STRESS SUCCESS QUICKIES by Helaine Z. Harris, MA, MFT Doesn’t Stress Success seem like an oxymoron to you? It sure did to me, at first! Keeping up with modern life is often complicated by the very technological advances and other conveniences that are meant to streamline our day, often creating even more havoc than we had before. We have the pressure of a tumultuous economy, and with the stock market and housing prices dropping, the stress factor has been increasing for many. It seems like stress has become a way of life. It is true that in small doses stress can motivate you and help you perform under pressure such as preparing for a presentation or studying for exams, however on a long-term basis, it creates a multitude of problems. Now is the time to bring your mind and body back into balance instead of being overwhelmed and stuck. You can protect yourself from the more severe effects of stress by first recognizing the symptoms and signs and then taking action to implement some healthier choices for yourself. What is Stress? With either a real or perceived threat, your body automatically goes into the stress-induced response, the “fight-or-flight” response. When this occurs, your body responds by automatically increasing your metabolism, heart rate and blood pressure, as well as releasing a flood of stress hormones into your body. The stress response is your body’s way of protecting you so in time of emergency, you stay focused, alert and energetic to save your life or protect your family. Chronic Stress The problem is our body is not capable of distinguishing between physical and emotional stress. Our bodies react to a ton of bills and traffic the same way it does to life threatening situations. The more our stress reaction is “on” the harder it is to turn “off”. In time it affects our brain so you may be more vulnerable to depression, anxiety, autoimmune disorders, and all kinds of pain. Over time, this type of stress has serious health implications for almost all of our body systems. Chronic stress significantly increases the risk of: • Heart problems • Stroke • Digestive problems • High blood pressure • Sleep disorders • Speeding up the aging process Believe it or not, stress can also affect men by decreasing sexual performance as well as the sperm count. In women stress can affect PMS, infertility, and menopausal hot flashes are often made worse. Eventually it affects your sex life. Do you really want this? It is important to assess your ability to cope with stress in healthy ways. Your attitude and feeling of control may influence its affect on you. Do you feel in charge of your stress or does your stress control you? This is an important question to ask yourself. So how do you know when stress has got you? The stress symptoms range from emotional, cognitive, behavioral and physical. Here is a partial list of our reactions when stress goes overboard: • Excessive anger and hostility • Anxiety • Depression • Difficulty concentrating • Constant worry • Moodiness • Isolating • Loss of sex drive • Increased aches and pains • Constipation or diarrhea • Eating more or less • Sleeping too little or too much • Increased addictive behaviors: cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, shopping, sex • Neglecting your responsibilitiesSimple Coping Techniques • Practice relaxation techniques such as yoga, breathwork, meditation • Reach out to friends, family and relationship partners • Increase physical activity: walk, hike, dance, ride a bike, exercise • Take a class that you enjoy • Join a group that is fun for you • Go out with friends • Play • Sing, write, play an instrument, journal • Get a massage • Laugh – Research has shown laughter is the best medicine. Stress Success Quickies 1. Breathing is one of the easiest and fastest ways to calm the stress response. I call this the Calming Breath. Breathe in to the count of four, Hold for four, Breathe out to the count of four, Hold for the count of four. Take about 10 breaths like this and notice what happens. As you become better at it, you can take and hold longer breaths. 2. After doing the Calming Breath, find a comfortable spot and just imagine a place in nature that feels good for you. Imagine your favorite time of day, notice the landscape, the air, smells and anything else that creates you being in this peaceful environment. Stay there for 5, 10 minutes or longer if possible. It is like a mini vacation. This is a type of imagery or self-hypnosis. When working with a psychotherapist who’s trained in hypnosis, you can do regression work to release the core of your stress on deeper levels. Some of the more profound healing methods that I find are great for everyone are EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), Hypnosis, Shamanic processes, Reichian work and Energy Medicine exercises. We are also using a biofeedback machine for some clients at our center. If you find you are getting overwhelmed, agitated or depressed, it may be time to get some help if you are not able to successfully cope with it on your own. Now is your time to release the stress in your life and enjoy a healthier, more joyous lifestyle and live longer. Here’s to your Stress Success!Helaine Z. Harris, MA, MFT, marriage and family therapist, teacher, lecturer and founder of An Awakening Center™, which blends over 40 traditional and alternative psychotherapies. She has 30 years experience and is the author of Are You In Love with a Vampire? Healing the Relationship Drain Game. She specializes in empowerment, relationship and career creativity. Helaine Z. Harris, MA, MFT www. hzharris. com 800 – 308-4372 818 – 782- 6869
Posts Tagged ‘Success’
Stress Success Quickies
Sunday, June 6th, 2010Stressed To Success Review
Monday, March 22nd, 2010
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Preparing for Home Business Success
Sunday, March 14th, 2010There are both enormous benefits and significant risks involved with working for yourself in a home-based business. You are totally reliant on your own skills and motivation to make a living, not to mention the smooth running of technology! Gone is the regular pay check and if you are typical of a new business operator, you will have a few rocky roads to travel before things go smoothly.
The many benefits of running a home-based business cannot be enjoyed until you get your new business on an even keel. You may find yourself initially working long hours for nothing while you get yourself established. One way to avoid this stressful period of business development is to start your business part-time and keep your current job while you gradually build your business. Alternatively, if you are well capitalized and can afford to take the time to build your business without being financially stressed, you can go through the process with less overall pressure and stress.
Most home-based businesses fail because people are not prepared. They may not have chosen the best product or service for them. Or perhaps they have not developed an effective business or marketing plan. It is important to take the time to gain the knowledge you need to become successful and to learn the necessary skills to get the best results.
The internet has opened up a world of opportunities to both learn about all aspects of business building and to even source products and opportunities to create your own home based business. Unfortunately, the internet can also be a trap for unwary entrepreneurs.
There are countless money making opportunities that promise rapid profits, fantastic support and guaranteed success. How do you sort through them and choose the best one for you? If you are looking to market someone else’s product either as a reseller or an associate it is very important that you purchase the product yourself first and make sure that you are happy with it. If a product is of poor quality, long term success is not possible. Choose a product that people use then need to repurchase. If you have to keep finding new customers because your product lasts forever then you have made things hard for yourself. Skin products, for example, are used and must be repurchased.
Finally, the health of the company is very important. How long have they been in business? How ethical are they? Research whether there are complaints on forums. If you invest your time, energy and money in building your business on the back of another company and it fails, you will lose your business.
Once you have done this and are in a position to implement a strategy designed to help you succeed, you can begin to enjoy the many benefits of working for yourself such as flexibility, better work/family balance, greater opportunities for wealth creation and let’s not forget massive time-savings because you do not need to travel to work.
If you lay a solid foundation when you are establishing your business, you will be able to build and enjoy a home based business you will be proud of.
Optimal Health, Living Stress Free, and an affirming Attitude for Success
Saturday, February 6th, 2010In order to live stress free, we must affirm our health and wellness. Living in optimal health means nothing unless we have learned to live stress free and have an attitude which aligns with success. Stress is a physical and chemical manifestation resulting from resistance against creative energy.
This resistance to creative energy becomes stagnant Chi or stagnant life-force. This stagnancy will cause joint pains, elimination and digestive problems, acidosis, and in some cases degenerative diseases.
So let us take a moment to discover how we can live stress free for optimal health and develop an affirming attitude which leads to creativity and success.
A wonderful way to start the process of living stress free for optimal health is getting our bodies in motion through exercise. Exercising gives us a fit body, but it also allows chi or energy to move about our bodies.
A sedentary lifestyle or just a sedentary job can still cause stress because your body is not in motion. Think about how many times you have sat at your office desk for hours. During this time, your eyes became tired and strained, your back ached, and your neck started to cramp. The moment you stood to your feet and stretched your arms above your heads and touched your toes, you begin to feel a release as if the blood in your body has begun to circulate again. And that is just what happened. Exercise no matter how simple gets the blood circulating. And when your blood starts to circulate, chi is no longer stagnant. With this release, your brain cells reactivate which sparks creativity.
Stress can also be eliminated with the practice of meditation and yoga. Yoga and meditation is a great way to affirm your health and wellness. Many people see yoga as exercise, but yoga is truly a science, a science which uses the anatomy of the body to move energy and chi to promote vitality, strength, concentration, present-moment awareness, and higher consciousness. Yoga coupled with meditation puts the universal law of purpose and intent into motion and guides the creative process. As the practitioner moves through the asanas (poses), he or she is in an affirmative state which not only aligns the spine, but aligns energy, thoughts, and eventually actions. Accordingly, with the power to promote vitality, stress is no longer a factor. Stress cannot live where vitality breeds.
Drinking water and maintaining a high water content diet promotes fluidity and the suppleness of our bodies. To experience optimal health and stress free living, it is a great practice to drink plenty of water and maintain a high water content diet. This can be accomplished by drinking plenty of pH balanced water, eating raw fruits and vegetables, juicing, and preparing fresh fruit smoothies.
In recent decades, our markets are being filled with processed foods which have no water. These foods tend to rob water from our joints and muscles. As a result the body becomes rigid and this leads to stress. By juicing fresh fruits such as apples, melons, kale, turnips, and celery, preparing avocado, agave nectar, and mango smoothies, or eating a fresh salad made with spring greens, avocado, fresh lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onion, we put this nutrient rich water back into our bodies. This water promotes flexibility and fluidity. As a result, our organs perform better and our excretory system removes metabolic waste and toxins at an appropriate rate. When our excretory system performs in optimal health mode, we feel light, our organs are not stressed. This leaves room for our minds to use energy for creativity instead of fighting off toxins.
This leads to another wonderful tool for stress free living and optimal health, the dynamic duo of fasting and detoxification. Unfortunately for many, the idea of fasting and detoxification brings up feelings of depravity. However, this is absolutely erroneous. Fasting and detoxification is a process of cleansing, replenishing, and restoration. In the process of cleansing for example, during a juice fast, the body is being cleansed of toxins, parasites, and metabolic waste including incrusted bile and fecal matter. This cleansing process gives the digestive system a chance to rest and this energy can be used for creativity which leads to an affirming attitude. And an affirming attitude is much better for our emotional and mental state.
Accordingly, while addressing our emotional and mental state, another practice which promotes optimal health and stress free living involves our connection to nature. Nature is such an innate part of us and many of us who lead busy lives forget our connection with nature. Taking our lunch in the park, sitting on a park bench and feeding the birds, walking the dog, planting and gardening, or just standing on our front lawn taking a deep breath allows us to connect with nature. Connecting with nature is a surefire way to relieve tension and stress both emotionally and physically. This connection with nature reminds our bodies on a cellular level to enjoy life, to see abundance all around us, and that we are very much a part of the continuum. With this reminder, we understand there is no need to stress.
And just what is an affirming attitude? Our attitude is an indicator to how we see life. An affirming attitude sees the good in life and therefore draws the good from life experiences. Remember, in order to develop an affirming attitude, the way in which we see life, we must let go of all that leads to stress and start to practice those things which allow us to experience joy, elation, love, affluence, peace, and order.
Stress is merely a signal that we are holding on to things which do not affirm our true selves. By practicing those things that help us maintain good health and stress free living, we develop an affirming attitude. This affirming attitude leads to direct alignment to creative energy. And when we are creating goodness, we will live in optimal health.
How to Achieve a Stress-Free Car Rental – 5 Keys to Success
Monday, February 1st, 2010The average car rental is a process that should be given more than last minute attention during travel. Unfortunately, many families (and business travelers) fail to do a few small things in advance that could lead to a more stress-free car rental travel experience. As any frequent traveler knows, getting the car rental right at the beginning of the trip can certainly result in a much more enjoyable trip for all concerned at the end. Below are 5 keys to a successful car rental that every traveler should make note of:
1. Do a little homework. As with any wise buying decision, even a little preparation can save dollars. For example, the wise and experienced traveler will make sure their own automobile insurance is up to date and sufficient for their planned car rental needs. It is widely accepted that travelers need not take the rental company insurance offered if their own coverage can protect them adequately. The only exception to this might be: lack of insurance because the renter does not have a personal car. In this case, the higher-priced rental company insurance is better than none at all.
2. Understand your rental agreement. Wise car rental customers will make absolutely sure they understand the terms and requirements of any car or vehicle rental agreement. This is a major part of preparation for travel and car rental, and should not be something that is studied only when a problem arises. Some details that should always be confirmed include: 1) How many miles are allowed per day (experienced rental customers agree that unlimited mileage is best for most travelers), and 2) Is the customer required to refill the gasoline tank when the car is returned? Rental companies generally offer a fuel option that allows the customer to pay up front for a tank of gasoline. This means that the driver can return the car without filling the tank. In most cases it is best to buy gasoline when needed, filling the tank just before returning the car.
3. Know what you are renting. While many travelers will actually consider insurance, mileage and gasoline when renting a car, most will not take the time to look at the car’s physical condition to check for dents, scratches and other appearance problems. Feedback from customers and customer complaints indicate that car rental companies will sometimes try to blame these problems on the current renter. To avoid this difficulty, wise car rental customers will point out any problems prior to taking the car, making sure that the company representative notes scratches, dents and upholstery problems, in writing. Tip: Experienced renters use their digital cameras to document any problems before driving away.
4. Look for value but pay for happiness. The car rental industry has grown quickly and now includes dozens of choices. This level of competition has led to reduced prices, even from some of the top-name companies. Of course, the best deal for the lowest price is everyone’s goal. However, experience in the field of car rentals has taught many people that the lowest price is not always the key to happiness. (It’s always a good idea to pay particular attention to the “howevers.”) As the choices expand, customers are tempted to choose lesser-known companies to save money. Many of these occasional renters assume that state and federal laws will protect them from any major problems. While it is generally true that the “name-brand” corporations and many smaller companies will provide a quality, worry-free experience, problems can arise with some of the smaller start-up businesses. The wise renter will be sure to clear up any doubts about terms and car conditions, especially with smaller fleet businesses. The pressure of creating and growing a business may lead some to cut corners. In the end, the customer may have to pay for that pressure.
5. Stress the small details. There are a number of items in the small print of rental agreements that can add to or subtract from the overall cost you finally end up paying. Two that should be understood fully at the start are: 1) Return requirements – Is the original renter required to bring the car back to the same location? There may be a charge for returning the vehicle to another site. 2) Will there be an extra charge if the driver is under a particular age. Companies may include a surcharge if the driver is under 25, for example. These are the most popular and can mean hidden charges at the end of your trip you weren’t counting on. Make sure you read the small print and ask questions before driving that rental car of the lot.
Vacations can be hectic enough without adding the stresses of a bad car rental into the equation. The mistakes that the average traveler makes when renting a car can end up costing him or her money in the end. Wise travelers can avoid these mistakes by following the five tips above to achieve a successful stress-free car rental.
