You Can be Great If You Really Want To

Stress Management – Technique1:    Think positively – Having a positive attitude is key to stress management as well as to happiness in life.  To learn to be more positive and optimistic:
Try to minimize criticism and complaints; instead seek opportunities to praise others.
? Be as non-judgemental as possible and avoid drama by refusing to jump to conclusions or “read-in” to what other people are thinking.
? Avoid the need to constantly defend your position which disrupts inner harmony.  Instead, seek to surround yourself with positive, supportive people.
? Notice the way each statement makes you FEEL as you say it and use the ones that elicit the most positive emotional response frequently.
Stress Management Technique 2:     Be Mindful – Mindfulness is a key component in stress management.  Being mindful means living fully in the present moment without focusing on regrets from the past or worries about the future.  To help you be more mindful:
• Try changing your focus to relaxing and “being” sometimes vs. constant action or “doing”.
• Seek times of solitude which will promote inner peace and relaxation as well as creativity.
• Try a walking meditation.  Get out in nature and as you walk really notice all of the sights, sounds and scents around you which will help keep your thoughts in the present moment.  In addition, noticing nature’s beauty and abundance can help to minimize any problems you may be encountering and make them seem smaller and more manageable.
Stress Management Technique 3:     Self-Nurture – Self-Nurturing is learning to love and take better care of yourself.  Continually putting yourself at the bottom of your list of priorities will result in stress, burnout, exhaustion and resentment.  We are unable to be at our best for others, unless we take time for ourselves to rest, relax and renew.  Self-nurturing is not selfish, it is sensible.  To incorporate more self-nurturing into your life try the following:
? Pamper yourself with small indulgences that you enjoy personally (simple pleasures) throughout the day.
? Follow your bliss by learning to use your natural talents and gifts, by choosing hobbies you enjoy and following your dreams.
? Learn to pace yourself, listen to your body and realize that saying no at times is essential.

Stress Management Technique 4: Declutter – Having excess clutter in your home, office and/or vehicle can significantly add to your stress level.  Clutter can rob you of time looking for items that could be used for more pleasant activities.  
Stress Management Technique 5: Practice Relaxation Techniques – In addition to helping you feel more calm and relaxed, learning relaxation techniques also has many health benefits including lowering blood pressure, regulating digestion, helping you to get a better night’s sleep and boosting the immune system.  These techniques are fun and easy to learn and regular practice will teach your body to relax faster and easier.
• Deep Breathing – When stressed we tend to breathe with shallow, rapid breaths which trigger the body’s stress response.  Taking just a few full, deep breaths can activate the body’s relaxation response.  Be sure as you practice deep breathing to breathe slowly and deeply expanding your belly first and then your chest.
• Meditation – Learning meditation is intimidating to many people because they think it is difficult and time-consuming.  This does not have to be the case.  Doing a basic meditation for 10-15 minutes each day is highly beneficial (before getting out of bed in the morning is best).  Simply sit or lie down and get very comfortable, begin to focus on your breathing and clear your mind.  When thoughts come into your mind, briefly acknowledge the thought and then let it go.  It’s that simple!  If you’d like to add a mantra (word or statement) to your meditation to help you stay focused, try “I am” as you breathe in and “calm” or “relaxed” as you exhale.
• Visualization – Visualization and Guided Imagery are simple, gentle, yet powerful techniques in which you focus and direct your imagination for a desired result.  Guided Imagery is actually much more than visualization alone because it seeks to engage all of your senses and evoke feelings.  Different types of imagery can be used for relaxation or as a complementary therapy for healing from injury or illness.  Many studies have shown the effectiveness of Guided Imagery and it is now being used in many hospitals throughout the United States.
Learning how to relax is essential to living a happier, healthier life and should be an integral part of your wellness program.  There are many other relaxing therapies available to choose from including such things as massage therapy, aromatherapy, music therapy and journaling to name a few.  Both stress and relaxation are very personal to the individual.  What one person finds stressful isn’t necessarily stressful to another and in the same way what one person finds relaxing isn’t necessarily relaxing to another.  Therefore, it is best to sample the different therapies, techniques and treatments available to find the balance that works best for you.  For more information on any of the topics discussed in this article visit www.tranquilitybaywellness.com.

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Remember that old saying, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat”? This is also true when it comes to stress. There’s more than one way to take care of stress. So many of us are conditioned to the stress and anxiety that we deal with on a day-to-day basis that we think we can’t do anything about it. This can not only cause you mental anguish, but physical anguish as well. If you’re terribly under stress, you can even be driven right over the edge.

If you’re stressed, I’ve been there, too. There are many reasons for stress and just as many ways to fix it. Of course, we all have to cope with life. Carrying problems, some of which are our own and some of which aren’t, can take a toll on even the most positive of people. However, we have more control than we think we do, many experts say. Why, then, do we allow stress to weigh us down? Is stress really all in the mind, and if so, what’s the fix for it?

There are several ways that you can manage stress. Of course, you’re never going to completely remove stress, because it’s a part of life. In fact, a little stress is beneficial. You need it just as you need exercise, to challenge yourself mentally, physically and emotionally. Yes, a little stress, properly managed, will keep you healthier than no stress at all would.

That said, though, most people do need to manage their stress better than they do and reduce it. The following list divides stress management into seven steps, and you can tackle one step a day. This means that the end of seven days, you can have your stress much more under control than you do now.

1. Is stress a good thing? Yep — in moderation.

As stated above, stress in moderation is a good thing. Under stress, your body exhibits something called a “fight or flight” response, which gives you a burst of adrenaline and energy. This adrenaline and energy can enhance your performance at just the right moment, when you need it. Use this reaction wisely, so that you can push yourself harder when you need to — again, in moderation only.

2. Stay away from people who are constantly “under stress”

There are some people who use stress like a drug. They seem to need the adrenaline rush they get from stress to keep going. (Of course, all you hear from them is how under stress they are and how unhappy they are about it, but that’s another article.)

Stay away from these people, or you could become “infected” with their stress, too. If you feel up to it and they’re open to it, you could teach them how to better manage their stress — that is, if they’re not addicted to it. Again, though, you don’t want to give yourself more stress by doing so, so use your best judgment.

3. Learn from a master

No doubt, you know at least one or two people who remain calm in the face of storms, and to keep their heads under even the most stressful conditions. What are these people doing differently than most people? How are their attitudes different than those who constantly are in crisis mode?

If you can, have a chat with them and see what they think about stress. It may be that they don’t even know what they’re doing differently than most, but it’s likely that by watching them, you, too, can learn how to manage your own stress better.

4. Take a deep breath, and then another

No matter how stressed out you are, deep breathing can help. No, this doesn’t mean you hyperventilate, but one or two slow, calm, long, deep breaths can help your body relax naturally. Count to seven while you breathe in slowly, and then breathe out as you count to 11, again, slowly. Repeat this one or two times until you relax. Your pulse rate should slow down and you should feel calmer, so that you are then better able to handle what’s going on.

5. When in doubt, don’t worry

The vast majority of things we all worry about never happen. Now, think about that for a minute. Have you ever gotten yourself in a panicked situation, thinking, “If this happens, we’re all in trouble!”? It’s likely that you’ve found that 99% of the time or better, these things never happen. So give yourself a break and don’t worry. It sounds easier said than done, but worry is a habit just like anything else is. The next time you begin to worry about something, think to yourself, “How likely is this to happen?” Chances are, you’ll say, “Not likely,” and you can give yourself a break and calm down. If there is a chance something can happen, you’re still better off doing some proactive problem solving with the energy you would otherwise spend on worrying.

Again, I know. It’s easier said than done, but worrying is a habit you can break yourself of. Give yourself 30 days’ permission not to worry. During that time, promise yourself that you’re going to catch yourself worrying and then either do something about the problem or stop worrying. After 30 days, see how things have changed. It’s likely that you worry much less than you used to, thus freeing the synergy up for much more productive and positive things.

6. Know what puts you in panic mode

What’s your particular panic trigger? Is it speaking in front of others, giving difficult feedback to someone, pushing to meet a deadline, etc.?

Write down what makes you panic and then take a look at it. This is powerful information, because you can do something about it once you know what causes you major stress. Perhaps you can learn some new skills, cut down on the caffeine, learn how to take regular breaks, ask for help, et cetera. No matter what, there’s always something you can do to reduce your stress.

7. Don’t burn the candle at both ends

I know. Not only is burning the candle at both ends common in today’s 24-hour society, but it’s actually a point of insidious pride, for many. However, you’re not going to be anyone’s hero if you’re not getting enough sleep, eating poorly, not exercising, not taking some time to relax, and so on. Instead, you’re going to hurt your performance and your health. There’s even evidence that lack of sleep contributes to obesity because it increases the stress hormone cortisol.

So do yourself and your health a favor and get enough sleep, eat properly, do something fun regularly, and relax on a regular basis. If you follow these words of advice, you should see your stress levels drop to manageable levels (even though they won’t go away entirely). Doing something fun on a regular basis, too, helps you put things in perspective so that the next time a stressful situation hits, you have much more perspective to handle it. So go on. Put stress on the back burner by developing some new habits, and build some fun into your day on a regular basis.