Stress Management

Discover Yourself

2009-07-14T12:47:00.000-07:00

We have the right to make different choices in life, this means that we can choose to live with our stress or live a stress free life. The choices we make in life reflects on our way of life. One may choose to deal with our doubting mind which will affect the decisions we make because our mind is a powerful organ in our body. One may also choose to concern oneself with everything people do or say about us.

We must be focused on living a stress free life and not be tempted to go back to our old ways of living. It is important to think about the progress we are making, rather than be thinking of how far there is still to go. Encourage yourself by looking back at who you were before you started the programme, appreciate your efforts and enjoy yourself.

People may make fun of you or critize us, that is their decision you can't change the way they act or what they do. They are the ones to have to live with the decision they make, you can't control others to fit into your lifestyle.

Most of us wants to discover who we are and wants to remember how to live well and be at peace with ourselves. We want to reconnect with our lost dreams.To do this we have to go through different practices and lifestyle changes.

To change our lifestyle we have to try and be creative about the way we think, we have to change our thinking pattern, live a relaxed life and use the power of our mind to visualize as a baby remembering how you grew up and all the special events that happened.

From visualizing yourself as a baby you can slowly move to when you were a teenager. Remember your yearnings and dreams that were fulfilled and those that were not fulfilled also remember all the confusion of growing up.

Now visualize yourself up to the present moment and see all the things that has happened to you and how they led to the point where you are at the moment.

To discover yourself make the necessary changes and make the most of what is going on with you. And most importantly stay in a positive state of mind.

Meditation

2009-07-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Meditation is when you enter into a deep quiet space within, going beyond your individual concerns, fears and needs. Meditation is a very good way of dealing with stress it gives you a sense of relief, but for it to be effective one has to be focused.

The mind is always preoccupied it is constantly jumping from one thought to the other. For you to have peace in your mind you can practice meditation. The practice of meditation is a way of giving the mind something to do. In this way the mind calms down and your whole being relaxes completely. It may be difficult at first because you're dealing with so much stress, pressure and frustration. Meditation can also help one to get rid of negative feelings such as anger and violence. The more you meditate, the less stress you get.

There are various ways of practicing meditation, but no single way is more effective than the other. One can develop his or her style to fit one's needs.

There is the instant inner conscious relaxation in which you either sit in an upright chair or lie on the floor. You then breathe out tension, breathe in ease at a count of three breaths and then relax your body.

One can also practice meditation when walking, you can do this on your way to your office, in the garden or in the park. Take a nature walk, nature walks are peaceful.

Find a quiet place and sit with a straight back and relax, then take a deep breath. Deep breathing can help one to feel relaxed and relieve stress. Take a few deep breaths and as you breath out relax yourself and visualize all the tension in your body being released.

Make it a habit to be sitting straight, practice good posture when sitting down. To meditate sit up straight, put your feet flat on the floor and your thighs in an angle towards the floor. Push your chest back and relax your shoulders. Stay in this position for a few minutes and try not to slouch and you see how relieved you are at the end of the exercise.

Another way of practicing meditation is by praying. Prayer changes things so make a habit to pray daily. Pray yourself into a stress free life, have faith and stay positive. Make a commitment to pray for things to change in you life positively, pray until you see result.

De-Stress Yourself With Exercises

2009-07-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

An effective way of de-stressing yourself is to start out with easy exercises such as walking. swimming and light aerobics. You should exercise at least three to four times a week. When doing exercises we pay more attention to the physical process and less attention to what is going on in our mind and this enables any sort of frustration, fear and anxiety to leave the body.

Although exercise is a good de-stresser, do not go against your body's natural inclination. The constitution of individual body is different. Some people are born to be walkers and swimmers while some enjoys jogging because it comes to them naturally. Find the exercise that you enjoy and feel comfortable with.

To release anger you may try and engage in boxing or martial arts as exercise. these two exercises are great in releasing anger. Your anger will subside and you will be at peace. Dancing and singing are emotionally expressive, you can sing and dance your stress into a joyful mood.
For exercises to help you deal with stress you have to develop a routine and a time of the day at which you will do the exercises. In other words you have to be committed. For exercises to have the desired effect, one must be disciplined and committed.

Eat Away Your Stress

2009-07-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

What you put in your mouth in the name of food and drink has direct effect on the totality of your being. Bad nutrition strains your digestive system and puts excess pressure on the heart.
In this generation we are always in a hurry and we live a busy lifestyle which makes us to depend on ready made foods such as frozen foods, tinned and packaged foods. We don 't have the time to prepare and cook fresh meals that will add vitamins and nutrients to our body.
We know but we choose to forget that all these ready made foods are all refined products which does not give us adequate nutrition because all the essential components are missing. In their unrefined form when they are cooked we gain vitamins which can help us boost our energy.

Even the "fresh fruits and vegetables" which are supposed to be the best source of essential vitamins and minerals, once they have been packaged,

Drinking of water gives us plenty of energy while drinking too many cups of tea and coffee causes nervous breakdown, exhaustion and headaches.

To live a stress free life change your diet to one that boosts your energy. Drink plenty of water everyday. It may take some time to get used to this new pattern of eating and drinking, but once you get used to it you will feel the difference physically and mentally.

Boost Your Energy

2009-07-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

If you don't have enough energy in your body you will have physical and mental fatigue which will lead to stress. If this happens then you will not have enough energy to work, the higher your energy level the better it will be for you to live stress free.

There are different ways you can boost your energy level and live a stress free live. And one of the ways is by eating healthy food. Do not overeat because it just add more your weight. And if you are somebody that is weight conscious this will add more to your stress.

Exercising can also help you get rid of the stress in your life. As you are exercising the oxygen and blood in your body flows freely thereby easing the tension in your mind.

Music and humour does wonders to alleviate stress, it is a significant mood changer. Laughter is a good medicine for everybody, it is a stress buster.

Spoil yourself, go on a vacation, visit a beauty parlour. We are fond of looking after other people such as our spouse, children, parents and close friends at the expense of our own peace and happiness.

Get a goodnight sleep, you should at least sleep for six to eight hours. For you to have enough energy you have to a goodnight rest.

The higher your energy level the better for living a stress free life. So to boost your energy level practice the techniques mentioned above.

Motivate and Visualize Yourself Out Of Stress

2009-07-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

Motivation means getting up and doing something. You have to motivate yourself. Others will not motivate you because they don t even understand what you are going through when you start experiencing the panic attacks.

Learn to motivate yourself by getting up and changing the way you think as well as your way of life. If you always think in a negative way, the time is now for you to block off the negative thoughts and start thinking positively. If you are engaged in any activity that creates stress in your life, you need to stop doing those things or at least change the way you do them. Our thoughts and the big picture that is etched in our minds at the relevant times are very powerful tools in our life's experience and our body responds to them as if they are real. To get yourself into a state of happiness you have to imprint a big picture of yourself been at peace.

When preparing for events such as meetings and interviews. Create a mental picture of yourself
at the event; the way you would wish the event to play out. It usually works, no matter the
anticipated difficulties.

Visualizing a peaceful or beautiful scene triggers the relaxation process. It replenishes our emotions and eases inner tension. It is important to choose big pictures of things that are simple and makes you happy than to choose a big picture of what will provoke your anger for stress release.

For you to relax deeply you should try and get away from things that creates distraction and if you cannot get away immediately try your possible best to put your mind at rest.

Try and practice this techniques especially when you have to go for an event that makes you angry by the time the events comes to an end.

Having A Relaxed Mind

2009-07-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

The stress response is dependent on our beliefs and attitudes. The power of thought is such that if we think we are getting stressed, we are more likely to reduce the stress response. If we think relaxing thoughts we will bring about the relaxation response. These two different ways of thinking affects the way we live our lives.

How do we activate a relaxation response? To activate our relaxation response we have to start becoming aware of various situations and how we react to them. We should also learn to know the signs when the stress levels begin to rise. Some of the obvious signs are when you develop a headache, when your breathing starts to get shorter. If you focus your awareness on any of these signs you can begin to activate your relaxation response.

You can activate your relaxation response using some techniques. One of such techniques is finding a quiet place and breathe as deeply as you can, filling from your belly up to your chest and then breathe out slowly, do this several time.

Another technique is watching what you think about. Think about positive things try not to dwell on negative and fearful thoughts.You have to take control of your mind to help relive the stress, do not allow your mind to dwell on anger and frustration which can lead to stressfull situations, Learn to block out negative emotions.

Having control over your mind is a powerful thing. It is the connection as to whether or not you will move forward or sink back into your stressfull life.

The Power Of Relaxation

2009-07-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

Relaxation is essential for releasing stress and maintaining good health. If we are in a state of tension, irritable, worried, fearful, pressured or unable to cope, then it is very hard for either the mind or body to heal itself. The relaxation response affects us physically, mentally and emotionally easing unconscious layers of tension.

Most people think of relaxation as reading the newspaper in the garden, putting our feet up with a bottle of drink and watching a good movie. Certainly those activities helps us to unwind, but too often they deal only with the immediate, they just make us feel better for a while.

There are some techniques of relaxation that goes deeper to loosen and release more unconscious levels of stress.

For us to be relaxed, we have to learn how to stay in touch with the peace that lies inside each one of us, irrespective of what is happening around us. This means that no matter what happens the heart rate does not increase, our blood pressure stays normal and our breathing remains normal. The central nervous system is calmed thereby slowing excessive nervous activity and relaxing the muscles.

A stressed state can hinder our mental performance as too many issues are competing with our attention. While when we are relaxed we are able to focus directly on the task at hand. This generates a greater capacity and improved overrall performance.

Living a Stress Free Life

2009-07-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

It's not always easy to discern why you have the stress in each situation. So for you to be able to do anything about stress, you have to realise what is causing the stress. Once you figure it out you can then start to deal with the stress.

Here are some of the ways to live a stress free life. Not all of them will work for you, but some of them will.

If there are situations that constantly trigger your stress try your possible best to avoid them. If you can't do that, try and reduce the amount of time that you involve yourself in that situation. Do not get into the habit of unbelief, if you're uncertain about something then do not engage yourself in it. Make the most of what is going on with you and stay in a positive frame of mind.

Exercising is an effective way of becoming stress free. You should exercise at least three to four times a week. This will help you to relax and keep your mind off the things that causes your stress.

It is important to eat a well balanced and healthy diet in order to be stress free. Eating junk food will do nothing for you but add to your weight. Stress and health are connected with each other and depending on how it is handled, it can have a positive or a negative outcome. In order to be effective and productive it is important to focus on your health.

Ways to Deal With Panic Attacks

2009-06-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

If you are experiencing panic attacks, you are not alone. For some, it may be the infrequent panic attacks that happens only in particular situations such as going for an interview, while for other people it can be occuring so frequently that it inhibits them from moving around.

There are many ways of coping with panic attacks. Some may not work for you, but others might.

It is very important to recognise when a panic attack is about to start to really pay attention to the signs such as shortness of breath.

So how do you start trying to manage your panic attack?

The key to managing panic attacks is to remain calm and relaxed. A good way to do this is to concentrate on your breathing making sure it is slow and steady. Breathing more slowly and deeply has a calming effect. One of the first signs of a panic attack is difficult breathing. So when you focus on making those breaths even, your heart rate will slow down and the panic will subside.

Another way is to face the panic attacks head on; if you avoid them, it will be more difficult to deal with them in future.

Another great tool to managing panic attack is to find some people that you can depend on for support when the going gets tough.

If you have these symptoms consistently, you should consult a doctor who when he finds out what the case is, may then prescribe you with some medicine to get rid of the panic attacks.

What is Panic Attacks

2009-06-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

One of the outcomes from suffering from stress and anxiety is a physical reaction of your body to the situation. Excessive stress can cause you to have panic attacks. If you are the type of person that intensely worries about things, then you could be at risk. Panic attacks are born out of fear that something bad will happen.

The following list are signs that you may be having a panic attack. When you feel you're having a panic attack you start feeling dizzy and your heart will accelerate. Other signs includes:

- Feeling of paralysis (can't move)
- Breathing difficulties
- Trembling or Shaking
- Stomach cramps or Nausea
- Palpitations
- Pounding heart
- Fear of dying
- Sweating
- Hot flashes
- A tinging sensation in your face and limbs.

Surprisingly a lot of people go to the hospital completely sure that they're having a heart attack only to find out that it's a panic attack, it is that bad sometimes.

When you have a panic attack people especially your loved ones find it difficult to understand what you are going through.They may lose patience with you because they just can't understand what is happening to you.

The particular thing that caused your panic and anxiety may differ. Maybe the bodily sensations are a little different. It is important to realize that panic attacks are very real to the people who are having them and they should never be pushed off to the side.

The strange thing about panic attack is that sometimes your mind can play tricks on you. The good news is that are ways you can manage panic attacks.

Stress and Anxiety

2009-06-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

Stress and Anxiety are not the same as a lot of people believe, there is a difference between stress and anxiety. Stress comes from the pressures we feel in life as we are pushed by work, our way of living or any other task that puts undue pressure on our minds and body. A hormone called adrelina which activates our body's mechanism is released and the extended stay of the hormone causes depression and other negative changes and effects.

Anxiety is one of the negative effects of the extended stay of adrenaline. Fear which overcomes all emotions accompanied by worry and apprehension, making a person a recluse comes with anxiety. Chest pains, back pains, dizzines and panic attacks are signs of anxiety.

Stress is caused by what we call stress causing factors that has already being in existence. The stress that continues after the existing stress causing factor has been managed is anxiety. Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous or even anxious. People are different from each other, what is stressful to one person is not necessarily stressful to another. For some, ordinary daily desicions seem insurmountable.

Anxiety is a feeling of fear and is almost always accompanied by feelings of impending doom. The source of this uneasiness is not always known, this can add to the distress you feel. Something difficult or dangerous, this is mild anxiety which can be a positive and useful experience.

Anxiety is considered abnormal when it is very prolonged and interfers with everyday activities.

Anxiety can happen in many ways, the presence of stress in your life can make you have anxious thoughts. Many people suffer from excessive worry which can be about anything from health matters to family matters to global issues.

Excessive anxiety and stress can lead to depression, and this can be a lifelomg struggle. But the goodnews is that both stress and anxiety can be managed.

How to Stop Stress and Overwhelm Quickly!

2009-06-24T02:05:00.000-07:00

My work often deals with proactive, preventive means to Overcome Overwhelm & Achieve Your Desired Results. During our transitions, overwhelm can still come up from time to time, so we need to have the tools to stop stress and overwhelm quickly when it does arise.

The key to halting stress and overwhelm in its tracks is to initiate a positive action as soon as possible. Often if we focus only on what's going on in our heads without acting, we can end up encouraging overwhelm to grow. Here are some ways I have found successful - sometimes on their own, and sometimes all five stacked together.

Five Steps to Stopping Stress and Overwhelm Quickly!

1. Watch the self-talk.

Sometimes you may need to say to yourself, "this is only temporary" and focus on the task at hand.

2. Write down what is overwhelming you in a short succinct statement(s).

Do this quickly - don't spend a lot of time on it. This step is designed to clear your mind of the overwhelm topic because the situation is now written down and you can review it later.

3. Do something physical that is positive for you.

For instance, go for a power walk or take a refreshing shower. If you are hungry, eat some small, healthy choice, such as a piece of fruit or cheese. This step may help you distance yourself from the emotional charge of the overwhelm situation.

4. Have a drink of clear water.

Make sure you're hydrated.

5. Decide how to deal with the topic that overwhelmed you.

Do this by writing in a journal or talking it out with a trusted friend or coach. Often the overwhelm situation has to do with what you are going to do next - so write down all your main options. This will take everything from your head and put it into a logical, visual, objective list. To decide which item to address first, perhaps the following will help:

•If you are tired, pick one that doesn't require a lot of brain power, or have a short nap to refresh yourself.

•Pick one that will provide quick results and raise your self-confidence.

•Decide what would benefit you the most and make this item a priority. Which item will best help you to move towards your goals?

•Determine which items on the list can be left or delayed.

Spend a very short period of time on this (less than 15 minutes) to avoid belaboring the topic so much that you end up back in overwhelm. If it's difficult to make a choice, the following works well with me, "Pick one, ANY one, Get it done" and then move on to the next. Often all of the options need to get done in a short period of time and results for ANY of them are highly desirable.

Donna P. Lendzyk, The "More Done Less Time" Business Coach, helps business owners to Get More Done in Less Time With Greater Ease...So They Can Make More Profits and Take More Time Off! For more great tips, check out Donna's Business Audio Podcast Show at http://www.TheMoreDoneLessTimeShow.com