Archive for the ‘Stress’ Category

Stop Losing Your Control

Heal Your Hidden Self

Have you ever been to the grocery store when a toddler is throwing a royal temper tantrum because their parent would not buy them candy at the checkout register? When we observe this behavior we know the child has not fully developed their self control. Don’t we all have a hidden self? It is an inner toddler that never grew up. Our hidden self in some stressful situations wants to yell, scream and lose control.

When we stop losing self control we are demonstrating maturity. We build our ability to maintain control when we face situations in our life. Facing our problems builds our mental attitude or will power. Withhold your judgments and accept the things that cannot be changed. Be tolerant of life. You can change things that you have control over. By changing your behavior you are healing your hidden self.

Do you wish life would remain constant? It sure would be boring if it did. Life is dynamic. If you cannot adjust to the ebb and flow of life you are prone to losing your control. Don’t make problems worse by being trapped in an inability to change.  You can make your life better overall. Heal your hidden self by gaining control.

Let’s face it we are all human. We all know our moods can swing from positive to negative. It is necessary to feel our emotions. At appropriate times we need to show our emotions. Then, in some situations it is necessary to step back and observe things objectively. You do not want to emotionally over react. The remedy is to handle the situation with logic. It will build your ability to stay calm during difficult problems.

Stress can make you weak. If you are overstressed it hinders your subliminal mind-to the point you are unable to look at a situation logically. Do not overburden your perspective by focusing only on the stress in your life. Take a moment to redirect your thoughts to the positives in your life. What makes you feel your life is fulfilling? Alter your mood by opening your mind and heart. Train yourself to control your emotions and the physical reactions that occur when your inner toddler takes over.

Heal your hidden self by not losing your control.

Even when we are handling stress well, we need a breather.  Most of us tend to forget that we need to set a side a time to renew and recharge.  Ensuring that we do this will help us to continue to manage stress in a healthy way.

Alot of us want to simply unwind after a hard day at work or a long day of handling stressful situations.  We tend to forget that stress can come from many sources – deciding which bills to pay when money is short, medical issues, family demands – not just your job.  We are working to meet these stressors head on but it can take a lot of wind out of out sails by the time we’re done.

Below are some simple tips to help us relax and release with out breaking the bank.

Relaxation Techniques

The thing about relaxation is that we don’t get nearly enough of it.  An ideal relaxing situation is one in which the stressor doesn’t figure – anywhere. You are not sitting down in an easy chair to mull over the events of the day. You are instead focusing on something more pleasant to recharge your batteries for future stress management.

1. Go for a massage – There is nothing more relaxing then letting someone else do all the work for a change to make you happy. All you have to do is lie there, listen to soft music and let the tension in your body melt away.

2. Take an uninterrupted hot bath – This is not the time for your spouse to sneak in for a romantic rendezvous. Dim the lights and light candles. Aromatherapy candles in relaxing scents like chamomile and lavender will also lighten the mood. Enjoy the warm water and wafting smells. You can even have a CD of earth sounds playing in the background (far away from the tub).

3. Try yoga – Yoga has been practiced for centuries as a way of enhancing the mind-body connection. By concentrating on your breathing and your body movements, you can learn to control your body responses. It takes practice to get good, but even that frees your mind and helps you to relax.

4. Watch a funny movie – Have you ever heard that laughter is the best medicine? Well, laughter releases endorphins in your body. Your dark mood lifts and you feel better – better able to cope with life and whatever was on your mind previously.

All of these things are great but they won’t help if you don’t set aside time to do them.  Make a commitment right now to carve out time each day to relax and pen it in to you schedule just like you do everything else.   Be sure to leave more time than you need in case one day you need all of that time to restore balance to your body.

Find a relaxation technique that pleases you and start there. You can add others for variety. Once you get started, you’ll look forward to those times with joy.