, its something that can easily be done by following the following steps

• Find a place where you can sit quietly and comfortably.

• Close your eyes

• Start with contracting and relaxing the muscles of your feet, work up your body all the way to your face

• Focus your attention on your breathing. Breathe in deeply then let breath out. Count your breaths as you let them out. This will give you something to focus on, Do this technique for 10-20 minutes at a time.

It should help to relex you help minimize the impact of stress on you both physically and mentally.

Use Music and Relaxation Tapes

A alternate approach to relaxation is listening to calming music or relaxation or hypnosis tapes. It takes little effort to listen to these tapes and music, and will be very welcome at the end of a long stressful day. You can buy relaxing music and meditation tapes most places. A good source is to look online and get one that you would be interested in. A good site to look at is Relaxation tapes music. They have a lot of good resources that will help melt the stress away.

Self Hypnosis

Self hypnosis is when you hypnotize yourself. Often this method is more effective than normal hypnosis as you do it yourself, causing no added stress of meeting with a hypnotist.

• Find somewhere comfortable and quiet to sit down.

• Relax your body. One way to do this is to imagine waves of imagination running down your body starting from your scalp moving downwards.

• Deep the relaxation. Saying statements like I am feeling relaxed and comfortable. With every breath I am becoming more relaxed and more comfortable. You can use several different statements to become more comfortable and relaxed.

Typical self hypnosis sessions typically last 15 and 25 minutes however, they can last as long as you like.

In conclusion, there are several methods that you can use to relax and help minimize the stress in your life. Use some of these ideas, and in no time you will be less stressed and more ready to tackle the problem of stress in your own life. Good luck!

John Furnem is a dot com veteran, specializing in human resources and work psychology he has written articles and held workshops/seminars for stress relief and stress management. John currently writes Stress Management Articles.

Yoga vs. Stress

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2006-06-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

Managing Stress - It Can Be Learned

By Michael Russell

Stress seems to be such a part of our lives today. Our personal lives are more complex and we seem to work harder than ever before. Support systems are often not readily available either. The result being that a major factor in a lot of people's lives is stress. A certain amount of stress may be beneficial, as it motivates some people to perform at their best, but excessive and unmanageable levels of stress with no resolutions in sight, is unhealthy and is when problems begin to arise.

Fortunately it is possible to recognize when stress levels are unmanageably high, as it tends to manifest in either psychological or physical symptoms and sometimes both.
Psychological signs and symptoms of stress:

• Fluctuating mood swings
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Difficulty sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating and poor memory
• Problems in your relationships

Physical symptoms of stress:

• Stomach acidity
• Alternating bouts of diarrhoea and constipation
• Breathing problems
• Asthma
• Heart palpitations
• Migraines

As soon as you begin to feel that you are no longer coping, things are getting on top of you and physically your health is starting to suffer, try some or all of the following approaches. This will help to identify and deal with the stress in your life.

1) Try to identify the source of your stress and consider whether any changes can be made that will leave you in greater control.

2) Learn to manage your time better. Make your work more manageable by writing a list of goals for the day in order of priority. Once these tasks are complete, tick them off. This will leave you with a sense of achievement.

3) Focus on your breathing and learn to make your breaths progressively deeper.

4) Avoid taking any illicit drugs such as crack, cocaine or ecstasy. They will worsen your feelings of anxiety and add to your stress.

5) Become more health conscious and eat healthily. Drink alcohol and caffeine in moderation. By remaining in good health you reduce the tendency to illness and increase your ability to cope.

6) Avoid substances that might increase anxiety, such as strong cups of coffee.

7) Exercise more frequently and make it a habit. Exercise helps to calm you down by utilizing excessive amounts of adrenaline caused by the stress.

8) Include some positive relaxation techniques into your daily routine. There are various therapies available such as yoga, massage, shiatsu, aromatherapy, reflexology and acupuncture.
The following stress 'ratings' are linked to various events in our lives. This will also help you focus on the factors causing stress in your life.

• Very high stress - Death of a spouse; divorce; marital separation; job loss; house move; personal injury or illness

• High stress - Retirement; pregnancy; change of job; death of a close friend and serious family illness

• Moderate stress - Large mortgage debts; parent-in-law problems; spouse starting or stopping work; problems with your boss and legal proceedings because of debt

• Low stress - Change in work conditions; new schools; change in diet and eating habits; small mortgage or debts; Christmas or other family holidays

Get a good night's sleep is very important. Our body and our mind need adequate period of rest to function properly. The number of hours required for complete rest is different from one person to the next.

Studies have shown that long-term sleep deprivation will eventually lead a person to a range of physical and psychological problems. If you are having difficulty sleeping then discuss this with your doctor.

A mild hypnotic drug may be prescribed to help re-establish a sleep pattern. Overtiredness causes reduced productivity at work, as well as a major cause of road accidents. Insomnia may also be a manifestation of anxiety or depression, in which both require specific treatment.

Avoid eating heavy meals, and avoid too much alcohol and caffeine late at night. Exercise during the day, which will leave you with a calming effect on your mind and body. Never exercise too late in the evening, as it will keep you awake rather than help you sleep.

Practice meditation, yoga or relaxation exercises in the evening to help relax your mood leading up to bedtime.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Stress

Have you ever thought about practicing Yoga to reduce stress?

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2006-06-11T15:44:00.000-07:00

Stress Management

By Rashmi Priya

Stress is something which impairs your brain to think or act on something. There are some stress tough people. Stress tough people usually thrive on stress and cope with pressure that would put the average person into tailspin.

Stress toughness is caused by “commitment”, control and challenge.

Accept stress as a challenge and you will cope better with it.

Types of stress -

There are two types of stress Eustress and Distress.

All stress is not negative. The word Eustress has been coined to describe positive stress.

Eustress results from exhilarating experiences such as winning and achieving.

Distress is negative stress.

Under stress certain hormones are secreted which charge the body on full alert for a fight or flight response. Its why we often feel tense and highly strung when under a lot of stress. Stress weakens immune system and makes us vulnerable to infection.

Time Management -
The inappropriate use of time often creates new stressors. Learning to say “no” has been successful for many people. There is an inordinate amount of stress that comes with saying yes and then they bring worry.

According to “LUBERT”stress in the work environment isn’t caused by things people can control,its caused mostly by the things they cannot control.

“JOB INSECURITY” IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF STRESS. Be free with your employees so that they get every piece of information to avoid rumor.

FEAR UNCERTAINTY AND DOUBT CAUSES STRESS. It is not the occupation but the personal environment fit that is important.

“STRESS LEVELS DEPENDS ON HOW WE PERCEIVE THINGS”.

“FOR EVERY MEETING THERE IS A SEASON”

Spring is a good time for meetings that encourage team building because there is a lot of enthusiasm at the beginning of the year. Cold dark northern winters spawn lightlessness and depression. These conditions reverse themselves in spring. Researchers say a trip even one as short as 4 days to warmer weather can give sufferers a much needed lift.

If you must have a meeting in the winter, a southern site can boost not only attendees morale but their effectiveness as well.

Seasonal affective syndrome (SAD)is caused during winters which causes laziness and restlessness. It can be cured by spending long hours in natural light. It can also be cured to some extent by sitting under a bright lamp. The closer the light is in color and temperature to natural sunlight, the better.

Keeping above things in mind, try to organize a meeting where people find it near to their destination.

“You don’t get anything unless you ask for it”.

To avoid stress work smarter not harder. Delegate or eliminate bureaucratic task that are time consuming but not that crucial. Concentrate instead on activities that the company values and that make use of your greatest strengths. Focus on what is most important to you.
Unemployed idle person suffers from stress as much as those who are overworked.

YOUR VICTORY OVER STRESS

“ACCORDING TO ME YOU CAN CONTROL STRESS BY UNDERSTANDING THE ROOT CAUSE OF IT”.

Solve the problem rather than worrying over the problem. You have to manage your 24 hrs. The inappropriate use of time often create new stressors. Learning to say “no “has been successful for many people. There is an inordinate amount of stress that comes with saying “yes” and then began worry.

If you are working in a firm then you can schedule a stress management seminar for your next sales meetings.

“Learn to use your time by concentrating on areas where you can reasonably expect to get results."

A famous saying goes as “stress can be the spice of life or the kiss of death, often that choice may be yours. You can learn how to make stress work for you, so that you will become productive rather than self destructive.” Communication relieves stress.

TO REDUCE STRESS

* Know what you need.
* Create a comfortable work environment for yourself.
* Set limits on your time.
* Negotiate with your family for time to just relax.
* Practice a relaxation technique.
* Make time to exercise and do it.
* Call your friends and family for support.
* Simplify your life.
* Give yourself positive feed back.
* “LAUGH”

Humor can make a sharp point without pain.

Emotional intelligence can help you reduce stress as well as move forward in life.

Have farsightedness to understand the coming problem,have a system thinking to work in a team and not separately,communicating well, motivating people to get your job done,developing friendship.
Some emotional intelligence, particularly self knowledge and self control makes any leader stronger.

I have made this project for all those who get stressed from work or daily life problems. I want to tell them that stress is a good servant but a bad master, let it not control you, you can use stress for your benefit, let it not harm you.

“People rarely succeed at any thing unless they have fun doing it”.
“Action is a cure for melancholy”.

I did Graduation in Zoology Hons. I did MBA in HR and Marketing. Now pursuing my career in advanced HR studies and holding the post of CEO in vinayRas Infotech.

http://www.vinayras.com/

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2006-06-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

10 Real Ways to De-Stress

By Jo Ann Joy

Despite people telling us “To stop and smell the flowers,” we are still over-stressed. We deal with stress in unhealthy ways like overeating or being sleep deprived. Well, there are better ways to de-stress, and they are easier than you may think.

The first and most important thing to remember that reduces stress is finding ways to feel more in control of your circumstances. The following are some ways you can can more more control and, thereby, feel less stressed:

1. At the end of each day, prepare for the next day. Make a to-do list of all the things you must do the next day and clean your work area.

2. Prepare healthy snacks at least twice a week and always keep snacks with you. Do not “feed” your stress with cookies or ice cream, because they will not help.

3. Make good use of all spare minutes that come up each day. If you find you have 5-10 minutes to spare, put more staples in your stapler, shred paper, or some other simple activity.

4. Listen to music, especially smooth jazz. Listen to relaxing music in your car, at work, at home, and anywhere else that you can. Music can be very soothing.

5. Take good care of yourself. This means get plenty of restful sleep, go to the dentist regularly, workout at least 30 minutes on at least four days each week, drink plenty of water, and take weekend naps if you need them.

6. Make shopping and errand lists. If you keep a list of the groceries you need and the errands you have to run, you will save yourself the stress of forgetting something. You will also save yourself the stress of having to make several unnecessary trips and wasting time, because you did not plan ahead.

7. Keep a simple budget so that you will always know where you are financially, and money shortages will not sneak up on you.

8. Do not spend all evening and all weekend on the cell phone or reading and writing emails that relate to your job. If you need to do extra work, schedule one hour each evening and a few hours each weekend to do work-related activities. Realize that your “downtime” is just as important as your work.

9. Be sure that you have one or two good friends that you can confide in who understand and are supportive.

10. When things do not work out well, try to imagine what is the worst thing that can happen. If you do that, you will realize that there are solutions to even the worst problem.

Jo Ann Joy, Esq., MBA, CEO

Copyright 2006 Indigo Business Solutions. All rights reserved.

You may contact Jo Ann by phone at (602) 663-7007, by fax at (602) 324-7582, by email at joannjoy@Indigo Business Solutions.net, and by mail at 2313 East Ocotillo Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85016

For more information about these and other important business topics and for legal consultation, please visit our website at http://www.indigobusinesssolutions.net/ The future of your business starts here.

About the author

Jo Ann Joy is the CEO and owner of Indigo Business Solutions, a legal and business consulting firm. Indigo Business Solutions is a “one stop shop” for small businesses. We differ from other business consulting firms, because we offer comprehensive legal and business counseling.

We can offer most of the professional services that a business requires. We work with our clients to develop strategies that create value and competitive advantage.

Jo Ann has a law degree, an MBA, and a degree in Economics, but she is not a traditional attorney. Rather, she is a strategic business attorney who works closely with clients to create and implement strategies that will greatly improve their performance and chance of success.

Her background includes commercial and real estate law, accounting, financial planning, mortgages, marketing, product development, banking, and business strategies. She ran a successful business for 10 years, and she has written and given presentations on many different legal and business subjects.

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2006-05-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

Finally! Beat Stress And Anxiety Using These 4 Techniques

By Jeff Smith

Have you ever met anyone who didn't feel they had stress in their lives? I can't say that I have every come across anyone who said to me "I have no stress in my life, feel at peace all the time."

In fact, most of the people I come across are paralyzed by stress and anxiety - without even knowing it, they have let stress slowly build in their lives, little by little, without even realizing that it was impacting their relationships, happiness, career, health and entire lifestyle.

Let me ask you these important questions:

1. Have you felt trapped - like a caged monkey who can't seem to break free no matter how hard you try?

2. Have you all but given in to the pressures of life and find yourself often drifting through days, months even years without really accomplishing anything substantial?

3. Do you have more unhappy moments than you remember in the past?

4. Do you find that even when you do get a spare moment that you can't seem to really enjoy the things you used to?

Chances are negative stress has eaten away at your life, here's 4 ways to reduce the stress you feel now...

1. Recognize and realize that stress is a response you have to things that occur in your life. This may seem less than powerful, but in fact, if you convince yourself that you control your response to stress, you gain hope and belief that you can really make changes to lower your stress response in your life.

2. Take time for you. Many people take from us, our employers, friends, children, even the media and society at large. It’s tempting to just give in and give up the piece of your day that must belong to you.

By giving up your private relaxation, personal thinking or meditation time you are NOT benefiting those around you, in the long-run you are giving up control, allowing more stress into your life which will result in you being LESS effective to those around you.

3. Exercise. It’s not necessary to instantly become an exercise fanatic. Too many of us think in terms of all or nothing. Start by committing to a morning, lunch hour or evening walk 3 times a week for at least 40-minutes. If you prefer a gym, then start slow and build up an exercise regime.

Not only will this benefit you in terms of personal image, weight loss, energy gain, but it has been scientifically proven that exercise produces chemicals in your brain that help you overcome stress.

4. Become more self-aware. It’s often the case that when we feel most stressed, we also feel that we have lost who we really are. In fact, losing a sense of what is really important to us is one of the biggest factors preventing people from pulling out of feelings of stress and hopelessness. Yoga and meditation are incredibly powerful techniques that are both simple to learn (at least the basics), and can lead to incredible changes from the inside out to alter the stress balance in our lives.

Yoga and meditation will take some up-front commitment, but within a few weeks of consistently practicing these principles, you can experience some very dramatic changes in your ability to handle stress.

With the majority of our population being paralyzed by the inability to control stress leading to anxiety, it is perhaps one of the most destructive forces threatening today's society.

At an individual level, you have the ability to change your level of stress dramatically, but that change must come from within and it must start with your own belief that indeed, you can control your response to stress.

Following the four principles outlined above will certainly allow you to quickly overcome the limitations of stress and anxiety in your life.

Copyright 2006 Jeff Smith

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2006-05-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

Yoga to Help Reduce Stress

By Robin Darch

In today’s world, stress is a reality we all have to deal with. Stress can cause heart disease, mental problems, anger, depression, relational issues, decreased productivity, and more. Stress is America’s number one health problem.

Stress has been linked to hypertension as well. Hypertension can lead to heart disease and other medical problems. Many doctors who do research about stress are trying to develop drugs that deal with it, but your body and mind have everything needed to conquer stress and to improve your health.

But in order for you to get your body and mind to eliminate or deal with stress better, you have to learn how to focus. How can I do that? I’m glad you asked.

Yoga is the best way to learn how to rid your mind and body of stress. When you learn how to relax, you obviously are ridding yourself of stress. Relaxation is the opposite of stress. When your mind is completely relaxed and your body is completely relaxed, you are stress-free.

That sounds so simple, why do I need Yoga? It isn’t so simple. Most people find it very difficult to relax. Sitting in front of the TV relaxing is not actually being relaxed. Sitting alone reading your newspaper or a book is not being really relaxed.

Total relaxation is necessary to reduce stress and lead to a healthier life. Yoga can help you achieve total relaxation of both mind and body.

Everyone is unique. No two people are alike in all the things that make us who we are. What makes us who we are? Our Mind and our body are only two of the ingredients as to who we are. Your emotions, your attitudes and feelings, your thoughts, your five senses, conditioning (Reaction to your surroundings throughout your life), your ego, and your memories all make up who you are.

That is why no two people are exactly alike, not even identical twins. This is also what makes us independent. Being independent, we resist following others or doing what others tell us we should be doing, how we should live, etc. Unfortunately in the real world we sometimes have to do the things other people want or live the way others want us to live, etc. This causes stress and insecurity in our lives.

We all search for something. We always feel as if we are missing out on something we should have or feel we have not become the person we want to be. With Yoga, you can find what it is you are missing and in the meantime improve your health by reducing stress.

Most of the negative energy we soak up every day from other, we can get rid of or forget about, but some of it lingers and never seems to go away. These things add up and the molehill becomes a mountain of stress. Two or three bad things that happen to us can sometimes bind to each other as if there was one huge burden on our shoulders and many times we take it out on the ones we love.

Yoga can help you reduce that stress and help you improve your relationships with those you love or work with as a result.

When we are totally relaxed by using the techniques Yoga has to offer, our system slows down the body’s processes and actual changes occur. These include slowed metabolism and respiration, pupil constriction in the eyes, and the central nervous system is calmed or taken off “alert status”.

Other things occur as well. Our digestive system actually speeds up. Even our blood thins and flows better helping the immune system become more active to restore the natural healing process our body uses.

In our hectic world the pursuit of happiness is equated to certain types of lifestyles and the accumulation of wealth. We are expected to be in a constant state of alert or arousal. By running all the time in uber-active mode, we wear down our bodies and they become prone to health problems. Relaxation is a necessary element of anyone’s life who wants to be around for awhile and for anyone who wants to remain healthy.

There are many sources on the web to help you find out more about how putting Yoga into your daily routine can keep you healthier and help you live a longer, richer, and more rewarding life. Search for Yoga in your favorite search engine and start learning more today!

Robin Darch, of PRT Specialised Services Limited has a website, Yoga Tips to help you find all the information you need about Yoga and the benefits of Yoga.

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2006-05-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

The Top 3 Quick Methods To Relieve Stress

By Sandy Sizemore

We all need to learn how to relieve stress at least a bit better. In today's world, people have so much to do that they lose sight of the things that are quite essential to their well being.

In fact, stress management tips are fast becoming something we search for when we do get some time. That's because so many of us just do not have the time we need to manage stress like we should.

To learn how to relieve stress, you first need to analyze your lifestyle. To do this, take a break from it all and just look at all that is happening. Determine if there are things that you are doing that are counterproductive to what you want your life to be.

Do you work long hours? Do you find yourself stressing and worrying about things that really do not provide any benefit to your life? Analyze your life first for your first step in how to relieve stress.

Now, consider the physical effects of stress. Does your body ache? Do you have signs of aging and you are much too young to have them? Do you find yourself forgetting things? Do you find yourself skipping meals, eating fast food instead of healthy food and not getting enough exercise? These are the physical effects of stress. To learn how to relieve stress, you need to notice just what it is that you are doing to your body.

3 Quick Things You Can Do To Relieve Stress

1. Block out one hour per day or 4 hours twice a week for time for just you. During this time, you will spend your time relaxing. Do not work around the house. Do not do any work for your job. Just relax.

2. Purchase stress relief products and use them. Purchase a stress relief ball or play a stress relief game on your computer. Incorporate something small to help you to learn how to relieve stress.

3. Say no to just one thing per week. If you have too much on your plate, say no to something. Do not volunteer for something and tell those taking advantage of you to hit the road. You need to worry about you first.

These stress management tips are great ways for you to start taking good care of yourself. You will find numerous things that you can do to help you to handle the hectic life you are living, but you need to commit to some change if you are to find benefit in the long run. Just look at the physical effects of stress and you are sure to see why learning how to relieve stress is an essential part to you being healthy and well.

Sandy Sizemore writes on many consumer related topics including mental health. You can find info on stress relief management and vitamins for stress and more by visiting our mental health website.

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How To Slash Work-Related Stress

2006-05-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

By Anna Johnson

Stress.

If you are new to management you probably haven't felt quite the same kind of stress that you do now!

Now you are responsible for and to a team of people. You must define goals for your team, organize their work, make sure they do it well, deal with conflicts between people, cope with change, handle crises... Oh, and still get home in time to be there for your family and all their concerns!

It's natural to feel pressure or stress. It comes from feeling responsible, from having control, and from the need to exert control. And it can be a great motivator. Stress makes you alert, determined and focused.

But if you feel overwhelmed, then there's too much stress. And far from feeling alert, determined and focused, you may become dazed, confused and erratic!

There are things you can do to alleviate any excessive stress you feel. The first is to identify its cause(s). There are real causes and perceived causes. (Since perception is reality, the impact -- feeling excessive stress -- is the same.)

A "real" cause might be too much work -- where you have taken on, or been given, too many tasks -- and you simply don't have the time or resources to do them all.

In this case, you have a few options: get some help, arrange for an extended deadline, or offload some of the work onto someone else. If none of that's possible, then your only option is to do what you can. If some things don't get done, then so be it. So why not relax and accept that fact?
Sure, you may not meet your or someone else's original expectations, but they were unrealistic in the first place, so don't worry about them! Seriously.

If you've entered a marathon, are you going to beat yourself up because you can't win it, or because you can't run it in under two, three or four hours? No, you're just going to do the best you can.

The same principle -- yes, the same principle -- applies to taking on any tasks or responsibilities that are literally beyond your capabilities. Just do the best you can and accept the outcome.
Of course, there are times you can get something done by working more than your usual number of hours, for example by working late, or on the weekend.

Occasionally putting in an extra effort is fine. Even admirable. But if the extra hours become your usual hours -- and you don't like it -- be careful. Others will come to expect you to always work this hard and you may find yourself on a treadmill that's increasingly difficult to get off.

Plus, your life outside of work (family, friends, hobbies, interests, and so on) is likely to suffer.
In other cases, the reason for your stress is perceived. You may be seeing a problem as being much, much bigger than it really is. You may be looking at a challenge in its entirety instead of breaking it up into small chunks. You may be struck by fear of failure or success.

If the stress you feel is caused by fear, know this: whatever you are afraid of, it hasn't happened yet. True?

Why not put off the negative feelings you're experiencing until it actually occurs! (Which it probably won't).

And another thing -- if there's something you can do to prevent the thing you're afraid of from happening, then do it. If you can't do anything -- how are you helping the situation or yourself by feeling afraid?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not "anti-fear." On the contrary, fear is real and it can also be a great motivator. But it can also strangle you. Try to use fear to get you want, and lose fear that doesn't get what you want.

Another perceived source of stress derives from having unrealistic expectations about what you can control or accomplish.

Really, as a manager, you must learn to know the difference between what you can control and what you can't -- and then simply focus all your energies on what you can control!

I know -- developing the wisdom to know the difference isn't necessarily easy. But it is the key.

And you are on your way. Just keep reading articles like this one, listening to genuine experts and advisors, and, more importantly, observing and applying what "works" in the real world.
Anna Johnson is the author of the How To Manage People System, including her book,

How To Manage People (Even If You're A Control Freak!). Get Anna's FREE 12-page report How To Be An Outstanding Manager -- The 8 Vital Keys To Managing People Effectively

Tips To A Stress-Free Lifestyle

2006-05-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

By Clyde Granger

Do you feel harassed? Are you anxious? Do you often feel overwhelmed or dumbfounded? Take note: You might be experiencing the most common dilemma of the modern times, called STRESS.

Researchers agree that a stressful lifestyle leads to any or a combination of the four infamous illnesses: high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar level, high cholesterol, and excessive weight. The last one is most visible on the mid-section of the body, which is the belly.

There is no need to despair though. On the contrary, you have every reason to rejoice by just following these simple tips to a stress-free lifestyle:

Tip # 1

Keep a cool disposition.

A goal-oriented person is prone to stress. Goal-oriented persons are mostly engaged in activities marked by high expectations, almost impossible deadlines, and pressure build-ups. The same holds true for the workaholics.

Most self-help books advice readers to have goals. However, unrealistic goals bring about stress. The good news is that stress can be controlled in pursuit of a goal.

Make your goals realistic; and likewise, allot a realistic time frame. Manage disappointments and learn to control your temper.

Restrain yourself from keeping ill feelings and disappointments within your system. Gradually unload them. Accumulated ill will tends to magnify in time. If pressure builds up, it is bound to explode and your physical well being will be affected.

Tip # 2

Don’t stay depressed. Lighten up. Find ways to lift up that downhearted mood. If that mood meter is always on the depressed mode, find ways to shift it to a happy one.

An effective antidote against a depressive mood is exercise. Go walking, hiking, or jogging. Physical activity will keep you out of depression, and will make your mind optimistic and active.

Tip # 3

Look at your self in front of the mirror. Do you have a fat belly?

Women with thirty-five inches and men with at least forty inches waistline must find ways to shed off these inches of fat in the mid-section of the body. Dieting and exercise are the best solutions to counter that ballooning belly.

A meal of fruits and vegetables, combined with foods rich in whole grain, is your best option. Minimize your intake of salt, sugar, and monosodium glutamate (msg). Stay away from saturated fats as much as possible.

Tip # 4

If you easily get hungry and are able to digest food in a short period of time, you should congratulate yourself!

You have a fast metabolism because your body easily burns and digests the food you eat. This is predominant among young people. This explains why teenagers have high energy. But as the body ages, the rate of metabolism starts to decrease and you will actually feel this. This is the reason why you need to move and exercise more to burn the food you eat. The more energetic you are, the happier and less stressful your life will be.

Tip # 5

Heavy drinking, smoking, and high caffeine consumption can take its toll to your body. Smoking promotes high level of cortisol, resulting to layers of abdominal fat. As for alcohol and coffee, they must be taken in moderation to avoid experiencing heart problems.

On top of all of these, look at life in a lively and light manner. Try your best to suppress depressive emotions and fill in your mood with joyful thoughts. Yes, it is possible to live a stress-free lifestyle. You can do it!

How To Turn Yourself From A Worrier To A Warrior

2006-05-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

By Clyde Granger

Are you constantly worried?

By definition, a worrier is a person whose state of mind is uneasy or in a state of anxiety. Something keeps the person’s mind disturbed, annoyed, or bothered. If you are a worrier, a major problem is most likely causing your uneasiness.

However, if you fret about mere speculation, hearsay, or unsubstantiated information, you may have to check yourself. This is especially true if these baseless worries produce unpleasant results and only serve to reinforce a troubled mind. This condition needs to be controlled and corrected.

Worrying can be corrected if you find means to counteract it by transforming yourself from a worrier to a warrior. Reduce to controllable levels the worries you have in your mind by trying out some of the following techniques:

1. Develop a strong resolve to overcome the worry attitude. You did not become a worrywart overnight. You acquired it over time. The first step in blasting the worrywart is to have the determination to overcome it NOW. Have the strength and resolve to take the first step in expelling it out of your system so it will not affect your everyday activities. Free yourself from the chains of this malaise now.

2. Evaluate your worries and identify similarities among these things. When you evaluate, look at the problem on a wide perspective. Do these have a common origin? If so, fashion out a common solution. This way, you address worries on a wholesale basis.

Part of self-evaluation is asking yourself if all your worries are worth it. Do not forget to consider the harm these bring to your health. Worrying makes a person age faster. It also affects the autonomic nervous system, which could be a trigger in the development of organ diseases.

3. Plan how you will deal with the issues that cause your worries. Make a list of possible solutions and start on the ones that you think will work best for you. Incorporate this plan in your daily activities.

4. Strive to live in the present. Forget the past. The past is done and nothing can be done to alter it. Use past experience to the fullest by drawing constructive lessons that you can adapt in the present and in the future.

Worry less about the future, for it has a way of taking care of itself. However, this does not mean that you disregard planning for the future. Make plans and write goals for the future, but do not attach any worry tags. Bear in mind that a benevolent force helps turn things for the better. Just keep your trust and faith in the wisdom of the Higher Force.

5. Concentrate on becoming a caring person rather than a worrier. Caring and worrying may appear to be similar, but the end result is entirely different. Caring shows concern and emphasizes the good side. Worrying less about a loved doesn’t mean you care less about him. Also, caring stimulates health-giving hormones while worrying depletes them.

6. Share your worries with a friend. This is one of the best therapies in dealing with worries. Sharing with a confidant makes you worry less. Somehow, you feel relief after unloading your worries. Friends who advice and give words of comfort ease the burden of worries.

There you have it. Any of these tools will assist you in developing a better, stronger, and fearless you. You are now all set in your quest to transform yourself from a worrier to a warrior.

How To Cope With Change Without Being Stressed

2006-05-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

By Geoff Foster

Change is never easy. It can even get downright stressful. Leaving the things that you know and have grown accustomed to can leave you feeling uncertain about the future. To most people, this can be a source of anxiety. That’s why instead of making the adjustment that will change their lives for the better, they resist change, therefore missing the opportunity for improvement.

But change is not a bad thing, it’s just that it has gotten a bad wrap. The great thing about change is that it offers people the opportunity to make progress. Change is conducive to growth. After all, how will a person learn anything new if they don’t do anything that they have never tried before?

Here are some tips on how to make those changes in your life run smoothly:

1. Develop a positive attitude. Instead of fearing and becoming threatened by change, individuals should view it as an opportunity to make great things happen. After all, change is inevitable. In the course of a lifetime, every person will experience change, whether this is a change in environment, a set of friends, or the personal change that happens internally and externally, as a person gets older. To those who have a positive outlook in life, this can be called personal growth.

2. View change as a positive event! The funny thing about change is that to most people, this is such a dreaded event! This is because most people have been overcome by the fear and uncertainty of the future. Change implies moving forward to an uncharted territory. To some, this becomes a cause of anxiety. But this does not have to be the case. A little tweaking of your attitude in the right direction can go a long way in making the change that occurs in your life to become a positive experience. Next time the fear of change threatens to enter your doorstep, wave it away by thinking positive thoughts.

3. To those who need serious help, they might consider the services of a life coach. A coach will be able to guide and assist people in handling those rough transitions in their lives. More importantly, a life coach will be able to support their emotional needs during those rough stages in their lives.

4. People should give themselves time to acclimatize to change. It is natural for individuals to need some time to adapt to their new environment. Whether this means a change in residential location, school, or job, people should not get down on themselves if they find that they are struggling with their new environment. It takes time to adjust to a new setting.

5. Seek out the support of friends and family. One way to make the transition of change much more easier is to have a support group. These are the people that you can run to or call when things are not going according to plan. The great thing about friends and family is that they offer familiarity. It is comforting to know that despite of the many changes happening around you, some things will remain the same.

The most important thing to remember is that you should not be afraid of change. Individuals should think of change as an opportunity to make some improvements in their lives. So the next time change comes knocking in your doorstep, you should let it in, and welcome the future with a bright smile!

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Effectively working with Affirmations

2006-05-13T18:10:00.000-07:00

By Katheryn Hoban © 2006

Katheryn Hoban is a certified Yoga Teacher and Reiki Master teacher with ten years experience. She has effectively used affirmations in her own life to completely transform past belief systems of limitations, defeat, and worry. She continues to teach and work with affirmations in her classes and in her Reiki practice. She teaches children yoga using affirmations in day cares, and schools and adults yoga and seminars in Northern NJ.

In my years of teaching and counseling I have come to the conclusion that many people are unsure of what affirmations are, how to use them, what great tools they can be, or what good benefits can be manifested by working with affirmations in both children and adults. In the simplest form an affirmation is a statement of a positive effect, result, or of a future event that you would like to achieve. Usually an affirmation is stated in the present moment and in positive verbiage and wordage. For an example “ I can do this” as opposed to “I’d like to do this” or “I’m going to do this.” The sentence “ I can do this” is set in the present moment and it implies confidence in one’s ability to accomplish the task and an immediacy to take action. The statement “ I’d like to do this.” Implies that it is not quite possible but you are yearning to do it but (something out of your control) is preventing that. “I’m going to do this” implies sometime in the future when all the conditions are right. In that case we can make an assumption that the conditions will never be right.

To effectively work and create affirmations for yourself or child it is better to create patterns of repetition in saying the phrase out loud many times per day if need be, or weekly and using a creative visualization technique to anchor the effects of the affirmation in your mind and your body. For an example if you wish to give up smoking. The best way to phrase the affirmation would be “I’m smoke free.” “I enjoy being smoke free.” “ I enjoy being a non-smoker.” In these examples you would repeat the affirmations and design a creative visualization (of events in the future but seen in present moment time) of you being a fulfilled non-smoker. You could imagine yourself doing an activity and feeling free and joyful that you are without a cigarette. You could imagine that you are visiting with children who previously were reluctant to spend time with you because of your smoking and how much you enjoy that visit. You could imagine that you feel the breath in your lungs very different and that you can actually breathe freely.

In working with children, repetition is a key. You can make it into a game of movement and imagination that children love. The affirmations can be repeated together and new images or visualizations can be incorporated into the game. For instance, I use an affirmation with children that is very powerful and fun and it creates a strong visual image for them. “I stomp out sickness.” When we are in a circle we stomp our feet on the ground and pretend that we are stomping sickness into the earth. They enjoy games and imagery like this immensely and it creates effective anchors.

For adults too the same sort of movement can be used to create an anchor. You interrupt a pattern of stagnation with the new movement. For instance, if you threw your arms up into the air and then out in front of you in a big sweeping gesture, and then said an affirmation such as “I’m free!” “Big pathways are opening up for me!! You would immediately feel the vibrancy and the expansion of that affirmation. An anchor of thought and the physical action would then be created in your mind. Every time that you said that affirmation, and did that gesture of the big sweeping arm movements a thought of freedom and lightness would be interpreted into your brain. You would begin to feel the joy associated with that movement and those words.

On repeating the affirmations, a new pattern of hope, expectancy and action would be created for future moments to unfold. Of course you don’t have to make a big physical gesture to interrupt the pattern of thought. However when you can add physical movements, gestures or sounds, the affirmation becomes more effective and can promote a transformation more quickly. If you can picture in your mind the thing that you want to achieve, as if it is already done, and you are feeling wonderful about receiving it, that combined with the affirmation is a very effective tool of change.

Let’s look at some affirmations. “I’m easily and effortlessly attracting the right business contacts to promote my work.” If you imagined in your mind; the smiles, the handshakes and the business meeting going very well and the ultimate picture of you receiving the benefits of new business and the achieving the results that you want and need every time that you said that affirmation, you begin to attract what you are confirming to the universe.

“I am fearless.” If you said this out loud it would be very effective to raise your voice and emphasis the word fearless. If you raised your hand in a strong gesture it further anchors the strength and courage that you feel in your body. The visual image that may go along with “I am fearless,” could be seeing yourself confronting a strong adversary and you looking right into his or her eyes and feeling in your heart that you are too strong to cower, and that you are planted firmly to the Earth.

“I can do this easily and effortlessly.” Imagine yourself in the zone so to speak where you barely make any effort at all and everything falls into place. Feel in your body and heart, how joyful, casual and confident you are about everything coming quickly together for you. Use an example in your past successes when something came together just as easily and remember how happy and light you felt when it did.

“ I am the perfect weight for me.” Instead of focusing on how much weight you wish to lose, which implies that you are not perfect as you are, focus on how it would feel to fit into the size jeans that you always wanted to fit into. Also focus on how good it would feel in your slim clothing and seeing yourself in the mirror at the weight that your body looks absolutely fabulous in. See yourself very energized with your newly trim fit body, and how then you would act, walk, run, play and enjoy yourself.

Affirmations are best spoken out loud; the vibrations of the spoken positive expression are impactful to your psyche or a child’s. They are also best repeated until a new pattern is created. Create your own affirmations, or read from a book of affirmations, or listen to affirmations on tapes or CD’s. Keep revisiting these affirmations daily. Affirmations build confidence, help you to overcome low self-esteem, create balance, and space, helps you to get past feelings of guilt, and condemnation, clears obstacles, or limitations, create new patterns of health and well-being, and may produce feelings of prosperity and abundance. Of course Affirmations are not a cure-all, but they are very powerful and effective tools for you and your child to transform a challenging area in life. Every time that you say an affirmation with conviction you are creating a new unfolding moment to engage in a new fulfilled, balance, healthy, or abundant way of being.

Ms. Hoban has created an affirmation CD’s for children and teens, and another CD filled with adult affirmations. Both are set to gorgeous music and are very powerful tools for transformation.

If you would like to order one or both please send $10.00 per CD plus $ 2.00 shipping and handling to Katheryn Hoban PO Box 7564, North Bergen, NJ 07047. M.s Hoban can be reached at 201 970-9340 or katscoolcorner@yahoo.com (please specific which CD you are ordering)

Wholesale prices are also available for a minimum purchase of 10 CD’s @$4.00 per CD plus $1.00 shipping ($50.00) Paypal is also an acceptable form of payment..

The Process Of Self Discovery

2006-04-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

By Yoga Kat aka Katheryn Hoban

In the way of self discovery proceed from where you are right now to ask yourself “Who am I?” “What creates more joy in my life?” “What do I really like to do?” Periodically or frequently you need to check in with your inner guide or wisdom, and ask, “am I on the right track?” “Does this feel right?” “Is this how I want to spend my time?” Many times fear prevents us from being self-fulfilled. But insist with yourself that you become more fearless, and you back up that effort with your choices each and every day.

Do small things at first that you ordinarily would not have done, out of fear. Push yourself to create more joyful pathways, and be open to encounters, which could propel you towards your purpose in life. I know that the synchronicity that occurs around us is a confirmation of our purpose in life, and that each of these moments can encourage, lead us, can answer hidden questions for us, open us to greater moments, and propel us towards our destinies and a more fulfilled place in this world.

There are no accidents, everything occurs for some reason. We find out why and we are one step closer to our purpose in life. Why did you survive when someone else didn’t? Why were you born to the parents that you have? How have your parents influenced you? Why did you meet a master pianist? Why were you born exactly where you were?

These are all parts of the puzzle pieces. Put them all together and you begin to see the I am of the moment and how it creates a larger and larger picture and then an overall total package of the divine in you engaging in the universe with specificity and precision.

Probably no one else could fulfill the exact and precise role that you will in your life. So trust that. Live it. Enjoy the discovery. Put forth as much effort as you can to self-discover and know that the I am that you are becoming will impact everyone around you in a positive, enriching way, and may inspire them on their path as well. When you are fearless, you help others to become fearless too. When you stretch past your limitation in your mind also you encourage them to stretch past their own. I am and that is enough. So who am I? And who am I allowing myself to become? You will find out for yourself.

Yoga Kat--aka Katheryn Hoban is a yoga teacher and Reiki Master Teacher with twelve years experience. She teaches children's yoga ages 3-6, and 7-12 and Adults privately in NJ. She is the author the book DAUGHTER BELOVED which will come out next year.

She has created a children's affirmation CD (ages 3-6) and an affirmation CD for adults. Yoga Kat is available for speaking or writing and can be reached at katscoolcorner@yahoo.com or 201 970-9340

Special Two for One e-Book Offer!

2006-04-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

"Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Extraordinarily Powerful Secrets Revealed!

Master Your Fears and Phobias

Discover How to Dominate Them and Use Them to Your Advantage!”

Plus a 289 page Bonus Book!

From Clyde Granger

Dear Friend,

Can you relate to any of the following scenarios?

You’re stuck in a job you hate because you’re afraid of the uncertainties involved in switching careers.

You’ve never experienced the wonderful feelings of dating and romance because you’re too frightened to be in the company of the opposite sex.

You’ve missed out on all the promising opportunities that have presented themselves to you because you’re terrified in taking the slightest risks.

Your life sucks because you’re afraid to do anything that might compromise the feeling of safety you’re experiencing now.

There are some things that make you shiver in terror; and it’s negatively affecting your career, relationships, and personal life.

Let’s face the truth. You can never amount to anything if you let your fears control your life. If you want a rewarding career, fruitful relationships, financial independence, or just about anything you can ever dreamed of, the first thing you should do is to dominate your fears and phobias.

It doesn’t matter if you have all the know-how in the world to become the greatest person on earth; if you let fear manipulate you, you can never proceed in taking the next step towards total freedom.

“Have you ever felt so bad because you’ve passed up on an opportunity that can change your life for the better?”

Fears and phobias have ruined the dreams and lives of millions of people. Many individuals have been held back from grabbing their piece of the success pie because of the doubts, fears, and uncertainties that have been plaguing their personalities.

“It’s Unhealthy to Be Afraid”

When you allow negative fears and phobias to be left untreated, your health may also get affected. It can result to high blood pressure, stress, or depression. Furthermore, such emotions can ruin your concentration and negatively affect your daily activities.

“Stop Being Afraid Right Now!”

Finally, an information-packed report has been written to teach you the necessary facts, secrets, and techniques to be in control of your fears and phobias.

How to Dominate Your Fears and Phobias is an extraordinary report that reveals amazingly easy and even fun ways to conquer fears and phobias. It utilizes radical techniques to stop malicious fears dead on their tracks.

In this book, you will learn 18 unusual yet powerful habits that can totally make you the master of your fears when applied routinely. You’ll learn not only efficient methods of controlling your fears, but you will also discover how to befriend them and use them to your advantage.

This book is the ultimate solution to eliminate your fears and phobias easily and effectively, without having to take synthetic drugs or medicines, and without having to visit your medical specialist. In fact, incurring expensive medical fees can even worsen your fears.

If you are serious in taking command over your fears using unorthodox yet highly effective methods, then you will find this book very useful.

What you will find inside How to Dominate Your Fears and Phobias:

How to befriend your fears and phobias.

How to influence and convince the people you fear.

The ultimate secret in enjoying your fears and phobias.

How healthy fears can lead to success.

How to use fears to your advantage and make them “user-friendly.”

The difference between fears and phobias.

How some people become masters in managing their fears.

Mental disorders related to phobias.

How to counter the root cause of fears and phobias.

Players in a fear scenario.

The types of fears considered as good and essential.

Characteristics of “wise people” you must possess to dominate your fears and phobias.

How admitting your fear can help in reducing it tremendously.

How to literally benefit from your fears.

How to practice your awareness and presence of mind.

How to develop the ability to size up persons and situations.

How to encourage and strengthen a positive mind.

Ways to know the reasons behind actions.

How to relax and lessen shock when sudden terror or trouble appears.

How to lessen your fear by developing a high level of sharpness in guessing people’s traits and personalities.

How to stop irrational fears by stretching your mind’s ability to broaden its perspectives.

How to create distractions to block off negative imaginations and thoughts.

An exercise to develop the habit of focusing and retaining in your memory only the positive things.

How to master your fears and doubts.

The first step to winning over your fears.

How keeping your cool can make you look tough and confident.

And a lot, lot more!

Why spend hundreds, or even thousands of dollars on techniques that are expensive, ineffective, or outdated? Why waste countless time on researching and studying, when this book already holds the golden key to release yourself from the prison cells of fears and phobias?

“Most people won’t tell others about their fears because it will bruise their egos.”

If you keep your fears and phobias to yourself and don’t let others know about it, your situation will only get worse. We understand that you might want to ask help from others, but you’re too embarrassed or frightened to do so. Let this book guide you to a fearless and phobia-free life.

You don’t have to meet people or go outside. You can read it in the comfort of your own home and benefit from it immediately.

Just order How to Dominate Your Fears and Phobias – filled with powerful methods, easy applications, and in-depth research on how to get unlimited courage and confidence in no time at all!

Order How to Dominate Your Fears and Phobias Now!

You can order your own copy of How to Dominate Your Fears and Phobias right now for only $19.95!

Act Now & Receive the Bonus Book

“Inside the Minds of Winners”

Absolutely Free!

This is a 289 page Bonus Book!

These two books will be sent to you manually,
Via E-mail, in 24 hours, or less.

Sincerely,

Clyde Granger
AURA Publications
974 Charles Street
North Providence, RI 02904
USA

Tel: 401-725-5133

Fax: 401-633-6081

Email: aurayoga2@aol.com

P.S. Fear is like a wall preventing you from receiving all the good things in life. This report will teach you how to smash that wall into pieces so you can finally get the happy and satisfying life you deserve.

P.P.S. Money, career, relationships, even health - all these and more depend on the way you handle your fears. Isn’t it about time you stop fearing and start living the good life?

AURA Publications
974 Charles Street
North Providence, RI 02904
USA
Tel: 401-725-5133

Fax: 401-633-6081

Copyright © 2006 AURA Publications. All Rights Reserved.

Improve your Life and Conquer Your Fears

2006-04-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

This is a Brand New Self Improvement e-Book, which will be released on Tuesday, April 4, 2006.

Related Self Improvement Articles

Fear is What You Make of It
By Clyde Granger

Fear has been with man since he discovered the use of his imagination. It has become so much a reality to him that at times, it controls much of his life. One of the oldest world records, the Bible, tells of its origin. Since man preferred to eat fruit from the tree of knowledge rather than from the tree of life, negative fear entered him. The tree of life gave him positive fear. The Bible account shows clearly that the serpent attacked man’s imagination when it urged him to eat the tree of knowledge.

Fear can only exist as long as your imagination lets it so. It is like a blank paper and a pen. As long as you keep drawing your fears on the paper, there it stays. Some people even apply color to the drawing so that it becomes so real to them. You can always choose to get rid of negative fears and enjoy positive fears.

People think that what they see in the physical world is reality. Well, the truth is, everything in it are temporary and false. They barely represent what reality is. Reality is found between lines of what the world reveals to us. You have to look deeper to see reality. Here is where imagination comes in.

Thus, what we see in the world as fearsome is often nothing but illusion. It comes to us by an overwhelming experience that impresses us deeply, and we choose to live by this impression. Soon, as we accumulate more of this misinformation, we form a false world we call the “real” world. This is when we are more “deceived.”

However, the real tragedy here is that we do not really see ourselves as deceived — we maintain we are being realistic. Hence, if somebody says he can squarely face his fear of ghosts, darkness, death, danger, and other common fears, we think he is being unrealistic. We have accepted wholeheartedly that such things horrify us naturally.

Real freedom is not being free from the discipline of parents, law, and authorities. It is freedom from lies. Lies breed fears. To disarm fears, we must dispel lies. To dispel lies, we must not only believe the truth — but we must live by it.

Now, how do we know the truth? Anything that makes us more humble and gentle, yet firmly moral and virtuous, is truth. This will set us free from negative fears.
______________________

Healthy Fear to Freedom
By Geoff Foster

John grew up to be a fine young man because he was taught early in life to submit to his parents. He feared his parents but also enjoyed being very close to them.

John learned the value of submission. He was disciplined to live within the healthy truth perception of his parents — knowing that his parents lived exemplary lives together. In this way, he developed a healthy fear of his parents — a positive fear born out of respect.

Now let’s take a look at Jerry. His parents lived chaotic lives, always in sharp disagreement and petty quarrels. His mother did not submit to his father, and they often went separate ways. Jerry terribly feared his parents, especially his dad. He feared him not out of respect, but out of anxiety. He worried that his parents might separate and finally abandon him.

John feared his parents but Jerry was afraid of his parents. John feared his parents to please them, but Jerry worried about losing out terribly in the end. John accepted discipline from his parents, but Jerry saw discipline or obedience as a way that might delay the impending separation of his parents. John’s life was simple; Jerry’s life was complicated.

We want the healthy fear of John. This fear leads to true freedom. This fear leads to a quiet life with little worries and uncertainties, if any. It orders your life to propriety, and this is what you want to pass to your descendants. Hence, this fear frees you and the generations after you.

Healthy fears are within you to serve you. They give you warning, discipline, and self-control. They work for you. They do not control you; quite the contrary, you manage them to suit your goals. You use them for your freedom.

When fears control you, your worst nightmare begins. You lose your freedom.
_________________

How Fears Develop
By Geoff Foster

There have been talks about fears and phobias, and how they affect life. Fear is really the misconception, the rejection, and the dread of life.

There are thousands of life definitions available around. Often, these meanings seek or require a happy, if not perfect, life in this world. We are urged to seek out a paradise or a niche of refuge where we can build our utopia or ideal world.

But what really is life? If we honestly study human drama in history, we would see that real life is the concoction of good and bad, sad and happy. How to be happy in all these circumstances is what you make out of your life. We all create our life meanings. We cannot just borrow others’ meanings or get one from a book. We discover real life through actual life encounters. How we end up after each ordeal gives us our real life.

Life is a concoction of both extremes. Real life entails going through these ordeals. When you reject this idea and look for other life meanings — the kind where you live happily ever after — fears start to develop. You begin to look for fairy tale stuffs in life and reject the ones you actually have. Fear comes in, rejecting what is real. People who live in war zones have a realistic idea of life: You live now; you may die the next moment. They see that life is temporary — which is the truth. Thus, they are prepared to die anytime. Fears are still intact, but considerably lessened.

People who reject the truth are afraid to look at scenes of death or tragedy. The more they reject them, the more the fear grows within them. Many books on fears tell their readers to avoid seeing violence. You ought not to look for violence and watch it, but you ought not to close your eyes to it when there is one right under your nose. Life will always show you both extremes.

Mother Theresa was a non-violent person. Yet, she watched injustice and violence everyday, right where she was. She didn’t feel fear for these daily scenes; instead she felt love and concern in the midst of it all. She knew and lived a real life. Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi were for non-violence. Yet they found real meaning and real life as they were caught in the middle of chaos and turmoil. These excellent people lived the real life. They even conquered others’ fears.

The rejection of the real life is the start of real fears. Fearful and phobic people refuse reality and build their own fantasy world.
____________________

“Medicines” For Fears
By Clyde Granger

People who want to be freed from fears seek a surefire anti-fear formula. Many books offer many remedies that claim to eliminate fears fast. But here’s shocking news for everyone: Man has been on earth for years and fears still lurk around him. All anti-fear solutions have been made and offered, backed up by the most advanced technology ever, and yet scores of people to this day still look for solutions to conquer fear. This speaks volumes about claims to eliminate fears fast.

Certain techniques have freed some people from their fears. But these techniques are far from bringing “fast” results. Anti-fear techniques require a process. Just look at the Kamikaze pilots of Japan in Second World War and the terrorists in the Middle East. They were trained not to fear death since childhood. The point is, a fearful person doesn’t get suddenly brave just because he read and applied the techniques that a book about fears teaches.

Getting rid of negative fears is not a speedy process. The question is, “what do you do with your fears while you are undergoing the elimination process?”

Fears can be kept away from you while you try to eliminate them. It’s like the paracetamol you take while your antibiotic is eliminating a virus. The paracetamol does not kill the virus. It does not get rid of the fever, but only keeps it away for a while. If you don’t take the antibiotic, the paracetamol can only do so little to cure your fever.

On the other hand, your antibiotic cannot kill the virus immediately. It starts overwhelming the virus after several consumptions. It finishes its job after 5 to 7 days. Now, if you choose to just take the antibiotic without the paracetamol, you would suffer the fever terribly while waiting for the antibiotic to work. Any doctor would advise against this.

You need to take something to control your fears (paracetamol) while you work out for the gradual treatment (antibiotic). The best way to manage fears while they are around during the treatment is to use them to your advantage and make them “user-friendly.” Your “paracetamol” for fears is to enjoy them while they are around. Your “antibiotic” is the new mindset you gradually feed yourself to overcome and conquer fears.

There are ways on actually enjoying and using your fears as you try to gradually get rid of them. You can adjust your behavior when you positively face your worst fears in life. Use this as a sort of amusement — like the kind of thrill you experience when you play to win in computer games. Instead of letting fears cripple your life, treat them as a series of escapades or exciting exploits. Remember, even being healed from a virus-inflicted sickness does not mean you have become immune to it. The virus can strike you again in greater strength.
_______________

The Ghost of Fear
By Clyde Granger

Everybody knows the fear of ghosts, but few know the ghost of fear. To understand the ghost of fear, here is a short parable.

Once upon a time, Jake and Fear were friends. Fear was Jake’s constant companion, and Fear helped him a lot. Fear saved him from lots of troubles and dangers, and helped him choose right paths and ways in his life.

Whenever Jake would carelessly go with the wrong company of “friends” or make a very careless decision, Fear would butt in and remind him of his father’s counsels and admonitions. When walking right in danger’s path, Fear would whisper a word of warning to dissuade him from proceeding.

Fear would also tell him the proper behavior when Jake was in front of the elderly and other people in authority. Fear would give him the ability to do and say only the respectful and kind words to people. Fear would also tell him to be polite and humble when there was a conflict with people he was related with. In short, Fear has been helping him to keep out of troubles and dangers. Fear was really a friend. Jake liked Fear’s company.

Then one day, Jake met Doubt. Doubt seemed very concerned and sincere about Jake. Doubt said his closeness to Fear was remarkable — but alarming. Doubt threw lies about Fear, distorting the truth that Jake knew about Fear. Worse, Doubt said Fear was actually taking him to a perilous direction, with Jake being unaware.

Jake asked Fear about the things Doubt told him. They had some discussions that somehow went a bit sour. They parted ways with some misunderstandings.

Then one day, Jake heard that Fear had suddenly died.

Doubt lost no time in scaring Jake about Fear. Doubt said that Fear’s premature death and his unsettled “dispute” with Jake might cause Fear to come back from the dead. Thus, the ghost of fear started to haunt Jake. He would remember the times when Fear accompanied him and warned him of bad things. But this time, he feared the voice of Fear.

The more Jake listened to Doubt, the worse he became afraid of Fear. Fear seemed to be no longer a friend, but a spooky entity that sought his destruction.

End of parable.

The best way to “exorcize” or get rid of the “ghost” of fear is to make fear a friend again. You can only use it to help you if you face the truth about it. Your crazy and negative imagination creates your “ghosts.” A crazy imagination is good if you use it to create a “friendly” ghost.

The book of Proverbs says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

The Top 10 Steps to DeStress

2006-04-02T05:25:00.000-07:00

By Pam Woods

Do you feel tense and anxious at work? Do your co-workers and/or boss make you crazy? Is your personal life less than blissful? If so, you've got stress. If you're like most people you've sought refuge from this situation by trying a quick fix or two like calling a friend, walking the dog, or going away for the weekend in an attempt to escape it all.

While these strategies may serve as temporary diversions, nothing in your life changes when you return to your routine.
Stress is internal, which explains why it can wreak havoc on your health. It feels awful...it's the sense that you're not in control.

The easiest way to mitigate its effect is to take charge of the one and only thing you have the power to control...YOU, and let go of what you can't control. The beauty of this recipe is that by taking control of your life, external or outside things will change in response to your internal changes. Here are 10 steps to destress for your present and future:

1. Heal yourself.

Dr. Bruce McEwen, who wrote The End of Stress As We Know It, suggests that eliminating stress comes right from your grandmother's journal. He says the most effective steps you can take are the simplest: exercise, a healthy diet, regular sleep, moderate to minimal alcohol intake, and no smoking. This, he notes, is the most sophisticated, up to the minute, cutting edge science available!

2. Get organized.

Physical clutter reminds us of things that need to be done and that's stressful. Remove your physical clutter and you'll eradicate your mental clutter, plus you'll feel energized. Please go to http://topten.org/public/AG/AG306.html for a simple organizing solution that will work on any space.

3. Set boundaries.

Boundaries act as a filter to keep you safe from the hurtful behavior of others while allowing in the love, support and nurturing actions we all need. Set your boundaries by: (a) determining what others cannot do to you or in your presence and (b) sharing this information respectfully with anyone who is stepping over one of your boundaries.

4. Take time for yourself.

Put together a list of all the things you love to do but haven't regularly made time to do. Put your list in priority order and enter the top five to seven items into your daily calendar. Your list may include things as simple as journaling, reading a great book, taking a bubble bath, yoga, etc. You'll be more successful getting to these activities when you give them a time and place on your calendar.

5. Be positive.

William James, the father of modern psychology said, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind." In other words, what you say and what you tell yourself impact the present and create your future. Love yourself and use the power of positive words, pleasing thoughts and affirming beliefs to live the life you want to live.

6. Work in a career you love.

If you're like most people, you spend the majority of your waking hours at work. You'll know you're in the right profession when: you wake up anxious to go to work, you want to do your best daily, and you know your work is important.

7. Surround yourself with a supportive community.

You are who you spend time with. Hang out with people who love and accept you just the way you are, are interested in you (not what you can do for them), lift you up (not wear you down), solve problems quickly, don't gossip or complain, and know how to have fun. Anything is possible with the right support.

8. Learn to say, "No."

We've all been influenced by people in our life who tell us we should do this or we ought to do that. As a result, we may end up living a life that others have decided for us versus living the life we want. So, the next time you think of something you ought to do or someone else suggests you should do, take a breath and ask yourself if it's something you want to do.

If not, just say, "no" or "no thank you." When you say no to things you don't care to do, you are saying yes to you and this will free up your time and energy for the things you choose to do. Bottom line - you'll be happier.

9. Zap tolerations.

A toleration is something that irritates you and drains your energy because it needs to be done, fixed, removed, or changed. If you're like most people you may be tolerating 100 or more things! Put together a list of all the things that bug you, e.g. a dripping faucet, money concerns, your weight, shopping and running errands, not enough time, computer files out of control, your hair, a room that needs to be painted, etc.

When your list is complete, group like items and see if one solution will eliminate multiple tolerations. For example, if you have piles of clothing in each bedroom, dirty windows and dust bunnies on your floor, hiring a housekeeper will zap all three tolerations. Line up a housekeeper, today.

Then, commit to spending a chunk of time each week to zap your other tolerations. If you have a toleration that you don't have the skill or know-how to fix, consider calling an expert or seek out a skilled professional to trade services with.

10. Get your needs met.

A "need" is not an option, it is something you must have to function fully. It is differentiated from a "want" in that a want is optional. Unmet needs can drive you to distraction and worse.

Determine what needs you have that aren't being met, if any, and then take the appropriate action to get them fulfilled. Example: If you've taken a big hit and are going through a career transition, ask a good friend to call you two or three times a week to check in with you and give you support. Other options include calling your own voice mail and leaving supportive messages or hiring a coach who specializes in career transitions. When you acknowledge and satisfy your needs, you will be free to focus on other areas of your life.

If you want to be happier and more successful, focus on the things you have the power to control.

Pam N. Woods is co-author of a bestselling book, Create the Business Breakthrough You Want: Secrets and Strategies from the World's Greatest Mentors; endorsed by Ken Blanchard and Dr. Stephen Covey. She is a Coach U graduate and President of Smart WorkLife Solutions, a coaching and consulting company devoted to co-creating customized solutions to fit clients business and personal organizing needs.

Prior to founding her own firm she had a successful 20+ year career as an insurance executive and Vice President of Human Resources. For more free how-to articles and advice, or to contact Woods, visit http://www.worklifecoach.com. Copyright 2004 - Pam Woods

Workaholic Behavior

2006-04-02T05:18:00.000-07:00

By Chris Crouch

What?

Workaholism is a common type of dysfunctional behavior. It is a destructive behavior pattern that is not normal. Simply working hard from time to time is not what I am talking about here.

We all have to do that occasionally. It becomes dysfunctional when the duration and intensity of the behavior get out of control and begin affecting your life in a negative manner. Workaholics must fix this problem first if they want to get organized.

So What?

Many people actually brag about being workaholics. They love to tell you about how many hours they “put in” and how they haven’t had a day off in months or years. Most workaholics do not realize they are, in effect, telling you they are dysfunctional and behaving in an irrational manner. There are only 24 hours in your day, only 24 hours in my day, only 24 hours in everybody’s day.

George Washington only had 24 hours each day to figure out how to build a new nation and follow up on his ideas.

Dwight D. Eisenhower only had 24 hours each day to figure out how to win World War II and follow up on his ideas.

Albert Einstein only had 24 hours each day to solve some of the greatest mysteries of the universe (including the true meaning of time).

These guys actually had some good reasons for occasionally being workaholics. The fact is, most of us are not building new nations, fighting global wars or solving the problems of the universe. We can probably get our work done without turning into workaholics.

Now What?

Be honest with yourself (this may not be easy or feel good at first). Think about why you have chosen to be a workaholic. Here are some possible reasons according to psychologists who study this type of behavior:

Workaholics have trouble relaxing or doing nothing. Some workaholics have a profound sense of insecurity and think that others appreciate them only for what they do instead of what they are.
Workaholics have anxieties about not living up to expectations, not being good enough, or other people finding out they are not as good as everyone thinks they are. According to psychoanalyst Manfred Kets de Vries, these people put “all the eggs of self-esteem in the basket of work.”

Workaholics won’t delegate because they think nobody else can do the work as well as they can. This attitude, of course, assures they will never escape from the workaholic cycle.

There are many other reasons for workaholism, but the more important issue is what to do about it. One of the best steps to conquer workaholism is to take time out for reflection. Figuring out why you are driving yourself so hard will help you figure out how to stop doing it.

Use some of your restless energy to research the topic and figure out how to create a better, non-dysfunctional life for yourself. Stop thinking being a workaholic is normal behavior.

“There is more to life than to increase its speed.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Chris Crouch, president and founder of DME Training and Consulting, is the developer of the GO System. The GO System is a structured training course designed to improve focus, organization and productivity in the workplace and is taught by corporate trainers and professional organizers all over the country.

Chris is also author of Getting Organized: Learning How to Focus, Organize and Prioritize and other books that provide practical and easy-to-learn ideas on personal achievement, success and productivity.

Visit http://www.thegosystem.com to learn more about the GO System, to inquire about having Chris speak to your group or organization, to sign up for Chris' free newsletter providing tips on having a more joyful and productive life, and for additional ideas on improving focus, organization and productive.

To learn about becoming a Certified GO System Trainer, visit http://www.gosystemcertification.com.

Stressors- External And Internal

2006-01-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

By Pradeep Chadha

Stressors are agents that cause stress. Stressors can be divided into two broad categories:

· External

· Internal

External Stressors

External stressors are the sources of stress that we are aware of around us. These stressors are things that create a situation of perceived threat in our minds and bodies. Over the last few years a lot of research has been done on external stressors. These stressors can affect us in various settings- at work, at home, while driving and in a social setting. We are all free sprits in Nature. Anything that constraints our freedom of expression, thought or action creates a situation of stress that out bodies and our minds would like to change.

It results in a feeling of unhappiness and discontent. For example, the same home can be a happy place or a stressful place. If things do not happen according to our desires at home, our wishes are unfulfilled and we feel stressed. In the workplace, our expectation of our work, our employers, our colleagues and our own commitments, if unfulfilled, create a situation that our mind perceives as a threat. We find ourselves helpless and unable to change the situation. Our free spirit is stilted. We feel the ‘pressure’. This is stress.

Internal Stressors

Internal stressors are the stressors inside us. These are stressor that have been in our minds and bodies for many years of our lives. These stressors exist in the form of our genetic loading. They are also restrictions that have been imposed on us by our parents, our teachers and various authority figures that have taught us what to do and more importantly, what not to do.

Such internal stressors remain in our bodies, unknown to us, in the form of emotions. According to recent researches done in the United States, such emotions exist in our bodies in the form of neurochemicals called neuropeptides.

Neuropeptides are laid out in our cell systems in such a manner that the patterns are hard to delete. Such patterns, when laid out with our emotional experiences, persist for our lifetime. In this form, stress is stored in our bodies. These stressed or negative emotions or neuropeptides are organized in such a way as to affect our perception, our thinking and our behaviour. These stresses become chronic.

The interaction of the external and internal stressors and the internal stresses creates what we call stress. The internal stressors mentioned above, when interacting with the external stressors (environment), create arousal in our body systems. The internal stressors then become stress.

This is an excerpt from The Stress Barrier-Nature's Way To Overcoming Stress. ISBN 1901657655. It is available through http://www.amazon.com and http://www.amazon.co.uk. The author, Dr. Chadha is a psychiatrist with experitse in drug free treatment of psychiatric conditions.

He is based in Dublin, Ireland. His website address is: http://www.drpkchadha.com

Working Under Stress and Distraction

2006-01-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

By Jillian Middleton

Ever had a week, or month or how about a summer that was so overwhelming, so chaotic that you simply didn't know where to start to get back on track?

You may not have any control over the thing (or things) that set off the chaos but you still have to deal with the ramifications. Often on top of the physical presence of the chaos there is also internal emotional turmoil that suddenly boils up from who knows where.

For example, this is going back to school time. For those of you who have young kids it often means the end to summer…sanity is around the corner. But for those of you whose kids are "coming of age" it may mean they are off to college and that could mean they're moving out of the house and sometimes out of state.

Regardless of how often you thought you'd be glad when the day came that they were leaving…now that it's here it can be a real emotional ringer. I've got several clients that feel like they are on an emotional rollercoaster for just this reason.

Added to that emotional turmoil is the feeling they have left so much undone during this time, they don't know where to start.

Or maybe you've been away for close to a week attending your company's annual event. You've been exposed to a lot of information. You're excited and rearing to go. But you're feeling overwhelmed. "Where do I begin" and feeling behind in your day to day life. So what do you do…often we do nothing.

Neither of the above examples are what train wrecked me this last week. But that is exactly how I feel overwhelmed and on an emotional rollercoaster. What caused the sky to fall for me?

Technical difficulties.

My email account (Outlook) went down and I've been unable to access any of my files nor can I get or send emails. This is huge for me as I do a lot of my business using email. Believe me for the first couple of days, the sky was falling.

Loosing my folders would be awful and being virtually off line for a week has sent things into a real tizzy.

I felt so far behind that it seemed I'd never catch up and I was really at odds as to where to begin.

Where do you begin when this happens?

This is what I did and I hope the process helps you. I made a list of all the things I could think of that were lurking out there playing on my mind. All the things that were left undone while the distraction was taking my time…this newsletter was one of them. It was "due" on the 15th and here it is the 18th and still not out.

Once I got the list of projects in front of me that were undone (and making me crazy) it was easier (and much less frightening) to choose the first one to do.

In this case it was the newsletter. I decided that was my first project.

Did that fix everything?

No, I'm still behind and feeling angst (and Outlook is still not working right). So the next thing I did was stand back a bit and take a look at how I was dealing with the situation.

Here is what I heard, "You need to tell those Microsoft guys that you're out of time, and they need to do whatever it takes to get this fixed." Clever huh, do I really think these guys are not doing everything they can to fix this problem? Here's another gem, "Everything is still sitting there, when will it get done. You're going on vacation next week, how can you do that with this mess?"

What I heard was all the negative chatter reinforcing how far behind I was and all the things that I "should" be doing. It became apparent that this was a job for the "Tom and Jerry" solution. For those of you who don't know the Tom and Jerry solution see my ezine # 6. It was time to "thank it for sharing, flick it off my shoulder and listen to something constructive, something positive."

Don't be so hard on yourself

And this ladies and gentlemen is really the entire reason for this article. So many of us think we are supposed to "get perfect" and stay that way. When the real trick is to recognize when you are off schedule, off kilter or in anyway out of sorts or out of focus … and simply come back to focus.

As soon as I decided I was going to put the "distraction" on the back burner (even for just a little while) and focus on something I knew I had control over, things began to clear for me.

Oh the negative chatter didn't stay away very long - at first. But what did happen immediately, I was able to refocus much more quickly. So the amount of time I was "spinning" doing nothing of real value got shorter and shorter.

And that's the trick. It isn't how much is undone, or how long you've been off track, that really makes for failure. What trips us up is not coming back to focus.

Everyone gets off focus. What makes for success is to keep coming back.

And here's one last thought on that. Come back congratulating yourself. Yep, congratulating yourself.

You have a couple of choices in this situation (at least). You can be really annoyed with yourself for "being off focus again." Or you can congratulate yourself for recognizing you were "off" and bringing yourself back.

Which do you think will be the most productive? (Let's see, is the glass half full or half empty?)
Remember the hash mark exercise from the last ezine and try that here. When you realize you're "off focus" add one of those hash marks to your collection. But do with congratulations for being aware that you were off focus.

What happens as soon as you are aware you're off focus?

Right, you back on track.

Be good to you when things out of your control suddenly take over. And as soon as you can, take a break from the chaos and do something that moves your life forward. The chaos will still be there waiting for you…(or maybe not) when you return to it. Recap of steps

In its essence pretty simple really:
1. Stand back from the situation and make a list of everything that is undone
2. Pick something that's important to you from the list. (Everything important? Choose something you can complete fairly easily and quickly.)
3. Using the Tom and Jerry exercise from ezine #6 and break the negative chatter pattern.
4. Congratulate yourself for recognizing when you're off focus. Great job, you're aware!

I'd love to hear how this works for you, please email me and let me know.
May all your hassles be little and your (re)focus strong! :)

© 2006 Jillian Middleton All rights reserved.

Jillian Middleton is a Mentor Coach and Trainer, and author of the courses '5 Steps to Working Less and Making More in Network Marketing' and Setting Up Your Store Hours.

As creator of the 'Savvy Sponsoring Strategies' Program, Jillian trains network marketers and direct sales consultants the same strategies she used to build two 6-figure network marketing businesses in 5 years. For more information on Jillian or her programs visit:

http://www.SavvySponsoring.com.

How To Manage Stress After And Before An Accident or Tragedy

2006-01-16T16:51:00.000-08:00

By John Watson

Accidents and tragedies often happen to us when we are not expecting them. They are the unpleasant and even horrendous experiences of life. How can we deal with them when they happen and how can we prepare for them before they happen?

On Thursday 12th January 2006, I head butted a pile of chairs. I was pursuing a student with a fake knife to help him learn how to evade a knife attack. He evaded brilliantly.

As I missed him, I tripped and crashed to the ground falling heavily on my knees. My progress along the floor was stopped as I rammed my head into a pile of chairs.

Blood was dripping from my head to the ground and I felt as if I had been in a car crash.

My first thought, as a motivational writer, was: "What is good in this situation?!"

There was a lot. I still had my eyesight even though things appeared a little fuzzy and I still had intact knee caps. It was also the end of the lesson so no one could ask for their money back!

The scar that would be left on my head for a while would give me street cred as a martial arts instructor. When you are too old to look beautiful it is better to look tough.

The incident also gave me first hand experience of looking on the bright side. This viewpoint is always worth describing since so many humans have to face the dark side of life on a regular basis.

It is a commonplace that when you are in an accident or other stressful situation, you can relieve stress by considering the positives.

Crashing to the floor, will make me a better instructor. I will take better care of my students and make sure that they are not wearing the wrong footwear (as I stupidly was) and are not over committed (as I stupidly was).

I can also take the incident as a warning to be more careful in future in everything I do that involves risk. I will make sure I always wear a seat belt even for short car journeys. Accidents occur when you are not expecting them. The least you can do is be prepared for them.

I was moved by the support of my students. One insisted that he would take me to hospital. I told him I was fine and, in the end, I just drove myself home. I preferred an early night to hanging round in a chilly hospital full of dodgy bacteria.

Two of my black belt instructors phoned next day to check up on me and one of my more recent students emailed me to see if I was OK. Even her mum was concerned. Such support can definitely cheer you up in times of stress.

The incident allowed various talents to emerge. One of my students was a vet who did a great job of patching me up.

My sister commented on how cheerful I was after a good sleep. I would not have been so cheerful if there had been permanent damage to my eyes or knee caps.

It is easy to recover from an unpleasant incident where there is no permanent damage. Just realize the fact that things could have been much, much worse and take steps to avoid a repeat performance.

Being cheerful is not so easy if you suffer permanent damage but again the principle is the same. Look for the positives.

Many people are worse off than you or me. Christopher Reeve suddenly became worse off than billions when he fell off his horse. And even Christopher could have been worse off than he already was if he had suffered brain damage as well as paralysis and if he had not had the support of a loving family.

Money usually helps in any tough situation. One reason I have started an internet business in info publishing is to be able to help any member of my family if they need special treatment or care.

The old are too often treated with too little respect. If they have plenty of money in their old age, the respect is still there.

Having plenty of money cannot replace having good health but it can certainly alleviate your problems when you find yourself in a stressful situation.

Money is a great stress reliever! Being able to pay for any expensive drugs you might need can make a huge difference.

We need to make plenty of money while we are still able to. Even a minor accident can severely limit the power, focus and energy you need when you are trying to make money.

Age, too, can sneak up on us with unexpected health problems and increased stresses. Let's focus on the best but also spend some time preparing for the worst.

Thorough preparation for the future is a great stress reliever and there is no time like the present to start preparing.

If you are not yet in a stressful situation, make sure you are ready for it if and when it comes.
Another way to deal with stress, even the worst kind, is to see the funny or unexpected side of it. Joan Rivers is famous for relieving stress by looking at the funny side of age, death and even suicide.

At a performance in England, she was almost in tears as she remembered the suicide of her husband and the way the news came first to her fifteen year old daughter, Melissa.

Melissa felt especially upset as she had been the last to speak to her father on the phone and had not realized what he was planning.

Joan felt she had 'lost' Melissa until they had a meal in a restaurant together. Joan daringly relieved her daughter's stress by commenting: "If daddy were alive and saw these prices he would kill himself all over again."

Melissa smiled for the first time since her father's death.

Many people are currently stressed by the fear of bird 'flu. Joan, typically, sees a benefit in this situation:

"Something wonderful has happened. We are all going to die from bird 'flu, so we can eat what we like."

About the author: John Watson is an award winning teacher and fifth degree black belt martial arts instructor. He has recently written several books about achieving your goals and dreams.

They can be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com/ along with a motivational message and books by other authors.

Stress - How To Relieve It

2005-12-22T15:28:00.000-08:00

By Michael Russell

In this last article in our series on stress we're going to cover some of the ways that stress can be reduced.

One of the easiest ways to reduce stress is to start with a healthy diet. Medical research shows that a diet composed of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits can greatly reduce stress because of the nutrients being supplied to your body and mind. Also avoiding such things as alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco can greatly reduce stress.

Another great treatment for stress is lots of exercise. This serves two purposes. The exercise itself builds up the body which fights off stressful factors. Also, exercising is a great distraction in itself to get your mind off of the things that are bothering you, and in turn this reduces stress. A varied exercise routine is best because it prevents boredom. Maybe take an hour or two and divide up your time between treadmill, biking and weightlifting.

Other activities that are great for reducing stress are aerobics, swimming and yoga. Signing up for one of these classes is a great way to kill a couple of hours, get your mind off things and at the same time get your body into better shape.

Of course if you are terribly out of shape then you need to start slow. Maybe start with taking a 15 minute walk 3 days a week. Then work your way up to 30 minutes and eventually an hour. Then you can add yoga or aerobics to your routine, maybe starting one or the other for a half hour a week and then working your way up to maybe 20 minutes a day. Of course don't start an exercise routine until you've checked with a doctor.

Besides exercise, another way to reduce stress is through activities that don't take much physical exertion, but do take time and in the process take your mind off your problems for a while.

The best of these, if you can afford it, is to take a vacation. Go somewhere for a week or at least a few days just to get away from things. Places where they have many attractions like amusement parks or beaches, especially in the summer, are great. An associate of mine personally told me of a time when he was under such terrible stress that he was afraid he was going to have a nervous breakdown. After just one weekend at the beach he was a new person.

Yes, vacations work wonders.

Another thing that's important to do is reduce stress at work. If there is something about your job that is extremely stressful, take it up with human resources. Maybe they can find some ways to reduce the stress by changing your situation slightly.

Practice stress reduction techniques like deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, meditation and massage therapy.

Finally, get yourself into a support group. Talking to other people who are also under great stress can be a great comfort. You know the old saying, misery loves company.

These are just some of the natural things you can do to relieve stress without medication. You should see significant improvement by using the above suggestions.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Stress

The Easiest Damn Stress Management Techniques Ever! Part V – Time to Tune Out

2005-12-19T06:54:00.000-08:00

By Rodger Ruge

This is part five of a five part series exploring simple, easy to implement stress management techniques we can do every day. These are powerful techniques that are easy to learn and they do not take a lot of time or effort. If you do not have time to listen to a guided relaxation CD, or participate in an exercise program or meditate for 30 minutes each day, then these techniques will give you a quick way to begin to combat the effects of stress. No excuses, everyone has time for this stuff so let’s get to work!

Something we seldom do is to take time for ourselves. I’m not talking about taking time to catch up on the millions of chores and incidentals that seem to never end, in addition to all our daily demands. The pace of our lives is quite literally out of control. We do more with less constantly. We sacrifice our sleep to cram everything possible into every waking moment and these days it is rare to find someone who actually does stop to smell the roses. This pace leads to a life that is out of balance, a life that centers itself on chaos, a life heading down the path to depression and total burnout. Believe it or not, it’s OK to stop life and get off for a while!

Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed by the pace of my life, which at times borders on the insane, I just tune out. Admittedly I should do this more often than I do, because I also struggle with allowing myself to find this peace. But this is part of self-care and gratitude and it should be part of our daily life. So, the trick is making the time to do some “Me” fun. I accomplish this by taking my day planner and literally scheduling in the time. I make an appointment with myself for fun and then do whatever I feel like doing, without guilt. I have found that by budgeting the time it makes me feel better about the whole process.

Another positive choice I make when I’m feeling beat up by life is to take a break from information overload. I simply stop reading the paper, listening to the news and watching television. I just deal with my immediate world and the rest of it can all go to hell for a while. Now, I’m not advocating disassociation from the world because that would be an unreasonable thing to do. We do need to keep abreast of current issues in our society so we can be informed citizens, but I am telling you that taking a couple of days off form the constant bombardment of negative stimulus feels really great. And, believe it or not, the world will continue without you!

The benefit to this is that when you deal with your immediate world, the larger picture does not seem as significant as before. This will help you to keep your perspective and stay on track. The world will seem more positive and your life will have greater balance and peace.

If you take a look at all the stress management strategies we have discussed in each part of this article you can see that the effort needed to complete any one of these is minimal and best of all none of them require tremendous commitments of time. Literally just a few minutes each day of applying any or all of these concepts can lead to tremendous strides in managing your daily stress. Frankly, you can not possibly come up with any excuses to justify not trying some of these simple techniques. I hope you choose to do everything I have suggested, and would encourage you to explore deeper levels of stress management techniques as you begin to see the positive results emerge in your life.

Good health!

Rodger Ruge is a retired police officer, stress management trainer and author of The Warrior's Mantra, Barricade Books. Rodger is available for stress management training and seminars. You can reach Rodger through his website at http://www.readyforce.net.

Manage Your Stress Naturally

2005-12-19T06:46:00.000-08:00

By Farah Khan

Let’s face it. We all get stressed out now and then. Life is hectic. We often feel like we have too much to do in too little time. People in our lives can be difficult. There are so many factors that can throw our life off kilter at times. One way to reduce stress in our lives is to focus on personal growth and renewal. This includes mental and spiritual renewal along with maintaining our bodies in optimum physical health. The state of our nervous systems can particularly make a huge difference in our capacity to adapt and thrive through all of the curve balls that life may throw us. Proper rest and relaxation, proper nutrition, proper exercise, as well as prayer and meditation can all improve our ability to handle stress. In addition, there are numerous herbs and essential oils that can help us to handle stress better.

Certain herbs can improve our ability to handle stress. Siberian ginseng is one herb that is well known for its adaptogenic functions. This means that it can aid our bodies to adapt to a variety of stressful conditions better. Many athletes use it to improve athletic performance. In China, it is commonly used to help cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. It can reduce many of the negative effects of chemotherapy. People’s white blood cell counts stay more normal and they have less hair loss and nausea when taking Siberian ginseng. We can take Siberian ginseng in everyday life to cope better with stress. In small amounts, it can also improve our sleep and alleviate insomnia. It can alleviate fatigue and exhaustion in people whose nerves feel fried from doing too much.

Another Chinese herb that increases our resistance to stress is cordyceps. Cordyceps is a Chinese herb that has been shown to improve oxygenation in our body. It enhances our ability to adapt to stress and it boosts energy. It has been shown to be beneficial for people suffering from chronic fatigue. In Chinese medicine, it is considered to be a kidney tonic. This means that it can be particularly beneficial for people who feel adrenal depleted. These people often have fatigue combined with a poor appetite and low back pain.

Free and Easy Wanderer is an herbal formula that can help anyone experiencing moodswings, anger, fatigue or depression along with changes in appetite. It contains bupleurum root, which is renowned in China for its capacity to relieve stress. This herbal formula is particularly beneficial for women with premenstrual syndrome, but it effectively relieves stress in men as well.
An herbal formula called Lung Tan Xie Gan Wan, or Dragon Gallbladder Clear Fire Pill, can be useful for those of us who get angry and enraged easily. This Chinese patent pill can reduce conditions of heat and inflammation in the body, and concurrently alleviate emotional “heat”.

Another herbal formula called Zizyphus Pills can help people suffering from anxiety and insomnia. The main ingredient, zizyphus seed, is beneficial for calming and soothing strained nervous systems. It can increase the nourishing yin energy of the body which helps to promote restful sleep. This herb can also be helpful for people who are continually anxious about the future and for people who tend to hyperventilate or who have panic attacks. Pinellia and Magnolia Bark Formula can also be beneficial for people with panic attacks or for those who experience stress-induced asthma.

Certain essential oils can also increase our capacity to handle stress and can also encourage us to relax so we do not get stressed out in the first place. Simply sniffing these scents by placing a drop on a handkerchief or diffusing the aroma with a room diffuser can make a wonderful difference in our state of mind.

Lavender essential oil is very soothing, calming, and relaxing. One drop placed on or near our pillow at night can improve sleep and may alleviate insomnia. Chamomile essential oil can also promote a good night’s rest. Placing three or four drops in our bathwater before we go to bed can promote sleep and calm our nerves.

When we want to be awake and energized, a number of essential oils can give us a little pick me up. Peppermint essential oil can improve our clarity of mind and our wakefulness. Lemon essential oil can also make us feel more alert. Studies in Japan have shown that lemon essential oil increases the accuracy of people’s work when the fragrance is diffused through their office.

Grapefruit and tangerine essential oil can make us feel more joyful and optimistic. These are good oils for people who tend to get depressed easily. Grapefruit essential oil can also promote wakefulness in people suffering from jetlag. Another essential oil that is helpful for people who get depressed easily is rosemary. Simply inhaling the scent of rosemary can enhance the flow of oxygen to the brain. This can also help improve retention of information and improve people’s test taking abilities.

And last but not least, if you are interested in letting go, letting things flow and taking the stress out of romance, certain essential oils are wonderful for creating a good ambience. Ylang-ylang, jasmine, and rose essential oils can all help to create a relaxing and warm atmosphere to help us loosen up and enjoy an evening with someone special.

As you can see, there are many different remedies that can aid us in our quest to lead a more relaxed life while managing our stress naturally.

Dr. Farah Khan is a licensed Doctor of Oriental Medicine in the state of New Mexico. She is an experienced herbalist, aromatherapist, and acupuncturist. She also practices a form of spiritual energy work that was passed on to her by a line of Mexican curanderas. Her specialties include treatment of Lyme Disease and fibromyalgia.

She has a B.A. in psychology from Brown University and an M.A. in Oriental Medicine from the International Institute of Chinese Medicine in Albuquerque, NM. She is available for herbal consultations over the web and has an extensive line of products at her site.

Her web site is at http://www.yinessence.com.

You can e-mail Dr. Khan at farah@yinessence.com.

Best Stress Busters

2005-12-19T06:43:00.000-08:00

By Katie Byrd

Stress has thousands of causes, but, ultimately, there’s only one remedy – and that’s to let it go.
How can you let stress go? You can begin by knowing that in the long run “this too shall pass.”

Life is not an emergency. Just letting a problem be is often a good solution. Scarlett O’Hara knew how to handle stress. She would inevitably say, “I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about it tomorrow.” Sometimes a little procrastination can do wonders.

When life gets rough, just stop, take a couple of deep breaths and chill out. There are lots of things you can do to slow down and let go. Take on a new point of view of the situation, take a break, take a nap, take a bath or take a walk. They all work. Just don’t take a valium. That doesn’t work.

Other stress busting techniques include improving your diet, exercising on a regular basis and getting enough rest. You can also ask for support from family and friends. Be selfish and take good care of yourself. Remember that if you’re not happy, for the most part, nobody around you is going to be happy either.

The problem is most people get so caught up in life’s soap opera they lose perspective. They forget that being cool, calm and collected - no matter what’s going on – is the source of all success, health, wealth and happiness.

Follow Lily Tomlin’s advice – “For fast-acting relief, slow down.” Slowing down changes your perspective and empowers you to see that you don’t have to be a victim. There are actions you can take that will give you more control of your life. You can set reasonable and attainable goals, stop overcommitting yourself, give up perfectionism and minimize or even eliminate most of your sources of stress.

As the Serenity Prayer suggests, change the things you can and learn to accept the things you can’t change. If you follow these guidelines, stress will be a small, manageable part of your life.

Katie Byrd will take you by the hand and teach you the skills she's used to journey from a financially strapped, bad credit nightmare to debt free abundant living. To find out more visit: http://abundanceandwealth.bellaonline.com

How To Use A Journal To Reduce Your Stress

2005-12-19T06:37:00.000-08:00

By Daniel Lesser

Writing in your journal on a regular basis can actually help you prevent stress. You will learn to think out your problems in an organized way. You will learn how to express yourself and release emotions and anxieties. You learn how to manage your life more productively so you do not have such overwhelming feelings which lead to stress.

Stress can lead to certain health conditions. These health conditions make your stress worse and it is a cycle that is hard to break. When you become accustomed to journaling, you will see that your life is improving.

There are few situations that are actually stressful in themselves. It is our reactions to situations and events in our lives that create stress. Stress is compounded by work overload and not enough sleep. Your journals can help you reduce this and prevent a large majority of stress.
You should use your journals to:

1. Identify the source of your stress

2. Create ways to cope with the stress

3. Find ways to organize your life and activities and events in your life

4. Think of ways to nurture yourself (such as a massage or a bubble bath)

5. Evaluate your responses and opinions of stress in your life to see if you are being productive or counterproductive

Keeping a journal helps your situations become manageable. Keeping a journal offers you a distraction to many daily activities. It also gives you an outlet for your emotions. Journals can keep you on task by forcing you to approach your situation instead of pushing it aside "for later".
Daniel J Lesser is the creator of Stressed-In-The-City.com. A whole world awaits if you can control your stress. Find out how to expand your horizons at http://www.stressed-in-the-city.com.

Top 10 Tips for Mastering Stress

2005-12-19T06:32:00.000-08:00

By Jeff Herring

1) Make a clear distinction between stress and pressure. Stress comes from the outside. It’s what is imposed upon us by others, such as deadlines, bills, and that jerk that cut you off in traffic. Pressure is what we tell ourselves, how we think, about the stress.

2) Give up the silly notion that you can completely reduce or eliminate the stress in life. Stress is inevitable if you are alive. The goal is to manage it well.

3) Learn to say no. It’s such a small but powerful word. Yet we take on much more than we can reasonably handle when we don’t say no. Picture this scene from an old Mel Brooks film - Brooks is in a medieval dungeon being tortured by being placed on a stone table with a board on top of him, covering his body. Stones are being placed on the board, slowly increasing the pressure on him. Here’s the punchline for our purposes - Brooks is yelling “more weight, more weight, give me more weight.” Learn how to say NO!

4) Stop trying to eat a pizza in one bite! In other words, break down large stressful events or projects into manageable sizes.

5) Rest. Rest. Rest some more. According to the story, even God rested one day out of seven. Not a bad model to follow. Or how about these sage words from Lily Tomlin - “For fast acting relief, try slowing down.”

6) Watch your language! Pay attention to the language you use when thinking about the stress in your life. This applies to how you talk to yourself about stress - “I’ll never get all this done!”, as well as to how you define situations - “This is the worst thing that could possibly happen, and besides, it’s not fair!”

7) Guard how many things you allow to pull on your time and on your mind. I have a theory that our culture has gone insane and we just haven’t realized it yet. We have allowed so much stress, demands and have to’s into our life that we fail to realize it’s not normal or healthy. It’s a frog in the pot situation - place a frog in boiling water and he’ll do his very best to get right out. But place the same frog in a pot of water at room temperature, and then slowly turn up the heat. He’ll cook. Be careful how much you take on and allow into your life.

8) Make a list of all the things you like to do for fun. Then consider how many you have done lately. After you get over the shock, pick one and go do it.

9) Get organized. You will live longer and easier. If you say that you are too busy to get organized, then I thank you for proving my point. I’m not an organized person by nature. I’m lucky that Lauren has the gift of organization. If you don’t know how to organize, get help from someone who does.

10) Use these suggestions. Don’t just read this column, smile, say that makes sense and then walk away. Taking action, doing something about it, is one of the most powerful stress management tools available.

Implementing just one of these ten tips will help you to master stress. I wonder what would happen if you used all ten?

Visit http://www.thearticleguy.com/ for more leading edge tips and tools for writing articles that bring you prospects, publicity and profits. You can also subscribe to our monthly Article Writing & Marketing Tips Newsletter. You are also invited to visit my Express-Start Article Writing Program for more information on the next article writing tele-seminar.

The HALTS Approach to Stress Management

2005-12-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

By Jeff Herring

One of the best professional experiences I have ever had was working for an adolescent drug treatment center for a good part of the eighties. I certainly didn’t make much money there, but what I learned during those six plus years was priceless.

HALTS is an acronym commonly used in substance abuse treatment that can be very usefully applied to stress management. A HALTS approach to managing our stress recommends that we avoid getting too Hungry Angry Lonely Tired Scared.
Let’s take a look at each of these five stressors and how to avoid them.

Hungry - Although food comes immediately to mind (when doesn’t it?), there are many other things for which we can “hunger.” We all need a sense of worth, connection to others and to something bigger than ourselves, appreciation, and many others. Miss out on some of these basic emotional needs for very long and we can end up stressed out, sad or depressed.

Tip: Stay connected to people and situations that help you meet these needs in a healthy way. Avoid those who don’t as much as possible.

Angry - Anger is a huge source of stress. I get angry, you get angry, all God's children get angry. No problem there. The problem comes when anger is our most common emotion and our first response to most situations. Recent research has demonstrated that constant anger is not only not good for you, it can kill you.

Tip: Pay attention to and deal with the emotions that anger typically grows out of: fear, frustration, hurt.

Lonely - In spite of all the modern ways we have to communicate with each other, we still live in a culture where it is incredibly easy to become isolated. Most people don’t know the names of their neighbors on either side or across the street. I know of people who are “just too busy” to spend the time to connect with other people. These folks are way too busy for their own good.

Tip: Take the time to connect and stay connected to others. Walk next door and introduce yourself. Call an old friend you have not spoken with in a while. Stay connected. Connection and community relieve stress.

Tired - Vince Lombardi said “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” It’s not that most people don’t have the time to rest, it’s that most people have actually forgotten how. When it comes to the ultimate form of rest, sleeping, when was the last time you got the recommended 8 - 10 hours? You can stop laughing now. We can push ourselves just so far before the body takes over and forces us to rest. I’ve worked with clients that have told me that it’s actually a badge of honor among their colleagues to have been hospitalized for exhaustion. Go figure.

Tip: In addition to getting enough sleep, schedule time to rest. Put it in your appointment book, and protect it and keep it like you would any other important appointment.

Scared - In the Tarzan movies I watched as a kid, there were these natives with blowguns who would shoot darts coated with poison that would render a person temporarily paralyzed. Fear can do the same thing - paralyze us into inaction. Fear of failure, of rejection, of success, of the future, you name it, we get too scared and we freeze up.

Tip: Facing your fears and taking action is spite of them can reduce or eliminate your fears. Remember that fear stands for forget everything and run and false evidence appearing real. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is being afraid of something and doing it anyway.

For better or worse, we may have too much of one of these on any given day. Consistently having two or more can indicate a situation in need of change. Practice these tips to successfully manage your stress or you might want to get with someone who can coach you on making your stress work for you.

Visit http://www.thearticleguy.com/ for more leading edge tips and tools for writing articles that bring you prospects, publicity and profits. You can also subscribe to our monthly Article Writing & Marketing Tips Newsletter.

You are also invited to visit my Express-Start Article Writing Program for more information on the next article writing tele-seminar.

The Laws of Stress Mastery

2005-12-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

By Jeff Herring

The Law of Decision and Question - Every day we have to make a decision and answer a question about stress. Is it going to beat us or are we going to beat it? Each and every day.

The Law of Recovery - We can handle any amount of stress, if we have an equal or greater amount of recovery after the stress.

The Law of Laughter - The law of laughter states that “if you can laugh about it, you can handle it."

The Law of "Manageable Chunks" - Often what seems like overwhelming amounts of stress can be managed if it's broken down into small enough chunks. This is when the old saying "one day at a time" may be too big a chunk. So we go to 1 second, 1 minute, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, one lifetime.

The Law of Diamonds - If you have a diamond anywhere near you at the moment, take a look at it. Did you know that the beautiful gem you are seeing is nothing more than a lump of coal that handled stress very well?

The Law of Reframing - Reframing means to put a different frame around something, in order to look at it in a different way. An example would be instead of saying to yourself “how I am I ever going to return all these phone messages", reframe it into “I've worked very hard for a long time to have this many people who want to talk to me!"

The Law of Dead Roaches - Too many times we take the "dead roach approach" to stress. You know what I mean, just sort of rolling over with your feet in the air, allowing stress to stomp on you. Get up and get moving!

The Law of NO - One great way to manage stress is to learn how to say no, especially when no is the very best thing to say.

The Law of Challenge - It's important to challenge yourself each day to handle stress in a way that will allow you to thrive and to shine. My personal challenge to you is to take these universal laws and use them to successfully manage the stress in your life.

Visit http://www.thearticleguy.com/ for more leading edge tips and tools for writing articles that bring you prospects, publicity and profits. You can also subscribe to our monthly Article Writing & Marketing Tips Newsletter. You are also invited to visit my Express-Start Article Writing Program for more information on the next article writing tele-seminar.

How to Develop Toughness

2005-12-16T13:10:00.000-08:00

By Clyde Granger

The human body has the capability of protecting itself from various diseases through its immune system. We do not discount the fact that the immune systems of some people are healthier than that of others.

Why is this so? The answer lies in the fact that your disposition in life affects your health significantly. If you develop a positive attitude, you will also develop toughness to overcome adversities that may come your way. Researchers have proven that mental health has much to do with physical health. A healthy mental attitude results to a healthy body, which in turn results to a more productive life.

Stick to these personality factors and you’re well on your way to developing toughness:

Build a strong commitment to self, family, community, work, and almost all other values of your daily life. Instill the importance of quality living. This will drastically improve your psychological and physical well being. What the mind contributes to a healthy body, the body will reciprocate. The mind and body works in tandem, as a team. Without one, the other is helpless. But when both are healthy, the results can be astonishing.

Develop a positive guiltless disposition. When you say guiltless, you must be willing to accept whatever comes your way. For example, if you do your best to reduce your risk of acquiring health problems but some illnesses still develop nonetheless, you must never feel guilty for what seems to be a failure. Don’t let problems pull you down. Stand firm.

Make sure you have full control of your life. This is one quality tough people are made of. You should have no problem managing the things you can control. Controlling does not mean dominating. Respect other people’s rights and get the same in return. Accept things you cannot control the way they are, if you cannot do without them. If you can do without them, leave them and divert your attention to something else that will make your life more meaningful.

Adjust to change and use it to your advantage. Tough people welcome change as an opportunity to improve, rather than a threat. Even if it is a threat, you can come out one level better than before psychologically, despite all the beatings you might have taken physically. You learn from your mistakes. Adopt a “Next time, I know what I’m going to do to avoid the same mistake” attitude. There is always a first time and there will always be a next time. The succeeding times will always be better than the previous ones (if you learn from your mistakes). The setbacks will keep getting lesser while success will keep getting closer at hand. This is progress at work.

If you have children, develop toughness in their attitude at an early age. Provide strong parental encouragement and acceptance. When children feel accepted, this develops in them a sturdy attitude of commitment to others. Assign casual tasks to them so that they can feel their place in life. Teach them how to become independent and responsible. It pays to enhance their toughness at an early age.

What is foundation to a building, toughness is to people. Foundation of a building is made strong at the start of construction, while the foundation of tough people is enhanced through a continuous process of trials and adjustments.

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FREE CONTENT: If you are a blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, feel free to use my blog entries (articles) - please make sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Thank You, Clyde Granger – Aura Publications--------------------------------------------

How to Manage Panic Attacks with the Proper Diet

2005-12-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

By Clyde Granger

There is a saying “For every action, there’s an equal reaction.” The foods you eat can have a significant effect when it comes to curbing panic attacks.

In this article, you will find means to prevent panic attacks by means of controlling, avoiding, or reducing the foods that trigger such disorder. On the other hand, you will also be encouraged to consume more foods that minimize panic attacks, keeping in mind a well-balanced diet.

Panic attacks directly affect the nervous system; therefore, eat foods rich in the B vitamins because they have calming effects and can deliver nourishment for a healthy nervous system.

Under the B vitamin group of nutrients, Vitamin B12, Thiamin, and Niacin have direct bearing to keep your nervous system from being susceptible to panic attacks. In more ways than one, these nutrients can make you more prepared in warding off or in handling nervous disorders.

Keeping in mind a balanced diet based on the Food Pyramid Guide while putting more emphasis on the B vitamin complex, the following can serve as an ideal food group on your diet:

1. Consume twenty percent of meat, poultry, seafood (salmon, swordfish, tuna, clams, crab, mussels, and oyster), and products made from soybeans like tofu, eggs, and cheese.
2. Consume thirty to thirty-five percent of baked potato, broccoli, asparagus, peanuts, legumes, watermelon, and oranges.
3. Consume forty to forty-five percent of brown rice, whole grain cereal, pasta, wheat germ, oatmeal, and bread.

While the above food groups which are rich in B vitamins can reduce panic attacks by maintaining a well-balanced nutrition regimen, there are three consumables that may aggravate anxiety disorders.

Alcohol is one of these substances. It raises hyperactivity in the nervous system and raises alertness. Being alert is not bad. However, alertness in the stressful level is like overacting in a stage play. Instead of doing good, it becomes annoying and may make you irritable. If alcohol cannot totally be avoided, the least you can do is to cut down your intake gradually until it reaches level zero. Some people tend to have secondary triggers of anxiety when withdrawal from a substance is abrupt.

Caffeine triggers panic attacks because it is a stimulant. Just like alcohol, withdrawal from caffeine might spur a secondary anxiety in the form of shaky, irritated, and exhausted feelings. For coffee drinkers, try the decaffeinated variety. Gradually reduce the strength and cut the frequency in which you consume coffee and other caffeine-rich drinks like cola, tea, and chocolate.

The third substance to avoid is sugar. Sugar hardly contains any nutrients and is packed with calories. Just how is sugar related to panic attacks? Sugar makes a person hyperactive, thereby bringing emotional disturbances that may ultimately lead to panic attacks. Sugar also causes mood swings. Sugar combined with starches from the foods you eat leads to fermentation and breaks down to alcohol. As mentioned earlier, alcohol raises stress levels that can lead to panic attacks.

All in all, maintaining a healthy eating habit is one of the prerequisites that contribute to a life free from panic attacks. Try your best to maintain a balanced diet even when you’re busy. Health should be your foremost priority.

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FREE Self Improvement Information.
e-Books for Self Help
Visit: http://selfimprovementemporium.blogspot.com/
--------------------------------------------
FREE CONTENT: If you are a blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, feel free to use my blog entries (articles) - please make sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Thank You, Clyde Granger – Aura Publications
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Live for the Moment and Put Worry on Hold (Part 1)

2005-12-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

By Paul Jerard

Living for the moment seems easy enough, but what if you are feeling hesitant, unhappy, fatigued, or afraid? We all have these feelings, and if they go on without setting controls, they become worry, stress, or depression. Each one of these can cut your life very short or cause a serious health condition.

Unfortunately, I have seen this first-hand when my mother “worried herself to death” at 50 years of age. The day of her funeral, I swore to give up smoking and stop worrying. Well, I did quit smoking, but to quit worrying is an “uphill battle.”

Even the toughest people we know worry. Worrying has been a curse to mankind, even in ancient times, but there are better ways to deal with worries at this time. Here are a few ideas to give you relief from worry and to allow you to start enjoying your life right now.

Get self-improvement audio books that make your heart soar. You need to plug yourself into positive information that creates optimism from within your inner being. There are many good self-help audio books to choose from, and you have to listen to positive ideas many times before they are “permanently wired” into your psyche.

There is a growing number of self-hypnosis audio books for anything, subjects vary from topics such as: “quitting smoking” to “goal setting.” For obvious reasons, the self-hypnosis audio books are not recommended when driving your car. However, they are a good sleep aid, and you could set one up at bedtime. If you make them into a steady routine, you should feel results within a month.

Be productive each and every possible moment. Write down your goals and go after them. Your goals should be specific and should make you feel positive when you think about them. Wake up every day and go after your goals.

Set realistic deadlines that fit into your lifestyle. If you have responsibilities and commitments, allow time for them, and don’t make deadlines into a stressful situation. To get the most out of life, we have to have a full life.

Allow for family time. Nothing is so important that you have to be a stranger to your family. We all need bonding with people we can trust.

Seek advice from a life coach, friend, personal trainer, Yoga teacher, or martial arts teacher. Sometimes we all need a little “pep talk,” but only you know when, and how often, you need to boost your morale. This is not a substitute for medical or psychological counseling, but in the case of preventative health, most of us just need someone to gently push us along.

Some of my most successful clients know what to do, but they also need to have it organized into a system that is “user friendly.” They have also come to understand that you have to work at your goals every day and accept the minor setbacks in life.

Counseling by a physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist, is an option to consider, and there is nothing wrong with getting “professional help.” The family unit is not what it was a generation ago, and people need someone who is qualified to help them. If you need advice from a competent professional, this is a solid option.

Design a plan to help yourself, and stick to it. You can look at this as a starting point.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Live for the Moment and Put Worry on Hold (Part 2)

2005-12-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

By Paul Jerard

For once, I am going to endorse procrastination. When it comes to worrying, you should put it off. Do everything you like to avoid worrying. Worries don’t help us; and in fact, they make many bad situations worse. On top of that, most of what we worry about never comes to pass.

On the other hand, putting off tasks that will help us advance, right now, is an epidemic. There is a health maintenance disaster on the horizon when most of the western world does not want to engage in exercise. Therefore, the habit of procrastination should be purged as soon as possible.
Here are a few things that will help you “stay on track” toward your goals, live for the moment, and leave most of your worries behind.

You should design a specific, and detailed plan, of your future. Your plan should have an exact step-by-step formula with time lines. Cover every possible detail and research it.

Your written goals should be reviewed daily. This is a healthy process, and people who write goals down have a much better chance at success. Don’t talk, or think, in terms of “some day.”

Meditate and visualize yourself attaining success. Take the time to quiet your mind and focus on your dreams. You should do this every day to keep your vision alive. You could do this in the morning, or the evening, when you can make time for yourself.

You should exercise regularly to increase endorphins and rid your body of toxins. This will change your entire mindset for the best. If you are new to exercise, walking is the best place to start. Walking alone is a great program for overall health.

Drinking water, and getting a massage, are two more ways to flush toxins from your body. Getting a massage is truly living in the moment and gives you an appreciation for the finer things in life. Massage could also be a form of bonding with your “significant other.”

Learn to laugh, watch a comedy, and lighten your spirits. Some of us take ourselves far too seriously. In order to live for the moment, we all have to put serious feelings aside and learn to enjoy life.

Posture is important while sitting, standing, walking, eating, or anything else. A slouched body posture is bad for all forms of health. Always sit up, or stand up, straight whenever you think about it. Poor posture is usually a reflection of poor self-esteem, so get rid of a slumping posture right now. Make changes to your goal setting plans when you have to. Nothing is “carved in stone,” and if you see a collision course with disaster, make an adjustment as soon as you can.

You may not be able to implement all of these changes at once. That’s not a problem; but if you add them to your lifestyle gradually, you will enjoy your life and leave your worries behind.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Turning Nothing into Something

2005-12-02T14:36:00.000-08:00

By Clyde Granger

Have you ever read a signboard (usually seen on a corridor or a hallway) that says something like “If you have nothing to do, don’t do it here?” The subtle message here is to avoid loitering.

If you analyze this expression, it does make sense. But if you look at it in a deeper dimension, there is a strong message being delivered here - a message that has relevance to success in life. It is like a wake up call to the reality of life.

Your conscience is the one telling you to stop wasting your time, to do something with your life, and to do your best to achieve a goal. You have to listen to your conscience’s call because if you don’t, it is nobody’s loss but your own.

You must find out if there are any hindrances that are holding you back from moving forward in life. Is it financial condition? Is it social status, age, color, race, religion, educational background, gender, or a handicap? If you look at history, none of those mentioned above were considered hindrances. The explanation is simple. If you think you’re a failure, then you probably are. If you think you’re a success (even if you’re not yet successful), then the universe will work hard towards bringing you to fulfillment.

So the first thing you have to do is to flip the word “failure.” Look at it on the other side, and spell it out as “success.” Letter “f” becomes “s,” letter “a” becomes “u”, and so on.

Next thing on the list, you have to use your navigational instinct. Know what you want, where you’re headed, and how to get there. Find out what you are aiming for. Don’t run around headless.

If you can’t decide on what you want, here are two simple guides. Guide one is to find out what you love or like to do - something you enjoy doing. This is following your heart’s desire. When you love what you do, you’ll stick to it, no matter what. Your level of perseverance is higher and you won’t give up easily. This will keep you going and you won’t stop at anything until you achieve it. This will ensure success.

Guide two is to find a need and fill it. This principle is attributed to a great instrumentalist and has been the guiding principle of many other industrialists ever since. Look around. Be an observant. Check out what kind of product or service your community needs to enhance life improvement and development. It may take some effort and time to find out what it is or what they are, but it will be worth it. Sometimes when you’re looking for something, it is difficult to find it. Other times when you’re not looking but you’re just maintaining an open mind, ideas can come flowing into your mind effortlessly and spontaneously. Call it timing. There is always a right time for everything.

Once you know what you want to do, you will know where you’re heading. Between the “what” and the “where” is the “how” to get there. And this is the most important part of a successful life. It’s action time.

Try dividing a story or movie feature into three parts (what the story is about, how the story goes, and the ending of the story). The lengthiest part is how the story goes. This is where the action is. The outcome of the story is determined by the action that takes place. All three parts of the story are important. However, the middle portion is more significant than the other two.

This is the same with your purpose - to succeed in life. To achieve your goal, the action part takes the most time, effort, and material support to get to where you want to be. It is the part of your life where you are going to experience all the ups and downs, laughter and tears, joys and pains. But it’s all going to be worth it. In the end, as you look at the trail you left behind, you’ll be glad you went through it all.

--------------------------------------------
FREE Self Improvement Information.
e-Books for Self Help
Visit: http://selfimprovementemporium.blogspot.com/
--------------------------------------------
FREE CONTENT: If you are a blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, feel free to use my blog entries (articles) - please make sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Thank You, Clyde Granger – Aura Publications
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Living in Sadness? Heal Your Way to Happiness

2005-11-26T04:54:00.000-08:00

By Jodie Foster

Sometimes we are happy, sometimes we are sad, or lonely, or joyous. There are a range of emotions we feel every day. It's part of the human experience. It can make life exciting and worth living, it can also cause stagnation and depression.

In all my years as an Intuitive Counselor, I have witnessed too many clients who believed in suffering with their sadness, not feeling that there is more to life. When sadness works its way into your every day experience and becomes an overriding factor in your life, then its time to face it rather than suffer with it.

In our body’s energy system, joy and grief both reside in the heart chakra. They are like two sides of the same coin. In order to allow the joy to rise within you, you need to heal the sadness. How? By becoming aware of the sadness, hearing what it has to say, allowing it to speak or weep, and validating its purpose for having been there all this time. Then, give yourself permission to let go --which is easier said than done sometimes.

It’s important to reach out for help. Ask others to assist you. Seek traditional counseling or intuitive counseling or even grief therapy. Another person can give you a perspective outside of yourself. It never ceases to amaze me how much we can't see the forest for the trees when we're the ones in it. Everyone benefits from outside observation at times.

Why do people seek out my services? Mostly for this same reason: to get a fresh perspective. Many of them are looking for something. They don't always know what... they just know there is something more for them in this life beyond the stuckness they feel, or the ordinariness of their daily life. One client said to me recently, "I feel like I'm living the ‘Groundhog Day’ movie, where everyday is the same, nothing ever changes. I want to get on with my life..."

It's funny how often I hear something similar from a new client. Many will add that they know there is something missing in their life, or they are searching for a sense of purpose and clarity. Others are so tired from holding onto all the sadness and years of emotional baggage that they just want help. They want to know the steps to take in order to make changes. Others want help with their relationship issues and dramas.

Regardless of the particulars, the desire is the same: They want to be happy.

Happiness is born from the healing process. Allowing sadness to be released and transformed into joy, we achieve freedom... freedom to express our happiness, our desires, our wants and needs, and freedom to expand within our own energy body and finally being able to relax into simply being one with our self.

We all have this need to be free...
How do you begin your journey to happiness? Start by asking yourself these questions:
When was the last time I experienced happiness?
What do I feel when I'm quiet and simply listening to myself?
What within me needs to be expressed?
What do I truly desire?
Am I holding onto emotions from the past?
Am I willing to move on?
Am I willing to ask for help?
What steps do I need to take?
Am I willing?
Am I suffering in sadness?
Do I want to be happy?
Is it time?

Think about your answers. What are they telling you? If you need help... ask. If you need time… then give yourself time. If you need answers... then start asking the right questions.

© 2005 Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster is an Intuitive Counselor who assists clients to create extraordinary transformations in their daily lives. Her work is uplifting, empowering and success-oriented. You can visit Jodie’s website at http://www.illuminationsnetwork.com/ for further information and to schedule a private intuitive session. You can also look for daily updates to her blog at: http://intuitiveinnovations.blogspot.com/ .

Publisher's Guidelines: You may freely publish this article online, in email newsletters, or in print so long as the resource box and byline are in tact and all links are active. Author would appreciate a notification, but that is optional.

10 Easy Activities to Reduce Stress

2005-11-25T14:54:00.000-08:00

By Jodie Foster

Stress happens to all of us. It sneaks up when we least expect it, disguising itself as tense muscles, headaches, agitation and quick temperedness. The good news however, is that there are 10 easy activities that you can do that will reduce your stress. Make a mental note of these, or even list them on post-it notes to hang up in conspicuous places as reminders.

1. Stop. Whatever activity you are engaged in, stop and quiet your mind.

2. Breathe. Focus your attention on your breath, slowing it to a regular pattern.

3. Allow. Allow your muscles a moment to relax as you focus on your breath. As you inhale, consciously breathe into the stress in the muscles and relaxing them as you exhale. Take deep breaths and release.

4. Listen. Quiet your mind by listening to your breath as you inhale and exhale. Listen to your body telling you that stress is taking place.

5. Rest. Give yourself permission to rest your body and your mind. Many times our stress is from mental fatigue, not just physical tiredness. Take a 10 minute power nap if you have the opportunity, or simply close your eyes and repeat the phrase over and over in your mind, “I am quiet, peaceful and relaxed. It is safe for me to rest now.”

6. Exercise. Go for a walk, a jog or a swim. Exercising releases endorphins in your brain which will preoccupy your mind. This is a wonderful way to physically release built up tensions that have been held in your physical body.

7. Be present in the now moment. When you recycle the same thoughts, keep a mental ‘to do’ list, or worry about something that is already over, then your mind is elsewhere. You are not fully present in the moment, and neither is your mind. Being focused elsewhere or living in the past and ruminating can be extremely tiring and stressful. Consistently recall yourself back to the present moment.

8. Call a friend. Talking can be a great stress reliever. The simple action of being heard by someone who cares about you can make everything feel better. You’ve released the tension and you’ve been heard. You’ll find that your body automatically begins to relax and release the tensions. You may yawn often during the conversation. Yawning is a form of releasing physical tension as well as the body’s way of taking in more oxygen to nourish the tense muscles.

9. Have a massage. Physical touch releases tensions and stress from the physical body as well as relaxing your thoughts and emotions. You may want to schedule ongoing massage therapy sessions as part of your regular routine. People that receive massage on a regular basis experience less stress because they aren’t storing the tensions for long periods of time without relief.

10. Seek counseling. Asking for assistance, either through traditional or intuitive/spiritual counseling is not a signal of weakness. In fact it’s the opposite. It is a show of strength from within to ask for help. It reflects your willingness to deal with your stress and manage your life in a new, healthy way. A counselor can help you maintain a healthy balance during times of stress, extreme tension, difficulty or transition.

Above all, remember that you are doing your best to reduce the stress in your life. You have the inherent right to be happy, healthy and thriving. Stress does not need to be an assumed part of your lifestyle. You can choose to ignore stress and live with it, or to take action and do something about it. It’s up to you. Give yourself the gift of relaxation. You deserve it!

© 2005 Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster is an Intuitive Counselor who assists clients to create extraordinary transformations in their daily lives. Her work is uplifting, empowering and success-oriented. You can visit Jodie’s website at http://www.illuminationsnetwork.com/ for further information and to schedule a private intuitive session. You can also look for daily updates to her blog at: http://intuitiveinnovations.blogspot.com

Publisher's Guidelines: You may freely publish this article online, in email newsletters, or in print so long as the resource box and byline are in tact and all links are active. Author would appreciate a notification, but that is optional.

Effective Tips for Memory Retention

2005-11-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

By Clyde Granger

Without doubt, exercise is one of the most effective ways to stay healthy - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Although exercise is directly equated to the physical aspect of an individual, emotional and mental benefits can likewise be derived from it.

While muscle mass is identified to physical exercise, memory retention is identified to mental exercise. This is made possible by answering crossword puzzles, memorizing quotes, poems or songs, playing cards, and trivial pursuits. All these fun games and reading materials are exercising tools for the mind. Although these things are primarily designed for fun, their secondary purpose is to enhance the mind’s memory retention. Another way of practicing memory retention is by remembering instead of putting in writing a day’s schedule of activities that need to be done. If this is done with ease, you can even stretch your schedule to several days.

Consider these other tips:

Relieve yourself from stress - When you are under stress, your body shows various symptoms. You become emotionally disturbed and your mind is preoccupied, so there is no room left to remember other things especially new ones. Therefore, you must unload the stress off your mind and unwind by utilizing relaxation techniques. Exercise is one of the best ways to get rid of your tensions. It also comes with a load of other health benefits.

Associate with things - The association technique is an old way of remembering things, persons, names, numbers, and others wherein you associate someone or something with the first thing that comes to your mind. It might not be the best technique but it still works because it seems to be inherent within us. Here’s a list of 10 items you can associate with numbers, one to ten:
One - me (one person)
Two - shoe (it comes in pairs)
Three - tree (it rhymes)
Four - table (it has four legs)
Five - fingers (one hand has 5 fingers)
Six - sticks (5,6 pick up sticks)
Seven - dwarfs (snow white and the seven dwarfs)
Eight – cell phone (when you flip it open, looks like a number 8)
Nine - playing cards (lucky 9)
Ten - Indians (10 little Indian boys)

Match names to pictures - When someone is introduced to you, do you find it difficult to remember his name? That may be a likely case. However, the person’s face is not easily forgotten. If you come across that person again, the first thing that you might remember is his face; but it’s likely that you won’t remember his name. You may also forget where you met the person before. Try this: When someone new is introduced to you, identify something on the person to make you remember him - something different or noticeable on the individual that you may use to remember the next time you meet each other. Examples may include a mole in the face, a large nose, or shaggy hair.

Call a person by name - The name is the sweetest sound to one’s ear. Repeating somebody’s name the first time you meet him is sub-consciously committing the person’s name to your memory. After your first meeting, recall his name once in a while. This strengthens the retention of the person’s name to your memory.

When trying to recall something you can’t remember but “it’s at the tip of your tongue,” try to be relaxed and you will recall it easier. Forcing yourself to recall something will put you under stress, thereby lessening your chances of retention success.

--------------------------------------------
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FREE CONTENT: If you are a blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, feel free to use my blog entries (articles) - please make sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Thank You, Clyde Granger – Aura Publications
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Mom's Job Stress May Spread to Kids

2005-11-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

By Rita Jenkins

Low job satisfaction in working mothers increases the stress levels of their children, but allowing them to spend more time in childcare can help overcome these effects, according to new research published in Developmental Psychobiology.

Children whose mothers found their jobs emotionally exhausting or otherwise less rewarding had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol than children whose mothers reported more enjoyment from their jobs, researchers found in a study involving more than 50 nursery school children.

Levels of cortisol in the evening were more than double in the children whose mothers experienced less job satisfaction. Placing those children in childcare would help to significantly reduce their stress, the research suggests.

The researchers also found that children from families that were either highly expressive or very reserved exhibited higher than average cortisol levels.

Greater support is needed for working mothers to help improve their job satisfaction and increase the availability of affordable childcare options, says the report.

More Time in Childcare

Dr. Julie Turner-Cobb, a health psychologist and senior lecturer at the University of Bath, Dr. Christina Chryssanthopoulou from the University of Kent and Dr. David Jessop, a neuroimmunologist at the University of Bristol collaborated on the study.

To measure cortisol levels, they took saliva samples in the morning and evening from 56 children aged three to four years old. They also surveyed mothers about their workplace conditions and home life over a six month period.

"Spending more time in childcare makes a big difference to the stress levels in children whose mothers have low job satisfaction," says Dr. Turner-Cobb.

"It can help protect children from the effects of their mother's low job quality and emotional exhaustion. Ensuring that mothers of young children have good support in the workplace is essential for supporting both mothers and their children," she adds.

"Improving the job satisfaction of working mothers means that they are less stressed themselves," says Dr. Jessop, "and extending the availability of affordable and adequate childcare may not only improve the quality of life for the mothers but, in doing so, may improve the long term health of their children."

Healthy Adaptation to Stress

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that regulates blood pressure and cardiovascular function and immune function. It also controls the body's use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Cortisol secretion increases in response to stress, whether physical -- such as illness, trauma, surgery or temperature extremes -- or psychological. It is a normal and essential response without which we would not be able to function in everyday life.

When these levels remain high or become disrupted in some way over a prolonged period of time, however, they may have consequences for health. It is important to promote healthy adaptation to stress in children, and good quality childcare is one way of doing this, say the authors.

Copyright 2005 Daily News Central

Rita Jenkins is a health journalist for Daily News Central, an online publication that delivers breaking news and reliable health information to consumers, healthcare providers and industry professionals: http://www.dailynewscentral.com

Taking the Stress Out of Making Decisions – A Wholistic Approach

2005-11-22T19:10:00.000-08:00

By David Tomaselli

The Decision

There are many times in your life when you are confronted with a decision to make. It might be a fairly big decision related to a career change or a relationship, or it could be a relatively small decision such as deciding which photographer to use for your wedding. Whatever the case may be if there is a lot riding on the decision, the whole experience can be seen as daunting and quite stressful.

Earlier this year I was confronted with quite a big decision to make. I had been working for a medium size software company as a product manager for the last five years. Even though I enjoyed the work, I had got to a point where I was feeling quite stagnant and felt like I needed a change. Fortunately during this time, a former business colleague who was running a small “start up” company was in need of an experienced person who could take over the software development and management of his software products.

The job sounded perfect. It was chance to get my hands technically dirty again while having the option of flexible hours working from home whenever I wanted which meant more time with my family. To put the icing on the cake, it was contract based role that offered more money than what I was currently earning.

After assessing my colleague’s company sales pipe and financials the decision appeared quite an easy one for me to make. There was an element of risk working for a start up company but I felt confident that if it didn’t work out, I could always find another job or contract. I remember feeling very nervous and even somewhat emotional when I handed in my resignation to the CEO.

He had not only been my boss for the last couple of years, but had also become a good mentor. His response only made the resignation experience even more difficult. He really didn’t want me to go. After an hour of sharing my reasons with him, we agreed that I would spend the day thinking about it. I owed him that much I guess.

Before the day had ended, the CEO asked me to come back into his office to discuss a counter offer. Due to a company restructure that was occurring at the time, there was an opening for a new role as the project group manager for a new project the company had just won, worth over 2 million dollars.

Basically he wanted me to take over the responsibility of this project to ensure that the company could meet all the major miles stones. The position involved managing the majority of the research and development team and naturally warranted a pay rise, one that exceeded what had been offered to me by my colleague. From a resume perspective the position looked fantastic.

I walked out of the CEO’s office totally dazed and confused. Fortunately it was Friday and I had the whole weekend to think about it. I explained to my colleague what had happened and that I had to reconsider my options. He was very understanding and was happy for me to think about the whole thing. That night I talked it over with my wife. We both agreed that on one hand the start-up role sounded good especially the flexible hours, but on the other hand there was this great position that would make my career.

It also probably meant a lot less time with the family. I could see pros and cons on both sides but no clear winner either way. From the time I had left work until now, I had changed my mind numerous times swinging from one way to the other like a pendulum. I decided to just sleep on it and not stress out.

The next morning I felt I was no closer to knowing which way to go. At this point I knew that the only way I could decide was if I used some form of decision making technique. When it comes to decision making there are a numerous methods that are available. Having been a senior manager I was very accustomed to performance indicators as a way to measure the progress of an individual, group, product or project. So this was going to be my first method.

However I felt that for such an important decision this was too one dimensional and so my second method was simply to imagine the day in the life of each role, an idea that I borrowed from a coaching seminar. Finally the third technique, which was suggested by a close friend of mine, was simply to meditate on the options.

Decision Making Method 1 – The Analytical ApproachThe fundamental ingredient to making a “measured” decision is to identify what the key indicators are. The key indicators that I felt were important to me when making my decision were:

Low Stress – The level of day to day stress encountered (or lack of) as part of the job – 10 = No stress, 0 = High stress

Family Life – The quality time spent with family – 10 = Lots of Quality Time with family, 0 = No Quality Time with Family

Resume – The impact made on my resume – 10 = Great for my resume, 0 = Does nothing for my resume

Future Prospects – Related to Resume, the ability to acquire a job in the future based on the experience gained and contacts made. 10 = Assist greatly, 0 = Harm my future prospects

Security – How secure the job is – 10 = Extremely secure, 0 = Extremely risky

Money – The more money the higher the rating

Health – The impact the job would have on my health. 10 = Very good for my health, 0 = Very bad for my health

Job Satisfaction – The satisfaction felt of doing the job. 10 = Extremely satisfying, 0 = Not satisfying

Quality of Life – My ability to pursue and enjoy my hobbies and other activities of interest. 10 = Very good, 0 = Very bad

5 Year Plan – A measure of whether this would take me closer to where I wanted to be in 5 years. This was actually a complicated measure made up of a number of sub-indicators.

Unknown – I call this the unknown factor taking into account potential risks and unforeseen facts that would have a significant bearing on the decision made. 10 = Extremely high confidence level, 0 = Very low confidence level.

When measuring the new opportunity with the start up company, I came up with the following scores:

Low Stress = 9/10
Family Life = 9.5/10
Resume = 8.5/10
Future Prospects – 8/10
Security – 6/10
Money – 8.5/10
Health – 9/10
Job Satisfaction – 9/10
Quality of Life– 9/10
5 Year Plan– 8.5/10
Unknown – 8/10 This gave me a total of 93/110.

After taking the same approach with the promotion at my current company I scored the following:

Low Stress = 7/10
Family Life = 7/10
Resume = 9.5/10
Future Prospects – 10/10
Security – 9.5/10
Money – 10/10
Health – 7/10
Job Satisfaction – 9/10
Quality of Life– 7/10
5 Year Plan– 8/10
Unknown – 8/10 This gave me a total of 92/110.

Such a close result made it very clear as to why I was confused and undecided. On one hand the new opportunity represented a new life style that was more in line with how I wanted my life to be, but was a little risky and paid less. The promotion with the new job however meant more money with far less risk, but also meant less time with the family and less time doing the other things I was interested in.

Decision Making Method 2 – The Emotional ApproachThe first decision making method used was really a logical and very analytical approach to assessing each option. While it didn’t give me an answer it brought all the issues to the surface. The second method used however was quite different. Essentially what I did was try to bring each option to life by visualizing a day in the life of each job. I thought this type of approach would really help take into account the feelings and emotions that I might possibly feel.

When visualizing the new opportunity with the start up company, I could see myself waking up in the morning feeling quite relaxed and very eager to start the day. Because I had the option of working both at home and in the office, I imagined having the opportunity to enjoy eating breakfast with my wife and kids without having to rush off to work.

I then imagined what it would be like to work in my office at home. This was something I had done before in the past and therefore felt very confident that I had the discipline to stay focused on the job at hand. I then imagined going in to the office of the new company interacting with my former colleague and the other company staff. This was when the feelings of uncertainty began to creep in.

Firstly it would take a little bit of time getting to know everyone and stamping my “signature” on the place. This position was going to also involve a lot more technical design and development which was something I hadn’t done for a while. I started to feel concerned that maybe I wasn’t up for the job. Yet I also knew that I needed a new challenge, to stretch my brain again and basically be pulled out of the standard comfort zone that one develops when having worked in the same role for a long time.

I repeated the visualisation technique with the promotion at my current company. I imagined getting up quite early to attend the management meeting that was held every Monday. These meetings were quite intense and tended to get heated at times especially when it came to discussing product issues and the progress on various projects.

Projects inevitably ran behind schedule because of the constant changes of requirements and the development team’s inability to estimate accurately the effort involved in a project. However this was something that the CEO believed that I could turn around. The idea of such a challenge actually excited me.

As the manager of the development team I imagined having to get more involved in the human resource side of things as well as managing the project schedules. The delivery of products in the desired time frame typically involved some late nights back at the office especially towards the end of the project. This was something I had done many times before for this company.

This role too would stretch me but in a different way. I would definitely be forced to acquire new management skills that would greatly benefit my career. But at the same time I was starting to feel a little stressed and could see my self not enjoying the job so much. The thought of seeing less of my family also made me feel a little sad.

This exercise really helped put things into context for me. It reinforced that the new position was more in tune with where I wanted to go. However there was still this high risk factor associated with the start up company that concerned me.

Decision Making Method 3 – The Spiritual ApproachThe last decision making method used had nothing to do with reason or logic. It was more an attempt to use that sixth sense or what I refer to as getting in touch with my soul. I simply closed my eyes and meditated. I used a number of standard techniques that are commonly employed in meditation including controlled abdominal breathing as well as emptying my mind. When meditation is done correctly, that is when the mind is sufficiently calm and the emotions within are still, it is possible to achieve a level of self realisation.

After spending what felt like only 10 minutes meditating, I opened my eyes and was surprised to see that I had in fact meditated for quite longer, at least 30 minutes. During that time specific messages had popped into my head. Firstly, it was now very clear to me that it was time for me to move on. Secondly, if I were to take on the new opportunity with the start up company I could mitigate the risk somewhat by offering to work for the old company part time in an effort to assist them with any transitional changes. If things didn’t work out with the new start up opportunity, then at least I still had my foot in the door with the old company.

I didn’t think this would be an issue with the start up as the new arrangement involved contracting. Thirdly I could see that contracting out to multiple companies could actually be lucrative. This last method not only helped me make my final decision, but I also felt an increase in mental alertness, happier and a just a general sense of well being.

The ResultThe CEO of the old company was very disappointed when I handed in my final resignation. However he jumped at the chance of me working one day a week until they could find a replacement. My colleague didn’t mind either. He saw this as an opportunity to maintain a connection with a larger company which would keep me in touch of what was happening in the industry.

From my perspective it turned out to be the best of both worlds analysing the business problems at the high level one day a week while getting my hands more technically dirty the remainder of the time. And because I was averaging just under 6 days per week on my terms, the money that I would earn was equal to what I would have earned if I had accepted the promotion at my old company, but with far les stress!

When it comes to decision making, the techniques used were by no means revolutionary in anyway. Nevertheless the combined use of these three techniques that drew on logic (the mind), emotion (the heart) and spirit (the soul) provided me a well rounded answer to a difficult decision. The next time you are confronted with an important decision, give this Wholistic Decision Making approach a go.

David Tomaselli is the creator of the Wholistic Development Exchange. The Wholistic Development Exchange is a web site focusing on Stress Management. Here you can access frequently updated tips, news and resources on how to reduce stress and manage stress.

To download free E-Books go to our Free Stress Management E-Books Section. To see our recommended products go to Stress Management Products.

Digestive and Abdominal Symptom Control Program: For Stress Related GI Pains

2005-11-13T14:49:00.000-08:00

By L. John Mason

Many people suffer from a variety of abdominal complaints that are either created or made worse by stress. You may be one of people who can learn to minimize, if not eliminate, your stress related symptoms!

Digestive & Abdominal symptoms can be confused with serious, sometimes life threatening physical disorders! Please consult your physician to determine the source of your symptoms.
Stomach tension ("knots"), ulcers or pre-ulcerous conditions, constipation, diarrhea, colitis, sexual dysfunction (70% of the time), poor digestion/absorption, and hyper secretion of gastric acid are the major physical symptoms which can link stress and abdominal problems. These conditions are not always created by stress, but can be made worse in stressful situations.

People inherit characteristics both physically and emotionally that increase the possibilities of these types of symptoms. However, this does not mean that you are pre-destined to suffer from these complaints. You may need to change your lifestyle with behavioral techniques that can help you to get back in control of the way your body responds to stress and major life changes.
The keys to controlling abdominal complaints are:

Breathe slowly/diaphragmatically Remain in the present... in your body, in a positive way Avoid being perfectionistic and over-controlling Regular deep relaxation with Biofeedback Temperature monitoring

Use the special relaxation tape regularly! Learn to warm your hands and feet Avoid caffeine and stimulants Regular aerobic exercise Positive self-talk... not negative ruminations

Learn to breathe diaphragmatically

Place a hand over your upper abdomen. Push it OUT as you inhale. Let in move IN as you exhale. Let your chest, shoulder, neck, and back relax as you breathe. Only on a very deep breath should these parts move in the breath. Use the other exercises from the chapter on relaxation through breathing (chapter 2.)

Use the stress management tapes

Use the any of the stress management tapes 1-3 times per day for 8-12 weeks (you may wish to order a copy of any of these CD's from the Stress Education Center, if so, check the webite's "tapes" page.)

Any of the deep relaxations can be helpful, but especially recommended might be the Autogenic training exercises, visualizations, a GI specific guided relaxation, or the high blood pressure CD.
Try the Indirect Relaxation described at the "articles" page, if you have not used it already. After achieving a state of deep relaxation, encourage slow, regular diaphragmatic breathing, increased control, and maintain a present/positive mental awareness.

Use the StressDots or some sort of temperature training biofeedback device on your hands to learn how to warm your hands with relaxation.

When you can consistently get above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (93-95 degrees is ideal) then you can begin to master warming your feet to 90 degrees. See the article on temperature training at http://www.dstress.com/tempbft.html. When you can "let go" by relaxing and warming your hands and feet, you will be able to control if not prevent the panic/anxiety episodes that can contribute to your digestive complaints. Then you must develop the confidence in your control so the fear of digestive/abdominal disorders will not control your life. This skill can teach you how to minimize, if not eliminate, your symptoms.

Regular Exercise

Regular exercise will help you to work off the effects of life's stresses. 3-5 times per week of regular exercise that can elevate your heart rate for 15-45 minutes would be best. Check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program if you have been inactive for a long while. Even though elevating your heart rate can be a little scary, the release of tensions and the strengthening of your cardiovascular system will have great benefits.

Eat Regular Meals

Low fat and complex carbohydrates are better than fast foods with lots of sugar. AVOID CAFFEINE and other stimulants. Caffeine is found in coffee, black teas, cola drinks, chocolate, some over-the-counter pain medications, and other foods/drugs. Caffeine is an irritant to your digestive track. Read labels. Eating as closely as you can to natural foods (lots of: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.) will benefit any one (some people can not tolerate raw fruits and vegetables, however these may be very healthful over time.) You may want to avoid spicy foods and eating later in the evening to help control digestive symptoms.

Positive Self-Talk

Practice positive self-talk. Do not let your fears escalate into you losing control of your body and your mind. By breathing slowly and staying in your body, in present time, you avoid falling into the negative pattern of fear and panic which can intensify if not create digestive symptoms.

Accept that you and everyone else has imperfections that allow us to be "human" and offer us an opportunity to develop in yet more positive ways. Learn from mistakes, but you do not have to beat yourself with these flaws. People who have insecurities that make them "overcontrol" other people can find long term difficulties in quality of life and health.

Remember you can get back in control of your body and your life! You must make this a priority so you can avoid being a victim to this set of scary symptoms.

Your abdominal symptoms are not always your enemy. These responses are designed to protect you and may teach you something about the stresses and transitions you are going through. Denial of these challenges only creates a more stubborn set of symptoms that can be more debilitating.

This program works best preventively and takes time to master. Be patient! Your skills will develop and you will be able to learn to control the stress related components of your digestive disorder. You will be able to minimize if not eliminate these symptoms through awareness and confidence in your developing relaxation skills.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com/ for articles, guided relaxation CD's, free ezine signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (707) 795-2228.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.

Eight Tips for Dealing with Burnout

2005-11-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

By Clyde Granger

“That’s it! I’ve had enough!” You may subconsciously utter these words when life’s stressful challenges reach the peak of emotional exhaustion.

Formerly the word “burn out” is used to describe busted electric bulbs. Somehow, the word burnout came to origin and is now also used to describe emotional drain in humans. For light bulbs, it is irreversible. Luckily for humans, this is only temporary; self-help remedies are readily available to get us out of this predicament.

Apply these tips:

1. Take time outs to savor the fresh scent of nature, especially flowers. The sight and the fragrance that flowers bring can be great relief to a tired, irritated, or dragged feeling. If you love nature, nothing is more invigorating than flowers and plants. They represent nature in its true essence.

2. Examine if your burnout is a result of doing something you don’t like to do, yet you have to face it just the same. In such case, picture in your mind an image that you like to do and substitute this image to the thing you don’t like to do. Somehow, this strategy of imagery helps to lessen the tiring weight of the thing you despise to act upon. In the process, your task gets done with less resistance on your part and it would even probably reach the point that you would enjoy doing it. Before you even know it, the job is already done and probably with favorable results.

3. Gather physical energy. Ginseng is an energy food. Most health food stores sell it. You can either take it as a tea drink or mix it in your cooking for a wholesome meal. Ginseng comes in a variety of strengths. The more potent it is, the better your physical (and mental) performance will be. If you’re not very familiar with it, just ask your health food store representative and they will gladly help you out.

4. Take time out to regain your composure. A burnout can be equated to an individual who could use a time out from the hustles of life. This is similar to a coach of a basketball team asking for a time out to come up with a winning game plan when his team is not playing at its peak. Take advantage of this time out to meditate and relax those frenzied nerves.

5. Take time out to empty your mind. Pick up and round up useful memories and discard those damaging emotions and negative thoughts.

6. Discover a newfound freedom, free from emotional drain. Go on a picnic with the family, a camping trip out in the woods, or a weekend excursion to a totally different environment.

7. Listen to relaxing music. It lifts us emotionally. You may want to choose specific sounds that can relieve a person from burnout like soft Classical melodies.

8. Indulge. It’s quite common to hear from somebody: “I just want to get home and soak myself in a bathtub.” Quite true, this can help overcome burnout. Better yet, go to a spa where you can get a treatment package from massage to whirlpool baths.

--------------------------------------------
FREE Self Improvement Information.
e-Books for Self Help
Visit: http://selfimprovementemporium.blogspot.com/
--------------------------------------------
FREE CONTENT: If you are a blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, feel free to use my blog entries (articles) - please make sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Thank You, Clyde Granger – Aura Publications
--------------------------------------------

Discover Your Path to Success - Part 1

2005-11-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

By Paul Jerard

Success can easily be compared to the “genie trapped in a bottle.” For many of us, it is a matter of finding a way to open the bottle, and then, follow a specific path. This path is filled with pitfalls, and traps, along the way, so it is wise to expand your vision by learning as you go.

To many people, success is a “fairytale” and as elusive as a Yeti. In reality, success is just around the corner, and sometimes already exists, as hidden treasure. I am not talking about sunken ships or Indiana Jones. What I am referring to are skills you already possess, friends and family who will help you, and accomplishments that you already have made.

When you put these hidden treasures, together, with your end goal in mind, you are on your way toward success. Now let’s look at a way to move forward every day, live a quality life, and help everyone around you, in the process.

Write all of your goals down, and keep them in a place that you will see. This could be on a piece of paper in your pocket, on your desk top, in a notebook, in your diary, or on your palm pilot. Wherever you put this information, it should be a place where you will see it, every day.

Separate realistic from lofty goals, but don’t throw lofty goals out. Also, separate short-term goals, from long-term goals, and design estimated time frames, for measured results. You don’t have to share this with anyone, unless they share the same goal. If you have, at least, one close friend, spouse, or family, who shares the same dream, you are in a very strong position.

However, you don’t need to be a “politician” to be successful, if you learn to focus on your goals, every day. Now we have to go over a few questions that will also help you design your road map toward success.

Will your goals hurt anyone? Will you have to step on anyone to get what you want?

If you answered yes to either one of the above questions, you should redefine your goal or goals, so you can achieve it or them without harming anyone in the process. If that is not possible, throw that goal out, and move on. Your goals should help people and be morally sound.

Do you have a real passion for your goals?

This one is also important because, if your goal is “flipping burgers” for money, it won’t be long, before that gets old. I have yet to meet the person, who has a real passion for flipping burgers. Please don’t get me wrong, some people are very good at it, but I have known many short order cooks, who wish they were doing something else besides “slaving” over a hot stove.

What you choose, must be something you love doing, and the money will follow. There are so many people, who craft an occupation, based upon money alone, and learn to regret it. If you have a purpose in life you have “self-worth.” Self-worth is a very valuable hidden treasure.

Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Discover Your Path to Success - Part 2

2005-11-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

By Paul Jerard

Time taken for self-analysis is so important in developing your road map to success. Let’s continue with a few more questions to ask yourself - before we go into the heart of the formula for personal success.

Are you easily distracted?

Most people cannot focus on a goal, without getting “side tracked.” When this cannot be helped, you can develop a new skill set, through meditation, self-hypnosis, or by learning not to give up. You can learn to meditate in a variety of ways. At my site, we have a course, but you can also find Yoga classes where meditation is taught. There are many good books and CD’s. A very good CD is Meditation Made Simple by John Daniels.

Picture it like this: Christopher Columbus truly had a one-dimensional personality; he was focused on finding an alternate route to Asia, to the point of being a poor “family man.” However, unlike most people, he stayed focused and never gave up.

Now you don’t have to give up everything in life to achieve a goal, but you have to focus on your goal, avoid giving up, getting depressed, and make up your mind to enjoy the journey. It is still wise to have a complete life by allowing time for your family and friends. If you stay on a straight course, you will be “ahead in the game,” but you will have to mentally focus on your end result, even in bad economic times.

Can you rationally separate good advice from bad?

You will hear many opinions – some will be constructive, and others will be useless. You will have to know the difference, by evaluating all advice without emotion, and with an open mind.

Is the ultimate reward worth the cost and sacrifice?

You should already know that you may invest time, money, work, or all three, to reach your ultimate goal. Envision yourself reaching your ultimate objective, and if it is worth all of the sacrifice, then you should move on to the next step.

Start moving forward now. If you didn’t write your goals down, evaluate them, and prioritize them, you should go back to part one again, to finish that assignment. Much similar to a business, you must have a written plan to move forward.

Just don’t worry about getting it perfect. None of us ever do, and your plans will change as you go. In fact, life is adapting to a constantly changing universe. Most of us cannot accurately predict the cycles of the economy. We design a plan and prepare to turn on a dime, if necessary. Everything in life is subject to change and all of us have to accept it.

Realizing this, you now proceed with caution toward your short-term goals. Once you have designed your plan, there is no need to “wait until next year.”

Put your plan into action and take one forward step at a time. This one step is the biggest of all your steps, and your commitment to succeed is your “guiding light.”

Now, what were the “hidden treasures” you found in part two? The answer is focus, commitment, and acceptance. You already have them; all you need to do is get the most out of what you already have.

Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? - for Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Discover Your Path to Success - Part 3

2005-11-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

By Paul Jerard

If you have read this far, we both know you are serious about succeeding, getting the most out of life, and attaining your goals.

Now, how do you “keep the fire burning” during life’s daily struggle? It’s simple really, but will require the patience to take each task into consideration, without doing everything at once.

You will get the urge to make up for lost time. You now want to jump ahead at “light speed.” If you already read Parts One and Two of this series, you are way ahead of the pack. So many people sit around and dream, doubt, or just talk, but very few take action and then stick with it.

The next step is to get a “coach.” You are now thinking, coaches are expensive; and you are right, but you don’t have to spend much. Here’s how it works: Look for the most positive person you can find, see, or hear, around you. This person is full of positive energy, and all you have to do is listen.

You can be selective about advice, but realize that positive energy is contagious, and you will walk away from conversations with positive energy, too. On the other hand, stay away from negative talk; it is also contagious.

Are you in need of more positive energy? No problem - read articles like this, read self-improvement books, or listen to inspirational audio books, to instill positive energy within you. You can’t lose with a steady dose of positive energy to carry you through the day.

So how do you separate good information from bad? Where do you start, and what, or who, would you listen to first? In the last, and final article of this series, I promise to reveal some great resources, but for now, it’s a good idea to gain positive energy by choosing sources that you find interesting.

If I lead you to a classic self-improvement book, you might find it boring. However, if you start to read something and can’t put it down, you are getting positive energy and you are enjoying it.

Do yourself a favor, and get a self-improvement source today. You don’t have to implement all of the advice you read - just take what fits into your lifestyle.

Now, let’s look at visualization. This is an extremely powerful treasure, and all of us have the ability to visualize. Ever since the first human had a fantasy, and it came to pass, the power of visualization has built entire civilizations.

Think about what you want, close your eyes, envision it, and see that you have accomplished it. This is only an exercise, but it is an exercise toward success. Never confuse visualization with “pipe dreams.” Visualization is an exercise to cultivate positive energy, move forward, and accomplish goals.

The hidden treasures you found today are patience, the ability to learn, and visualization. Again, you already had them, but patience will require a little extra work, as it does for all of us.

Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Discover Your Path to Success – Part 4

2005-11-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

By Paul Jerard

In Part Three, I promised we would get into the resources. Before we do, however, let’s discuss a treasure that most of us have been exposed to, but don’t take nearly enough time out of our day to focus on – the power of prayer. This may offend some people, but I hope it does not; as that is not my intent.

As humans, we have progressed in so many ways, but we have lost touch with our bodies, nature, and the power of prayer. There seems to be a spiritual renaissance, of sorts, going on in the “new age” movement.

However, there are a large number of children growing up with no spiritual guidance at all. There are many reasons, and excuses, for this, but a large portion of this generation of children could grow up, out of touch, with their spiritual health.

Always remember that “whole health” deals with mind, body, and spirit, as they are interconnected. If these three components are healthy, you are in good shape at any age.

What does this have to do with success? Well, God does make the ultimate ally. Your prayers do honor God’s presence - by giving thanks, and asking for help, in times of need. You will feel much better, and prayer applies to every religion.

Personally, the importance does not lie in what religion you are; however, a lack of religion does seem to run parallel with depression. This is classified as spiritual illness, which will have a negative effect on you mentally, physically, or totally.

The concept of God does not apply to all religions, but the concept of prayer does. If you try it, you will heal from the inside - out.

The following resources start from classics that my Grandfather gave to me as a child.

The Law of Success, by Napoleon Hill - 1928

How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie - 1936

Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill - 1937

The Power of Positive Thinking, by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale – 1952

All of these books can be found in audio format, which makes them very handy, especially if you are commuting in your car. Each of these books can also be found on my desk, or in the book case, in my office. Over the years, I had to replace some of the old books my Grandfather gave me, as the worn pages separated from the bindings.

I extend my apologies to the many other great authors, who I did not list; that would be a very large book, within itself. The fact is - this is a good starting point before venturing out and discovering the hidden treasures in print, eBooks, or audio books.

Now you have the last hidden treasures to carve your own path to success. If you put these principles into action, there is no way you can fail. May your journey be a pleasant and safe one.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Avoid Stress: 10 Things that Will Make You Feel Better, Part 1

2005-11-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

Dr. Maria Moratto

Feeling stressed? Join the club. The number of stressors our society faces on a daily basis has increased immensely during the last 10 years, and with the speed that we are leading our lives, chances are they will continue to do so. There are many things you can do to prevent, avoid, and deal with the most common stressors in your life, but, no matter how you deal with them, make sure to avoid the following stressors like the plague. Even though they may require major changes in your habits, you will be happy you did.

Here is a first list of 10 things you need to avoid at all costs.

1. TV

It is hard to believe but television is one of the greatest kill joys that have even been invented. Not mentioning the ability to kill social interaction, what you see in television is a great source of stress. Besides some excellent trash that is shown in an infinite number of channels, think commercials. The basic premise of good advertising is that it needs to create a need by instilling pain, fear or other negative emotions. Next time you watch commercials, pay attention to what kind of negative emotion they are making you feel, and what kind of solution for this problem that they just created for you, they are proposing. You will see what I mean. Now, if you must, watch one sitcom that is really funny. Turn off the TV after that.

2. News

Read good news only. Have you noticed how many bad news TV and radio bombard us with every day? Studies tell us that over 90% of the news we heard are bad news. You are already stressed. Why piling up on negative stressors? Some people argue that you need to know what is happening in the world; we need to be informed. Granted. But you could also know about things later on, when the buzz has already subsided. You don’t need more stress in your life. And, by the way, there are good sources of information that aren’t so negative. Do a search using the words happy or good news.

3. Arguments

Don’t even think about starting an argument about who’s taking the trash out, or who did or didn’t do something. Let go. This is hardly the time to pursue fairness. It is even more important when you are in a quarrelling/ fighting mood, which is obviously provoked by your own stress. Resist. When you are in this mood, the best thing you can do is to retrieve to a quiet place until the mood is gone.

4. Caffeine

This is not the time to stimulate your adrenals. Avoid coffee, chocolate (even the soothing hot cocoa), sodas (even decaf ones) or black tea. Substitute them for herbal tea. Chamomile tea is very good. Anything decaf and natural is good. Sodas are out, especially the ones with sugar substitutes.

5. Rap or hard rock music

There is definitely a time and a place for this type of music and when you don’t feel good or when you are stressed out is NOT one of them. Many provoke anger, despair, and violence. Listen to calming music instead. A good example is the kind of music that doesn’t bring your memory to the past. Memories can be very stressful as well.

Of course, not all stress has a negative impact in one’s life. For example, you are going on a much expected trip. It is exciting and you can hardly wait. Or, you are about to get married. These are stressful situations all right, but they are not necessarily negative.

Some stressors, albeit negative, need to be dealt in a positive way, as they are unavoidable. For example, if you must bike in heavy traffic, think of the benefits of your activity: you are saving resources and getting exercise at the same time. Or, perhaps, you need to wait in line in the post office to send a package abroad to someone you love, so you put up with it; you will make someone happy.

In Part 2 we will discuss other 5 things to avoid. To be continued…

© Maria Moratto 2005
About the author
Dr. Maria Moratto is a life coach. She promotes seminars and courses in developing the perfect life blueprint, which includes attracting abundance and loving relationships, time management, stress management, diversity, goal setting, career search and change, values clarification, leisure, self-improvement, college life, spirituality, natural health and lifestyle. She is also writing a book on successful relationships, coming soon. Visit her website at http://www.rx4bliss.com and sign up for a free e-zine that is short, informative, and fun. Go to her blog at: http://www.rx4bliss.blogspot.com for great discussions on these topics. You may reprint this article in its entirety as long as you add this source box.

Get Back in Control: Goal Setting for Stress Management

2005-11-06T09:02:00.000-08:00

By L. John Mason

Sometimes life's major stresses seem insurmountable! Would you like to be able to move beyond these obstacles?

Many people feel the stress of life as if they were "painted into a corner." They feel trapped or stuck in a life, job, relationship, or situation that is overwhelming and has a "stranglehold" on their health and happiness. In fact, everyone I know has experienced this at some point in their lives. Being a victim to this situation is not ideal for a higher quality of life. There are positive alternatives. You can set your sights on moving in a more positive direction.

Big challenges should not be taken lightly, but alternatives, if not solutions, can be found. For example, you may feel trapped in a job or a career that does not satisfy you. VERY COMMON! You can discover positive career alternatives through skill assessments, interest surveys, or through work with a career coach to help you find a more ideal path. The next thing is big! You must set a goal and then carefully work backward from this goal to your present life to determine the specific steps to follow on your path to your new career. Then you must set a reasonable time table for moving down this path and reaching your goal. Set the GOAL! Then take one step at time until you move along the path to accomplish it.

If you do not know how to do this yourself or you can not stay on your path without support, get an accountability partner to coach you.

Setting goals, following the steps along the path, and then realizing your goal can help to manage the major stressors that may challenge you. This will work for:

your relationships
your career
your education (Continuous Lifelong Learning)
your job
your finances

Important!!!

Do not forget to create balance in your life by also planning:

your health
year emotional growth
your creative or aesthetic needs (art or possibly a walk out in a natural setting)
your intellectual development
your spiritual development
your time with family and friends

Along the way, do not forget to take good care of yourself!

Good Health!

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available.

Contact us if you feel that you need additional support or an accountability partner (a coach) to assist you in moving in the most positive directions. Call (707) 795-2228 for more information.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.

Stress and Decision Making: Avoid Expensive Mistakes

2005-11-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

By L. John Mason

Have you ever made a bad decision? Some people respond well in stressful situations and some people lose focus and can make costly mistakes.

But why does stress cause many people to have impaired decision making?

The survival mechanisms that make up the stress response are very primitive in origin. These date back well before the development of a cognitive process, such as decision making. In fact, humans, alone, have the ability to analyze and decide about our actions in this deliberate and logical way. Human brains still have the primitive responses for survival "hard-wired" into the mechanism of response to stress/threats. When stressed, the more basic and primitive parts of the human brain take over. The middle and lower brain (the more primitive parts of the human brain) which can react more quickly to threats by preparing you to fight or flee can become dominant. The logical, "thinking" part of the upper brain (Neo-cortex) shut down and good decisions are placed lower as a survival priority. In our complex society the non-thinking reactions to stress can get you in trouble.

"Impulse-control" has become legislated, for good reasons.

Impaired Decision Making

When we are stressed it is common to have several reactions that reduce effective decision making including:

1. Pre-occupation with an idea, even if it is old or ineffective. We do this because we fear new ideas or activities as a response to being overwhelmed and stressed. We tend to do things the way we always have done, rather than using new ways or new technologies.

2. Our concentration is impaired. Too much internal "noise" and distraction from our fear/stress. This is like studying in a large, noisy room and expecting to process important information for later use. We become much more sensitive to environmental distractions.

3. There is a deterioration in judgment and logical thinking. Neo-cortex shuts down and we become more reactive.

4. We can fall more easily into negative self-evaluations as stress affects our self-esteem and self-confidence. Negative thinking and self-criticism are not useful to move forward in a positive direction.

5. We have less objectivity for a reality-check that can show the over all position in the "bigger" picture.

6. Creativity is reduced. We see fewer alternatives and this reduces the brainstorming necessary for appropriate problem solving.

7. Our search for input of useful information is impaired.

8. We fail to see and understand the long-term consequences of decisions. This can lead to serious mistakes.

9. We do not communicate as effectively to get input, to make good decisions, and then to communicate and motivate people to get the required actions to successfully carry out a decision.

If you would like to avoid making costly mistakes, you need to train yourself to manage your response to stress. For assistance consider visiting the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available.

If you are looking to create an individualized program to manage your stress response or to improve your management skills, please contact us for Executive Coaching that will save you time, money, and help to improve your quality of life.

Business calls to (707) 795-2228

Physical Exercise for Stress Management: An Important Ingredient in a Wellness Program

2005-11-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

By L. John Mason, Ph.D.

There are many ways to practice wellness and stress management. A combination of proper diet, exercise, and regular relaxation are the ideal components. Surprisingly, the time invested in wellness will actually save you time, and energy, in the long run.

I want to share some thoughts on the importance of regular physical exercise for health and stress management.

In fact, many people rely on physical activity, both sports and exercise, for their main commitment to stress management. This makes sense but may not be enough for a complete stress management program. First, let's discuss the role that exercise can play in managing stress.

The normal response to stress makes changes to the body by holding stress in the skeletal muscles, especially those muscles that would be used to fight or flee (see the first newsletter for complete list of the Flight/Fight Response.) Most people will hold some of their tension in these muscles and this can lead to difficulties with sleeping, headaches, neck and back pain, tight jaws (and dental problems), and loss of concentration (which can effect communication, learning, work performance, etc.) The body wants to run away or to fight the stressor. Physical activity through exercise can release the stress that you may be holding in these muscles. The movement can also help to create awareness regarding these muscle groups and then the use of these muscles will work off some of the stored tension. Remember: awareness is half the battle. If you are aware of tension and the specific muscle groups, you can release this tension. This is one reason that massage, body work or yoga can aid you in relief of muscle tension.

In addition to awareness, physical exercise can fatigue the muscles and force them to relax during your recovery time. In active progressive relaxation, which involves tensing and then releasing specific muscles for relaxation, the awareness and then fatigue of these specific muscles can work together for initial development of the relaxation process. Edmund Jacobson, who first described the benefits of active progressive relaxation, believed that creating this awareness and then the practice of relaxation was more than just simple physical relaxation. He stated that "there is no place for a tense mind in a relaxed body." This suggests that by relaxing the body would lead to relaxation of a tense or anxious mind.

The problem with sports as an activity for relaxation is that many people are very competitive and the relaxation may be reduced by the stress of wanting to perform at a high level. This is great as a distraction from work stress and can help you to get your consciousness to be more in the present moment which are both stress management techniques which have merit. But you probably know the golfer-bowler-tennis player that has broken a club or racquet or demonstrated some degree of competitive rage while engaged in their sport. This rage does not demonstrate healthy stress management. If you can enjoy yourself, without hurting yourself, then the sport can be a useful distraction to minimize daily stress.

People require more than exercise for a balanced stress management program. Deep relaxations 15-20 minutes nearly daily are also strongly recommended. These are peaceful times of relaxation and recovery. These can take the place of up to two hours of sleep. These periods give energy and help enhance focus. Combined with a good diet and regular exercise these offer the best components of wellness program that help prevent stress related problems and can enhance the quality of your life.

Good Health!

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (707) 795-2228.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.

Sleep Better Now! Stress Management Tip to Beat Insomnia

2005-11-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

By L. John Mason, Ph.D.

18% of American adults complain to their doctors that they are tired and can not get enough "quality" sleep. Over 50% of the population has occasional problems: getting to sleep, staying asleep, or feeling rested upon awakening. Sleep medication is a best selling product. Tired workers make mistakes, get injured, and have accidents. We have a tired, maybe "sleepy" population. There are some simple but powerful things that you can do to minimize insomnia in your life.

Here is a great technique which is very relaxing. Especially useful if you have difficulty getting to sleep or you awaken during the night.

50 to 1 Countdown

As the name implies you count backward from 50 down to 1. The difference is that you count "1,2,3" between every number. So the counting goes: 50, 1,2,3, 49, 1,2,3, 48, 1,2,3, 47, 1,2,3, 46, 1,2,3,...... etc.

Your mind will be busy with these numbers and then get bored with the counting so that it will go to sleep (or back to sleep.) With an even pace this takes about 3 minutes to get down to 1, if you get that far. Some people can get to 1, but the second time through this counting they usually drift off.

This breathing/counting technique can be combined with a few simple changes that will compliment to effectiveness of this exercise.

1. Reduce, or better still, eliminate caffeine, even that one cup in the mourning. Many people are sensitive to caffeine, even a small amount. De-caf is an alternative.

2. Regular exercise will help, but not just before bedtime. Give it at least an hour, better 2, before bed.

3. Do not eat a big meal with 2 hours of bedtime, because this can get in the way of good sleep.

4. If all else fails, consider getting, and using, a guided relaxation on CD to help you to relax and to fall asleep. You will also benefit from a better quality of sleep.

Try this. It can really work well for you.

Please take good care of yourself.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (707) 795-2228. We even have great CD with guide relaxations to promote sleep (#204.) Visit the "tape" page at the website for more information.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.

Avoid Stress: 10 Things that Will Make You Feel Better, Part 2

2005-11-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

By Maria Moratto

This is the second part of my tips to avoid and then transform a bad into a good day, especially when you are tired and stressed out. In the first part, I suggested you to avoid like the plague the following: TV, News, Arguments, Caffeine, and Rap music. In this second part, I will tell you about 5 other stuff that you can eliminate from your life, or, at least, avoid them at this time.

1. Negative people

So here is a co-worker who always comes to you to complain about something. Or perhaps it’s a classmate? Or, a relative, maybe? It matters not. For this person nothing seems good, or positive, or worthy. On the contrary, people like these are the epitome of heavy clouds lingering on just when you planned to spend the day at the beach. Avoid them. In fact, perhaps you should just be straight and truthful and tell them that you are now on a new mode and that you will only speak of good and positive things. They will get the message. If they don’t, just tell them you are very busy at the moment and can’t talk.

2. Cluttered surroundings

The more cluttered your space is, the more stressful you will get. Make a point of putting things away as you go. If your work space is full of papers, file them; if your dinning table is overflowing with mail and catalogs and newspapers, clean it. If your teenager’s room is overwhelming, close the door. In reality, if you are too stressed out, cleaning may be an aggravation, though, to some, it is very relaxing. If you fit in the first category, de-cluttering may mean that, just for the moment, you will have to hide everything, until you can deal with it later. Grab a laundry basket, put everything there, and then leave it somewhere where you can’t see for now, but you will see later on. Just don’t forget to file everything or put everything away when you are feeling better. God forbid you miss an important payment!

3. Shopping

Changes are you will have to drive to store, and that means you need to face traffic. Then you need to find a parking space, then you go in. Perhaps, the place is crowded which means that, after going from one place to the next, and now being ready to pay, you will face a line at the cashier. Then, you need to come back home. This may be way too much for you mood at this point. Go to the store only if it is absolutely necessary. Today, with the Internet being such a place where you can find everything under the sun, do your bulk shopping online. Leave for the store only what needs to be absolutely fresh. Perhaps you store has a delivery program. By all means, use it. It is well worth the money you will spend in shipping and handling.

4. Dealing with finances (budgeting your money)

Don’t even thing about doing your budget or checking you credit card balance or anything of the sort. You may be happily surprised with what you see, but chances are, you will not. Don’t add this aggravation to an already exhausted nervous system. Wait until you are feeling better.

5. Excitement in general

PTA meetings? Business meetings? Parties? Avoid them. Dealing with people may be way too much for you, especially if you are an extrovert. Big time socializing acts like caffeine; it is over stimulant and now is not the time for stimulation. You need quiet. Now, if you are meeting one good and supportive friend, then, by all means, go for it. Remember to avoid caffeine, sugar, and extreme sports, though. Also, for now, avoid the dentist, if you can.

Remember that not all stressors are bad for you. Learn how to differentiate them. Avoid the bad ones and learn to relax to deal with the good ones. Pay attention that your negative stressor is not consuming your good humor and/or affecting your health. Once you don’t feel good about a certain thing, better stop it immediately. After all, what good is life if we don’t feel good about it?

© Maria Moratto 2005

About the author

Dr. Maria Moratto is a life coach. She promotes seminars and courses in developing the perfect life blueprint, which includes attracting abundance and loving relationships, time management, stress management, diversity, goal setting, career search and change, values clarification, leisure, self-improvement, college life, spirituality, natural health and lifestyle. She is also writing a book on successful relationships, coming soon. Visit her website at http://www.rx4bliss.com and sign up for a free e-zine that is short, informative, and fun. Go to her blog at: http://www.rx4bliss.blogspot.com for great discussions on these topics.

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Be Here Now! Get Back into the Present!

2005-11-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

By L. John Mason

The Power of Now. This is the title of a book that requires reflection and introspection. The value of this book's philosophy is very personal but it does reflect an important universal truth.

Most people's stress can be related to the their mind wandering to and then dwelling in the past or into the future. We can easily get caught reliving some difficult situation from our past memory. This memory can have a great deal of power and elicit the flight/fight response just as the original experience create a major response. This past response does not even have to have been traumatic, but the re-experience can still feel life threatening.

The future is unknown. The unknown creates a fearful response for many people. When we project ourselves into the unknown future, we can create the uneasiness that will trigger our sub-conscious survival mechanisms. As an example, imagine that you were asked to speak to a group of world leaders, offering your proposals for world peace. It is a great opportunity, but most of us would feel some significant level of stress. Chances are good that if we were actually in this situation, our lives would not be threatened by these leaders, but our body responds as if this were a life or death situation.

Remember, our body has only one way to respond and this involves the triggering of our primitive survival mechanism, the flight-fight response.

Learning to re-engage and to live in the present moment can not only put things back into perspective, it can help to minimize our stress response. If you can be in your body in a positive way, you can change your response to stress and get back in control. With practice it only takes a few seconds, but can be a the difference from getting a distracting headache, an upset stomach, or having an over active mind that does allow you to rest at night.

The following simple (but powerful) exercise can give you needed control over your stress response. Remember to bring your mind back into the present moment as you focus on this technique.

Remember to breathe!

This will help to keep you in your body in a positive way and in present time! Distractions will surface, but gently return your mind's focus to the process of slowly breathing.... inhale then exhale. You may even want to feel for cool air as you inhale and warm air in the breath you exhale. Imagine that as you exhale you can begin to release distracting thoughts, pain or discomfort, even anxiety. Some people will even be able to imagine that with every breath they can take another step down into comfort and relaxation. With every additional breath you allow yourself to let go of stress and slowly drift deeper into control.

It requires practice and some discipline, but this will work for you. Try it!

Do not let the smaller stresses carry you off into dysfunction or despair. It takes practice, but you will learn to not get sucked in to unnecessary anxiety.

Try this. It can really work well for you.

Please take good care of yourself.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (707) 795-2228.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, or for a new career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.