How To Live a Balanced Life
July 5, 2010
Is your life more hectic than ever? Do you find that you become tired more frequently, lose patience easily, experience moodiness, and are so stressed that you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel? Have you lost contact with your friends? Has fun completely gone out of your life? While we tend to think we can do it all; the problem is we can’t. We forego simple pleasures, take on unnecessary burdens and, quite frankly, put other’s needs before our own. This is a recipe for ill-health, depression, and overall sadness. It’s time to sit down and determine how to live a balanced life.
Performing selfless acts is noble, but it takes a toll we may not be aware of. There is nothing wrong with being selfish. While everyone seems to be concentrating on themselves, you are focusing on them. The first step to a balanced life is to think about you and your needs. If you fall apart, you won’t be of any use to anyone. Selfishness is not defined by an inability to help others; it is the means by which you regenerate yourself by focusing on your own needs. Simple ordinary pleasures can make a world of difference in your life such as: a manicure, a day out with friends; a new outfit.
You’re mental and emotional state has more to do with the balance within than you realize. Worry drains us; yet we can’t seem to control it. We tolerate many things which essentially drain our energy, leaving us feeling empty and void of feeling. Sleepless nights ensue, and the cycle begins all over again the next day. Confront the problems head on; let the water out of the tank before it bursts open. Worry about the things you can control.
Protect your space from intruders who are intent on invading your thoughts and inner peace. If someone is rude or makes a disparaging remark; walk away. If a situation arises creating angst, deal with it then let it go. Don’t let it disrupt your life by claiming it as your own. You didn’t create it, nor are you responsible for it. Try not to solve the ills of the world or place the burden on your shoulders. Life is hard enough without placing unimportant needs ahead of your own.
A path well taken is one of integrity and honesty. Love yourself; look in the mirror every morning and acknowledge the unique person you are. Empower yourself to accomplish your most intimate goals. Acknowledge the kindness and good in you; you may be hard pressed to fine anyone who will. Conduct yourself with dignity and honor. Finally, take charge of your life; nurture it, reward it; and the balance within will reveal itself through the smile on your face, and the gleam in your eyes.
Diagnosing Your Stress Reflex
June 27, 2010
There are some days that just go terribly wrong. Your schedule gets thrown off kilter, you get into spats with the people you love, and like Murphy’s Law – anything that can go wrong, will go wrong!
When these kinds of days occur, how do you normally react to the stress? The methods you automatically turn to in an effort to help you deal with the increased anxiety levels is known as your stress reflex.
Just as your knee jerks when the doctor taps it, there are certain things you do when stress gets the best of you. It may be that you head straight for the kitchen and drown your sorrows in a big bowl of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream.
Or maybe you snap at the first person who crosses paths with you. Your stress reflex kicks in when the pot boils over. We like to refer to it as the straw that broke the camel’s back, but what it actually means is – you’ve had enough!
When stress levels get to this point, it’s too late to react with your emotions intact. You need to find ways of coping with stress as it builds, to diffuse the situation before it gets out of control.
Evaluate what your stress reflex is. You may not have ever thought about it before, preferring instead to not think about anything when stress takes its toll and sends you into a flurry of coping mechanisms.
One you have a finger on the pulse of how you manage stress when it tips the scales, you’ll be able to steer clear of detrimental behaviors and find an outlet that is healthier for you when this type of anxiety seeps into your life.
Your stress reflex may depend on many factors, such as whether you’re male or female. Men and women tend to react differently to stress. The benefit in pinpointing your stress reflex isn’t to turn off the anger switch forever.
In fact, getting mad to a certain degree can be healthy for you. Instead, you want to prevent damaging reactions that can affect your personal health or endanger others, such as the case where road rage occurs because a bad driver cut you off after a stress-filled day at the office.
The next time you feel stress beginning to boil over, watch to see how you react to the situation. Do you blow your lid like a pressure cooker, eat the entire contents of the kitchen, or get physically sick to your stomach? Keep a journal and then find ways to react differently.
So what’s your stress reflex?
Stress Free Living Tips
May 6, 2010
- Unclutter your life
- Smile
- Be prepared for rain
- Tickle a baby
- Pet a friendly dog/cat
- Don’t know all the answers
- Look for a silver lining
- Say something nice to someone
- Teach a kid to fly a kite
- Walk in the rain
How Meditating Can Ease Anxiety
The fast-paced, hectic world we live with an unhealthy amount of stress. Stress develops into, or manifests itself as, worries and fears, leading to feelings of anxiety. Have you fallen into this frustrating path?
You can ease anxiety by understanding your worries and fears. A natural way to ease anxiety is the use of meditation.
Meditation is a basic technique that can get you in better touch with yourself. It relieves stress, relaxes your body, and calms your mind.
Starting Out With Meditation
There are different ways you can approach a meditative practice. Start by picking a time everyday when you can calmly be alone without distractions. Begin your meditation by taking deep breaths and focusing only on each breath as it goes in and out.
On a particularly stressful day, you might have more difficulty focusing on your breath. The thoughts of whatever is stressing you may keep getting in the way. When this happens, acknowledge the thought and then go back to concentrating on your breath. Eventually, you’ll feel your mind grow calm.
As you calm your mind, begin purposefully taking notice of your thoughts. All you do is notice your thoughts, and then return your attention to your breath again. If any thoughts make you uncomfortable or tense, relax your muscles and then focus on your breath again.
Try not to stress yourself out further by getting frustrated with the meditation process. As you continue to practice, it will get easier.
So what’s your best stress free living tip?
More Stress Tips For Stress Free Living
May 4, 2010
- Avoid negative people
- Use time wisely
- Simplify meal times
- Always make copies of important papers
- Anticipate your needs
- Repair anything that doesn’t work properly
- Ask for help with the jobs you dislike
- Break large tasks into bite size portions
- Look at problems as challenges
- 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.
Stress Tips For Stress Free Living
May 2, 2010
- Get up 15 minutes earlier
- Prepare for the morning the night before
- Avoid tight fitting clothes
- Avoid relying on chemical aids
- Set appointments ahead
- Don’t rely on your memory … write it down
- Practice preventive maintenance
- Make duplicate keys
- Say “no” more often
- 10. Set priorities in your life
Controlling Breathing
The first rapid relaxation routine involves breathing in and out nine times in three series of three breaths.
In the first series of three breaths, inhale deeply and, as you exhale slowly, say quietly or think to yourself, “Calm body.” Repeat three times.
In the second series of three breaths, inhale deeply and, as you exhale, say quietly or think to yourself, “Calm mind.”
In the final series of three breaths, inhale deeply and, as you exhale, say (and do) “Smile.”
Identify Stressors In Your life
April 10, 2010
The first step to bring stress under control is to identify it. Regardless of how much stress you have in your life, being able to identify it will be a tremendous help. Once stress is identified then it’s time to identify effective coping skills.
Keep a Stress Diary
Committing to keeping a stress diary will help you gain clarity into when and how you react to stress. This insight allows a better channel for your emotional and physical energy.
Record in your stress diary daily. Even on the days you don’t feel stressed. It will be good to be able to review those great feeling days and see what made them so great. The stress diary gives you valuable insight helping you to manage your stress more effectively.
Date and time each entry.
- What are you feeling right now? What did you feel earlier in the day. Pick words the accurately describe your emotions.
- How did you handle the stressful situation?
- Was there a better way to handle those stressful events?
At the end of each week go back through your stress diary and analyze your stress pattern. Are you experiencing more stress in the morning, or evening? Does you work create more stress. Whatever the answer by making a few adjustments you can proactively handle those day to day stressors.
Calming Your Mind and Lowering Your Stress Levels
April 6, 2010
More often than not, we tend to focus on too many things every day, leading to confusion, anxiety, and annoyance. This stress can be hard on the mind and body, but the good news is that you can lower your stress levels and calm your mind, helping yourself to feel better each day.
In fact, you can overcome these issues with a few simple techniques!
First, acknowledge that you must take time for yourself. Being all things to all people isn’t realistic, and neither is doing everything and solving all problems or concerns in one day. No one should expect that of you! If they do, you must recognize that it’s not healthy, and you must do what’s right and best for you. Your health and happiness could depend on it.
Ways to Calm Your Mind
Meditation and prayer are two of the biggest ways to calm a restless mind, but they aren’t the only things you can do. There are many other choices to help you feel better and live a stress-free life. You might also consider:
- Focusing on helping others
- Exercising
- Listening to music
- Using your mind for joyous pursuits that interest you
- Playing with children or pets
Everyone has different things they enjoy in life, and you should find yours and practice them when you start to feel stressed or your thoughts try to run away from you. Avoid letting your thoughts talk you out of your dreams. Your dreams are yours; embrace them!
Being busy is not the problem when it comes to your mind. Being busy with things that aggravate you and make you feel down is the problem. Instead of dwelling on things that upset you, deal with them, let them go, and move on to things that you enjoy. You can do this with your thoughts, just like you would with a physical task in the workplace or at home.
Lower Your Stress Levels Each Day
Stress begins in your mind as thoughts, but it can manifest itself physically. You may feel tense, anxious, uneasy, angry, or have aches and pains you can’t really find a cause for. If stress continues all the time and becomes chronic, your health could be compromised.
You can let stress go and feel good every day.
Try these strategies to lower your stress:
- Focus on what matters to you. What’s important in your life? Be proactive about your goals and priorities. When you’re working toward something that you want, it makes you feel good about yourself and your future.
- Find both physical and mental ways to release your stress. Releasing your stress every day keeps it from building up inside you. Make the conscious choice to start each day fresh, without the stress from the day before.What relaxes you? Music? Hobbies? Spending time with your family? Enjoy a healthy dose of relaxation every day.Get as much exercise as possible. Exercise refreshes your body with a surge of oxygen and releases endorphins, the “feel good” hormone. Even if there’s no time for an exercise session, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park far away from the building so you can walk, and play with your kids or pets.
- Practice these strategies consistently. Work on releasing your stress every day, even on days when you don’t feel as much stress, so it won’t be a struggle when you really need it. When you’re feeling good, it’s natural to forget about letting stress go, but it’s important to avoid getting complacent.Keep practicing and improving, even when you feel great!
Whichever techniques you choose to calm your mind and lower your levels of stress, ensure it’s the right fit for you and your lifestyle. Only you know what you really need and what makes you feel safe and at peace.
If you practice this peacefulness each day, it won’t be long before you start to feel calmer, even in situations where you would have previously been over the edge. Your thoughts will be clearer, instead of jumbled and racing. Physically, you’ll feel stronger, too, because your body will be free from the affliction of stress and anxiety.
Spending time on YOU is critical!
February 22, 2010
Do you push yourself to be all that you can be? In your drive for excellence, you may take on so many projects that life often seems chaotic. In the midst of doing it all, do you remember to take time for yourself?
Spending time on YOU is critical! It enables you to feel rested, calm, stress-free, and fulfilled. When you’ve had proper rest, you can accomplish more and maintain the stamina to continue.
On the other hand, if you neglect to make time for yourself, you’re more likely to become depressed, stressed, or unhappy.
Perhaps you feel that there’s just not enough time for you. Somewhere in the mix, you lost any time you ever had for yourself. However, the good news is that, with some creativity and perseverance, you can recapture some of that critical you-time!
Consider using these strategies to reap some rejuvenating time for yourself:
1. Pencil yourself in. Make time for yourself by adding it as a priority in your schedule. As you fill out your planner, include it along with your other important tasks and stick to the appointment!
2. Give yourself 15 minutes when you get home. Insist on at least 15 minutes of recoup and rejuvenation time when you get home from work. If you have to lock yourself away from stressors or even family members, than that’s what you must do! This time allows you to properly transition from your work life to your home life.
• Explain this new technique to your family so that they understand its importance. This way, no one feels like you’re just avoiding them!
• A simple strategy is to soak in the bath for 15 minutes. The water will relax you, and you’ll feel refreshed after a long day.
3. Take advantage of your lunch break. Your lunch break is there for you to do what you please. After you eat, make good use of your time by going for a walk, exercising, listening to inspiring music, or even get in a bit of shopping if that’s what relaxes you.
4. Enjoy a break while the kids nap. Here’s a good tip for stay at home moms. Give yourself some much needed “you” time whenever your children sleep. You might be tempted to get as much work done as you can while they’re asleep, but you’ll find you actually get more done if you give yourself a chance to rest and rejuvenate yourself.
• Explore new ways of accomplishing things like household tasks while your kids are up. For example, turn chores into learning games that you can all participate in.
5. Go to sleep earlier. Going to sleep earlier at night will enable you to get up in time to enjoy some morning “me” time. Just think how pleasant it would be to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning without having to look at your watch.
6. Take a vacation day. Take a vacation day to just relax and do whatever you like. You don’t have to take a trip to take a vacation! Time spent on your favorite hobbies will also rejuvenate you. When you return to work, your renewed energy may surprise you!
At first glance, these strategies may look difficult to implement into your busy routine. A good way to get started with them is to incorporate just one at a time. That way, you only have to adjust to one small change. As you become accustomed to that one strategy, you can add another, and then another, until one day you’ll find that making time for yourself is easy.
Once you learn to make time for you, you’ll have more energy and time to enjoy the good things life has to offer.
Stress Free Living With a Simple Truth About Mistakes
November 21, 2009
Surviving the Holiday Crunch With Stress Free Living
November 18, 2009
Don’t be surprised or feel guilty if your holiday is stressful — and don’t entertain the fantasy that everyone else’s season is picture-perfect. Some moments will be memorable, some will not, and some you’ll want to forget, but remember: We’re all in this together!
The holidays are supposed to be a wonderful time for you and your family, though sometimes the stresses leading up the holidays make it seem like quite the opposite. Remember that even in poor economic times there are ways to enjoy yourself and survive the holiday crunch.
Spending Money
Chances are you’ll be spending at least some money during the holiday season. With careful planning, you can make a small budget go quite a long way.
Consider the following holiday money saving tips:
Save Throughout the Year. Most people let the holidays creep up on them. All of a sudden they realize it’s two weeks before Thanksgiving and they need to begin preparing. You can’t pull money out of nowhere and you should resist the urge to put all of your purchases on credit. If you’ve done this in the past, you know first hand that you’ll still be paying off last year’s gifts for years to come!
- Automatically withdraw a small amount of money from each paycheck that goes toward your Christmas savings. Those small amounts add up to something big at the end of the year.
Shop Early. When you shop early you can avoid the stress of the crowds and the urgency of having to make decisions quickly. Start by making a list of gift ideas for everyone. This way, as you see the items throughout the year, you can pick them up. You may even find that they’re cheaper during off-peak times than during the holiday rush.
Handmade Gifts. If money is extra tight this year, consider giving your loved ones handmade gifts. Handmade gifts are given straight from the heart. They’ll provide memories that last a lifetime and are important reminders that the holiday season is not just about spending money.
Shop for Deals. While it can end up taking a great deal of extra time, make sure you do your homework when it comes to shopping for deals. Prices can vary greatly from vendor to vendor. Luckily, the internet can be your best friend when it comes to shopping for deals. It allows you to comparison shop quickly and easily from the comfort of your own home.
While you’re shopping online, always remember to stay safe. If you haven’t heard of the website you’re purchasing from, make sure that you’re shopping on a secure server and do additional research into the company to seek out reviews and opinions.
Planning Your Budget
Whether or not you’ve saved throughout the year, it’s always a good idea to put yourself on a strict budget. Give yourself a total dollar amount and then decide how much you’ll spend on each person. If you need money for entertaining, decorating, food, or other things, budget for that as well.
Remember to check in with yourself from time to time to make sure that you remain on budget. While it may be extra work, it’ll save you the stress of dealing with big credit card bills in the new year.
Dealing With Stress
If the stress of the holidays has gotten you down, you’re certainly not alone. It’s not fun to have to deal with the financial aspect, but it’ll help to keep the reward in mind.
If you’ve spent your money well, and your family gets through the holidays in a peaceful manner, then you’ve done your job. You’ll be adding to the memories that will last a lifetime. Remember that you can’t place a price tag on memories. When you keep that positive goal in mind, it’ll be worth the stresses you have to endure.
