Stress Management Magic

STRESS MILLIONS ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW!

There are unexpected horror stories happening right now because of the high unemployment rate in our nation.  In February alone the number of job losses (reported) is over thirty-five thousand.  It is disheartening, to say the least, to be unemployed and not be able to support yourself or a family. This is particularly true for families with children, or with only one member of the family in the work force.

Not only is it stressful because of the financial problems that are accruing, it is devastating to many relationships. Today there are many citizens who have worked all their lives and have now been unemployed, not by choice, for months.  There are a growing number of people who have also just given up, and that number isn’t even counted in the unemployment monthly figures.

After a few months of unemployment there rises a feeling of detachment to the work force. As the period of time extends   the less current the resume becomes, and the potential for a possible loss of skills can occur.

For the unemployed person there is added worry about how the bills will be paid, often boredom with too much free time, a hit to the ego, and the ever-present luring nature of having a drink to “take off the edge”. The seductive nature of alcohol is a real temptation (after all it is social and legal).  It is also easy to have a second drink because “the first one made you feel so good”. Then you think, ” perhaps another just to be social”. The ball is rolling now.

Be careful, alcohol can run you down and kill your relationships, family, and even the potential to ever work again.  Motivation is lacking with those who drink regularly – except the motivation to get another drink. Good men (and women) can get caught up in this downward spiral.  It happens all the time!

Alcohol is a VERY DANGEROUS drug. Like any drug, it has a cumulative draw.  Too much alcohol and lies are congruent.  If a person has a blackout there is a huge danger of total ruination, because of actions you can’t remember, the possibility of driving under the influence, and often times, violence.

You don’t want the unemployed person, or yourself, to have to drink and get into that “fake world” where everyone is your best friend, and you all tell each other how great you are, just to regain some confidence.  That doesn’t even take into consideration the cost of the alcohol.  These days two drinks is the same cost as if you went to the store and bought a bottle!

These truths aren’t meant to freak anyone out, but to simply elevate awareness of potential problems.  We are ALL FLAWED human beings the need to be cognizant of the pitfalls and dangers that face so many people are real. It is important for you to be on your toes if “things” seem to be changing.

Be supportive and do understand it’s tough right now.  It does not help in most situations to point out how many other people are in similar situations.  A person who has been gainfully employed can only stay home so long (particularly with children) before “stir crazy” and “cabin fever” manifest.

Remember, too, particularly a man, may not want to share his insecurity, his concern, or his feelings of failure.  As an example of how tough it is right now, there are fifty-one candidates for every one position available in construction!  That is staggering.

If you have a genetic connection to alcohol someone with alcoholic tendencies, be aware. Also, for those who simply fall into the pit by circumstance, keep the risks in mind. They are real.

So what can you really do?

1.  The first key to stress management will always be learning to use your oxygen to calm yourself down.  You will not “react” but “respond” with intellect if you slow down to breathe.  When you concentrate on your breath you will be leaving your problems for a short time.  You can only think of one thing at a time.

2.  If you are the person unemployed, listen to your mate or partner.  Really listen.  Some things they say may seem unfair to you, but be mature enough to know what is true, and work on the problems.

3.  If you are the mate or partner of the person unemployed, be patient.  Share your feelings without tearing down the other person.  Use your intellect and recognize the difference between someone who is really trying, and someone who is not.

3.  Remember fighting will not resolve anything.  It will only exacerbate the problem.  Again, use your oxygen before opening your mouth!  Don’t yell.  Everyone concerned is frustrated.

4.  Have a “production” meeting and make notes as to possible job opportunities or alternate choices that may work.

5.  STAY FLEXIBLE.  There are no guarantees of what will happen in the next moment.  The only guarantee you have is that if you turn sour or negative, you will definitely ruin your

It has been proven you can keep a sharp edge on your intellect throughout your life. Many scientists believe that the combination of a person’s innate ability, and the additional brainpower that comes from consistently challenging the mind, will manifest in what is called “cognitive reserve”.

Studies have shown that diverse and mentally stimulating tasks result in more brain cells!  Also, a greater ability to bypass age-related trouble spots in the brain is quite apparent.

The more you work your mind, the greater your cognitive reserve.  The greater the reserve, the better ability you will have to withstand inevitable challenges of aging.  Keep in mind that we all begin to age way before fifty!

As a survivor of multiple traumatic incidents, and a stress management specialist, I have learned you can “retrain” your brain to accommodate any incident, or series of incidents that manifest in your life.  You can create new brain cells with new thoughts and habits.  Doing these things will begin for you a lifelong experience of stress management, better health, and will put you on the path to stay as sharp as possible. Exquisite breathing can really enhance these processes.

You are reading to find out about how to manage the stress in your life that may seem overwhelming and chaotic.  If you spend your life reliving your misery, or anger, and struggling just to swim in a pool of sadness, what does it accomplish? NOTHING. Time spent “mourning the past” just trashes any chance of peace and progress that is still available to you. We do have wonderful brains that can keep learning no matter how we have diligently tried to kill all the cells by the “party on” philosophy. I’ve been there too – big time.

There are bound to be some physical restrictions and mental problems that may increase with aging, and for some, those problems may inhibit to some degree some areas of retaining a sharp intellect.  Reasons for this decline might be a loss of neural connections, a blockage of blood supply, and perhaps decreases in nerve-signaling chemicals.  Memory can diminish with age, though only certain types.

Typically “learned skills” are so firmly wired in individuals, they typically do not decline unless you have a disease such as Alzheimer’s.

But for most people, the ability to keep that edge is dependent only on a few things.  The commitment to exercise (even moderately) is imperative, as movement is so crucial to brain health cognitive thinking, changes in aging can be the result of inactivity.  Refresh the brain on a daily basis with new thoughts, new information, and new habits.  If your memory, as you age, is suffering, it is probably your short-term memory. Some moderate loss is to be expected.

After all, this wonderful human machine clicks along for years and years.

So how are you going to keep your brain at it’s best?  BY GROWING NEW BRAIN CELLS!  Scientists believe certain lifestyle habits can spark the cells’ growth.  I believe the use of your oxygen combined with habitual thoughts (new thoughts for advancement preferably), will absolutely grow new brain cells.

In a nutshell:

1.  Pay attention to your mental and physical changes.

2.  Make sure you “exercise” your brain with new information.

3.  Exercise your body.

4.  Incorporate good nutrition in your life, as many memory

problems stem from vitamin deficiencies.

5.  Be the master of your own thoughts.  Thought manifest into

action, and your behavior becomes your life.

Learn to Relax and relive these areas Right now!

When you are stuck in traffic you can feel the tension rising.

The kids are arguing and it’s getting irritating.

Work has been unusually hard and your peers haven’t helped.

These are just a few of the tension scenarios that can cause your shoulders to be tense, your neck to ache, your head to feel as if it is going to blow off your neck.  These three areas are the places where we hold much of our tension-the “stress triangle”, a phrase coined elsewhere, but absolutely correct.

Learning to release the tension in these muscles can really help us relax and de-stress.

Find the areas in need of help

If you place your right hand on your left shoulder, and move your fingers halfway in toward your neck, you are at one point of the triangle.  The second point is the same place off your right shoulder.  The third point is on your forehead, between your eyes.

Why tense muscles hurt

Muscles tighten to protect you!  That’s right.  We are talking about the muscles preparing for the “fight or flight” scenario.

But you don’t need that protection for everyday stresses.  When your muscle shortens, and then holds that position, waste products from muscle activity get trapped (metabolites).  This causes pain.  The pain is released when the muscle regains its natural length by relaxing.

Stretch away tension

The following simple stretches can help relieve tightness in your “stress triangle.”  Always remember when you do these stretches that mindful breathing aids in the relaxation process.

1.  Neck roll.  Stretch your right ear to you right shoulder, keeping your left shoulder pulled down.  Roll you head down so you chin is on your chest.  Continue on to your left side.  Do rolls from side to side.  Begin with eight, build up to sixteen

2.  Shoulder shrug.  Using one shoulder at a time, draw big circles.  Do two or three to start, and build up to eight times, going forward, then back.

3.  Pick Fruit.  With one hand, reach up as if you are picking fruit from an apple tree slightly ahead and far above you.  Go from one arm to the other, building up to eight times on each side.

4.  Self-massage.  Use your right hand to massage your left shoulder, and your left hand to massage your right shoulder.

Work your fingers gently, but firmly, beginning with your shoulder blade and moving up toward the neck. Include the scalp in this mini-massage.  Use your oxygen to help the relaxation

5.  Standing body roll.  Let your head roll forward until your chin is on your chest.  Keep rolling down as your knees begin to bend.  When your hands are hanging near your knees, rest there a moment and slowly roll back up.  Work up to ten times.

A welcome release of tension

At home, at work, or wherever you are, just take a few moments to do one or all of these simple stretches.  Use them once an hour if you feel tension mounting.  After doing these a few times, and comparing the different feeling of tense muscles verses relaxed muscles, you will absolutely feel like it’s well worth it for a few minutes of your time.  You will feel better and prevent tension from building up in your body.

Try these.  You will like the results!

In an attempt to measure life changes, a Life Scale was developed ranking events in order from the most stressful (death of a spouse) to the least stressful (minor violations of the law).

As you read take note of all the stressful events that may have touched or are touching your life.  There are other stresses not listed, but according to statistical information these events are common to man.

1.  Death of spouse or child

2.  Divorce

3.  Marital Separation

4.  Addictions

5.  Death of a close family member (parent or sibling)

6.  Physical or verbal abuse

7.  Child sent to war

8.  Being fired from work

9.  Marital reconciliation

10. Retirement

11.  Major change in health or behavior of family member

12.  Pregnancy of spouse/ partner / child

13.  Sexual difficulties

14.  Gain a new family member (through birth, adoption, etc.)

15.  Major business readjustment (merger, reorganization, etc.)

16.  Major change in financial state (a lot worse / or better off)

17.  Death of a close friend

18.  Changing to different type work.

19.  Major change in number of arguments with spouse (more

or less)

20.  Taking on a significant (to you) mortgage

21.  Foreclosure on a mortgage or loan

22.  Major change in responsibility at work (promotion,

transfer, demotion)

23.  Son or daughter leaving home (marriage, college, etc.)

24.  Marriage

25.  In-law troubles

26.  Outstanding personal achievement

27.  Partner beginning or ceasing work outside of the home.

28.  Beginning or ceasing formal schooling

29.  Major change in living conditions (new house, renovating)

30.  Revision of personal habits (dress, manners, associations)

31.  Troubles with the boss

32.  Detention in jail or other institution

33.  Change in residence

34.  Major change in usual type and / or amount of recreation

35.  Major change in church or spiritual activities (more or less)

36.  Major change in social activities (clubs, dancing, movies)

37.  Taking on a small loan (purchasing car, TV, freezer, etc.)

38.  Major change in sleeping habits (more or less)

39.  Major change in number of family get-togethers (more or

less

40.  Major change in eating habits (a lot more or less food

intake

41.  Holidays or vacations

42.  Minor violations of the law (traffic or parking infractions)

43.  Time and traffic (deadlines, heavy traffic)

After reading the list you may find you REALLY HAVE GOOD REASONS to sometimes feel overwhelmed.  These events are common to all of us, and taken into consideration with other “personal events”; you can see just why you may be stressed!  You aren’t just whimpering or weak and unable to handle the events in your life!

So pat yourself on the back for not coming totally unglued every day, and begin to seek STRESS MANAGEMENT MAGIC through articles posted here, classes, videos, personal instruction, self-improvement groups, family meetings, and by ANY MEANS you can to “manage” this stress.

There are several ways NOT to look for stress management help.

1.  Alcohol

2.  Drugs

3.  Overeating or secretly eating to find a temporary fix.

In order for management techniques (whatever is right for your

lifestyle) to work, and for the techniques to be permanent, keep this important fact in mind:

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, And PRACTICE

Make it a FUN goal and remember THIS IS YOUR LIFE!

Now take a deep slow inhalation through the nose, exhale through the mouth and KNOW this is the most important first step you can take towards stress management.  USE YOUR OXYGEN YOU WONDERFUL OXYGEN MACHINE!

Stop to smell the flowers!  Take a breath and let your shoulders relax and go down!  It’s a new day.  A new opportunity to begin again.  Don’t expect a bad day today.  Expect a good one.  Create a good one.  Soar with the eagles.  No one except YOU can change your life….it’s all  in your hands.  Only YOU can respond instead of reacting.

Every one of those trials you’ve faced seemed life shattering.  But they are not unless you give power to them.

The past is the past.  Begin again.  Take a few more slow and deep breaths and SMILE.  Loose the fear and forge a head with great expectancy of the present and future!

“Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good thought and actions.  Men understand this in the natural world (nothing can come from corn except corn) – but few unterstand it is in the mental and moral world.”

James Allen

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Because you acquire fresh knowledge intellectually doesn’t mean it will change your life or your soul.  Knowledge not put into practice is dormant; suspended in time until put into use.

Inhale slowly through the nose.  Exhale.  This is a gift.  You are an oxygen machine and can enhance your life, relax your body, and manage your stress much more effectively if you just remember to stop and take a breath when you are overwhelmed.  Take in several mindful breaths, recognizing that in order for you to move forward intellectually, you need oxygen for your brain.  Panic and stress cause us to slow our breathing!

PRACTICE this one technique for stress management every time you feel you cannot go any further.  Believe management will happen.  The body responds to your “input”, and to your thoughts.  Make it happen! Create a beautiful day as moments of your life will accelerate.  Use each one with positive thoughts – those thoughts become your life.

Do This Right Now!   Please.   You looked up stress management, so begin now with a mini-relaxation online.

The body is the servant of the mind.  It obeys the operations of the mind whether they are deliberately chosen or automatically expressed.

Exercise your mind and your stress level will diminish and your body will begin to relax.

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Sit back just a bit.  Sit a little straighter, holding your tummy in and pressing your lower back into the chair.

Stretch your arms up in the air as far as you can reach.  Clasp your hands and take a breath.  Now exhale slowly through the mouth as you shake your hands and arms down.

Lay your right ear towards your neck.  Stretch it, but don’t bounce.  Take a breath in through the nose, and exhale in the same manner through your mouth.

Lay your left ear towards your neck.  Stretch it but don’t bounce.  Take a breath slowly and exhale in the same manner.

With your head still leaning towards your left side, slowly rotate your head down towards your chest and stop when you reach the right side.  Do this several times.  Lift head to center position.

Do not do a full head roll as often times the head is allowed to drop back further than desirable, and you take a chance of injury.

Clasp your hands and stretch your arms out in front of you.  Release.

Wiggle your toes.  Rotate each ankle several times to the left and then to the right.  Scrunch your fingers together and release.  Be sure to use your oxygen during these easy moves.

Breathe in slowly saying to yourself:  “I am regenerating and relaxing.”

As you exhale say:  “Negativity is flying out with my exhalation.”

Repeat several times.  The brain needs fifty percent more oxygen to perform optimally and when we are under stress we actually inhibit our oxygen intake without even consciously knowing!

It’s as simple as that!  A few mini-relaxations throughout the day can physically and mentally change your day!  This is the physiology of the body and mind.  It will happen.

If you think it’s too simple – it is!  The difficult part is YOU resisting change and resisting creating new thought and creating  positive brain cell impressions.  As creatures of habit we have to retrain the brain.  Get into the habit of doing these things as your first moves towards stress management. Change your habits – change your life!

Create your own relaxation.  Maybe a walk in the hall, a bathroom break where you also stretch and twist your body around a bit, even simply standing and changing position can begin the flow of oxygen to your body and mind.

Inhale deeply and slowly through the nose.  Now exhale slowly through the mouth.  Now pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for actually taken the first step towards changing your life!

Whether you are in school, in the office, or simply at home working, these simple techniques are always available with no strings attached.  For further help please check the many wonderful resources on this website and online.  CREATE a beautiful day!

Fear is an emotion we’ve all felt at one time or another!

Fear translates simply into “anticipation” of something bad happening. It is the emotion that makes you feel within that danger lurks close by, and is a threat to you, whether it be physical pain or something else.

Fear can be a positive emotion that reminds you to take care of yourself. Keep in mind, however, fear without restraint that becomes habitual, is dangerous and serves no purpose in resolving anything.

Listen to your feelings, take good care of yourself, and keep your emotions in proportion to the situation by keeping an appropriate perspective.

Being fearful of the future is pointless.  No one can know what will happen ten minutes from now, not even the very next moment.  A better approach to seeing the future would be to anticipate the good that you desire in your life and the lives of those around you.  It is a choice.

No matter what stress you are dealing with at the moment, life can change radically, and without notice. What you have feared may happen you may never see in reality.  Over ninety percent of what you fear will never come to fruition.

Visualization

The ability to visualize with colorful and vivid images, rich imagination and detailed action are natural skills of childhood.  Somewhere along the path between childhood and becoming an adult many people are so overwhelmed with life itself, and so plummeted with “information and responsibilities” that the skills are tucked somewhere in the back of the mind

Visualization skills can be very useful in empowering people to overcome

obstacles in their lives.  FEAR is at the forefront of the list that can be a major obstacle to progress. .  When fear is corralled you will find everything will improve.

Learn to be rational

Man is endowed with the capacity to reason.  We are capable of thinking clearly, sensibly, and logically. Oftentimes, though, our emotions run wild with us and information processed with that thinking disables our ability to manage our thoughts and actions, our ability to use intellect proportionately with our emotions as needed.

When your fear level goes up your ability to think rationally trends downward to the point where you can act in ways inappropriate to the situation.  Being fearful does not indicate there is anything wrong with you since, everyone feels afraid of a wide variety of things, but when fear takes over your life or becomes prevalent in situations where it isn’t appropriate, that is where you should take control.  Learning to be in control of yourself is an important skill to learn and will serve you well all your life.

There are numerous ways to learn to overcome fear.  Stress management videos, classes, and corporate training seminars are only a few ways to help yourself loose this useless appendage.  Take advantage of help available.

But always remember, your number one point of empowerment when fear overrides rational thought is to BREATHE!  You brain needs fifty percent more oxygen for your brain to function optimally.  Use it.

Do you remember the last time you laughed out loud?

Laughter is a powerful antidote to aid in the management of stress, pain, and conflict.

There is nothing that works faster, or can lighten your burden better than laughter.  It is one of the most powerful tools you have to support your emotional health, and your daily mood.

Physical benefits

A hearty laugh relaxes the entire body, relieving physical tension and stress, and it leaves your muscles relaxed for almost an hour after.

Laughter releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.  These endorphins promote a sense of wellbeing, and can even help to relieve pain.

Your resistance to disease will increase as you incorporate into your life.  It decreases stress hormones and actually increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies.

Laughter even protects the heart!  It actually improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and cardiovascular problems.

Humor is really infectious.  When you hear the sound of roaring laughter, even if you are not aware of the scenario, you will most certainly smile!  The domino effect of laughter triggering laughter triggers those physical changes in the body.

Remember hearing a child laugh wildly as he or she is being tickled….just the sound makes anyone within hearing distance enjoy their day just a little more.

When laughter is shared it always increases happiness.  It binds people together is a shared joy.   Laughter simply makes you feel good, and the feeling stays with you long after the sound subsides.

Laughter helps you keep a positive and optimistic outlook.  It is rather a “mini-vacation” from sadness and pain, and even in very difficult times, laughter can surely help in making you feel better.  It stimulates the brain and makes you ready for more fun and relaxation.  It stays in the memory and can cause you to smile hours afterwards.

Benefits for optimum mental health

You simply CANNOT feel angry, sad, or anxious when you are honestly laughing.  Not the kind of “laughter” you may feel required to do when you are trying to be courteous or join the group.  The kind of laughter that comes from your heart is irreplaceable.

You will reduce stress and increase your energy because you are more relaxed.  Humor allows you to shift your perspective to see situations in a more realistic way, a less threatening light.  This type perspective creates psychological distance, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed about the circumstances.

Laughter is innate and it is your right.  Though often you may feel there is nothing to laugh about, you can always find humor in life – if you just try!  The absurdity of stoic behavior abounds in life.  If you focus and allow yourself to picture things in a different way, you will really find there is so much to laugh about; you will want to weave laughter into every day of your life once you feel it’s benefits!

Read a joke book.  Go to a comedy club.  Rent a movie.  Get together with friends.  Start laughing today!  Practice a positive attitude change through the use of positive humor.  Begin to see humor all around you in puns, irony and oxymora.

Remember – “cutting” humor is not really funny.  If your words pierce someone’s heart, or if you have to say “Oh, I was just kidding” – it’s probably not humorous, but more in the line of ridicule or words that are harming someone else.  Condition your mind to find positive humor and it will surely help manage your stress.

Bathes are not strictly for women.  They are for all of us.  People of all ages spend money and time going some place to swim, or sit in a hot Jacuzzi.  Water is one of our most underrated and underappreciated gifts.  You bathtub is perfect for a light workout, water therapy and RELAXATION.

It’s cost effective and readily available without a reservation!

You will need these things for your productive, healing and peaceful bathing time:

1.  Music.  You must have music.  Make sure you are “electrically” safe, or not hooked to any electricity at all is preferable.  Use your Ipod, portable headset and player, a radio, or whatever you have, and make sure your music flows with your natural heart rate.  It should feel gentle and soulful. Music that is simpatico with your heart rate will enhance your relaxation.

2.  A candle, or a few candles, safely placed in areas to enhance the ambiance.  If you don’t have candles then simply try to make the lighting in the room soft for your eyes.

3.  Find a fragrance to capture within the room.  Try flowers, incense, and a splash of your favorite perfume or cologne to reward your sense of smell.

4.  You need a small cervical pillow with a waterproof cover – or simply a large towel rolled to place at your neck for comfort and support.

5.  Bubble bath, oil or whatever will nourish your skin.  Your skin will cover you all your life.  Keep it supple.

6.  A body sponge, pumice stone and / or wash rag.

7.  Epsom salts to add to your bath water for helping muscles and ligaments.

Set the scene while you run a hot bath.  Grab two soft towels and plan on twenty or thirty minutes alone.  Make a “do not disturb sign”.  Make your bath a reward in the comfort of your own home.  Only you and your family should have bathtub privileges.  Let the guests use a shower.

Now you are ready for this “stress management magic to begin

1.  Step into the tub (after it’s clean, of course), and when you first start drawing the hot water for your bath.  As the water fills the tub, sit down and paddle your arms side to side so the temperature stays even throughout the tub.

2.  When the tub is filled (I personally love a bubble bath), lean back on the towel or pillows and begin these easy stretches and movements.  Lift one leg slightly, and rotate you ankles in both directions.  Point and flex toes and then flex them, pressing them towards your chest.  Lightly massage the leg and foot and then alternate to opposite sight.  Repeat the movements.  As you are doing these things slowly breathe in and out.  Make the breaths deep and long, and relaxed.

3.  With hands in the water clench your fists.  Open the fingers wide and stretch them as far as you can.   Wiggle the fingers. Pull the water through your fingers.  Visualize how light the water is and yet how powerful.  You too can be “light in thoughts” yet powerful…if you manage your stress effectively.

4.  Remove the pillow and gently place your neck on the highest point of the tub itself.  If you need to, slide down in the water a bit.  Slowly, with mindful breathing, rotate the head from side to side.  Do it several times.

Next, press your chin towards your chest.  Hold it for a few moments and release.  As you do this note the stretch for your spine. Youth depends greatly on the suppleness of the spine.

When you decide to finish the bath, use warm water to rinse, splashing it first of the face and then the body.  It will be stimulating for your circulation and finish the cleansing part of the bath.  (Of course you have already soaped down and washed this body you live in!)

Be creative in the water and enjoy the healing properties and the time you have to simply concentrate on YOUR BATH!

“What exactly does that mean?” you may ask.

It means simply that while you may be an expert at managing all the tasks at hand – whether it means completing a report at the office, finishing a term paper, or multi-tasking for three or four school age children, who have different directions to go, you don’t know how to manage yourself!

You may feel an overload of stress and rather overwhelmed, but you make sure everything is done to the best of your ability. The stressors mount and you pile them neatly within your mind, to deal with later, “when you have time”.

The disaster comes when a “trigger” sets of a string of emotions, in motion, and you have not yet to learned to manage you!

Negative stress is DISTRESS.  Distress causes failure.  Overworking and not coping can destroy your life.  We all experience distress from time to time, it is normal, and unavoidable part of living, but long term chronic stress is positively dangerous and can lead to severe mental and physical disability.

The good news is that you are actively seeking help or you wouldn’t be reading this post right now.  That is an excellent beginning.

Follow up with the same kind of plan you would improvise for work, or school, or the family.  Self-management is an essential skill to deal with all your psychological and physical stress.

Take the time to set you own personal goals.  Create clear goals for everything from exercise to nutrition.  Make room for a class in meditation or yoga.

Begin to take “mini-breathing” breaks throughout the day.  Just take a minute or two at your convenience, using deep inhalations and slow exhalations, fully exhaling.  As you inhale think: I am regenerating my oxygen machine.”  As you exhale think:  I am releasing negative and limiting thoughts.”

Stretch just a bit throughout the day, as well.  Simple stretches will do.  Arms overhead, hands clasp and stretching forward, gently rolling the head from shoulder to shoulder, pointing the toes and then pressing them back towards your body – any or all of these will really help keep you more relaxed.

Remember that if you fall apart you won’t be any good for anyone!  All those professional and personal dreams will fade away if you don’t care for you!