Motivations

 

When we are stressed out, getting some motivations is a good way of gaining some relief and self control.

“A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with a man is what he makes himself." 
Alexander Graham Bell 

"Double  no, triple  our troubles and we�d still be better off than any other people on earth."
Ronald Reagan

"Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can�t build on it; it’s only for wallowing in."
-Katherine Mansfield

"Survival, with honor, that outmoded and all-important word, is as difficult as ever and as all-important to a writer. Those who do not last are always more beloved since no one has to see them in their long, dull, unrelenting, no-quarter-given-and-no-quarter-received, fights that they make to do something as they believe it should be done before they die. Those who die or quit early and easy and with every good reason are preferred because they are understandable and human. Failure and well-disguised cowardice are more human and more beloved." Ernest Hemingway

Stress?

We are actually stressed without even knowing it.

When asked "Where does stress actually come from?" Most people will probably go and make a list of several factors that cause stress: a work load from school, parents nagging, friends being selfish, "unfair" teachers, bad hair/skin, your brother/sister, etc. These things and many more are actually called stressors. Actually what our reaction is to these stressors. -(and they can come from positive events as well as negative ones.) is what causes stress

Our reaction to stressors causes a change in our energy level-that can be felt inside by you and your body and can also be felt on the outside by others-did you ever come into school in a great mood and your friend is in a bad mood and all of a sudden you are in a bad mood too?? That is because the energy you give off is contagious just like the flu virus! While we cannot possibly eliminate all of these stressors from our lives completely, we can eliminate some of them and learn how to respond to the other ones. This is what is known as Stress Management. It is not hard, does not cost anything or take any time & does not have to be boring! It can be fun and very empowering! I will show you a few things in a minute or two.

Lets talk about reactions for a minute. Reaction is defined as: "1. A response to a stimulus. 2. The state resulting from such a response.3.A reverse or opposing action." Reactions can be quick and instant or a little more controlled- Your reactions to a person, situation or event are based on your knowledge, your emotional state & your beliefs. If you want to change the way you react in certain situations or to a certain person or to certain groups of people, you must first change one of those things.

There is a surprising fact that many of you are not aware of: Stress does NOT come from these things we just listed!

A simple definition of stress is this: the uncomfortable gap between how we would like our life to be & how it actually is. Sowhen trying to rectifythe difference, stress comes from....inside your mind!! If you remember that fact, you will always be one step ahead in managing stress.

Stress left unmanaged can cause more physical. Mental and emotional conditions than I can list here. Some of the effects are not reversible. It is highly important to recognize it & do something now to get it under control before it does permanent damage to you, to others and to your Life..

There are simple changes you can make to train your mind not to react or to react more positively to stressors-here are some of those ways:

CARE OF THE BODY- Proper Nutrition

CARE OF THE MIND- Lifestyle

CARE OF THE EMOTIONS-Tools

-Other ways to manage stress include: Poper (positive) Attitude, Sense of Purpose, Healthy Relationships, Self Control, Acid/Alkaline Environments-(see other article) Proper amount of Sleep, Good Time Management, Commitment to Learning, Balance of work/Leisure Activities, correct amount & quality of food and water, positive Lifestyle Habits, Breath Techniques, daily Movement/Exercise, Leisure Activities.

In reality, we know what to do to manage our stress,its just a matter of remembering to do it. Its a matter of re-wiring the Stress Response into a more positive, empowering action. Once you begin to take back your sense of self-control by doing just one ofthe above strategies, you will begin to make the other changes necessary to manage every aspect of your Life better. Start with one thing, and then go from there. In most cases, it takes a long time for your Life to become stressful, and it will take sometime to get it back to the way you desire!

Stress and Pressure

 

Its time to change our lives in a more positive approach

Managing pressure effectively

What happens to us?

These days a lot of people feel as though they're being asked to do the impossible. Because they're good at what they do, employees are expected to do more, fix problems, handle crises, and in general, cope with all variety of situations with a level head.

Managers are expected to deal not only with their own pressure, but also with the pressure of the people they manage. There are some people who literally feel like the meat in a sandwich because they are being squeezed from above and below. And when people themselves feel pressurised, they often put additional pressure on their colleagues: a kind of domino theory of coping with stress.

Now, the one and only truism about stress, is that it's different for everyone: what causes one person to feel pressured won't be true for someone else. In other words, one person's stress is another's excitement.

Equally, it is not stress itself that is the problem, but the way in which people react to the causes of stress. Unexpected things happen to us, extra demands are made, time runs out, deadlines get passed - this is the stuff of our workaday and personal lives over which we may appear to have little control. How we deal with the seemingly 'uncontrollable' is the key to good stress management.

Most people need a certain amount of pressure to motivate and challenge them, particularly in the workplace. The reasons many of us enjoy working isn't simply to bring home a pay cheque; we want job satisfaction, opportunities to stretch ourselves, learn new skills and develop working relationships with colleagues.

The kind of pressure that keeps us on our toes and gets us to use our capabilities more fully is healthy and desirable. Without it, life would be incredibly routine and dull. But when the pressure becomes unmanageable, routine and dull begins to look very attractive. We need pressure, but too much will make us unproductive and inefficient.
So, it's important to know just what gets to us: any effective work on pressure will include what's known as a 'stress audit'. Here people define for themselves the difference between challenging stress and harmful stress and what happens to them under both kinds of pressure.

Here's an exercise to try out:

Imagine your life is a big pot sitting on a stove over a medium flame: all the contents are bubbling and simmering along nicely. What's in your pot? What can you define that gives you satisfaction; what enhances and supports your work and personal life? What do you know you cope with well: what's a comfortable amount of stress for you?

Also imagine that the flame under the pot is the energy you need to exert to keep everything moving along smoothly.

It's important to know the kinds of pressure that you can cope with, because, surprisingly, most of us cope - and cope well -with a lot more stress than we imagine.

Now, what about the pressure you don't cope with so well? This time imagine your pot beginning to boil over. It can boil over for two reasons: one is that too much gets put in the pot and there's no more room; and, two, the flame suddenly gets higher and everything heats up faster than the pot can handle.

What happens in your life that over-fills your pot? What extra things get added to your everyday life that you find you can't cope with quite as well? Alternatively, what things in your life are apt to 'heat up' on occasion and cause an over-spill? And how does this stress manifest itself? Do you get depressed, fall ill, get short tempered, feel you’re stretched to breaking point? What exactly happens to you?

Here's an example to demonstrate what we mean

The day starts off well - you've got your time organised and you know what you have to accomplish by the end of it. You have a lot to do, but it's the kind of pressure you enjoy so you feel in control of your time. By 10am, however, three people have descended upon you insisting that each of their projects has priority and you've got to drop everything and give your time to them.

Suddenly your pot is too full. Your day now looks a mess, your time has been hijacked and you may start to feel overwhelmed by additional pressure.

Let's use the same scenario, except this time, instead of people descending upon you, your boss comes along and criticises your output for the past week and tells you he expects more from you.

Suddenly the heat just went up. Now you may feel deflated by the high expectations pressing in on you.

If we stick with the simmering pan analogy for a moment, when a pot boils over, first it makes a mess and then it puts out the flame. The energy you were using to keep everything on an even keel is now used up - there's nothing left. The pot may have stopped boiling over, but now nothing is cooking.

Pressure can sometimes get so on top of you that you grind to a dead halt and function at a low level of effectiveness, if at all.

This is the point where very little, or nothing, seems to go right. Disasters pile up, personality difficulties seem to magnify, communication with those around you disintegrates. The end results can vary from irritability, insomnia, substance abuse, nervous breakdowns; and any number of other physical, emotional and mental difficulties in between.

Too much pressure can also feel 'normal'. People get so used to working under enormous pressure that they manage to ignore the many symptoms that manifest themselves. They often don't do anything about it until they fall over and are forced to look at the situation.

People often confuse lack of ability with being under too much stress. By this we mean that if someone is simply not up to the job, or requires additional skills and support to do a good job, they may feel pressurised and blame it on too much stress. Of course, life can feel very stressful under these circumstances, but the reality is that it is the lack of ability that's at the root of the problem. Anyone who has acquired a new, relatively difficult skill will know what we are talking about: 'before', the work that required the skill was overwhelming and incomprehensible; 'after', it all seems like a piece of cake.

As we said at the beginning, one person's stress could be another's excitement. Let's go back to our scenario: you could be someone who thrives on people rushing up to your desk and demanding things of you - you love juggling lots of projects, people and deadlines.

You might be someone to whom criticism from the boss is water off a duck's back: you take it as helpful feedback and are happy to work out a strategy for improving things.

On the other hand, you, who cope so well with people, might be someone who goes into a complete panic when the printer conks out. That might be when you feel completely out of control, and that's what will tip you over the edge.

Which means that there can never be one way of effectively dealing with pressure, since no two people are affected by stresses in the same way. And, of course, depending upon what else is going on in your life, what feels manageable one day, may feel overwhelming the next.

Managing Pressure

Fortunately, there are things you can do that help you manage the pressure without getting the sack or alienating your colleagues, family and friends. They also don’t require you to quit your job and live in silent retreat on a remote island (a recurrent fantasy of those who feel under the cosh most of the time!).

Now, let's say you know the causes of unmanageable stress and can see them coming at you from afar, but it actually feels as though there's nothing you can do about it. You may even cry in despair, "But I'm already doing everything I can! What more can I do?"

What do you do when you think you are doing all that you can? Doing more won't work: that just creates more pressure and stress and accelerates the point of total burn out. Doing less won't work either: the time created by doing less simply gives you more time to worry about the things you aren’t doing! There's only one option left, and that's to do things differently.

"What do you mean, do things differently? I've tried everything I can think of and nothing works!"

Well, we look at the things you haven't thought of, because when people are in the middle of overwhelm they are usually unable to see what else they could do.

Do a 'Stress Audit'

By identifying what stresses overwhelm you, what happens to you and where break point (or points) is, you look at prevention as well as cure.

Choose a different way to behave

When you're watching your pot spew boiling liquid all over everything (including yourself), it's really hard to see just what you could do differently. The situation may feel so fraught that it's impossible to see much of anything clearly and you'll do what you've always done in a crisis. That's because, when under pressure, the human mind and body is programmed to revert to type.

Now, many people assume that if they change their behaviour, they'll create more stress than they have already. Not so. Yes, if you try to change everything and become a different person, you'll feel more stressed. Trying to make big changes usually results in failure and disappointment. Small, easy-to-do changes, and creating lots of small ‘wins’ are what's wanted: they'll bolster your confidence so you'll want to practise even more.

Understand the link between Communication and Stress

Communication log-jams, unresolved conflict, avoidance of uncomfortable situations and pretending things are all right when they aren't, will cause stress. Therefore, anything that improves communication or clears the air will reduce pressure. Given that we have to communicate at work all the time, there are always opportunities to improve our interpersonal skills.

Set Appropriate Boundaries

When people do descend on your desk, it's perfectly acceptable to tell each person how willing you are to help, but that you can't get to their work till tomorrow (or three o'clock or next week, etc.). Every time they insist it has to be done today, you show lots of empathy and understanding and willingness, but you still won't be able to get to their work till tomorrow.

Boundaries are one of the key ways to make clear to others just how far you're willing to go and what your limits are.

Practise the Art of Saying "No"

Along with boundaries, it's important to look at whether you are an easy 'mark', where people will come to you for that little extra because you won't refuse. There are an infinite number of ways to say 'No' without ever having to use the word. For instance, pre-empting a raid on your time is a great ploy: "I know what you're going to ask me and you've caught me at the worst time to be of help to anyone."

Lower your Standards

What? Lower my standards? That doesn't feel like good advice. However, by setting 'perfectionistic' standards that are so high they are impossible to reach, many people create unnecessary pressure for themselves. By lowering your standards, you can create far more 'wins' for yourself, and 'wins' make us all feel great.

Ask for Support

Along with too high standards, many people are also reluctant to ask for support: they don't want to appear weak and vulnerable. Keeping problems and difficulties to yourself and trying to cope on your own is foolish. Asking for support is not a sign of weakness - it is actually a sign of intelligence. It gets you out of a hole and it gives other people an opportunity to help out.

Stop

Not stop in terms of collapse; but stop for a few minutes and get yourself out of the situation: take a loo break, make a cup of tea, walk around the block, phone a friend. When we can't see the woods for the trees, it's time to step out and take a break. It won't solve the whole problem, but it will give you some much-needed breathing space.

Find the Humour

Believe it or not, most situations do have their humorous side. Being able to see it may be difficult, but taking things too seriously is guaranteed to compound already existing stress.

Give yourself a Treat

Look for opportunities to reward yourself for such milestones as: it's Wednesday, the Tube was on time, the Tube was late, it's raining for the sixth day in a row, the sun just came out, you found a parking space and so on. Too often we feel as though we only deserve 'rewards' when we've done something over and above. Treats make you feel good; feeling good helps lower stress.

These are just a few of the ways to prevent or alleviate pressure. It's unlikely that any of us can get rid of or avoid all harmful stress. But there are certainly enough coping mechanisms at our disposal to make life a whole lot easier and a happier experience.

Stress takes its toll

I would like to share this with you..

In a time when stress levels are growing and work-related worries are at an all-time high, an increasing number of people need help managing their anxiety.

But trying to find help, local officials said, isn't always a simple task.

While there are options for people who need a mental health break, they often come with a cost and strict guidelines for enrollment.

Michael McCartan, executive director of St. Clair County Community Health, said his agency has received an increased number of calls in recent months looking for help. In many cases, he said, his staff is forced to refer those people elsewhere.

"With the funding situation and criteria for eligibility to qualify for programs so rigid, unless people are at risk of hospitalization, there aren't that many programs out there for anybody," McCartan said. "One of the great tragedies is that the programs are least available to people who need the services the most."

Laura Kenny, a therapist and licensed master social worker at Port Huron Hospital, agreed resources can be limited but said there are options for people who need a breather.

Those options range from living in the moment to eating healthy and perhaps even enjoying the calming influences of Lake Huron and the St. Clair River.

Greg Warsinski, 41, of Port Huron knows the effects of work-related stress all too well.

He was laid off from an auto supplier two months ago and watched higher-ups get laid off before that.

Warsinski said he has been trying to stay positive.

"I find my favorite music and listen to it," Warsinski said. "I try to avoid all negativity. If people are talking negative, I just walk away. It's not worth it."

Looking for a job is stressful enough, he said. When he applies for a job, Warsinski said he is competing against hundreds of people.

"I am always fighting depression," Warsinski said.

The stresses of the auto industry have forced Amy Balogh, 25, of Port Huron to look for a job in another field.

The independent contractor is used to being without an everyday job but is looking for something more stable.

Learn different ways to respond to stress

There are many ways you can respond to stress. What is stress?

One important way to fight off and deal with stress is to first recognize that you are indeed suffering from stress.

Others can recognize this before the sufferer actually does. Once a person knows why they are feeling and acting the way they are, they can gradually make changes in their life.

Stress that is not dealt with can be damaging to a person's physical and mental health. There are things you can do to reduce the impact of stress and to cope with the symptoms. It is important to learn how to manage your stress.

Things may feel out of control, but a person can always control the way they respond. Managing stress is all about taking charge of your thoughts, emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems that arise.

Stress management involves taking care of yourself, making time for rest and relaxation, and changing the stressful situation if you can.

A strong support network is an important factor to help protect against stress. Life stressors do not feel as overwhelming when a person has trusted family or friends that they can count on.

If your relationships are a source of your stress, making it a priority to build stronger and more satisfying relationships can be helpful.

Learning to relax can also be helpful. You can't completely eliminate stress, but learning relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can help on manage it better.

Investing in your emotional health is just as important as maintaining your physical health.

People with good emotional health are able to bounce back from stress and adversity easier.

Being focused, flexible, and positive even during bad and good times can help a person be resilient and manage their stress.

Stress control measures for bride

A couple who is on the verge of getting married will surely be so stressed out as the big day is emerging around the corner.

Hearing the word "bride" we see a portrait of a shy, beautiful and responsible girl in front of our eyes. After marriage she has to change and fulfil her duties in marital life. She faces so many stresses in this new life. In this connection Dr. Asha Bhargav is expressing some stress control measures for bride.   
Life changes cause stress, some of it is good and some of it is not. Getting married is one of those life changes that can prove to be one of the top stresses in our life. There are so many pieces one needs to juggle. The many things that need to be planned or plans that fall through a month before or the day before the wedding. I have heard stories of florists going bankrupt the week before the wedding and airline strikes resulting in changed honeymoon plans. There is the additional challenge of managing family and in-laws and their expectations and behaviors. Sometimes even friendships become strained. These many stresses have a way of building up and creating great anxiety and stress. Although, many of these things can not be avoided, and stress can not be eliminated, we do have the ability to manage stress. Managing stress is critical to our health and well being.
Eat well-balanced meals and don't skip meals. Three to six small meals will do more for our energy levels than eating big meals or skipping meals. This means eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Drink water and cut down on the caffeine. To determine an adequate amount of water to drink one should divide their body weight in half and drinks that amount in ounces. A woman weighing 150 pounds needs to drink 75 ounces of water daily. This keeps one hydrated, helps to flush the body of toxins, keeping us healthy and fighting off disease. Dehydration can be a contributing factor in fatigue!
Exercise does not need to be a two-hour workout at the gym. A daily 20-minute walk around the block at lunchtime will do wonders. If this can be done with a colleague or friend and if you can get in some good belly laughs, all the more power to you.
Quiet time and deep breathing are wonderful ways to nourish the soul and alleviate stress. This can be time spent writing in a journal, meditation, or time in prayer.
Time management is crucial to stress management. The use of a wedding planner book and your calendar will keep things organized by managing appointments and things to be scheduled. Make sure to schedule in fun time that is not wedding related.
The use of affirmations and positive thinking will increase the chances of things going well. Having realistic expectations and avoid negative self-talk or 'all or nothing thinking' is really important. Expecting that the wedding day or that the planning will go smoothly and perfectly is unrealistic. By approaching the challenging situations with a positive attitude your assessment of the situation will improve and things will not appear so negative. Sometimes we need to search hard to find the silver lining.
Clear communication with your fiancé, family members and those involved in preparing for the wedding will ease tensions and prevent assumptions. This does not mean that there won't be problems; it means that you will be in a better position to resolve matters in a respectful way.

Survey: Area women stress more over recession

I would like to share this article with you..

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has released the findings of a survey on the impact of the recession on women’s mental health. The survey compared results collected nationwide with those in Clinton County, and found that women here encounter greater levels of stress than seen in women nationally.

APA is a national medical specialty society whose more than 38,000 physician members specialize in diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research of mental illnesses, including substance use disorders.

The national telephone survey of 1,000 women ages 30 to 54 was conducted by StrategyOne for APA. The survey was conducted between March 13 and 23 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. The Clinton County sample of 617 interviews has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Dan Page, vice president for national health media relations for Edelman, a public relations agency that serves APA, said APA wanted to build on its national survey by conducting a second survey focusing on a community that has been especially hard-hit by the recession, but which doesn’t experience experience cyclic recessions, such as Detroit. APA chose Clinton County for that second survey, due to the job losses stemming from DHL’s departure from the air park, and its impact on the local economy.

The APA conducted the survey as part of its “Healthy Minds. Healthy Lives.” campaign, which is designed to improve understanding of mental illnesses, psychiatry and successful treatment options, as well as to reduce the stigma sometimes associated with seeking mental health care.

More than two-thirds of American women interviewed for the survey say that the nation’s sagging economy has negatively affected their lives or the lives of their loved ones. The findings also indicate women may be neglecting their own needs while focusing on other concerns.

Women report sharp increases in stress, anxiety, frustration and other negative mental health indicators since the recession took hold last fall, with job loss pushing these increases even higher. And while more than three-quarters of these women report engaging in one or more positive coping strategies, most tend to prioritize family and other financial responsibilities ahead of their own needs - a tendency that can backfire despite the best of intentions.

“Women will take care of their families before making sure they have what they need to stay healthy. If at all possible, they should avoid spending cuts on activities and resources that can help maintain their own health,” said APA President Nada L. Stotland, M.D., M.P.H. “For instance, keep up the gym membership, even if it means you can’t give your kids the latest electronics. Take time to exercise and eat right. The bottom line is that taking care of your mental health is necessary to your ability to care for your family.”

In this national telephone survey, women rank the ability to provide food, clothing and education for their families, relationships with family and friends, and personal finances such as mortgages and retirement savings, as more important than their own mental and physical health.

“Losing a job or taking a wage cut creates an ongoing source of anxiety for families. Women are particularly affected because they are often juggling the stress of their workplace demands with those of running a household and keeping their families healthy,” Dr. Stotland said. “While this survey focused on women, the answers we found can be indicative of the health and well-being of the entire family. The challenge for each of us is to find effective ways to cope with the stress caused by the economic crisis. Reaching out to a support network can help.”

In comparing the national and Clinton County surveys, APA found women here are under greater levels of stress. More than half of women in Clinton County say they are worried that they or a family member will lose a job in the near future, compared with 40 percent nationally. And nearly two-thirds of women in Clinton County say the economy has had “a negative impact” on their mental health, versus just over half of women polled nationwide. Moreover, when compared with women nationally, the women of Clinton County are much more likely to be experiencing greater levels of stress (45 percent for Clinton County vs. 33 percent nationally), frustration (38 percent vs. 27 percent), anxiety (34 percent vs. 24 percent), irritability (35 percent vs. 23 percent) and insomnia or oversleeping (29 percent vs. 20 percent).

More than one-third (40 percent) nationally and more than half in Clinton County (53 percent), cited worry about whether they or a significant other may lose a job in the near future.

Nearly a quarter of Clinton County women surveyed (24 percent) say someone in their household has lost a job in the past six months because of downsizing or employment cuts - this is 9 percentage points higher than the national average.

Pay cuts affect Clinton County women disproportionately, with 30 percent of women there saying they or a family member has had to take a wage cut in the past six months to keep their jobs, vs. 21 percent nationally.

Almost half of women nationally (48 percent), and even more in Clinton County (52 percent), believe that seeing a mental health professional could help them cope with their economic situation. More than 80 percent of women surveyed nationally and in Clinton County believe seeing a mental health professional for mental health concerns is a sign of strength. More than a third nationally (34 percent) and in Clinton County (37 percent) say they or a family member has received mental health services in the past.

Women are participating in more positive activities than they were six months ago: spending time with family and friends (29 percent nationally vs. 38 percent in Clinton County); praying or going to religious services (25 percent vs. 31 percent); watching television or going to the movies (25 percent vs. 32 percent); reading or listening to music (37 percent vs. 47 percent); exercising, playing sports or relaxing outdoors (21 percent vs. 27 percent); talking to family/friends about emotions or mental health (17 percent vs. 25 percent).

“Even if people are working, it’s emotionally draining to live with a constant fear of losing a job,” said Ohio Psychiatric Physicians Association President, Joseph Locala, M.D. “To help get through these uncertain times, it’s important to find positive ways to cope - whether it’s spending time with friends and family, engaging in hobbies, exercising, or talking with a clergy member or mental health professional.”

Amid the increased stress, most women prioritize others’ needs over their own mental health. Both nationally and in Clinton County, women rank mental health — such as effectively managing stress levels and achieving a balance among their life activities — as less important than relationships with family, friends and colleagues; family responsibilities, such as providing food, clothing and education; personal finances, such as the mortgage, rent or retirement savings.

Stress free life can avoid Hypertension

 

Regular recreational activities such as Tai Chi can help to reduce stress levels, which can cause hypertension, a condition more commonly known as persistent high blood pressure.

Stress is one cause of hypertension, which can lead to serious health conditions if not diagnosed and properly managed.

Hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure.

Reducing everyday stress in our lives can lower our blood pressure and prevent hypertension, which is good for our heart and overall health.

Maintain your Sex Life even if you’re really stressed out

 

Maintaining a healthy sex life with your partner is very important.

Sex has being know to be a stress-buster however, stress can seriously affects your life if you allow it to. We are faced with many challenges each day, work deadlines, managing different stress at work, relationship issues, social life and a lot of life other problems. These can seriously affects your sex life if you allow them soon enough your sex life will be diminish. If your sex life has took a nose dive, here are some helpful tips resurrect your sex life even when life troubles surrounds you.

Step1

Try something new. Even when faced with lots of stressful situations, trying a sexual activity is a virtual guarantee that you appetite for sex will restart. Also change can be very good and exciting in a relationship, it add a little spice to it.

Step2

If your to-do list is more than you can manage then get someone to help you. The more personal time you have the less likely you will be stress.

Step3

Change the mood by playing some of your favorite music in the background. Also dim the light low or get some aromatic candles which have can help you relax. These combination are bound to have you relax and ready for what could come next.

Step4

Go out and have some fun. Forget about life challenges and work for few hours and spend the day having some relaxing fun. You and your special someone could spend the day together, maybe going to the beach or any where fun. This will help you to relax and have fun.

How do you handle stress

 

I would like to share with you on how to deal and cope with stresses. I believe everyone has the  power to overcome the stresses and lead a happier life

Dealing with stress can lead to physical and emotional symptoms, including depression. Significant stress can often cause headaches, stomachaches and other physical symptoms, as well as numerous emotional symptoms such as crying, anger and anxiety. Significant stress can lead to depression. If you find that you are dealing with periods of sadness that affect your ability to function, you may be suffering with depression. You don't have to go through it alone. It's OK to ask for help.

 

Step1

Recognize the symptoms. Knowing the symptoms of stress and depression can help you better understand what you are feeling. Anxiety, fatigue, irritability and frustration are all indications you are under significant stress. While stress is a natural reaction to daily stressors, significant stress can often lead to depression. Feelings of worthlessness, an inability to concentrate, a loss of pleasure in most activities, significant changes in appetite or sleep patterns and thoughts of suicide are all recognizable symptoms of depression.

Step2

Ask for help. If you are under significant stress, it can lead to depression if you don't get help. If you are overwhelmed with work or family issues, recruit some help so you are not doing it all alone. For instance, calling a friend to baby-sit for a few hours so you can get some rest is better than trying to manage it all and becoming ill or depressed.

Step3

Prioritize your life. It may seem that everything is high priority, but that probably isn't always the case. Spend time making a realistic schedule that organizes the many tasks you need to complete. Take a realistic look at what has to get done, and work on those things first.

Step4

Take it easy. Don't beat yourself up when you are having a hard time coping or feeling like you can't handle it all. Add in some things that help you relax like taking a walk, enjoying a bubble bath or getting a massage so that you ensure you are meeting your emotional and physical needs.

Step5

Don't be afraid to seek professional help. Many times, depression can become unbearable, and you may be unable to manage your emotions on your own. Finding a therapist for counseling and a psychiatrist for a medical evaluation to explore the possibility of medication to treat your depression may be necessary. Sometimes a professional can help you gain the perspective you need to develop a healthy schedule and coping mechanisms.

Eliminate Simple Stressors to Reduce Stress

 

We should all love our body and live healthy

A stressor is an object, activity, event or any other type of stimulus that can cause you psychological stress. Stressors can be very minor, and in many cases they may not appear to be adding to your overall stress levels. However, adding stressor upon stressor throughout the day on top of obvious stress-causing activities such as work, traffic and financial worries, will definitely contribute to your tension levels.

Let’s take a look at how we can identify some of the smaller stressors that may occur on a daily basis and eliminate them, thus reducing over all stress levels.

We know that large stress inducers such as an approaching deadline at work can cause physical changes in your body that are not pleasant. These changes can take the form of increased heart rate, headache, irritability and even emotional reactions. These changes and reactions are both physical and psychological stress. Keep those in mind for a second.

Now think about a dripping faucet in your home. You hear a constant drip all night as you try to sleep. Every time you hear that dripping noise your body cringes and you run over to try to stop it. That dripping faucet is a stressor. It might not be as large of a stressor as your fast approaching deadline at work, but it is adding to your stress level.

Perhaps you have a closet door that keeps sliding off its track. Every morning when you get dressed for work, you have to fight with the door, shake it and force it back onto its tracks. This door is a stressor that adds to your daily levels of stress as well. Even something as simple as an over-flowing garbage can cause stress build-up. It is important to learn how to identify these small stressors that you might tend to ignore and work towards removing them. In doing so, you will alleviate much unneeded stress and be better prepared for dealing with your major stresses.

To identify small stressors begin to pay attention to yourself. Notice your reactions to the small things that you see and do during the day. If you have a sore-looking hole in your living room wall that makes you sigh deeply out of frustration, make it a point to go to the nearest furniture store and get a painting or wall hanging to cover it up! When you eliminate a small stressor such as a hole in your living room wall by covering it up, or getting the leaking faucet repaired, or even emptying the over-flowing garbage can, your are eliminating stress a moment in time where you would have become more tense.

So take time to learn about yourself and the little things that may upset you throughout the day. You might find that you can become more relaxed simply by paying more attention to these smaller things, removing them from your environment and thus getting the stress relief you need

The Latest Meditation Research – You should meditate

 

Meditation can be a powerful tool for a healthier & happy life

You Should Meditate If - The Latest Meditation Research

Over the last three decades, meditation has been proven to help with everything from high blood pressure to pain management to immune function and more. Meditation is now taught in hospitals, at company retreats, in churches, at school, and of course in yoga and martial arts studios everywhere.

Just in case you haven’t yet been convinced to give it a try, the following is a list of the latest meditation research. All of the studies listed have been published within just the last year. You can find abstracts of these studies on PubMed, the National Institutes of Health database. In many of these abstracts, meditation is referred to as MBSR - Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Although this term covers a variety of meditation techniques, the most common are deep breathing and the repetition of a soothing word or phrase.

So, without further ado, you should meditate, IF:

You Need Help Managing Your Stress - Meditation has repeatedly been proven to elicit the ‘relaxation response’ - the physiological opposite of the ’stress response’. In a recent research review conducted by John Hopkins Medical Center to develop a guide for Nurse Practitioners, meditation was found to be effective for reducing stress in virtually every patient population. Futhermore, another study by the University of New Mexico suggestes that meditation is better than other cognitive-based approaches to stress management on several counts.

You Suffer From Chronic Lower Back Pain - Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh conducted a study on older adults suffering from chronic lower back pain and found that meditation helped reduce their pain, improve their sleep, and increase their quality of life.

You’d Like Your Mind to Be More Controlled and Efficient - If you suffer from excessive ’spontaneous mentation’ (medical-speak for ‘a busy mind’), meditation is for you. Researchers at Emory University found that practitioners of Zen meditation were able to perform certain tasks with less neural activity, and better able to regulate their mental response to stimuli.

You’d Like to Improve Your Immune Function - Researchers at Loyola University taught meditation to women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer - obviously a source of great stress. They found that compared to a control group, the meditator’s immune functions stabilized and rebounded much faster after surgery.

You Suffer From Headaches, Particularly Migraines - In a study conducted at the University of Massachusetts, researchers taught four different types of meditation to migraine sufferers. As has been demonstrated in prior studies, all four groups experienced a decrease in their headache frequency and severity. An interesting aspect of this study is that it was designed to compare spiritual vs. secular meditation, and the spiritual meditation was more effective - a finding I will probably cover in more detail in a future post.

You Are HIV Positive - A study conducted on HIV+ patients at UCLA suggests that meditation helps buffer the decline of the lymphocytes most associated with HIV progression.

You’d Like to Feel a Greater Sense of Well-Being - Separate studies at Santa Clara University and the University of Massachusetts found that meditation cultivates mindfulness, which in turn produces a greater overall self-reported sense of well-being.

You Suffer From Anxiety - A research review conducted at the Psychology Research Laboratory in Verbania, Italy looked at 10 years worth of research on the effectiveness of meditation for dealing with chronic anxiety, and found that it was statistically effective.

You Have Trouble Sleeping - A study at Stanford University combined meditation with cognitive approaches for the treatment of insomnia, and found the overall program effective.

You Are ADHD - A feasability study at UCLA on adults and adolescents with ADHD found that meditation increased their attention and cognitive abilities, and decreased feelings of anxiety and depression.

You Suffer From Bipolar Disorder - A preliminary study at the University of Oxford found that meditation helped reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in bipolar patients.

You’d Like to Increase Your Compassion For Others - A study at the University of Wisconsin found that individuals engaged in regular ‘compassion meditation’ experienced long-term changes in their neural functions making them more responsive to others emotions, and more empathetic overall.

You Have High Blood Pressure - Many studies have linked meditation to reduced blood pressure. One of the latest at the University of Kentucky found that one type of meditation, Transcendental Meditation, helps reduce both systolic and diabolic pressure. Another study using other meditation and relaxation techniques produced similar results.

You Have Diabetes - A study in Thailand suggests meditation helps manage both glycemic levels and blood pressure in Type-2 Diabetes patients.

And finally, you should meditate if:

You Enjoy It! I don’t have a study for this, but many people experience profound peace and great joy when meditating. Not all the time, perhaps, but enough to make it a regular part of their lives. And of course, meditation has been and is part of virtually every spiritual tradition humankind has ever concocted. What you experience when you quiet your mind can’t always be measured or explained, even by the best team of researchers.

How to Overcome Axiety Due to Stress

We must love our body. So don't too carried away with your stress. Health is certainly the key to happiness

Stress causes more than mental anguish. It can also affect your health. This article will discuss how stress can be managed and controlled.

Everyone feels stress occasionally. What’s interesting is that everybody perceives or responds to stress differently. The feelings of stress originate from our flight or fight responses.Our bodies secrete hormones, when a perceived shock or threat has occurred. These hormones increase blood pressure, the heart rate and blood sugar to allow us to move faster to survive that threat. Mental clarity is usually impaired and sacrificed at this time. Unfortunately, in today’s world, most people experience stress when encountering unexpected events or changes when mental clarity is required, as opposed to life-threatening circumstances. How the stress is managed, will determine how it will effect that individual long term.
Symptoms

When stress is experienced it can manifest in certain ways. Stress can cause back pain, headaches, TMJ, fatigue, shortness of breath, weight gain or loss and stomach upset. Psychologically, symptoms could include anxiety, depression, insomnia and relationship problems.

If stress is prolonged more serious health problems can arise. The National Institute of Health cites that exposure to stress can lead to behavioral problems resulting in substance abuse, excessive alcohol consumption, over or under eating, and smoking. Studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic confirm that long-term exposure to stress can cause heart disease as well. An increase in heart rate and blood pressure for long periods of time can thicken arterial walls. As stress continues and the heart demands oxygenated blood, these thickened arterial walls may prevent adequate blood flow needed to feed the heart, resulting in a heart attack. Stress, also damages the immune system and autoimmune responses in our body. This can result in increased cold frequency as well as worsening or causing other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome.
Management

Management needs to be tailor made for the individual. However, generally speaking, the following are some suggestions by the American Academy of Family Physicians to reduce stress. Exercising on a regular basis is one of the main stress reducing activities. Exercise makes the individual use pent-up energy and tension, focusing the nervous energy into a constructive activity. Deep breathing, stretching and meditation are other ways that can help. Deep breathing allows more oxygen to enter the blood system, while stretching also relieves aching, tense muscles. Meditation is a form of hypnotic or guided thinking that can ease anxiety.

Other suggestions are to partake in activities that are non-stressful and induce relaxation. These can include social activities, sports and hobbies. Not worrying over things out of our control, preparation for events viewed as stressful ahead of time, looking at things positively as a challenge instead of a threat, resolving conflicts with others and setting realistic goals are other suggestions. Seeking the advice of friends or family or psychological counseling, may also be advisable.

Read more: "Stress Management: How to Handle Anxiety" - http://phobiasanxiety.suite101.com/article.cfm/stress_management#ixzz0DSq4v3C5&A

101 Stress Relievers for a Better Life

Follow the following 101 tip for a healthier life..good luck

1. Create a schdule
   
2. Don't procrastinate
3. Take breaks
4. Take a vacation
5. Talk to co-workers
6. Breathe
7. Walk
8. Run
9. Do Aerobics
10. Take a bath
11. Do something for you each day
12. Smile
13. Laugh
14. Tell a joke
15. Call a friend
16. Meet a friend for a meal
17. Let someone help you
18. Learn to say, "NO"
19. Create goals and make a plan
20. Seek therapy
21. Journal
22. Yoga
23. Meditation
24. Sing
25. Dance
26. Play an instrument
27. Play with your kids
28. Play with your pets
29. Doodle
30. Tighten all your muscles and then relax them
31. Cry
32. Vent
33. Get enough sleep
34. Eat well
35. Do something nice for someone
36. Read a book for fun
37. Have sex
38. Listen to music
39. Get a massage
40. Make a list of all the good things in your life
41. Visualize you are in a peaceful place
42. Play a sport such as football, basketball or tennis
43. Light aromatherapy candles
44. Purchase essential oils for stress relief
45. Get a makeover
46. Take a nap
47. Smell some flowers
48. Go to a park
49. Take a moonlight walk with someone you care about
50. Remove yourself from the situation
51. Take control of a situation and do something to help the crisis
52. Reduce caffeine intake
53. Change thought patterns by forcing yourself to think of something else when thinking of something that bothers you.
54. Attend an event such as a concert
55. Call an old friend
56. Call your family
57. Rent a movie
58. Cook a good meal
59. Clean or organize
60. Make a silly face and take a picture
61. Take vitamins
62. Drink water
63. Do Tai Chi
64. Listen to a motivational podcast or CD
65. Take herbs such as Valerian and Kava
66. Ask your doctor about anti-anxiety medication
67. Reduce smoking
68. End drug abuse
69. Limit alcohol
70. Avoid stress triggers
71. Think positively
72. Change life situations
73. Create balance in your life
74. Treat medical problems
75. Do puzzles
76. Read something funny
77. Plan a nice evening for yourself
78. Go on a weekend getaway
79. Pray
80. Say a mantra
81. Watch a sunset
82. Go to a beach and listen to the waves
83. Take out a kayak or boat on a lake and explore
84. Take a drive through a scenic area 84
85. Go shopping
86. Avoid bad news
87. Drink some tea such as chamomile
88. Make new friends
89. Participate in a hobby
90. Don't take on too much you can't handle
91. Tell yourself that everything will be okay and you can do it
92. Hypnosis
93. Play rookie from work
94. Avoid toxic people or people who affect your life negatively
95. Have a glass of wine
96. Get a pet
97. Get into a hot tub
98. Have someone cater to you for a day
99. Redecorate your space
100. Look at pictures of happy times or people you love
101. Invite friends over for a small party and have fun!

How To Control Stress At Work

Stress is common for working people . It's not like that we want to get stressed but it just happen sometimes without us knowing it.

Here are are some ways you can reduce anxiety in the workplace. You will need to implement some of these tips for a couple of weeks before you will feel relief from the struggles you experience on a daily basis. Keep in mind that everyone is different, not all tips will work for everyone, so find the ones that best help you at controlling stress at work.

Schedule It

No matter how great of a memory you have and how much you feel you have everything under control, a schedule can help ease your mind. Each week, make a list of all of things you need to complete, and then schedule time for it throughout the week. Don't overload your calendar because you will need to set aside time for unexpected tasks.

Prioritize and Goal Setting

While making your schedule, take some time to think about what you would like to accomplish overall for the week. Goal setting and planning can help you feel like you have control over what you want to do in your career as well as your personal life. In the process of goal setting, you don't want to put off important tasks either. Prioritize what you need to do first and then work on what you want to do. Having control over things will help you feel less overwhelmed and anxious because you won't feel like you have a ton of stuff to do in a short period of time

Take a Break Often

Some people will start working at 9 a.m. and won't stop until 5 p.m., or worse 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. These people don't take a lunch, never mind taking time for a break. This is the worst thing you can do for your anxiety levels. Feeling like you can't stop and re-energize will set your body into crisis mode. You may not notice but your heart may start beating faster and your blood pressure may rise. Take time to sit, have something to eat and collect your thoughts. You will feel a lot better mentally as well as physically.

Relaxation at Your Desk

Relaxing at your desk could not be easier. Every half an hour, stretch your arms, back and legs; this will help your blood circulate. Close your eyes and practice some imagery relaxation. Picture yourself in your favorite place and hold on to those thoughts until you feel relaxed. For a quick pick me up, concentrate on your breathing, and count down from 10. For those extra hectic days, start at 20. Make sure to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Listen to Music

Music is highly therapeutic. If allowed, bring in CDs and your earphones so you can listen to relaxing music. Not only will it help you keep you calm but it can also help you get more done because it blocks out distractions around you.

Don't be Afraid to Vent

Sometimes you just have to let it out. If you can't talk to your boss or co-worker, call a loved one so you can let off some steam. It will help keep you from burning out and reenergize you to continue your work.

Learn to say, "NO!"

Taking on too much is the biggest culprit of stress at work. Sometimes you may not be able to tell your boss you can't take on a project because it's your responsibility. However, if there are tasks that can be delegated to others, do so, it will help you do better on the tasks you have to do and help you keep your anxiety low

Conclusion

Don't ignore the stress you are under at work. Not only will it make your work life difficult but it can also make your personal one miserable. High anxiety levels can put you at risk for many medical problems as well as issues in relationships. Take time to use these tips at your workplace and you will soon see how much happier you can be at work and outside of it.