Stress Less® Blog

Monday, February 15, 2021

The four fundamental stress management principles we subscribe to are plain old health management principles. This may be why so many people claim to be stressed out and having health problems due to stress (41%), since very few practice these skills.

Exercise, proper diet/nutrition, relaxation, and cognitive change (right thinking) are the core stress management principles we coach and they are the same for healthy living and preventative maintenance. Stress management may emphasize the mind/body areas more since the mind controls all thoughts and feelings, but the approach is the same.

So, if you can be healthier and reduce your stress by applying this principles, why don't more people do them? We think people are just basically lazy and our entire western economy is based on developing products that make your life easier. Just take a pill or tune out. Divert your thinking and it will go away. Unfortunately, this will work in the short term, but without fail, will bring disaster to those that disregard this advice.

Think about people you know who all of sudden have discovered walking or proper diet/nutrition after their arteries were clogged or their heart stopped. They are now converts, but before, they could have cared less. But, even then, study after study shows that people who have had open heart surgery will not stop eating fatty foods. I know one that was close to me-my father. After his surgery, he continued to go to Hardee's to eat the sausage and egg biscuit, even knowing the exact calorie/fat content!

Behavior change is hard after a "wake up" call, but even harder when you have to have self motivation to begin a stress/health program.

Don't wait until the system stops or backs up on you. Get moving in the right direction because you will feel better, look better, and your system will run better and longer if you do. If you don't, then it is only a matter of time until you will get out your wallet and your crying towel with "what if" scenarios.

Mosey on down to http://www.stress-less.com/ to see us.

Monday, February 8, 2021

Financial Stress

The recent purge of sub-prime mortgages have left many in uncompromising positions were they can't afford their payments and are losing their houses or condos. The horror of losing your home you have worked so hard for and not knowing where you can live has to be the most devastating feeling in the world.
The aftermath of credit issues and potential bankruptcy continue to fuel anxiety and dread. Couple this with falling house prices have left people "upside down" on their mortgages wiping out their savings and leaving no financial security for the future.
What in the world can you do to relieve this constant pressure and embarrassment? As always, the regular four stool stress management approach is a steady stress reliever assuming you keep up the routine...exercise, eat right, mind/body relaxation exercises, and cognitive "re-thinking". Friends and neighbors are a big plus as you go through the wake of destruction. Local non-profit credit agencies can also help you sort out your finances and get you back on track. Believe it or not, try your local banker for guidance since the last thing they want is to take back your house and sell it on the court house steps.
Many of the fears are unfounded and a solid dose of reality thinking will help you calm down and adjust. Go to reliable sources for facts. Ask questions. Read as much as you can and find other people in the same situation and talk with them about what they are doing.
Many of these problems were created by greedy lenders trying to put people into loans they should have never assumed. Some are just bad mistakes by individuals stretching their finances to buy above their head. Whatever the reason, the stressful condition will still exist. The quicker you get out of the obligation and get back to a conservative financial position, the quicker you will start to feel more in control and have less stress.
Come see us at our home www.stress-less.com

Monday, January 25, 2021

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.stress-less.com

Monday, January 11, 2021

Life is Tough-Relax!

We all learn how tough life can be with it's strange twists and turns and sometimes brick walls. It has a tendency to get your cortisol levels sky high. The adrenal glands, located on your kidneys, secret cortisol, called the "stress" hormone. It is involved in releasing glucose for proper blood sugar levels; immune function/inflammatory response; and regulation of glucose metabolism/blood sugar levels.

Cortisol is secreted at higher levels during stressful times or when you are in the "flight or fight response" mode. Higher and chronic levels in your blood help contribute to Impaired cognition; suppressed thyroid; blood sugar fluctuations like hyperglycemia; lower bone density; muscle tissue loss; increased blood pressure; reduced immunity and inflammatory responses; and a surge in abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body.

One of the basic tenets of stress management is know how to invoke the "relaxation response" in your body so your system can reduce the cortisol and return to normal. A low stress lifestyle or using some of the following techniques can help you cope: Meditation, breathing exercises; yoga; guided imagery; exercise; self hypnosis; sex; journaling; and music.

Start to increase your stress management skills today and come visit us at http://www.stress-less.com/

Monday, January 4, 2021

Blogging Stress!

It has been a while since we pontificated about stress on our blog although it has not been due to lack of being busy. We have been to China to set up some business relationships and have been developing new products and programs. As we have stated in the preface, we blog when the idea hits us, and in the little time we have had to post a blog, we quite frankly have been somewhat depressed over the unrelenting economy and the terrible effects it is having for all of us. It is akin to "piling on" in football...it never stops punishing the average joe and even those that have assets.

We read an alarming statistic that over half of US households would not be able to raise $2,000 in 30 days if needed for an emergency! This is roughly 50 million households at 2.3 people per household or over a 100 million souls. Not only does this "pull the bark off" how fragile our American society is financially, but exposes the tremendous social issues we all will face when these persons do have an emergency or need for the money, and believe me they will at some time. Where do they get it? Borrow, steal, sell the house or personal items? It will affect us all.

Patience and resiliency are learned skills and require desire and discipline. Since we are a pill popping society, very few will invest in themselves to learn these mind/body skills in order to cope with the inevitable consequences of financial shortfalls. The longer the economy continues to languish, the more fortitude we will all need. We are experiencing the real life saga of the world economy coming together for the first time and the immediate consequences of each countries' actions or failures. Our new high speed stock market computers have programmed sophisticated mathematical formulas based on certain scenarios and are making money when the market goes up and down. Unfortunately, the average guy does not have this advantage and has to witness his fortunes gyrate with the market. The "wealth effect" from have your 401K or retirement savings has been deflated and is forcing modification of all plans from time of retirement to lifestyle choices. Those who do not have significant savings or 401K retirement plans, are even worse off. They can not count on retirement and are relegated to working until they pass away, if they can even keep or find a job for this unknown period.

It is all very disturbing and depressing for all of us. Maybe we are also seeing the "real" unemployment rate for the future, which is partly due to our ability to create automatic machines that can do our work for us. We do this in the name of convenience and productivity, but it has real life costs to our society that is adjusting our thinking on the "new" world economy.

So, what is one to do? First, get centered and pray to your higher power for guidance. Second, learn how to meditate and force yourself to walk or exercise while eating fruits and vegetables and low calorie meals. Learn cognitive behavioral skills and think positive, since there is always a path out of despair. Be part of the solution and not part of the problem. It will not go away by itself, but how you view it and how you respond is the only change that will be meaningful, even if the basic economic situation continues. Remember, study after study shows the poor and impoverished that have very little material wealth, but family and friends, are the happiest of humans on the planet.

It is all in your head waiting for the change only you can make. Do it and you will feel better, and if we are lucky, things will also get better. Either way, you will approach each new situation with a positive, can do attitude and increase your resiliency to better cope with the reality we have been given.

Come see us at:www.stress-less.com

Monday, December 21, 2020

47% not satisfied with work!

A recent poll found that one half of all workers are not happy at their chosen field of work. This is disturbing news and underscores how work can be considered the number one stressor in people's lives. If you loved your work, you still are going to have stressful situations with people, deadlines, clients, etc. But, to go to work each day dreading the time you spend, it is no wonder it becomes even more stressful that it has to be.

You lack motivation, excitement for your tasks and co-workers, and are constantly thinking about how to move on to something better or the 'grass is greener' syndrome. Some people are never happy, but when you have one half of the working population saying they are not happy, then you have a lot of negative thinking going on which has to affect productivity.

So, how do we correct this societal problem? Part of the challenge is in the backgrounds of the workers. About 27% of people 25+years old hold a college degree or better. This means that nearly 75% of the working population have a high school diploma or less. This automatically categorizes most jobs into lower paying, low skilled labor positions which reduces the amount of control and creativity that can be used in the workforce.

Increasing education levels is one answer to the problem, but this is a slow build solution. On the job training and advanced educational opportunities is another on-going solution. Off shore manufacturing is taking away a lot of jobs and people are being forced to learn new skill sets or risk extinction. So, whether we like it or not, the labor force is going to have to advance educationally in order to survive in the rapid changes of our economy moving from manufacturing to service and higher levels of thought processing involved in the work. As this moves in this direction, people will hopefully start to connect their hearts with their brains and find work that likes them and they love going to each day. This is one way to start to reduce workplace stress.

Come see us at www.stress-less.com

Monday, December 14, 2020

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.stress-less.com/

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