stress

Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ You’ll Feel Better if You Get in Touch with Your Body & Feelings

by

Stop Living Only in the Past and the Future, Get Present in the Moment

Being present in the moment involves being in your body and feeling your feelings—two things that lots of folks actually don’t know how to do.

Ask yourself these two questions: What does fear feel like in your body? What are you afraid of?

If you don’t know the answer to these questions, you probably aren’t present in the moment. Being present involves vulnerability, humility, and openness.

Being in the past or the future involves living in your head and ignoring what’s going on in your body and emotions.

The past and the future stop being so relevant and intriguing when you’re able to get in your body and feel your feelings. When you can do these two things, you actually want to be in the present moment. Try these tips: How to Live in the Moment and Stop Worrying.

Source

Feeling Good Tip of Day ~ You’ll Feel Better If You Don’t Enable

by

You’ve Got Enough Problems, Don’t Add to Your Load

The whole advantage of other people having problems is that they aren’t your problems. When you frequently take on other people’s problems, you get into the habit of enabling. Let’s get crystal clear about the definition of enabling: enabling is the art of continuing to take responsibility for other people, thereby disallowing their personal responsibility.

Some people develop an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or food. Others choose the seemingly kinder, gentler addiction of enabling. It is of no service to other people to take on their problems because they can’t/won’t/don’t know how to fix the problem. It is of service to empower others to take responsibility for themselves and their lives, to encourage, teach, and motivate others to address their own problems.

Source

Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Stop Overanalyzing Situations that Haven’t Happened

by

There is a Better Way to Live

The first step to living a stress-free life is to stop overanalyzing imaginary scenarios. It’s easy to spend time in the world of worst-case scenarios. People tend to cultivate this world for one of two reasons. First, because if you know what the worst-case scenario is, then it won’t surprise you when it happens. Second, if you know what the worst-case scenario is, then you can do everything in your power to control the universe so the worst case never happens. If that’s really the world you want to cultivate, then become a professional risk assessor. If not, then ask yourself how you are benefiting from continuing to live that way.

    1. Does it make you feel better about yourself and your life?
    2. Does it make you want to leap out of bed in the morning eager to embrace the worst-case scenario?
    3. Does it bring you joy or fulfillment?

If your answer to these three questions is no, then stop it!

Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ Face It!

by

Face Life’s Stressors Head On

Life is full of stressors, and it’s impossible to avoid all of them. There’s no need to. Stress isn’t always harmful, and we can even change our attitudes about stress. For those stressors you can’t avoid, remind yourself that everyone has stress — there’s no reason to think it’s all on you. And chances are, you’re stronger than you might think you are. Instead of letting yourself get overwhelmed, try to address the stressor head-on. This might mean initiating an uncomfortable conversation or putting in some extra work, but the sooner you confront it, the sooner the pit in your stomach may start to shrink.

Source

Note: Oftentimes when we face a stressful situation part of our stress comes from within. We set a fixed outcome in our mind as the only possible good outcome. When we become fixated on a single outcome, we lose the opportunity to see other, and often better outcomes. Stay open to different, yet viable outcomes, as you confront any stressful situation.

Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Recognize the Unhappy Moments

by

What To Do When a Low Period Hits You

A positive attitude is generally a good thing, but bad things happen to everyone. It’s just part of life. If you get some bad news, make a mistake, or just feel like you’re in a funk, don’t try to pretend you’re happy. Acknowledge the feeling of unhappiness, letting yourself experience it for a moment. Then shift your focus toward what made you feel this way and what it might take to recover.Would a deep breathing exercise help? A long walk outside? Talking it over with someone? Let the moment pass and take care of yourself. Remember, no one’s happy all the time.

Source

NOTE: I seldom have down periods, but I do get knocked down time and again. When it happens I talk to my emotions. I tell them to enjoy their visit but not to let the door hit them in the ass when they leave. I’ll also visualize the ocean tide. It helps me realize the emotional storm I’m struggling with will leave.

Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Breathe the Tension Away

by

Loosen up Your Tight Shoulders and Clinched Jaw

You’re tense, your shoulders are tight, and you feel as though you just might “lose it.” We all know that feeling.

Instinct may tell you to take a long, deep breath to calm yourself down. Turns out, that instinct is a good one. Research supports the fact that slow breathing and deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress.

The next time you feel stressed or are at your wit’s end, work through these steps:

    1. Close your eyes. Try to envision a happy memory or beautiful place.
    2. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose.
    3. Slowly breathe out through your mouth or nose.
    4. Repeat this process several times until you start to feel yourself calm down.

If you’re having a hard time taking slow, deliberate breaths, try counting to 5 in your head with each inhale and exhale.

Source

Feeling Good ~ Stressed Out – Nature Can Help

by

Getting Out in Nature is a Natural Way to Relieve Stress

Stressed out? Head for a forest.  One study found that a group of students sent into the trees for two nights had lower levels of cortisol — a hormone often used as a marker for stress — than those who spent the same two nights in a city.

In another study, researchers found a decrease in both heart rate and cortisol levels in people in the forest when compared to those in urban areas. “Stressful states can be relieved by forest therapy,” the researchers wrote in their paper.

Source

Today’s Health Tip ~ The 4 Pillars to Good Health

by

Health fads come and (thankfully) go. Despite the shiny promises that one particular superfood/workout/biohack will get you in the best shape of your life, the truth is, you don’t need to overthink (or overpay) to get healthy.

The Four Pillars to Good Health

  1. Diet ~ The secret to simple, healthy eating? Variety. Choose different kinds of veggies, fruits, and other plant-based foods, since they all have phytonutrients that contribute to good health in unique ways. The same goes for protein foods. Try new kinds of fish, poultry, meats, beans, and legumes. And don’t overlook nuts and seeds.

  2. Exercise ~ No matter if you’re thin, it’s still important to keep working out. Research has even found that people who are obese and cardiovascularly fit have better health outcomes than people who are slim and not fit. Aim to be active 150 minutes each week, spread across five or six days instead of just one or two. Your body benefits more from daily increases in your heart rate and oxygen consumption—just like your system benefits more from food and water that’s consumed over the course of a week, rather than a giant feast eaten in a single day.

  3. Stress ~Stress is inevitable. But its cumulative effects over time are what damage your health. Chronic stress has been linked to a host of issues, including anxiety and depression, weight gain, inflammation, digestive issues, fertility problems, even poor memory. The way to avoid repercussions is by dealing with stress in the moment, as it happens.

    The idea is to become psychologically flexible—or in other words, to learn to balance your exposure to stress with self-soothing efforts. I often equate this to standing on a surfboard, on top of a bowling ball. You can lean into your uncomfortable emotions, and then discipline yourself to pull out of that discomfort. Being able to toggle back and forth like that will make you more resilient.

  4. Sleep ~ Your brain is pretty binary when it comes to sleep. It has to rest. When you sleep, your brain rids itself of waste products and consolidates memory. Sleep also keeps your heart and circulation working, and your digestion regular. It’s not yet known why we have to be unconscious for these things to happen, but we do. On average, people need 7½ to 8 hours of sleep each night. Lots of people say they do “fine” on 5 hours. But they’re more likely to be functional despite mild sleep deprivation. “Functional” and “doing what is best for your body” are not synonymous.

Source

Today’s Health Tip ~ Calm Stress by Enjoying Making Your Meal

by

Learn to Love the Stir

This is the “wax on, wax off” of cooking. Whether you’re moving onions around a pan, blending spices into a soup, or for the real pros, whipping cream into a frothy dessert topping, the repetitive parts of cooking are opportunities to sink in, focus, and savor. Yeah, sure, it might take you longer than you’d like, your arm might be getting sore, or your kid might be asking for the third time when dinner will be ready. Instead of giving in to your impatience, use these moments as opportunities to show up and be present. Breathe in the aroma of the simmering spices, feel the warmth of the flame under the pan, or watch the bubbles in the water as they slowly come to life in a boil. By giving yourself fully to the task, you can start to take notice of all the little wonders happening underneath the “chore” of cooking.

Source

Kindness Works ~ Kindness is Good for the Body

by

Kindness has been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve mood. It can decrease blood pressure and cortisol, a stress hormone, which directly impacts stress levels. People who give of themselves in a balanced way also tend to be healthier and live longer. Kindness can increase your sense of connectivity with others, which can directly impact loneliness, improve low mood and enhance relationships in general. It also can be contagious. Looking for ways to show kindness can give you a focus activity, especially if you tend to be anxious or stressed in some social situations.

Source

Verified by MonsterInsights