Category Archives: Changing Your Life
November 29, 2017 20 Ways to Beat the Season’s Stress!
The holidays are upon us and life can easily turn hectic. The stress of maintaining a satisfactory work-life balance has the tendency to amplify during the holidays. Whether you’re rushing to meet end-of-the-year deadlines, plan holiday parties, find (and pay for!) gifts, or prep your family for an out-of-town trip, it’s easy to feel as tightly wound as wrapping paper around a present.
All of this stress is a shame, because the holidays should be a joyous, relaxed time that we spend with close friends and family members. How can you rediscover holiday cheer and find some inner calm? Try a few of these 20 quick tips:
1. Breathe deeply
The steady rhythm of your breath has a calming effect on the mind, much like any repetitive, soothing sound or motion.
2. Eat a healthy lunch
According to Dr. Pat Bass, a healthy diet is an essential element to combating stress.
3. Exercise
Find something that works for YOU and practice it regularly!
4. Relax your mind
Do a crossword puzzle, squeeze a stress ball, paint a picture, doodle in your notebook.
5. Practice yoga/mindfulness
Yoga helps you focus on the ebb and flow of your breath and also releases the tension in your muscles.
6. Schedule “you time”
Write it on the calendar! Set aside some time to do exactly what you want to do.
7. Schedule family time
Be present for your loved ones.
>>Read about three ways to truly live in the moment.
8. Walk outside
Vitamin D is essential for your skin and just being in the outdoors has a revitalizing, rejuvenating effect.
9. Laugh
Laughter reduces stress, according to the Mayo Clinic. Watch a funny movie, read the comics, or go to a comedy show.
10. Be present
Focus on the here and now instead of getting stressed about the future or regretting something in the past. My book, The Ten-Minute Leadership Challenge, devotes an entire chapter to this concept.
11. Network/reconnect with friends/find your support group
We all need a support group. If you have close friends in the area, make an effort to reach out to them from time to time. If not, find a supportive community through meet-up groups, your local community center, or continuing education classes.
12. Indulge in your interests
Do you like to knit? Paint? Practice Tae Kwon Do? Work your interests into your schedule.
13. Massage
Everyone loves a professional massage, but if you’re short on time or don’t want to spend the money, give yourself a hand massage or shoulder rub.
14. Listen to music
“Music calms the savage beast” and it can also reduce tension. Pick your favorite genre and let Pandora find the perfect music mix for you.
15. Practice gratitude
As I mentioned in my November newsletter, a grateful person is generally a happier, more optimistic person.
16. Count/recite a mantra
The rhythm of counting or reciting a mantra can help calm your mind. Additionally, a positive mantra (i.e. “I can do anything,” “I am smart and strong,” or “Nothing can get in my way”) can give you an added confidence boost.
17. Close your eyes
Sometimes closing your eyes is a good way to distance yourself from your troubles. It also helps you focus on your thoughts without letting visual distractions get in the way.
18. Get organized
A neat and tidy desk or house can help focus your thoughts. Too much clutter can lead to feelings of anxiety and stress.
19. Free write
Get your thoughts down on paper. Write whatever comes to mind if you’re feeling overwhelmed and want to sort through a complex issue.
20. Plan a vacation
Even if you don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, it’s fun to plan a future vacation. It also gives you something to work towards—a long term reward.
Isn’t it time to relax and enjoy the holidays? Take a deep breath and get started with creating a calm, rejuvenating holiday season!
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: 20 stress busters, beat stress, beat stress and anxiety, career coach Margaret Smith, holidays and stress, margaret smith leadership, personal wellbeing, reduce stress, relax during holidays
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Thrive at Work
November 15, 2017 Sometimes, you have to take a single step.
I’ve been reflecting about my time on the Camino de Santiago. Last week I wrote a post about community on the trail, but this week, I want to focus on something a little different: Steps.
When we go through life, not every step forward is easy. Sometimes, we have to make hard choices, delve into difficult projects, or have tough conversations. Sometimes we’re so tired, brain dead, or feeling so darn defeated that we can’t imagine plunging ahead.
While hiking the trail, I didn’t always feel strong. At times, I was sore, achy, thirsty, or just plain burnt out. But I got up every morning and kept going. I didn’t have a choice. And, you know what? It got easier.
With every step I took throughout the day, my legs loosened up. With every encounter with a fellow hiker, my spirits lifted.
It all started with that first step in the morning—the one that shakes off the cobwebs and starts everything going.
In life, it’s easy to look at the big, scary future and stay rooted to the spot, not daring to move forward. Maybe you’re anticipating looking for a new job, moving to a new city, or starting a brand new relationship (personal or professional). Or maybe it’s as simple as looking at your to-do list and completely shutting down since there’s SO MUCH on that darn list.
In these cases, start with a single step. What’s ONE thing you can do today—right now—that will take you one step closer to your goals? If you’re gearing up for a job search, spend five minutes right now reading over your old resume and taking a few notes. If you’re moving into a new position at work, take a couple minutes to jot down a list of questions you have about your new role. If you’re staring down a gigantic to-do list, pick one easy thing and get it done right NOW.
Any step you take is valuable and, once you start with step one, you might just feel some momentum and continue on. This is how progress is made and journeys are completed: one step at a time.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: Camino de Santiago, Camino trail, getting through difficult situations, lessons from the camino, life in steps, margaret smith career coach, Minneapolis career coach, Minneapolis life coach, one step at a time, Saint Paul career coach
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Goals
November 8, 2017 What the Camino Taught Me About Community
I recently returned from hiking 135 miles of the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. The Camino was originally established as a pilgrimage trail when St. James was instructed to bring Christ’s message to the end of the world. Well…he reached Santiago, Spain, saw the ocean spreading out before his feet for as far as the eye could see, and declared that he’d made it.
This was years before Columbus approached Queen Isabella and King Fernand to request funding for his trip to the West Indies. And well over a thousand years before I set foot on the trail.
What started as a solitary journey by one devotee turned into a pilgrimage route. Although many people still journey the trail solo, they are never truly alone. Community is everywhere on the Camino. And it is powerful.
Although I embarked on my journey with my husband and a small group of friends, I found it easy to connect with others along the way. We hailed from different backgrounds, different countries, different demographics, and were hiking the trail for different reasons, but we all melded together easily in a multi-colored bouquet of humanity.
Rarely have I found so many people so welcoming. We ate together, shared our stories, and sometimes divulged our deepest secrets. I was surprised by what complete strangers were willing to share with me—but then again, many people hike the Camino as a way to release past hurts, and what’s the harm in sharing your story with someone you’ll likely never see again?
As I walked the trail, I marveled at how safe and protected I felt. You know how when you’re walking down the street in your normal, everyday life and you hear someone come up behind you? Usually, you glance back, you become on guard.
On the Camino, you welcome footsteps and a chance to get to know someone new.
All of this got me thinking: What if everyday life were more like the Camino?
- We’d welcome strangers to our tables
- We’d be more open with others
- We’d smile more often and aim for connections (instead of putting on our headphones and ignoring each other)
- We’d trust
- We’d care less about a person’s background and appearance and more about who they really are
- We’d live life with open arms and open hearts
Even if you’ve never walked the Camino, you can still bring the spirit of the trail to your life. Challenge yourself to be more open and candid with others; practice being more welcoming to co-workers and acquaintances. You’re entire world may change.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: business coach Margaret Smith, camino and community, Camino de Santiago, Camino trail, career coach Minneapolis, leadership coach Margaret Smith, lessons from the camino
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Transitions
