Stress Theraphy Center

Stress Management Secrets for Relationships

2008-04-14T02:50:00.000-07:00

by: Michael Atma

Imagine how your life might be if you knew how to finally stop the stress in relationships that saps your strength, drains your energy and ruins your productivity!

Until you have released the need for judgment, you will always have it reflected back to you in your relationships. This is one of the main causes of stress.

All too often we assume that we know what others mean by what they say or do without bothering to gain a clear understanding of what's really going on. This inevitably leads to a breakdown in communication and conflict.

Stress Management Technique 1

The biggest secret to stress free relationships is to master the skill of being agreeable!

If you think about it just for a moment this makes a lot of sense. How did you feel the last time someone disagreed with what you though, said or did? Did you thank them, give them a big hug and then ask for more disapproval? Probably not!

The bottom line is that people don't like being disagreed with. This is what leads to arguments and conflict.

You have a choice every time you relate with another person. You can either be agreeable in nature and in communication or you can be disagreeable. The first choice will cause people to be more relaxed and enjoy your company. The second creates stress and frustration.

It costs nothing to agree with someone else's point of view even if you think it's ridiculous. Who are we to judge how another person views their life and the world around them. Conflict always arises from disagreement's which then leads to power struggles.

This means that either one or all parties are trying to prove that they are right and someone else is wrong. This is a no win scenario because if one person is made wrong, then the outcome is tension and resentment.

More Stress Management Tips

So what do you do if you disagree with what someone is saying? Ask if it's ok to share your opinion. If the answer is no, then to keep your relationships stress free keep your mouth shut. Changes topics if you need to or go do something fun together but let it go and move on.

Stress Management Tecchnique 2 - Master the skill of understanding.

The key here is to learn to be a good listener. Can you remember a time recently when you were talking with someone and they either interrupted you before you finished talking and started talking about themselves or completely ignored what you said and talked about something totally unrelated?

I know that's happened to me thousands of times. Well guess what, if you didn't like it I can guarantee you that others won't like it if you do it to them.

By listening attentively to what others say and not interrupting you will prevent the possibility of causing stress and tension in your relationships because the people you are communicating with will feel seen and heard.

This builds trust and respect which are two of the most important ingredients of a happy, healthy and productive relationship.

Here are 4 Stress Managment Skills to master the art of listening with the intent to understand...

1. Don't interrupt unless you have something urgent to attend to. Then excuse yourself politely and make a time to meet with them that you can give your undivided attention.

2. Look them in the eye and keep your body language open

3. Only ask questions that are relevant to the topic. This lets the person who is talking know that you are really listening to them.

4. Never assume you know what someone means, always ask for clarity before sharing you're opinion. Don't be afraid to keep asking questions until you are 100% sure about what is being said.

The only time to try and get others to understand you is after you have understood them. Then they are more receptive to what you have to say. This skill is one of the most important in building good bonds between people that are stress free. There is nothing more powerful than letting others know that they matter.

The final word on stress relief in relationships

Happy, healthy and stress free relationships are no accident. They are skillfully developed over time by people who care about people. These secrets will only work if you apply them.

The more you apply them, the less stress you will have in your relationships. I know this for a fact because they have been working for me for more than 15 years.

To Your Great Life and Health...

About The Author
Michael Atma is an internationally known author, speaker & success coach. Known as the person to talk to when you're ready to enjoy massive results, Michael offers simple yet proven strategies to improve the quality of your life in just minutes. Michael's writing comes straight from the front line of good health and successful living

Exactly how are some people learning to enjoy calmer, happier and healthier relationships? Michael Atma has created the ultimate guide - '101 Strategies for a Stress Free Life!' FREE Details: http://www.theultimaterelaxation.com

Less Stress Leads To A Better Rest

2008-04-14T02:48:00.000-07:00

by: Vincent Platania

In the modern world of today we are constantly being bombarded with high levels of stress and anxiety. These stresses can be physical, mental or environmental. They place an enormous strain on our physical and mental health.

Most of us are aware that excessive stress can affect our ability to think straight, our digestive system, adrenal glands and heart. Research has however shown that whenever a stressful situation arises, there is a knock on effect. Firstly stress limits the blood supply going to the stomach, this hampers the digestive system and a temporary shut down of our immune system may follow. If we are overwhelmed with stress for an extended period we are likely to experience fatigue and exhaustion.

Although it may not be possible to avoid these stress factors in our lives there is help available. There are many natural herbal supplements, known for they’re relaxing properties which assist in combating the harmful effects of anxiety and stress. Several herbs are usually incorporated together to make a powerful formula.

We will take a look at some of the individual herbs, which go to make up some of these potent anti- anxiety supplements: -

* Jujube Seeds: - hypnotic and anti-anxiety effect used for hysteria, fatigue, sleeplessness, debility and restlessness.

* Magnolia Bark: - has anti anxiety, anti stress properties, lowers the cortisol, promotes relaxation and improves the mood.

* Potassium: -sustains the fluid and electrolyte balance, discharges energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat, assists in conveying nerve impulses.

* Magnesium: -is a trace mineral and its chief role is manufacturing and transporting energy, relaxing and contracting the muscles, assisting some enzymes with their task in the body and mixing proteins.

* Valerian Root: - It supports a feeling of calmness, improves sleep, reduces anxiety levels and facilitates relaxation of the central nervous system. Valerian root is non addictive and does not cause morning tiredness. It also is useful in slowing the heart in those who have the condition known as tachycardia.

* Melatonin: -is one of the most dominant antioxidants in the brain. It restores metabolism, improves the quality of sleep and slows down degenerative diseases of the brain such as Parkinson’s. Melatonin can control extreme cortical production and is therefore effectual in reducing stress levels and regulating sleep cycles.

* Vitamin B complex contains Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5,

B6 and B12 are all essential vitamins for the nervous system

Visit http://www.rawleigh-products.com

About The Author
Vincent Platania represents the Rawleigh Products. W.T. Rawleigh founded Rawleigh Products in the late 1800s to create a line of products that possessed both strength and quality. Visit http://www.rawleigh-products.com

Get Creative to Relieve Stress

2008-04-14T02:47:00.000-07:00

by: Paul Evans

There are many things we can do to relieve stress, ranging from small routine changes (such as avoiding rush hour traffic) to large drastic life changes (such as quitting our stressful jobs!).

At the smaller end of the scale, I believe one of the best ways that you can relieve stress is to 'get creative'.

What can you do to get creative? Anything you like, as long as 'you' do the creating!

It could be physical or mental creativity (preferably both), big or small. For example, is it about time you changed your garden around? Changed those dull old patio slabs? Now would be a good idea to get creative.

To relieve stress you have to do something you can be proud of. You need to be able to stand back and say to yourself, `Yep, I did that and I did a terrific job'.

Take the example above, if you're not physically able (and would have to employ someone to do the labouring for you) you could still design the garden yourself! Teach yourself a little about landscape gardening and design the best garden you can. If you are able to labour for yourself, design and build it entirely yourself! And most important of all, give yourself a pat on the back once you've finished and be proud of your hard work.

But it doesn't have to be so big (or so expensive). You could make a model aeroplane, do your own painting, and make something from clay, or anything at all.

One of my friends recently bought his own materials and built a magnificent kite! He said it felt great to finish it, but when he stood back and actually saw his achievement (i.e. when it was flying) he felt truly elated. Now that's stress relief!

Form a personal point of view, having suffered with a phobia of public speaking for so long, I always wanted to set up my own website - to be able to communicate in another way, freely, without the troubles I would usually have. When I eventually found a way to set up my site the pride and sense of achievement I felt was enormous. And with that pride and achievement came the stress relief I was after.

So from the examples above I hope you can see how you too can get creative to relive stress. The list of things you could do is endless.

Now it's time for the hard part. . . getting started!

About The Author
(c) Paul Evans

Helping those who suffer with anxiety, phobias, panic disorders, stress, and all things related.

Suffer with an anxiety disorder or phobia, and the stress that comes with it? For more information and directions to the latest self-help techniques, be sure to visit my website at http://www.love-my-phobia.com

Let Bingo Relieve Your Stress

2008-04-14T02:45:00.000-07:00

by: Morgan Collins

Stress can be an over-used word in today’s society and doctors often wonder if people are actually more stressed in our modern world, or whether they are simply more aware of their feelings, using stress as an excuse to avoid a situation or to excuse a particular failing.

Humans are all born with an internal stress response for whenever a potentially stressful situation arises. Stress hormones are released into our bloodstream and we become anxious or fearful, leading to symptoms such as sweaty palms, increase in heartbeat and tension.

These hormones that cause instant mental and physical change in us, often give us added strength and endurance which can make us feel highly strung or pumped-up. Stress hormones enable us to either run away from situation or to stay and fight. This is often called the “fight or flight syndrome”.

Today’s society and the social strains therein, often mean that we are activating our stress hormones at will and not just for random emergencies,. This is leading to more cases of stress and particular in the workplace, with half a million people in the UK believing work related stress is making them ill.

Playing games can often release these stress hormones. Action games which are reactionary and require fast response are often the culprits, but games such as bingo can also cause short term, peak stress levels, as players who do not win a game often become frustrated and annoyed.

Bingo games do however, allow people to switch off from their daily routines, including work, and this can help reduce work related stress levels, as players seek the virtual reality world of the internet and its games and the escapism that they offer.

Scientists believe that shutting ourselves off for just an hour a day can help decrease stress related illnesses as the mind and body can remove focus from a subject which cause stress and allow people to think about more fun things in life. This in turn reduces stress hormones and increases other hormones that make us feel happier.

A US study has found that women cope with stress better than men because of their female hormones. One US professor believes that throughout history women often didn't have the option to choose “fight or flight”. Instead, women developed a more suitable strategy, which is often called 'tend and befriend'. The key to this behavior was, and is, a female hormone called oxytocin. It is believed this is the difference that accounts for women seeking out other women to talk to when the going gets tough. Perhaps it is why women love to play bingo more than men (some 65% compared to 35%). The online chat rooms allow them to diffuse any feelings of stress by using chat to express their emotions with fellow players, releasing any pent up frustration.

Whether or not you go along with this, far more women than men discuss their stresses with a friend. However, there are an awful lot of women who are incapacitated by severe stress and who are suffering exactly the same sort of stress-related symptoms that we see in men.

Bingo is fun, entertaining and allows you to communicate your feelings with others, helping to reduce stress levels and improve your mindset. So if you come home from work feeling stressed or wanting to remove yourself from any feelings of anxiety, why not try a game of online bingo with a site that offers fun chat rooms games to help reduce your stress.

But don’t forget, Bingo is a game of chance, the results of which are out of the control of human beings. So if you do not win that giant jackpot, don’t stress, a quick chat with your fellow players online may help reduce your frustration and stress levels.

About The Author
Written by Morgan Collins for http://www.chitchatbingo.co.uk. Bingo online for UK players. Links must be retained in reproduction of this article.

How to Cope with Stress

2008-04-14T02:44:00.000-07:00

by: John Mehrmann

Stress can be addictive, contagious, debilitating, or invigorating. Relentless pressure to perform, personality conflicts, and lack of a sense of purpose can be damaging over time. Identify the causes, learn to control harmful stress, and use healthy stress to your advantage.

Feeling Burned Out

More than 50% of 2,500 workers who responded to a survey acknowledged that they work under a great deal of stress

More then 75% of the respondents said that they feel burned out

Causes of Stress

16% attribute the stress to difficult co-workers

15% attribute stress to unrealistic workloads

11% attribute stress to unreasonable deadlines

10% attribute stress to rushed projects

9% attribute the stress directly to the management

Stress statistics courtesy of CareerBuilder.com and the American Institute of Stress (stress.org)

Stress Addiction

Are you addicted to stress? Is your organization addicted to stress? Let's be honest, some individuals and some organizations perform better under stressful conditions. Some organizations nurture a stressful culture as a means to continually pressure maximum performance with minimum manpower. Some other organizations leverage the energy associated with bursts of focused stress to overcome significant obstacles, and then minimize stress in between major hurdles to maintain a balanced workforce. How can you tell the difference?

Procrastination in dealing with important tasks is sometimes an indication of personal stress addiction. Some individuals acknowledge better performance under tight deadlines and stressful situations. In some cases this helps to focus on a project and ignore external distractions. If this applies to you, then perhaps it is time to reevaluate your schedule, your personal goals, and your workload. By setting personal goals as commitments to complete projects or workload ahead of schedule, you can create your own deadlines and get ahead of the curve. Procrastination may be a sign that the workload is too light and you need to take on more responsibilities, or challenge yourself with more personal tasks. This will create an environment of balanced stress that you can manage by increasing or decreasing personal additional tasks to accommodate required or assigned workloads.

This does not mean that putting things off until the last minute is always a sign of stress addiction. If you continually put things off to the last minute and the quality of the result is equivalent or worse to the product that would have been achieved earlier, then you are just being lazy and you need a stress inducing boss to get you moving. On the other hand, if items are continually addressed at the last minute simply because you have too many other priorities that take precedence and it is virtually impossible to catch up, then you have an unhealthy stressful environment and it is time to evaluate the conditions.

Have you ever experienced an organization that continually threatens potential layoffs, cancellation of contracts, or incessantly proclaims gloom and doom of current conditions? While organizations may perform better under short bursts of highly focused stressful conditions, it is not something that can be sustained effectively for long periods of time. Individuals within the organization will react differently to stressful conditions and will burn out at varying periods of time. After a period of high intensity it is necessary to allow a period for cooling down, refreshing and reenergizing the troops.

Healthy Stress

The objective of healthy stress is to have specific focused goals with measurable targets and schedules. Healthy stress should create an atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation to achieve specific goals. If it is an extended schedule, then there should also be milestones to identify progress along the way. If it is a short deadline then there should be clearly identified resources for support. At the end of the schedule there should be a recognized period to temporarily relax, recognize the accomplishment and recharge the batteries. After all, not everyone is addicted to stress, but nearly everyone can use the short bursts of adrenaline that come with intense concentration toward a common goal.

Healthy stress provides rich rewards as a result. The rewards may be a sense of personal achievement, a sense of camaraderie, or monetary compensation. The type of reward is not necessarily as important as the recognition of the reward. If there is no reward for the stress, or if the outcome is detrimental to an individual or group, then the stress is not healthy and needs to be addressed promptly. Nurture healthy stress with teamwork, clearly communicated schedules, and easily recognized rewards.

Unhealthy Stress

Some of the leading causes of unhealthy stress are the result of individual personalities infecting an organization. This can be caused by an overbearing boss, a lack or respect or trust for certain members in management, or by unrealistic expectations. Even the best of intentions can create unhealthy stress if it is based on unrealistic expectations. Stress can be slowly introduced if management expects everyone to automatically share the same level of passion, enthusiasm and commitment without first creating bonds and buy in with the employees. Employees will not feel the same amount of passion if there is not a personal connection or a sense of purpose. It is reasonable to require performance, but management should not expect passion without first making an investment in the employee.

Individual employees can also create stress and distraction. Personality conflicts are depicted as difficult coworkers, and typically the perception is a shared one. Difficult coworkers may be described as overbearing, subversive, interfering, unproductive, or uncooperative. These are dangerous labels for one person to place on another. The labels are most often the result of specific actions or comments. It may not be reasonable to expect that every personality will get along, but it is reasonable to require professional respect and cooperation. The first step in correcting this type of unhealthy stress is not to change people's opinions, but rather to address the actions, responsibilities and expectations of the individuals involved. Keep the focus on the professional requirements and communicate precise expectations, then assess the actions.

Unhealthy stress in an organization can be caused when the atmosphere is continually threatening, overbearing and unrelenting. Stress with purpose is like an adrenaline rush during a short sprint to the finish line. Stress without purpose and without end is like running an engine at full speed and never stopping to refill the tank, you are bound to hit a brick wall or empty your tank eventually. It is far better to plan for the short sprints and the breaks to refill the tank than to find yourself stranded.

Thrive on Stress

Pick your priorities.

Remember your purpose - write down your goals and keep them visible.

Set your schedule and allow some flexibility for the unexpected emergencies.

Communicate your obligations and identify your resources.

Ask for and acknowledge the responsibilities of others, then be prepared to support one another when appropriate.

If there is a personality conflict, turn the focus to professional respect and responsibilities, or address the matter with appropriate professional communication when necessary.

Identify the time of day and days of the week that you perform best under pressure, and be aware that everyone else may be different from your peak periods.

Schedule your periods for managing the pressure and allow yourself periods for cooling down, being creative, or relaxing.

When possible, do something physical before preparing to address a stressful situation, even if it is only a short walk.

When necessary, take a short walk or a few moments to clear you mind after a stressful period so the intense concentration or emotions do not spill over into your other activities.

Laugh, and most important, do not be so critical that you can not laugh at yourself.

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Words of Wisdom

"Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it."
- Jane Wagner

"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."
- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

"Before you agree to do anything that might add even the smallest amount of stress to your life, ask yourself: What is my truest intention? Give yourself time to let a yes resound within you. When it's right, I guarantee that your entire body will feel it."
- Oprah Winfreyr

About The Author
John Mehrmann is a freelance author and President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital.

http://www.ExecutiveBlueprints.com

Rework Your Life's Blueprint for a Stress Free Retirement

2008-04-14T02:40:00.000-07:00

by: Carm Paynter

During school/college it seemed so easy to develop any number of ideas to really change the world. Ideas were so easy to develop when we were there because there wasn't any of that nuisance thing called experience to keep us back, we were free to imaging in a totally unhindered way.

We knew we could easily feed the world, just like “Robin Hood”, we would take a little from those that had more than enough and feed those that were hungry. We wondered how come none of the authorities had thought of such a simple plan?

Then we were introduced to a thing called the real world and reality, that there are rules we will have to live by.

Rule 1: The money we borrowed for education will have to be paid back. Rule 2: We will have to get a job. Rules, rules, without realizing it we just started developing a blueprint for the rest of our lives.

Goals were being set for the life we wanted, our blueprint was rapidly taking shape. The career path we would follow and the things we wanted to accomplish before we retired, the partner we expected to be with for the rest of our lives, the number of children we expected to raise and so much more.

The next years are used up working our blueprint and reworking it sometimes, when things went wrong, but generally most of us were satisfied with the course we had chosen.

Then there comes a time when we face that thing we were working for, retirement. That time when we evaluate the blueprint we had for our lives and when most of us discover we fell a bit short.

The world hasn't been changed as much as we had envisioned. Sure, we influenced the folks around us, our friends, communities, but not the world like we thought. The course of our lives wasn't really what we had envisioned at all. This can be a discouraging time in our lives.

This is crucial. Rework that original blueprint. We must rework it again so we can have a peaceful retirement, before it leads to depression and illness.

We have to realize we are a product of genetics and our environment. Most of the differences we see in our life's blueprint were beyond our control long before we made the plans in the first place.

You have made your contribution and paid your dues. Rework your blueprint now and accept where you are and especially who you are. When you do this you will be able to forgive yourself for past mistakes, to relax and enjoy your leisure time that you worked so hard to achieve and now deserve.

Plan carefully, a recent study found between 30 of seniors live in their own homes and they are more healthy because of it, but they live in homes built before 1946 and this is leading to or soon will lead to additional stress because these homes are going to need expensive renovations. Unfortunately, in many cases this will force the search for affordable housing. This type of housing will vary substantially from area to area. The comments from this survey seemed to indicate that most would move but they wanted to make sure the new place was “senior friendly”. They wanted to know that people would care for and about them. All of the respondents wanted stress free “Golden Years”. Hopefully all will all be able to achieve this.

Don't forget free time can be boring if there is nothing to do so consider what you want to do with your free time what are the hobbies and other activities you like?

If you would like to read more about retirement hobbiesand retirement fun, to find out ways to use your free time for fun and profit. There is free information about hobbies and activities that you will enjoy reading as well as free information for you to download. Come on over for a visit and participate in our retirement community if you would like.

About The Author
Carm Paynter is retired and very active with his hobbies and the internet to communicate information about the importance of hobbies and the use of free time in retirement years. Visit us at http://www.boredbabyboomer.com to get this free information.

Natural Stress and Anxiety Relief

2008-04-14T02:37:00.000-07:00

by: Jennifer Kays

All of us experience stress and anxiety in our lives. We are all familiar with the sources of stress and anxiety. They include financial concerns, work deadlines, providing for our children, countless tasks to do and errands to run, heavy traffic, relationships with co-workers, family relationships, and the list goes on. The irony is that the responses of our physical bodies that are designed to protect us can turn against us when stress and anxiety is without relief or prolonged. Under stress, our heart rate and blood pressure increase to provide our brains with more blood flow for oxygen and nutrients. Our blood sugar increases to provide us with more energy as we would need in a crisis. Our blood is routed away from our intestines in order to provide energy for the large muscles in our arms and legs for fight or flight. If the source of our stress and anxiety subsides after a brief period of time, our bodies return these functions to their normal process. If the source of our stress and anxiety remains constant then our physical responses become harmful to our health. We begin to experience insomnia, joint and muscle inflammation and pain, fatigue, hypertension, perhaps heart constriction, indigestion, higher cholesterol levels, impotence, either lack of or excess appetite resulting in weight loss or weight gain, weakened immune system making us vulnerable to colds and flu, and so on. Emotionally we experience feelings of irritability, impatience, lack of sexual interest, lack of concentration, depression, restlessness, excessive alertness and reaction to normal external stimuli, or feelings of being constantly overwhelmed and helpless.

Our bodies need time to recover from being in crisis mode due to stress and anxiety in order to restore normal physical balance and functioning. We need a break from and relief from the stress and anxiety in order to maintain our health. Some of us have had experience with prescription, synthetic drugs to ease anxiety and stress, but have suffered the potentially harmful and discomforting side effects which, ironically added to our feelings of stress and anxiety. Fortunately, many of us have discovered substances provide by nature that our bodies readily absorb and utilize to deal with stress and anxiety without the possible harmful side effects of prescription, synthetic drugs.

When dealing with stress and anxiety, our bodies need a proper balance of vitamins and minerals that can be obtained in multivitamin formulas some of which are specially created to provide extra stress protection with calcium, potassium, magnesium, a full spectrum of B vitamins and pantothenic acid.

Essential fatty acids provide us with Omega 3 and Omega 6 which help balance blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and provide our neurotransmitters in our brain to function quickly and efficiently. Essential fatty acids help reduce joint and muscle inflammation and fatigue, and enhances the functions of our respiratory and intestinal digestive system providing our muscles organs, and brains with the oxygen and nutrients needed to deal with stress and anxiety. Flaxseed oil with lignans and fish oils which have been filtered to remove heavy metals can provide us with the essential fatty acids that we need for dealing with stress and anxiety.

GABA i.e. Gamma-aminobutyric Acid, which is an amino acid, effects the neuro-receptors in our brain. This helps us deal with stress and anxiety by lowering over-reaction to potentially stress causing stimuli and enables us to be detached in an emotionally healthy way providing us with the calmness and poise we need to deal efficiently and effectively with what we are presented.

Herbs e.g. skull cap and passion flower can help us relax and receive the rest and sleep that we need. L-tyrosine is an essential amino acid often used to treat insomnia, depression and anxiety as well as helping to control appetite and elevate our mood. Melatonin and herbal formulas are available to us to provide the restful, restoring sleep we need in order to deal with anxiety and stress.

Aromatherapy which is the use of aromas from plant essential oils can be added to our baths, used in massage oils, or released into our living space with aromatherapy candles. As we inhale these aromas, they quickly reach our brain and help provide us with feelings of calm and relaxation. The aromatherapy essential oils that are most effective in easing stress and anxiety are bergamot, cypress, geranium, jasmine neroli, rose, sandalwood and ylang-ylang. Lavender is the most popular essential oil used to provide us with a feeling of calm and well being.

These are just a few of the all natural substances and formulas available to us to help keep our bodies healthy as we experience the stress and anxiety that accompanies our too often hectic and prolonged stressful life experiences. Other all natural formulas that increase the functioning of our brains in the areas of attention, concentration and performance are also available to us. Our bodies need extra help in dealing with stress and anxiety. Cognitively and emotionally we need breaks and periods of rest and release from stress and anxiety. The safest, non-addictive way to obtain the help we need for dealing with stress and anxiety is with all natural health care products that do not present the possibility of harmful side effects that actually increase stress and anxiety.

About The Author
Jennifer Kays has more than twenty years experience with all natural health care products. More information about all natural products for restoring and maintaining physical and emotional health when experiencing stress,depression and anxiety is available at => http://www.sweetmedicineessentials.com/natural-depression-relief-c-35.html

Eliminate Holiday Stress

2008-04-14T02:35:00.000-07:00

by: Colette Robicheau

Feeling pulled in a million directions this holiday season? Your children need you at school concerts, work has extra holiday hours and commitments and your friend needs help planning a big holiday party? The extra money, time and energy during the holiday season is very stressful. Keep in mind that you won’t be of use to anyone if you over extend yourself. Practice these holiday stress reducers so you don’t just survive the season, but enjoy this special time of the year.

1. Take a break each day for yourself. Plan it in your calendar as you would a meeting or appointment. Schedule “you” time for at least 15-30 minutes each day doing something that you enjoy. Whether it’s reading a good book, going for a manicure or journal writing, take the time to relax and rejuvenate.

2. Just say “No”. It’s OK not to do everything. Graciously thank people for their invitations but let them no you are unable to attend. No excuses necessary.

3. Question your traditions. Traditions are wonderful, but ask yourself if everyone is still enjoying them or whether the time and effort is worth it to you and your family. Ask family members which traditions they really enjoy. Then think about altering those traditions to better suit today’s busy lifestyle.

4. Don’t buy into bigger is better. Whether shopping for a gift, creating a warm evening for friends or cooking or baking, think of ways to simplify. Don’t make it more difficult than it has to be.

5. Maintain your regular exercise routine. Don’t schedule your workouts around your other activities, schedule your other activities around your workout routines. Try to go to the gym, swim or exercise at home at the same time each day. If you need to go to the store, park far away from the front entrance and get some exercise while you are at it. What about bundling up and having some fun with the kids outside? Give yourself and loved ones the best gift of all this holiday and take care of your health first.

6. Get to bed at your usual time or earlier. It can be tough to squeeze everything in that needs to get done for the holidays after work and throughout the day. Sometimes people make up for this by staying up later hours. With festive activities like parties and concerts keeping you up at all hours, it’s time to head to bed early on those nights you are at home. If you find yourself just flipping through the TV channels and considering your rerun options, make going to bed early a priority and a better use your precious time.

7. Eat properly. Don’t use the holidays and stress as a reason to over eat. Although the holidays bring with them sweet treats and extra appetizers, try not to make food the prime focus. And remember, just because someone offers you something, you do not have to accept. It is not considered rude to politely pass on a food or beverages. If you have ordered something out on the fly and the portion is large consider packing half of it to go and you will save both calories and on time preparing another meal. Remember there is no rule saying you must eat everything on your plate or everything that is handed to you. Pick and choose the healthiest foods and indulge on those. Be selective with richer foods and treats and eat smaller portions.

8. Watch your alcohol consumption. Although some people believe alcohol decreases your stress, it is only a temporary solution. Try to stay away from consuming too many cocktails as this will interfere with your digestion, calorie intake, sleep and overall energy and well-being. When you are careful with what you drink, you will eliminate consuming too much at holiday parties which can create stress issues bigger than post holiday pounds.

9. Cut down your gift giving list. If you have way too many people to buy gifts for this year, try having a family, friend or work gift draw. Often people are very excited about this idea, and are just waiting for someone to suggest it. This will help to relieve you of what to get, time to get it and money to budget. It’s simple, the fewer people you have to buy gifts for, the less over all stressors for you.

With all the additional stress that can be added this holiday season it’s important to practice some de-stressing activities to make your holidays the festive and joyful time you really want it to be.

About The Author
For more information contact Colette Robicheau, Organizing Consultant and Coach visit her website http://www.organizeanything.com or email info@organizeanything.com.

A STRESS-FREE HOLIDAY: GUARANTEED! 7 Simple Steps to Remove Holiday Stress

2008-04-14T02:33:00.000-07:00

by: Stephanie McWilliams

It's that time again... time for gatherings, celebrations and lots and lots of cheer. But are you wondering how feng shui and the holidays go together? Simply put, feng shui is the art of designing and arranging our environment so that we feel as good as we possibly can—and of course during the holidays feeling good is at the very tiptop of all our wish lists. So let's take a look at some quick and easy ways we can decorate and energize our spaces to ensure the most fabulous holiday season ever!

1. ADD GROUNDING & CALMING DECORATIONS

As we all know, color is an important part of the holiday festivities. We bring in sparkling & star-shaped decorations, brightly-colored accessories, red accents, blinking lights, fireplaces, candles, pointed evergreen trees and lots of playful figurines—all of these items falling into the "fire" element category in feng shui, and all meant to inspire celebration and holiday bliss.

Even though many of us thrive in the intense energy so common to this time of year, this fiery intensity can evoke more stress than joy for the rest of us. While all these bold decorations are festive and fun, also try bringing in grounding, earthy colors and elements such as glittering golds which can have a stabilizing effect on a space and help balance all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Also consider incorporating calming and cooling deep blues and water elements, which can add a relaxing effect and help calm the nerves.

Other decorative ways to incorporate more soothing or grounding influences into your arrangements might be to:

• paint an accent wall a shimmering gold

• incorporating a golden yellow table cloth or earth tone napkins

• add sparkling golden ornaments & decorations in earth tones such a pumpkin, goldenrod, and chocolates

• exchanging red or brightly-colored, blinking tree lights with cooling blue or calming white strands

• try adding more mirrors around the home which have a soothing, watery effect, especially over fireplaces.

• adding soothing water features, cut-glass decorations, or reflective glass ornaments

• decorating the table with a glass bowl centerpiece full of water and floating candles

2. INCORPORATE ALL THE SENSES

So often the hustle and bustle of the season, along with our already-overloaded schedules can keep us up in our heads, instead of in our hearts. To help stay calm as well as connected to all our loved ones, using feng shui to help incorporate all your senses into your holiday decorating can be a fantastic and uplifting boost. When all the senses are present and enlivening, it automatically creates a grounding, soothing, and comforting effect on the body. Sensuality within the home's design helps bring people together and stay connected.

• Cook cider and cinnamon sticks to fill the home with a warm, welcoming scent

• incorporate fir and evergreen scented candles

• try adding 5 ml of natural essential oils into 1 gallon of paint which adds a soft, subtle yet inspiring scent to your rooms through the holidays as well as the rest of the year!

• Mix a new set of holiday music that fits all of your guests' ages and tastes to help liven up the mood, yet soft enough to allow conversation.

• incorporate relaxing background music to your holiday cooking, cleaning or shopping.

• Decorate with soft, cuddly throws & pillows in your gathering spaces.

• add flannels and warm wools to the guest room bedding.

• Arrange bowls of nuts, candy, dried fruit and other treats throughout your gathering space.

3. CREATE INVITING ARRANGEMENTS

Creating inviting seating and decorative arrangements in Feng Shui helps to send subtle, unconscious messages to your family and guests. It tells the world how open you are to receiving, and to embracing those who walk through the front door. When furniture is placed in an inviting manner, and your home is laid out so that you can comfortably and safely move through the space, it helps draw energy into your environment, as well as stay focused on embracing your loved ones during the holidays.

Holiday Alert: people in small, cramped spaces may get very feisty! Especially when entertaining large groups, try opening up your seating arrangements by clearing the space of any sharp edges, excess furniture or over-sized coffee tables that could block the flow of energy through the space. Also consider arranging your major seating to face toward the entrance to the room, almost in the gesture of a wide-open embrace. Especially with all the socializing that happens during the holidays, think of your furniture as guests at a gathering and arrange them in friendly, inviting, intimate positions. When you create a space that is open, welcoming and warm, it helps inspire those same traits in your guests, and draw positive energy into your life.

4. ENSURE HARMONIOUS DINING

Since most of our holiday gatherings focus around sharing meals together, designing an eating area conducive to harmony, connection and playful interaction is extremely important. First, make sure that everyone at your dining table has a beautiful view from their seat. If you're looking for more harmony in the home, try incorporating a round or oval table this season, which has a less formal feeling than rectangular or square tables. Try this tip, and watch the effects on your connections with loved ones. When everyone can clearly see everyone else, we naturally feel more connected, and it helps smooth out rough relationships and make everyone feel important and honored.

Also try keeping the chairs at a similar size and avoid the classic "king and queen" chairs during the holidays. Having everyone sitting in equally sized chairs helps to bring more connection, and less hierarchy, separation, aggression or dominant behavior.

And lastly, keep centerpieces nice and low. Large, tall or bulky centerpieces create symbolic rifts or divisions between your guests. Tabletop tip: if you're paring down your decorations in the rest of the house, here's a nice place to put shiny, colorful decorative arrangements if you'd like more energized eating experiences.

Watch this Friday's episode and learn many more tips about dining room Feng Shui: December 7th on HGTV / 9:30pm and 1:30am ET (check local listings)

5. BRING NATURE INDOORS

Nature automatically has a balancing effect on a space. By bringing in elements of nature, we create a serene environment. Decorating with plants, flowers and other objects from nature can help reduce stress and make your entire space soothing and inviting. Adding poinsettias, live evergreen trees, fresh wreaths, garland, holly berries and pine cones can be the perfect natural touch. Also try arrangements of colorful fresh fruit, bowls of nuts, or make strands of strung cranberries and popcorn, which can turn into a fun family ritual.

6. REDUCE CLUTTER

The holidays are almost always a time of gathering new possessions and gifts. But in feng shui, when our homes become stuffed, the energy in our homes become blocked and stagnant, prevently new experiences, people and abundance to come into our life. This time of year is the perfect time to celebrate the old, and make way for the new. By sorting and purging old belongings that nolonger are used or necessary, letting them go or passing them on to someone else, we not only create a more calming environment but also allow space for new things to enter. You'll feel lighter going into the new year, with more focus and clarity about the good times to come...

If holiday stress is a big issue, consider keeping holiday decorations to a minimum or contain them to one room. An excess of visual clutter can keep you from focusing on what's at hand...having FUN! Cards, holiday paper, gifts, bows, food, fruitcakes, decorations, lights and candles all can generate a lot of excess energy. If you find yourself less focused and more stressed during the holidays, paring down might be just the thing...

7. CREATE SACRED SPACE

Don't forget this last, but most important step: creating a sacred personal space just for you!

At the end of the day, make sure to take time out for yourself. As you decorate your home for family and friends, make sure to create a separate space, room, or even just a chair, solely for you. Having a comfortable area where you can go to unplug and recharge will give you the energy to handle all of the holiday's many challenges. Find a small spot away from the rest of the family, incorporate your favorite colors, sounds, textures and lighting that fills you up and centers your spirit.

Here's one of the ways I keep myself feeling nurtured during the holidays: Fill a basket with a delicious tea, a scented candle, a soft blanket, writing journal and favorite book and keep it in your special place when you need a little pick-me-up. Do something solely for yourself and that energy will ripple throughout the entire season. Making sure you have a private place - sacred space - helps you to regroup, and by touching that core of ourselves, it opens our hearts, keeps us reminded of the true meaning of the season, and why we come together in the first place.

YOUR HOLIDAY HOMEWORK:

Grab a piece of paper and write down numbers 1 through 7. Beside each number write down one thing you will do in each of the categories above to help create a more calming holiday season for you and your family. Make your choices simple enough that you can accomplish one a day for the following week. This way you'll have plenty of time before the holidays hit to feel grounded, calm and joyful. Now that you've made your list, and have checked it twice, let's see who's going to have a naughty or nice holiday this season! If you follow the steps above, my guess for the happiest holiday household would be.... YOU!

About The Author
Take Stephanie McWilliams' free 6-week e-class (link: http://evolvingarts.com) outlining tiny changes you can make to each room of your house to see big results in your life. Stephanie is a feng shui expert and certified holistic health counselor. She is currently host of HGTV's Fun Shui television show.

Journaling for Stress Relief

2008-04-14T02:32:00.000-07:00

by: Valerie Dansereau

Journaling is a great way to deal with chronic stress. It is one of the most powerful tools for self growth and can help you release negative emotions, clear confusion and sort out puzzling or traumatic events.

The best way to begin is to set a time to write and put down whatever thoughts and feelings pop into your head. Your journal can be used to reflect on the events currently affecting you that are particularly traumatic or overwhelming. It can also be used to process other things, such as dreams, childhood events, and long and short term goals.

Research has shown that writing not only about your feelings but also your thoughts about your feelings is more helpful than just venting your feelings. In other words, write from both an emotional and an intellectual angle,

Don’t worry about spelling or grammar. The purpose of what you’re doing is to relieve stress and release pent up emotions, not to cause yourself more stress by censoring your own writing. Keep what you’ve written private. If you think privacy is an issue, keep it under lock and key. If you’re journaling on a computer, password protect your file.

A journal can be written on lined or plain paper, in a special bound book or a plain spiral notebook, or you can use a computer. The important thing is to make a commitment to write for 10-20 minutes each day if you can. Schedule a time to write, whether it’s first thing in the morning or last thing before you go to bed, preferably a time when you’re free from interruptions. Experiment with writing at different times of day and in different locations.

Don’t think of journaling as a chore. If you miss several days of writing, simply pick up and write again when you can. Chances are the more you practice journaling, the more you will look forward to it. Your journal can be thought of as a friend who is always willing to listen. In a journal you have the freedom to express deep emotions that you may not be able to share with anyone. No one will be affected by what you write.

If you review what you’ve written over time, you’ll be able to see your own growth. If you’re processing a traumatic event, you’ll be amazed to see how far you’ve come and how much you’ve healed.

Journaling is a lot less expensive than most other methods of stress relief. It’s a great tool for self-knowledge and emotional healing. Like other healthy habits, you will improve with practice, and the benefits you attain from journaling will build the more you work on this life-changing habit.

About The Author
Valerie Dansereau is a banker turned entrepreneur. She is the owner of http://www.work-at-home-parenting.com

8 Tips For A Stress-Less Holiday To Make

2008-04-14T02:30:00.000-07:00

by: Marilyn Bohn

I think GPS systems are the greatest. (Global Position System) I know a few people who definitely need them. A few years ago we had guests driving from California to our home in Utah to stay over night. It was about a ten hour drive. I gave what I thought was excellent instructions and directions so they would not get lost. The night (early morning) my guests were to arrive I woke up at 3:00 a.m. with a start as Maggie hadn’t arrived. (She didn’t follow my directions, instead made up her own). From our place they were driving back to Washington D.C.. Her sister said she was afraid to take a nap because she was afraid she would wake up in Mexico. A GPS in her car will save her hours of frustration and time.

With the holidays arriving GPS is a great idea for all of us to have. The GPS I am talking about is: Great Planning System. By planning ahead we can have a happy stress free, joyous holiday season. Christmas can be one of the most stressful holidays. But with forethought and organization it can be fun and a holiday to look forward to instead of dreading.

First of all we need to decide what it is we want to get from the holidays. Do we want to have big dinners, entertain friends, and attend every function we are invited to, decorate, bake, spend time with family, send out Christmas cards, exchange neighbor gifts, establish traditions, give to charity or do something unique this year?

Once we have our goals in mind then we can move forward.

•Take some time and decide what is important for you to do this year for the holiday. Then write it down, map it out.

•Establish a time frame to accomplish each task. If it isn’t accomplished in the time we thought it would be, no beating up on ourselves or negative self talk. And if it doesn’t get done ask yourself what is the worst that can happen?

•Cook food ahead of time and freeze it. Some pies freeze well as do cookies. Check your recipes to see what else you can make and freeze.

•Plan on delegating. Who can put up the outdoor lights? Who can do the food shopping? Who can help decorate? Get a crew together to share in the fun.

•Plan a specific time to decorate, another to bake, another to deliver gifts—whatever you plan break it up into little jobs, a little at a time.

•If you send out Christmas cards, organize a basket with the cards, addresses and stamps, and then while watching a T.V. show address the envelopes on the commercials. Do cards in November to save time in December. OR Instead of sending cards, call your friends to wish them a Merry Christmas. Long distance calls have become so reasonable it may cost less than sending a card.

•Keep a notebook with the names of those you are giving gifts to. Check off the gift as it is purchased and make a note when it is wrapped and sent. You could do this on a spread sheet if you use the computer.

•If your family will let you mix up your traditions, try a new one, customize to your own personal preference.

Through all the planning remember this is to be a joyous season; don’t get sucked into thinking you have to do it all. Actually you don’t have to do any of it so have fun with what you decide you really want to do.

About The Author
Marilyn Bohn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

What You Need to Know to Stop Hair Loss Caused by Stress

2008-04-14T02:28:00.000-07:00

by: Rudy Silva

Hair loss is of concern to most people at one point in their lives. When the time comes they want to know how to stop hair loss. Stopping hair loss can become an easy solution when you first notice that you are losing hair. If you ignore this condition hoping it will go away, you are making a big mistake.

Hair loss is a reflection of your general health. It is a major warning that you have poor health. The poor health condition that you might have can be complex and to reverse it will require some work, since this condition has taken a while on your part to create. The other thing that complicates your poor health condition is that there might be a psychological or stress problem that needs correction.

The first thing you need to look at is if you have a lot stress going on. This stress can come from a recent or past change is your personal relationships. These relationships can be at home, with relatives or at work. You could be working late hours working on difficult problems that create a lot of pressure on you. It could be a divorce you going through or a financial crisis. These problems can be worked out but it takes patience and sometimes courage.

Psychological problems are more difficult to work through. These types of problems create a complete imbalance in your body's chemistry and over time create hair loss. Stopping hair loss from this condition requires therapeutic help and a good nutritional and diet program.

Any stress or psychological problems requires a base line of good nutrition and diet, if you want to stop their effects on hair loss. These problems create a massive depletion of vitamins and minerals that are needed for hair health. Some times it is difficult to get into the habit of eating food that you need to stop hair loss. Changing habits that have been instilled in you since birth are not easy to change. You have patterned you eating habits based on your psychological issues and the stress you have in your life.

If you are experiencing stress, than you need to start changing your diet to replace the depleted nutrients caused by stress. The first vitamin you need to supplement with is the B-vitamins. These vitamins are always used up when you are stressed and they are critical in providing you with good hair. Then, you need to supplement with anti-oxidants. Stress and psychological problems create a lot of free radicals in your body. These free radicals lead to poor blood circulation throughout your body and including your scalp.

Most of us have stress and psychological issue we need to take care of. Start looking at how you can reduce these issues and start supplementing with B-vitamins and anti-oxidants so you can prevent or stop hair loss. You can learn what foods contain the B's and anti-oxidants, but you need therapeutic levels of the B's and anti-oxidants and you can not get these levels from food. You need to get them from supplements.

About The Author
Rudy Silva, natural nutritionist, has just introduced his new hair loss e-book call "New Hair Loss Treatments." To find out more details on this e-book, go to: http://www.hair-loss-remedies.for--you.com

How To Manage Stress Effectively

2008-04-14T02:26:00.000-07:00

by: Kelly Hunter

Throughout the lifespan of stress management research, experts have argued about the exact definition of the word stress. There are many opposing viewpoints, and like many words in our language, the conflict lies in the way the word is commonly used in popular culture. When most people hear the word stress, their muscles tense and they expound on feelings produced by situations like time restraints, emotional pressures and the responsibilities of the daily grind. To the man on the street, the word stress is associated with negative or, at the very least, uncomfortable feelings.

Medically speaking, stress is anything that makes your body work harder. For example, your doctor might administer what is referred to as a “stress test” to gauge how your heart is working. The usually form of this procedure is gradually increase the amount of strenuous physical activity you’re performing until you’ve reached your limit. Theoretically, that limit will reveal a lot about the condition your body is in.

So technically, stress doesn’t have to be the monster we make it out to be. There are good kinds of stress too. It can be a creative energy, like an adrenaline rush for artists, or even writers in a hurry to make their deadline. Basically, stress is responsible for the internal flight-or-flight mechanism that alerts you to danger and could even save your life. However, researchers say not having to hunt our own food or fight for survival anymore has dulled our more feral instincts and we typically aren’t in enough control to use fight-or-flight as nature intended. A lot of people just panic.

The situation doesn’t have to be life threatening to initiate a flight-or-flight response. Studies say we tend to get a small does of it anytime we are startled or interrupted. When we are so stimulated, that it becomes an everyday part of our routine, we develop what is called General Adaptation Syndrome. Think of the syndrome like a callous. It’s your body’s way of coping with constant stress and allowing you to function in spite of it.

No matter how adept you become at handling whatever stresses you, your body will eventually rebel. Sighs of exposure to prolonged stressors can creep up in unexpected ways such a chronic headaches, muscle pain, insomnia, weight loss and a variety of digestive issues. You can only take so much. Sometimes what you think you can deal with and what you can actually handle are not the same. Pay attention to your body because it will let you know, even when your brain isn’t listening.

There are all kinds of ways to manage stress, and different methods work for different people. Some like to soak in a hot bath at the end of the day while others would rather sweat it off at the gym. Studies have shown that certain scents such as lavender trigger a calming effect for most people. It is commonly used in infant-care products for that reason.

As wide and varied as the things that stress us are the things that sooth us and perhaps even more so, the ways in which we perceive stress. The circumstances which trigger feelings of anxiety in one person may seem pleasant or at least benign to another. The key is to take a minute to evaluate the way you respond to the stimuli and adjust the way you thing and feel about it. Maybe if seeing a spider usually causes you to jump up and down, next time you see one try taking slow, deep breaths. Rather than perceiving the spider as something that might bite you, practice thinking of it as something you can simply step on.

About The Author
Kelly Hunter operates http://www.stress-management-help.org and writes about Stress Management.

Managing Stress While Creating A Home Business

2008-04-14T02:24:00.000-07:00

by: John Fortner

Starting, developing and expanding an internet home business can be one of the most exciting adventures that we embrace. This journey could change our lives. Unfortunately, there is a disadvantage when we are creating a work from home enterprise.

There will be new concepts learned and applied. There will be attempts and failures. There will be disappointments and frustrations. A work at home business can bring success to our lives but it will also bring stress. We can control the pressure that will come. These tips can help us to manage the strain of creating an internet venture. The road to making money online is littered with obstacles but preparing for these challenges can make the journey easier.

1) Get Adequate Rest

The temptation to work long hours when we are developing a home business will be very strong. The concept of finding success through a diligent effort is true but we must balance the work with adequate rest. Most doctors say that 6-8 hours sleep per night is the norm. Purpose to get this much slumber. A revitalized body and a refreshed mind will help us face the challenges of the following day.

2) Develop An Exercise Regimen

Exercise can be the best activity for reducing stress while we are creating a home business. Walking, running, bike riding, swimming, etc. are great ways to ease the tension that develops during the day. Not only will the body benefit from this activity but it will offer our mind the break that it needs. When creating an online venture, we will be tempted to focus more on work and less on exercise. Create a specific time each day that is devoted to physical activity. Make it a habit and our productivity will increase.

3) Improve Our Diet

When developing a home based business, the temptation to grab a handful of chips and slam a diet Pepsi for lunch are enormous. We convince ourselves there is not enough time to eat a good breakfast or a nutritious lunch. Food and drink have a profound effect on how we feel. Making sure that we eat balanced meals throughout the day will improve concentration. The success of our internet venture relies on the ability to learn and apply new concepts. Improving diet enhances our focus. And don’t overdose on caffeine.

4) Find Time To Relax

Stress brings fatigue but relaxation delivers renewal. We must find the time to unwind from the pressures of creating a home based business. A day with the family, a day with friends, reading, listening to music, watching a movie are good outlets. We can combine exercise with relaxation if our time is limited. The goal is to find a place away from the strain of developing an internet venture where we can discover rejuvenation. Purpose to relax. It will improve our perspective.

5) Manage Our Workload

One of the main instigators of stress is the feeling that the success of our work from home venture is being hampered by effort. We push harder to learn and apply new ideas but the pressure becomes overwhelming. The best solution is to manage our workload. Develop a daily routine that addresses the responsibilities we need to fulfill each day. Be realistic with our schedule. It requires time to make money on the internet because it is a step by step, day by day process. Set attainable goals for each day, week and month.

6) Create A Positive Perspective

Do not dwell on the factors that are producing stress. The opportunity to create, develop and expand a home business is new and different. In most cases, it is very difficult. Develop a perspective that gives us the freedom to enjoy the learning process. On bad days, focus on what brings enjoyment and relaxation to our lives. Realize that success is closer today than yesterday. Apply what we have learned from other stressful situations. Know that the time is coming when stress will be gone and success will arrive.

The first steps toward the creation of a home based business bring more stress than success. When we find ourselves in this position, consider reevaluating the journey to making money online. The strain of starting an online enterprise can be managed if we have the proper tools. These ideas can help us deal with the pressure of developing our internet success.

“The difficulties and struggles of today are but the price we must pay for the accomplishments and victories of tomorrow.”

About The Author
John Fortner lives in Oregon and works from his home through his online pursuits. He is the owner of Best-Income Opportunities which offers free information and proven opportunities for creating work at home businesses. To learn more about this topic please visit his website at: http://www.best-incomeopportunities.com/

To receive free information for starting a home business please go to:
http://www.Best-IncomeOpportunities.com/optin.html

Unsecured Loans: Stress Reliever For People With No Collateral

2008-04-14T02:22:00.000-07:00

by: Turk Malloy

Financial necessities do not discriminate between people with and without assets. They occur without any intimation. In the absence of a valuable asset to place as collateral, borrowers find themselves at a loss. But with unsecured loans available, they are in good position to get money.

In unsecured loans, typically amounts ranging from £1 000 to £25,000 can be obtained without placing any collateral. Lenders will only assess the borrower’s present employment, past credit record, repayment ability, salary or annual income as yardsticks to approve the loan. Loans are forwarded for short terms ranging from 6 months to 10 years.

Absence of collateral makes unsecured loans risky for the lenders. The risk factor involved in deciding these loans affects the loan amount and interest rates. Borrowers cannot get larger amounts of loan and also have to pay very high rate of interest. These loans are particularly useful when the loan required is small in amount.

Unsecured loans are very popular among tenants, non homeowners, salaried and self employed people. People who do not want to risk their property for a loan can also apply for unsecured loans. Bad credit borrowers can also avail unsecured loans but with higher interest rates and stringent repayment terms than good credit borrowers.

Borrowers can put unsecured loans to multiple uses like going for holiday, consolidating debt, education expenses, car purchase or renovating homes. Through regular repayment of these loans, any less than perfect credit score can also be improved.

Unsecured loans can be obtained from a number of sources like banks, financial institutions, private lenders and even online. Online mode of application is the most convenient and fastest way of getting loans. Through proper online research, better deals can be easily obtained.

So for borrowers having no asset or are not willing to pledge their asset, unsecured loans provide viable option to fulfill financial needs.

About The Author
Turk Malloy works as financial advisor in Poor Credit Rating Loans. He is offering loan advice for quite some time. To know more about Unsecured Loans, poor credit personal loans, bad credit loans, poor credit ratings loans visit http://www.poorcreditratingloans.net/

Musical Entertainment With Out The Stress

2008-04-14T02:19:00.001-07:00

by: Ty Cohen

If you are looking for an easier and less confusing or time consuming way of providing the entertainment for your church, business, or friends these are some ways to find some of the best performers, musicians, or actors. Why spend your valuable time searching for something that a few people are able to give you lists at a moments notice. These are trained individuals that specialize in these particular departments to better assist you and people from both ends of the music industry spectrum. Whether you are searching for the talent to hire, or buy or whether you are the talent looking for a job, these are the people to see:

A music industry consultant can be found in most cities listed under music or business music in the yellow pages. These companies specialize in providing services to you as either a performer or someone searching for a performer. If you are trying to find the next best number one singer, consulting them can get you some of the best musicians or performers either local or long distance. They are able to give you the latest information about the industry and what is new, old, hot, or not worth your time. Saving you time is their main purpose and doing it professionally is their main asset.

Hiring a music business consultant to give you a fresh perspective on your business end of the music industry can end up saving you money in the long run. By making yourself and your company or office aware of the competition, the requirements, and the over all normal procedures of your business, you are preparing for your future success. Hiring a professional to help you achieve order and success is a good idea to implement in your company as well as keeping you updated on what to expect business wise in the future.

A music consultant is the person to see for information on the latest and greatest music, performers, etc. If you are searching for a specific type of music or certain performer, they will assist you in locating what it is you are searching for, and teaching you how to navigate in the music industry without causing yourself a big headache. By hiring a professional to handle your business portions of the music side to your business, you will see excellent results as well as lessen your stress and work load.

Keeping in the loop on the music industry can be difficult and nearly impossible depending on the number of musicians or performers you are attempting to handle. Seeking the aid of these professional individuals can be the determining factor in whether or not you fail or succeed.

About The Author
Ty Cohen
Platinum Millennium Publishing
PO Box 644
Garner, NC 27529

Ty@PlatinumMillennium.com
1-866-752-9968
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Effects of Stress

2008-04-14T02:13:00.000-07:00

by: Loren Fogelman

Effects of Stress

What is stress

Stress is a part of daily life. Everyone has stress. Some people appear to have more stress than others. Stress is one way we react to specific events in our life. There are times when you might feel that too much is happening at once and feel overwhelmed. Other times, you feel the pressure of time or a deadline and realize you need to take care of something before it is too late. Having been in a similar situation before will create anxiety. How we perceive a situation will effect how we respond to it. There is good stress and bad stress.

Good stress can be a motivator. Knowing that you have an obligation to address and a timeframe. That type of stressor puts you into action in order to meet a deadline. Or you might be in an unexpected situation where you need to make a split second response in order to avoid danger. This could be slamming your foot on the brake to avoid an accident. Anticipation of a competition or performance will cause tension and nervousness prior to the event. This nervousness is due to an increased flow of adrenaline going through your body. Your body is preparing for the “fight or flight” syndrome. The release of adrenaline prepares your body to take the steps to deal with the situation, including improved focus, strength, stamina and heightened alertness.

People also have bad stress in their lives. Whether we perceive a situation as being stressful or not depends on previous experiences. One person might see being in a multi tasking job as very stressful, feeling overwhelmed and becoming anxious about their work. Another person might find multi tasking enjoyable because they continue to stay busy and time goes by faster. Your body is capable of dealing with stress for short periods of time. When the stress is ongoing i.e. dealing with a divorce or bankruptcy, this can wear a person down. Long term stress contributes to feeling tired, overwhelmed and contributes to lowered immunity.

The body’s reactions to stress

Once you view something as being stressful, whether positive or negative, your body reacts to that perception. The response is a survival technique and a defense mechanism. The reaction is referred to as the “fight or flight” response. Either you are going to fight the attacker or you will choose to flee from the threat. This includes increased heart rate and blood pressure, perspiration, hearing and vision become more acute and hands and feet might become colder since blood is being directed to larger muscles in preparation for a fight or to flee. Your body is being prepped to handle the situation. When the threat is over, your body will return to normal.

If your body has difficulty returning to normal, then you would experience stress overload. This is when you stress out too much or have ongoing stress in your life and never get a chance to relax. Pressure in your life might be too intense or go on for too long without a break. People that have experienced trauma are likely to have stress overload. If trauma is not resolved then you might become hypervigilant, a sense of being overly aware of possible danger. You might always be “on guard.” Stress overload has an emotional and physical effect on the body. This could include panic attacks, depression, sleep problems, physical pain i.e. headaches and allergies as well as abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Having unresolved trauma will effect your perception. Situations that might not have caused tension prior to the trauma can have the ability to create anxiety after the trauma. Becoming aware of how your perception has changed and seeking support to address the trauma issue can be helpful to reduce ongoing stressors and to reduce anxiety. Seeking counseling that focuses on cognitive perceptions will help to decrease hypervigilance and will help to reduce the likelihood of continuing to be retraumatized. In addition, your body has memory of the event as well. Being able to release that reaction to the memory of the event from your body will help to reduce stress overload and triggers.

Stress and control

Stress is contributed to the desire to be in control. This not only includes control over yourself, but control over other people and your environment. Trying to control others and your environment, however, is impossible. You only have control over your own thoughts and actions. In order to relieve stress and anxiety it is important to let go of trying to control things outside of yourself. We are unable to foresee the future and cannot control what events will happen next. Focusing on future potential problems contributes to anxiety. On the other hand, people are able to prepare for things that might occur and have a plan of how you would like to respond to events. This could be as simple as having a repair kit in your car for getting a flat tire or preparation for an interview and the questions that might be asked during the interview process.

Part of living life is that things always change. Change is normal. How you perceive something will impact how you react to it. This is where the fight or flight reaction occurs. You can decide to be proactive and address the situation. Making a choice to take care of things when they occur. Or you can expend a lot of energy avoiding issues and letting them build. Taking action will actually help to reduce stress and anxiety in the long run. In addition, there will be a feeling of empowerment as you begin to deal with problems as they arise. Trust your intuition and creatively think of all ways you could resolve the issue at hand. Even if you try to tackle a problem and don’t succeed, you could then view this as a temporary setback. Review what happened and try to approach it differently. Setbacks can be temporary. Find who your friends are and develop a support system. Another option is to seek counseling in order to have someone that is impartial as part of your support system. You don’t have to always take care of problems by yourself. Ask your friends, counselor or other support persons what they think about a situation. They might have ideas that you would not think of on your own. Learning to address problems as they occur will help you to change your perception of things from problems to challenges. Doing so will continue to help you build your sense of self esteem and empowerment. Identifying challenges as they occur, developing a plan to deal with the challenge, asking others for their point of view, taking action and keeping focus on the goal you are working toward will help to strengthen your resiliency.

Steps to reduce stress

Each one of us is a unique individual and we all have different experiences throughout our lives that affect our perception. What might be a stressful event for one person, might not be viewed as stressful for someone else. In addition, some activities are more stressful than others. Self care including eating well and getting enough sleep are important for stress reduction. Making time for doing activities that are relaxing is preventative to reducing stress overload. Relaxation is important, but there is no one right way to relax. Some people find that sleeping or going to the beach is relaxing. Others choose to be involved in an enjoyable activity or hobby as a way of relaxing. The goal is to find an activity that allows you to escape from everyday worries and problems. There is no right way to do that. Relieving stress can be done by meditation, exercise or doing an activity. Making the time to care for yourself is a priority that helps to reduce stress overload.

As you focus on making positive change in your life that will help to reduce stress and anxiety, be forgiving of yourself if you don’t resolve your problems immediately. Being critical of yourself is very easy to do, especially when people close to you have been critical of you for a long period of time. That critical voice can be very loud when you don’t get it right the first time. A suggestion is a positive response to the changes you are trying to make and to be forgiving of yourself when things don’t go perfectly as planned. These are some suggestions that might work or to come up with your own.

 “As things develop, I will, through listening to guidance from my unconscious, adapt to changing circumstances and grow with them.”

 “I may not get what I want when I want it; I trust that things will work out in their own good time, for my ultimate benefit, as long as I remain calm and peaceful.”

 “I may not get what I want at all, and yet, in remaining calm and attentive, I may discover something else that I need even more than what I thought I wanted.”

How you perceive a situation will affect how you respond. Whether you choose to address the issue or to avoid it. If you have a negative perception then you are more likely to experience anxiety and not be able to effectively take care of the problem. This will then reinforce that you have no control over the outcome and reinforce the perception of being helpless. On the other hand, a positive perception will help you to find a way to deal with the challenge you are presented with. If you choose to take responsibility for your feelings and actions then you are more likely to have a positive outcome. This will reinforce the sense of resiliency and empowerment. Breaking old patterns of behavior is difficult, especially when trying to do it by yourself. Being willing to look at yourself and to identify changes you would like to make takes a lot of energy and time. The more effort you put into making a positive lifestyle change, the greater the feeling of accomplishment you will experience. Develop a support system, whether family, friends or a counselor. Having someone that helps you to make positive change will increase the likelihood that the change will be long term instead of temporary.

About The Author
Loren Fogelman is the co-owner of Kolpia Counseling. Her education includes a Bachelors degree in Psychology and a Masters in Community Counseling. She is an Oregon Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and an advanced certified EFT practitioner. Since 1984, Loren has been working as a therapist. Her experience includes Mental Health units in hospital settings, schools, residential and outpatient treatment programs. Her specialties include addictions, chronic conditions, trauma, and spirituality. Loren’s goal is to help people reach their peak potential, whether personally, professionally or in sports performance. “Part of my approach to counseling involves energy work using the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). EFT is the most effective, gentle, yet rapid method for personal growth I have ever found.” Maintaining a sense of safety while working on issues is a priority. EFT focuses on perceptions and helps to change negative beliefs into positive ones. EFT has the ability to clear emotional traumas without additional anxiety and to remove physical pain. Contact www.kolpiacounseling.com for a free consultation.