Stress relief for holiday loneliness

December 11th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

The holiday season is a prime time for stress for many.

Perhaps you’re lonely because you’re remembering happier times with family and friends who’ve passed on.

Rx for the “Holiday Blues” suggests: “Some degree of loneliness is normal during the holidays. There is nothing abnormal about having the ‘holiday blues,’ which are more like a mood than any sort of lasting condition. Depression, anxiety, and other psychological symptoms are associated with the holidays because this season brings back memories of a happier time in our lives. Plan a holiday where loneliness doesn’t dominate.”


Harmony, Or Stress And Anxiety Relief?

October 11th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

What’s stopping you from living in harmony and tranquillity? Individuals today seem to be more stressed out than those individuals in past generations.  This high stress level seems to be due to a number of factors.  Those factors include stressful jobs, the high cost of living, factors that pull the family apart, global issues, etc.

Unfortunately, choosing harmony, or finding stress and anxiety relief cannot be addressed by simply taking a pill or a commodity that can be picked up at the local store.  It’s a process that needs to be cultivated and requires a change in thinking.  In addition, a conscious or unconscious choice is made when selecting harmony or stress and anxiety relief.

The process of choosing harmony,  or stress and anxiety relief begins with cognitive thinking.  This simply means to be aware of how you think, what you think, how you process information and what triggers stress in your life.

Once you become aware of some of these factors you can immediately “catch yourself” and begin to think differently or avoid those triggers that create stress.  For example, if an individual’s personality stresses you avoid them if possible.  If this is not practical, endeavor to think about them differently.  This can be accomplished by focusing on their good qualities or expressing thankfulness and appreciation for them rather than allowing them to cause stress.

Yoga is a great aid in helping you to slow down and get in touch with your body, so you can catch yourself.

To aid in identifying those stress triggers that prevent the individual from choosing between harmony or stress and anxiety relief keep a journal.  When it is convenient write in a journal those times where you felt stress.  This will not help you to identify those issues, but help you in tracking your successful progress. 

Choosing between harmony or stress and anxiety relief also involves behavioral changes.  Behavioral changes means that if you are walking down a road that has a big pot hole and you fall into that hole all the time what do you expect other than you will get hurt.  The key is to walk down a different road.

Therefore, when choosing between harmony or stress and anxiety relief the different road means avoiding circumstances and people that cause that stress.  If meeting a deadline stresses you out work on the project well in advance and avoid waiting until the last minute to complete the project.  If your daily commute is stressful, make arrangements to car pool, take public transportation or simply take another route.  If the less stressful route is longer compensate by leaving your home earlier.

The bottom line is that when choosing between harmony or stress and anxiety relief a change in thinking is required.  When something happens there are two ways that an individual can reflect on that event.  They can see the glass as half empty or half full.  Obviously looking for the positive is the best response as it will help to minimize the stress on the body and mind.


Anxiety and stress relief

August 13th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Stress and anxiety are part of life for many people. If you find that you’re spending much of the day anxious, ask yourself why this is. It’s important that you deal with anxiety, so that it doesn’t poison your life.

It’s natural to be anxious in some situations, like a job interview for example. Once the interview is over, your anxiety is relieved. However, if you experience chronic anxiety, it’s time to get help.

See the doctor to help you to deal with anxiety

It’s no shame to have to go to the doctor and ask for help.  If you can never relax and are so consumed by worries that it makes having a normal life hard or impossible, you need to see your doctor .

Perhaps the doctor will prescribe medicines for your anxiety and stress relief.  That doesn’t mean you’re ‘lacking’ in some way for needing to take pills for a mental or emotional problem.  Extreme anxiety and never ending stress can often be the signs of easily treatable physical problems.

Relaxation can help you to deal with anxiety

You deserve at least ten minutes of fun and luxury a day; after all look at all you have to put up with!  If you can find ten minutes a day to treat yourself and be comfortable with it, you can find fifteen minutes, and so on.  This doesn’t mean you are selfish; you are just training how to feel good about yourself.  By experiencing happy times, you can remember what it feels like.  With time and practice, you can tap into that calm and secure feeling whenever you need it.

Some people take a walk during this “me-time”.  Some people read a book to gain anxiety and stress relief.  Some people take a bath; others write a poem or engage in light exercise or take yoga classes. 

See what works best for you; you want something that takes you out of the river of worries onto a little island of calm.  Listening to music or meditating can bring this island about for many people.


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