Take a Deep Breath

In our society of ever increasing use of prescription drugs to reduce stress levels or anxiety, many entrepreneurs are too quick to grab for a bottle – some type of magic pill to solve their stress or anxiety issues. 

In fact, you may have noticed that in an age of fast food restaurants, drive thrus, microwave ovens, and blackberries, it seems that our demand for instant satisfaction has surfaced in every area of our lives.  And as a result, it impacts our emotional well-being on a monumental scale.  And I have often said to others … if only I could get the world to stop spinning for just an hour or so, then I could truly relax and feel better!

In this article today, we’re going to discuss methods that you can use to help you to SLOW DOWN, and take some time to enjoy life in our fast-paced society.

Whether you’re a work-at-home entrepreneur, or an employed individual working for a corporation, the opportunities to escape from our work lives get tougher with each passing year.  Email, instant messaging, cell phones and black berries have even made it impossible for some – and feel they are strapped to their desks 24/7.  And if this sounds like you, you might even resent the fact that you can never seem to “get away” from work.

Whether you love your job or your hate it,  if your thoughts are always on work (whether you’re at the office or not) it will eventually come to a head … a point where your world will come crashing down and you will have reached a breaking point.  To prevent this from happening, the first step is to come to realize that you’re headed down that road.

We all have different methods of coping with stress.  And often one of the first areas that we sacrifice is adequate sleep.  Whether it’s intentional or not, we may find ourselves, awake too late into the evening, or even waking up throughout the night.  And when morning eventually arrives, it doesn’t feel like our sleep was restful.

You may have heard some people say that a change is as good as a rest.  And there’s definitely some truth to this statement.  That’s because when you change to a different set of activities you are not only thinking about different things but also exercising different muscle groups in our bodies.

Take for example an individual who works at a computer throughout the day.  Physical stress on the body includes the back, arms, wrists, hands, and eyes.  By sitting in an adjustable chair – or switching to another one close by, you are modifying the posture of your body.  A simple adjustment up or down (even as little as one or two inches).  This reduces the stress on all these muscle groups that are being used and strained throughout the day.

Other minor changes that you can do to your work environment are to ensure that your computer monitor is at the ideal height for your body, and to make sure that no part of your body stretches too far as you reach for your mouse, keyboard, or other input device.

By placing your printer “out of reach” rather than within arm’s length, you force yourself to stand up and perhaps walk a few steps to retrieve your printed documents.  Once again, this is because a change is as good as a rest.

People who work in a corporate office or other large company often enjoy scheduled breaks or brief chats at the water cooler.  If you’re working alone at home, this is sometimes harder to do, and you might even feel unnecessary.  But by including short breaks in your day (even if only for five to ten minutes), productivity will increase and you’ll more than make up for the few minutes that you have taken away from your busy work time.

So in conclusion, remember that a change is as good as a rest.  Identify ways that you can incorporate CHANGE into your work day, and your body will feel less impact from the stress of sitting in the same position, hour after hour, day after day.

Stress Free Living Tips for Dads

Many people think that dads have the easy job, but this is not true.  When you look at the job of a dad you’ll see that they are expected to move easily between their professional and family lives, all the while remaining calm, relaxed, productive, and attentive. 

If you’re a dad you are likely experiencing stress on a daily or weekly basis.  There are some great stress management tips that you can work into your life so you can continue to be the very best dad you can be, regardless of how old your children are.

Stress Relief Tips Just For Dads

1. Make sure that you are taking care of yourself.  Not only does your family count on you being well, so does your employer, friends, and others.  Eat right, get enough sleep, and make sure you are taking vitamins.  When you combine these things, you help to fight off stress by building up your immune system so you are more likely to be healthy.
2. Be a member of a team.  Make your family your team.  If you try to do everything on your own, you will suffer burnout in short order.  When everyone pitches in around the house, you will find that you have a lot less stress overall and you can be a more attentive and involved father.
3. Make time management a priority.  When you are a parent you have a lot of different things vying for your time.  That’s why you’ll want to manage your time well so you can be where you need to be, when you need to be there.  You can do simple things to make your life and the lives of your family members easier. For example, create a chores schedule, work together with your spouse to prepare meals ahead of time, or create a schedule to pick up the kids.  When you manage your time you will be able to get more done without the headaches.
4.  Create a support network.  When you are stressed out or angry you should be able to talk to someone to vent. Sometimes just being able to say how you are feeling or what is stressing you out can help a lot.  Your support network can consists of your spouse, friends, or even family members. 
5. Communicate with your spouse.  When you have kids it can be difficult to get a full thought out in one breath because of constant interruptions.  That’s all the more reason to make a concerted effort to communicate well with your spouse.  This will allow you to work better as a team so the family unit functions well, but it will also help you be attentive to one another’s needs. After all, you need to love and support each other first!

Being a dad is a rewarding experience, but it can also be stressful at times.  The strategies mentioned above can be worked into any dad’s schedule so stress is always kept in check.  When you start to incorporate these strategies into your life, everyone will benefit because a relaxed dad is a friendly, interactive, and present dad and that is what every child wants and needs from both of their parents. 

The great thing about these stress tips for dads is that they are easy to incorporate into your life, so becoming less stressed doesn’t need to be a stressful experience!  Take action, today, to proactively manage your stress and your entire family will benefit.

Stress Free Living Tips for Moms

Being a mother will likely be one of the most difficult things you have ever done, but on the other hand, it will be one of the most rewarding jobs of your life.  As a mother, you often forget to take care of yourself because you’re caught up in the madness that is life.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a stay at home mom or you work outside the home, being a mother is stressful!  Luckily, there are some great strategies to help you deal with mom stress.

Stress Tips For Every Mother

Get the kids on a schedule.  The best thing that every mother can do for herself is to get her kids on a schedule and keep them on it.  When you try to stick to a routine you’ll feel more comfortable handling breakfasts, lunches, naps, and bed times.  When you don’t have a schedule, you may begin to feel scattered or disorganized and your stress levels will increase exponentially!  Things are always unpredictable when kids are involved, but when you have even the simplest structure, your days will be a little more predictable and you’ll save your sanity!

Don’t be afraid to put yourself in time out.  Many mothers feel like they just have to keep pushing forward when they are about to come unglued.  Moms get stressed and often need to take a breather, just like kids!  Instead of continuing to push forward when you are about to snap, walk into another room and just breathe deeply for a few minutes.  While you are breathing, picture how you would like to respond to the situation and then remind yourself that it is important for you to follow through in a calm manner. After all, you’re a role model for your children.  A minute or two in “time out” can make for a great day for the whole family!

Eat healthy.  If you ask 100 moms what their diets are like, at least 85 of them will look at you and cringe.  Unfortunately, there’s a tendency to just eat what you can, when you can.  Even if you are on the go you need to make a conscious effort to eat well.  When you eat nutritious foods, you are providing your body with the energy it needs to keep up with your kids and cope with the stress you encounter every day.

Create a support system.  Teaming up with other moms makes a great support system.  Even if you can’t get together every couple weeks, it is nice to know that you have someone you can call who won’t question your abilities but will just listen and empathize.  All mothers feel the stress that comes with the job, so make sure to surround yourself with other moms that will be happy to listen to you when you need a shoulder to lean on; and be sure to return the favor!

Make time for yourself.  As a mom, you may forget that you’re important too! This is why you need to make time for yourself every day.  You may think that there is no time, but there is if you get help or if you sneak in some relaxation after the kids go to bed or before they get up.  Give yourself a manicure or pedicure, drink that cup of tea slowly, read a book, take a long bath, or get a massage.  Your relaxation time doesn’t have to be extravagant, but it needs to be there.  Even 15 minutes every day can make all the difference!

More Stress Tips For Stress Free Living

1. Avoid negative people
2. Use time wisely
3. Simplify meal times
4. Always make copies of important papers
5. Anticipate your needs
6. Repair anything that doesn’t work properly
7. Ask for help with the jobs you dislike
8. Break large tasks into bite size portions
9. Look at problems as challenges
10. Look at challenges differently

How Yoga and Meditation Can Help You Balance Your Mind and Body

 Yoga and meditation are both great activities for bringing your mind and body into harmony with one another. They can keep you calm and centered and may even help shield you from disorders of the mind and body.

 Yoga and meditation can be practiced separately or together, although in order to fully get the benefits of a yoga practice, you’d technically be meditating while you’re centered on your yoga breathing.

Once you’ve begun yoga and meditation practices, you can continue to deepen them by practicing every day. Persistence pays off, especially in the beginning while you’re still forming this healthy habit.

 When you practice yoga and meditation consistently, you’ll feel the harmony forming between your mind and body. You’ll also look forward to your daily relaxation session that makes you feel so good! In the end, you’ll wonder how you could have ever waited so long to give them a try.

How To Relax 3 Simple Tips

Everyone experiences times throughout the day where you just wish you could relax for even a few minutes.

You already know that relaxation helps your body re-energize, but sometimes you’re so busy and caught up in the moment that you just don’t have the time to unwind.

Well, fortunately there are simple ways to relax, even during your busiest days, that don’t require a lot of time or equipment.

Here are 3 Simple Relaxation Tips:

1 . When you’re in line at the grocery store: Instead of stressing out because there aren’t enough cashiers and every line has 5 people with heaping carts of groceries, use that time to relax your body by taking some deep breaths.

• Deep breathing helps increase the oxygen in your blood. Your blood then circulates that extra oxygen throughout your body helping your inner systems recharge.
• Taking five slow deep breaths will do the trick. The proper technique is to inhale and exhale deeply through your nose and out your mouth.
• Not only will deep breathing help you relax, it’ll help to clear your mind, reduce brain fog, and you’ll feel much more alert and ready to tackle the next project on your plate.
• Deep breathing can be done anywhere when you’re feeling stressed or just want to clear your mind.

2 .  When you’re at work: It’s often hard to find time to relax at work. You might even get in trouble if you’re caught “relaxing.” Oh the horror! However, there are some techniques you can do while you’re at work to help create a sense of calm that aren’t so obvious to others.

• If your job requires you to sit at a computer all day, make sure you get up and move around for a few minutes every hour. This helps circulate the blood throughout your body. Just moving the blood flow will make you feel more alert and focused.
• While sitting at your desk, roll your head around, from side to side and from front to back with your eyes closed. This technique helps to relieve neck tension, increasing blood flow to your brain, which is a natural and easy way to relax.
• If you’re on your feet all day, stretch out your back and sides by standing with your feet firm on the floor, shoulder width apart, and twist your upper body, including your head, slowly from side to side. This will loosen up your back muscles and spine, releasing tension throughout your body.
• During a break or lunchtime, go for a walk. Walking is a great way to clear your mind and your body will benefit from the extra exercise as well.

3.  When you’re rushing through a busy day: Take just a few moments to daydream and escape the busyness of reality.

• Daydreaming lets your imagination flow, causing instant relief from the stress of the real world.
• Think of a place or experience that makes you feel happy or calm. Imagine how it smells, how the air feels, and who’s around.
• After five minutes of a calming daydream you’ll feel relaxed, reenergized and ready to face the real world again.

Stop Stress Beat Cancer

It’s October which means it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 
 
Did you know that 75 – 90% of all doctors visits are for stress related illness  including Cancer!  Kinda scary isn’t it?
 
To honor breast cancer survivors and pay tribute to those that did not survive I decided to do something special.  My first, order of business is to remind you to take care of  your health.  Secondly, to let you know I understand how stressful building a business can be.  So to support you in your business building efforts I’ve lined up a few folks that I felt would give you some great resources that would help you to reduce your stress and build your business.  The more you manage your stress the more effectively you can build your business finding and working with  your ideal product and market
 
This giveaway is  filled with complimentary gifts from people like
Felicia Slattery, Ronnie Nijmeh, Maritza Parra,  Melanie Jordan  and more. You’ll find incredible  tools to help to deal with
the stress that comes with running a growing business.

So grab those gifts now at http://www.StopStressBeatCancer.com they’ll only be available until October 31st.

Reflection – As I Let Go Of Perfectionism, I Feel The Burden Lifted From My Shoulders

As I let go of perfectionism,  I   feel  a heavy burden lifted  from my shoulders.

I release the thought  that I must do everything  without a single error or misstep. No one  is perfect and  striving to be superhuman only  brings stress and  disappointment. As the thought dissipates,  so, too, do the pressure  and stress I had put upon  myself.

I can do an excellent job in my work without requiring that every project be absolutely  perfect. When I think about it, I realize that any project, no matter how good, can always be improved  upon  in some way. So the pursuit of perfection  is insatiable.

I can receive wonderful  results in other areas of my life without having to be perfect.

Spending  time with my spouse  and children brings all of us joy. I do  not have to be perfect to love  and  be loved. My family members  do not have to be perfect for me to love them. We love each other because  of who we are, faults and all.

Wouldn’t life be boring if everyone  were perfect? Our unique  qualities bring variety and excitement to life. In the same way, wouldn’t I be boring if I were perfect? I see now that being imperfect is more
than just fine. It is very good!

Striving to be flawless is counterproductive to living  a fulfilling life. Why spend  time working toward an impossible  goal when I could be using that same time to achieve goals that are real?

Rather than adding to my stress with impossible  goals, I choose  to fill my life with gratitude,  peace,  and happiness.

Today, I choose  to be imperfect! I set achievable  goals that I know I can accomplish  and I feel great about them. I feel free to accomplish  my goals now that the burden  of perfectionism has been lifted.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Do I require  perfectionism from others or myself? Why?
2. Do I feel I deserve  to be loved, even though  I’m imperfect?
3. What are my goals today? Can I achieve them without being perfect?

In A Rut? Then Stop Settling And Start Sizzling

Ok you’re trying to find your way to live a stress free life or at least reduce your stress to a dull roar.  But, it looks like you’re stuck in a rut. Are you bored with your life and the same routine day after day? Of course you can’t be happy like this!

There’s an exciting world out there with a lot to offer. Deep down you know you want to get out and take a big bite of it (and not let it take a big bite out of your).  Sure, it may be a bit overwhelming, and even scary at times, but you can’t let your life just pass you by.  Personally I let a lot of years pass me by – but no more.  It’s never to late to start sizzling.

It’s time to live those dreams, take a leap of faith, and get out of your comfort zone! But how do you get started?

Read on for some valuable tips and suggestions to help you be all you can be, now and always:

1. Decide what you want to do. Put your fears aside and step outside of your comfort zone. If you could do anything without fear, money, or time being an issue, what would you choose?

• Make a list of everything you would like to accomplish someday. It doesn’t matter how crazy or outrageous you may think it is, just write it down.
 
• It also doesn’t matter if your list has three or thirty-three things listed. Just search your heart and your mind and write down what you would really like to do.

2. Faith. It’s important to have faith to see your journey until the end, yet this may be one of the hardest qualities to develop. Remember how it feels to be stuck where you are with no excitement and no real purpose. You know things can be better than they are now, but how?

• All you need to do is believe in yourself. You know that countless people before you have lived their dreams, so why not you? What makes them so different?

• There really is no difference between you and others, except for the belief in the possibility for great success. You can be just like they are; you just have to believe you can do it!

3. Don’t keep it a secret. If you’re ashamed of how you’re feeling, you shouldn’t be. Many people find themselves in the same predicament. The only thing that should embarrass you is if you intentionally decide to stay in that rut! Do yourself a big favor and open up to someone you trust.
 
• Whether that’s a parent, spouse, or best friend, tell them that you’re ready to make a change in your life and they’ll be able support you throughout your journey. They’ll encourage you on the good days and cry with you on the bad days.

• Most importantly, they’ll be there to support you throughout it all. It’s just what you need to achieve great success!

4. Take the first step. It’s time to take that first leap of faith. As much as you want to step outside the box and get out of this rut, nothing will happen without taking that first big step.

• No matter how frightening you may be, you need to focus on the big picture and the pot of gold at the end of that rainbow. Muster up all the encouragement and support you can find and just do it. Once the first step is accomplished, it gets easier!

• You deserve to be the best that you can possibly be, and deep down inside you know this. You’ll be so glad you took action – and you’ll be so proud of yourself when you celebrate at the finish line!

No one enjoys being in a rut and just going through the motions of life. Don’t let your fears hold you back. After all, this is a wonderful world that you deserve to enjoy to the fullest!

Go out and experience everything life has to offer. Take that first leap of faith and you’ll never look back again!

Developing Your Inner and Outer Strengths

Stress free living is all about finding your strengths.  Everyone has unique talents and strengths, but whether you’ve discovered and actively developed them is the real question! Maybe you have been told that you’re good at something, but your let your skills go untapped while waiting for the confidence and courage activate.  You may be in for a long wait.

There are even some people whose self-esteem is suffering to the point that they truly believe they don’t possess any talents at all! If this is you, please believe that your talents are there, just waiting to be revealed to you!

These tried and true strategies will help you develop your strengths to their full potential:

1. Research. Perhaps you think that you’re strong in one area, but you aren’t completely sure. This is where you need to look into things that interest you or that you believe you might be good at. See what resources are available and what it would take to make the commitment to strengthen your strengths.

2. Patience. Developing your strengths to their full potential won’t occur overnight. To fully develop a talent, you must be patient. Patience is not easy and many of us tend to struggle with it. But if you can be patient, you’ll definitely reap the benefits at the end of the process.

• A useful way to think of developing your talents is to consider it as a journey. It may take a while, but you’ll learn a lot along the way.

• You’ll make mistakes and celebrate milestones, and by the time you’re done, your strength will be fully developed to the peak of your abilities.

3. Set goals. People are more successful when they set goals. Write down what you’d like to accomplish and what date you’d like to achieve this by. Remember to be realistic and review your goals frequently to keep yourself on track.

• Post your goals in places where you’ll see them throughout the day. The refrigerator, bathroom mirror, and your computer monitor are a few ideas. This will not only keep you on track, but it’ll also motivate you to reach these goals as quickly as possible.

4. Believe you can do it. Confidence can be one of your greatest strengths and assets. When trying to improve yourself in any capacity, if you truly believe that you’re able to accomplish anything, you’ve won half the battle.

• The battle with your mind is often greater than any challenge you face in reality.

• You may have tough days when you’re unsure of yourself, but as long as you get back on track quickly, you’ll build momentum.  Remember, you can do this!

Final Thoughts on Developing Your Strengths

Strengthening your strengths may be a daunting and overwhelming journey at times. And, yes, it will take some work. But everything worth anything involves hard work!

It’s important to focus on the big picture and remember the rewards you’ll enjoy once this process is over. Also, ensure that you have the unwavering belief that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.  By possessing these two attributes, you’ll be on the road to success in no time!

Just For Today Don’t Allow Stressful Thinking To Affect You

You  encounter stress from day-after-day, but how you deal with stress determines whether it moves you forward or holds you back. Stressful thinking is frenzied, inaccurate, and unreliable, even so a lot of  you go through life thinking and behaving in stressful ways. Many of you assume that this is the way life has to be, and there is no getting around it, but this is certainly not the case! 

Silencing negative thinking may be easier than you ever imagined it could be, but it begins with a positive thought.

Negative Thinking, Positive Aspirations, and You

Negative thinking not only controls the way you approach life, but it also can affect your body, mind, and relationships. When you substitute negative thoughts with positive ones, you have the ability to move ahead in a healthier and more productive way.  With adequate time and effort, you’ll be able to alter your thought process, and it all begins with just a few words.

The Power of A Few Words…

When you see a list of affirmations, you see nothing more than a list of words with idealistic phrases that do not seem to apply to your thinking. If you look closer at each affirmation, you may find that many of them summarize the way you would like to think.

When you see a positive phrase that speaks to you, hold  onto it and use it to wipe out the negative thought you want to eliminate. Basically, you’ll be replacing your negative thinking pattern with a positive approach. This is what positive affirmations are all about!

Affirmations are positive statements that stimulate your mind to achieve all of the great things you would like. Words have the ability to move mountains because they can evoke emotions within you.  If you use an affirmation that speaks to you on a deep level -“ and you reaffirm it by repeating it often“ you can make the statement your mantra and your reality.

If you are overcome by negative thinking to the point where you believe no affirmation can work for you, don’t lose hope! There are many affirmations that can help you deal with just that!  Using an affirmation such as, “Negative thinking is not my way of thinking” will give you the ability to alter your thought process and your life. It may feel awkward at first, but as you reaffirm the positive emotions you desire, your negative thinking will be replaced with positive thoughts.

There are a lot of different affirmations to help you with negative thinking.  Something as simple as, “Negative thoughts cannot enter my mind” will allow you a moment to replace anger and frustration with a positive thought.

Does this sound too good to be true? There are a lot of people who, just like you, think this strategy is too simple to be effective. The only way to know for certain is to try it for yourself. What do you have to lose? No one has to know but you, and you just may find that the benefits are so great that you want to share them with everyone you know. Here are a few other affirmations you can use:

I see myself realistically and objectively
I find deep inner peace with myself as I am
I say positive things about myself to myself
All of my false images of myself from the past are now dissolved
I love and accept all parts of myself
I love and accept all of my thoughts and feelings as part of myself
I have positive self esteem apart from others judgments and criticisms
I love and approve of myself without pleasing others
I accept myself completely as I am, though I recognize areas for improvement
I value and honor myself as I am, though I recognize areas for improvement
I am loving and accepting of who I am and who I am becoming
I feel total peace with my powerful positive self-esteem

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