Your 7 Days Program to Stress Management

They say there's more than one way to skin a cat. The same goes when you start tearing your hair out with all the frustration, grief, anxiety, and yes, stress. It's a state of mental conditioning that is like taking that bitter pill down your throat, causing you to lose your sense of self, and worse your sanity. Just thinking about it can drive anyone off the edge.

And they say that the proactive ones are already living off the edge.

As one stressed-out person to another, I know how it feels, and believe me there are many variants when it comes to stress. Coping with life, and carrying the problems that may or may not belong to you can scratch away the little joy and happiness that you can carry once you head out that door. You can't blame them for being like that; they have their own reasons, so much like we have our reasons to allow stress to weigh us down. They say that stress is all in the mind, well, what's bugging you anyway?

There are several ways to manage stress, and eventually remove it out of your life one of these days. So I'll try to divide it into a seven-day course for you and I promise it's not going to be too taxing on the body, as well as on the mind.

1. Acknowledge stress is good
Make stress your friend! Based on the body's natural "fight or flight" response, that burst of energy will enhance your performance at the right moment. I've yet to see a top sportsman totally relaxed before a big competition. Use stress wisely to push yourself that little bit harder when it counts most.

2. Avoid stress sneezers
Stressed people sneeze stress germs indiscriminately and before you know it, you are infected too!

Protect yourself by recognizing stress in others and limiting your contact with them. Or if you've got the inclination, play stress doctor and teach them how to better manage themselves.

3. Learn from the best
When people around are losing their head, who keeps calm? What are they doing differently? What is their attitude? What language do they use? Are they trained and experienced?
Figure it out from afar or sit them down for a chat. Learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do.

4. Practice socially acceptable heavy breathing. You can trick your body into relaxing by using heavy breathing. Breathe in slowly for a count of 7 then breathe out for a count of 11. Repeat the 7-11 breathing until your heart rate slows down, your sweaty palms dry off and things start to feel more normal.

5. Give stressy thoughts the red light
It is possible to tangle yourself up in a stress knot all by yourself. "If this happens, then that might happen and then we're all up the creek!" Most of these things never happen, so why waste all that energy worrying needlessly?

Give stress thought-trains the red light and stop them in their tracks. Okay so it might go wrong - how likely is that, and what can you do to prevent it?

6. Know your trigger points and hot spots
Presentations, interviews, meetings, giving difficult feedback, tight deadlines…. My heart rate is cranking up just writing these down!

Make your own list of stress trigger points or hot spots. Be specific. Is it only presentations to a certain audience that get you worked up? Does one project cause more stress than another? Did you drink too much coffee?

Knowing what causes you stress is powerful information, as you can take action to make it less stressful. Do you need to learn some new skills? Do you need extra resources? Do you need to switch to decaf?

7. Burn the candle at one end
Lack of sleep, poor diet and no exercise wreaks havoc on our body and mind. Kind of obvious, but worth mentioning as it's often ignored as a stress management technique. Listen to your mother and don't burn the candle at both ends!

So having stress can be a total drag, but that should not hinder us to find the inner peace of mind that we have wanted for a long time. In any case, one could always go to the Bahamas and bask under the summer sun.

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919-489-6100

Following Dreams in Meditation for Self Development

If you follow your dreams, you may find yourself mediating often. You may focus on these dreams by meditating and not even realize it. This is because many people fail to see their purpose and miss detailed points that lead them to this dream in the first place.

Our dreams are influenced also as we grow. When we are a child for example, we often hear our parents say, “I hope you grow up to be like your father.” Especially true if the father is a leader in society. Sometimes the father is not a leader yet the child will strive to be like dad.

The fact is the child is not developing properly, because the child is not exploring to his fullest capacity his abilities, skills, or other aspects that make him a distinctive human being. Sometimes children grow up with their own dreams. They may say, “When I grow up I want to be a truck driver.”

They may see large semi trucks that fascinate them, which start the dream. Later in life,they may stumble on other interests and decide they want to become a doctor when they grow up, or what have you.

All of sudden the child is in medical school studying to become a doctor. When the child graduates, he may discover new talents that points to science, or research. Rather than feeling fulfilled as a doctor his mind starts to wander why he did not take courses in college to become a research expert or a scientist.

Then the child tracks back to his first dream. When he first thought that he wanted to become a truck driver, he commences to meditate, wandering why his interest was lost. He realizes that he enjoys traveling and seeing new places. Now he has a dream left behind, yet he begins to focus again on researchers and scientists.

What is happening here is this person is not connecting with his inner being, which
includes his qualities, skills, desires, personality, character, likes, dislikes, and so on. Too many times this happens to a person. They continue to follow dreams that lack development, which leads them in a job position that they truly do not like.

Now he is a doctor, what can he do? First, he can start to meditate and review all aspects of us person, including his abilities, skills, personality, and roam through his mind to discover new ideas and aspects of him that he missed along the growing phase.

Once he begins to meditate details will appear and new information will become apparent that will help him to develop his personality, discover who he is, accept what he is, and move to become the person he wants to be.

He will learn to develop new skills, since he will start to see through meditation ways to improve his life. It is not too late he says. I can still return to school and study to become a scientist or researcher and develop the skills I need to be a successful person.

He continues to explore. As he explores his inner being, he starts to recall additional details from his experiences, learning, and sees clearly what steps he has to take to start up the career that satisfies his soul.

When you follow dreams, make sure these dreams are reality-based and are something you want to make your reality. Sit down and meditate often to explore your dreams and when you see that these dreams will make you happy, make them come true by developing new skills and learning to make it.

What's New?

Zen Mind Body Class Starting March 12-April 12, 4-Week Stress Management and Pain Control Class.

This workshop offers valuable insight into how stress profoundly affects our physical, mental and emotional states. Learn how you can control your inner stress by controlling your daily perceptions, thoughts and actions. Feel the instant uplifting rewards that deep relaxation, affirmation, visualization and self -awareness can bring.

General Information

• A certificate is awarded for each workshop.
• Comfortable clothing is suggested.
• Our approach is very “hands on” and includes practice of the techniques taught.
• Registration in all workshops is limited to no more than 12 participants to allow for individual attention.
• Includes Healing You Audio Program

Contact Diane Whitfield
919-489-6100 email Durhamkarate@aol.com

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Register Here Charlotte, NC March 5-6

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