Destressing,Managing Stress,Destressing

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Parasailing and Stress
2007-10-11 16:47:00
Not everything bad is bad and not everything good is good -AnonymousNot all stress is bad.  We know about bad stress [or Distress], but there is something called good stress or "Eustress."Eustress can be defined as a pleasant or curative stress. We can't always avoid stress, in fact, sometimes we don't want to. But often, it is controlled stress that gives us our competitive edge in performance related activities like athletics, giving a speech, or acting. The physiological responses to distress and eustress are basically the same but the brain processes the experiences differently. For example when we agree to go on a crazy roller coaster ride or voluntarily go to see sick horror flick, that is enduring eustress.Eustress is a very positive thing. Do you have enough of it in your life?Eustress takes place when we change routine, habit and scenery. Eustress comes from an enjoyable day outdoors or from a tasty dining experience. Eustress can be brought on by a romantic eve...
More About: Stress

Aim For The Stars
2007-10-10 15:53:00
Here you are... roughing it at  the office or  schlepping home after a hellish day at work. What a nightmare, you desperately look for a way out, a moments break from it all.No problem, look to the heavens for some quick relief. Gaze upward - past the maze of electrical wiring, water and gas mains, asphalt, concrete and steel skyscrapers- look high up above in the air.Feast your eyes on the heavens. If it's still day than enjoy the cloud formations and the rays of sun. If it's early evening...than take the leisure to marvel at the magnificent setting of the sun. At night cup your hands over your eyes and look out over the star studded sky. Let your mind soar way above financial documents and deadlines, into the stratosphere. There's more to life and this world besides work and stress.Get nostalgic, reminisce and become somewhat wistful.Then take a relaxing breathe and savor the moment.
More About: Stars , The Star

Antioxidants Can Help In A Variety of Ways
2007-10-09 12:07:00
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which damage body cells.  Our health and well being depends on us having extremely efficient antioxidant mechanisms. Antioxidants also assist in fighting stress damage.Here are some of the more popular antioxidants and "Superfruits:"Green tea, made from the leaves of camellia sinenis, contains more antioxidant compounds than any other food or beverage and can significantly reduce oxidative stress.Goji Berry, Known in Asia as an extremely nutritious food, Goji berries or also known as Chinese wolfberries or Himalayan Goji berries, have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for at least 2,000 years.Acai Berry, The dense pigmentation of açaí has led to several experimental studies of its anthocyanins, and of the potential for being a heavy hitting antioxidant.Pomegranates, High in vitamin C , pomegranate juice is also a good source of the B vitamin, pantothenic acid, potassium and antioxidant polyphenols. There are many others on...
More About: Food and Drink , Variety , Antioxidant , Antioxidants

The Futility of Futile Arguments
2007-10-08 12:43:00
Futile arguments are a total waste of time. They just go around in circles and don't amount to anything. All they do is stress you out. Save yourself a lot of grief and don't participate in them.Explain that you would rather have a productive conversation and then walk away. Friendly conversations are meant to be enjoyable and gainful, any sort of deviation from that is usually trouble.

Don?t Put It Off Just Do It
2007-09-17 13:37:00
Relaxation Tip for Monday, September 17We love driving ourselves crazy. Alright that came out wrong. But why do we unknowingly torture ourselves?Your tooth is killing you but because you dread the dentist you will procrastinate and keep pushing off the dentist appointment. You know you are long overdue for a health exam but keep putting it off for fear of the results. This mentality tends to interfere with bigger things as well. You are having financial issues or marital issues and you keep skirting around it instead of facing the problem head on.All that this causes is to create stress and more stress and it just becomes fodder for your imagination. You start imagining all these types of diseases that you "probably" have. You start wistfully thinking about other peoples finances or marriages.Don't be silly. Take a deep breath relax and tackle it head on. Make that appointment. Meet the financial planner. Have a heart to heart discussion with your spouse. Go ahead and grab con...

Helping Others Is A Quick High
2007-08-24 13:16:00
Relaxation Tip for Friday, August 24Doing for others is the equivalent of an endorphin high. Enhancing other people's lives has a tremendous impact on our own lives. Give your day a higher purpose and in return you will receive the gift of inner tranquility and serenity. Isn't it interesting that we feel so much better when we give, than when we are on the receiving end. Put a smile on a child's face, extend a hand to an elderly person, feed a poor soul and watch your soul serenade. It's just the facts of life that those that busy themselves in the service of others enjoy a superior and higher caliber life. It uplifts our spirits and gives us a completely new perspective. Sadly we are subjected to the daily exploits of selfish celebrities and politicians, but trust me their lives are so lacking and in dire need of major help. They may glow on the outside but their souls are crumbling on the inside. So the next time an opportunity to be of assistance presents itself don't ove...
More About: Quick , High

Dealing With Stress Before It Makes Itself Feel At Home
2007-08-23 12:51:00
Relaxation Tip for Thursday, August 23Stress can motivate you. But it can also drive you crazy. The key is how you view it. All our lives are filled with pressures responsibilities and the unexpected. We all have someone that we work with, depend on, answer to or socialize with. This whole interconnected web, by its very nature is bound to cause stress. Much of it is due to things that are outside of your control, especially other people. You can't control their actions, emotions or responses to you - but you can control how you respond and your acceptance of everyday stress. The key is in your hand and that is among the first things that we have to know when fighting stress. The battle can be won or lost by the way we react to the stress that is coming our way. We can chose to give up and surrender or cut stress off at the gate before it even enters our territory.The ball is in our court.  
More About: Home , Feel , Fore

Deadlines Have Deadlines Too
2007-08-22 13:41:00
Relaxation Tip for Wednesday, August 22In situations that require a deadline, always remember Murphy's Law- "Everything takes longer than you think" and "If anything can go wrong it will."What automatically happens when things go wrong, disappointment will follow.To avoid disappointing others and stressing yourself out, it's best to manage their expectations in advance.-Overestimate the time the task will take and underestimate the results. By allowing your ego to get in the way (i.e. "no problem you'll have it done even quicker" or "thats a cinch") it will possibly result in a major deflation of ego.-When the final result is seen, they will be, at the very least pleased and possibly ecstatic- but never disappointed.-Resist the urge to say immediately, "No problem - I can handle it."By being smart and disciplining yourself in how you respond and what you promise - you will save many people a disappointing outcome-  but most importantly you will be saving yourself s lot of st...

H2O Is The Way To Go
2007-08-21 22:24:00
Relaxation Tip for Tuesday, August 21Water is by far the best liquid out there. Are you getting enough? Your body will get stressed out much faster if it isn't adequately hydrated. When searching for the perfect thirst quenching drink, try ice cold water. It does wonders for your system. It cleanses it, revives it and it's still the best thirst quencher on the planet.Drinking lots of water towards evening (don't drink too close to bedtime, you don't want to spend the night in the bathroom) will also give you a much more restful sleep. Bodies that are hydrated tend to have more pleasant dreams and peaceful sleep (ever have nightmares where you are starving or very thirsty?!).Forget all the adverts for sports drinks and sodas (celebraty pitches included) and reach for that bottle of clear (without the enchanted red#420, blue#567 & Purple#890), refreshing water. It will do your body and mind good!
More About: Food and Drink

Dreaming Up Ways To Spend A Fortune
2007-08-20 17:56:00
Relaxation Tip for Monday, August 20As we have discussed many times in the past, quick distractions are a lethal weapon in the war against stress.Here is another tip to help you distract during a very stressful moment or even during a panic attack:Imagine yourself having just inherited or won 10 Million Dollars, what's the first thing you would do with the money? What else would you do?New Car? House? Boat? Vacation? Summer Home? Charitable Foundation? Go ahead, daydream a bit.You see, you forgot all your problems already.
More About: Fortune , Dreaming , Ming

Rewarding Yourself For A Job Well Done
2007-08-17 14:49:00
Relaxation Tip for Friday, August 17There is no doubt that you do a lot. You probably don't give yourself enough credit for all that you do. Think about the people you are connected with- at work, children's schools, family, community. Think about all the devotion and dedication you put in to helping others and being there for people.Be it carpooling or making a meal for someone in need. From baby sitting or house sitting for a friend to taking care of an elderly parent or in law you go the extra mile.You have to stop sometimes and appreciate yourself. It's not pride or arrogance, it's recognition that you are a somebody. That you are a positive influence and that you strive to be a constructive part of society. A person has to feel good about himself or herself. If that isn't the case we wouldn't have the self esteem and confidence to be able to do the things that we do. But we also have to realize that all we have is a gift. It is on loan for us to accomplish and b...
More About: Reward , Done , Well

Enjoying The Fruits of Summer
2007-08-16 13:53:00
Relaxation Tip for Thursday, August 16Sometimes all it takes to relax and unwind is to appreciate the smaller things in life. Summer fruit is absolutely an incredible treat. Watermelon, honey dew, blueberries, peaches, oh my mouth is starting to water already.-Take a plump peach or nice chunk of cold watermelon, go outside and just sit an savor it. -Wash a handful of blueberries and just pop them into your mouth one at a time. -take a juicy plum and slowly bite into it...then another bite.Take the time to enjoy the delicious fruits of summer, before you know it winter will be on us and "the peach" will be a distant memory.Only 5 more days left to the summer sale. Stock up for the holidays because in 5 days the summer sale will be history: http://www.relaxdepot.com/specials/
More About: Fruits , Food and Drink

Getting A Leg Up On Your Day
2007-08-15 12:10:00
Relaxation Tip for Wednesday, August 15Yesterday is a canceled check, Tomorrow is a promissory note, Today is cash in the hand; spend it wisely. Starting your day off right can ensure a more productive, energized and successful day. We have spoken about thinking positive thoughts in the morning. What I would also suggest is, try to wake up a couple of minutes earlier each morning and spend some time doing activities that will energize you, keep you focused and give you a head start on the day. It's not easier if you don't always have the luxury of a solid night's sleep (like we had in the teenage years), but give it a try for the benefit of your entire day.Here are some great ideas for some morning activities:-Write morning pages. Unclog your arteries and write what is on your mind. - If you are spiritually inclined, pray. Pray to God and have a conversation with Him. Do it in a place where you will be uninterrupted.- Exercise. Do some sit ups, push ups or wha...

Scheduling Enjoyment Is Important
2007-08-14 15:47:00
Relaxation Tip for Tuesday, August 14As Ben Franklin put it so eloquently, "time is the stuff of which life is made"A person's life is comprised of diverse interests, family friends work spirituality, culture and physical and intellectual pursuits. It's constantly a juggling act. Think about it, everyday you dip into a variety of these categories and some days you miss out on some of them. But were you to look back over a period of 3 months you will probably find that you have missed out on a lot of the things you wanted to do. You spent too much time in some categories and not enough in others. It's simply because you became a passive bystander to your life. The key is in your hands. You have to take a proactive stand. It's up to you to strike a fine balance. It's up to you to create a sense of wonder, joy, excitement playfulness, relaxation, rejuvenation, spirituality and "just taking it all in."You have to schedule it. I know it sounds wield but you have to learn to sta...
More About: Enjoyment , Import

Relief For Puffy, Tired and Swollen Eyes
2007-08-10 13:14:00
Relaxation Tip for Friday, August 10We all know the feeling. After a sleepless night or a long journey, the eyes sometimes take the brunt of it. Here are a couple of simple ideas to rejuvenate your eyes and make them feel like new:- slice a fresh cool/cold cucumber and take two thin slices and put it over your eyelids.- Two moist caffeinated tea bags over your eyelids will do wonders.- A hot/cold eye aromatherapy eye pillow works great also and will help reduce any headaches associated with your eye fatigue. Click here for a Lavender eye pillow: http://www.relaxdepot.com/product/Lavende r-Heating-Cooling-Mask.html- Try this on for size. When showering allow the water to gently run down your face over your eyes. Make sure it's not hot, not forceful and your eyes are closed.Remember your eyes are a most precious gift, make sure you take good care of them!
More About: Eyes , Relief , Puffy , Puff , Tired

Do We Need More Ideas For Terrorism? Please Comment
2007-08-09 15:53:00
Relaxation Tip for Thursday, August 9Terrorism is on everyone's mind today. Whether we like it or not it's back there in the subconscious part of our minds. Every time there is breaking news the word terrorism always comes to mind. Terrorism seems to stresses us all out. We will over time discuss terrorism and the tremendous impact it has on our peace, our serenity and our lives as a whole. We will dissect the issue in depth and learn how to grapple with it. But today I would like to discuss scope of how terrorism has a negative impact on us even without any terrorist raising so much as a finger and I would like to ask all of you a question...-The very fact that terrorism is out there and lurking in the shadows, has a stressful psychological impact on us.-Every time a piece of bad news comes our way, we tend to think of "terrorism" as being the culprit.-Many times we will change parts of our lifestyle or the way we go about doing things because of the fear of terrorism.- Many...
More About: Ideas , Comment

Positive Friendships
2007-08-07 12:09:00
Relaxation Tip Tuesday, August 7Posi tive friendships and relationships go a long way in giving us confidence erasing stress and helping us enjoy a more relaxed, fruitful and enjoyable life.The key is to build solid relationships with those friends that are a positive influence.Make a list of all your close friends and rate them on a scale of 1 to 5 as to how positive, engaging and yes even how much fun they can be. Those that you feel contribute a lot to a positive and upbeat mood and environment should be the ideal friends that you should spend more time with and plan more trips and occasions with. It's very simple, at the end of the day in the final analysis we have to look out for ourselves and our well being and we have to concern ourselves with our relationships and how they impact our lives. We sometimes have to have a crucial conversation with ourselves and be open about our friendships and relationships. If there are those so called friends who we always end up ha...
More About: Friends , Friendships

Taking Stress Inventory At The End Of The Day
2007-08-06 13:59:00
Relaxation Tip for Monday, August 6The day is beginning to wind down. It was one of those roller coaster days, with the ups and downs. What is there to do to prevent tomorrow from going down the same route?Well for starters, what can help immensely is for you to learn the lessons from today's turbulence. You can hone your skills and character traits to prevent a lot of similar "fiasco's" from taking place.At least an hour and a half before you go to bed (and it shouldn't be less then that, simply because bringing up issues and perhaps opening old wounds can stress you out so, that you will have difficulties getting into sleep mode and falling asleep. So try to keep it  at 2 hours to an hour and half before bedtime, this way you can get over things before it's time for sleep). Go for a walk or sit in your favorite easy chair and try to review the day. Try to take "stock" of your activities specifically and life in general.- Pick out the stressful periods throughout the ...
More About: Inventory , Stress , The D , Tory , Taking

Getting Over The Bridge of Anxiety
2007-08-03 13:50:00
Relaxation Tip for Friday, August 3Our heartfelt prayers and condolences go out to the victims and their families of the tragic bridge collapse in Minnesota.I'll bet many of you are experiencing some sort of anxiety when driving over a bridge the last couple of days. I would like to tackle that anxiety and try to make it go away. Let's do it in a couple of steps:- If the bridge hadn't collapsed in Minnesota would you be feeling this anxiety? - If the bridge had collapsed in India or New Zealand a half a world away, would you be feeling the same anxiety?- If the bridge had collapsed but you weren't informed about it would you still be feeling some anxiety?- Do you know of any type of tragedy that started a domino effect of the same tragedies? For example: A building collapsed in Manhattan, NY about a year ago do you know of any buildings that have collapsed since?- This extra piece of information brought the awareness about the possibilities of a bridge collapsing. Let's say You...
More About: Anxiety , Bridge , The Bridge

Keeping Business and Life Seperate
2007-08-01 15:03:00
Relaxation Tip for Wednesday, August 1I love the business people that check their email in middle of the night when they go to the bathroom. Then they wonder how come they lead such stressful lives. Bringing the office home creates tension and much stress in the home. It can also cause serious rifts between family members.We have to learn to create a wall of separation between our work and the rest of our life. Here are a couple of rules that you can incorporate to make things easier:- Kids have homework time, and adults should have "office work time." If you need to follow up with work at home cut out a slice of time that won't interfere with dinner, family time or even unwinding time and use that time for office work.- Designate a room in the house where you can work privately and keep out of of the way.- Coordinate with your spouse or other family members on the timing of "office work time"- Don't make a habit of constantly going to the computer to check your emails. It will dr...
More About: Business , Life , Seperate , Rate , Sine

Pregnancy and Relaxation
2007-07-31 12:33:00
Relaxation Tip for Tuesday, July 31Please forward this to anyone that is pregnant and will benefit from this. No one deserves and craves relaxation and pampering more than an expectant mom. But what treatments and/or outlets one uses should be done with extreme caution. Always contact your doctor first and inform him that you are exploring relaxation; including massage or other types of treatments. This way he will inform you if you possibly need to keep away from certain treatments. Speak to him about any restrictions and cautions you might need to take MassageThere is nothing better then a massage to rub away all the aches and pains of pregnancy. But if you are going for a massage-- Make sure you inform the Spa that you are pregnant. - Make sure that the therapist is trained in prenatal massage. She should be accredited and licensed by the American Massage Therapy Association to give prenatal massage.- Make sure that the massage therapist avoids using any plant oils...
More About: Pregnancy , Relaxation

I Am What I Eat
2007-07-30 14:59:00
Relaxation Tip for Monday, July 30?Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are?- Brillat-Savarin Food has a tremendous influence and impact on our moods, emotions and even the decisions we make. Over time we will discuss the many different fascinating insights into food and drink and the role they play in our lives. When you are deciding your menus or diet for the day, you should choose lots of protein (Of course one needs carbs to boot, but try to concentrate mostly on proteins).Proteins increase the levels of amino acid tyrosine, which the body uses to make energizing brain chemicals that will help you function and think better. Apples, Raisins and nuts which are rich in chemical boron, are thought to boost your attention and memory. Some foods will even boost your mood. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are present in salmon, tuna, sardines, flaxseed products, and walnut oil, may help fight depression, down moods and increase your brain function. Foods high in carbohydrat...
More About: Food and Drink

Vacation Jitters - Part 3 - On The Road
2007-07-27 14:32:00
Relaxation Tip for Friday, July 27"Are we there yet?" is the tune of travel. Being prepared will make the traveling a lot easier which in turn will make the trip more relaxing.By Car:- Do yourself a big favor and make sure you have EXACT directions from every point A to point B and back! If you have a navigation system, then great, but if not please go to MapQuest.com and print directions. Trust me it will save you much heartache and ego bashing later on.- Make sure you stock the car with all the basic necessities for the trip. It's better to have some more stuff with you than to have to stop at these overpriced gas stations/rest areas and pay ridiculous prices.Don't forget: paper towels, baby wipes (great for spills and sticky hands) games/books for the kids. First Aid kit (important) Car emergency kit (especially on long trips) - For little kids, a change of clothing, diapers, wipes etc.- Drinks- pack 1 drink (3 cups worth) per person per 2 hours- Snacks - that wi...
More About: Vacation , Part , Road , Part 3 , On The Road

Quick & Sometimes Funny Ways to instantly Relieve Stress
2007-07-26 12:11:00
Relaxation Tip for Thursday, July 26We apologize for the absence of the daily relaxation email during the past couple of days. We are in the process of updating our site and adding exciting new features to it. Like we have discussed many times in the past, beating stress is mostly about controlling mind over body. Here is another great stress distraction.  When you feel your muscles tightening and the onslaught of a panic attack or any other symptoms of stress - stop and try to get your mind to focus on something really deep.  For example: think about how interesting it is that human can penetrate and swim in the ocean but on the other hand a thousand ton oil tanker will float?! Another example: How come glass is see through but when you add a thin silver lining it becomes a mirror and reflects off it (and you don't even see the silver lining)?! And another: If you stand in a bathtub, for instance, you'll notice that the warmer water is at the top and your toes are...
More About: Funny , Quick , Stress , Some

Harry Potter and The Pathetic Frenzy
2007-07-20 12:26:00
Relaxation Tip for Friday, July 20"I have met the enemy and he is us"I blame the media but most of all I also blame "us."The world is in a frenzy, the last mythical fairy tale book in a line of mythical fair tale books is being released. The concoction of the eccentric imagination of a middle aged English women is upon us.  And we are stressing ourselves out over it?!Oh my gosh, she will kill off two of her characters and who will they be? Well, who cares...if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around does it make a sound? I can't believe all of you. The millions of robots around the world that are lining up days in advance to buy a book that is purely one women's invention! Think for a second. The problem is we don't stop and think anymore. At what point will the gratifying experience take place? When we know who this "figment of imagination" decided to kill off? And then what?... Was this worth driving ourselves bonkers over? There is nothing wrong with enjoying a book...
More About: Harry Potter , Potter , Harry , Frenzy , Pathetic