Health & Travel - Don't Carry Stress Around, 10 Habits to a New You, Pt 1

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Don't Carry Stress Around

Top stressful situations: Job or job loss, marriage/divorce, finances, imprisonment, chronic illness, death of loved one, or moving.

Results of stress: Deteriorating health, anxiety, pressure, isolation, helplessness, frustration, worry, and loss of self.

Occasional stress: The good news is, damage can be reversed.

Chronic stress: If you experience chronic, long term stress, your "life" will depend on what you choose to do. Evaluate ways to make your current situation less stressful, and healthier for mind, body, and soul. If changes cannot be made, you may need to leave that situation.

Action: Make a daily effort to reduce your stress. Read on....to find out how.

First Steps - Realize Your Stress

1. Be self aware and take inventory of un-healthy symptoms.

2. Determine the source(s) of your stress.

3. Can you make changes to the stress source?

4. Adopt new habits to reduce stress & improve your wellbeing.

5. It's better for you body to heal & recover using "natural" methods. Using Rx prescriptions actually harm your body, acting as a band-aide to mask the problem - this is NOT healing.

FYI: If needed, see your Doctor. It's interesting that my Dentist was the first to tell me I was in a high stress job - and that's SCARY.

New Habits for a New You

1. Take 1-2 day mini-vacations OFTEN. No need to travel far for you to do fun things that have been proven to restore wellness to your entire being.

2. Pt 1 = Get a mid-week pick-me-up. Set aside 1 hour after work on Wednesday. Walk for 30-40 minutes somewhere that's fairly quiet - no traffic noises or people chatter. You don't have to walk fast, just keep moving. YES, it helps reduce stress. See blog: What's Always With You & Healthier than Gyms? Next, for 20 minutes, sit on the beach & listen to the waves. No beach - try any special place that's quiet & calming. Listen to nature like the wind whistling thru the trees and as you exhale, let your mind be emptied out.

3. Make a habit of seeing friends at least 1x/week. They keep you from isolating, and can make you laugh so your mood is lifted and you feel your stress loosening it's grip.

4. Be aware of situations where you can feel stress creeping in. Walk away if possible, or, tell the group that you all need to deal with the situation in a positive way. If you're alone, say it to yourself out loud. Then breathe in and out slowly for a few minutes. Now, come up with 1 or 2 ways you can turn the "negative" into a positive outcome. If there's truly no positive outcome, find something in the situation to be grateful about.

5. Meditate & pray - it's a powerful tool to de-stress & bring inner peace to your whole being. Meditating & praying keeps you focused on today, not yesterdays hurts or failures, or the possibility of future hurts or failures.

Bottom Line for Wellness

• Start with a couple things you can easily do, and add them to your routine for 30 days. After 30 days, it becomes habit.

• Choose a few more things to add to your routine that are specifically helpful to you & your situation.

• You CAN be a happier, less-stressed and a healthier YOU.

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