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What We Can Learn From Riptides

March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Neil Tepper, The Creativity Doctor -

I went to the beach the other day. It was an act of courage.

Courageous, not because of the whipping winds and high surf we often experience in Hawaii, but because I pulled together the brave audacity to ignore the threats and taunt that screamed at me from the stacks of paper and to-do lists piled on my desk. “How dare you leave us incomplete and unresolved!” they sneered. “And … for the beach? What a lazy @#^!”

Yes, I courageously snubbed these commanding voices of “should’s” and “supposed-to’s.” I even managed to flick away the feelings of guilt that tried to cling to my board shorts as I stepped out the door of my office and headed to the beach.

When we step beyond the bounds of logic and reason, we engage the forces of creativity. For me that day, it was very satisfying. In addition to enjoying the warm and healing sunshine and a nice long walk in the sand, the needed break from my work yielded a valuable lesson – and the inspiration to write this piece.

The ocean was rough and angry and as I walked along the shoreline I noticed a riptide. This is a condition caused by an unusual clash of wind and waves that results in a narrow trench of powerful backwash as the breaking waves seek a way back out to sea.

The reason riptides are so dangerous – and why people drown in them – is because the novice doesn’t know how to navigate them. When someone is caught in the unusually strong “rip” and swept out to sea, they swim furiously … against it. Sadly, this is futile. Not only can’t the average swimmer overcome the powerful current, they expend enormous energies in fighting it so they quickly become exhausted and get taken under.

I sense that many people are feeling a little like that these days, as they fight the fierce current that is ripping through our global economy, maybe wreaking havoc with their personal finances and possibly drowning their emotional well-being.

What we’re experiencing today is an unusual condition caused by the clash of extraordinary forces that can take you under unless you know how to navigate them. Logic and reason, while useful in normal circumstances, can blind you to new, fresh, creative thinking.

But, you can overcome these powerful currents and even thrive in the process. You can learn how from riptides.

The way to survive a riptide, experts say, is to — illogically and paradoxically — not fight it. Because most rip currents are only 30-100 ft. wide, it’s advised to swim parallel to the shoreline in order to leave it. You can also relax and let the tide take you out to sea (talk about illogical), where it disperses in deeper water. Then, calmly, swim beyond the narrow swath and head for shore, saving even more energy by allowing the normal waves to carry you back to safety.

In my book, “Prescriptions for Living a Creative Life,” and here on the blog, I offer suggestions for how you can stop fighting the riptides in your life, save energies for the positive forces and swim calmly to safety and comfort.

Enjoy your day at the beach!

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20 Best Ways to Relax Your Body and Mind

March 21, 2011 By 2 Comments

By Anna R. -

If you follow these simple tips to relax your body and mind, you are on the best way to find relief from tension and anxiety, cope better with everyday problems, be emotionally stronger, and improve your concentration. You can become more positive, more tolerant and get more out of life. Generally the most effective way to overcome stress and anxiety is not so much to try to change the situations themselves, but simply to change the way you deal with them.

There are many ways to relax body and mind, ranging from the physical (massage, acupressure etc), to the emotional (influencing the subconscious) and spiritual (tapping into the universal life force and your inner spirit). In this article I will give you a few starters so you can instantly begin to relax. There is always more to learn!

  1. Improve your fitness – a fit body is much more able to cope with stress and there is a lot of satisfaction to be gained from physical fitness and achievement. Start slow and don’t overdo it – but steadily build up your strength.
  2. Improve your eating habits – You are what you eat – try eating more vegetables and less fat and see how quickly your body will react and your ability to relax will improve.
  3. Improve your drinking habits – instead of coffee, have a glass of water or herbal tea. If you are feeling anxious, try to cut down on stimuli like caffeine or alcohol which will stress your body even more.
  4. Improve your posture: slumped shoulders and a dropped neck inhibit breathing properly. Straighten up and feel how good it feels to stand up to yourself.
  5. Get comfortable: To be able to calm and relax, remove your shoes, undo your tie or neck button, loosen your belt, unclasp your bra, slip into something comfortable. This is the prerequisite of any relaxing exercise.
  6. Fresh air: Open the windows and breathe in the fresh air.
  7. Slow down: Instead of talking and searching for company at any cost, take a couple of minutes outdoors to slow down. Nature has its own way of calming your mind.
  8. Silence: find a place in silence – treasure it, absorb it, immerse yourself in it, hang on to it as long as possible. Many relaxing exercises will start with a place of silence.
  9. Control Your Breathing: Straighten up and take a deep slow breath through your nose, deep into your tummy, do not let the chest rise, relax your shoulders – then release the breath slowly through your mouth.
  10. Muscle relaxation: Sitting or lying comfortably tense the muscles of one arm – hold it – then let them go limp and feel the difference. Savour the relaxed feeling. Do the same with the other arm and the legs one at a time
  11. Shoulders and neck: Slowly rotate one shoulder backwards and forwards, then up and down. Do the same with the other shoulder. Gently let your head fall down on your chest, then bring it up and backwards. After that, tilt your head on the left and right shoulder. Repeat this slowly.
  12. Jaw release: Open your mouth wide, then close. Repeat this a few times. Then put your fist under your chin, open your mouth and press the lower jaw against the fist. Hold this for a few seconds, then release.
  13. Hands: Clasp fingers tightly and press, then release. Become aware of how tension feels. Then nestle your left in your right hand, the thumbs gently touching each other. Remain like this and relax.
  14. Motivation: motivate yourself to continue on your path to calmness. Actively seek it; if you are certain that you can achieve it the positive energy will push you forward.
  15. Reject stress: Distinctly reorganize your priorities. Reject anything that will put pressure on you. Learn to say no and become more positive and energetic.
  16. Affirmation: This is a whole wide field of possibilities. Try to visualize a certain situation (you being able to cope with a stressful situation for example), then imprint this picture onto a stone or small object you can fit into your pocket. Then every time you touch it you will see this picture and affirm yourself that you can achieve it.
  17. Autogenic Training: This as well is a big field and is a good method for emergency stress response. Lie down and think of your arms. Feel them getting heavy. Think: “My arm is getting heavy”, again and again. Do the same with the other arm and each leg. You can also think: “My arm is getting warm” and repeat that. Feel it getting warm.
  18. Influence your subconscious: To reinforce messages to your subconscious, like “I am calm and can cope with this situation”, there is no way like this: repeat, repeat, repeat.
  19. Visualization: Go to sleep with a picture in your mind how you would like to be. Do this again and again, every night. Try to wake up with this picture in your mind.
  20. Concentrate on the task at hand: If you immerse yourself totally in a task, so that you achieve the very best result you are capable of (this can be anything at all, for example washing the dishes, ironing, driving a car or mowing the lawn), you will find that task becomes like a meditation in itself. Time flies, you derive satisfaction from your efforts and you spend at least this time completely in the here and now, not worrying about past or future.

Anna R. is author of the website http://www.windrose.com.au

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How To Feel Happier And Recharged In 10 Days Without Taking A Vacation

March 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Nancy Le -

If there is one thing we can all agree with, it is that we all love to go on vacation! Why? We enjoy the adventure of traveling to a new place, sights to see, foods to taste, and most importantly just being able to escape from our normal life responsibilities… or to be more specific, the stresses of them. The most important benefit of vacationing is allowing our physical, mental, and emotional states to de-stress and recharge from the wear and tear of work/family/personal life. Let’s face it, we all need a vacation on a regular basis. If you’re not taking at least a week off every 3 months, it’s not a regular basis.

Sadly, for many the time to vacation isn’t coming anytime soon and stress continues to build up, which continues to take a toll on their body and mind. Eventually, that results in burn out, and now they are running on an empty gas tank. It doesn’t stop there. After living off on an empty gas tank for long periods of time, the body and mind start to rebel, screaming out for attention through symptoms like: fatigue, headaches, back pain, re-occuring colds/flu, acne, weight gain, loss of short term memory, and so much more. What’s even more sad is some will ignore the symptoms and develop what we commonly hear of as chronic pain and just accept it as a “normal” part of life. If a person accepts this as “normal”, then I would be brave enough to say they have accepted the unnecessary life sentence of a slow physical/mental/emotional death… and possibly even much faster.

If you are one of the folks I’ve just describe above and taking time off anytime soon is just not going to happen, I understand and share my compassion because I was once there. I hope that a vacation is on your to do list sometime this year, but in the meantime you can still give your body and mind a vacation by following some easy steps for 10 days. Why 10 days? Well, it will take you at least 3 to 5 days just to get used to and stop resisting doing the practices (sort of like a withdrawal period) and the rest of the days to really start to experience the physical/mental/emotional benefits. Some people will experience them sooner. Be kind to yourself and trust the pace your mind and body wants to go at.

Before you begin Day #1, look at your calendar and start scheduling in when to do some of the steps. That way you won’t forget. Enjoy this 10 day adventure and have fun!

Here we go. 5 practices to do everyday for 10 days. To get the optimal experience, please don’t skip any of the practices:

1. Pick at least 2 or all the items of this list to avoid:

  • a. Sugar (i.e. candy, pastry)
  • b. Soda (including diet and energy drinks)
  • c. Coffee (if you do drink, treat yourself to only a cup a day minus the sugar)
  • d. Fast foods and Refined starches (i.e. white/wheat breads, pasta, white rice)
  • f. Alcohol (a glass or 2 of red wine during the 10 days is OK)

Eliminating these items will give many of your organ systems like your liver, adrenal glands (gas tank), and even your brain some time off to recover from the ongoing stress they create. Your body will be more useful when it can function more optimally. Instead, eat lots of vegetables, good sources of protein (ie. poultry and fish), fruits, nuts, sparkling water (some come flavored), tea, brown rice. Try to avoid deep fried anything.

Make sure to eat breakfast (include protein), and eat something every 3 hours to get your metabolism going and fuel tank filled throughout the day. The rule of thumb with water is drink half your weight in ounces, but if you’re nowhere close to that, slowly drink 1 more cup each day of what you are drinking and build it up from there.

2. Take a break from all of the following:

  • a. Watching/reading/listening to the news
  • b. Watching any shows or movies that have too much violence or are really depressing (i.e. Horror, War)
  • c. Playing video/digital games (Wii fit is OK!)

If you usually spend 30 minutes playing games or watching the news, then spend that 30 minutes, instead, watching, reading or listening to anything that is inspiring, empowering, soothing, or calming. This will give your mind a break from over stimulation, and it can help you to boost your mental stamina!

3. Spend at least 5 minutes laughing. I highly suggest you go to YouTube to look up funny videos (i.e. Laughing Baby). Laughing has been proven to be physically and emotionally beneficial!

4. Write 5 things and people in the day you’re thankful for and why before going to sleep. Make sure to include at least 1 thing about yourself that you are thankful for. This practice of gratitude really deepens our appreciation for life and is nourishing to the spirit.

5. Spend at least 5 minutes (10 is ideal) in complete stillness and silence with your eyes closed.

  • You can focus on your breaths
  • If thoughts come and go, don’t fight or try to get rid of them
  • Search the web for 5 minute meditation or breathing exercises for more ideas

As soon as you complete Day #10, take a few minutes to write down what positive changes and improvements you have experienced physically, emotionally, mentally, and maybe even spiritually. Don’t be so hard on yourself if you didn’t experience drastic changes. That just might mean you may have to practice these steps longer than 10 days or even make some permanent. At the very least, it would be excellent to do this 10 day practice every few months to give your mind and body a vacation if you don’t have an actual one planned.

www.drde-stress.com

Dr. Nancy Le, DC

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5 Survival Tactics for When Everything Goes Wrong

January 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Sandra Martini -

You know the type of week.

* You’ve worked hard and are gearing up to launch a new product when a vendor calls and says that he can’t get the new website up on deadline which is “okay” because the graphic artist’s computer crashed and your product picture isn’t ready anyway. They’ll get back to you.

* Taxes are due for those who got and, in some previous insanity, you agreed to do them for friends and family. But you still need information and the tax deadline looms.

* Your hubby needs reading glasses but you can’t find the credit card which will give you the big discount. It’s gotta be around somewhere.

* Your sister wants to borrow your AAA card – it must be with the missing credit card.

* Your business phone line stops working and the telephone company insists the problem is in the home and they can’t get to you for a week.

* It hasn’t rained for weeks and yet the dog is covered in mud and lying on the couch.

* Your largest client calls on a Friday afternoon and requests the impossible. This was preceded by your smallest client calling and demanding that you drop everything as her every need is *urgent*.

* The bathroom toilet stops working and then starts leaking and your plumber is on vacation.

What do you do when it all goes wrong?

1. Laugh.

Laugh hard and laugh often. Laugh like there’s no tomorrow – given the above, there may not be. Seriously though. . .laughter will put you in a much better frame of mind to deal with life’s interruptions without losing your sanity.

2. Breathe.

If laughter isn’t possible, and sometimes it just isn’t, then focus on your breathing. Breathe in and out, in and out as deeply as possible until your pulse stops racing or you let go of the throat that somehow found its way into your grasp.

3. Regroup.

When the walls are caving in around you, take five minutes and figure out what you can do to keep at least one thing moving forward. Follow-up on the email that may land you a new client. Submit your article to the various article submission sites. Pay a couple of bills. Do one thing, anything so that you can cross something off your *list*. It’s probably best if this something doesn’t involve interaction with others!

4. Give thanks.

“What? Give thanks? Are you insane?” I can hear the grumbling from here. Do it anyway! Grab a piece of paper and make a list of everything that you are thankful for – chances are, you have it better than millions of others.

Here’s a quick list of things that I know I’m grateful for: my health, family and friends, my pets, my business and my clients, sunrises and sunsets, flowers, chocolate ice cream, the sound of the ocean and a crisp New England fall day.

5. Get out.

Get out of the house and out of the office. Whether you choose to go for a walk, have lunch with friends, go window shopping (leave credit cards at home) or browse the shelves at your local library, get out and enjoy yourself for a bit. You’ll return in a much refreshed frame of mind and ready to tackle whatever life throws your way.

Let’s be real. Sometimes problems are just problems and not “opportunities”. Sometimes lemons make bad lemonade. And not all clouds have a silver lining. When everything goes wrong, try one (or all) of the above techniques, accept it and move on knowing that things will get better!

Online Business Manager & Entrepreneur, Sandra Martini coaches small business owners to more efficiently manage their businesses while increasing profits and having fun. Sandra’s coaching programs are available via teleconferencing, emails and telephone calls. For more information or to sign-up for ‘Effective Entrepreneur’, visit http://www.online-biz-coach.com today. Want to grow your business? Sign up for the FREE e-course “How to Write a Dynamic Marketing Plan” by sending a blank email to smartini-187175@autocontactor.com today.

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4 Tips To Relax and Look After Yourself This Christmas

December 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Marie Crawford -

The Christmas holiday season can be one of the most stressful times of the year. Despite a time for family and relaxation, it seems as though until it is Christmas day, everyone is rushing around stressed out about gift buying and food shopping. But as soon as Christmas day is over, the stress of January Sales hit and things start over. It seems that despite Christmas being a holiday seasons it doesn’t feel like it!

Knowing what we go through each year, it is important to ensure we give ourselves time to relax and to deal with the holidays in the best way we can that benefits our well being and health. Christmas is a time for family most importantly and this should come before any material desires or wants. Christmas is relaxation time with the family and this should not just be on Christmas day only. The new year should be started in a good way so make time to unwind and to enjoy the season instead of feeling wiped out from shopping and preparation.

Below are 4 tips to stay relaxed this seasons:

1. Don’t neglect yourself: Make time to do what you usually do when it comes to your health. Don’t skip on your exercise regime or your healthy eating habits. Even though most people flop this time of year: DON’T! You will just have to start over again in the New Year and it is much harder to start over than to continue a health regime. So don’t just let everything fall to the wayside. You will feel better if you continue your normal routines.

2. Eat Healthy Foods – With Christmas and Winter there comes a tendency to eat lots of food and lots of junky food. Out comes the big tins of chocolate treats as well as the crisps, nuts and other snacks we accumulate for family and friends to over-gorge on. Try to stick to a healthy way of eating and only have some treats here and there, instead of just going full blown into the Christmas foods. Try to include a salad with your Christmas meal too just to keep it at least somewhat healthy. Make fruits a big part of your Christmas snacks too. This way you avoid piling on the pounds and spending the beginning of 2011 trying to get those pounds off again.

3. Do Your Shopping Online – The high streets and shopping centres can be mental at this time of year. Just the crowds are enough to send anyone into a full blown panic attack and stress you out. So avoid them. Do you shopping at home. It is much easier to shop around online, then fight crowds and if you want it even easier you can just go to Amazon which is a great place to get all your gifts in one place.

4. Go For A long Walk – If everything is getting to you a great way to unwind is to go for a long walk or even a short walk. I find that if I am bogged down by work or something, that just going for a short walk and getting some fresh air is enough to help me feel relaxed again.

Whatever you do this Winter, make sure you look after yourself.

Knowing what we go through each year, it is important to ensure we give ourselves time to relax and to deal with the holidays in the best way we can that benefits our well being and health. Christmas is a time for family most importantly and this should come before any material desires or wants. Christmas is relaxation time with the family and this should not just be on Christmas day only. The new year should be started in a good way so make time to unwind and to enjoy the season instead of feeling wiped out from shopping and preparation.

Below are 4 tips to stay relaxed this seasons:

1. Don’t neglect yourself: Make time to do what you usually do when it comes to your health. Don’t skip on your exercise regime or your healthy eating habits. Even though most people flop this time of year: DON’T! You will just have to start over again in the New Year and it is much harder to start over than to continue a health regime. So don’t just let everything fall to the wayside. You will feel better if you continue your normal routines.

2. Eat Healthy Foods – With Christmas and Winter there comes a tendency to eat lots of food and lots of junky food. Out comes the big tins of chocolate treats as well as the crisps, nuts and other snacks we accumulate for family and friends to over-gorge on. Try to stick to a healthy way of eating and only have some treats here and there, instead of just going full blown into the Christmas foods. Try to include a salad with your Christmas meal too just to keep it at least somewhat healthy. Make fruits a big part of your Christmas snacks too. This way you avoid piling on the pounds and spending the beginning of 2011 trying to get those pounds off again.

3. Do Your Shopping Online – The high streets and shopping centres can be mental at this time of year. Just the crowds are enough to send anyone into a full blown panic attack and stress you out. So avoid them. Do you shopping at home. It is much easier to shop around online, then fight crowds and if you want it even easier you can just go to Amazon which is a great place to get all your gifts in one place.

4. Go For A long Walk – If everything is getting to you a great way to unwind is to go for a long walk or even a short walk. I find that if I am bogged down by work or something, that just going for a short walk and getting some fresh air is enough to help me feel relaxed again.

Whatever you do this Winter, make sure you look after yourself.

To help you relax this Winter why not try a back massager or specifically the Hitachi Magic Wand

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Release Stress and Anxiety – Learn to Breathe Fully to Live Fully!

December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Donna Packard -

Do you know that most people are breathing barely enough to be alive? Most people breathe in a shallow manner, just bringing the breath barely into the chest. We have been conditioned to hold in our stomachs, and to wear tight clothing, inhibiting our ability to breathe fully. Have you watched a new baby breathing? The baby’s belly rises with the inhale and falls gently with the exhale. It’s kind of like watching the ocean waves rising and falling in a natural rhythm. There is no pause between the inhale and the exhale. This is our natural breathing rhythm.

Many of us have shut down our breathing, and no longer breathe in this natural rhythm due to stressors, repressed emotions, fears, anxiety, etc. that we have experienced throughout our lifetimes. Think of what happens when you get anxious in traffic, for instance. Chances are you are holding your breath.

Our culture has taught us to repress many of our emotions and feelings. If someone is crying, what do we do? We try to get them to stop, where, if we simply allowed them this space to feel, they would move through the feelings, or ‘storm’, clearing them from their emotional and physical bodies. It’s like the ocean that has storms and clears to peaceful sea. Unfortunately, when we repress feelings, they are held in the body’s memory and we begin to breathe in a more shallow way to hold the feelings in.

Additionally, we carry a lot of stress in our bodies. If we are breathing fully, we cannot hold stress in the body. Yet, most of us carry stressors around for many years! For instance, let’s say you have an argument with a loved one or a boss or friend. Your stress level goes way up, and, ideally, it would be best to find a way to relax and bring it back down as soon as possible. Instead, you carry it with you.You think about it later in the day and your stress level rises again. You may think about it the next day and the same thing happens, or months later. Sometimes years later, you are still carrying that residual tension around with you. And, chances are, you are not breathing as fully because of it. This is where we get into trouble, for carrying this stress around with us leads to dis-ease. Most diseases are related to stress in one form or another. I have heard that cancer cannot live in cells that are oxygenated and there are studies that show that heart patients have not had reoccurence of their problems once they learned to breathe fully.

It’s also fascinating how when we learn to breathe fully, not only do we learn ways to relax and relieve stress, we begin to live more fully. It is as if we get back in touch with what is in our hearts, our True Selves, and, often, we also reconnect with our Source, in whatever form and way we each view that. In working with hundreds of people over the years, teaching them how to repattern their breathing, I have witnessed many many people finding a place of inner serenity, of peace. Oftentimes, they were embraced by the consciousness of pure Love.

So, I ask you, in this moment, to take a breath in and out. Does your breathing feel restricted? Ideally, a full breath fills your belly like it is filling a balloon, then rises up through your chest and then releases freely. It may be likened to the ocean waves, where the wave rises in the belly, flows into the shore (the chest) and then flows back out, as the exhale. And, then flows in again, with no pause between the inhale and exhale, in a perfect circle of breathing, flowing in and out freely.

It may be helpful to imagine you are filling a jug with your breath. You fill all the way to the bottom when inhaling, the bottom being the top of your pubic bone, and then filling the jug with the air all the way to the top, which you may imagine as the throat area or even to the top of your head.

I invite you, in this moment, to practice breathing fully and freely.

Exercises:

1. Lie down and place one hand on your abdomen and one hand on your chest. Breathe in your normal fashion. Which hand rises as you inhale? Since many people are shallow breathers, breathing only into the chest. You may find that the hand on the chest raises up with the inhale. Practice bringing the inhale deep into your belly and fill your belly with the air, like you are filling a balloon. You may want to place a small pillow on your abdomen to see if it is rising as you inhale. (One woman I worked with would have her small dog lie on her belly to watch to see if it she was raising him up and down as the breath moved into her belly:-) ) This type of breathing may take practice and, at first, may seem like a lot of work. Yet, in the end, you will be happy you learned to breathe deeply. Getting the breath into your belly is the first step.

2. Once you are able to breathe deeply into your belly, as in step 1. above, next you want to practice bringing the breath into your belly, as above, and then continue to bring it from there up through your chest and heart, and then release it. Breathe in, pull up and release. Do not force the exhale, let it fall like a sigh. Then breathe in again, with no pause between the exhale and inhale and breathe again deeply into your belly. Practice for 5 minutes to start.

3. Begin to notice throughout the day whether you are breathing or not. You may find various times you are holding your breath or not breathing fully. Remind yourself from time to time to take a deep breath! The more fully you breathe, the more fully alive you will be.

When you begin breathing more fully, at first, you may experience different sensations in your body which may not be used to getting as much oxygen. You may feeling tingling in your hands, or face, or feet, or other places. You may feel uncomfortable feelings in various parts of your body at first. You may feel feelings! Just feel what you feel and keep breathing through it! Know it is safe to breathe! The breath carries what gives you life.

Breathe Fully and Live Fully!

Many blessings and remember to Breathe Peace in each moment, Donna Packard, M.Ed., “The Inspirer” http://www.BreathePeace.com

Copyright 2009 Donna Packard. All rights reserved. Please feel free to pass this lesson along, or reprint it, and invite/encourage others to be a part of the Breathe Peace movement. Just be sure to include my name as the author and the website contact information as listed above.

I invite you, in this moment, to Breathe Peace, Donna L. Packard, M.Ed., “The Inspirer”
http://www.BreathePeace.com
E-mail: info@breathepeace.com

Relax, reconnect, move into a consciousness of Love. Learn to Breathe Peace.http://www.breathepeace.com for free mini-lesson series, information, resources,
and more!

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Slow down

July 16, 2010 By 1 Comment

By Irene Conlan -

I woke up early this morning feeling pressured even before I got out of bed. So much to do. Let me think. What’s the schedule like for today? How many appointments?  Who’s on my schedule?  Gotta meet someone at the airport. Yikes!

The computer was waiting for me as if it knew I was in a rush before I even sat down. I never turn it off although I do put it to sleep at night. But it’s always ready.

I sat down to begin the daily blogs and  a song began to play  in my head. It’s an old one – actually a very old one – and some of you reading this blog may never have heard it or heard  of Simon and Garfunkel. It’s a 60′s song but more relevant today than it was when it was written. It’s called The 59th Street Bridge or Feelin’ Groovy. I checked on YouTube and there it was.  Perhaps you’d like to click on it bekiw and listen while you finish reading this. I won’t be long today.

Everything seems to move at warp speed these days and we all seem to have much more to do than we can accomplish. We seem to rush from job to job and from place to place.  The technological age didn’t take the load off but gave us even more to do. It was supposed to make life easier.  Sometimes it feels like we don’t have time to catch our breath.

We wonder why we feel so stressed, so tired, so ready to snap sometimes. It’s because we don’t take time to “be.” We forget to enjoy the beauty along the way because we have so much we think we have to do and so little time to get it all done.

It’s as much an attitude as a reality. There are cultures in the world who don’t rush like we do and they still survive – and survive very well. They have time to smell the flowers, play with their children, and just “be.” Even with the overload, you will get things done easier and better if you take some time throughout you day to relax a moment, catch your breath and clear you mind.

So for a few moments just listen. Just be. Slow down. Smile.  Get ready to enjoy your day. Let this little song get inside your head and play all day.  I’ll betcha that, even though it’s an out-of-date-phrase, if you allow it, you’ll soon be Feelin’ Groovy.

Have a great  day.

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Stress Management Exercises – How to Rid Yourself of Stress and Relax Easily

July 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment

stressedBy Therese Roe -

Are you suffering from Stress? Maybe some stress management exercises are what you need?

Stress is an everyday part of our lives, whether we want it or not. There is good stress and bad stress. It’s the bad stress that is concerning and if left un managed, can develop into depression and anxiety and wreak havoc on your health and your relationships.

Stress, depression and anxiety is the hard way to live. You feel so heavy and everything you do seems to take so much energy – energy that you just don’t seem to have anymore. Everything becomes a chore, you lose you zest for life and feel so tired all the time, sound familiar?

What is it in your life that is causing you stress? Is it your job, your partner, your kids, your workload or all of the above. Some things we just can’t get out of (like raising the kids) but there are other area’s of our lives that we do have control over. If there are any changes you can make to help ease the stress, then make them. Change your job, or change the people you hang out with, if they are a drag. No-one controls your life except you!

I understand how difficult it is just trying to make a decision when you are depressed or anxious, I didn’t want to make decisions for fear of making the wrong one. So I lived a life of being stressed, anxious and depressed, hoping that someone would wave a magic wand and make it all better.

Guess what, it never happened. I realised that only I could wave the magic wand. It was time to take control and make some changes. First thing I did was to implement some stress management exercise. Here’s some idea’s:

1. Meditation – Easy
2. Gentle exercise
3. Stretching
4. Yoga
5. Laughing
6. Deep breathing

I liked to walk, it gave me time to think about which direction I wanted my life to head – I made a few good decisions while I was out in the fresh air.

Make the time to do some [http://www.squidoo.com/stress-management-exercises/]stress management exercises, you will feel the benefits, I promise, even if it’s only deep breathing, which by the way is fantastic for making you feel instantly better.

While doing some exercising is most beneficial, it won’t cure the root cause of your stress or anxiety. You will need some additional help. I sought the help of a wonderful [http://www.conqueringstress.info]stress conquering program which helped me to see why my stress was making me feel so bad and gave me techniques to help me recover. I now sleep much better, I have so much more energy and best of all I have my passion for life back – just from going for a walk and making a few decisions about changing my life for the better

If you are living a stress filled life, make some simple decisions, that will change your life for the better.

To your health

Therese

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Therese_Roe

Filed Under: Self Esteem, Stress Management Tagged With: ,

20 Best Ways to Relax Your Body and Mind

September 3, 2008 By Leave a Comment

By Anna Ramrath

If you follow these simple tips to relax your body and mind, you are on the best way to find relief from tension and anxiety, cope better with everyday problems, be emotionally stronger, and improve your concentration. You can become more positive, more tolerant and get more out of life. Generally the most effective way to overcome stress and anxiety is not so much to try to change the situations themselves, but simply to change the way you deal with them.

There are many ways to relax body and mind, ranging from the physical (massage, acupressure etc), to the emotional (influencing the subconscious) and spiritual (tapping into the universal life force and your inner spirit). In this article I will give you a few starters so you can instantly begin to relax. There is always more to learn!

Improve your fitness – a fit body is much more able to cope with stress and there is a lot of satisfaction to be gained from physical fitness and achievement. Start slow and don’t overdo it – but steadily build up your strength.

Improve your eating habits – You are what you eat – try eating more vegetables and less fat and see how quickly your body will react and your ability to relax will improve.

Improve your drinking habits – instead of coffee, have a glass of water or herbal tea. If you are feeling anxious, try to cut down on stimuli like caffeine or alcohol which will stress your body even more.

Improve your posture: slumped shoulders and a dropped neck inhibit breathing properly. Straighten up and feel how good it feels to stand up to yourself.

Get comfortable: To be able to calm and relax, remove your shoes, undo your tie or neck button, loosen your belt, unclasp your bra, slip into something comfortable. This is the prerequisite of any relaxing exercise.

Fresh air: Open the windows and breathe in the fresh air.

Slow down: Instead of talking and searching for company at any cost, take a couple of minutes outdoors to slow down. Nature has its own way of calming your mind.

Silence: find a place in silence – treasure it, absorb it, immerse yourself in it, hang on to it as long as possible. Many relaxing exercises will start with a place of silence.

Control Your Breathing: Straighten up and take a deep slow breath through your nose, deep into your tummy, do not let the chest rise, relax your shoulders – then release the breath slowly through your mouth.

Muscle relaxation: Sitting or lying comfortably tense the muscles of one arm – hold it – then let them go limp and feel the difference. Savour the relaxed feeling. Do the same with the other arm and the legs one at a time

Shoulders and neck: Slowly rotate one shoulder backwards and forwards, then up and down. Do the same with the other shoulder. Gently let your head fall down on your chest, then bring it up and backwards. After that, tilt your head on the left and right shoulder. Repeat this slowly.

Jaw release: Open your mouth wide, then close. Repeat this a few times. Then put your fist under your chin, open your mouth and press the lower jaw against the fist. Hold this for a few seconds, then release.

Hands: Clasp fingers tightly and press, then release. Become aware of how tension feels. Then nestle your left in your right hand, the thumbs gently touching each other. Remain like this and relax.

Motivation: motivate yourself to continue on your path to calmness. Actively seek it; if you are certain that you can achieve it the positive energy will push you forward.

Reject stress: Distinctly reorganize your priorities. Reject anything that will put pressure on you. Learn to say no and become more positive and energetic.

Affirmation: This is a whole wide field of possibilities. Try to visualize a certain situation (you being able to cope with a stressful situation for example), then imprint this picture onto a stone or small object you can fit into your pocket. Then every time you touch it you will see this picture and affirm yourself that you can achieve it.

Autogenic Training: This as well is a big field and is a good method for emergency stress response. Lie down and think of your arms. Feel them getting heavy. Think: “My arm is getting heavy”, again and again. Do the same with the other arm and each leg. You can also think: “My arm is getting warm” and repeat that. Feel it getting warm.

Influence your subconscious: To reinforce messages to your subconscious, like “I am calm and can cope with this situation”, there is no way like this: repeat, repeat, repeat.

Visualization: Go to sleep with a picture in your mind how you would like to be. Do this again and again, every night. Try to wake up with this picture in your mind.

Concentrate on the task at hand: If you immerse yourself totally in a task, so that you achieve the very best result you are capable of (this can be anything at all, for example washing the dishes, ironing, driving a car or mowing the lawn), you will find that task becomes like a meditation in itself. Time flies, you derive satisfaction from your efforts and you spend at least this time completely in the here and now, not worrying about past or future.

Anna Ramrath is author of the website http://www.howtobespiritual.com – On this website you will find information on how to live a spiritual life and more tips how to ease stress and anxiety.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anna_Ramrath http://EzineArticles.com/?20-Best-Ways-to-Relax-Your-Body-and-Mind&id=1445624

Filed Under: Self Improvement, Stress Management Tagged With: , , ,

Six Happiness Tips

July 10, 2008 By Leave a Comment

By David Leonhardt http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=David_Leonhardt

Sometimes with our busy lifestyles we forget that it takes a minute to relax, unwind and be happy. The following six happiness habits and comments were taken from ‘A Daily Dose of Happiness’ newsletter:

1. IDENTITY

Apples are red. No, wait…they are green. Hmmm, come to think of it, they are yellow. Naw…just kidding. They are really white. The red and green and yellow are just camouflage on the outside to hide their true colors.

So what color are you? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Happiness, Self Improvement Tagged With: , ,