How Stressful Thinking Impacts You

 By Linda Hampton 

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Most of us experience tension daily, often it's hour by hour or worse minute to minute. How we cope with stress and worry determines whether we move forward or allow it to hold us back. Habitual negative thinking is often frenzied, inaccurate, and undependable, yet you can go through your entire life with negative thoughts that cause unproductive behavior and a more difficult life. Most people dealing with stress especially chronic stress assume that there's no getting around it, and its just the way life has to be. But this is certainly not the case!
Silencing the habitually negative mind is easier than you imagine and it all starts with a single positive thought.

How Your Negative Mind Effects Your Positive Aspirations

A negative mind not only regulates the way you approach life, it also has a tremendous impact on your physical body, and with your mind body connection working against homeostasis rather then in flow having a negative impact on your health. When you switch off negative thoughts and turn on positive thinking, you have the power to move toward a healthier more productive and creative you. With time and effort, you can transform your thought process, and it's quite simple actually, because it all begins with just a few simple words.
The Power of A Few Words...
When you see a list of affirmations, you see absolutely nothing more than a list of words with optimistic expressions that do not appear to apply to you or embody your current way of thinking. If you take a closer look at each affirmation, you may find that many embrace the way you wished you could feel and think.

When you see words that speak to you and how you'd like to feel, hold onto them. You can use them to get rid of a unwelcome idea you wish to eliminate. Fundamentally, with practice, you will be replacing your negative thinking pattern with a positive thinking. This is exactly what positive affirmations are all about!
But let me caution you here. In order for your affirmations to be effective they have to meet the following criteria:

Affirmations have to be in your own voice. They need to be phrased and spoken the way you speak.

Your affirmations should be phrased and said in the same way that you would say them to a friend. After all, your mind is your friend. In fact, it's one of your best friends.
Words are a powerful way to evoke emotions both positive and negative. Use affirmation that speaks to you on a deep level and keep them in the forefront of your mind by repeating these words often. By doing this you create room for your new thoughts to germinate and grow until these thoughts become a reality. Again the trick is to use words that are meaningful to you and say them in the same way you normally speak.

If at some point, as we all do, you may become overwhelmed with negative thinking, if that happens simply close your eyes and take a few deep breaths until your emotions become a little bit more under control. Then use your affirmations to interrupt your thinking pattern.
One final thought... the past is a closed door you can choose to keep going back into that unfilled and stressful room or you can choose another door. So let's set a few ground rules:

Ground Rules Eliminate Negative thinking

1. You must start by being honest with yourself and make a sincere commitment to make changes
2. You must develop a deep passion to get rid of stressful thinking
3. You must be willing to embrace new strategies and give yourself permission to be creative
4. Give yourself a break when your old patterns re-appear as they undoubtedly will. Don't beat yourself up just begin again.

Does this sound as well great to be true? There are many people who, like you, believe this technique is well... just too easy so it can't possibly work.. The only way to know for certain is to try it. What do you have to lose? No one has to know your using affirmation it's personal and private. After all it's all in your mind. It's easy convenient and you can take them wherever you go.

Linda Hampton RN, MSN Certified Life Coach, is an author, speaker, and coach who helps busy and stressed entrepreneurs gain more time and energy, eliminate clutter and minimize stress and overwhelm. She is the author of Curing Toxic Stress. To receive her FREE Special Report Thriving In The Midst of Chaos visit: http://www.keytostressfreeliving.com

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Do You Know Where Your Will Power Has Gone?

 By Lynette Crane 

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You know will power - that elusive stuff that other people seem to have, but you don't? Or maybe you had a lot of it on January 1, excited by visions of a new you, but somehow the visions have gotten dimmer as the weeks have gone by.
The parking lot at the fitness center was so crowded on New Year's Day that new members circled endlessly, watching for someone to leave. (The veterans knew, grudgingly, to come early.) Soon there will be ample parking once again for the dedicated few who seem to keep going day after day, year after year, without succumbing to what I call the February Fade.
New Year's Resolutions can take a lot of forms, but all of them start off with a bang and then...
You may even be feeling a little guilt, or even a little disgust, over your difficulty in sticking with your resolutions, and wonder, "What's wrong with me?"
Nothing is wrong with you any more than having a muscle be weak because you haven't used it much, and you don't know quite how to exercise it.
Wouldn't you like to be able to build up your Will Power muscle, just as you build your biceps with curls, or your quadriceps with cycling?
Well, you can. And here's how:
Practice breathing. Practice mindfulbreathing, in this way: close your eyes, breathe in deeply for 4 counts, rest for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, rest for 4 counts.
That's all? Well, not quite.
Repeat these deep breaths, focusing on your breathing to the exclusion of everything else. Not quite able to exclude everything else? Join the crowd. You will have intrusive thoughts about what's going to happen today, or what happened earlier, or what happened in the third grade that today reminds you of... mind travel can go on and on. That's okay. Just keep breathing and focusing on your breathing.
Keep bringing your attention back to your breathing, because what you are doing is training your prefrontal cortex, the site of conscious thought and control (aka Will Power), to become stronger in over-riding the lower brain areas, those areas where your impulse to take the easy way out - slump down in front of the TV instead of exercising, eat the entire bag of chocolate chip cookies and skip the vegetables - is dominant.
The more you do this breathing and focusing exercise, the more you develop that control. If you were to do this simple exercise for five minutes per day, at the end of five months a brain scan would show significant changes in the area of your brain from which self control originates.
Isn't that worth the investment of five minutes per day? And hey, you don't have to stop at five minutes. Try it for 10, 15...
I don't think anyone has established an overdose level for mindful breathing.

Lynette Crane, M.A.(Psychology) and Certified Life Coach,is a Minneapolis-based speaker, writer, and coach. She has more than 30 years' experience in the field of stress management. She currently works to provide stress and time pressure solutions to harried women, those women who seek "Islands of Peace" in their overly-busy lives. Her talks to groups of what she calls "harried women" are receiving rave reviews. Visit her website at http://www.creativelifechanges.com/ to see more in-depth articles and to view her programs.

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How to Lose Your Stress the Simple Way

 By Lynn Errickson 

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An incredibly interesting and also informative aspect of stress is that it's connected to your breathing. As well, if you begin observing when you start to be stressed, you'll find out that this is undoubtedly the situation.
When you're under stress, your breathing comes to be shallow, as if your body is truly straining to moderate its oxygen movement. Your shoulders also come up toward your neck, which farther prevents the in-out air flow.
On the other hand, when you're at ease, your breathing is typically both lighter and deeper. Your shoulders are likewise more relaxed, which assists with breathing too. Due to the fact that if stress is connected to your breathing, then that should also imply that your breathing is linked to your stress!
And provided that, it stands to reason that if you observe your breathing and execute some straightforward breathing techniques, you may really minimize stress. It's like having a little secret button that you can easily push anytime and anywhere that gets rid of your tension and anxiety!
Below are some uncomplicated strategies (or secret buttons, if you prefer) that can assist you lessen stress, as well as enable you to experience more tranquility, contentment, delight as well as success in your life:
Deep Breathing: Sit in a comfy chair. If you wish, you can likewise sit on the flooring I do not advise that you lie down when you do this physical exercise, as you could fall asleep! As you sit, place one hand (it doesn't matter which one) on your stomach. Take an unwinded, deep inhale. Don't stress whatsoever. This isn't really an aerobic activity. This is all regarding restful breathing. As you breathe from your tummy, feel your hand increase. If it's not rising, then that implies you're inhaling from your chest. Continue breathing in and out from your belly 10 times. Do this physical exercise daily, or even throughout the day if you prefer, and also view the results in your very own life. You'll not just feel greater, but you'll be able to fulfill your everyday tasks with renewed energy.
Hold Breathing: This is a bit more enhanced than the Deep Breathing workout we explored above, and also so I recommend you begin with this only after you've been Deep Breathing for a few weeks or so. With Hold Breathing, you'll breathe in for 5 seconds. You'll then hold your breath for 5 seconds. You'll then slowly release the air from your lungs for 5 seconds. If you locate that there is still some extra air in your lungs after 5 seconds, then that's completely great. The goal of Hold Breathing is just to help you pay more attention to your breathing when it pertains to discharging all of the air in your lungs.
The Golden Light: Merely take a breath consistently throughout this method. Breathe in and also envision that you are taking a breath in "fantastic sunlight." Take a breath out and also envision that you are inhaling out dark smoke. Picture the gold sunlight coming in to your body via your nasal passages, and going all the means down to your toes as you inhale in. When you exhale, imagine the air as dark smoke, and picture that you are discharging all the bad and also stress filled thoughts. If thoughts other than gold sunlight and dark smoke come in to your thoughts, delicately remove them. At that point return to concentrating on the gold sunlight coming into your body and also the darkish smoke heading out.
Try any of all of these breathing procedures to help minimize stress, as well as also protect against stress prior to it begins. You'll be able to fulfill your duties and also deal with your obstacles in a healthier manner.

Find out more free ways to decrease your stress at this Destress Now
Would you like my brand new free 31 page eBook "How to Become Your Best Self"? Click Here
Lynn Errickson is a Certified Stress Management Consultant.

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Ways to Manage Stress

by: Shena Fowler

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Although stress is often viewed as a negative, it is actually a natural and normal physical response. A stress response is simply the body’s ability to defend and protect itself. This “fight-or-flight” reaction can help a person stay energetic, alert, and focused. These behaviors can be beneficial. A winning touchdown, successful board room presentation, or an A on a test can all be partially due to a healthy stress response. However, too much stress can become harmful and can cause extreme damage to a person - physically, mentally, and relationally.

Chronic stress is caused when the body is subjected to an overwhelming amount of physical and psychological threats. Since the body cannot differentiate between extreme or moderate stress triggers, it reacts with the same intensity, regardless of how major or minor the cause. This means that a bounced check or a long commute can be the catalyst for intense stress related symptoms (that may feel as intense as a real life-or-death crisis). Symptoms may include muscle tension, headache, fatigue, anxiety, changes in eating habits, mood swings, lack of enthusiasm, and/or an upset stomach.

Each person has a different tolerance level when it comes to calculating stress. It is important for each individual to understand his or her stress level threshold. Factors that influence stress tolerance include: one’s ability to deal with emotions, one’s preparedness for stress-inducing circumstances, one’s sense of control, one’s attitude, one’s support network, one’s physical health and nutritional status, one’s fitness level, and one’s sleep habits. These variables are what enable one person to maintain a sense of calm while another person feels completely overwhelmed.

Just as each person must evaluate the factors that cause stress, it is essential for individuals to consider the ways in which they react to stress, and whether or not their responses need to be altered. Some individuals react by freezing up and becoming extremely internally agitated. Some become very outwardly agitated and may become volatile. Others become withdrawn and show little to no emotion. Understanding personal stress triggers and individual reactions are key in moving forward and coping with stress.

Although stress can affect any individual, those with fast-paced and challenging work environments (such as medical professionals) are more likely to experience the symptoms and signs of stress. Strategies for managing stress (whether it’s work related or personal) include: avoiding unnecessary stress, changing one’s situation or environment, adapting to and accepting one’s environment, upping one’s fitness level, and scheduling time for personal leisure and relaxation. Taking control of one’s life and prioritizing what’s truly important (and worth stressing over) are integral methods of managing stress.

Are you a busy medical professional looking for a wide array of Medical Scrubs and Nurses Uniforms? Visit Scrubs123. Even simple work wardrobe preparation can help to reduce stress.

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Written by Shena Fowler from www.scrubs123.com

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Important Stress Relief Techniques And Strategies

By: Nick P.

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Stress is our body's emotional and psychological response to the internal and external surroundings. Moreover, those undergoing lot of stress and anxiety can have health problems such as headaches, backaches, blood sugar disorder, heartburn, etc. Therefore, to avoid the negative after effects of stress and anxiety you should look for effective stress relief techniques appropriate for your situations.

Stress relief techniques and strategies are many and varied but doing relaxation exercises and things of your interest are considered as some of the best stress relief techniques and strategies. Moreover, doing relaxation exercises has been considered as one of the best stress relief techniques, as it helps the body release the stress and anxiety. Additionally, there are numerous studies that have been conducted on stress and anxiety and many researchers have suggested that doing relaxation exercises would help in the reduction of stress and anxiety, thus keeping your mind relax and at ease. In addition, learning relaxation ways and methods would help you feel energized and motivate you to achieve your goals and objectives.

Besides relaxation methods being one of the effective stress relief techniques there are other stress relief tips such as sharing your problems and difficulties with your loved ones. Make sure the person you are choosing to share your problems understands you and spends time to help you overcome your tensions and worries. However, if you do not feel comfortable to share your problem, then you can maintain a diary and write all your problems and difficulties. Studies have indicated that women undergo stress and anxiety more than men and these stress relief techniques and strategies can help them make their life stress-free and relaxed.

Keeping yourself engaged in activities is another stress relief technique therefore, it is important for you to take short breaks while working for a long time. There are good books available online on stress relief techniques and strategies and if you are an avid book reader then reading one of the books that can help you reduce stress and anxiety would be a good idea. However, if you are finding it difficult to find the right book on stress relief techniques then it is advisable to read online reviews and know the various ways reading those books has helped individuals overcome stress and anxiety.

Meditation is another popular stress relief technique and doing proper meditation and yoga can keep your mind relaxed and at ease. For doing meditation and yoga properly, you have to learn the methods and practice regularly. Although it may take some time to achieve perfection but practicing it regularly would help you keep your mind in control, and you can enjoy the benefits of doing meditation. Moreover, if you like listening to music, then you can switch on your iPod to listen to music and then meditate.

These are some of the common and effective stress relief techniques and strategies helping individuals step forward in their life in an easy and hassle-free manner.

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How To Handle Your Stress

By Kristina Sue 

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It's impossible to live a totally stress-free life. When we experience stress and feel anxious, the stress hormones our body release in response to the situation can cause our heart rate and blood pressure to increase. Many of us have become accustomed to our pressurized lifestyle and are able to cope well in crises, but if we find ourselves over-functioning with too many demands on our times, or we have deadlines piling up at work and frequent arguments at home, over time we may begin to feel consistently stressed and anxious or physically run down. This will affect our mental and physical wellbeing.
Stress is something that is quite difficult to measure on a scale as we all respond differently to potential stressful situations. Common signs of stress building up include:
1. Disturbed sleep and feeling tired all the time
2. Depression, anxiety, panic attacks
3. Frequent minor infections from a weakened immune system
4. Migraine and tension headaches
5. Flare-ups of skin problems such as eczema and acne
6. Indigestion or symptoms of irritable bowel systems
If you recognize any of above symptoms, chances are ongoing stress in your life is affecting your health. It is important to re-learn how to relax so practice some simple relaxation techniques, yoga or meditation to handle your stress level.
Use simple Deep Breathing Meditation to relax and re-energize your body and mind. Follow these steps:
1. Sit in a comfortable position, or lie flat on a bed or floor with your knees bent. Place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. Close your eyes and relax.
2. Quieten your body and mind. Relax, and imagine you are on the beach or at some of your favourite location: Feel the sights, sounds and smells.
3. Slow your breathing. Breath in for a count of 5, pause for 1-2 seconds, then breath out for a count of 5.
4. Consciously release all your tension with each out-breath. Feel your abdominal muscles push out the last of each breath, and your diaphragm expand as you inhale.
5. Repeat as many times as you want, even 5-10 minutes will help you to feel calmer and centred.
How to be stress free? Try these solutions:
1. Make lists: Write down everything that you need to do in the week ahead, and then prioritize. It will help you plan your time carefully so the really important things get done first.
2. Communicate: Simply by talking and sharing your stress to your family and friends will help you a lot. So don't worry of admitting your pressure, there's nothing wrong with that.
3. Exercise regularly: Regular exercise reduces stress levels and depression.
4. Accept offers of help: Lower your ego and accept others help willingly. This will do many benefits to your health rather than not accepting the help offer and struggling alone doing the un-finish task.
5. Learn to say NO: If you find extra work is a burden to you, learn to say NO in a good way. If you really need to help out, delay the job for the next day.
6. Find some 'Relax' time for yourself: This 'relax' time is an opportunity for you to get away from your friends and family. Have sometime for yourself to go to the gym, beach or maybe shop for your new wardrobe.

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How To Deal With Your Stress With More Effectively

By: Bingoog

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Stress is regarded getting a organic and natural element of life, nevertheless occasionally it may final result in the nuisance and hinder the psychological growth of the person. slicing along the result of be worried in your lifestyle is extremely pretty vital that you support you reside a happier and additional fulfilling life.

Stress can consider many different forms, as element of existence "it is consistently a stressful time in your own home as element of your job "I'm consistently below stress to encounter deadlines or an subject of the temporary trouble "I just possess a complete whole lot on at this time." We should recognize and recognize the area of be worried within your existence preceding for you can start to look after it.

Before relieving the stress it is best to very first determine the components of your existence than most effects you in conditions of stress. This may possibly appear fast for some, but consider that some regions may possibly hold out merely a tiny part within your life, but you possess a tremendous impact. determine scenarios which could be unpleasant or precisely where your behaviour changes, and hold notes of them in an extremely day-to-day fashion. Your diary will concentrate in your confidential existence stresses and check how you cope with it, even although you really feel stressed or if there is truly a stressful situation you can observe the situations and see why it stressed you. I wish you will see a hyperlink or link between the actions you are involved in and how you feel.

The 1st query to look at is "how could you relieve stress?" producing utilization of the "Diary of Stress" compose that which you do when faced with stress. From this we are able to see in the event you cope with panic in the wholesome way.

Some illustrations of unhealthy methods of coping with stress:
* Alcohol
* keep away from the concern hoping it will disappears
* Ignoring the concern or viewing TV/computer
* Medicine, pills, prescriptions to relax
* much more than consuming or under-nutrition
* Sleeping
* Smoking
* getting the stress out on others
* Withdrawal from culture and buddies and family

All these methods can hold about temporary relief in the man compelled, however, the long-term stress can hold about psychological issues and harsh conditions. So if any of those methods may be the remedy nowadays may be the day time we uncover a brand determine new tactic for you!

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10 Ways to Let Go of Regret

 By Barbara Rubel 

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Why Focus on Regret? Regret is a feeling of distress and grief as you bring awareness to something that you wish you did differently. Because regret can be a major loss in your life it's important to focus on how you reacted to it and consequences of it. Typically, regrets can happen in your personal life, environment, possessions, workplace and relationships.
Personal Life. You can regret that you did not take better care of yourself when you were young, ate a poor diet or got a preventable disease. Regrets can also pertain to broken dreams such as a miscarriage or adoption.
Environment. You can regret accepting a job where you have to deal with traffic congestion or that you purchased a home in a flood area. Perhaps you moved from another country and lost your cultural identity. You can be unhappy that you got married young or moved into a nursing home as you aged.
Possessions. Maybe you regret buying your car, not buying your dream home or buying a home you couldn't afford. You may have too many possessions and have become a hoarder. Perhaps you feel distress because you didn't save for retirement.
Workplace. It could be you are disappointed you didn't get proper job training. Perhaps you regret that you did nothing to stop the school or workplace bully. You may regret that you retired too early.
Relationships. Perhaps you alienated a friend, broke up with someone or divorced. You might be thinking about not being closer to your grandchildren. You may feel regret due to a loved one's heart attack or that you didn't take better care of a pet. You can regret not being honest with your physician. Distressing events such as hospital errors, domestic violence, car accidents, falls, injuries, homicide and suicide can cause remorse.
Palette of Grief® Reactions Caused by Regrets
The Palette of Grief® includes emotional, cognitive, behavioral, physical and spiritual reaction caused by loss. Being that regret is considered a loss, some of the emotional reactions may include anger, shame, guilt, anxiety and blame.
Cognitively, you might feel confused, frustrated, and dwell on one negative detail instead of the whole picture. You could be indecisive and have difficulty making plans. With a pessimistic, negative attitude, all-or-nothing thinking or exaggerated thinking you may speculate about what you should have done differently. With an impaired self-esteem you might believe that you did something wrong. Unwanted memories may possibly make you feel worthless, disgusted and helpless.
Behaviorally, you might compulsively exercise or gamble. You may become intolerant of others, work too much, become a perfectionist and consider yourself a failure.
Physically, you could feel restless, exhausted or fatigued. Regrets could wreak havoc on your body causing you to grind your teeth, have muscle tension or a peptic ulcer. You may refuse to talk, drink too much alcohol and become self-destructive.
Spiritually you possibly may abandon your faith, feel judged and be angry at God. You may feel empty, have lost your life's purpose, feel apathetic and hopeless.
Self-Soothing Strategies
It's no secret that it takes 21 straight days to create a habit. So, focus on self-soothing thoughtful activities that will minimize regret for 21 days in a row. If you reframe your thinking, at the end of that timeframe regret can become contentment. Here are 10 ways to let go of regret:

1. Rather than avoiding your feelings, be a flexible thinker and brainstorm choices to cope with them.
2. Be open-minded as you retrieve regret from your brain and reorganize your thoughts about it.
3. Recognize whether you are focusing on actions you did but wish you didn't or actions you didn't do but wish you did.
4. As you problem solve, write down assumptions about the regret and focus on whether or not these beliefs are correct.
5. Keep a check on thinking patterns for inaccurate and twisted perceptions of the facts.
6. Pay attention to your perception of how much control you believe you have over what happened.
7. Be tolerant of mistakes you believe you made as you let go of negativity and create positive self-talk.
8. As you take a walk or do something relaxing, think about regret with a positive attitude.
9. Challenge irrational thoughts with reality by creating a list of things you could have done differently based on what you knew at the time or what you know now.
10. Talk about your regret with a friend or family member or utilize professional resources.

Future decisions will be based on past regrets. Living with regret is not useless as it teaches you that the choices you make have consequences. There is a connection between regret and positive growth. Appreciate life, identify your blessings and remain grateful for the ability to let go of regret. The key point is that you can find meaning in what the regret has taught you about your inner strength and resilience.
Milne wrote Winnie the Pooh and within the story Christopher Robin echoes the importance of a positive attitude to Pooh, "Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." When you find yourself thinking about regret, focus on what you have learned from it as you are probably stronger than you seem.

To discover more resilient ways to cope with stress, along with how to cope with loss, please visit http://www.griefworkcenter.com
If you'd like to invite Barbara Rubel to speak at your organization's event, send an e-mail to griefwork@aol.com
To read Barbara Rubel's Blog, go to http://www.redroom.com

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3 Steps to Overcome Financial Stress in Early Recovery

 By Wendell J Montney 

Photo: http://augustushallltd.com

Changes in early recovery don't come easy.
There's almost always unresolved issues from before you became clean and sober.
One of the most common is the financial burden.
If you're struggling financially here are three ways to get yourself back on the road to financial independence.
1. Start With a Job
It's clear that if you don't have a job, you won't find financial security.
I hear people say all the time that there are no jobs available. What they really mean is "there are no jobs I'd like to do". This is a much different idea.
We don't always get the job we'd like, but you can't be too picky. Especially if you have to work two jobs to get the money you need.
If you already have a job and it doesn't pay enough, try to look for a BETTER position somewhere else.
and then...
2. Make Yourself a Budget
Think of a budget as a road map.
You need to know where you're going and check periodically to see if you're headed in the right direction.
Be sure to allocate a specific amount for every expense to avoid overspending.
You'd be amazed at how much you spend on simple things like fast food and coffee. So, limit yourself to enough money for entertainment and food... when it's gone, it's gone.
Don't forget to keep your receipts. It'll help you know where each dollar went.
And remember, you don't have to spend everything you earn. Take time to pay yourself and save a little from each paycheck.
If you save 10% of every check, 10% for charity and 80% for your living expenses you'll find there'll be enough money to go around.
A really good tip is to get yourself a calendar to write on. Write down your paydays and due dates for all your bills.
And finally...
3. Let Go of Old Habits
You've already eliminated alcohol and drugs from your expenses. Are there any other habits you could cut back from?

• Do you smoke?
• Do you eat out a lot or have fast food?
• How many coffees do you buy?
• How much do you spend on lottery?

Another bad habit that can hurt your income is credit. If you pay interest on debt, a significant part of your income isn't available to improve your standard of living or plan for your retirement.
The goal to become debt free is the single most important wealth building concept you can learn.
Being in early recovery is stressful enough. So, get a good job, stick to your budget and let go of your old habits and the months will get better.
And above all else... follow through.

If you or someone you know is looking for addiction support for families and friends of addicts visit FreeMyAddict.com to get them the help they need.

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Key Solutions for Managing Stress Better

 By: Tony Robinson

Stress is not all bad. In fact, a certain amount of stress can
make life interesting and engaging. We cannot escape every
deadline or every commitment, so, rather than trying to
eliminate stress entirely, we need to attempt to control stress
as best we can. Interestingly enough, if we don't have enough
stress, we may end up feeling tired and hopeless.

It would be wonderful if we could come up with a mathematical
formula for stress--the amount of stress an individual could
conceivably accept without going into overdrive. However,
optimal stress levels vary from person to person and from
situation to situation. In fact, a situation that might make
your skin crawl might be invigorating for another person.
Likewise, a person who thrives on constant change would be
stressed out in a job that is mundane, while an individual that
hates change would be stressed out in a position that is
constantly in a state of flux.

Experts believe that many illnesses are directly tied to
stress. If you find yourself becoming constantly ill, or you
feel nervous much of the time, you need to develop strategies
for coping. It should be noted, however, that stress management
is a practiced art--you can't expect to master it in a single
day. However, if you keep at it, chances are you will learn ways
to deal effectively with stress.

One of the first things you should do is to learn what your
primary stressors are. Is it cooking dinner? Preparing for a
presentation? Driving to work? While you cannot necessarily
eliminate these chores, you can make them more manageable. For
instance, if cooking dinner stresses you out, consider ordering
takeout once a week in order to take a break from your normal
routine. If preparing presentations is a problem, learn to
divide up the project so that you're only focusing on a section
at a time. If your morning commute leaves you frazzled, try
leaving for work fifteen minutes earlier. The idea here is to
recognize your stressors and come up with ideas for limiting
their impact.

You should then try if at all possible to lessen your emotional
reactions to stressors. You may notice that stressors cause you
to think negatively, focusing on the worst aspects of a
situation. Instead, consider a stressor an opportunity for
improving your life. Try to determine whether you are
overreacting to certain situations. It is entirely possible that
every stressor you encounter is not urgent--that you can take
your time to assess the situation and therefore reduce your
stress level. Also, think of yourself as being in control of
your emotions. While you may not be able to do anything about a
certain situation, you can control your reactions to it.

Pay close attention to your physical reactions to stress. For
instance, adopt deep breathing techniques in order to decrease
your heart rate. If your physical reactions to stress are
severe, you should consult your doctor to see if you should be
on medication. However, a simple reaction to stress is to simply
take a break from the action. This way, you can get some
valuable "alone time" to think through a situation and see if
you can find the light at the end of the tunnel.

Another effective way to fight stress is to strengthen your
body. You should engage in aerobic activity at least three times
a week. You should also make sure you're eating nutritious food.
Try to avoid stimulants such as sugar and caffeine, and make
sure that you get enough sleep each night. These simple
strategies can help you to cope when situations seem
overwhelming.

You have to recognize that stress is an inevitable part of
life. You cannot go through life coasting from one situation to
the next and not expect to encounter some stress. However, with
effective management techniques, you can turn stressful
situations into opportunities for growth. The more strategies
you invoke to deal with stressors, the happier and healthier you
will be. But remember to start slowly and build up your
emotional reserves. A gradual approach works best when it comes
to stress management--otherwise, you could actually become
stressed out by the pressure of it all.

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When Stress Becomes Unbearable

 By: Tony Robinson

A soldier, just back from the war in Iraq, is haunted by
nightmares of bodies on the battlefield. A woman keeps replaying
in her mind the day that she was brutally raped. A man has
flashbacks of the time that he was beaten by his step-father.
These incidents are the result of stress--a special kind of
stress. It is a stress so overpowering, so overwhelming that it
is known as post-traumatic stress disorder.

The important thing to remember about post-traumatic stress
disorder is that it is far more common than one might think.
First brought to the public's attention following the Vietnam
War, post-traumatic stress disorder afflicts everyone from
earthquake victims to survivors of kidnapping. Often, PTSD, as
it is known, occurs when an individual's life has been
threatened, or the life of someone close to him or her has been
jeopardized. More than five million people are believed to be
affected by the disorder.

There are a number of tell-tale signs of post-traumatic stress
disorder. For instance, an individual might experience continual
flashbacks or nightmares. He or she may experience feelings of
irritability or frustration. He or she might have an exaggerated
startle response, such as jumping when hearing a noise in an
otherwise quiet room. He or she may lose interest in work,
relationships, or other things that used to be enjoyed. The
symptoms may become especially pronounced when the anniversary
of the traumatic event rolls around.

Although stories of soldiers with PTSD are well-known, women
are actually more susceptible to the disorder. Also, there is
evidence that there may be a genetic predisposition for PTSD.
PTSD can lead to major depression, alcoholism, or drug abuse. If
a specific person was responsible for the trauma--say a husband,
boyfriend, or neighbor--the after-effects may be particularly
bad.

It is interesting to note that a specific sound or smell can
trigger a flashback for an individual suffering from PTSD. This
is part of the reason that the disorder is so troubling. In
essence, the individual has difficulty escaping the memory of
what happened to him or her. The recurring nightmares and
flashbacks are signs that the individual has not been able to
process the memory appropriately.

An individual afflicted with PTSD may feel a sense of
hopelessness. Since his or her ordeal seems to be repeating
itself, he or she may find it difficult to come to terms with
the event. This is why PTSD is such a debilitating condition.
However, it is important to recognize the fact that there is
hope for those struggling with this disorder. Through talk
therapy and medication, an individual can learn how to properly
process the traumatic memory. The nightmares and flashbacks
eventually disappear, as the individual receives a new leash on
life.

It should be pointed out that there is no instant fix or cure
for PTSD. It can haunt people for months, if not years. It is a
mental condition that is still shrouded in a great deal of
secrecy. There are also many misunderstandings about the
disorder. It may cause someone to miss work, or to lose his or
her job entirely. It can wreck marriages and other close
relationships. A great deal of additional research needs to be
done in order to adequately address the problem of PTSD.

In the meantime, there are specific steps you can take to
lessen the likelihood that you will suffer from the disorder. If
you have become the victim of a traumatic event, seek help
immediately. Discuss the incident with your family doctor and
ask him or her for a referral to a therapist and psychiatrist.
Don't wait until your symptoms are out of control before you
seek help.

While this type of stress is not curable, it is entirely
treatable. The important thing for you to remember is that you
are not alone, that there are a number of mental health experts
who stand ready to help you. Also, try to think of yourself as a
survivor rather than as a victim. You may find you are better
able to cope with the stress that way. Also, recognize the fact
that the incident, though traumatic, has passed. Once you
realize that you are unlikely again to go through such a horror,
you may be able to put the incident into the proper perspective.

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More Money & Less Stress?

 By: Kimberly Stevens

At 2pm last Wednesday, I got a call from one of my clients. Before I could barely utter my "hello," she launched headlong into her story - "I am so frustrated! I have this client who has been dragging her feet at every stage of our project. I'm working on a branding campaign for her company and expected to be finished nine months ago, but every time we get to a stage in the project where the ball is in her court, I have to follow-up umpteen times and push and prod just to get her to move forward. In almost every case, it takes her about two months to do something that could have been done in a week. Then, two months later when she's finally finished with her part, she cheerily announces that she's ready for me to start the next phase and wonders how quickly I can do it. Every time this happens I have to completely reacquaint myself with her project. All in all, I've spent almost twice as many hours as I budgeted. How can I get her to wrap up this project so I can move on?,” she finished.
I cannot think of one service business owner that hasn't faced this issue at one time or another. We all started our businesses concerned about providing great customer service and a quality service delivered on time. We thought that was the key to having happy clients. But, at some point, we find out that great customer service means that we're not allowing one client's delays to impact another client's project, the profitability of our business, or our own personal satisfaction. This is when we have to recognize that we are responsible for this situation. If you've allowed a client to run amuck dragging a project on forever, changing project parameters numerous times, delaying payment of the final bill, why shouldn't they continue to behave this way? It's up to you to put into place policies and procedures that communicate this to your clients and prospects from the very beginning.
One format I've seen used very effectively is a one-pager called "How We Work Together." It's a very basic document that outlines the responsibilities of both you and the client. It makes clear who is responsible for what and when so there are no questions later. It also outlines the consequences if either of you misses the target. Not only does this put the client on the straight-and-narrow, it shows them that you are willing to be held to high standards as well.
By using the How We Work Together document, you can begin setting the stage for productive client relationships from your very first contact with a new prospect. During your first meeting, give them a copy of the document and go through it with them. When I ran my web development company, mine included a rough timeline for each stage of the project and described how the responsibility shifted from me to them and back again throughout the process. It also included a description of consequences should particular stages of the project go beyond the timeline by a specified amount of time. This applied to me as well as them. People like to know what to expect. It left them feeling that I had a system I followed and could be relied upon to do what I was proposing to do. I feel confident that this is one of the reasons I got 90% of the projects I pitched.
I used the How We Work Together document again once I had received the signed contract and deposit payment. At that point, I would consult my project calendar and assign specific dates to each stage of the project included on the document and mail it out to the client. They had already seen the document once, so it wasn't new to them. Now, they just reviewed the dates and used it as a follow-up tool.
If you are currently in a similar situation, handle it as best you can in order to preserve the client relationship and introduce the How We Work Together document at the beginning of the next project with this client. To begin to set boundaries with all of your clients and prospects, create your own How We Work Together document and utilize it in every new project for new and existing clients.
About The Author
Kimberly Stevens is the author of the ebook series, *The Profitable Business Owner: A Step-by-Step System for Starting & Running a Successful Service Business*. Download Sample Chapters & get her free MiniCourse, *The 10 Most Common Mistakes Business Owners Make & How To Avoid Them* at: http://www.askthebizcoach.com/ebooks.htm; kim@askthebizcoach.com

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Is your Relationship Causing You Stress?

 By: Tony Robinson

Perhaps nothing is as important in our lives as our
relationships with other people. It has often been said that a
happy family is the key to success. Much of our joy comes from
our memories of Thanksgiving dinners around the dining room
table or Christmas presents exchanged in the family room. But it
is also true that the relationships that provide us with so much
happiness can also be a source of stress.

Mental health experts say that our interpersonal relationships
can increase our stress level. Since it is not possible--nor
advisable--to eliminate these relationships from our lives, we
have to work hard to ensure that our relationships do not get
the better of us. This means focusing our attention on the
inherent stressors within relationships, and doing our best to
eliminate or at least reduce stress where possible.

One of the major stressors in relationships is a communication
problem. For instance, you may become angry at your mate because
he or she fails to do chores around the house. However, the
bigger issue at stake is the fact that you feel as if your mate
doesn't really love you. By bridging the communication gap--by
articulating exactly what your needs are in a loving and
supportive way--you can help ease the tension in your
relationship.

Another source of stress can be a feeling that your mate is not
supportive of your efforts, either at home or at work. You may
feel as if your spouse doesn't appreciate all your hard work and
effort. This could, in turn, lead you to attempt to overachieve,
thinking that, by doing so, you will win your mate's support and
love. However, such a tactic could backfire, causing you more
stress than you need.

But your relationship with your spouse may not be the only
relationship that is causing you stress. You may also be
burdened by problems in your relationship with your parents. For
instance, you might feel as if your parents disapprove of your
career choice, your choice of spouse, or your choices when it
comes to parenting your children. The fear of disapproval can
lead to tension which can, in turn, give rise to stress. By
trying to understand your parents' perspective, you can help
smooth out the tensions in your relationship.

Also, attempt to boost your self-confidence, as far as your
decision-making capability is concerned. This will help you to
recognize the fact that your parents' disapproval will not break
you--that you can learn from their criticism and can become a
better person for it.

Sibling rivalries can also cause a great deal of stress. You
might feel as if you constantly need to compete with your
brother or sister--that you need to have the better car, the
prettier wife, the bigger house, the more prestigious job. If
this is, indeed, the case, you might need to re-order your
priorities. Recognize that your brother or sister is a talented
individual, that he or she should be respected and appreciated.
Realize that competition between siblings is seldom helpful and
more often counter-productive. Once you stop trying to openly
compete, you might find that your sibling calls a halt to the
competition as well. In this way, you can both learn to find
common ground--to work together rather than against each other.

In addition, you may experience stress in your relationship
with one of your co-workers. You might experience continual
conflict, as you continue to disagree on the most minuscule
details. If the conflict appears to be overwhelming, you may
need intervention by a supervisor in order to get your stress
level under control. The worst thing you could do is to let
things simmer until they reach the boiling point.

It should be noted here that you cannot eliminate stress
entirely from your relationships. However, it is possible to
minimize it. By engaging in effective communication, trying to
view conflicts from the other person's perspective, and dealin
with differences of opinion openly and honestly, you can reduc
the amount of stress in your interpersonal relationships. You
may find that you are a great deal happier and even healthier as
a result of such stress-busting techniques.

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Is Your Personality Causing You Stress?

 By: Tony Robinsno

It may sound hard to believe, but experts say that your
personality can actually cause you stress. To a certain extent,
your personality might have been determined at birth. However,
there are certain characteristics that you might have developed
over the years that are now contributing to your stress level.
While one cannot change his or her personality overnight, it is
certainly possible to change certain habits that may now be
causing you stress.

To begin with, you should ask yourself if you have low
self-esteem. Do you feel as if you are inferior to other people?
Do you constantly berate yourself for your faults? Do you
consider yourself to be the sum total of your mistakes? There is
evidence to suggest that low self-esteem can lead to stressful
situations. The problem is that you may be putting stress on
yourself unnecessarily.

Therefore, what you need to do is to begin to enhance your
self-esteem. This begins by ending the "negative talk" that goes
on inside your head. Instead of focusing on your weaknesses,
form a list of your strengths. You might also want to list all
of your major accomplishments. You might be amazed to discover
just how much you have achieved. Whenever you feel the urge to
downgrade yourself, think of your attributes. This should serve
to end the litany of your failures which you may be repeating to
yourself.

Stress can also be the result of being overburdened. Do you
take on too much? Are you dealing with too much responsibility?
While there are certain responsibilities at home, at work, and
at school that we must carry, at times we may be overextending
ourselves. List your major responsibilities and see if there i
a way for you to whittle down the list. You might be surprised
to learn just how much you have taken on. With a little bit of
planning, you might be able to shift some of your
responsibilities to other members of your household or to your
co-workers. Be sure to talk with your mate and your boss if your
stress level seems out of control. Together, you can work on
strategies to reduce the amount of stress you feel.





Let's face it. Some of us are control freaks. We feel as if we
need to control every detail within our line of sight. If you
fall into this category, you may be experiencing stress because
of your controlling nature. You may also find that this weakness
is negatively impacting your personal life, causing you to feel
additional stress in your relationships. In order to combat this
tendency, try practicing the old adage, "Let Go and let God (or
your Higher Power). Recognize that there are certain things tha
are simply beyond your control. The sooner you recognize this,
the better off you'll be, and the less stress you will feel.

Another prime cause of stress is fear, especially fear of th
unknown. You may be fearful of making mistakes or of being
judged harshly. In order to counteract this, you must recognize
that everyone commits errors--even major league basebal
players! You must also learn to forgive yourself for your
faults--otherwise, you will be putting yourself under a
tremendous amount of stress. Follow the motto: Do your best and
let nature take care of the rest. Try not to agonize over every
little thing. In addition, learn to get over the guilt of not
being perfect. Otherwise, your stress level is likely to
consistently hit the roof.

You have to realize that recognizing your faults is half the
battle. Once you know what personal foibles you need to work on,
you'll be in a better position to reduce your stress. Realize
that it took you a long time to develop such personality flaws,
so it might take some time to eliminate them. In other words,
don't expect to radically change your personality in a week.
However, with the proper amount of diligence, you can alter
those aspects of your personality that are causing you grief.
Once you eliminate these flaws, you should feel more energetic,
less stressed, and better able to take on the world. And you may
just find your blood pressure decreasing as well.

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Control Stress or It Will Control Your Business

 By: Dale Collie

When we think about stress in the workplace, we usually refer to ulcers or heart conditions, but stress has a much broader impact. It is known that stress is linked to cancer, lung ailments, cirrhosis of the liver, immunity to common illnesses, back problems, and many other medical problems.
It is estimated that stress is the underlying factor in 75 - 90% of all physician visits.
We see the effects of stress in workplace absenteeism, accidents, health care costs, workers comp, quality problems, productivity, litigation, grievances, violence, customer service complaints, resistance to change, personnel turnover, and profits.
Workplace stress is costing your business thousands of dollars per year. Is stress a line item on your budget? Knowing how much you are spending on stress is a good place to start, but you must take responsibility for stress control and its impact on the bottom line.
To receive a free article about the signs and symptoms of workplace stress, send a blank email to highstresswarningsigns@couragebuilders.com. It's automatic.
If stress is such a problem, you might be asking questions such as:
++How much is stress costing our company each year?
++How can we find out the costs?
++How can we control stress to put this money back on the bottom line?
Controlling stress is beneficial on the bottom line and for employees who work hard to make the company successful.
About The Author
Dale Collie speaker, author, coach, and former US Army Ranger, corporate president, and teacher at West Point. Selected by "Fast Company" as one of America's Fast 50 innovative leaders. Author of "Frontline Leadership: From War Room to Boardroom," and "Winning Under Fire: Turn Stress into Success the US Army Way," (McGraw Hill).
Free newsletter: MailTo:subscribe-956606571@ezinedirector.net
collie@couragebuilders.com

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Teenagers and Stress: What Parents Can Do to Help

By: Sue Blaney
More and more parents are expressing their concerns about how to support their teenagers who are complaining about the stress in their lives.
What parents may not realize, is that what they do every day by providing healthy food, support, and a comforting home, provides the very stress-antidotes their teens need. Deborah Weinstock-Savoy, Ph.D.,a psychologist who specializes in working with families says “The basic nurturing that parents offer in providing a loving and comfortable home is the first line of defense.”
Weinstock-Savoy points out that home should be a place where kids can re-charge their batteries, feel safe and supported. When teenagers have the support they need, when they eat right and get enough sleep, they usually have much of what it takes to manage the stress they will confront.
Parents can help teens in some specific ways, too. Primarily this has to do with teaching, or coaching their teenagers toward problem solving. Parents need to “engage the teen’s owns sense of what s/he needs,” says Weinstock-Savoy. She says parents and their teenagers can explore this together, with the teen being asked to offer insight and suggestions, as usually kids have ideas about this. This is the direction parents need to take because it helps the teen develop necessary coping and problem-solving skills.
Assisting kids in becoming more self-aware is an extension of this thought. It may not be immediately obvious to kids, so parents should help guide them to a growing awareness of themselves, which will help them learn to identify situations, and solutions. Through this they begin to develop strategies that will be tools they will use for the rest of their lives.
While this family specialist makes these recommendations, she is quick to admit that sometimes parents are faced with “kids who won’t allow them to share their wisdom with them.” This makes it important for parents to help ensure their teenager has other adults in whom s/he can confide and go to for advice. “Parents need to identify for themselves who else is out there, who else will help provide advice, help their teens safe, and offer support.” She calls this “extending the mantle of support,” and points out that this is as important for parents as it is for kids. Parents should know the adults in their teens life to some extent; knowing that they share your families values and will be providing sound advice is another way of providing support for your child, only this time it’s from behind the scenes.
What are the biggest sources of stress for teenagers? “Peer relationships and managing school,” according to Weinstock-Savoy. She points out that kids need to have a sense of belonging with their peers. This provides an important buffer and helps them deal with the stress they confront. Missing this, the resulting sense of loneliness serves to increases their stress. School, and all that entails, is often a source of stress for teenagers. And thirdly, the important developmental steps they are taking during adolescence in developing their identity also create stress. Although this is a more abstract concept, it is an important part of the life of teenagers.
Parents who are tuned in to their teenagers, sensitive in providing support, encouragement, love and a nurturing home environment are doing all the right things to help their kids learn to deal with the stress they confront in typical situations every day.
© 2004 Sue Blaney
Sue Blaney is the author of Please Stop the Rollercoaster! How Parents of Teenagers Can Smooth Out the Ride and Practical Tips for Parents of Young Teens; What You Can Do to Enhance Your Child’s Middle School Years. As a communications professional and the parent of two teenagers, she speaks frequently to parents and schools about parenting issues, improving communications and creating parent discussion groups. Visit our website at http://www.PleaseStoptheRollercoaster.com

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How to Relieve Stress

By: Trevor Dumbleton

One question that is not asked enough by people under stress is how to relieve stress. Unfortunately, people who are under stress tend to simply take it as a matter of course and simply accept its existence as though it was some sort of natural occurrence, or even a boon! Thus, people who are feeling the effects of stress do not actually take the time to notice that they are under stress and need relief. And when people are under stress, the first part of tackling the problem of how to relieve stress is actually realizing that there is stress that needs to be relieved.

Are you having trouble concentrating? Are you struggling with a project that doesn't seem to be going anywhere? Are you dealing with people who simply will not listen to sense? Are you frustrated with the way things are going? Congratulations, you have stress. Okay, this is not really something to be congratulated on, but it is important to understand this fact. After all, the beginning of the "How to relieve stress" problem begins with recognizing the warning signs. Then, once the warning signs are seen, healing can begin.

The first thing to do when you want to know how to relieve stress is to learn how to walk away. That's right, get up, go someplace else, and just cool off. It is often vital to hit that reset button and take a few deep breaths away from the action. The work will still be there when you get back, but being there beyond your breaking point will not get it done. An overabundance of things to do will not be helped by a clouded mind, so give your mind a break. Then, once your head is clear again, you can head back and bang out the projects with the greatest of ease. Or at least more ease than when you were sitting in front of a pile of work and wondering how you would get through it all.

Okay, so you need a break, you have walked away, but you are still so stressed that you are ready to pop. Unfortunately, the previous lesson on how to relieve stress has not worked and you need something more powerful. Well, you need to pull out a better method. This means that you need to simply concentrate on nothing.

When stress is way too much for a simple period of walking away, you need to practice an exercise in meditation. This means sitting down, closing your eyes, and thinking about absolutely nothing. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to think about nothing, so you should think about your breathing. Take a deep breath in and feel the air moving through your nostrils, down your windpipe, and into your lungs. Then push that breath out and feel it moving all the way up from your diaphragm, up into your lungs through your windpipe and out of your nostrils. Feel every motion of the air and notice how it feels as it exits. Imagine your tension flowing out with the air, evaporating into the endless space of the atmosphere, diluting into a complete dilution of oxygen. Think about nothing but breathing and notice every moment of the experience. Then, after about 3 or 4 breaths -- or as many as it takes -- open your eyes. You should feel as refreshed as though you just took a quick, refreshing nap. If you don't repeat the exercise until your mind is clear and you are able to concentrate on your work again.

These activities are very effective for a short period of time, but you will also need a method for relieving stress in the long run. After all, it is taxing to notice that you are under stress and it takes a great deal of will to make that leap and push away all those feelings. Thus, you need a way to relieve stress in the long term.

In the long term, the best method to choose, when you want to know how to relieve stress, is to do what you always say you are going to do: eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep at night. Yes, we all say that we will do it, but none of us every actually follow through. But, if you eat right, you will feel better during the day, if you exercise, you will feel better during the day and sleep better at night, and if you sleep enough, you will actually clear away all that fogginess that can lead to stress. So do your body and your mind a favor by taking care of those little things that you keep telling yourself you will do tomorrow. After all, today was yesterday's tomorrow.

When you want to know how to relieve stress, you should begin with a few simple methods as you slowly build up your will power to tackle the larger work of exercising, eating right, and getting the sleep you need. By doing all of these things, your mind will be cleared up, you will feel better during the day, you will sleep better at night, and you will not have to worry about stress nearly as much. After all, once you are relieving stress routinely, you won't have to worry about how to relieve stress.

About the Author


LowerYourStress.com: for everything to do with stress. Get a free ebook to help with your stress levels: http://www.loweryourstress.com/stress-book.html

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Recognizing Signs of Stress

By: Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D.
Stress is a part of everyday life for athletes. The good news is that not all stress is bad stress. In the right amount, stress helps you focus better and achieve what you want.

Stress is a part of everyday life for athletes. The good news is that not all stress is bad stress. In the right amount, stress helps you focus better and achieve what you want. Stress can help athletes be more alert, more motivated, and gain a competitive edge. But bad stress or chronic, non-stop stress is debilitating to an athlete’s health and performance.


Stress occurs when a person perceives that he or she cannot cope with the demands of the environment. Stress occurs as a response to an event that is viewed as threatening, either physical or mental threat. Under stress, persons respond with the “fight or flight response,” which prepares them both mentally and physically to fight or flee the situation. If stress goes on too long, it can be harmful to an athlete’s health and performance.


The sooner you can recognize that you feel stress or anxiety, the faster you can react and shut it down. How do you know when you are under stress? Three changes can occur: (1) Physical, (2) Mental, and (3) Behavioral. Physical changes when under stress may include tense muscles, pounding heart rate, cold or clammy hands, headache, sweating, and a feeling of butterflies in the stomach. Mentally you are stressed when you begin to worry excessively, make poor decisions, have a limited attention span, make mental errors, and are forgetful. Other signs of stress include talking faster than normal, biting one’s nails, pacing, restlessness, hyperactivity, distractibility, and trembling. Under chronic stress the person will seem tired, restless, and feel out of control.


Chronic stress does harm to your health and performance, but moderate stress is helpful to performance. Stress helps you prepare better for the big game, be more alert, and get excited about playing. The important lesson is that you learn when helpful stress turns into harmful stress and be able to cope effectively. Next month, I’ll discuss some stress management techniques.


About the Author


Dr. Patrick J. Cohn is a leading mental game coach who consults with professional and amatuer athletes. He is the author of Going Low, Peak Performance Golf, The Mental Game of Golf and The Mental Art of Putting. For more information call (888) 742-7225. Or sign up for free mental game tips newsletter at: www.peaksports.com.

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Reducing Job Search Stress

By: Scott Brown

Stress Busters: Making The Most of Your Job Search

Life brings us plenty of stress everyday. Don't let the loss of a job increase your stress levels. Whether you're out of work, or on a hunt for a better career, there are ways to reduce the amount of unnecessary stress in the process. When you're ready to look for that new job, make the most of your time and energy by coming up with a plan to keep you focused on your goals.


Be Patient

Job searching is a process and it takes time like everything else. It's easy to get frustrated when we don't get results right away, but stay focused. Remind yourself that it may take longer than you think and more importantly, you're worth it. Make realistic goals for yourself every week and reward yourself for achieving them. No matter how much time you're putting into it, you need to take a break. So when you achieve your weekly goal, take some time off to regroup then start again fresh.

You are not your career

There is more to you than your 9-5. If you let your job define you, you will end up feeling lost and empty when you don't have one. You are a valuable person and you don't need a career to validate you. It can be very difficult to separate yourself from your career, but it will prove positive if you can. Think of yourself as an already complete person who will be even happier with a satisfying career.

Of course there is nothing wrong with maintaining a great career that enhances your life. Nevertheless, it can't be the only thing that makes you you. If you get into a rut and you're feeling really down in the dumps, take some time off. Job Searching is a full-time job and like every other job, you will need a vacation now and then. Use your time to assess your situation. Figure out how to work smarter-not harder.

Take yourself seriously

Make smart decisions about ads and occupations that sound like a good match for you. It's never good to put all your eggs in one basket, but make sure you're using your time wisely. Think of your job search as research project. Set up goals, a plan of action, and a deadline in which you should be done with your project.

Have a place to report to everyday. It can get depressing sitting in your house day after day, especially if you're not getting your desired results right away. Find a quiet place like a library where you can use all of your materials and concentrate on your goals.
About the Author

Scott Brown is the author of the Job Search Handbook (http://www.JobSearchHandbook.com). As editor of the HireSites.com weekly newsletter on job searching, Scott has written many articles on the subject. He wrote the Job Search Handbook to provide job seekers with a complete yet easy to use guide to finding a job effectively.

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Imagination Keeps You Stress Free

By: Rene Lacape

You imagine yourself admiring the beauty of the sun setting in a beautiful pristine beach, feeling the soft breeze against your skin and hearing the calming sound of waves. You are having a great time and enjoying every moment of this wonderful experience. Pregnant women had long been taught to paint in their minds, ideal thoughts during labor as a relaxation method.

Separately, you see yourself able to move about freely after being bed ridden for months due to a serious accident. The injury that takes normal person years to heal is instantaneously undone on your body. The doctors have no reason to retain you in hospital and discharge you at once.

All these positive thoughts are referred to as guided imagery and are applied to huge areas of our daily lives. Guided imagery seeks to relax one's thoughts and rejuvenate one's physical through the picturing of ideal experiences or sights. Proper breathing techniques coupled with a calm mind allow both body and spirit to be in tranquility. This method of visualization could be practiced by all. The fact that it costs nothing means it is one of the best ways to lower your stress levels.

Imagining a peaceful scene is among one of the most practiced relaxation exercise. A beach, forest or other natural surrounding is more often than not the preferred scene as it is usually a place people visit to be alone and be calm. We could convince our senses to savor that wonderful moment in our mind just as it were real. This allows us to achieve a greater peace of mind with ease. These scenes can be replayed often whenever we are tired to soothe my minds.

The feather plays a major role in another Guided Imagery exercise. A person is to imagine himself as a feather, drifting to wherever the wind blows. As a feather is lightweight, it is supposed to relieve us of all problems and allow us to be as carefree as possible. We could be free as far as our imagination carries us.

Alternatively, one could become drop water in the vast ocean and move with the current. As water is fluid, we shall not have any obstacles in our way.

But what if you try imagery and it doesn't seem to work? The trick may be practice. The more you imagine your quiet place, the easier it should be to get there. You may have to try it for a week before you can determine if it is actually impossible for you. Also, it is vitally important that you maintain deep breathing throughout the exercise. It is no surprise that pregnant women often practice relaxation exercises every week.

The place for our imagery exercise should be considered with utmost care. While these exercised may not be restricted to any particular location, it would be wise to settle on a place that you are most comfortable with. Being indoors may be more suitable as we would not be overly affected by the sometimes harsh weather conditions outdoors. Imagery just like any ability has to be acquired through constant practice and there is no better way of doing this than immersing oneself through imagination before and after sleep daily.

It is a common perception that people who embrace Guided Imagery are awkward and there are no apparent benefits of such practices. Far from the misconception, Guided Imagery despite requiring continuous practice through trial and error brings immense benefit. It is only through better understanding of this discipline we could truly be convinced of its power to heal our drained spirits and fatigue physiques. There is absolutely nothing to lose to equip ourselves with essential knowledge to combat the never ending obstacles of the modern world.

About the Author:

Rene Lacapehas been in the stress management field for quite some time. He has done many remarkable deeds to help cure the stressed patients together with medications. He is very understanding and people like him with it.

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