How Big is Your Plate Anyway

Between work, family, activities, meals, and so much more, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and stretched too thin, and being this feeling of being stretched becomes normal and expected in your daily life. If you aren't stressed, overwhelmed, and pushed to the limit, you think something is wrong or you don't know what to do with yourself. There is no doubt that live in a busy society. It seems like we keep taking on new responsibilities in our daily lives, without adjusting our schedules or focusing on our priorities, and it sometimes even seems that being busy has become some sort of crazy bragging right. The truth is that we often allow ourselves to get involved in too many different things, and when this happens, we start losing our grip and are unable to give any one thing enough focus things start slipping through the cracks.

It is important to remember that not all people are able to handle the same amount of activity, stress, and responsibility in their lives. Some of us can only handle one or two things at a time, while there are others who can successfully manage several activities at once. The key to success and sanity is to first understand how much you are capable of holding on your plate. That's right; imagine you have a large porcelain plate that you carry in front of you during all of your daily activities. Everything you have to do and all of your responsibilities rest on this plate. When your plate becomes too full, the first thing that happens is that things start falling off. When you don't listen to these warnings that your life gives you and you keep trying to maintain an over-packed schedule your plate will eventually start to crack. This is when you get yourself into trouble. Once your plate starts to crack, you start losing focus on the most important things in your life and things like your health, your relationships, and your sanity start to suffer. In other words, your plate serves as a foundation, and once that foundation begins to crumble, it is hard to keep anything together. Unfortunately, we don't often pay attention to the cracks in our plates until it is too late and the things we once thought of as priorities have fallen apart. This happens all too often in our society which is why it is so important that you take a few minutes to evaluate your life, your priorities, your schedule, and your capabilities before your plate starts to crumble.

The first thing you need to do is list your priorities. What are the most important things in your life? Maybe family, spirituality, and health are your priorities. You must make sure that these things have a place on your plate where they are nurtured, attended to, and loved. Once you have a pretty good idea of what is most important, ask yourself the critical question of the day: "How big is my plate anyway?" Truthfully, how much can you effectively and responsibly handle? It may take you some time to truly understand how big your plate is, but this type of self-awareness will allow you to grow, to develop, and to achieve success. It is important to get over the notion that having one hundred and one things going on and being stressed out are signs of success. That is just not true. Success comes in fulfilling your priorities, in enjoying the ride, and in feeling a sense of accomplishment. Make sure you always leave room on your plate for laughter, spontaneity, and surprise. Depriving ourselves from enjoying life does not make us more productive, only more miserable!

Once you have an understanding of how much you can truly handle at any one time, you have to next look at all of the responsibilities that you have. What things should be cut from your schedule and what things need more attention? You have to learn to say no when your plate is full and to ask for help when you need it most. This is extremely difficult for many people, and if you look at your at your schedule and find it packed with other people's errands and responsibilities, you know you have a problem. Don't be afraid to focus first on your own priorities and then if you have time, feel free to help out a friend. However, you should not start taking on other people's tasks when you don't have time to get your own things done.

Evaluating your capabilities and responsibilities is an ongoing process. You should be continually aware of how much you plate can hold and how stacked it is. In the midst of your busy schedule and running around from here to there, it is critical that you make time each day for your most important priorities. Even if it is five minutes, give yourself that time. Don't lose sight of your health. Be physically active and eat a healthy diet. Make time for your family. Listen. Be thankful for the gifts. Breathe. Not only will your plate stay strong and balanced but you will become more effective, more pleasant, and more successful, as well. So, before you go to bed tonight, ask yourself, "How big is my plate, anyway?"

How to Keep Control of Your Life by Setting Boundaries

Often people are severely stressed, not because of their hectic work schedules or busy lives, rather they are stressed because of other people. How so? When someone has people who are dependent on them for whatever reason, he or she is essentially giving up a piece of themselves. The best illustration is a parent - child relationship. Children depend on their parent(s) and so the parents are no longer living for themselves, but for the children as well.

However, this dependency is not only limited to children. It can be coworkers, friends or extended family members. Separate this dependency from that of a positional leadership role. This dependency is more or less when people seek you out for help because you are readily available. You are easily accessible. This might take the form of constant phone calls or requests for favors. Someone might be going through some rough times and they need you to be there for them. While it is a good thing to be there for others, and to help whenever you can, you must also keep control of you.

There is a line that separates being there for others and giving up control of your life to others.

The objective is to keep control. You release control of your life to others, when your time is spent meeting their needs. You can only give out what you have inside. If you are being depleted internally by trying to meet the needs of others, then stress is inevitable. You are essentially a pressure cooker, and the pressure is going to need to be released. Often the release of the pressure is not in controlled small increments.

To keep control of your life requires you to set boundaries. A simple illustration of a boundary is setting a time of the day or night when you will not accept phone calls. For example, there will be no phone calls accepted during dinner time from (5pm to 7pm) or after 10pm or before 7am. Setting boundaries may seem harsh to the other person. However, you are basically empowering them to solve their own problems. As long as you play the role of savior to others, they will treat you as such. That is never a healthy relationship. Even children are taught to solve problems on their own, so that when they leave their parents' home, they are equipped to make it in the world.

The small word, NO, is a very powerful word. The problem is that many people have trouble using that word. However, to keep control of your life, the word NO, needs to be used. If you loose control of your life, then the little bit of help you are giving to others is not of the best quality. That is because you are depleted. So it is not only in your interest that you keep control, but it is in the interest of others as well.

Subliminal Blaster

I just wanted to let you know about this FREE offer.  You can now get this great FREE download of Subliminal Blaster which will project subliminal messages on to your screen to help you with various aspects of your life such as quitting smoking or losing weight for example, please be aware though you are only to use this software on yourself as it is illegal to send subliminal messages to anyone else.

Subliminal Blaster Download Site Here

Below is the write up of the product:

This self-help freeware application is designed to flash subliminal messages, but its ability to modify behavior is up to you to evaluate. Subliminal Blaster's intuitive interface offers a wide variety of preset message categories, though you can easily add your own. You can select from 51 self-help areas including dealing with stress and pain, quitting smoking, and slimming sensibly. Messages are positive affirmations such as "I am always improving" and "My body feels good." You can set the location, frequency, and font for your selected messages, which will only display when the program is open but will display over any application. Subliminal Blaster is a handy, well-designed program for those who believe in the power of subliminal messages.

What is it?


Subliminal Blaster is a small utility that installs on your PC and works quietly in the background. Using a patented subliminal delivery system, Subliminal Blaster flashes safe and unobtrusive messages around your monitor as you use your PC, but its ability to modify behavior is up to you to evaluate. Because of the speed in which they're delivered to your screen, your conscious mind will merely see a "flicker" -- it won't have the pace to capture the message. However the subconscious mind absorbs every single message... and uses each one to change your thought patterns, your behaviours, even your body! And that's great -- because, your "conscious" mind isn't responsible for changing your automatic reactions and habits. Only your subconscious is! Your subconscious mind is built as a tool for betterment. It's there to respond to your environment. It "sees" things you don't even realize. Every sound. Every picture. Every phonetic nuance. Everything. So it makes sense that if your brain "reacts" to the information its fed that you should probably feed it the best information you can, right? These messages are statements of positive intent, like: I learn fast; I am calm and confident always; I enjoy speaking on stage; I attract my ideal partner easily; Every day in everyway I'm getting better, and better. Using Subliminal Blaster, you can easily: Banish negative behavior patterns; Enjoy perfect health and heal any illness, ailment or disease; Realise your perfect body weight, appearance and vitality and keep it that way. Enjoy perfect relationships with others whether friends, family or others. Maintain absolute happiness, harmony and peace in your life at all times. Dissolve stress and tension. Destroy bad habits in a flash. And best of all, you don't have to do a thing! The whole system sits on your desktop, utilizing time you already spend at your computer every moment you use your PC, you're creating a fantastic new you.

Subliminal Blaster Download Site Here

'Tis The Season to Be Emotional, Part II: What To Do When Things Get Tense

A crucial key to being able to manage your emotions is anticipating and preparing for situations or interactions with certain people where you know, from past experience, that your emotions go haywire. But what do you do in the heat of the moment when your emotions flare up?

1. Recognize the signs of the fight or flight response.

Heart pounding, stomach turning, palms sweating: these are signs that the part of your brain that is on the lookout for threats to your survival (your amygdala) has been activated.

The amygdala, however, is the reactive, not rational part of your brain, and might very well interpret shallow breathing - which happens when we feel insulted, angry or upset but your life is far from endangerment -- as a threat.

Step 1: Assure your brain that survival is not at stake -- take a deep breath.

2. Use your body to ground you in the present.

When your boss says "I need to speak to you later," immediately, your mind starts racing - into the past (is he upset about the question I asked in yesterday's meeting?), or the future (Am I being taken off the project?). Neither is helpful. What you need to do is get out of your head and back into the present moment. Your body can help you do that.

Step 2: Feel your feet on the ground, your arms on your desk, your butt in the chair.

3. Hit the pause button.

When are your emotions most likely to cause you trouble: when you're talking or not talking? Often, people start talking because they're uncomfortable with silence, not because it will help the situation. When someone is making provocative comments or needling you, they're looking for a reaction. If you don't react, there's nothing for them to attack.

Step 3: Learn how to be okay with the silence. Give yourself 10 seconds (at least) to let your rational brain kick in.

4. Check your crystal ball.

Before you start talking, do a quick peek into the future. If you give this person a piece of your mind, how will the other person respond? Will it help or harm the situation? Is the instant gratification of "putting them in their place" worth the potential long-term damage?

Step 4: "Watch your tongue and be forward-thinking."

Review and Recap

When you have some distance and are feeling calmer, take a moment to reflect and ask: "What was going on there? Why did I get so angry?" See if you can identify the exact trigger: "I lose it when my boss gives me that patronizing smirk. I feel like he thinks I'm incompetent." And by drilling down -- is there any evidence that he does think you're incompetent? -- you can understand what your beliefs about the situation are and why it triggers a feeling of powerlessness or frustration, for example.

When it comes to mastering your emotions, there are no shortcuts. With practice, however (just like anything), it gets easier and more familiar.

'Tis the Season to Be Emotional: A Training Plan for Staying In Control, Part 1

RIDING THE ROLLERCOASTER

Ah, the holiday season. That time of year when we experience those delightful emotional extremes -- from the joy and exhilaration of spending time with people we care about to the discomfort of performance reviews and dinner with difficult in-laws.

Even if, on balance, you enjoy the holidays, when your emotions start running the show, the rollercoaster ride between the highs and lows can feel pretty stressful and uncomfortable.

WE HAVE A CHOICE

When the doctor hits the patella of your knee with that little hammer your leg jerks up - you can't help it, it's a natural reflex. Though it sometimes feels the same with our emotions, it's not. True, we can't control the specific emotion that wells up in a particular situation, but we can make a choice as to what we do next and how we respond.

As with any new habit or skill, however, it takes awareness and practice to become the master of your emotions. (What, you were expecting a quick fix?) You're in luck, however: I've put together a step-by-step training plan that lays out exactly what and how to practice.

THE TRAINING ROUTINE: PREPARE

1. Have a morning practice.

Just as pilots check their flight plan, set the controls and evaluate the instrument panel in readying for take-off, you too will benefit from preparing yourself for the day ahead. Whatever you do -- meditate, take a walk, do yoga, read a motivational book or write in your journal - investing the time (even 15 minutes is beneficial) to quiet your mind and plug into your inner energy source will give you a sense of perspective and allow you to stay grounded as you move through the chaos of the day.

(And don't even think about making the "I don't have time" excuse. That's like saying "I don't have time to find my car keys so I'm going to walk to work." You always have time to set yourself up for success.)

Like the Dalai Lama says: "We all know that on days when we are in a good mood, when the whole world seems to be smiling at us, we can accept predicaments or bad news more easily than if our mind is already upset, frustrated or troubled, when the slightest incident might cause us to explode with negative emotions."

2. Identify your triggers.

This is not your first Christmas dinner with your extended family. And, most likely it's not the first time a colleague has lost his temper or you've gotten critical feedback from a boss or colleague. Though we may feel ambushed, there are recurring scenarios where we can anticipate potential friction and think through how we typically react.

So, start a running list of those situations that tend to stir up negative emotion - you know, the juicy stuff like anger, resentment, insecurity, guilt. Now you can strategize what you'll do or say in the heat of the moment when it may be difficult to think clearly.

3. Visualize and practice.

So you're at the annual holiday party, and your obnoxious colleague - who gets even more obnoxious when he's drinking -- starts bragging about how much his bonus was. Imagine how you'll respond when he needles you about yours and insinuates that his was much higher. Imagine the various ways that scenario could play out and how you'd handle them (I'm thinking one of them could involve a suave James Bond impression).

(Don't worry that imagining a scenario will make it more likely to happen. Actually the opposite is true - simply envisioning a solution may make the problem moot.)

Then, as much as possible, look for opportunities to simulate what you feel in those emotionally charged situations - to practice or rehearse when the stakes are low and your emotional reactions won't be as costly.

For example, if you're uncomfortable with confrontation or rejection, practice returning an item to a store or asking for a refund. If you're worried about losing your composure during your performance review, practice receiving criticism from a friend or trusted colleague.

Forward-thinking and preparation are critical to navigating emotional minefields and not losing your cool in the moment.

Stress Is Killing You! It's Time For A Change

Stress is found everywhere. Life for people in the modern age is increasingly stressful. Unemployment, gas prices, children, long hours at work...the list goes on and on and on.

Most of us know we are stressed and maybe you do a pretty good job of keeping it under control most of the time. No matter how calm you may appear, simply hiding your stress is not really helping you.

A study published in 2007 by the Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California about the relation between psychological stress and immune-related diseases found that elevated stress levels will make you very sick and could eventually kill you.

There are two types of stress that affect your life. Long-term stress is the type of stress that you endure on a daily basis. All of the things that come up in life contribute to your long-term stress. Acute stress is caused by more specific events. Marital strife, public speaking, and accidents all cause acute stress. It has been believed for decades that acute stress didn't really affect us as much as long-term stress. However, in the 2007 study it was discovered that both long-term and acute stress have profound and lasting effects on your immune system and disease.

Chronic stress has been found to cause systemic coronary inflammation. People who have low levels of stress and depression also have a low risk of major cardiac events. Those who have higher stress and depression have significantly higher risk of a major cardiac event. Taking care of the cardiovascular system should be priority #1 for each and every person but sadly it is not. You are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than any other cause.

Stress can be a significant cause in many types of illness. People who are chronically stressed are much more likely to have heart attacks and strokes. Stressed people have more cancer and other conditions like high blood pressure and severe arthritis.

Stress is one of the main ways to make sure you don't live as long as you should. Controlling the stress in your life should be a high priority if you are on a quest to live a long and healthy life.

So, what are some ways to control the stress? Here are a few tips that help me and I'm sure they can help you.

Tips to beat stress:

1.Slow Down: This is quite possibly my favorite. People who know me know that I am a rather slow person. I am also a very low stress person. It wasn't always this way. I learned long ago that I am in complete control of my life and the pace at which I live it. Ask anyone, I eat slow. I drive slow. I talk slow. I make decisions slow. What's the rush anyway? Why stuff your face so quickly? Why drive so fast and get angry and waste gas? Is it really worth saving two minutes? Don't jump from of thing to another at lightning speed. Very few choices must be made right now. Take your time. Live a little. Don't be so uptight all the time. This one tip will amaze you if you can teach yourself the habit of slowing down.

2.Evaluate and Prioritize: Take time now and then to evaluate what is causing you the most stress. What are the top three reasons you are stressed? Eliminate them. Period. It's not worth wasting your life full of stress and unhappiness. Do you hate your job? Think about the things in your job causing the most stress then start looking for one that doesn't include those negative points. Are you in the career you have always really wanted? Why not? Change it! I know that sounds scary but sometimes you just have to get some courage and go for it. Start going to school and prepare yourself for your real career and start living your real life. Never let any career, relationships or debts hold you down. Simplify. Start selling all your stuff. Get rid of the debt. Learn a new trade. Free up your life!

3.Take time to relax: Everyday just take some time for yourself. Forget the house. Forget the bills and the kids. Forget the boss. How is your life going? Are you getting where you want to be? What are some things you want to do this week? This month? This year? Before you die? Life is not about running the rat race. Life is about living and experiencing. Life is about envisioning what you want and then taking it. Sometimes it seems easier to ignore all these issues. But you can't ignore them. They sit in the back of your mind. Eating away at you like a cancer.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain

Identify Your Stress Triggers

If you were to type the word "stress" in any internet search engine you will get a billion pieces of information related to stress and the harm it can cause. A general dictionary defines stress as, "A specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism, mental, or emotional strain or tension." The word stress is derived from the Latin word 'stringere' meaning to 'draw tight' describing hardships.

Everyday millions of people around the world experience stress ranging from mild dosages to extreme cases that lead to several complicated health disorders. Even animal, insects and plants experience various degrees of stress due to several reasons.Dr. Hans Selye, a reputed author of numerous papers and books on stress says headaches, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart and kidney diseases are the common problems created by stress. According to his expert opinion, "every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older".

When you are stressed your adrenal glands produce a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is highly toxic substance that attacks muscles, organs, and rapidly diminishes your strength. It also diminishes your immune system leading to various kinds of mental and physical disorders. Stress is your body's natural response to every day's physical, emotional and environmental demands.Many people often confuse stress with plain tiredness. Whenever you ask someone if they are stressed they immediately say they are okay or feeling fine. But the reality is different. You could be highly stressed, but not physically tired. This is because stress is a silent killer and creeps into a person silently. You cannot avoid stress totally in today's life, especially in today's modern, complex workplace. It is a mental thing that has the potential to create complicated health disorders. To understand the difference between stress and tiredness just imagine a hot cup of coffee. The hot coffee can contain very less sugar or a high quantity of sugar.

The quantity of sugar (sweetness) is comparable to stress, while the temperature (hotness) is comparable to tiredness. The sweetness of the coffee does not reduce even when the coffee cools down. Similarly a person need not be physically tired, but could be under a lot of stress internally. For example, an impending tough exam, a court case, losing a job, workplace harassments, dealing with irrational people, accepting a heavy responsibility, etc., can create a lot of stress. On the other hand plain tiredness, usually caused by excessive physical activity or exercise can be eliminated by a few hours of sound sleep, or a good hot bath. But stress cannot be eliminated by sleep or a bath.

Often people under duress will not be able to identify or sometimes admit the precise reason for their stress, and start feeling the whole world is ganging up on them. Over time stressed people will soon be unable to state exactly whey they are stressed. They feel attacked from all sides, feel unlucky, exhausted and start getting agitated at everything, trivial, big, related or unrelated. And the standard reasons people give for stress will be vague and generic stuff like work pressure, traffic, noise, politics, etc. But pointing fingers at vague and subjective stuff do not help you in finding workable solutions. You need to be exact, but how?Today, the modern crazy workplace is one of the single biggest sources of stress for employees and their families. A stressed out employee can not only cause problems for himself, but also cause various problems for all his family members. On our planet the number of reasons why people get stressed or agitated could run into thousands.

However, in the workplace the number of reasons for stress will normally be limited to a few areas, or sometimes just a single issue that could be igniting your fuse. But learning to recognizing those few ones is important to tackle them objectively without getting ruffled up. Usually a stress management consultant will be usually able to accurately pin point your stress trigger and suggest remedies. But what if you don't have access to such consultants, embarrassed to visit one or even unable to afford their services? Also in many cases it may impossible to openly admit to stress. For example CEOs, senior managers, and famous personalities can never honestly admit to being stress, or openly visit a stress management consultant. This is because reputed personalities in all fields always need to portray a picture of a vibrant, healthy and evergreen human being to the media, press and the public.

If they accidentally admit to stress a newspaper may print an absurd headline like, "CEO OF XYZ CORP ADMITS TO LOSING HIS MARBLES!!!" and the company can get into trouble. So what do you do? Remember it is a health matter and cannot be simply ignored either, because it will only deteriorate or explode you with time. Unless you believe your stress is an extreme case where only a qualified doctor can repair you it may be possible to identify specific stress triggers, or what exactly ignites your fuse, and often solve them yourself. Pin pointing your stress generator is the first step in trying to find a solution to it. If you cannot pinpoint it is like trying to shoot a target you cannot see. But how exactly do you pin point your stress generator without visiting a stress management consultant? Just use a simple technique called - ASKING QUESTIONS TO YOURSELF, similar to what consultants and doctors do when you go for consultation. Through appropriate and pertinent questions to yourself it is actually possible to identify your stress generators, and often eliminate or control them on your own without external help. So whenever you are stressed in the workplace start asking yourself the following questions. You can add more questions if necessary, but this list should be enough to begin with.

• 1. Are the job requirements absolutely clear in real world terms for what you are trying to do, or expected of you? Or, are you simply chasing hype and jargon?

• 2. Do you have the necessary tools, knowledge, resources, staffing, training and budgets to do what you are trying to do?

• 3. Are the timeframes realistic for whatever you are trying to do, or are you chasing artificial deadlines created by clueless people? Are you burning out chasing unrealistic expectations from impatient customers, end users, bosses, etc?

• 4. Are you working in a humorless department or organization?

• 5. Are you generally short tempered and impatient by nature? Do you habitually get flared up over trivial workplace issues? Are others expecting you to read their mind and act accordingly? Alternatively, do you expect others to read your mind and act accordingly?

• 6. Is it a specific colleague(s) who is the cause for your stress, or is somebody constantly breathing down your neck? Is someone out to get you, discredit you or snatch the credit for your efforts?

• 7. Is somebody's short temper and irrational behavior preventing you from doing or saying the right things?

• 8. Are you having financial difficulties? Do you have no control over your spending? Are you spending more than you are earning?
• 9. Is a corporate rumor about getting fired, downsizing, reorganization, etc., causing stress?

• 10. Do you have to do everything yourself? Are you getting the required help from your colleagues and other departments? Are you always trying to go out of your way to get things done? Are you trying to tackle things that are not in your control?

• 11. Is the work you are doing really difficult, or are you just dealing with difficult and irrational customers and bosses who create panic and terror to cover up their inadequacies?

• 12. Are you worrying about something that happened in the past or may happen in the future?

• 13. Do you have any known health problems that could be causing stress? Have you had a complete health check up to detect hidden health disorders? Is a family member's health or behavior creating stress and agitation in the workplace?

• 14. Are you trying to reinvent the wheel in getting a job done? Can you get tips, procedures and suggestions from someone who has done such things already?

• 15. If your life controlled by emails, pagers, mobile phones, blogs, iPODs, laptops and other electronic leashes?

• 16. Do you have access to a quiet place like a park or lots of greenery to sit for an hour or two doing nothing? It can be very relaxing and discharge workplace worries.

• 17. Are you working in a badly managed project? Is everything in your organization or department urgent and chaotic due to poor planning, an impatient boss, etc? Is your department understaffed and overworked?

• 18. Are you taking care of your health and rest properly? Are you getting your eight hours of calm sleep daily?

• 19. Are you trying to please or seek admiration from everyone? Are you an appreciation seeking addict? Is somebody's urgency or poor planning an emergency for you?

• 20. Do you wear uncomfortable and tight clothes to work? Uncomfortable clothes, tight neckties and certain nylon materials can often cause a lot of fatigue and agitation without you realizing why.

• 21. Are you bad at time management? Are there too many things on your plate? Can you ignore or eliminate the unnecessary ones?

• 22. Are family problems creating hell at work? Are work problems creating hell at home?

• 23. Do you have too much work? Do you have very less or no work? Very less work can also create anxiety about the continuity of your job.

And the questions can go on further or depending on the nature of your work the list of questions can change. But as you can see, precision questions like above can often pin point the exact cause of your stress. Next eliminating that stress will be in the precision answers you can provide, solutions you can gather or the specific actions you can take to reduce them. The solutions may not drop in overnight but you can definitely find solutions over time to switch to the right stress reduction lane gradually. And we can conclude this article by two beautiful quotes on questions by Anthony Robbins. Questions provide the key to unlocking our unlimited potential. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers. Happy self interrogation.

What Is Stress Management?

To fully understand the answer to the question "what is stress management" one should primarily take a closer look of what it deals with -stress. Stress is an every day part of life, and life can't really be without stres. Stress is how the body responds to what one feels when they are confronted with situations it reacts as though you're in danger. Hormones speed up, breathing is faster, and can give a person a "burst" of energy. This stres response is called "fight-or-flight".

Not every stress that a person feels is bad some of it is normal and sometimes even useful. It helps an individual react quickly or work hard that can do positive things when trying to achieve a goal or finish a task on time. However, when stress lasts longer and happens often, it can result to bad consequences back pain, headaches, trouble sleeping, or upset stomach. These negative effects can weaken one's immune system that makes it difficult for the body to "fight-off" disease.

When stress becomes overwhelming, this is where stres management comes in. The proper management of stres will lessen, alleviate, and even eliminate stres. So, what is stress managment? Stress management takes in techniques designed to equip an individual with efficient coping methods for handling stress. These methods may vary for different individuals as they have to choose which one best works for them.

What is stress management for workers? Stress management for workers deals on how employees can reduce stress in their working environment as well as techniques on effective personal stres mangement to help eliminate their "stress triggers". Most organizations these days have centered on the importance of giving their employees stress management trainings or seminars as these help the organization have better and productive employees.

What is stress management for students? Stress management for students tackles on how students can overcome the stress they encounter in their demanding "academic world". Students are among the most stressed individuals and stress mangement techniques help them cope better with situations that may result to both physical and emotional problems.

There are several other stres managment areas including those that deal with individuals who go through critical incidents. The need for stress management today, is an acknowledged truth in the medical society; recent studies have shown that stress is among the major roots of every illness, therefore the increasing need for stress management.

Happiness: Can You Say Yes? 11 Practical Steps To Make It Really Happen

Think about it ... every single thing we do is intended to make us happier. And yet sometimes we get diverted and do things that actually move us away from this goal.

We all have the potential for genuine happiness. There is no gene or DNA marker that determines who will be happy and who will not. We make choices throughout our lives, and the result of all these choices combined, determines our level of happiness. Make the right choices and happiness can be yours.

Here are just a sampling of some of the tactics we can employ in an 11-point road map to help guide us toward genuine happiness:

1. Look For The Positive In Everything: There is an old saying that nothing is inherently good or bad--what makes it one or the other, is merely our reaction to it. Find the positive and you will be happier. Those who soar against all odds, do so because they look at the positive that could come out of their situation, how ever bad it may seem to others.

2. Accentuate The Positive: We all grow up with a "positivity imbalance"--the result of society's norms and rules being based on restriction and punishment more than approval and reward. From a young age we are taught what we must not do instead of what we may do. Even in day-to-day life, there is more negative influence that positive. Luckily you can work to improve the balance. Celebrate the positive and work to get more of it. When you achieve something, congratulate yourself! Look for things you find uplifting, that make you happy. Get more of that! At the same time, reduce your exposure to negative input, whether it is the daily news, or people you don't feel good around. You know your buttons...make sure the positive ones are pushed more than the negative.

3. Practice Good Selfishness: When we were young we were taught that putting our interests before those of others is wrong. This is particularly true for women, many of whom sacrifice their dreams and ambitions to help others achieve theirs. It is also common in the corporate world where the good of the company is considered more important than the good of the individual. It is good to help others, yet we should have boundaries to protect ourselves from being manipulated or abused by others. You are important, and if you don't look after yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually, you cannot expect anyone else to do so.

4. Listen To Your Feelings: All feelings are good. Every feeling occurs for a reason: it is delivering a message. Sometimes that message is pleasant, other times not. Our tendency is to distract ourselves from unpleasant feelings, often through smoking, drinking or drugs of one kind or another. When you feel bad, avoid distracting yourself, and identify the reason--there is some need which is not being met.

5. Give Of Yourself: The more you give, the more you receive. There is probably no scientific study proving this to be so, but unconditional giving is hugely rewarding. It seems that the more of yourself you give, the greater the thrill and uplifting effect on your psyche. Help the needy. Give time if you can. Give anonymously!

6. Make It Happen: You have the ability to make things happen using your mind. Top sports stars, and business people use it; so can you. There are many ways of doing this; one of the common methods is to use visualization--getting a picture in your mind of whatever it is that you want to happen. It does not have to be a visual picture; it could be a feeling, a smell, a sound, or any combination of the senses. Imagine finding the perfect parking near the entrance as you arrive at the supermarket or mall ... the sky is the limit, but persevere! We are not used to utilizing this tool, so it takes practice.

7. Accept The Things You Cannot Change: We resist things we don't like, and often expend a tremendous amount of energy on this resistance. Whilst this can be good, and has resulted in tremendous advances through history, we should work to understand those things we cannot change, and then move on. Rather use the saved energy on something more worthwhile and productive. This is not to say that you should complacently accept anything. If you truly desire change, you should work towards that change; but spending time worrying about something without actively working to change it is unproductive and damaging to your well-being.

8. Take Responsibility For Your Choices: Everything that you do, or don't do, is because of choices you make (or don't make). It is easier and convenient to blame outside causes for things that go wrong in life, but your life is the sum of all the choices you make along the way--sadly, sometimes that choice it to let somebody else make a choice on your behalf. If you tend to blame other people or things, it may be scary to take responsibility for what happens in your life, but it is really quite liberating because instead of seeing yourself as an effect of outside forces, you realize you are the cause of everything good you achieve. Don't abdicate responsibility for your life.

9. Schedule Regular "Self Time": Spend some time analyzing where you are in life, your strengths and weaknesses. How can you turn the latter into the former? Think about your views on everything from your job to global warming and the existence of aliens--then work out why you feel the way you do. Is your reasoning sound? The better you understand yourself, the better you understand the world.

10. Make Time To Meditate: We spend almost all our time thinking of the past or planning for the future. We seldom spend time in the present. It has reached a point where, for most of us, it seems impossible to keep our focus on what is happening right now. Your meditation could be formal meditation or prayer, but it could be as simple as merely focusing on each breath as it goes in and out for five or ten minutes, dismissing past and future thoughts as they arise--and they will!

11. Remove Your Limitations: When we fail, usually the reason is simply because we don't believe we are able or worthy of whatever it is that we fail to achieve. Most often, this belief is actually false; the result of negative programming received since childhood. The truth is that most of us are able to do most of what we really want to do ... you just have to believe. The best way to start is with small things, working your way up as you notice the limits dissolving.

The more successful you are at assimilating the concepts and processes described in these eleven points into your life, the more genuinely happy you will be, and the happiness will last!

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Top 7 Tips To Manage Stress

You can't rid stress from your life completely, but you can reduce it. Know that it takes some effort because you may have to make changes in your attitude and lifestyle. Reducing stress requires that you know how you react to stress. If you know, you can change your behavior. Try to be more optimistic and assertive. See the glass as half full instead of half empty (and tell someone who disagrees that that's the way you see things). Also, develop a strategy for handling stressful situations. This way, you won't be caught off guard.

Here are the helpful tips:

1. Add good nutrition and exercise

When your body is healthy, it can better stand up to stress. Keep your body healthy and strong with nutritious foods. A low-fat diet helps slow the progress of some stress-related diseases. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.

2. Laugh

Laughter may be one of the healthiest antidotes to stress. When you laugh or, just smile, the blood flow to the brain is increased. It is due to the release of endorphins which results a drop in the level of stress hormones.

3. Be social

When you feel stress, your instincts tell you to isolate yourself. When you withdraw, you allow yourself to concentrate more on the problem, which makes your stress level greater. Call friends. Be around with young children, who can help make you forget yourself and your worries. Do volunteer work.

4. Know your stress personality

Do you know how to react to stress? Do you yell and kick the furniture? Or do you retreat into stony silence? Keep a stress diary for two weeks. Make note of any stressor, the time, place, and day it occurs, how you feel (angry, defeated, tired, overwhelmed), and what you do as a result. By knowing your own personality and triggers, you can learn to respond to stress before you reach crisis mode.

5. Make your job work for you

The real cause of job-related stress is not overwork but lack of personal control. Interestingly, the most stressful positions are not at the top. Workers in high-demand, low-control positions, such as computer operators and sales personnel, are more heart-attack prone than CEOs, who have a high degree of control in their jobs. Although you probably can't change your company's culture by yourself, you can change the way you react to stress at work.

Participate as actively as possible. Ask and answer questions, attend company meetings and events, and be sure you speak up in the workplace. Support your coworkers. Good relationships with peers and a respectful boss help you feel more in control of your job. But no matter how good things are at work, there is bound to be an upsetting event. What do you so then? Try counting to ten before you react, which helps to avoid conflict. And the pause can help you regain a sense of control.

And finally, if you know you are in the wrong job, accept the fact and consider improving your skills so that you can change jobs.

6. Get enough sleep

Probably one of the most important things that you can do for yourself is get enough sleep. Sleep helps your body replenish and maintain cells, fortifies your immune system, filters out toxins, and relaxes your muscles. Develop a daily sleep routine that signals your mind that it is time to sleep (for example, take a warm bath before bed). Don't drink alcohol or caffeine, and don't smoke because these substances contain chemicals that stimulate your mind.

7. Mind-Body Technique

Teaching your body to flex and relax its muscles is a good way to release stored tension, which relieve stress. Allot at least 15 to 30 minutes of relaxation time. Be sure to practice this relaxation technique when you know that you will not be disturbed, and take the phone off the hook. After the session is over, gently stretch your body, allowing yourself to slowly come out of the relaxed state.