Moving My Blog!!

I want to thank you all for reading and following my blog. I have moved my blog to worpress.org. The new url is http://www.inspiredhealthcoaching.com/2012/

Please join me there!!

Relax with Yoga

Some people begin yoga for the health benefits and some for the calming, relaxing effect. I find yoga to be almost like a meditative practice. I gain strength, flexibility and relaxation. It can be intimidating to those who have never tried it… looking at photos of people twisted like pretzels, especially for men. It’s more important to honor your body and only do what is comfortable for you. If you’re not ready to start a class, try a video in the comfort of your home. Yoga for Stress Relief & Flexibility by Ashley Turner gives clear instruction and her voice is so calming. Have you tried yoga and did it relax you?

Stress by Any Other Name

What do you really mean when you say you are stressed? Stress is this generic term that we have designated to a constellation of feelings that are not pleasant. It is easily understood by everyone and I am guilty of using it generically too. To solve the problem effectively, start by naming the feeling… anxious, angry, rushed, restless, worried, tense. The more clearly you can describe the feeling and situation, the better you can determine the cause and deal with it. Is it a relationship, financial or organizational issue? Or is it something else?

Awake in the Middle of the Night

If you awaken in the middle of the night and have difficulty returning to sleep, instead of worrying about how tired you’ll feel in the morning, try this more effective technique. Make relaxation your only goal, not sleep. Total relaxation can rejuvenate your body and calm your mind. Use visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing or meditation or a combination of all. You will feel so much more rested than lying there stressing about how little sleep you are getting. What has worked for you?

Grateful for Work

We spend many of our waking hours at work. When you got up this morning and hopped into the shower, were you full of anticipation for what the day might bring? Or were you dreading the possibilities? Even if you have the nastiest boss, what perk does your job give you? I am grateful to see the progress each week that my clients are making. Name one thing you can be grateful for today ___________.

Turn Your Mood Around

If you are feeling overwhelmed at work (and we all have those days), you can make a few choices: you can moan and groan to your colleague, send a complaining text to your spouse or you can turn your mood around.
On your next break, listen to some upbeat music; at lunch, take a brisk walk outside, even if it’s cold; do some stretches and breathe; play a game on your phone (but keep track of your time) or call a friend to meet you after work for fun time to recharge. What works for you?

Stop Worrying

Round and round your head they go… thoughts and worries just keep swirling, preventing you from focusing on anything. When you are having one of those days when no solution makes a clear entrance into your scattered mind… STOP. The uncomfortable feeling from the anxiety over what to do next can be short-circuited if you sit down and write out your thoughts/worries on paper: pros and cons, research needed yet, resources on hand, etc. The process of writing out your thoughts helps to clarify and organize the jumble in your head. How do you manage those days?

Are You A People Watcher?

Are you a people watcher or do you rush around super focused on your tasks and stuck “in your own head”? One of the pleasures and perks of watching people, not in a leering, judging kind of way, but observing in a non-judgmental way, is the many things you can learn. Observe how they respond to stressful circumstances, difficult people; how they communicate, work, eat, shop and treat their children. From our observations, we can reflect on our own behavior and determine if we like what choices we have made or if we want to make changes. Are you a people watcher?

Comfort Food Substitution

If you are a comfort food overeater, reaching for food when upset, anxious, worried or sad, what do you do instead of eating when you have those uncomfortable feelings? This is the #1 reason so many people continue to depend on food to feel good. First of all, it does make you feel better… temporarily. But then you may feel guilt, shame or frustration. The answer lies in finding a healthy way to manage the oncoming feeling without food. What can you do in place of eating… that you would also enjoy.

Are You More Prone to Stress?

Certain characteristic traits may make you more prone to perceiving stressors. Do you catastrophize situations- expecting the worst-case scenario? Do you should all over yourself- having a rigid list of shoulds and should nots and feeling miserable if you don’t follow it? These are just a couple of the traits that will make you more stressed than your laid back friend. As always, awareness is the first step. Then learning to take charge of your stress is next. How do you manage your stress?

Sleep-inducing Ear Rubbing

If you’re lying in bed attempting to drift off to dream land after a very hectic, harried day, you may want to try this technique. The ears have reflexology points, like feet that correspond to body parts. Rubbing your ears can be very calming, relaxing and help you to sleep. Using your thumb and index fingers, gently rub your ears for 1-2 minutes from top to bottom. Bonus: add some deep belly breathing. See you in the morning…

Slow Does Win… In Health

Although it may sound counterproductive, slowing down will actually help you to accomplish more. We seem to go-go-go from morning till night and still not complete everything we’d like and living at that frenetic pace eventually takes a toll on your health. Instead, try a deceleration in important areas first, like eating, cleaning, spending time with family or any others that you typically rush through quickly. You’ll feel calmer, in control and more productive. Where can you SLOW down?

Capturing Your Best Ideas

Have you ever noticed that your best ideas pop into your head when you’re not in a position to write them down? You may be in the shower, taking the dog for a walk or lying in a backyard hammock. Stress blocks the creative flow but being relaxed without the demands and distractions opens up the connection. I like to be prepared for the moments of clarity with a small notebook and pen and keep them everywhere. What do you use to capture your best ideas in quiet, relaxed moments?

Experience Serenity and Peace

Rather than always searching for happiness “out there”, experiencing inner serenity and peace often leads to the happy feeling people are searching for. Doing what you love and knowing that your biggest WHY is being fulfilled will give you serenity and peace. No amount of chaos, angry people or financial uncertainty will shake that amazing feeling. Even if you are not working in a field that is your life purpose (yet), what can you do right now to connect with your special abilities?

Are You Enjoying Right Now?

Much of our tension and worry is based on our future-focused thoughts. What if this happens? I can’t stop thinking about ___. Worries about finances, our children, job security and a myriad of other anxiety-producing issues are all because we focus on the “what-ifs” and imagine the worst possible scenarios. What if… instead of doing that, you focus all of your energy and attention on what is happening right NOW. Otherwise, you may miss out on some amazing moments. Expend your energy here, right now and worry about what ifs, IF they ever happen. Are you present-time focused?

The Gift of Silence

Give your body and your mind the gift of silence. Each day, for as long as possible, turn off your cell, TV, fax, landline, washer, dryer and any other noise-making machine. In the study done at Cornell, low-level noise caused office workers to experience significantly higher levels of stress than those allowed to work in a quiet office for 3 hours. The quiet increased their problem-solving abilities too. Peace and quiet… doesn’t that sound wonderful? How long each day can take a quiet break?

Holiday Traditions

The malls are packed, the highways are busy and people are getting cranky from tension to get all the holiday “to-do’s” accomplished. To get back to the simpler, less stressful holiday times, rekindle some of your family’s traditions as a focus, rather than the hustle and bustle of “spend all you can”, hit every party and have the most up-to-date decorations. We hang a very special ornament on our tree every year that belonged to my husband when he was a little boy. He would lay under the tree and blow under the bottom of the ornament and watch with delight as it spun around inside. What tradition do you follow?

The Perfect Snack

Walnuts are not only a good source of monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, but this snack could help us better respond to stress. What more could you ask of a snack food? According to a study published in the Journal of the College of Nutrition, walnuts and walnut oil reduced blood pressure during stress. This was accomplished with the participants consuming 1.3 ounces of walnuts… a perfect snack size. Move over chips!

Orange Energizer

If all the holiday shopping, card writing (does anyone still do that?), meal planning and family visit coordination has you exhausted, boost your energy with the color orange. If you just don’t like the way you look in the color, wear it as an accent. If wearing it is not happening for you, use an orange-colored pen, place an orange on your desk, use an orange mug for your tea or coffee… you get the idea. Since we know colors can affect mood, take advantage of orange’s energizing ability and become invigorated.

Happiness in the Present

If you are waiting for happiness to come your way, take a tip from those who intuitively know that it’s your thoughts and your behavior that determine whether you share that blissful feeling. Live for the present moment, taking time to notice all the positive things, people and events that cross your path and don’t waste precious time worrying about the future or reliving past hurts. You may miss out on the beauty, joy or love right before your eyes.