Category Archives: Changing Your Life
December 17, 2014 Top 20 Stress-Busting Tips
It’s the holiday season and things can get hectic. Take a bite out of stress! Here are some quick practices to help you relax and revitalize:
- Breathe deeply
The steady rhythm of your breath has a calming effect on the mind, much like any repetitive, soothing sound or motion.
- Eat a healthy lunch
According to Dr. Pat Bass, a healthy diet is an essential element to combating stress.
- Exercise
Find something that works for YOU and practice it regularly!
- Mind relaxers
Do a crossword puzzle, squeeze a stress ball, paint a picture, doodle in your notebook.
- Yoga/mindfulness
Yoga helps you focus on the ebb and flow of your breath, as well as releasing the tension in your muscles
- Schedule “you time”
Write it on the calendar! Set aside some time to do exactly what you want to do.
- Schedule family time
According to the Mental Health Foundation, “A key way to protect your mental health against the potential detrimental effects of work related stress is to ensure you have a healthy work-life balance.”
- Walk outside
Vitamin D is essential for your skin and just being in the outdoors has a revitalizing, rejuvenating effect
- Laugh
Laughter reduces stress, according to the Mayo Clinic. Watch a funny movie, read the comics, or go to a comedy show.
- 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.
- 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, etc. My last newsletter on Building Community discusses this topic in-depth.
- Indulge in your interests
Do you like to knit? Paint? Practice Tae Kwon Do? Work your interests into your schedule
- 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.
- 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.
- Practice gratitude
As I mentioned in my November newsletter, a grateful person is generally a happier, more optimistic person.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tags: 20 stress busters, beat stress, beat stress and anxiety, holidays and stress, overcome work stress, reduce stress, stress at work
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Thrive at Work
November 26, 2014 Happy Thanksgiving (And a Quiz!)
Today, I would like to express my thanks to all of you–friends, loyal readers, acquaintances, fellow career coaches, aspiring leaders, and all the positive influences in my life. I thank you for your support, your business, and your encouraging words.
What are you grateful for? Take a few moments every day this week to count your blessings and be thankful. Being grateful for what you have helps elevate your sense of fulfillment and provides you with an extra dose of motivation. Also, as I wrote about in my November newsletter, being grateful is the number one most magnetic personality trait. Others are drawn to those who are humble, caring, and genuinely thankful.
Even though Thanksgiving comes but once a year, we should all try to occasionally pause and acknowledge all the goodness around us. Let the feeling of the season sustain you throughout the year to come.
Happy Thanksgiving and please enjoy the following quiz. How much do you actually know about the holiday? This quiz will test your (and your guests’) knowledge of Thanksgiving. It’s a fun way to keep the conversation flowing after everyone’s had their fill of turkey and stuffing. Enjoy!
Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Thanksgiving?
Tags: being grateful, gratitude, Margaret Smith, positive attitude, thank you, UXL
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Uncategorized
November 5, 2014 Happiness and Goldie Hawn
What does Goldie Hawn know about happiness?
More than you might think. Not only has the award-winning actress penned a book about mental wellbeing and mindfulness (entitled 10 Mindful Minutes), she is also immersed in a project called MindUP™, which is an education program designed to help children learn through a holistic and positive approach. Additionally, she runs the Hawn Foundation, whose mission is, in a nutshell, to improve the health and happiness of people of all ages.
Hawn hasn’t always experienced personal happiness, however. In her 2005 memoir, A Lotus Grows in the Mud, she revealed that she often suffered from anxiety attacks, depression, and nausea during her early years of fame. She underwent nine years of therapy and eventually managed to pull herself out of a long, deep rut. Now, she’s determined to teach others how to live a joy-filled life.
One of the tricks, according to Hawn, is to start your morning by “focusing on what’s beautiful.” Make an effort to think positive, affirming thoughts from the moment you wake up and soon it will become a habit.
Hawn also encourages us to think of three things every day that make us happy. If we keep those three things at the top of our minds instead of dwelling on all the negativity around us, we have the potential to be “more creative, constructive, and productive.”
What are some of your techniques for staying positive and happy?
Tags: Advice Giving, Better Life, Changing Your Life, Changing Your Mind, Goldie Hawn, Happiness, Mental Strength
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Thrive at Work
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