Extreme Self Care

Maintaining beautiful hands is important for maintaining a youthful look at any age. Your hands get the most exposure and show your age the most, so care of them is care for your age. Knowing how to maintain your hands as you age is the best way to make sure they look your best and that you, in turn, look your youngest and best.

As you enter your 20’s, your hands look young and healthy for the most part. These are your skin’s glory years as they are likely yours as well. This is the best time to start preventing the effects of aging, because you don’t yet have to worry about treating the effects that are already there.

Premature aging is most often caused by exposure to the sun. In your 20’s is the best time to begin protecting your hands. At least twice a day, use a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15. Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• No related posts.

As you begin the process of organizing your household, you may ask yourself what the best way is to motivate your family members to become and stay actively involved in the process. Each family member is unique and so is their method for organizing and prioritizing. But if you approach it from a coaching standpoint, it is possible to motivate your family to get on the organizational bandwagon.

First of all, remember that your family will get involved in the process for their own reasons, not necessarily just to please you. Help each family member pinpoint their own motivations for wanting to get organized. Maybe they are feeling less productive in school or at work, or they never seem to have enough social time because their time

Each of us has a strong suit when it comes to being organized. Find that about each family member and emphasize it. Take the opportunity to share your organizational strengths and tips, and ask them to do the same. Offer praise, not criticism.

Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• No related posts.

CONCLUSION

       If you’ve learned nothing from reading this book, we hope you realize and understand that there is NO WAY to completely eliminate stress from your life.  What you can do is to learn how to make that stress work FOR you.

       Stress management isn’t as difficult as it might actually seem.  However, we can’t emphasize this next point enough.  If you think you have too much stress in your life, it may be helpful to talk with your doctor, spiritual advisor, or local mental health association. Because reactions to stress can be a factor in depression, anxiety and other disorders, they may suggest that you visit with a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or other qualified counselor.

       We don’t want to present ourselves as medical professionals.  All we want to do is give you some tools to implement in your life to help you better cope with those things that make us overwhelmed and feel out of control.

     Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• No related posts.

RELAXING AT WORK

       Coffee breaks aren’t the only times when you can take a moment for yourself.  Experience has actually taught me that coffee (or smoke) breaks can actually add to the stress you feel when you’re at work.

       Some of the suggestions we’ve given you in this book can certainly be practiced at work, but, unfortunately, others cannot.  Here’s a tried and true method to help you relax at work.

First and foremost, find a place to sit.  Sit up straight with your back against the back of your chair, your feet flat on the floor, and your hands resting lightly on your thighs.

If possible, close your eyes. You may do the exercise without closing your eyes, but closing your eyes will help you relax a bit more. Do not clench your eyes shut. Let your eyelids fall naturally.

Breathe in slowly through your nose, counting to 5. Hold the breath for a count of 5. Breathe out slowly, counting to five. Repeat.

This exercise is performed by tensing and holding a set of muscles for a count of 5, and then relaxing the set of muscles for a count of 5.

When you tense each muscle set, do it as hard as you can without hurting yourself. When you release the hold, be as relaxed as possible.

Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• No related posts.

TAKE A BREAK

       So often, we know inside ourselves that we need a break.  That break might be a full-fledged vacation or a weekend getaway.  Either way, getting out of the daily grind can be amazingly liberating and a huge way to get rid of stress and anxiety.

       Unfortunately, many people think they can’t take the time to get away.  This is toxic thinking.  Get out and get away!

How many times have you continued working, knowing that you are not giving 100% to the task at hand?  How many times have you read or written the same sentence over and over again, as your mind keeps wandering and thinking about other things?  How often have you wanted to take a break from the family or kids but feared the consequences of doing so?  It’s time for a break!

Why do we not allow ourselves the time to take a ‘time out’?  Perhaps we feel like we don’t deserve it or that there’s just too much to be done.  There are many genuine reasons for needing to complete jobs and tasks; however we may also on occasion have ‘hidden agendas’ as to why we cannot stop for a break.  Why?

It could be ego.  Some people simply enjoy boasting about, ‘how late they had to work in order to complete a project’ or ‘how much effort they invested in order to complete the job so quickly’.  This type of person is often looking to impress others with their efforts, thereby increasing their ego in the process.

Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• No related posts.

JUST SAY NO!

       One huge problem people who are overly stressed out have is the ability to say “No” when they need to.  Maybe your mother wants you to take Grandma to the store, but you’re in the middle of a big work project.  Perhaps your best friend asks if you wouldn’t mind babysitting her kids when you’ve already made plans with yourself to get a haircut.

       There’s no reason why you have to say “Yes” to everyone.  In fact, there are often many times when you should turn them down.  If you find yourself agreeing to do things when you really don’t want to, you’re a people pleaser.  In general, this isn’t a bad trait to have, but it can be a huge stressor.

People pleasers think of other people’s needs before their own. They worry about what other people want, think, or need, and spend a lot of time doing things for others. They rarely do things for themselves, and feel guilty when they do. It’s hard being a people pleaser. 

People pleasers hold back from saying what they really think or from asking for what they want if they think someone will be upset with them for it. Yet they often spend time with people who don’t consider their needs at all. In fact, people pleasers often feel driven to make insensitive or unhappy people feel better - even at the detriment to themselves. 

Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• No related posts.

WHO YA GONNA CALL?  STRESS BUSTERS!

• 1. I really love this thought and have used it many times myself! Yell! That’s right, scream at the top of your lungs - as loud as you can. While this may not be feasible in your home, it works great when you’re in your car with the windows rolled up. Let out a guttural yelp from deep down inside. It’s liberating!
• 2. Sing. As we said in the previous chapter, music can be extremely beneficial when getting rid of stress. Think how much better you can feel when you belt out “Copacabana” at the top of your lungs! Who cares if you can’t carry a tune? You’re doing this for you!
• 3. Take up a new hobby like knitting or crocheting. Don’t worry about being good at it. It’s the process that’s beneficial. Sitting still while performing repetitive movements is calming and stabilizing for many people. It can be time to collect your thoughts.
• 4. Start a garden. Even apartment-dwellers can do this. Inside in pots, pots on the patio, pots, a small spot in your yard. There is a little work to setting it up.

Tending plants, fruits, vegetables, flowers and watching them grow, bloom, or yield food is rewarding. Avid gardeners say working a garden is the best way to control stress and worry. An added benefit is the creation of a more beautiful, restful environment.

• Read the rest of this entry »

  Related posts

  • No related posts.

MORE STRESS MANAGEMENT

•1. Make stress your friend

Acknowledge that stress is good and make stress your friend! Based on the body’s natural “fight or flight” response that burst of energy will enhance your performance at the right moment. I’ve yet to see a top sportsman totally relaxed before a big competition. Use stress wisely to push yourself that little bit harder when it counts most.

•2. Stress is contagious

What we mean by this is that negative people can be a huge stressor.  Negativity breeds stress and some people know how to do nothing but complain.  Now you can look at this in one of two ways.  First, they see you as a positive, upbeat person and hope that you can bring them back “up”.  If that’s not it, then they’re just a negative person and can’t feel better about themselves unless those around them are negative as well.

Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• No related posts.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

       As we’ve said before, stress is a part of life.  There’s no getting away from it.  In fact, some stress is good stress.  You may not believe that, but sometimes stress can motivate us to do things we may not normally do in a relaxed state.  Stress can make us brave enough to go forward when normally we might hesitate.

       We have to be resilient in order to effectively cope with stress and help it enhance our life instead of control it.  How do you get strong and resilient?  By learning how to take control of your stress and make it work FOR you instead of AGAINST you.

Recognizing stress symptoms can be a positive influence in that we’re compelled to take action - and the sooner the better. It’s not always easy to discern why you have the stress in each situation but some of the more common events that trigger those emotions are the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a job promotion, or a new relationship.  We experience stress as we readjust our lives. Your body is asking for your help when you feel these stress symptoms.

    Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• No related posts.

SELF-HYPNOSIS FOR STRESS

       A few weeks ago, I was feeling particularly overwhelmed with stress and anxiety.  It seemed like anything that could go wrong, did go wrong.  I felt like I was spinning out of control.

       I happened to be writing a book on yoga and meditation at the time and came across a website that offered a downloadable mp3 hypnotic relaxation session.  It cost me about $20 and it was the best $20 I have ever spent!

       There are plenty of places on the internet where you can get these downloadable sessions for a small fee.  However, you can also practice self-hypnosis on your own.

       You first need to find a quiet place where you can fully relax and listen to your inner voice.  You shouldn’t TRY to make something happen.  Let your mind listen and relax.  A large part of achieving that hypnotic state is to allow it to happen naturally.

       Also, don’t watch for certain signs or signals that you might be in a hypnotic state.  We can guarantee that if you look for these signs, you won’t be able to fully relax and gain the benefits of self-hypnosis.

Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• The Top 10 Ways to Be Your Very Best
• How to Develop a Positive Attitude
• Is Stress Getting You Down?
• What is hidden in your Extreme Treasure Trove?
• Totally Tranquil Stress Relief Program