Tag Archive for: health

Managing Your Stress During This Time of COVID-19

The ability to manage stress is vital to your personal and professional success in life. Right now, with all that's happening in the world, the ability to manage stress is vital to your survival during COVID-19.

Psychologists say that if you live a more balanced life, you will experience greater success in the long run.

Now, more than ever calls for living a balanced life. The various stresses which have come along with this unexpected pandemic have caused many professionals to feel unbalanced.

In an effort to help you regain your balance, here are a few recommended techniques you can use to manage your stress during this time of COVID-19:

BREATHE: make time throughout the day to do deep breathing exercises. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth several times in a day. This process will help you to increase the oxygen in your blood. When oxygenated blood flows to your brain, it helps to make you feel more peaceful and less stressed.



EXERCISE: get regular exercise to boost your energy and overall sense of well-being. Whether you work out with a Pilates video in your living room; lift weights in your basement; join an aerobics class via Zoom, or take a walk around your neighbourhood, a regular exercise routine will help to make your mind and body feel better. Another good benefit of a regular exercise routine is that it will also help to improve your self-esteem. A high level of self-esteem makes you feel good about yourself. When you feel good about yourself, you feel as if you can handle whatever comes your way. Make it a habit during COVID-19 to engage in regular exercise.

ENJOY SANCTUARY TIME: carve out time in your day and designate a special place in your home for sanctuary time. This will be time for you and you alone. Sanctuary time lets you take moments for yourself. Spend your sanctuary time in a spot that gives you a renewed sense of peace. Your sanctuary time can be first thing in the morning as you wash up in the bathroom; during the middle of the day as you meditate in your office; or later in the evening as you unwind in your living room. As long as you have private time to meditate, plan, and find peace, your sanctuary time can be whenever and wherever you decide. Commit to enjoying sanctuary time on several occasions within your week.

VISIT WITH LOVED ONES: maintain your personal and professional relationships during this time. Even though social distancing has become the norm, you can still connect with your family, friends, and colleagues. Sure, you will be using technology a lot more to connect with them now. The goal is to spend time engaged in conversation, laugher and connections to keep your spirits lifted. Phone calls, text messages, face-time sessions, Zoom meetings, and virtual parties are all ways you can visit with loved ones right now. Make a commitment to yourself to visit with a loved one each week until this pandemic is over.

COVID-19 has brought many unexpected issues with it which has knocked the balance out of the life of many professionals. The unbalance is causing professionals to be stressed out.

The four (4) stress management techniques described in this article are intended to help you regain levels of balance and eliminate sources of stress in your life.

Test them out and let them work for you.

In the world of inspiration and motivation, there is no other like Cassandra "D.I.V.A. of Dialog™" Lee. She is a leadership speaker who uses "Divine Inspiration Vocally Applied™" to help her audiences achieve workplace satisfaction and career success. To get a FREE copy of her special report, "101 Ways to Have a Rewarding Career," sign-up on her website at https://www.divaofdialog.com.

 

Your Attitude’s Impact On Mind And Body During COVID-19 Crisis

My front window gives onto the street, and every day I see people walking their dogs. Maybe a half dozen folk in all, giving their pups some exercise. But over the last week, since California went on "lock-down," I'm utterly amazed by the number of people walking. With dogs, without dogs, with children, on their own, pushing strollers; it's a wonder to behold because along with the benefits of fresh air and exercise, these walkers are stimulating their immune systems.

And what, along with following the CDC and WHO guidelines, does the most to protect you from COVID-19? Strengthening your immune system, which--in a nutshell--is your body's defence against disease. We already know that the coronavirus is deadliest among those with compromised or weakened immune systems. Maintaining/developing a strong immune system can go a long way toward our staying healthy.

That being said, you can only walk so much in one day. Gyms are closed, both my dance studios are closed, soccer games and other group sports are cancelled. Working out at home to YouTube videos is great, but again, limited by how much "no pain no gain" one is willing to endure.



But here's the good news: there are 2 things you can do right now in the privacy of your own home to significantly improve your immune system.

1. Institute The 5-minute Pity Party.

I don't know about you, but my first response to my finding out my ballet and ballroom classes were shut down indefinitely was to call my BFF and whine. Loudly. For a good 15 minutes. Poor woman, I'm surprised we're still BFFs. Oddly enough, when all my work cancelled, I didn't have a melt-down, because at that point I still had dance to help me keep my sanity. But once the dance classes went, that's it, I lost it.

That's when I knew I needed to institute the 5-minute Pity Party. The 5-minute Pity Party is when you acknowledge that you need to rant, rave, whine and generally have a FIT over whatever aspect of your life has just been nuked by the coronavirus. It doesn't matter whether it's your job you can't go to, your child who now relies on you 24-7 for all education, entertainment, maintenance, etc., or your gym/church/class you can't go to, it's time for a release of your anguish. Fine.

Set a timer for 5 minutes. Have at it! In the safety of your shower, bathroom, parked car, wherever you have maximum privacy, let it all out. Scream if need be at the injustice of it all, wail your despair at what seems to be a hopeless situation, and cry out your woe-is-me to your heart's content. But when that timer dings, you're done. Pick yourself up off the floor of misery and regroup. Move on to step 2.

2. Value What You Can Today For A Better Tomorrow.

There are actually 2 parts to this step. One is how you think/feel, the other is what you do.

A. Think/Feel

Look around you. What can you appreciate about your life right here, right now? You still enjoy running water and electricity, you still have a roof over your head. Don't let thoughts like "Yeah, but for how long?" intrude. You still have whatever health you enjoy. You still have your friends/family. You have endless access to resources via the internet. Dwell on whatever you can find to appreciate, to value and be grateful for, because that single action will have a dramatic, positive impact on your immune system.

You see, when we think/feel negativity, our immune systems suffer. And when our immune systems cease functioning optimally, our health can rapidly decline. So bolster your positive thinking as much as you can. Turn yourself into an optimist. Because optimists thrive-and so should you.



B. Do

Get creative! What's the best possible use of the time you now have? Many are finding that with a little creativity they can continue some or all of their business using online platforms mostly from home. There are always projects we let go by the wayside for lack of time, how about picking up some of those now?

Make daily (realistic) lists of what you want to accomplish, and check off items as you get them done. You will feel productive like you're not just spinning your wheels, and with that, your immune system will benefit. In the long term, so will your life.

In every crisis, there is opportunity for new growth, new inspiration. Let's keep our moments of dark despair as brief as possible and amp our times of appreciation as much as possible so that we come out of this challenging situation stronger and better than ever.

Noelle C. Nelson, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, consultant, popular speaker in the U.S. and abroad, and author of over a dozen best-selling books. Dr Nelson focuses on how we can all enjoy happy, fulfilling lives while accomplishing great things in love, at home and at work, as we appreciate ourselves, our world and all others. She is the author of "Happy Healthy... Dead: Why What You Think You Know About Aging Is Wrong and How To Get It Right" (MindLab Publishing). You Matter. You Count. You Are Important. Visit http://www.noellenelson.com, https://www.facebook.com/MeetTheAmazings

 

How Students Benefit from Quality Sleep

 

If you’re a hard-working student, you know how tricky it is to prioritize sleep over all the other things on your to-do list. School can consume every part of the day, and it’s difficult to get even the minimum recommended hours of sleep you need to function.

While it may seem easy to put sleep on the backburner, doing so can cause negative a ripple effect, leading to more serious health issues and even poor performance in school. So it’s safe to say that investing in a good night’s sleep is actually one of the best things you can do for your grades and your mental well-being.

Our article will break down everything you need to know about sleep health, its effects on your mental capacity, and time management tips to help you get more sleep.   Read the whole article here >>>

Five Simple Tips for Your Personality and Personal Growth

Many people are in search of things that can develop their personality and personal growth. If you are the same as most people, though, you must be more interested on strategies and tips for self help personal development, which can help you obtain your objectives, boost your confidence, and encourage your personal spiritual growth.

As one of the many self-improvement tips seekers, I have written some suggestions that hopefully can help other people in enhancing their personality development. Here are five simple proposals for spiritual and personal growth that you can incorporate in your daily routine after reading this article.

1. Do Not Assume You Know Everything

Humility should be the first and foremost habit that a person must have in order to achieve personality and personal growth. In terms of personal development, assuming that you already know almost everything is the initial sign that your spiritual and personal growth has languished. The people who achieved the most personality and spiritual advancement are those who believe there is an overpowering majority of things they are not aware of.



2. Optimism Should be Balanced With Critical Thinking

Although there are many talks on the advantages of being optimistic and positive thinker, being always optimistic may lead you to not notice the importance of critical thinking. It is also crucial to cultivate your critical thinking skill because this skill will help you learn accept failure without having nonconstructive effects on you. There are times when you will still fail regardless of how hard you try or how knowledgeable you are, and critical thinking will help you accept the fact that there are still lots of things you have to learn.

3. Find the Meaning in Nature

Despite of the thousands of books released concerning personality and personal growth, most thought provoking things that can boost our personality growth are found in nature. The novelist C.S. Lewis once stated his belief that many of the people's problems are the consequence of the reality that people are so detached with other creations. People are mostly inside man-made surroundings full of technologies and inventions that is why they fail to recognize the wonders of nature that might help in encouraging their personal growth development.

If you just spend a little more time outside, you will find massive assortment of lessons that can be applied for the advancement of not only your spiritual development, but your personality and personal growth as well.


What Is The Purpose Of Life? The Top 3 Ways To Finding Meaning In Your Life (It's Never Too Late)

 

4. Take Care of Your Health and Your Body

It is mentioned in the New Testament that our body is a temple, which is, if you contemplate about it, not just a religious statement. Having a fragile body and weak health will result to lack of energy and willpower, not allowing you to concentrate on important things more than your dull daily routine. When you have excellent health and your body is in good condition, though, you will feel you are bursting with energy, which allows you to focus on things and allocate your energies on actions that will assist the development of your personal and persona growth.



5. Establish a Central Purpose

Personal and personal growth is among the most gratifying things that life can give us. However, there is also the possibility to be trapped and get stuck in our journey to attain spiritual and personal advancement. We might end up lost and confused because we just aimed for personality development for personal growth development's sake only. To avoid bewilderment and being out of focus, you must have a central purpose. Your central purpose will help you stay on the right track and will give you the motivation and energy you need to carry on during hopeless times.

For more self improvement ideas  go to my website [http://www.myselfimprovementsite.org].

 

Quit Smoking for Good — A Quit Smoking Guide




 

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, according to Drugabuse.org. According to the CDC, smoking cigarettes causes approximately 480,000 Spremature deaths in the U.S. each and every year. An additional 16 million people suffer from debilitating diseases caused by smoking cigarettes.

An estimated additional 41,000 people die each year from smoking-related diseases as the result of Secondhand Smoke. The chemicals released from secondhand smoke pose a very real danger to those in the close proximity of a smoker.

Quitting smoking can be overwhelming. It’s not only about breaking a powerful physical dependence on an incredibly addictive substance but also about significantly changing one’s lifestyle, habits and coping strategies. It is, however, undeniably the single most important step that smokers can take to improve the length and quality of their lives.

The Secret to Successful Goal Setting

Stop! Check this out before you make any more goals!

Don't be like everyone else; most people make their goals incorrectly. You know, like the guy down the street with the brand new jogging shoes and suit. You want to bet he doesn't make it from January to March?

The one goal that many people make is to get into shape. (A friend of mine told me, I'm always in shape, sometimes apple shaped, and sometimes pear shaped) Now be honest. How many years have you made that resolution?

With goals in hand, it's off to the gym we go!

You know it's one of those moments where you feel like you've been here before. It's time to clear the mind and hit the weights. You have a lot of toning-up to do so you walk over to the weights. And start your journey to body perfection. And by mid January you're so sore and tired you're ready to give up.

It's really bad when you start looking for excuses not to go to the gym. But hang on; a good excuse will be coming just around the corner! It doesn't matter what it is, like the man said "any old excuse will do." So yours comes and you stop going to the gym.

There's a better way than quitting!

The secret to success is not to set those big goals.

I know... everyone... and I mean everyone will tell you to write down your goals, that one big goal so you can keep it in front of you. You know the drill, put it on the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, beside you bed so it's the first and last thing you see every day.

Tell me the truth. Do you really look at those big goals once you start falling behind? After a few weeks of getting further behind don't you just avoid them like the strange people that live next door?

Are you ready for a better way?

You are!

Great!

Set small, achievable goals!

Don't do like they tell you; set a goal something like "I will lose 40 pounds in three months."

The problem here my friend is when you miss the mark on the goal, you get discouraged and quit. And this is not good. If you aren't careful you will create a habit of quitting. And a habit that is let go for too long is hard to break.

For a goal to be achievable it has to become part of your routine. And to be part of your routine, you must rewire your brain.

So we set small goals, get some victories and start reprogramming the mind.

Start with something like "I will exercise for 10 minutes three days a week."

After you get your brain reprogrammed to the exercise routine, then you make incremental increases to your workout set.

You will add one more rep to a work set, or another exercise routine. A simple progression with proper performance of the exercise and persistence wins in the long run.

Then one day you will look back and be amazed at where you came from... and you will know where you're going.

Just to condense it, start small, then do incremental increases to your workout set that you properly do, and be persistent. Don't give up.

Bob Beavil is an avid sports enthusiast who loves to SCUBA dive, kayak, sail, and lift a few weights. To read more on goal setting visit http://www.mastermusclebuilding.com/bodybuilders-goal-setting.php

The heart of health. Life-affirming practices to Create Balance, Fulfillment and Inner Peace

 

Your heart is much more than a biological muscle. It signifies energy, vibrancy, life, love, hope, happiness, vitality, strength, and spirit. When we examine our lives and the priorities that we place on our routines—careers, finances, relationships, successes, and failures—none of them carry much importance if we do not have our health as a base to support everything else. We strive to continually improve the quality of our lives, our sense of well-being, our energy levels, and our mental capacities.

Life is a gift, and good health and a good heart should be our most prized possessions. Yet too often, we fail to treasure our health and our hearts until those blessings are gone. Many of my patients seem to live in a state of constant chaos. They perceive their lives to be problem-filled, busy and unsettled, and they lurch from one crisis to another.

Sandra is one such example. A busy single mom of three young boys, Sandra works full time. She drops her children off at school each morning, picks them up at the end of the day, rushes home to prepare a meal, and barely has time to help them with homework before it’s time to get ready for bed. Hers is a busy life that many of us can relate to. She is constantly stressed and worried, fearful of the next crisis around the corner. Sandra’s life is out of control. It is no wonder that she is on several blood pressure medications and is constantly in my office with chest pain and palpitation.

Living in a constant state of chaos serves a purpose for Sandra. By keeping her attention and energy focused on putting out fires, she avoids facing the root causes of her stress. If external events are to blame, she does not have to assume personal responsibility for her actions or behaviors. This is the common thinking pattern of many. We defer to the chaos and allow it to sap our energy, disrupt our relationships, feed our addictions, and subject us to long-term health concerns.

But we have much more control over our lives than we give ourselves credit for. We may not hold sway over the many external events that seem to pitch our lives into a constant state of crisis. Yet we have power over something just as critical: our own reactions to those events.

Health and a vibrant, vivacious heart are not wholly physical things. The life we desire, the health we desire, and the quality of our hearts and bodies are first created within our mind’s eye. I share many effective techniques with my patients to help us manage stress, bring order to our chaotic lives, and find deep and lasting peace with ourselves and with the world around us.

-   Build sources of renewable energy. Your body responds to stress with adrenaline, but adrenaline is a fast-burning fuel source that leaves you depleted in the long run. Renewable energy is a long-term well of power that you can draw on repeatedly. How do you build renewable energy? Spend time with family, friends and loved ones, doing things you enjoy. Nurture your soul with art, music, dance, and beautiful things. Love yourself first, and you will start to build boundless reserves of energy from within.

-   Lower your stress response. Meditation, nature walks, and quiet times will help you focus on the present and release stress. Play a musical instrument. Go dancing. Tour a museum and embrace an unusual piece of art. Breathe. Rather than letting stress be a source of agitation, train your physical body to relax. Let stress be a minor element of your day, rather than letting it define the whole day.

-   Connect with your inner self. Mindful meditation creates the right state of mind that will allow you to develop a relationship with your inner guide. Take an honest look at who you are inside and listen to your inner voice. Develop a relationship with your true self. Engage in a conversation with yourself. You may not always be aware of your inner voice – but it is always aware of you.

-   Learn to become present in the moment. This is perhaps most important of all. Focus on a single moment in time. Become aware of that moment. Savor it. Appreciate it. Fill your senses with it. Let the past go and don’t worry about tomorrow. All that matters is today, this moment. Embrace today, one single moment at a time. Don’t even try to capture it on camera – just be content to let it reside in your memory. Each moment is precious. Savor it.

By building peace within, you will create a powerful defense against the demands of a chaotic life. You will turn things around and regain control of your choices, instead of letting external events control you.

A strong sense of inner peace is something that no external factor can disrupt. More importantly, your inner peace will become a source of renewable energy that will keep nurturing you no matter what. You will have boundless energy and endless vitality that no amount of stress or chaos can take away. Make the right choices, and celebrate your vibrant heart!

Dr. Cynthia Thaik

Dr. Thaik's book, Your Vibrant Heart, includes many more insights about how to nurture and care for your heart on both a physical and emotional level. I invite you to order your copy today at http://www.yourvibrantheart.com/book.

Dr. Cyntha Thaik is a Harvard-trained HEART doctor that practices with her HEART, delivering security and peace of mind to her patients by orchestrating behavioral and mindset shifts to evoke lasting transformational changes in their health, well-being, vitality, energy, and creativity. You can learn more about her at www.drcynthia.com. 

Pivotal Parenting

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