21 Ways to Relieve Internal Stress

Answer these questions to start your day in the right frame of mind, and to remind you of how today is perfect.

2. Go somewhere else for lunch. Once or twice a week, get out of the office and enjoy your noon meal at a park. Eat slowly, enjoy your meal and relish the fresh air as it rejuvenates you.

3. Remember, you will make mistakes. The important thing to remember is that we all make mistakes, and will continue to make mistakes. It's our job to focus on solving them or learning from them, and not to wallow in them.

4. Carry the serenity prayer with you. This short prayer, written years ago by Professor Reinhold Nebular at Union Theological Seminary in New York, has helped many people regain balance in their lives: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Carry those words with you and memorize them.

5. Give yourself a much-deserved pat on the back. Each day, take a moment to pat yourself on the back for all the things you do.

6. Create an image of peace in your mind. For example, picture yourself flying (not in a plane, but you flying over mountains, meadows, forests and oceans, gently gliding across the sky, admiring the view below). Do this several times each day. The more you practice this technique, the more easily you will relieve daily stresses.

7. Read. Reading is a great way to escape, educate yourself and expand your horizons for personal and professional growth. If your life is hectic, this is a great way to relieve stress. You're now doing something for you.

8. Smile. This will make others feel good about being with you. In turn, smiling will give you a deep sense of ease, calm and peace.

9. Check your breathing. When we are relaxed, our breathing is slow and even. However, when we are anxious or upset, our breathing becomes shallow. When you notice yourself becoming stressed, say to yourself, "Stop." As you breathe in, repeat the word "peace," or say something that brings peace to you. As you breathe out, smile. Meanwhile, let your shoulders drop and your hands relax. Repeat this sequence several times.

10. Exercise. Experts note that exercise is effective in burning the excess adrenaline that fuels feelings of anxiety and stress. Exercise also releases endorphins, the body's natural chemicals that block anxiety and pain.

11. Think positively. During a day when you face a crisis, think "challenge." When you face an obstacle, think "opportunity." Remember, it's your perception of the situation that determines how stressful it is.

12. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. The other person is right, too, so try to see a conflict or difference of opinion from his or her point of view. You'll gain a different perspective, and quite possibly a solution.

13. Beware of what you drink. The coffee or soda you drink throughout the day can be a mental health nightmare. Too much caffeine can cause shaky hands, restlessness and irritability, all of which increase stressful feelings.

14. Do the very best you can at this point in time. In other words, commit to completing your task or project by giving your all. This is another way of learning to be less than perfect. Trying to be perfect leads to destructive behavior and procrastination.

15. Just say "No." You don't have to accept every project, invitation to become involved, or opportunity to attend a meeting. You're not a prisoner to your phone or your friends. Acknowledge what you want -- and what you don't want -- to do. Say, "No, thank you," to requests you don't want to accept.

16. Interrupt your disruptive habits with "peace" habits. As soon as you begin to feel angry, hostile, cynical, skeptical, irritable or impatient, repeat a word that can offset the negative energy. Some examples include "peace," "love," "hope," "faith," "joy," "patience," etc.

17. Reminisce about happy times. Tap into the power of your memories. In a time of stress, look back and remember a pleasant experience or satisfying moment that brought you great joy.

18. Listen to the music. The right music can take you from a highly intense state to a relaxed state in a short amount of time.

19. Simplify your life dramatically. Permanently cut out three projects, tasks, responsibilities, "shoulds," "coulds," wants, goals, habits or routines that are not necessary. Delegate or systematize 12 tasks, activities or habits that you don't think much about, yet that waste your life away. Go deep with this.

20. Don't bring work problems home. Saki F. Santorelli, Ed.D., assistant professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, offers these tips: "At the end of the workday, sit quietly and consciously make the transition from work to home. Take a moment to simply be, enjoying the moment. You may feel as if you're heading into your next full-time job -- home. When you pull into the driveway or park on the street, take a minute to orient yourself to entering your home and being with family members. Try changing out of your work clothes when you get home. This simple act might help you make a smoother transition into your next 'role.'"

21. End your day with "Power Questions." Instead of the ones you used in the morning, however, ask yourself these questions:

Finally, keep in mind that these tips and techniques are simply general guidelines. Allow your own sense of possibility and curiosity to evolve as you explore and discover your own techniques to reduce stress during the workday.

This article was provided by Global Health & Fitness (GHF). Go to www.global-fitness.com to visit their site for customized exercise and nutrition programs, hundreds of exercise instructions and video demos, a free fitness analysis and much more!

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"><html><head><title>ThirdAge - Daily News Newsletter - OCTOBER 18, 2002- 21 Ways to Relieve Internal Stress</title><meta content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"><meta name="keywords" content="general health, , "><meta name="description" content="Take these simple and effective steps every day to reduce life's pressures."><meta name="language" content="en"><meta http-equiv="content-language" content="en"> <meta name="robots" content="index,follow"><script type="text/javascript" src="/includes/javascript/base2.js"></script><link rel=stylesheet href="/includes/css/seo02.css" TYPE="text/css"></head><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" width="760" class="bgtablemainborder"><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="758" class="bgtablemain"><tr><td colspan="6" align="center"><div style="padding-top: 5px;"></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6" height="10"><spacer type=block width=1 height=10></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td></td><td rowspan="2"></td><td rowspan="2" class="body"><div style="padding-top:1px;"></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" align="right"><tr><td width="5"><spacer type=block width=5 height=1></td><td></td></tr><tr><td height="10"><spacer type=block width=1 height=10></td></tr></table>21 Ways to Relieve Internal Stress  By Garrett J. Braunreiter, GHF's Success Coach Here are 21 ways you can lower your stress each day: 1. Begin the day with "Power Questions." Ask yourself: <ul> <li> What am I happy about in my life right now? <li> What am I excited about in my life right now? <li> What am I proud about in my life right now? <li> What am I enjoying most in my life right now? <li> What am I committed to in my life right now? </ul> Answer these questions to start your day in the right frame of mind, and to remind you of how today is perfect. 2. Go somewhere else for lunch. Once or twice a week, get out of the office and enjoy your noon meal at a park. Eat slowly, enjoy your meal and relish the fresh air as it rejuvenates you. 3. Remember, you will make mistakes. The important thing to remember is that we all make mistakes, and will continue to make mistakes. It's our job to focus on solving them or learning from them, and not to wallow in them. 4. Carry the serenity prayer with you. This short prayer, written years ago by Professor Rein hold Nebular at Union Theological Seminary in New York, has helped many people regain balance in their lives: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Carry those words with you and memorize them. 5. Give yourself a much-deserved pat on the back. Each day, take a moment to pat yourself on the back for all the things you do. 6. Create an image of peace in your mind. For example, picture yourself flying (not in a plane, but you flying over mountains, meadows, forests and oceans, gently gliding across the sky, admiring the view below). Do this several times each day. The more you practice this technique, the more easily you will relieve daily stresses. 7. Read. Reading is a great way to escape, educate yourself and expand your horizons for personal and professional growth. If your life is hectic, this is a great way to relieve stress. You're now doing something for you. 8. Smile. This will make others feel good about being with you. In turn, smiling will give you a deep sense of ease, calm and peace. 9. Check your breathing. When we are relaxed, our breathing is slow and even. However, when we are anxious or upset, our breathing becomes shallow. When you notice yourself becoming stressed, say to yourself, "Stop." As you breathe in, repeat the word "peace," or say something that brings peace to you. As you breathe out, smile. Meanwhile, let your shoulders drop and your hands relax. Repeat this sequence several times. 10. Exercise. Experts note that exercise is effective in burning the excess adrenaline that fuels feelings of anxiety and stress. Exercise also releases endorphins, the body's natural chemicals that block anxiety and pain. 11. Think positively. During a day when you face a crisis, think "challenge." When you face an obstacle, think "opportunity." Remember, it's your perception of the situation that determines how stressful it is. 12. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. The other person is right, too, so try to see a conflict or difference of opinion from his or her point of view. You'll gain a different perspective, and quite possibly a solution. 13. Beware of what you drink. The coffee or soda you drink throughout the day can be a mental health nightmare. Too much caffeine can cause shaky hands, restlessness and irritability, all of which increase stressful feelings. 14. Do the very best you can at this point in time. In other words, commit to completing your task or project by giving your all. This is another way of learning to be less than perfect. Trying to be perfect leads to destructive behavior and procrastination. 15. Just say "No." You don't have to accept every project, invitation to become involved, or opportunity to attend a meeting. You're not a prisoner to your phone or your friends. Acknowledge what you want -- and what you don't want -- to do. Say, "No, thank you," to requests you don't want to accept. 16. Interrupt your disruptive habits with "peace" habits. As soon as you begin to feel angry, hostile, cynical, skeptical, irritable or impatient, repeat a word that can offset the negative energy. Some examples include "peace," "love," "hope," "faith," "joy," "patience," etc. 17. Reminisce about happy times. Tap into the power of your memories. In a time of stress, look back and remember a pleasant experience or satisfying moment that brought you great joy. 18. Listen to the music. The right music can take you from a highly intense state to a relaxed state in a short amount of time. 19. Simplify your life dramatically. Permanently cut out three projects, tasks, responsibilities, "shoulds," "coulds," wants, goals, habits or routines that are not necessary. Delegate or systematize 12 tasks, activities or habits that you don't think much about, yet that waste your life away. Go deep with this. 20. Don't bring work problems home. Saki F. Santorelli, Ed.D., assistant professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, offers these tips: "At the end of the workday, sit quietly and consciously make the transition from work to home. Take a moment to simply be, enjoying the moment. You may feel as if you're heading into your next full-time job -- home. When you pull into the driveway or park on the street, take a minute to orient yourself to entering your home and being with family members. Try changing out of your work clothes when you get home. This simple act might help you make a smoother transition into your next 'role.'" 21. End your day with "Power Questions." Instead of the ones you used in the morning, however, ask yourself these questions: <ul> <li> What did I give today? <li> What did I learn today? <li> How has today added to the quality of my life or how can I use today as an investment in my future? <li> What can I do right now to turn myself or this situation around? </ul> Finally, keep in mind that these tips and techniques are simply general guidelines. Allow your own sense of possibility and curiosity to evolve as you explore and discover your own techniques to reduce stress during the workday. This article was provided by Global Health & Fitness (GHF). Go to <a target="window" href="http://www.global-fitness.com">www.global-fitness.com</a> to visit their site for customized exercise and nutrition programs, hundreds of exercise instructions and video demos, a FREE fitness analysis and much more! <div style="margin-top: 15px;" align="center"></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="424" class="bgpullquotes"><tr><td height="2" colspan="4" class="bgpullquoteline"><spacer type=block width=1 height=2></td></tr><tr><td height="3" colspan="4"><spacer type=block width=1 height=3></td></tr><tr><td><spacer type=block width=1 height=1></td><td colspan="3" class="pullquotehed"></td></tr><tr><td height="5" colspan="4"><spacer type=block width=1 height=5></td></tr><tr><td width="7" height="10"><spacer type=block width=7 height=10></td><td width="14" height="1"><spacer type=block width=14 height=1></td><td width="383"><spacer type=block width=383 height=1></td><td width="20"><spacer type=block width=20 height=1></td></tr></table></td><td rowspan="2"></td><td rowspan="2"><div class="uli"></div> </td><td rowspan="2"> </td></tr><tr valign="top"><td class="bgleftcol"><div style="padding-top: 10px;"></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6" align="center"><div style="padding-top: 10px;"></div></td></tr><tr><td width="134" height="10"><spacer type="block" width="134" height="10"></td><td width="15"><spacer type="block" width="15" height="1"></td><td width="424"><spacer type="block" width="424" height="1"></td><td width="15"><spacer type="block" width="15" height="1"></td><td width="160"><spacer type="block" width="160" height="1"></td><td width="10"><spacer type="block" width="10" height="1"></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>  </div></body></html>

21 Ways to Relieve Internal Stress - Health