Stress Management Magic

We’ve all been there!

Life gets harder in the long run.  This statement is not meant to discourage you.  It is simply a fact, another stress that must be met head-on.  That doesn’t mean you can’t meet the challenge.  You were born with an instinct to survive, and along this journey in life there are times that are so spectacular that the “down time” can be met with the knowledge you will be stronger and wiser as years increase.

Part of the reason that life gets harder is because our bodies age, and with aging comes some problems that we just can’t avoid.  Some can be avoided with proper nutrition and exercise, but some changes must simply be accepted.

You are encouraged to continue to learn stress management and seek good mental and physical health.  No one in the years past age fifty can promenade “back” to the good old days.  Even those of you in your thirties won’t be able to turn back the clock.  Your age is a done deal, so acceptance is imperative, and your true beauty is honestly reflected in your heart and mind.

When your reality seems more like “bleak than bling”, keep these thoughts in mind.

1.  You are not alone.  Every single human being faces these same problems -aging and sometimes trying to find a reason to live.

2.  If you are aging, you aren’t dead.  If you aren’t dead then there is a reason to live; you just may not recognize it at the moment!   Take time to counsel with others. There is help available, and no one will judge you. We’ve all needed help at one time or another.  Just getting your feelings out in the open and sharing with someone will help.

3.   Part of the reason you may feel that life just isn’t worth it, is the fact these are difficult times, and are often compounded by personal traumas.  Try to sit back and change your perspective of the scenario that is your biggest stumbling block. .  Sometimes we are so emotionally charged we neglect to focus clearly on options.

4.  Enter the world of volunteering your time.  Why? Because you will divert your own attention to something worthwhile and in the process you may find many reasons to live.

5.  Remember the one thing you can count on is CHANGE.  Whatever the problem is – everything can change in the blink of an eye. What seems an insurmountable problem at this moment may be handled in the next moment.

6.  Because you are overwhelmed by stress you have probably begun shallow breathing.  Your body needs oxygen.  Concentrate on deep breathing and getting what you need to supply your body and mind optimally.

7.  If you are using alcohol to “relax”, keep in mind it is a stimulant.  After the rush and purported relaxation there will be the letdown.  The chemical reaction is always the same.  Don’t be deceived.

8. Pray.  It can’t hurt, and even if you don’t believe, you will mentally be releasing your concerns and thoughts. This action can help and is a positive step towards your healing.

A great thought for those thoroughly challenging times:  LIFE ISN’T ABOUT HOW TO SURVIVE THE STORM…BUT HOW TO DANCE IN THE RAIN!

Stop here now! Take two minutes to refresh and regenerate these vital areas simultaneously.

If you have been here before, it is time right now to start mindful breathing.  If you haven’t, the following paragraph explains the breathing.

When we are tired or burdened with various elements of stressors, most people begin shallow breathing.  No one knows why, but stress causes this reaction.  It is the worst thing you can do for your mind and body.

When you slow your breathing two things happen: the brain doesn’t receive the needed oxygen to think optimally, and the body begins to tense up from the lack of oxygen and the already foreboding stress.  This is why our first line of defense again ANY mental or physical “challenge” is to think about our breathing.

Try it.  Inhale slowly through the mouth, think: “I breathe in new energy and finer intellect”.  As you exhale think:  “I am releasing all the negativity from within and will let it fly into oblivion.”

Eyes

The natural way to massage your eyes is to blink your eyes.  The eyes use eight times the nerve energy as any organ in the body.  We use our eyes constantly without much care.

Blink your eyes quickly ten times.  Open your eyes widely.  Look up.  Look down.  Look to the right – then left.  Blink your eyes again ten times.  Rub your fingertips together until they warm then close your eyes and gently place them on the lids for a moment.

If you are in your forties or older, it is great to carry a natural lubricant for the eyes and use it several times a day.  Viscine and “get the red out” products dry the eyes severely if used often.

Neck

This information is not new, but it is pertinent, so worth  a review. It is helpful to learn how to relax and lengthen, and decompress your neck as you become familiar with your own body.  Because of the structure of our chairs, the positions we sit in, the kind of pillow we use, the weight of our own heads, and the stress we maintain, our necks compress little by little.  This can cause horrible neck and headaches, and can cause your shoulders to further tighten up.

Here is a simple exercise to prepare you for keeping your shoulders down and your neck relaxed.  Hold an object weighing one or two pounds in each hand if you are at your desk you can bring one pound weights to use or find a substitute (such as a heavy tape dispenser-be creative).

Let the weight of the objects pull shoulder blades down.  Make sure that you keep the breastbone lifting up so that the tops of the shoulders don’t pull down and forward, collapsing the chest.

Now set the objects down and see if you can find the muscles you need to pull your shoulder blades down just as the weights did.

These muscles are called the lower trapeziums.  They attach to the vertebrae of the midback, and insert on the inner border of the shoulder blades.  They are antagonist muscles to the upper trapeziums. In other words, they are very important posture muscles, helping support the spine in the midback.  When the lower traps are too weak to counteract the pull of the stronger and tighter upper traps, the scapulae will tend to ride up, compressing your neck.

As a second exercise, sit up straight.  Press your pelvis to the back of the chair.  Drop your neck to your right shoulder and use your oxygen while hold the position for a few seconds.  Now drop your neck to the left shoulder and use your oxygen while holding the position.  Return the neck to center.

A few more mindful breaths and you will be better for the two-minute break.  You’ll never feel the benefits if you don’t try it.  You will be glad you did!

Teach your family, your children, your friends and peers.  Feeling good is addictive – and certainly NOT illegal!

Take a few slow breaths while reading this short post, please.

This is an addendum to yesterday’s post.  I did not want to appear to diminish the critical issue of suicide.  When the stress level in your life becomes that intense, I am aware some people are able to skirt the thought and individually work on the problem with stress management techniques.

Others may not be able to do that.  If you have thoughts of suicide, it is urgent that you attend to your needs immediately.   This does not mean you are less of a person, less intelligent, or a looser!

It simply means your stress level has elevated to a point that you need to seek immediate help. There is help available.

In one of those dire moments, pick up the phone and dial 911.  Explain you need help and ask to be directed to that help.  Or get on the Internet. There are online MANY helpful websites.  Use keyword like:  suicide, distress, help, depression, etc, hopeless, and so on.

You can also look up suicide help lines, and suicide chat rooms.

Take a breath right now and slow down if you are having these feelings.  Seek help.  Remember there truly are people who care about you; even people you don’t know.  I am one of them.

Please check out “suicidehotlines.com”, or “suicidepreventionlifeline.org” or call: 1(800) 273-TALK as examples.

If you feel lonely, depression or desperate - Take a few breaths, and please take a few minutes to find help.  It very well may safe your life and actually give you hope for a new one!

Once in a while it really is okay to cry.  Even if you are a guy sometimes it may be one of the only ways you find to release stress from within.

We often hide anxiety, concerns about finances, thoughts of injustice, resentments, or feelings of inadequacy.  We go on and on with these feelings, and others, building up inside of us.

This website will always honestly face the same challenging scenarios that face us all at one time or another.  Our resolve will be carried out together, realistically.

This morning I realized that I had allowed some emotions to be pent up inside of me.  I really didn’t know it consciously, but when this particular person was accusing and negative towards me, wrongfully, I felt, I went to a personal space and burst into tears.

If you’ve ever cried like a child, you can visualize my mix of flowing tears and sobbing sounds.  It was as if the dam inside had burst and came roaring out of me.

I allowed myself to cry until the tears stopped and I was left only with that sighing that can’t be helped after crying hard.  It felt good to release all those thoughts that were pent up inside about this particular person.  I felt somehow cleansed of the hurt, and I know for sure my eyes got a good cleansing.

With that release of stress out of the way, I was able to modify intrusive thoughts that were based strictly on emotion, but without that fine mix of intellect we need to face our challenges.

I began to breathe calmly and mindfully, as we can do right now.  Inhale through the nose and visualize your mind and body calming because it is receiving excellent oxygen.

Exhale through the mouth visualize this to be the “house-cleaning” of negativity and wasted worry.  Repeat the inhalation slowly, as I too am doing, and then exhale again slowly.

Just a few mindful breaths throughout the day can be one of the simplest and most important techniques in managing stress.

Allow you to bawl loudly or even just weep quietly once in a while.  There is no shame in it, and it can be a very healthy release of pent up emotions.

I feel really ready to tackle the day’s challenges now, and hope you do too!