Friday, December 5, 2008

Financial Stress




We all have it, some worse than others. It is really the number one stress issue among all mankind since it also is so closely tied to work.
Arguments with your significant other, children, friends, relatives, just name it and it happens.Why, because not only is money tied to personal value systems, but it is basic to survival. The stories that are out there due to the current crises is all too familiar and tragic. Some have come from basic greed, whether a lender or borrower. Some from ignorance, others from just bad timing or luck. But, we all suffer in one way or another.
The stress is constant and torturous which leads to chronic conditions like destroying body cells and lives. To a great degree, it is unavoidable and is just a fact we all have to deal with, whether you elect to or not. Those that recognize the condition and act, will come out ahead, not necessarily with the money problems solved, but with better health and clarity of thought. And in the end, that is really all that matters.
Listen to the victims of the California brush fires talk about losing everything and many without any insurance to cover their losses. The wise ones talk about " it was just a house and we still have each other" and "we are forced to start over and that has a certain ring or excitement to it". You may lose significant emotional items, but you never lose the memories, and without a clear mind and good health, what good are they anyway?
The majority of folks have no stress management plan and do not exercise, meditate, know how to relax,have a social network or give themselves to community projects. They will suffer the most. It is never too late to start and the sooner the better. Years of poor health and sedentary behavior can be overcome and quite frankly advance your biological system to survive years beyond it's current path of destruction. It just takes will power and commitment.
Why not change your life for the better and start your stress management program today. It will add years to your life and life to your years. You will not only feel better, but think better, and feel better about all the things and people around you.
Learn to forgive, pray, practice mindfulness, give daily thanks for all that you do have. Be glad that you are here and have a chance to get better and therefore make your life and those around you the better for it. The alternative currently is not very attractive!
Maybe it is a wake up call to all of us to just look what a great and fantastically complex human system we have that has evolved into the spiritual beings that we are. Once you break the cycle of your currently ill learned thought process and learn to see the world from a spiritual plane, then everything changes to wonder. You will not have enough time to enjoy all that life has to offer. So, make the effort, you will never be sorry and will stress less.
Come see us at www.stressless.com

Thursday, July 3, 2008

The value of social contacts


Humans have a powerful instinct to socialize and to establish contact with other humans. It is in the DNA! A positive connection also creates a molecular change in our brains that helps to reduce stress and provide a comfortable feeling of being in good company. This need and benefit to connect has always been assumed, but is now getting scientific proof that it actually improves the psychology and biology of each person involved.
Of course, we all have our negative connections with co-workers, family, and friends. One day we are in love or have a great relationship, and the next day we are suing for divorce, quitting the job, or become estranged from family or friends. It's just the human condition and it has not changed since day one, or will it. But we all have felt the negative feelings of discomfort with an awkward situation with others and how great you feel when you are in love or have a closeness with family, friends and co-workers. All these feelings are produced by thoughts and they all alter our chemical composition in our brains.
There are more and more people becoming estranged and separated from friends and family as the single population has grown larger than the married segment, and the baby boomers age older and their spouses die or divorce. They all still need connections.
One of the great ways to connect, whether to stay connected or reconnect, is to send greeting cards. They are available for every conceivable event or occasion or you can invent your own. People appreciate a card since it shows that the other person cares enough to send you one and gives you a great vehicle to respond. E-greeting cards are benefiting from this trend and provide and easy and inexpensive way to connect.
Why not reconnect with someone you have not heard from in a long time or heal a wounded relationship with a greeting card. You will feel better, they will feel better, and you will help to reduce your stress. A real win-win situation!
Come see us at www.stress-less.com to learn how to reduce your life stress and to life a happier life.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Stress Management is Personal Improvement!


Stress Management is all about personal improvement and one's motivation to change their lifestyle for the better. We all know we are all stressed out at work and home with money, relationship issues topping the charts for cause and effect.
To our surprise, the majority of folks wear their stress as a "badge" to let everyone else know how bad it is for them getting attention and sympathy. However, those that want to reduce stress and their life, will "get it" that it takes a major, personal commitment to engage in stress reduction activities.
Let's see, they involve getting exercise,eating right, learning how or taking the time to relax and detach, and changing their thinking. All of these take concentration,effort, trial and error, and long term change which is what the vast majority will not do. Why? Generally, because it takes effort and discipline which people do not want to engage in. It is much easier to watch tv than the walk or jog. A good hamburger and fries tastes a lot better that baked fish and greens.
So, the reality is that for the people of the world to reduce stress and learn how to life better and longer lives, they must pass the threshold of the benefit of short term pleasure to long term satisfaction. It is a process and needs to be ingrained into the fabric of your existence that planning the 4 step process of exercise,eating right,relaxation, and mind change is a life long pursuit that will pay off in spades. But first, you have to convince yourself!
Start the process and come visit us at www.stressless.com

Monday, January 14, 2008

The Solution is the Problem!


Stress Management is the art and science of convincing yourself that you are worth the extra time and effort to eat right, sleep properly, exercise regularly, and work on your positive mental affirmations. We all know what to do, but very few make the change to get "in the groove". The most common excuse is "not enough time", "too busy", etc.
Not that the excuse is not valid and some people literally have schedules or commitments so numerous that adding another layer of time commitment would shatter their minds! However, it becomes a time management challenge to determine what trade offs can be made to schedule exercise, meditation, relaxation, and proper eating/sleeping into the daily mix. To add them all at once could be problematic, but just as you break down tasks to tackle one objective at a time, this can also work with readjusting your daily patterns.
What about waking up or going to bed a little earlier so you can meditate, get more sleep? How about going to the gym before work (recent articles show several folks who get to the gym at 4:30am before work due to children or other conflicts) or after work? Instead of watching TV, go to a quit room and meditate. Start to replace whole milk with skim, toss out the cookies and replace with apples,oranges, bananas, or nuts. Reduce portions and think "calories".
All of these and more are the ways you can start to turn your life around to feel and be better. Losing weight and knowing you are doing exercise to improve your health ups your self esteem and literally makes you feel better and increase your metabolism. Weight training helps burn more calories and starts to define your body leading to lower weight and higher self esteem.
There is nothing bad in any of the activities and nothing but good in the result. In addition to getting in shape and feeling good, you will be increasing your stress tolerance when the inevitable crises enters your life.
The reason airlines want to adults to use the oxygen mask first is that you need to be capable to help younger/older, less capable people. The same applies to being in shape and having stress tolerance.
It is the toughest transition you will make, but when you finally decide to include the "four leg" program of exercise, mindfulness, eating and relaxation into to your lifestyle, you will be a content, happy person, with stress resiliency and longevity.
Come see us at www.stressless.com and let us help you get in the groove.
Stress Coach