Archive for July, 2006
Lower Your Stress with a Simple Tool
Lower Your Stress with a Simple Tool
You can transform your stress into productive energy
Live a more relaxed and happier life by effectively dealing with stress & anxiety
–Heartmath, LLC
Our lives can get really crazy with our jobs, carpooling, money concerns, children with difficulties, and a multitude of other issues. Yet, all this stress is not good for us! Do you ever feel so stressed that you worry about your heart? In a Newsweek article called “The Good Heart” I was reminded not only of the physical components \to our health (cortisol = stress hormone = body on alert = PROBLEMS), but also there is finally research on how our thinking, our mentality or perspective, can be more harmful (or helpful) than the physical factors!
I had a chance to experience this first hand recently:
After major surgery, I was recovering in a room with other people around me. I had a curtain encircling my bed, but I could hear anything that happened in the room. When the anesthesia was finally wearing off I noticed behind my head. Looking over my shoulder I saw the heart monitor blipping away. The flashing number gave me an idea and I decided to experiment—it’s not like I could do anything else! First, I noticed that every time another patient starting crying out or moaning my heart rate would spike up. I started focusing on relaxed deep breathing (important after surgery also) and put my mind on positive thoughts. Within seconds, I saw those numbers plummet from 76 to 53! Of course, when a particular lady raised her cries of discomfort up the numbers would fly. Again, I lowered the rising numbers with the same technique. It was an amazing experience to see this in action, lying on a gurney, not so helpless after all*
Would you like to:
- Tap into your creative and intuitive resources for better problem solving?
- Help yourself maintain optimal health and physical resiliency?
- Do you want to lower your stress with a breath and a thought?
- How about training your body to react differently in the first place?
I’m always doing research and looking for tools that will benefit the cli I work with. It’s exciting to see what people are coming up with these days. I truly want you to experience the joy of less stress in your life.
*The Heartmath® technology is much more sophisticated than my hospital experiment. For more info go to
ps. since posting this article, heartmath has come out with a new portable version of this technology–cool
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Making Plans
One thing I keep noticing in the book of Acts is that the Spirit keeps mixing it up for the humans. I don’t mean this in a negative way, just that, for example, Paul was cruising along spreading the good news and he had to be flexible. One day Paul decided “Hmm I think we’ll go over to such and such a city” and he heads out with that intention when Wham! The Spirit says “Uh, Paul dude go this way instead.” So he does.
What about us? We like to plan our lives and we ask God to sign on the dotted line. I think we have the false idea that it is easy to know God’s will. Specifically it isn’t easy. It wasn’t until Paul made a reasonable plan, using the mind God gave him and started to follow that plan when the Spirit intervened. Sometimes you have to be moving in a direction before you can be turned! It’s a lot easier to steer a moving car than one that is parked. The way may not be completely clear to you, but keep moving, praying, and listening. So when the Spirit says, “change of plans!” you hear it!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 2 so far )Body Beautiful
She’s tall, long limbed with striking blue eyes and luxurious brown hair, yet she’s caught in the trap most women find themselves in: not accepting and embracing their beauty, wondering in the face of our own media-saturated anorexic-inspired worship of false beauty ideals if she’s attractive, feeling discouraged at the prospect of dealing with the mating-game loaded with crazy expectations.
Her question, how do you come to accept yourself–even love who you are–in this body?
I’m on the other side: a few years older and mainly avoiding the self-loathing of my very imperfect body. How did I arrive in this place? What are key comments of achieving self-love and acceptance while in our imperfect states of being?
I was stumped for an answer. But the answer is very important.
Finally, I thought of a few items that have helped me along the way:
1) OPT OUT-choose to not saturate yourself with the media’s obsession with airbrushed beauty; don’t read the beauty magazines, don’t watch TV shows that prey on the false dream of perfection = happiness (the SWAN, EXTREME MAKEOVER…). Avoid conversations with body obsessed individuals. You CAN walk away.
2) TELL YOURSELF THE TRUTH: focus on your positive features and focus on the healthy body that can move, dance, play and love. What you focus on will absorb your attention so that there isn’t time for self-loathing. Obviously, the opposite is true: if you constantly compare yourself to others and talk about how much you hate your body, that is what will fill you up.
3) Let the creator of your body in on the conversation. It’s all about perspective. You were made as a magnificent creation. Your body is a holy temple. Allow your creator’s LOVE to fill your perspective of your body. What is God telling you about your body? Do you think God’s perspective is the same as yours?
It all comes down to being intentional about who you are and what you focus on. Protect your precious self from those that would ridicule or tear you down. You are beautiful in your own way. Really.
I would love to hear about what works for you in keeping your sanity among all the body beautiful craziness all around us. Post your comments or email meJ
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )
Interplay 