Showing posts with label relaxing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relaxing. Show all posts

How To Survive Rush Hour Traffic Like A Pro


The sun is shining, the birds are singing, but alas, you can barely hear them over the blasting of horns and the cussing of furious drivers. Ahh, nothing like the fuss of Monday rush hour traffic to kick start your week - as if your job isn't aggravating enough. Now, you'll arrive in the office late, drenched in sweat, and sporting a sour scowl across your face.

Although rush hour traffic is practically inevitable, it can be avoided or better yet - enjoyed. Here is a short guide to help you start your week right and survive stressful traffic congestions.

1. Prevention is cure

Or in this case, avoidance. Changing your work schedule at a less hectic time can allow you to cut your commute time. Not only that, this strategy will also let you save up on gas as well. Unfortunately, not all jobs are as flexible as we'd want it to be, so if you are one of those who has a strict 8 AM to 5 PM job, you can always leave early and give yourself additional time to get to work. This will make your journey more pleasant and relaxing.

2. Try different routes

Seeing the same view every morning can suck the life out of you, especially when you are helplessly stuck in it. Spice up your daily commute by varying your route and transportation mode, by doing this, you'll benefit from the regular change of scenery and find a faster route at the same time.

3. Phone battery is crucial

Whether you are expecting heavy traffic or not, a charged phone will always be your best friend. Being stuck in traffic with a critically low battery will only add to your distress. Just think of all the emails, text messages, and emergency calls you won't be able to answer. Aside from unnecessary anxiety, a charged phone can also help you find alternative routes and fetch useful traffic updates.

4. Listen to your favorite songs or read books

Unless you have a separate gadget for music or a handy book, this serves as another reason why tip #3 is crucial. If you are stuck in heavy traffic, you might as well forget your worries and enjoy it. Listen to your favorite songs, doze off to classic music, or distract yourself with audio books. If you have extra time to arrive at your workplace, then grab this opportunity to get some extra shut-eye or catch up on your favorite series.

5. Plaster a smile across your face

Heavy traffic basically equates to annoyance and sometimes even full-blown road rage. Avoid unneeded drama by putting on a happy face. Don't expect to wipe out all negative feeling, but assume a better perspective of things and situations. When someone cuts you off the road, accept, let it go, and move on instead of bringing that storminess all the way to your workplace. A study finds that faking a smile or simply going through the process of smiling can decrease stress levels and trick your brain into thinking that you are actually happy.

These tips are solely precautions that you don't even have to acknowledge if you are prepared. Time is crucial especially in fast paced industries like sales and real estate, so you must keep in mind that prevention is always key to a stress-free morning commute. We hope you good luck on your transformation from being a night owl to an early bird. It's better to be safe than sorry!


https://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Survive-Rush-Hour-Traffic-Like-A-Pro&id=9475574

Why You Must Celebrate Yourself First Before The World Will Applaud You

Decide What Constitutes Success

It was Jiddu Krishnamurti, regarded as one of the greatest thinkers and religious teachers of all time who once wrote: "The more you know yourself the more clarity there is. Self-knowledge has no end-you don't come to an achievement, you don't come to a conclusion. It is an endless river."

Do you think he was right when he says: self-knowledge leads to clarity? What about you? What do you know about yourself now with greater clarity? It's reassuring when we celebrate ourselves since our reality is the embodiment of our thoughts. If we believe in our worthiness to achieve success, we will attract it because what is thought and repeated, will undeniably come to life.

Does that notion work for you? Can you see how what happens within you must also happen in your reality? I want you to really understand this idea because it bears repeating since everything that happens out there has been created within you first. I'm not talking about your desires being handed to you on a silver platter since that would be unreasonable. I'm talking about what you hold in mind and repeat with conviction and emotion must show up in your life, assuming you do the work and are committed to the process.

Success can encompass many things, whether it be: health, wealth, relationships or the simplest things. You get to decide what constitutes success, so it's best to find your own definition and abide by it. Don't be swayed by other people's opinions because that will give you the impression you are unsuccessful. Does that make you feel better knowing you needn't compete against others? I sure hope so.

I'm drawn to the British psychologist and author Robert Holden who explains in Authentic Success how we must redefine success to encompass the journey to get there. It's not enough to focus on the prize because many people who achieve success find they are more unfulfilled than before: "It is my experience that many people relate to success as something to celebrate at the end of their days, when they finally "get there." All their energy is invested in a ticket that will get them to a land called "there." But life isn't just about "getting there"; it is also about "being here" and enjoying your journey."

Are you comfortable with this idea? I know I'm emphasising the point, but I want you to get an impression of what it means to create success on your terms, not others. What we believe about ourselves is the foundation for how the world responds to us.

Thoughts are a powerful phenomenon and many of us are unconscious to them because we're habituated to ignore them. Mainly because they pass through our stream of consciousness at a rate of 70,000 - 80,000 thoughts per day. It is no surprise we ignore them, there are just too many thoughts to know which ones are relevant.

To celebrate ourselves, we ought to make peace with parts of ourselves we are at war with. Peace means to reconcile negative or unconscious thoughts with the wholeness of who we really are. So if you consider yourself to be an anxious person, you disregard the possibility of being a peaceful person; you rule it out so to speak.

The Wholeness Of Who You Really Are

I'm sure you've heard the story about the baby elephant tethered by a rope to a stake? It turns out that as the elephant matures to fall size, it remains chained to the stake unable to break free. Even though it is capable of escaping, it is held captive because of its conditioning from an early age. Whilst a fictional story, it correlates with our own story of how setbacks or failures limit our potential.

For example, I know a relative who is considered an anxious person and has trouble flying on planes. She believes her character is fixed and refuses to change. Yet, when asked if she's tried meditation or other forms of relaxation therapy, she dismisses them because she's convinced her personality is static.

Our behaviour is anything but determined. The science of epigenetics tells us our brains are constantly evolving depending on the stimuli it receives. Do you know people like this? No matter what you say, they're convinced they won't change or to be more precise, refuse to change. It can be difficult trying to convince them otherwise.

Embracing ourselves foremost is central to awaken our greatest potential. To celebrate our own selves means to accept both our negative and positive characteristics. Wholeness is a story about welcoming every part of you while realising you are none of those things in isolation but in their entirety. When combined, they make up the wholeness of who you really are.

If we want the world to celebrate us, we must accept ourselves unconditionally to find clarity. You can become a greater version of yourself because if the thought is active within you, its potential to merge into the wholeness of your character will come to life.

Celebration of oneself is a journey that comes from within and radiates outward. It is an endless river as Jiddu Krishnamurti points out. So, what will you choose? Will you be a shining light others are drawn to or will you withhold your greatness because you fear being found out? I trust you choose in alignment with your core self.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-Must-Celebrate-Yourself-First-Before-The-World-Will-Applaud-You&id=9960068

How to Overcome Stress and Anxiety to Live a Happy Life

File:Sunset Hopping.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Whether we like it or not stress is a natural part of life. It is actually what spurs many individuals to take on and complete their various tasks. However, stress can build over time; it can become unbearable if left unattended for a pretty long time. Allowing stress to build without doing anything to relieve it can cause all sorts of mental, emotional and physical problems. Many individuals try to reduce the feelings of stress they experience by taking prescription medications. However, you can learn how to cure stress and anxiety naturally so as to live a happy life.

First of all, let's try to find out causes of stress in our lives. The biggest problem with us is that we are out on a mission to change others. We are busy criticizing others, pinpointing faults in others unnecessarily without focusing on ourselves. We want others to become the way we want them to be. We believe this will give us happiness. But actually, the process gives us stress because we are unable to change others. Our actions are guided by our expectations in return. And non fulfilment of expectations from relationships is the biggest cause of stress and disappointment these days.

Today, there are stress reducer downloads that can produce calm and relaxing effects. In fact, there are also games that can reduce stress as well. Every time you feel unpleasant, you can easily download your favorite games and install it on your PC. Playing games is said to be one of the easiest way to eliminate stress. When you are plating, your brain is diverted to other things - to good things probably. This can be a fantastic option for people who belonged to busy lifestyle as they can easily get access to the game they want as they wish.

To begin, we must be able to tap into our inner strength and become aware of both our desires, abilities, beliefs as well as our fears, anxieties and obstacles. By tapping into what we really want, we'll make sure to tap the extraordinary powers of energy, enthusiasm and desire that exist within all of us. Alternatively, by recognizing what is holding us back, we can target the challenges in order to manage them enough to allow our desires to be realized.

You see, the goal is to not to become 100% self-confident, but rather to manage the obstacles to confidence just enough to allow us to live our lives in a state of greatness. Introspection is greatly helped by the act of medication. Commit, right now, to daily meditations where you can - within a week or two - begin to radically improve how to in-tune you are with your true desires and true obstacles.

Confidence is a fundamental requirement for you to realize your true potential, live a happy life, contribute to society and those around you, and to living your dreams and desires. You can use different programs to cure stress and anxiety naturally. For instance, there are eBooks and audio books that are very resourceful for helping you overcome the feelings of stress and tension. When you learn to cure stress and anxiety naturally, you will be able to enjoy a fulfilling and happy life.


https://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Overcome-Stress-and-Anxiety-to-Live-a-Happy-Life&id=9595122

Tips for Developing Patience When Inside You Want to Explode


Have you ever taken your temper out on a family member when actually you had an argument with someone else and got lost? What are the consequences? One bad event leads to another and there is a chain of malign events and it turns out to be a bad day. How do you avoid this kind of circumstance? Read on to find out.

The answer is simple - develop more patience. Never act on impulse in response to your heart wanting to explode.

One of the reasons for exploding I have shown is that you have a bitter argument with someone.

Other reasons could be:

  1. A friend teased you offensively.
  2. Someone broke your promise and told her friends every bit of your secret.
  3. You have a misunderstanding with your parents. They don't agree to your marriage with the person you badly crave for.
  4. You and your spouse fight over financial problems.
  5. Your child cheated on an exam and got caught by the school authority.
  6. Your senior colleague insulted you in front of others at work.
  7. Your parents refuse to go to old home. They want to stay with you.
  8. Your spouse is seeing someone else and you cannot stand it.
  9. Your child is a colicky baby and you want to tear your hair apart.
  10. A business partner whom you trusted completely got caught in swindling, creating chaos in your company.

All of the above scenarios cause immense stress and sabotage your mental peace. You want to explode by screaming and shouting. But that doesn't help.
Give time to your current problem. Close your eyes and filter out your problems by relaxing, clearing away your mind and breathing.

Later in the day after you have distracted yourself with several other activities, sit down, have a cup of coffee and mull over your problem. Now that is called patience. Two heads are always better than one and so consult with your spouse by your side and make several choices and decide. The right option will stare at your face and you will know what to do.

This is the right way to handle any kind of problem and makes way for the right choices. Patience is the key. You cannot solve anything backbiting and backstabbing. Think logically and rationally and take time to respond after you have cooled down. That way you never lose but gain 10-fold.

So summing up, know that solutions exist for every day-to-day problem. You only need to confront it with the right attitude, having and showing patience. With that in place, you are bound to take off smugly and jubilantly.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-for-Developing-Patience-When-Inside-You-Want-to-Explode&id=10250318

Stuck for Ideas? Here's Some Simple Concepts to Unstick You Based on Brain Function


If you are stuck for creative ideas, a simple change can lead to amazing solutions. Getting your focus completely in another area or generally relaxing

are some effective and economical ways to do this.

Shower

You might laugh - however the majority of business owners discover that showering (or running) assist them develop originalities.

When we focus intently on a job at hand we tend to see just one part of the overall picture. It's when we avoid the task of concept generation, that our brains begin to deal with associations.

You might discover that when you run or cycle, you start to see commonalities. It takes place all the time that you see blog writers who compose posts such as "10 things marketing departments have to gain from triathletes" or "Ways to work like Richard Branson by thinking like Arnold Schwarzenegger".

These concepts originate from associations we have - however then the shower later on engulfs us in a field of unfavorable ions. The satisfying action to these ions injects dopamine into our systems, and dopamine, integrated with a favorable mindset assists motivate the circulation of favorable concepts.

Psychologically design yourself after somebody else

Ever hear the expression "Exactly what would MacGyver do if he were here now?" It's psychologically associating you with somebody who you think would have the response. It doubles your creative work, due to the fact that it likewise breaks down barriers that you may otherwise think existed to avoid you from discovering the ideal option.

If, in the television program or movie, MacGyver might utilize a matchstick to get away prison, then if you believe like him, you ought to a minimum of have the ability to discover a method to obtain from your locked restroom without turning to the humiliation of screaming out the window to your next door neighbour.

Just Leave your home

Another factor running and travel work so well to promote concepts is that by leaving your house we take and move in more oxygen. Increased oxygen assists increase brain function, and a modification of setting assists the brain start respond in various methods to wards various stimuli.

Accept your bad concepts

Yes, there's a dark side to this incredibly power of incredible concepts. It's the actually dumb, spontaneous concepts that include them.

Do not get down on yourself for having a bad concept - it's all part of the procedure. Simply accept that - after analyzing the concept - it was a bad one.

In truth, there are no actually dumb concepts. There is just the stupidity of acting on bad concepts without offering them enough planning. Do not get down on yourself for having a bad concept - it's all part of the procedure. Simply accept that - after taking a look at the concept - it was a bad one.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Stuck-for-Ideas?-Heres-Some-Simple-Concepts-to-Unstick-You-Based-on-Brain-Function&id=9837718

Nourishing Your Mind and Body For Life



Nourishing Yourself Is A Necessity, Not A Luxury

Maintaining a daily dose of self-care or self-nourishment means nourishing your mind and body by getting enough sleep, eating properly, having fun, and relaxing. This often may mean making time to do these things which may be easier if you have them booked into your already busy schedule. Taking the time to provide nourishment to yourself is critical to stay grounded, increase your energy reserves, peace of mind, determination you will need in order to pursue your goals, dreams, and activities that make up your life. It can also contribute to a more peaceful perspective which is essential to reducing anxiety. Because the pace of modern life is so crazy and often unrelenting, it is even more important to look after our physical and emotional well-being which is often overlooked. Self-nourishment is seen as a luxury by some, and often they think they can't afford it. You can't afford not to make it a part of your daily schedule or you can become more susceptible to stress and burnout. Leaving you with a dreadful quality of life, which can lead to depression, increased anxiety, self-hatred, and poor self-esteem. Just to name a few.

Everyone needs downtime to unwind sometimes. Downtime is exactly what it means - time away from work or other things you have on the go. It's a time to relax, rest and recharge your batteries. Stress will start to become cumulative from work and other activities, if regular breaks are not taken. It can keep building until a break is had. Even though you may push yourself to exhaustion without a break this may irritate your anxiety and phobias. Sleep doesn't constitute downtime either. Sleep can feel like a welcome reprieve but even if you go to bed stressed out and tense and get your eight hours of sleep your likely to wake up the same way. In order to experience some real downtime, an individual needs to schedule it every day, during the day, separate from sleep time. This scheduled break in the stress cycle is essential and serves a main purpose which is to prevent your stress from building up. To optimize this downtime and reduce stress, you should have the following amounts of breaks:

At least 1 hour/day
1 day/week
1 week out of every 12 to 16 weeks

Rearrange your finances so you can take time off, if you don't have 4 weeks of paid holidays per year. Any work that you would normally do at your job or that you are regularly responsible for you should stop doing, during these downtimes. Also, it may be helpful to take a break from answering phone calls unless these are healthy positive persons, and emails at this time to truly get the rest and relaxation that you need.

Types of Downtime

There are three types of downtime, each is a critical component in developing a more anxiety-free life: relaxation time, recreation/activity time, and relationship time should all be part of this consideration.

Relaxation Time

Relaxation time is a period of time that is set aside specifically for resting your mind and body without all the activities and work that you would normally be involved in. You become one in the moment by allowing yourself to rest by stopping all activities and letting your body/mind completely rest. This relaxation time can mean lying around on a couch, mediation, reading, soaking in a bathtub, listening to peaceful music, or doing gentle stretches. The main key to relaxation is to use this time to become passive and allow yourself a break, to stop doing and accomplishing and just be in the moment.

Recreation/Activity Time

Now your probably aware of what recreation/activity time is, but let's review just in case. Recreation/Activity time means becoming involved in and participating in something that not only engages you but helps you to recharge your low batteries by giving you more energy and vigor. It can brighten your day or uplift your spirits. It can be anything you find fun and that involves healthy play of any kind. This may include: gardening, pottery, reading a novel, golfing, watching a movie, going for a hike, baking cookies or fishing;etc. Recreation can be taken during your work week but the best time to utilize this time is by doing the activity on your day off from work. You decide whether you want to do this alone or with someone else. This overlaps with our third type of downtime which is relationship time.

Relationship Time

In some cases, relationship time can mean being with one person or several other people while setting aside your own private time. The whole point of relationship time is to honor and respect that time with your partner, friends, family or pets and to forego your own personal goals for a little while. It can be a difficult balance at times between having enough equal time for family, friends and a partner when you have a busy schedule. Even so, this time alone with each person or an entire family is vital to increasing your quality of life and theirs.

A healthy balance of all three of these types of downtime can contribute to your mental and physical health and well-being. Getting past workaholism, being willing to do less at times are all important steps in learning to enjoy all aspects of your life and to achieve more balance. Making time for rest, recreation, and relationships can be challenging at first when your not use to it, but tends to get easier and become more rewarding, as time goes on.

Give it a try and see how it goes. It may feel uncomfortable but that will pass. Enjoy! Let us know how you make out.

Maintaining a your self-care or self-nourishment means nourishing your mind and body. Take time for yourself by scheduling in some activities that you enjoy to do, time with friends and family or relaxation time just for you. Taking the time to provide yourself with this downtime is critical to stay grounded, increase your energy reserves, peace of mind, determination you will need in order to pursue your goals, dreams, and activities that make up your life. Let us help you build a new life. One that not only empowers you but helps you strive to reach your goals and dreams for the future.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Nourishing-Your-Mind-and-Body-For-Life&id=9879331

Your Brain Can Generate Creative Ideas by Relaxing and Daydreaming

Fantasizing during the day or daydreaming permits you to launch your internal ideas as well as initiation of implementing these thoughts. Do you find that you daydream often or even catch your mind wandering sometimes? Research study has actually revealed that fantasizing could in fact aid enhance your imagination.

Throughout the day you most likely have a hundreds of various important thoughts competing around your human brain. Not surprising that you cannot create remedies and also suggestions quickly. As soon as you are much more relaxed your mind opens as well as begins working with those internal ideas. These are the ones that you are enthusiastic about or your best desires. Also, when you awaken in the early morning you have all these fantastic thoughts for your brand-new task. You soon aspire to begin working with them as well as move on with your job.

This is the procedure that offers those Aha minutes, as well as those "why really did not I consider that" minutes. Pretty easy remedies that when provided sound simple, yet were tough to come up with at.

The exact same concept operates in reverse also. When you are undergoing a harsh spot, this disrupts your ideas, disrupts your rest as well as could provide you bad desires.

Study has actually revealed that daydreaming places your human brain to work with a much further degree. Your mind starts to utilize the location of the brain for complex problem solving, usually described as the "executive network". Additionally it draws on various other locations of the mind as well as with each other they develop an effective network that will help idea generation.

If you have not done any sort of day fantasizing recently, possibly you should start a project on the job or objective to deal with. This will certainly begin to release your imaginative juices and also obtain those suggestions moving.

You might likewise aim to not have way too many various projects in process simultaneously. By doing this you could focus on one job at once as well as do an actually excellent job on it.

When you begin a brand-new task or established on your own a soaring objective, this begins a procedure in your mind. One that develops all sort of concepts. You could have experienced this kind of sensation prior to.

Have you ever before began something brand-new then all of a sudden you create all these terrific suggestions. Or you locate that you begin daydreaming regarding the task as well as need to stand up as well as jot down your ideas? This is precisely the procedure that fantasizing could carry your imagination.. Try this more and you may be pleasantly surprised with the creativity you have. Keep in mind, in order for day dreaming or fantasizing to be really efficient though, you should currently be engaged in a project on the job or at home.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Your-Brain-Can-Generate-Creative-Ideas-by-Relaxing-and-Daydreaming&id=9164449

Why and How You Need To Be Creative

                   Man Making Clay Pot
  
If you suffer from stress and depression, you will be pleased to know that you can do something about it. You need to start by scheduling some relaxation time into your day and do something creative. Not only will you be relaxing, but also stimulating your mind and activating the more creative side of your brain.

Now many people are feeling the need to get back to the basics in order to improve the quality of their lives. A creative moment here and there might be just what you need to recharge your batteries, connect with your inner self and restore your soul. You may say, but I am too busy for this, but believe me, scheduling some time into each day or even week will be well worth your while.

For me, it is scrapbooking, but maybe for you it will be something different. There are many wonderful things to do out there, even if you don't have an artistic bone in your body. Other ideas include: Mosiac, Painting, Pottery, Decoupage, Needle Work or Embroidery, Knitting, Basket Weaving, Beading, Sugar Craft, Gilding, Crochet, Candle Making, Calligraphy, Flower Arranging, Quilling, Pewter... and so on. The list is endless, and you are guaranteed to find something that you will enjoy doing.

The benefits of crafting are endless, including enjoyment, social interaction - if you attend classes, stress relief, instant gratification and self-expression. You will develop your sense of self-worth, and give some value and meaning to your day. Your mind is forced to focus on something unique and nurturing and you can bring back your childlike wonder at colours, shapes and textures. Best of all you can escape to a world away from everyday responsibilities. You will be amazed at your own ability to create new things from scratch.

Here are some suggestions to keep you going when you feel uninspired or have little or no time for yourself:

Write with a different colour pen.

Draw a Flower.

Tie a colourful ribbon around your wrist and think creative thoughts every time you look at it.

Doodle!

Play your music really loudly.

Ask your best friend to come and bake some cookies with you.

Finger Paint!

Troll the internet for pictures to inspire you.

Replace plain buttons on your favourite top with funky or vintage buttons to create a new look.

Cover an old frame with felt to give it a new look.

Do ink blotting like when you were a child.

Colour in a picture.

Duct tape the ends of an old pool noodle together and make a wreath.

Go outside and observe the colour combinations used in nature.

Cut some strips of paper and paper weave them.

This is your life so do what you love, and do it often. And remember this: 'Crafting Forever, Housework Whenever.'


https://ezinearticles.com/?Why-and-How-You-Need-To-Be-Creative&id=8832929

Capitulate Your Senses, Begin by Changing or Fine-Tuning Something That Is Perceived Daily



Color your world Highlight the energy that surrounds you;Enrich your mood by make subtle changes by adding or enhancing colorful new additions to your environment.***

***Capitulate your senses, begin by changing or fine-tuning something that is perceived daily. Simply utilizing your five senses in a different way! Infuse the muse in you, gravitate to something that captures or enraptures your focus or attention. Peruse your sense of sight by enjoying how you engage or choose to use your eyes for more enjoyment, find something healthy or beneficial that entices what you view daily. Strive daily to add more enjoyment to what you see before your very eyes! Decide to use your sense of sight wisely. Begin by watching and engaging your visions and dreams with what gives you visual pleasure and in great measure, learn more about nature, philosophy, music or fine art. Treasure your ability to enjoy engaging life by what you allow to unfold before you. Enjoy listening to great musical instruments watched and played live; or enjoy and appreciate listening to music, while you're still alive. Go to the opera, see the bright costumes or listen to opera music on YouTube, it's really soothing, if that's not your taste, listen to Chopan, Mozart, Bach or engage soothing musical melodies, songs or sounds for relaxation, sleep inducement or simply to uncover something that you have never heard, seen or experienced before.

***Color your life, sit down at your desk and open a coloring book and get busy doing what you once did as a child. Coloring is relaxing, engaging or painting is even more wonderful! Take a few minutes a day, or a week, to find something colorful to create. Make it a celebration of color, or a vacation by designing a way to brighten the hues that surround you, or by coloring your life with something different, unique, nice or new. Add something new to be designed, or color-inspired:decorate your bedroom, simply by adding colorful painting's, curtains or decorate by adding a new bedspread, complete or revisit what you started coloring, but never finished before.

**Plant that flower garden with beautiful, colorful roses, pansies, sunflowers or whatever you feel inspired to surround in your energy,capture something highlighting your taste and personality. Enjoy surrounding yourself with great hues, tones or lights around you, astound with color, abound with sounds, call abundance to yourself from all around you by stimulating your senses daily!

**Life is meant to be lived and to be expressed by what your wonderful senses can receive and perceive in a relaxing or engaging context. Affecting the senses, in any way, is a great escape- take a mini vacation from your normal tone or mood- invite or welcome a new way of looking, seeing, or smelling something new, different or foreign to you.


http://ezinearticles.com/?Capitulate-Your-Senses,-Begin-by-Changing-or-Fine-Tuning-Something-That-Is-Perceived-Daily&id=9592920

9 Relaxing Methods That Will Assist You In Finding Inner Peace


Discovering inner peace in the modern world is a significant obstacle. Everything about modern society feels like a challenge to experiencing peace of mind. However there are ways to discover and keep inner peace. Inner peace is a choice, and a number of your routines identify how much peace you experience in your day-to-day life.

Experience inner peace and take pleasure in life on a deeper, more rewarding level:

1. Focus your interest on those things you can manage. Why worry about those things you can't manage? It sours your mood and makes you less capable. Literally ask yourself, "Is this something I can manage or control? Will worrying be advantageous in any way?"

2. Hang out in nature. The original humans didn't live in a 3-bedroom/2 bath home and eat microwave popcorn. Take a long walk in the park or invest a weekend camping. You'll feel considerably different compared to sitting indoors all day. There's something tranquil about hanging out among the birds and the trees.

3. Be true to yourself. Very few things are more disturbing than living a life you weren't meant to live. It continually chomps away at you. Live a life that's congruent with your values.

It's too simple to permit society to dictate your choices. You don't need to invest your life on a career just to impress others. You don't have to chase after an expensive house. Make your very own choices about exactly what's essential to you.

4. Eat nutritious foods. You might not realize how bad you feel since you're so used to it. Try eating the way you know you should for just a week. Note the significant change in how you feel.

Now try consuming some fast food and see what happens to your mood and your general sense of well-being. You'll feel as if you've been run over by truck.

5. Exercise frequently. Have you ever discovered how terrific you feel as you're leaving the gym after a workout? Exercise feels good, and you feel great about yourself for doing it.

6. Do something good for someone else. This is a fantastic method to take your focus off of yourself. You end up being more aware that others are struggling too. When you are kind, you receive kindness and compassion in return. You'll also feel a sense of pride and satisfaction when you help another person.

7. Be assertive. Be open and forward with your wants and desires. You're not only more likely to obtain exactly what you want, but you'll also feel more in control of your life. Being passive leads to having less control, which runs counter to inner peace. Be bold without being aggressive.

8. Meditate. Meditation is relaxing. It likewise assists you in seeing life and its challenges more accurately. Things are often better than they appear. Meditation can prevent your mind from making a circumstance appear even worse than it actually is.

9. Avoid trying to change others. You'll have as much success trying to change the weather. It's difficult enough to change yourself. How will you ever handle changing someone else?

It's important to care for yourself psychologically and physically. Eat properly, exercise, and be true to yourself. Be assertive and take control of your life. All the accomplishments in the world cannot replace inner peace. Prevent chasing after those things that society has identified to be crucial. Decide on your own and live the life you were meant to live.


http://ezinearticles.com/?9-Relaxing-Methods-That-Will-Assist-You-In-Finding-Inner-Peace&id=9491345

Do You Need a Vacation?



Giving ourselves the gift of a vacation is a way of taking care of ourselves. Whether it's time in the Caribbean, laying on a beach on Long Island, or a staycation, taking time off from our busy, stressful, structured lives is vital, and from my perspective, emotionally healthy.

Break the Cycle

Every day we wake up to a written, or mental, list of tasks we have to complete for our family, our job, and to maintain our household. This routine can become mundane, or frustrating, as we often delay things we want to do, in favor of what we have to do. A vacation provides us with permission to forget about that list for a while. It's so important for our emotional health to break the cycle of, "have to's", and allow ourselves to experience, "want to's", for a period of time to prevent the feeling of being burnt out.

Whether we are an executive of a major company, a healthcare professional, office worker, auto mechanic, or a stay at home mom, or dad, we all need time away from our daily routines. This break provides us with the opportunity to take care of ourselves.

A time where we can:

·Regroup

·Replenish

·Relax

·Nurture ourselves

It's important to make certain we don't wait all year for this one opportunity. Being sure to make time to incorporate fun and relaxing activities into our day throughout the year and take care of ourselves is essential for emotional health.

But there's something really important about having several consecutive days, or weeks, during the year for a vacation to permit ourselves to do nothing more than relax.

Contrasting our daily obligations with what we have to do, with a chunk of time devoted to what we want to do, refreshes the mind and body. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., psychology professor and author says, "Vacations have the potential to break into the stress cycle. We emerge from a successful vacation feeling ready to take on the world again."

We Deserve to Have Something to Look Forward To

For some, getting away and out of the house is really necessary to separate from the daily routine. Whether our routine consists of a job, family, chores, or other obligations. For others, just not working feels like enough of a break. Planning time for just staying at home and experiencing a little escape from daily obligations, a staycation, may be exactly what feels right.

Staying Home? What Can We Do on a Staycation?

·Sit in our backyards

·Listen to the birds

·Read

·Swim

·Walk in a local park

·Enjoy uninterrupted time for our favorite hobby

·Visit family and friends

Participate in enjoyable activities we've waited to do when we have the spare time. This designated time permits us to do whatever brings us peace and makes us happy.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-You-Need-a-Vacation?&id=9472585

How Successful People Work Less and Get More Done


As co-founder of Hotwire.com and CEO of Zillow for the last seven years, 39-year-old Spencer Rascoff fits most people’s definition of success. As a father of three young children, Spencer is a busy guy at home and at work.
What’s the one thing that Spencer refuses to do on the weekend? Work—at least, in the traditional sense. Rascoff says:
“I never go into the office on weekends, but I do check e-mail at night. My weekends are an important time to unplug from the day-to-day and get a chance to think more deeply about my company and my industry. Weekends are a great chance to reflect and be more introspective about bigger issues.”
A new study from Stanford shows that Rascoff is on to something.
The study found that productivity per hour declines sharply when the work-week exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that there’s no point in working any more. That’s right, people who work as much as 70 hours (or more) per week actually get the same amount done as people who work 55 hours.
Successful people know the importance of shifting gears on the weekend to relaxing and rejuvenating activities. Like Spencer, they use their weekends to create a better week ahead.
This is easier said than done, so here’s some help. The following list contains 10 things that successful people do to find balance on the weekend and to come into work at 110% on Monday morning.

1. They Disconnect

Disconnecting is the most important weekend strategy on this list, because if you can’t find a way to remove yourself electronically from your work Friday evening through Monday morning, then you’ve never really left work.
Making yourself available to your work 24/7 exposes you to a constant barrage of stressors that prevent you from refocusing and recharging. If taking the entire weekend off handling work e-mails and calls isn’t realistic, try designating specific times on Saturday and Sunday for checking e-mails and responding to voicemails. For example, check your messages on Saturday afternoon while your kids are getting a haircut and on Sunday evenings after dinner. Scheduling short blocks of time will alleviate stress without sacrificing availability.

2. They Minimize Chores

Chores have a funny habit of completely taking over your weekends. When this happens, you lose the opportunity to relax and reflect. What’s worse is that a lot of chores feel like work, and if you spend all weekend doing them, you just put in a seven-day work-week. To keep this from happening, you need to schedule your chores like you would anything else during the week, and if you don’t complete them during the allotted time, you move on and finish them the following weekend.

3. They Reflect

Weekly reflection is a powerful tool for improvement. Use the weekend to contemplate the larger forces that are shaping your industry, your organization, and your job. Without the distractions of Monday to Friday busy work, you should be able to see things in a whole new light. Use this insight to alter your approach to the coming week, improving the efficiency and efficacy of your work.

4. They Exercise

No time to exercise during the week? You have 48 hours every weekend to make it happen. Getting your body moving for as little as 10 minutes releases GABA, a soothing neurotransmitter that reduces stress. Exercise is also a great way to come up with new ideas. Innovators and other successful people know that being outdoors often sparks creativity.
I know that a lot of my best ideas come to me while I’m surfing. While you’re out in the ocean, the combination of invigorating activity and beautiful scenery creates the perfect environment for an influx of creativity. Whether you’re running, cycling, or gardening, exercise leads to endorphin-fueled introspection. The key is to find a physical activity that does this for you and then to make it an important part of your weekend routine.

5. They Pursue a Passion

You might be surprised what happens when you pursue something you’re passionate about on weekends. Indulging your passions is a great way to escape stress and to open your mind to new ways of thinking. Things like playing music, reading, writing, painting, or even playing catch with your kids can help stimulate different modes of thought that can reap huge dividends over the coming week.

6. They Spend Quality Time with Family

Spending quality time with your family on the weekend is essential if you want to recharge and relax. Family time on the weekend is so important to Spencer Rascoff that he flies home for the weekend, no matter how far away he is, even if he has to be in the same city the following week. Weekdays are so hectic that the entire week can fly by with little quality family time. Don’t let this bleed into your weekends. Take your kids to the park, take your spouse to his or her favorite restaurant, and go visit your parents. You’ll be glad you did.

7. They Schedule Micro-Adventures

Buy tickets to a concert or play, or get reservations for that cool new hotel that just opened downtown. Instead of running on a treadmill, plan a hike. Try something you haven’t done before or perhaps something you haven’t done in a long time. Studies show that anticipating something good to come is a significant part of what makes the activity pleasurable. Knowing that you have something interesting planned for Saturday will not only be fun come Saturday, but it will significantly improve your mood throughout the week.

8. They Wake Up at the Same Time

It’s tempting to sleep in on the weekend to catch up on your sleep. Though it feels good temporarily, having an inconsistent wake-up time disturbs your circadian rhythm. Your body cycles through an elaborate series of sleep phases in order for you to wake up rested and refreshed. One of these phases involves preparing your mind to be awake and alert, which is why people often wake up just before their alarm clock goes off (the brain is trained and ready). When you sleep past your regular wake-up time on the weekend, you end up feeling groggy and tired. This isn’t just disruptive to your day off, it also makes you less productive on Monday because your brain isn’t ready to wake up at your regular time. If you need to catch up on sleep, just go to bed earlier.

9. They Designate Mornings as Me Time

It can be difficult to get time to yourself on the weekends, especially if you have family. Finding a way to engage in an activity you’re passionate about first thing in the morning can pay massive dividends in happiness and cleanliness of mind. It’s also a great way to perfect your circadian rhythm by forcing yourself to wake up at the same time you do on weekdays. Your mind achieves peak performance two-to-four hours after you wake up, so get up early to do something physical, and then sit down and engage in something mental while your mind is at its peak.

10. They Prepare for the Upcoming Week

The weekend is a great time to spend a few moments planning your upcoming week. As little as 30 minutes of planning can yield significant gains in productivity and reduced stress. The week feels a lot more manageable when you go into it with a plan because all you have to focus on is execution.

10 Tips To Get Great Sleep, No Matter How Stressed You Are


My highly sensitive friends know the frustration of lying awake in bed with a busy mind or achy body. A twinge of worry or an unrelenting thought can keep us awake for hours. We're familiar with the nagging noise in the other room, or the footsteps on the floor above that keep us from drifting off no matter how tired we feel. We know the draw of caffeine and sugary foods when we finally pull ourselves out of bed. And there's often the "don’t cross me" feeling that might emanate from us as we walk into the world after a crappy night's sleep.
Undoubtedly, all of us will experience bouts of insomnia at some point in our lives. The stresses of life and work deadlines will leave anyone tossing and turning. However, for the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), approximately 20% of the population according to researcher Elaine Aron, a good night's sleep can be more of an enigma than a simple part of everyday life. Having a more sensitive nervous system lends itself to a predisposition toward insomnia. Sleep requires us to be in a deep state of relaxation, which is not easily attainable or familiar to an HSP.
While us sensitive folks may not have the ability to doze off at the drop of a hat, we can certainly get the shut eye we need by creating an environment that's conducive to deep relaxation.
Try one of these tips tonight for sweet dreams and a peaceful slumber.
1. Emphasize relaxation 1-2 hours before bedtime.
In the evening hours, decrease stimulation as much as possible. Dim the lights and slow things down. Do something you find relaxing, such as reading, practicing gentle yoga, taking a bath or talking about your day with your partner. As much as possible, make relaxation the theme of the evening. If certain tasks are unavoidable, then practice doing them in a relaxed manner.
2. Quit caffeine by noon.
Caffeine can stay in your body 8-14 hours after consuming it. Caffeine’s effects vary from person to person, but in general, if you are having trouble sleeping, try completely eliminating it for a month and see if that improves your sleep. Also consider sneaky sources of caffeine such as chocolate and tea. Switch to water, herbal tea, and herbal coffee substitutes.
3. Have a sleepy meal at dinnertime.
Eat foods containing nutrients that promote sleep, including tryptophan, melatonin and magnesium. At dinner, eat a combination of high-quality proteins and complex carbohydrates. Try a dish of quinoa mixed with sautéed greens and sliced chicken breast sprinkled with roasted pumpkin seeds. For dessert, try a bowl of fresh cherries or a frozen yogurt made with frozen cherries and coconut milk.
4. Lights out at 10:30 p.m.
Aim to go to bed around the same time every night. Our bodies are built for a 10 p.m. — 6 a.m. sleep pattern. The most regenerative form of sleep occurs between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
5. Practice left-nostril breathing.
Block off your right nostril with your right thumb and take long slow deep breaths through your left nostril only. Left-nostril breathing has a soothing and relaxing effect on the body mind. In Kundalini Yoga, it’s suggested that you take 26 long, slow deep breaths in this manner to produce a relaxing effect on the mind and body.
6. Shift your perspective.
What do you believe about sleep? Fearful thoughts create tension in the body and a body that is tense will not be able to fall into a deep sleep. The fear of not being able to fall asleep can easily keep one from falling asleep. My struggle with insomnia finally lifted when I believed that perhaps I could fall asleep without a sleeping pill. I often use the affirmation, "I choose to relax and let go now."
7. Play with lighting and sound.
Aligning our internal rhythms with those of nature sets us up for more restful sleep. Make a point to get exposure to sunlight during the day and in the evening, dim the lights a few hours before bed. Sleep in a pitch-black room or wear an eye mask. If you find that you are more relaxed with some background noise, use a fan or noise machine while sleeping. Earplugs are also a great option if you are sensitive to noise.
8. Take a relaxation bath.
Combine ½ cup Epsom salts with a few drops of an essential oil, like lavender, in hot water. Soak for 20 minutes. The magnesium contained in Epsom salt is absorbed through the skin and promotes feelings of relaxation. Water and salt cleanses energy from the day.
9. Try acupressure or another relaxation technique.
Lie on an acupressure mat in bed before dozing off. You can also try a progressive muscle or yoga nidra video in which you relax each part of your body using your mind. Another option is giving an alternative therapy like acupuncture a try.
10. Take relaxation breaks during the day.
Try taking at least one 15-minute relaxation break during the day to keep your body in balance so that you’re not in a state of overwhelm by the end of the day.
I’d love to hear from you. What have you found helps you get a peaceful night's sleep?