When everything around you seems to be falling a part, when the circumstances you NEVER believed would happen to you, are now your life, the number one thing you need to find is ACCEPTANCE.
Accept the fact that no matter how you think you have a handle on things, no matter how much you try to control the activities of your life, events will occur that you never dreamed would happen. Bad things may be happening all around you.
Accept the fact that you still have two choices. You can succumb to the circumstances and let your response be controlled by outside factors, or you can use your brain and respond in a positive manner which reflects intellect and thought.
Stop for a moment. Exercise your mind. Sometimes you cannot change circumstances in your life. You can, however, always be in charge of your response to those circumstances.
Use your oxygen. It is with you and sustains you 100% of the time. Remember, mindful breaths will lower your blood pressure, slow your heart rate, get needed oxygen to the brain, and keep those ligaments, tendons, muscles, and all the organs inside you functioning optimally.
The list below are life events that trigger STRESS. Some are good events, and some are bad things that happen that catch you off guard. They are ranked from the most stressful to the least stressful:
Death of a spouse or child (or grandchild)
Divorce
Marital Separation
Detention in jail or other institution
Death of a close family member (parent or sibling)
Major personal injury or illness
Marriage
Being fired from work
Marriage reconciliation
Retirement
Major change in health or behavior of a family member
Pregnancy of spouse / partner
Sexual difficulties
Gaining a new family member(birth, adoption)
Major business readjustment (merger, reorganization)
Major change in financial state (better or worse)
Death of a close friend
Changing to different type of work
Major change in the number of arguments with spouse (more or less)
Taking on a significant (to you) mortgage
Foreclosure on a mortgage or loan
Bankruptcy
Son or daughter leaving home
In-law troubles
Outstanding personal achievement
Partner beginning or ceasing work outside the home
Beginning or ceasing formal schooling
Major change in living conditions
Revision of personal habits
Troubles with the boss
Change in residence
Changing to a new school
Major change in usual type and / or amount of recreation
Major change in church or spiritual activities
Taking on a small loan
Major change in sleeping habits
Major change in number of family get-togethers (more or less)
Major changes in eating habits
Holiday or vacation
Christmas
Minor violations of the law
I've had every single thing on the list happen to me in my lifetime (with two exceptions - and I'm not telling which ones:) I'm still here, and still the human happy face!
Stress can be good or bad. It still affects our mind and spirit. Too much stress can (and usually does) change the health and functions of our body.
When bad things are happening all around you, when you think you can't handle any more, remember.....
YOU CAN TOO! Often we are hit with so much at one time we may think we just can't handle it. The real secret is, YOU CAN HANDLE IT!
The ONLY choice is to accept, take a breath, use your intellect, and respond accordingly. We may not be able to change the scenario, but we can change our attitude about it. Find a lesson. Empower yourself in some way by building character. Have compassion and understanding.
Now take a breath and relax! It will all be okay.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
The things you think and the way you breathe
The things that you think,and the quality of your oxygen will ultimately become your life and health. YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF WHERE YOU GO FROM HERE.
Breath and think positively. Teach your brain to create those “cell impressions” from which you can empower yourself simply through your thoughts. Ultimately, if you are consistent, your body physiology will be changed for the good.
Put aside any doubt and release any tendency to “make things work out” or to force an outcome. Open your thoughts and your life to the source of all intelligence and let go of worry.
Worry changes nothing for the better. The only thing worry does is increase in increments and cause more worry, more problems, and affect us physically in a negative manner. HONEST!
Spend time on thoughts that are positive and quality and you will draw those things
to you. Be mindful of your oxygen intake, and as you exhale send all those negative thoughts into oblivion.
What is past, is past. The future is but a "hope for the best". The moments you have
are now. Make them of value to you and those around you.
......and remember: somebody in the world who doesn't even know you - really cares!
Breath and think positively. Teach your brain to create those “cell impressions” from which you can empower yourself simply through your thoughts. Ultimately, if you are consistent, your body physiology will be changed for the good.
Put aside any doubt and release any tendency to “make things work out” or to force an outcome. Open your thoughts and your life to the source of all intelligence and let go of worry.
Worry changes nothing for the better. The only thing worry does is increase in increments and cause more worry, more problems, and affect us physically in a negative manner. HONEST!
Spend time on thoughts that are positive and quality and you will draw those things
to you. Be mindful of your oxygen intake, and as you exhale send all those negative thoughts into oblivion.
What is past, is past. The future is but a "hope for the best". The moments you have
are now. Make them of value to you and those around you.
......and remember: somebody in the world who doesn't even know you - really cares!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
When you can't handle any more, remember.....
YOU CAN TOO! Often we are hit with so much at one time we may think we just can't handle it.
The secret is, WE CAN!
I will reiterate as I have before many times: STOP. Take a breath. Slow down for 30 seconds and pull yourself together. We have been given a great natural instinct from within to help us find an answer, or at least some peace about the unbelievable circumstances that surround our being. Change the subject. Divert your own attention to something else momentarily. Take a breath!
Mama told me, "Just think honey. What is the worst that can happen? If you can fathom handling that, you can handle anything. If you think you can't, then think again! Life is tough."
"Stop listening to all the negative things that include the words: I can't, I won't, I won't be able to, I give up, I quit, etc. Never give up. Just when you think you can't handle everything - everything will change. Give it a bit of time. 90% of what we waste our lives worrying about never comes to fruition. So STOP wasting your life on "worry and doubt". It doesn't do anything except hurt you and all those around you."
Keep in mind my mama had osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and "other disabilities". She could twist her waist and break a bone. She lost 7 1/2 inches in height and was in critical pain most of the time. She proved you can "handle anything that crosses your path. Never give up or give in!"
Pretty sound advice, I think. Now take a breath and relax! It will all be okay.
The secret is, WE CAN!
I will reiterate as I have before many times: STOP. Take a breath. Slow down for 30 seconds and pull yourself together. We have been given a great natural instinct from within to help us find an answer, or at least some peace about the unbelievable circumstances that surround our being. Change the subject. Divert your own attention to something else momentarily. Take a breath!
Mama told me, "Just think honey. What is the worst that can happen? If you can fathom handling that, you can handle anything. If you think you can't, then think again! Life is tough."
"Stop listening to all the negative things that include the words: I can't, I won't, I won't be able to, I give up, I quit, etc. Never give up. Just when you think you can't handle everything - everything will change. Give it a bit of time. 90% of what we waste our lives worrying about never comes to fruition. So STOP wasting your life on "worry and doubt". It doesn't do anything except hurt you and all those around you."
Keep in mind my mama had osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and "other disabilities". She could twist her waist and break a bone. She lost 7 1/2 inches in height and was in critical pain most of the time. She proved you can "handle anything that crosses your path. Never give up or give in!"
Pretty sound advice, I think. Now take a breath and relax! It will all be okay.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Anger to Liberation
When you learn to deal with anger skillfully it can lead to LIBERATION. Life is relentless and demanding in nature. We are tested daily in patience, tolerance, generosity, and the use of our intelligence.
Each situation is unique and the wisdom to handle situations must be dug from deep within us to find a resolve. Each challenge we face can throw us into a rage. We become aggravated, enraged, and then derail our best intentions by contaminating all the good we seek to do initially.
We impose our own anxieties on others and our mode of interaction, with even our loved ones, we become torqued out of shape. We let our anger compound allowing the situation to spin further out of control. Many times we have unrealistic expectations of solving problems and that adds to the "life and death" struggle we have already placed in our hands.
These encounters with anger test our spiritual mettle as well. They escalate in a hair's breath. One moment we are engaged in working on resolve, and the next we are ANGERED beyond even our own control.
There are people who are spending their life time in prison because their anger got the better of them. Relationships have been ruined, and children scarred because we haven't learned to
use the gift of oxygen when a problem arises.
Do not indulge in this aggression. At the very moment you feel flushed and peaked to anger, take a breath! I am serious. When we are in pain we hold our breath. When we are angry we also have a tendency to hold our breath! The old "fight or flight" syndrome kicks into action.
The danger in NOT breathing is NOT making rational decisions! When our brains suffer from lack of oxygen, our intellect dwindles, insuring we won't turn the scenario into a positive situation. You can be sure you will "retaliate" in some manner that just plainly screws things up even worse!
INITALLY to find that self control I repeat: Take a breath. Stop for 30 seconds and take a few breaths. In doing just this, your mind and body will relax a bit, you will lower your blood pressure, and your intellect will be established fully again.
Use your oxygen to think more effectively on how you will handle any state of anger you find yourself feeling. Empower yourself with your secret weapon - your oxygen! It is your first line of defense against negative anger. It will put you in control of your bodily responses and possibly keep you from making a dreadful mistake.
If this sounds just too easy, it is! What is a bit more difficult is to get into the habit of doing
this. We habitually get angry and defensive. We make rash and sometimes terrible decisions.
REMEMBER: if you find yourself getting angry take 30 seconds and use your oxygen. YOU will be the one in the situation who makes the better decisions and actually is visibly more together. Anyone can loose control. It takes an intelligent person, one who actually cares about doing the right thing, to work towards trashing the out of control anger. The only thing loosing your cool does is make you look like a fool and throw your body and mind into a terrible state.
Keep your cool and act the wiser individual? OR loose your cool and look the fool? You pick.
Each situation is unique and the wisdom to handle situations must be dug from deep within us to find a resolve. Each challenge we face can throw us into a rage. We become aggravated, enraged, and then derail our best intentions by contaminating all the good we seek to do initially.
We impose our own anxieties on others and our mode of interaction, with even our loved ones, we become torqued out of shape. We let our anger compound allowing the situation to spin further out of control. Many times we have unrealistic expectations of solving problems and that adds to the "life and death" struggle we have already placed in our hands.
These encounters with anger test our spiritual mettle as well. They escalate in a hair's breath. One moment we are engaged in working on resolve, and the next we are ANGERED beyond even our own control.
There are people who are spending their life time in prison because their anger got the better of them. Relationships have been ruined, and children scarred because we haven't learned to
use the gift of oxygen when a problem arises.
Do not indulge in this aggression. At the very moment you feel flushed and peaked to anger, take a breath! I am serious. When we are in pain we hold our breath. When we are angry we also have a tendency to hold our breath! The old "fight or flight" syndrome kicks into action.
The danger in NOT breathing is NOT making rational decisions! When our brains suffer from lack of oxygen, our intellect dwindles, insuring we won't turn the scenario into a positive situation. You can be sure you will "retaliate" in some manner that just plainly screws things up even worse!
INITALLY to find that self control I repeat: Take a breath. Stop for 30 seconds and take a few breaths. In doing just this, your mind and body will relax a bit, you will lower your blood pressure, and your intellect will be established fully again.
Use your oxygen to think more effectively on how you will handle any state of anger you find yourself feeling. Empower yourself with your secret weapon - your oxygen! It is your first line of defense against negative anger. It will put you in control of your bodily responses and possibly keep you from making a dreadful mistake.
If this sounds just too easy, it is! What is a bit more difficult is to get into the habit of doing
this. We habitually get angry and defensive. We make rash and sometimes terrible decisions.
REMEMBER: if you find yourself getting angry take 30 seconds and use your oxygen. YOU will be the one in the situation who makes the better decisions and actually is visibly more together. Anyone can loose control. It takes an intelligent person, one who actually cares about doing the right thing, to work towards trashing the out of control anger. The only thing loosing your cool does is make you look like a fool and throw your body and mind into a terrible state.
Keep your cool and act the wiser individual? OR loose your cool and look the fool? You pick.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Deal or No deal
Gotcha! (Well, maybe) Here's the deal. You begin to take care of your body now or you will pay later. There is no doubt about it. I admit I tried to maul my body earlier in my life by various methods. Some fun! Many regrets.
Right now is the only time we have. So if you've had a a tough day, even if your day was great,
move back from the desk and stand up. Take a deep breath in through the nose, and exhale through the mouth. Do it:).
While your at it, stretch wiggle around a bit. Lay your ear to your shoulder on the right side. Now the left. For every little move you do, have a mindful plug of that intoxicating oxygen we so forget is there.
Even if you've just sat down to enjoy the many wonderful things about the internet, do yourself a favor. Think about sitting up straight and keeping your spine and ab's strong. Keep getting good oxygen and you will regenerate yourself and relax simultaneously. You will keep that intellect sharp to enjoy the things you read, the things you do in this swift moving presence we call life.
Practice taking care of yourself in this small way and it will enhance your life. I promise. I am the Human Happy Face and for those who know me, I am living proof!
Right now is the only time we have. So if you've had a a tough day, even if your day was great,
move back from the desk and stand up. Take a deep breath in through the nose, and exhale through the mouth. Do it:).
While your at it, stretch wiggle around a bit. Lay your ear to your shoulder on the right side. Now the left. For every little move you do, have a mindful plug of that intoxicating oxygen we so forget is there.
Even if you've just sat down to enjoy the many wonderful things about the internet, do yourself a favor. Think about sitting up straight and keeping your spine and ab's strong. Keep getting good oxygen and you will regenerate yourself and relax simultaneously. You will keep that intellect sharp to enjoy the things you read, the things you do in this swift moving presence we call life.
Practice taking care of yourself in this small way and it will enhance your life. I promise. I am the Human Happy Face and for those who know me, I am living proof!
Friday, March 9, 2007
Shakespeare's Wisdom Rocks
"This above all, to thine own self be true,
and it must follow, as the night the day,
thou canst not then be false to any man."
and it must follow, as the night the day,
thou canst not then be false to any man."
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Stress and Disease
I am a firm believer that undue stress plays a huge role in our succumbing to various diseases. In fact, a famous cancer specialist has stated that “there is considerable research that points to stress as being an influencing factor in the susceptibility of and resistance to cancer, as well as to the course of the disease itself.”
Both endocrine and immune functions are so sensitive to the influence of stress that measurable effects can be noted and characterized in both animal and human studies.
External stresses seem to overload our systems, particularly if our bodies have already been exhausted from the internal stress of not getting our needs met for a long time. Research can support the role of stress in many other chronic and catastrophic diseases.
Negative thoughts, when allowed to travel from our brain to our organ systems, cause such stress on the systems that eventually they become overloaded and cannot even recognize there is a problem. It is then we succumb to chronic and catastrophic diseases - heart attacks, adrenal failure and cancer.
The way we view situations and our response to them can create a healthier life.
Below are simple activities than can help you live a more STRESS FREE life:
1. If you are unusually busy, leave details, whenever possible to someone else-income tax return, fixing your car, office details, volunteering to be the leader for any organization; women oftentimes volunteer themselves into major stress situations).
2. Move through your day slowly enough to experience beauty in the environment-.
3. Learn to live with unfinished tasks - ONLY A CORPSE IS COMPLETELY FINISHED!
4. Leave time in your schedule for the unexpected.
5. Leave early enough so you do not have to rush (even if you have to get up 20 minutes earlier).
6. Learn to slow your pace of talking, walking and eating.
7. Find time each day to relax and breathe, meditate, or do yoga.
8. Avoid, if possible, doing more than one thing at a time.
9. Ask yourself daily - “What is REALLY important to me?”
10. Make REALISTIC “to do” lists and check off tasks when done.
11. As yourself whether “something” must be done this hour of the day.
would catastrophe ensue if you could not squeeze it in?
12. Use any waiting in line or stopping for lights as an opportunity to practice deep breathing techniques. You will relax, regenerate and empower yourself by doing so.
13. Remember certain types of music can help your heart rate and blood pressure to calm down and flow in sync with healthy heart beats and lower blood pressure.
Both endocrine and immune functions are so sensitive to the influence of stress that measurable effects can be noted and characterized in both animal and human studies.
External stresses seem to overload our systems, particularly if our bodies have already been exhausted from the internal stress of not getting our needs met for a long time. Research can support the role of stress in many other chronic and catastrophic diseases.
Negative thoughts, when allowed to travel from our brain to our organ systems, cause such stress on the systems that eventually they become overloaded and cannot even recognize there is a problem. It is then we succumb to chronic and catastrophic diseases - heart attacks, adrenal failure and cancer.
The way we view situations and our response to them can create a healthier life.
Below are simple activities than can help you live a more STRESS FREE life:
1. If you are unusually busy, leave details, whenever possible to someone else-income tax return, fixing your car, office details, volunteering to be the leader for any organization; women oftentimes volunteer themselves into major stress situations).
2. Move through your day slowly enough to experience beauty in the environment-.
3. Learn to live with unfinished tasks - ONLY A CORPSE IS COMPLETELY FINISHED!
4. Leave time in your schedule for the unexpected.
5. Leave early enough so you do not have to rush (even if you have to get up 20 minutes earlier).
6. Learn to slow your pace of talking, walking and eating.
7. Find time each day to relax and breathe, meditate, or do yoga.
8. Avoid, if possible, doing more than one thing at a time.
9. Ask yourself daily - “What is REALLY important to me?”
10. Make REALISTIC “to do” lists and check off tasks when done.
11. As yourself whether “something” must be done this hour of the day.
would catastrophe ensue if you could not squeeze it in?
12. Use any waiting in line or stopping for lights as an opportunity to practice deep breathing techniques. You will relax, regenerate and empower yourself by doing so.
13. Remember certain types of music can help your heart rate and blood pressure to calm down and flow in sync with healthy heart beats and lower blood pressure.
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