Mortgage stress

There are currently 14 million mortgages "underwater", or worth less than the amount owed, in the US with 6 million foreclosures in the last two years.

High unemployment or people with new jobs who can't move because they can't sell their houses, continues to pound the American psyche. Everyone is a loser.

There are 7 million homes in "shadow inventory" or bank owned homes sitting on their balance sheets that they either can't sell or will not sell because the prices are being kept down by the excess glut of homes on the market or foreclosed homes in the neighborhood. It is estimated that it will take 3 years to clear these homes off the books of the banks or mortgage companies that had to take them back. The current inventory of homes on the market is two times the average and will take an estimated 11 months to sell.

How in the hell are people supposed to cope with these impossible odds? The pure definition of stress is "lack of control" and with this scenario, it is impossible to escape the inevitable chronic stress which this dire environment creates for us all.

It is a situation that only facts and logic can help to ameliorate, but it still does not solve the problem. The millions of families that lose their houses or have to walk away is unprecedented and they are left with ridiculous options to continue living.

We believe the first order of business is to deal with your own personal situation in a rational and methodical manner. Get the facts, talk to professionals, review your finances, have open discussions with your family and friends and treat it as the "invasion" that it is. What can you do in a sane and legal manner to try and survive?

In addition, it is even more important to keep active and exercise, if you can, to burn up some of the harmful chemicals that are being secreted in your system due to the chronic stress (defined as continuous stress day to day). Meditate and pray. Communicate with your family and friends and discuss the reality of the situation and what your plans are to try and cope. Ask for advice from everyone you trust and let them know you are trying your best to overcome your dilemma. Everyone will understand and those that don't, screw them, since they are not worthy of your friendship.

Try to work out your finances with your bank or mortgage company. Don't be embarrassed or humiliated because of the situation, deal with it straight up because there are millions going through the same challenges, some with horrendous situations worse than yours.

It is going to take a few years to work itself out and you need to understand this as part of your overall plan. It will not be solved quickly and you are in for a long ride, so buckle your seat belt and confront it head on.

There will be sleepless nights, arguments, divorces, firings, relocations, bankruptcies and general carnage due to this mess and those that understand this will be better equipped to get through it and be better off for it.

It is all about "attitude" and those that face reality and deal with it accordingly will come out stronger and in a better mental state than those that choose to 'hide their head in the sand' or be embarrassed because they are in a humiliating situation.

Give it your best shot, be candid, and if you have a chance, stop by to see us at www.stressless.com

Top 10 Stress Facts!

1. Everybody experiences stress.

2. Stress levels will vary by person and their individual interpretation of the particular stressor. Most stress is self-perpetuated by inappropriate behavior or lifestyle choices.

3. The more severe the stress event, the longer it will continue to cause stress and the more physical and psychological damage it will cause to the body (heart attack, high blood pressure, anxiety, etc).

4. Almost everyone will complain of stress and wear it as a "badge.

5. The overwhelming majority of people will do very little to actively manage or reduce their stress levels by using proven stress management programs or techniques because it involves time, effort, and continuous self-discipline. Behavior change is hard and takes time.

6. Most people will utilize "harmful", negative behaviors to combat their stress levels, which only compound the problem (drinking, smoking, drugs, etc.)

7. The majority of people suffering from severe and chronic stress will eventually end up in their primary care doctors' office/hospital to treat their real or perceived physical symptoms as a result of their avoidance of engaging positive and proven stress management techniques.

8. The saying that: "You can pay me now or pay me later" will apply to all who ignore treating their stress with proven stress management techniques.

9. There is not a recorded medical case in history where an individual was sent to a doctor's office because they lived a lifestyle of exercise, relaxation, proper diet and nutrition, and "mindful" living!

10. Your mind is the most powerful mechanism in the known universe and when you learn how to use it properly, it can be programmed for good health, positive living, and happiness!

If you are interested in the lowest cost, most productive way to reduce stress and increase your health and happiness, come see us at http://www.stressless.com/!

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

The Secret of the Secrets!

It is downright annoying with all the so-called self-help gurus offering to sell you the next "secret" to life improvement- whether it be weight loss, peace of mind, financial rewards, stress reduction, better relationships, etc. We all know there are no "secrets" about anything. It just comes down to plain old common sense and "mind over matter."

The "secret" to weight loss has always been-take control of your mind and eat less and exercise more.

The "secret" to peace of mind is- take control of your mind and learn to meditate and practice mindfulness.

The "secret" to happiness is-take control of your mind and learn to love who you are and what makes you the happiest and just do it.

The "secret" to better relationships is-take control of your mind and learn how to defuse your ego

The "secret" to financial success is-take control of your mind and instill discipline.

All self help, which is 90% of all health improvement, boils down to personal discipline, self control and learning how to use the most powerful mechanism known to man-your mind. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people go through life listening to others or just cruising and never learn how to use this awesome device. They never take the initiative to learn how to program their greatest asset in life and therefore can never understand the absolute beauty,majesty, and power of mind control.

Think about it-You can lower blood pressure, improve immune system,generate body heat,lower breathing rate,heal wounds, increase immune system, and on and on. Monks have proven they can literally generate steam from wet towels placed on their backs in sub zero temperatures through meditation or mind control.

It just requires knowledge of the techniques, which are pretty much available anywhere on the web and a serious desire to learn and practice. Once you achieve control, you will be limitless!

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

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

Mind in Shape = Feel Good!

"It's amazing how good you can feel, when your mind is in shape®" is our trademarked slogan for a good reason. When your thinking is balanced, positive, and incorporates good healthy attitudes, you will feel better-guaranteed!

Research has proven that the best anti-depressant drugs on the market are really no better than a placebo pill-all because you believe that the pills work! This is the awesome power of your mind's potential.

Psychotherapy is also more effective than pills or placebos with dramatically lower relapse rates. Therefore, thinking correctly actually changes the chemicals in your brain to reduce the depression or anxiety on a permanent basis helping you to feel much better.

Since depression and anxiety are your mind telling you that your thinking is not correct and needs changing, then the effort to make sure you are programming your mind correctly from the beginning is certainly the right thing to do. And if you do end up with either depression or anxiety symptoms, then getting the right counseling to make the correction is much faster and longer lasting than doing nothing or trying to alleviate the condition with pills.

So, what is the secret for getting your mind in shape? No secrets, just the basics-exercise, balanced diet, positive thinking and spiritual awareness.

Why not start now and use the most powerful health device known to man-your mind!

Come see us at www.stressless.com.

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

This is what it is all about..learning how to use your mind to control your thoughts and your actions! Although things do and will happen to you, it is how your perceive those situations and adjust to them is what makes you successful.

Just think, if exercise were a pill, it would be the most prescribed pharmaceutical in the world!. We all know and understand the value of exercise for good health and prevention. It's just that the majority of people give it lip service and do nothing. Add to that the increased technology that gives us more time to sit and work/play on the computer and watch videos/TV, then it is easy to see how that two thirds of the US population is either overweight or obese from being sendentary.

Have you ever noticed the first thing the contestants say on "The Biggest Loser" TV show after they start to lose significant weight? Yep, it is how good they feel now. That is because they used their mind to convince themselves that they could lose the weight (financial incentives certainly help) and only because they devoted their willpower, did anything get accomplished.

We all have it sitting right between our ears. The most powerful machine in the world-your mind! If you can understand how it works and program your thoughts to achieve your goals and aspirations, then you will literally feel the power come to fruition and your life will change forever. It all rests with you.

One of the great all time advertising campaigns was for the United Negro College Fund with the theme line "A mind is a terrible thing to waste"! How true, not just for one race, but for all humanity. It really is a shame how many folks go to their graves either not knowing how to tap into this powerful force or refusing to put in the time and effort to program it. It truly becomes a total waste of potential and a fulfilled life.

Start to concentrate on yourself and training your mind for positive results and you will widen your worldview and benefit from all the wonderful beauty this world has to offer....and you will feel better as a result!

Come see us at www.stressless.com

It's always something!

Balance, and the effort to achieve it, are probably the most difficult challenges we all face in an effort to achieve peace of mind and contentment. There are so many constantly changing variables which can distract and derail even the most diligent and concentrated of folks around.

We have our health; finances; family and friend relationships; work environment; education; environmental factors; home and transportation maintenance; among the many that are constantly tugging at us with new and old conflicts. Just when you feel you have tamed the proverbial beast of tasks, something new pops up, sometimes unexpectedly. Even when you feel you may have mastery over these basic life conditions and you sit down to relax and bask in your achievement, it is invariable that something else will break down. It is during these seemingly tranquil moments when tragedy can creep in and devastate your world. The late night call of a family member dying in a wreck or your spouse announcing a divorce out of the blue or your spouse announcing they are gay and leaving you for one of the same can take your breath away and leave you shaken and totally out of balance.

So, is this the master plan? Are we never supposed to achieve bliss by getting our ducks in a row? Are we destined to continually struggle through life, never to achieve nirvana?

Although it seems so, maybe the lesson is we should never rest on our laurels and always work for personal growth. When you get complacent, there is also the tendency to get lazy and to readily accept the status quo. It is the growing up and out that is enlightening and fulfilling, learning wisdom along the way through the trials and errors of achievement and failure.

You can insure yourself of a stress less life through the satisfaction that you have recognized and accepted that these are the day to day obstacles we all face, and to be grateful with your situation, whatever it is, since there are always others with greater challenges than you. Sometimes it is not fair, but that is life, and you just have to learn to accept it or change it, if you think you can.

Everyone who walks into your office every day or who you see on the streets, started their day in the same basic way that you did, but they have different baggage they are carrying. Some are dealing with the threat of losing their home, life, job, relative, or maybe even their mind. They may have had a knock down drag out fight with their family member or were told bad news about their kids being suspended from shool, etc. You just don't know, but one thing is certain, we all head into the day with tremendous issues we are confronting and different attitudes on how to approach them. The ones with a realistic, positive approach to addressing their issues will be more physically and mentally prepared and will have their expectations firmly planted in reality.

Some will not, and will blame the world for their problems and wonder why nothing ever works out for them. If they could only re-frame their thinking into a new world view and realize that since the beginning of man, our efforts to balance the world we live in is a never ending, constantly changing challange.

We have to continue to try and achieve this balance, even though we know our efforts will always be required, since there is no finish line to life! Get your mind in the right place to take on the day.

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

Come see us at www.stressless.com.

Recession Stress!

 Let's face it, we are all in the same sinking boat. But just like anything in life, some of us have more obstacles thrown our way than others. Wherever you fit, you are not alone, and nobody has a good idea how long this economic 'tidal wave' is going to continue. So, what are some positive ways you can deal with it?

The first thing to do is quantify your situation and make a realistic assessment of your personal financial balance sheet. This will tell you, in no uncertain terms, what you need to do to keep your assets from becoming liabilities. Develop a "bare bones" budget, trim the fat, and cut unnecessary expenses.

Secondly, face the situation with a determined attitude that you will do everything in your power to survive. If you think and believe you can, you will succeed. Be positive and accept the fact that although life is tough enough, this recession is going to be temporary and will require some added strength of will and perseverance to get through it. Know that everyone faces the same situation, to some degree, and we are all trying to make it through.

Third, wake up every day and set aside quiet time to pray and meditate on your game plan. Use Guided Imagery to visualize your planned outcome and see yourself actually there, functioning in your new environment. Change is guaranteed. Embrace the change and be a catalyst for it.

Try to sleep and exercise regularly. Socialize, talk to family and friends, go to a coffee shop or grocery store and chat with folks. They are as scared and uncertain as you, but everyone likes to have someone to socialize and talk with.

Fourth, limit your media exposure to just key information and don't dwell on the constant negative news, it just reinforces the bad aspects of the recession.

Dust off your old hobby and get involved in a new project or pull out the "to-do" list and make things happen around the house for improvements. This will help you with your confidence and provide satisfaction that you have completed a worthwhile project, plus it will lessen your load of things to do. This accomplishment will add confidence to your mental arsenal.

Volunteer to help others and offer whatever you can of yourself or your things, including money, if you can afford it. Giving feels good and helps others. There may be someone on another level that will help you where they can. It becomes a self fulfilling mechanism to circulate positive energy and underscores that, we as humans, need other people to exist.

Some people have lost their jobs, some their houses, and some both! Although this is tragic, it is not the end. Accept the losses as happenstance and don't blame yourself. What you don't want to do is lose your health, both mental or body. For without your health, you are unable to do anything about your circumstances. There is a reason airlines instruct adult passengers to be the first to put on and use the oxygen mask before the kids. Kids are incapable of doing this themselves and rely on the adults or the healthy ones to be able to breathe.When you are incapable to put on a mask, you might die, and the same can be said for being in good health to weather the recession storm. ..you need your health to survive.

Understand that life is change and you are now experiencing fundamental societal and lifestyle changes that will probably be permanent. Adjust and keep flexible. It might be the best thing that ever happened to you when it is over.

Houses and jobs are replaceable... loved ones are not. Protect your family and work together to develop a plan that all understand their roles in making it happen. Communicate constantly, both the good and bad, so everyone knows where they and the group stands. Very important!

Your fear is based on what may have happened in the past or what you think the future holds for you. Live in the present and try to change what is in your world right now. Don't dwell on past failures or situations. They are history. The future is not here and it does no good to worry about it. Recognize you have a right and the capability to mold your future with your game plan. Make it happen!

Keep diligent. Don't give up. Think positive thoughts and give it your best effort. You will not be disappointed. The recession will end and you will be the better for it, after it is over, if you commit today to your plan.

Stop by at http://www.stressless.com/