Seeing is Believing!

The art of visualization is a very powerful addition to your stress management tool box. Training your mind to focus on specific end results help program your path to success. You need to visualize what it would be like to be in the place of your dreams and attach your expected emotional feelings IE: You would like to buy a bigger house which would help you feel more comfortable, secure, and proud. Walk around in this new house as you have imagined, touch the walls, cook in the kitchen, lounge in the new family room, and feel how proud you are of your new digs.

This process, whether it be for moving into new houses, new jobs, new activities, or new relationships, helps to wire your thinking for achievement and makes the potential outcome more probable. All professional athletes use visualization training for their on field/court/track/slope performance, because it works.

Visualization should be used in all your day to day activities to help focus and develop clear cut expectations of yourself to achieve them.

Give it a try and drop by to see us at http://www.stressless.com/

Stress and the garden hose

The creation and build up of stress in your system can be analogous to the average garden hose.
If the hose is straight and you walk in a straight pattern, then everything comes out alright and there are no problems. But, when you begin to move around objects on the ground or turn to water plants or grass in different areas, then the hose gets crinkled, caught, or worse. You then become upset and stressed over the problem and have to go back to the area where the problem occurred and unbend the hose, take it off the rocks or obstacle it became entangled spending more time in corrective action than you planned.

Life is like this also. We expect things to go a certain way but they get derailed and we spend time putting out fires or fixing things that should not have happened. The lesson is to plan ahead and visually scope out the area you are going to water or the life you want to live, and make sure you anticipate the rocks and obstacles to avoid having to go back for corrective action. This is pre-planning at its best and can save much time and frustration.

Not to say you won't experience crinkles, but you will have minimized your efforts and re dos.
A very successful business man once said, "It is not what you expect, but what you inspect that counts" . Add this axiom to your quiver of stress management tools and you will increase your
ability to plow through life, or the yard, with the greatest of ease.

You are invited to join us at http://www.stressless.com/

Connection is key!

Most Americans report that they believe in God (The latest NEWSWEEK poll shows that 91 percent of American adults surveyed believe in God--and nearly half reject the theory of evolution) and 81 % believe in Heaven. However, only about 35% claim to attend church regularly which could translate to nearly 60% of Americans practicing their faith, primarily on their own terms. But, in reality, we know that there is not a lot of active participation and practicing going on and much of what is reported is just lip service to the interviewer or self justification that the person is righteous.

All of this is not important by itself, since each citizen has the right to practice any religion, anytime, and anyway they want, even non-believers. But, what is important, is that each person strives to have a personal relationship with their god or higher power.

The 'holy spirit' is hard wired into our brains, and when we are able to reach a level of communication and comfort with this omnipotent power, your world view changes and you begin to understand the syncronicity of the universe. The beauty and awesome miracle of life and how it is intertwined amongst all animal and plant kingdoms. Scientists say if the earth was tilted 2 degrees more that it is, the entire ecosystem would collapse!

Your connection is the most inspiring and important stress management tool you can call up, since your understanding, connection and spiritual relationship will help you immensely in sudden crises and just as importantly, in everyday happenings. It helps to see that we are all alike and struggle with the same things in life. When catastrophe hits, you can put it into proper context knowing the odds of the universe are somewhat mathematical and it can happen to you, not just the other guy.

They refer to it as a spiritual journey and it is. The more you seek, the more you understand and the more your belief system will change to greater wisdom and comprehension of the infinite possibilities that exist.

Spirituality is probably the single greatest stress management tool you can put in your toolbox.
It gives meaning to life and a deep connection to a wonderful source of compassion and understanding.

Start your journey now with an open heart and drop by at http://www.stressless.com/

Attitude

We cannot change anything unless we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.-Carl Jung

There are great many people who think life sucks and it's too hard. They have a negative viewpoint about everything and basically tune out and escape. Movies, drugs, sex, music, TV,
etc.a, anything to get away from reality because it requires too much effort or they have been hurt or set back by some event and everything else is the same old mess.

Don't you think it is strange that you could have two people, side by side looking at a sunset and they have two diametrically opposed viewpoints? One is extremely positive about life and sees the beauty and Majesty in God's creation. The other is extremely negative and sees another lousy day leaving with nothing but the same coming up tomorrow. The same visual, with two totally different interpretations.

It is all about attitude, because the positive viewpoint helps the person feel human, centered, part of the mystery and grateful to be alive. The other creates resentment, closed thinking, and
despair. So, how do we help the negative one cross over to a better attitude?

Many people agree that the hardest part of initiating a new activity or habit is starting! It is like going to the gym. Once you're there you exercise and you feel so good about yourself after the workout. The problem is getting there! One of my best friends used to say that it takes about 3 weeks to build a habit that could last for the rest of your life.
but how to start?

Attitude change can be developed by reading, listening, or associating with the right persons. It requires a new adjustment to the outlook of life and will require time, patience, and perseverance. But, the results will be life changing and the way you see the world will become magical.

Give it a try and check us out at http://www.stressless.com/

Stress Balance

We all have a chance to balance our life through health (mental/physical), relationships, finances, work, and spirituality. Can it be achieved where all areas are working at full capacity and smoothly integrated with each other? Sometimes, but probably for only awhile until something stops, breaks, gets interrupted, or refuses to cooperate. It is just the nature of being..a constant struggle to keep all the balls in the air. It is worth the effort? Most certainly. Then how do you go about it?

It requires plain old self discipline. The desire to organize the elements of your life and to allocate the right amount of time and effort to each area in order for all to sync up. It's hard and few achieve it, and then for only brief periods. So, don't get frustrated because you have not achieved this goal, keep trying. But, the vast majority of us are on constant treadmills of effort to get there.

One area can affect another, creating chaos. For instance, if your finances are not in good shape, it brings pressure to all in the family, causing relationship issues. Divorce leads to financial and living adjustments, and so on. But, the effort to bring harmony to your life by achieving synchronicity ultimately relieves stress and pressure and provides for a great sense of accomplishment.

So, keep on..keeping on and achieve the balance we all seek. It is a great feeling when you get there. In the meantime, it is just the ups and downs of life that are guaranteed to test our perseverance.

Come see us at http://www.stressless.com/

Stress Management vs. Stress Diversion

We believe in the 'four legs supporting the stool' when it comes to effective stress management.
Cognitive change,relaxation,exercise, and diet/nutrition are the legs and you are the stool. When all four are being exercised and practiced, then you will have the best and most effective resources at your disposal when confronted with a stressful situation or crises.

Most surveys show that people use a host of "stress management" approaches when stressed including reading, TV, hot bath, sleep,talk to friends,etc. These are good and add to your resilience, but they are diversions or escapes from the stressor, not cures. For instance, if you have financial difficulties facing you which worry you constantly, reading will take your mind away from the problem, but the problem will still exist after the book, movie, TV show, etc.

However, if you have engaged in a cognitive change program to address the issue, then your mind and thoughts will help begin to correct the problem and how you think about it. Let's say you are deep in debt and it is getting worse each day. This will require logical, business oriented approaches in order to attack the financial drain and to correct your losses. Either you, a friend, or consultant should be brought in to establish a specific game plan to follow. Wishing and hoping it will go away will only cause deeper losses. You have to change your thinking about how to manage your finances and establish rules and guidelines to follow to maintain it. This is the cognitive change that will not only help you see your finances differently, but give you added confidence when you confront another stressful situation that needs attention. Change your thoughts and change your world for the better.

If you were also on a steady exercise program, eating properly, and knew relaxation training, then each stressor or situation your are challenged with will be easier to approach and resolve.
It is resiliency training and it, like all learning skills, will become automatic when you practice them.

Get going to build your skills and check us out at http://www.stressless.com/

Worldview

A lot of stress is generated by the limited "worldview" that people operate in. Some may see the world from an arch conservative, male dominated, catholic oriented society which would upset them to see women in leadership positions, abortion clinics, and nudist camps. Compare these folks to liberal, female lesbians, who believe in a universalist religion. They would retract from the military/industrial complex, current social rules, and Christianity.

Is either wrong? No. They were either brought up in a like environment or they learned and adopted their belief system. Nevertheless, they see their world everyday through these "filtered lenses" which affects how they think and behave. In a way, they would stress each other's group out just based on their respective beliefs.

So, how do we reconcile this so each can adjust to their own belief systems and worldview? Each's belief system is in place and only the individual can decide to change what they want to believe in. However, the world view can be expanded for each group that would provide for a greater understanding and compassion for the other.

The world view that sees all people inner-connected, valuing the same human drives and desires, living in the same world, trying to live peacefully and democratically, would help with the understanding. The universe is working as it should, magically moving in unison from the microscopic cells to the largest mammals on earth. It has been so since time immortal and we are all just renting space during our lifetimes to hopefully awe in it's magnificence and inspiration. Just focusing on this dynamic would leave little room for conflict and more openness to the fact that we all belong to the same race trying to just make it through the day with grace.

Open your eyes and heart and come see us at www.stressless.com

Procrastination

"I've suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened." - Mark Twain

People have a real problem moving forward with their lives, mainly from the fear of change or moving out of their comfort zone. They project "what if" scenarios with most reflecting their negative programming thoughts deducing that the effort to change will end in failure or be too difficult. Whether it is exercise, dieting/weight management, or consciously thinking about their life or situation, it will be just too hard to change.

What they are really saying is that it is much easier to continue what they are doing (sitting, eating, denial,etc) and receive the repeated pleasure boosts from sugary foods, lack of angst from tuning out of the world, or just goofing around. Exercise requires effort, some pain initially, and discipline. So with diets and positive thinking. So, the bottom line is change is somewhat hard and takes concerted effort. You move out of one comfort zone into another with enough programming time. The new zone is better for you and will feel better once you get there, but alas, it takes time and effort. Two elements of life most people will not trade off to improve their situations to feel better, live better, and longer.

Go figure. Why is that? They say that if exercise could be dispensed into a pill, it would be the most prescribed medicine on earth. The problem is our Western society has worked hard to encapsulate life into a gadget/pill to make it easier and faster. We are programmed waiting for technology to solve our problems and help us lose weight, get healthy, and have great relationships.

Sorry, Charlie, it unfortunately does not work that way. It requires effort to change. Good old fashioned blood, sweat, and tears. But, the payoff is immeasurable and permanent.

Rethink your position and get moving in the right direction. Take baby steps like reduce milk from whole to 2% to 1% to skim over time. This alone will lose weight and healthify your circulatory system.

Come see us at www.stressless.com

Watch out for the Pope-mobile!

Road Rage has now seeped into the Vatican as one of man's many vices with the issuance of the 10 commandments of how not to act in traffic or "what would Jesus do" when confronted with Road Rage?

Who among us has not secretly wished to annihilate the bastard that cuts you off while talking on his cell phone driving a high and mighty BMW? It is a common feeling which calls for restraint.

However, why haven't the marketing folks invented "Road Rage" equalizers that can dispel this poisonous venom while offering some sort of justice? How about a harmless paint gun with different colors representing various misdeeds inflicted by the perpetrator? Like red for cut in front of me; yellow for talking carelessly on the phone; pink for driving too fast; etc. The handheld gun could shoot 50 yards, not cause harm to the car, and wash off in 24 hours. This would be the equivalent of the Scarlet letter for the road violators and put all others on notice to watch out for this guy. They would not know what hit them until they stopped. Sounds inviting!

Until the products hit the market, we are left with our own wits to deal with the situation and the only counsel we can provide is to breathe deeply, count to 10 and forgive to other guy. Everything else results in needless and constant frustration, angst, and high blood pressure.

Let it go since you are not going to change this persons' behavior and probably never see them again. Concentrate on your good driving skills and set an example. Now of course, if the person is wreck less driving, DUI, etc., then report to police or 911. But overall, road rage is created by a non-caring individual who feels that they own the road and everyone else be damned. Those who believe in fair play and the rules will be offended by this, but retribution is the worst alternative since it generally ends in frustration or worse.

Relax, drive carefully and come see us at www.stressless.com

Mind Power

Oh, the awesome power of the mind and how little people know about their ability to control everything they see and do. It is the folks who figure out how to work the mind that get ahead and get comfortable with life. Those who don't, continue to go through the repeated mistakes of their past which has been programmed into them.

It is literally sitting on your shoulders ready for you to take charge and make things happen. It is not real hard, just requires some effort and tenacity and you can create a heaven on earth as Milton was want to say. So why do the vast majority of people do nothing or remain in negative territory?

Well, some explanations can be given for laziness, lack of willpower, and maybe ignorance. However, the information is being broadcast every day over the net for those that are interested. But, maybe the status quo is good enough and folks believe that where they are in life is just as it is supposed to be. After all, isn't everyone in the same boat? Aren't we all feed up with politics, war, and stupid people? Aren't we all depressed, hate our jobs and yell people who cut you off while driving?

Recent research is confirming the power of the mind and how positive thinking, gratitude, and benevolence actually help you feel better and change your brain chemicals. Is this God saying thanks or is this part of the secret of living right? The answer is not as important as the effort to change your thinking and get into the "feeling good" mode. It is yours to lose!

"It's amazing how good you can feel, when your mind is in shape"tm

Come see us at http://www.stressless.com/

Acute vs. Chronic stress

Acute stress is when there is a sudden accident or incident that startles you and your system into the stress mode. Chemicals are released into your body to "defend" you from the threat.
After the threat subsides, the chemicals stop circulating and your body reverts back to normal via homeostasis. However, when you have an issue that is constant, like financial, marital, or major health issues, then the chemicals continue to circulate and put your system on constant alert and bombardment. These chemicals can literally destroy your body systems and organs if allowed to continue.

Stress inoculation or the ability to practice "stress less" mind/body exercises are strategic weapons you have to reduce and control these chemicals. They involve prayer, meditation,relaxation programs, and cognitive change(autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization, self hypnosis, etc). The more you know and practice, the better equipped you will be to confront the inevitable conflict or stress event (illness,injury,death,etc).

We like to refer to it as your own stress currency which you build up and store in your mental bank. When you need it, you just draw it down to meet your needs. If you have not learned and practiced these exercises, you can learn and begin them when you face a crises, however, it will be more difficult since you are under siege and your thoughts have already created an inflamed level of emergency. It will take time and will not be as effective if you had already practiced and programmed your system to deal with the heightened stress.

So, why not start today and invest in yourself. It will pay huge dividends, help you enjoy life better and longer, and give you resiliency to face any potential crises.

Check us out at www.stressless.com

Stress Control

The basic definition of stress is your ability to deal with an issue. If you feel that it is beyond you, then your stress levels rise. Fear is the lack of control over your circumstances which leads to worry and stress.

So how do you avoid getting stressed? Basically, you learn to control your thoughts. So many people have been programmed with 'negative' thinking, that they are unaware of how they deal with issues. They have accepted the fact that their mind filters information through negative interpretation learned from childhood or some domineering partner/friend/adult. But, this cycle can be broken and changed to more positive thinking which will lead to a greater ability to deal with issues and to become more resilient.

The process is called Cognitive Change and involves the monitoring of your thoughts to isolate the negative ones and changing them to positive. It requires effort and time, but the results will
be life changing and your stress tolerance will increase dramatically.

Why not give it a go and see how you can literally rewire your brain to think and feel better!

We hang out at http://www.stressless.com/, come visit.

80/20 Rule

We pretty much subscribe to the 80/20 rule where 20% of the people account for 80% of the action. This could be in health care where 20% of the population account for 80% of the expenses/procedures, due to the seriousness of their problems or in the office where 20% of the staff are producing 80% of the profits.

So if this follows in the people that are stressed out, then 20% account for 80% of the serious stress related issues generally leading to medical problems. Over 41% of people surveyed say that stress accounted for their physical problems in the last year. If this is so, then why are they not doing anything to reduce the stress or to prevent it?

The problem seems to be inertia and lack of direct physical accountability/feeling for the condition. Since stress is circulating negative hormones throughout the body, the impact is not felt until down the line when the organ or system ultimately fails or is damaged (immune system, heart, etc). How many people wake up to health only after the heart surgery, cancer, depression, etc? We would venture to say most.

This is unfortunate, but true and the effort is underway to educate and convince folks that prevention and resiliency training is the best way to live a full, healthy life that can help prevent major catastrophes from happening. Not only will you be in better health, you will feel better mentally and physically. Why not start today?

Check in at http://www.stressless.com/

Comfort Zone Barrier

We all have our own "comfort zones" that we have created that serves as our emotional boundary areas. We tend to get settled into this area and do not venture out because it creates uneasiness and risk. Why upset the apple cart?

The barrier this creates results in a "no growth" policy and trying new things or new ways of doing things never get explored. The person feels comfortable where they are and they do not want to venture out due to the great unknown.

But it is the breaking of this "comfort zone" and venturing out that leads to a fuller, more experiential life. There is so much to learn and experience and a "comfort zone" mentality actually robes the individual of experiencing this growth.

We encourage you to begin the process of breaking out of your comfort zone and try new ways of doing things. Start simply. Instead of taking the elevator, walk the steps. Try a new way to work or to your friends house. Read instead of watching tv. Drink juice instead of beer. Then you can take on new challenges like learning a new language (great for brain building), going back to school or taking night classes, working for a local charity,etc.

Come see us at http://www.stressless.com/

Balance

Balance is the holy grail of stress management because you are keeping health, wealth, and relationships in sync with each other creating the greatest likelihood for happiness. The number of people who can achieve this is limited and the amount of time it can be sustained is also precarious. When it is all going in the right direction, there is a great feeling of achievement and satisfaction with life. However, when one of the wheels fall off, which will invariably happen, then the imbalance can throw off the best of them.

It certainly is the ultimate goal and one that requires a tremendous amount of effort and diligence, which is why most folks never get there. It is just to too hard and time consuming with delayed gratification. Rather drink, smoke,sleep, or drug myself into withdrawal.

The question is, if you do want to pursue the holy grail, what is best way to go about it? There are no pat answers since each of us are unique in how we approach the world. Values vary where some like physical fitness and some are relationship driven people and then there are the money hungry. There also is a lot of "when I ______________", I will get in shape or make money or mend my family, work, or friend relationships, or whatever". We do know that without your health, none of the other balance points can be achieved effectively. And without money, you can't tackle the other items. So, you have somewhat of a dilemma.

Our best advice is to begin all 3 in slow doses and work your way up. Exercise and health programs should start with a moderate regimen and work up with the important point of regular exercise. Health also involves eating properly and sleeping sufficiently. Wealth is relative but meeting one's basic needs is a start. And relationships take time..to mend old fences and to broaden your current circle. Forgiveness is the best medicine we can give and will free your mind up to more possibilities.

Go for it and it you need some support or help, see us at http://www.stressless.com/

Stress Badge

A seasoned marketing veteran told us one time that people "wear stress as a badge".
This certainly makes sense and if you open your ears to folks around you, everyone is bitching about this or that in their lives. Because it is happening to them, they are the sole universe and people outside have no idea how hard it is to deal with their issue at hand. Unbeknown est to them, everyone is dealing with something and some have a ton of bricks on their backs.

Resiliency is the ability to have "issues" and to deal with them. Some folks have the innate ability, but the majority have to learn the lessons of resiliency training. Matter of fact, most people have created obstacles to resiliency with their learned patterns of behavior over time. For instance, when people walk away from problems, it was a learned behavior trait early in their lives that made this tactic easier to cope with problems. Unfortunately, in order to solve problems and reduce your load, you have to confront the issue and attempt to figure out a way to eliminate it from your issue list. This also leads to an accumulation of problems that could become overwhelming.

So, the lesson is the learn how to confront the issue and work out solutions so you can retire your badge. What are you doing about your problems? Do you have a constructive approach to define and resolve the issue? If not, then start the process. Don't let fear of failure or success stop you. It is an ongoing process that you will incorporate until the day you die. The better you become at it, the happier you will become and confident that you can achieve anything.

Come see us at: http://www.stressless.com/

Plastic Minds

New research confirms the demise of the old way of thinking, which was you lose your brain cells and mind expansion stops after time. Your brain and wiring are fixed. Not so.

'Brain plasticity' is the new mantra and it means your thoughts create new neuronal pathways to permanently change your mind. It is why psychotherapy works as well as drugs..they both change the way the chemicals and electricity flow in your mind, correcting flaws. Stress, anxiety, and depression can be treated by cognitive behaviorial therapy which will help you change your thinking and the way your see and perceive your world.

It sounds easy and inexpensive and it is. However, it takes personal commitment to spend the time and energy to apply these techniques which fights the 'pill' mentality in our society. The unbelievable long term benefits that can be accured from learning relaxation techiques and meditation are immeasurable. Yet, people opt for either doing nothing or selecting poor choices to combat stress and anxiety.

What needs to be done to educate folks to the new way of living a greatly improved mental state of mind? Why is there such resistance? It really does not make sense when you have the power to control your thoughts and feelings to the better and you choose to feel bad or zone out on drugs.

Catch us at http://www.stressless.com/

Inaugural Post

We are just getting started in the blog arena and will need to cut our teeth a little before we get our sea wings.

However, we do want to come out strong with the statement that there is no stress that exists out there-it is only what you generate in your thoughts! Think about it. How you react and interpret situations determines your stress levels. But the big problem is everyone seems to be stressed, and some with legitimate conditions, however, very few ever do anything to constructively deal with their stress. Why is that? Maybe because the entire opulation is overweight or obese. Does anyone not know that eating while not exercising will add pounds? Sure they do, but they do it anyway.

Why do heart surgery patients fail to heed doctors' advice and still eat unhealthy, cholesterol rich foods? Because human behavior is the hardest thing to change in the universe! People are lazy and look for the lowest common denominator, not the road less traveled. Strange but true. We can talk ourselves silly with logical arguments to prevent physical conditions resulting from stress, but the human mind, particularly the western conditioned mind, wants it their way, when they want it, and health can suffer, even if it means death.

The only way to win the battle of conversion to sanity and health prevention is to convince folks it is all in their heads and they are the captains of their destiny. Your choice.
See us at http://www.stressless.com/