Don't wait until it's too late to get your relationship back on track. Did you know that most divorces aren't really necessay. The biggest reason they even happen at all is a lack of understanding of how to get out of the destructive behavioral loops that tear couples apart.

 

The biggest secret to not only preventing relationship meltdown but also re-igniting passion and love is to recognize that judgment and blame are the things that you need to get rid of.

 

Until you have released the need for judgment, you will always have it reflected back to you in your relationships. This is one of the main causes of stress. All too often we assume that we know what others mean by what they say or do without bothering to gain a clear understanding of what’s really going on. Inevitably this leads to a breakdown in communication and conflict.

 

Stress management techniques for relationships

 

The biggest secret to stress free relationships is to master the skill of being agreeable! If you think about it just for a moment this makes a lot of sense. How did you feel the last time someone disagreed with what you though, said or did?

 

Did you thank them, give them a big hug and then ask for more disapproval? Probably not! The bottom line is that people don’t like being disagreed with. This is what leads to arguments and conflict.

 

You have a choice every time you relate with another person. You can either be agreeable in nature or you can be disagreeable. The first choice will cause people to be more relaxed and enjoy your company. The second creates stress and frustration.

 

It costs nothing to agree with someone else’s point of view even if you think it’s ridiculous. Who are we to judge how another person views their life and the world around them. Conflict always arises from disagreement’s which then leads to power struggles.

 

This means that either one or all parties are trying to prove that they are right and someone else is wrong. This is a no win scenario because if one person is made wrong, then the outcome is tension and resentment.

 

So what do you do if you disagree with what someone is saying? Ask if it’s ok to share your opinion. If the answer is no then to keep your relationships stress free keep your mouth shut. Changes topics if you need to or go do something fun together but let it go and move on.

 

The next secret to effective stress management in relationships is to master the skill of understanding.

 

The key here is to learn to be a good listener. Can you remember a time recently when you were talking with someone and they either interrupted you before you finished talking and started talking about themselves or completely ignored what you said and talked about something totally unrelated?

 

I know that’s happened to me thousands of times. Well guess what, if you didn’t like it I can guarantee you that others won’t like it if you do it to them.

 

By listening attentively to what others say and not interrupting you will prevent the possibility of causing stress and tension in your relationships because the people you are communicating with will feel seen and heard.

 

This builds trust and respect which are two of the most important ingredients of a happy, healthy and productive relationship.

 

Here are 4 stress management tips to master the skill of understanding:

       

• Don’t interrupt unless you have something urgent to attend to. Then excuse yourself politely and make a time to meet with them that you can give your undivided attention.
  
• Look them in the eye and keep your body language open.
  
• Only ask questions that are relevant to the topic. This lets the person who is talking know that you are really listening to them.
  
• Never assume you know what someone means, always ask for clarity before sharing you’re opinion. Don’t be afraid to keep asking questions until you are 100% sure about what is being said.

The best time to seek to be understood is only after you have taken the time to first understand them. Then they are more receptive to what you have to say.

 

This skill is one of the most important in building good bonds between people that are stress free. There is nothing more powerful than letting others know that they matter.

 

Happy, healthy and stress free relationships are no accident. They are skillfully developed over time by people who care about people.

 

These secrets will only work if you apply them. The more you apply them the greater the stress relief you’ll have in relationships. I know this for a fact because they have been working for me for more than 15 years.

 

To Your Great Life and Health,

Anyone that has ever experienced money stress knows that worry and anxiety can quickly overrun your life if it isn't dealt with quickly and effectively.

 

 

When finances become strained it puts tremendous strain on your health, happiness relationship and peace of mind. In fact, it’s one of the biggest reasons that couples get divorced today.

 

Here are some handy tips to keep your cash flow high, keep your life in balance and enjoy long-term stress relief from financial pressure.

 

Spend Less Money Than You Make.

 

If you make $1000 per week then learn to live off $700 (70%) and save the rest. When you have saved enough then invest your savings in something that will help you build long term wealth (i.e. property).

 

Get Out of Debt

 

Do everything you can to not get into consumer debt. If you can’t afford to pay cash for something you want, then save up for it until you can buy it outright.  You’d be amazed how little money you can get by with if you stay out of debt.

 

Stick to a Budget

 

Do up a budget so that you know exactly how much money you need each week to get by on and then stick to it like glue. If you must treat yourself to items that you really don’t need then make sure you pay cash for them. Otherwise forget about it until you can afford to buy it. This includes treats and luxury items.

 

See a Financial Adviser

 

If you don’t have a financial plan for the future then you’re doing yourself and your family a great disservice. Wealth rarely happens overnight. Without a plan your finances are left to the fate of the Gods and your spending habits. Who knows where that will get you.

 

Increase Your Financial Knowledge

 

It’s like anything in life if you want to improve you have to learn new skills and then practise them. While it’s good to seek professional advice about finances it’s even better to learn how to do it yourself. There’s a ton of books available written by people who have already mastered financial success. The more you learn the less anyone can cheat you from your hard earned cash.

 

Live a Life of Prosperity Thinking

 

You either think in terms of lack or prosperity. Whichever you give the greater focus to is what you will attract into your life. Catch your limited or negative thoughts about money and then replace them with thoughts of abundance.

 

Here’s an affirmation that helped me through some tough financial times and took me from earning $20 per hour to $200 per hour in just 6 months; “I love money, money loves me and I am a money magnet!”

 

Final Thoughts on Money and Stress Relief

 

One of the most valuable commodities you have is time. Some people have plenty of time and little or no money to enjoy their life with while others have tons of money and little or no time. The real secret to living a relaxed lifetsyle is to have the balance of plenty of time and plenty of money.

 

To Your Great Life and Health…

Let’s face it one of the biggest challenges facing busy people today is how to fit everything you need to do into a day. From the demands of raising a family, meeting deadlines at work, giving quality time to a relationship, exercising, looking after your health and taking time-out each day for yourself it can be a struggle to find enough time to even get a good nights sleep.

 

There’s a ton of material already available on how to maximize your time and get more done each day through setting priorities, being more organized and planning for the future so let’s look at some more left-of-field strategies that’ll give you an even better opportunity to gain back precious time and energy while giving long-term stress relief.

 

Stress Management Tips to Save Time and Energy 

 

Waste Not, Want Not

 

We all have the same 24 hours a day at our disposal. The difference is how wisely you use it. Why waste a precious second on something that has no value or meaning in your life? The more you choose to use the time you do have that’s brings you joy and fulfilment, the more satisfying your life will be.

 

Live Each Moment Fully

 

What do you think is going to matter most when you’re laying on your deathbed looking back over your life? Will it be how many sales you made at work? Or how clean you kept your house? Or how many things you didn’t get done? Probably not! Make each moment count as you never know when your last moment will be.

 

Don’t Forget to Take Time-Out Each Day

 

No matter how busy or hectic your life gets it’s vital that you give yourself 5, 10 or 20 minutes a day just being with yourself. This time allows you to reflect on your day and do whatever it is that brings you joy or helps you to relax. Relaxation techniques that progressively relax the muscles of your body while calming your mind are well worth investing time in.

 

Stop Telling Yourself You Don’t Have Enough Time

 

The more you affirm what you don’t have, the more you will attract it into your life. One of life’s laws is that what you focus on you get. So when you focus on what you don’t have, you will have even less in the future. Instead, start affirming that you have an abundance of time and energy to get everything done that matters.

 

Stop Wearing a Watch

 

Put away your watch for the next seven days in either a cupboard or dresser.  I did this for a period of three months and by the end of this time my internal clock had me waking up in the morning, getting to appointments and being where I needed to be in perfect timing. At first, this may stress you out a little but after 7 days you’ll experience a deep sense of freedom at not having to be a clock watcher all the time.

 

A Stress Management Saying From The Wise

 

A wise man once said that money may come and go. If you lose your money, you can always make it back, but when you lose a minute, it’s gone forever. To live a life without regret is to know that you have followed the path of your heart and spirit without hesitation.

 

Don’t waste another moment letting the apparent lack of time be the reason you live a life of stress and anxiety. Stress is the biggest killer on the planet and you have the power to get rid of the majority of your stress just through learning some simple stress relief techniques to enjoy a happier, healthier, relaxed and more productive life.

 

To Your Great Life and Health,

Laughter is one of the best medicines for Sickness, depression, anxiety, relaxation, respiration and stress.   It is a great way to release tension, and to improve the outlook of your day.  Let’s face it, even after a really bad day having a good laugh can help put everything into perspective. 

But wait there’s more… The benefits of laughter actually go deeper than we realize.  There are several reactions within your body that occur when you laugh and they all directly help with Stress Relief and the release of tension.

Laughter is more than a Stress Relief Technique

Dr. Lee Burk has been researching the effects of laughter on the body.  To this moment their published research has shown that laughter lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle flexion, and boosts the immune system. Even more interesting is that Laughter creates a state opposite to stress in your body … in other words … laughter creates healthy or positive emotions and is a great method of Natural Stress Relief

Other benefits of laughter include:

·        Increased aerobic activity which gives your diaphragm a work-out and increases your body’s ability to circulate oxygen.

·        An increase in positive emotions that can assist in the fight of disease.

·        Reduction of stress hormones including epinephrine, cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone.

·        Improved and strengthened immune system.

·        Improved blood pressure.  This seems to have a more noticeable effect in women.

·        The cleansing of your lungs and respiratory system.  When you laugh you empty your lungs and breathe fresh air into your respiratory system.

Turn that Frown Upside Down

In 1931 a team of scientists discovered that it takes 50 Muscles to frown and only 13 Muscles to smile.  After reading this I came to realize 3 solid conclusions; Scientists really do have far too much time on their hands, it is far easier to be cheerful than to be grumpy and you will use less energy if you view your day from a happy perspective.

Nowadays Stress Relaxation Techniques should be a part of everyday life to overcome stress … After all, daily stress is a part of most people’s lives. For example; If you’re very young and going to school there’s the stress of fitting in with your friends and exams.  When you get older there’s the pressure of finding a career, work related stress, financial independence and raising a family.  As you age your body’s defense system doesn’t work as well.  Unfortunately, this same defense system is greatly affected over time by stress.  In other words … Placing yourself in positions of Stress with very little Stress Relief will cause your immune system to age prematurely.  Stress is also linked to illnesses including heart disease, high blood pressure and Alzheimer’s just to name a few.

Stress and Premature Aging

A study published by National Academy of Sciences found that stress can cause a person’s immune system to age prematurely.  The study discussed the caps on the end of chromosomes called telomeres.  As a cell divides the telomeres in that cell shorten.  When the telomeres become too short the cell can no longer replenish itself. This is why we age, and the reason we are unable to live forever.

The research showed a test that checked the telomeres and stress levels of 58 healthy pre-menopausal women.  The results were amazing.  On average, women that experience constant stress had an immune system 10 years older than their current age.  Although the study explained they weren’t exactly sure of the impact they did have a very plausible theory that Hormones released during stress are shortening the telomeres and cutting the life span of cells.  Imagine for a moment the number of illnesses your body will attract if your immune system is permanently compromised.

The Good News on Stress and Relaxation Techniques

Being aware how stress affects the body is the first part.  The second comes through finding real positive Natural Stress Relief Techniques.  The greatest ways to get control of stress come from surrounding your self with friends and family, maintaining a positive outlook, consistent exercise and effective relaxation techniques. 

Effective Relaxation Techniques should include: Relaxation Breathing Techniques, guided meditation/ stress relief CD’s, Relaxation Programs and Visualization Techniques.  Each method is a great way to release any built up tension and prevent the effects of long term stress.  This combined with a healthy diet and adequate sleep will make all the difference to you living a long and healthy life.

Stress can be a confusing creature and affects many different people in a variety of ways.  Many people consider stress as negative yet in reality stress is a positive or negative change that creates mental, physical or emotional strain.  It can be as simple as something we do outside the norm to constant pressure that affects our health and wellbeing.

To simplify, stress is separated into 3 different areas and methods of stress relief can be applied to one and sometimes all.

Here are the different categories of stress we experience:

—> Acute Stress – This is the most common form of stress and is short lived stress that can be either positive or negative.  An example of positive acute stress would be riding on a roller coaster or doing something that feels exhilarating.  An example of negative acute stress would be meeting a deadline, loosing an important deal or having a small accident in your car.  Although acute stress is short lived if you experience several types of acute stress in one day it is important to find successful stress relief techniques to release any tension.  There are many natural stress relief techniques you can use to release tension like; socializing with friends, reading a book, taking a hot bath or relaxing in front of the T.V. 

—> Episodic Acute Stress – Episodic acute stress comes from a constant series of negative stress, constant worry, poor time management, excessive competitiveness, general impatience and from over committing.  Episodic stress is brought on by the individual as a reaction to their environment and situations placed upon them.  A person that experiences episodic acute stress may always worry about the worst case scenario (and usually attract it). They may think they have to be the best at whatever they do and experience tension when they aren’t or they may simply be the person that finds it hard to say no and over commits themselves.  It is important to find a way to identify the cause of the stress and find methods to break the cycle of stress.  Stress relief techniques range from listening to meditation/ stress relief CD’s, Stress Relief Programs that can help identify the cause and offer solutions and seeking professional advice.   Working with a person that experiences episodic acute stress takes time and patience as it is more intense than acute stress.

—> Chronic Stress – Chronic stress is the type of stress that wears people out, day after day, year after year.  It is the type of stress that destroys lives, families and causes permanent damage.  It is the stress people face when they are in job or career they hate (but feel they cannot leave), a marriage where they are unhappy, a violent long term relationship and a lifestyle that crushes their individuality and independence.  Chronic stress can create major change to an individual’s personality, outlook or deep seated beliefs. Chronic Stress is responsible for suicide, violence, and other terminal illnesses. One of the worst aspects of Chronic Stress is people simply get used to it or give up and it becomes an everyday reality. Chronic stress is often difficult to treat and definitely cannot be changed overnight.  Within certain families it may take generations to break the cycle of chronic stress and may require long term consultation, combined with specific stress relief techniques to overcome the long term issues.

The light at the end of the tunnel

On a positive front most people experience the first 2 types of stress that can be easily overcome.  By using a variety of stress management techniques you can develop skills to help you to release your unwanted tension and stress at will.  A good stress relief program will show you specific methods to overcome and deal with stress in the future.  Even something simple as relaxation breathing techniques or visualization techniques can have massive short term and long term benefits.

Unless your name is Bruce Willis there’s a pretty good chance you won’t be called out to save the world.  But you and Bruce do have something in common.  You both know what it’s like to experience overwhelming stress and you both need to have a good stress relief escape plan to deal with it.

You see, stress (especially chronic stress) can be so draining on your life and lifestyle.  If left unattended it can slowly affect your mind, body and eventually your spirit.  With this in mind it is important to understand and acknowledge when you’re under stress, and as mentioned earlier have a really good stress relief plan.

Listen to your body’s Stress

The first step is to pay attention to your body and its messages.  Here are some of the tell tale signs of stress:

—> You find yourself getting angry easily and acting short at others,

—> You feel tension building up around your shoulders and temple,

—> It’s becoming hard to sleep at night or you need drugs or medication to sleep

—> You’re grinding your teeth when you’re sleeping

—> You constantly feel tired

—> You’ve had a cold or flu for ages and can’t seem to shake it.

All of these may be signs you’re stressed and need relaxation techniques to experience relief.

Have a Game Plan for Stress Relief

Let’s face it, we all experience stress in our lives, but the key is to manage it before it builds up too much and causes damage. Here are some of the natural stress relief techniques you can include in your stress relief plan:

—> Avoid negative stress – If you know that you’re going to place yourself in a stressful situation in the first place you can just say ‘No’.  Many people do this in their work environment by over committing themselves.

—> Relaxation breathing techniques – This is a good way of eliminating your stress instantly.  Check out this technique here.

—> Stress relief CD / Meditation CD – A Relaxation / Meditation CD will guide you through a set process for relaxation.  This should be used regularly for maximum benefits.

—> Regular Exercise – This is great at dealing with stress (especially for men).  If you haven’t exercised for a while it’s important to start with low intensity and build up over time.  For maximum benefits you should also change your diet to eat heaps of healthy food.

—> Visualization techniques for relaxation – If you find it difficult to sleep at night then visualization techniques could be just the thing.  You may learn how to do this or be lead through a process by using a stress relief program or meditation CD.

—> Stress relief program – A good stress relief program will include a process for meditation, stress relief techniques and a journal to record your thoughts and progress.

—> Other stress management skills – This includes spending time with friends, time saving solutions, taking a hot bath, reading a book and watching a movie/ your favorite show.

Set aside time for stress relief today … you never know when you might have to go out and save the world after all

You are what you eat, and if you’re feel like you need some sort of stress relief or you experience anxiety attacks it may have something to do with your diet. 

Let me explain … there are several factors that determine the level of stress and anxiety you experience daily.  They include: your environment, your psychological status, your methods for releasing stress and your diet. Diet has shown to impact how we handle stress at work, our level of concentration and the ability for our bodies to function normally.

There are several parts of your diet you may believe help to relieve stress, but few people are aware that these are the same things that actually cause stress.  Take for instance, smoking.  Many people believe that smoking helps to relieve stress.  But if you read this article you’ll understand smoking is one of the main causes of stress.

Here are some of the foods and drinks you should take in moderation to reduce your stress and experience natural stress relief:

—> Foods that contain caffeine – This is found in coffee, non-herbal tea, chocolate, coke, etc.  Caffeine causes the release of adrenalin which increases the level of stress.  Too much caffeine has the same effect as long term stress on the body. 

—> Alcohol – Excessive consumption of Alcohol stimulates the secretion of adrenaline and is shown to result in nervous tension, insomnia and irritability.  Excess alcohol will deposit fat around the heart and in excess limits the liver from removing toxins from the body.  During stress your body produces several hormones that are normally filtered by your liver.  If your liver isn’t functioning properly, then your body can’t remove the toxins resulting in serious damage

—> Sugar – Sugar has NO essential nutritional benefits what so ever. Sugar provides short burst of false energy that can not sustain the body.  These short bursts of false energy result in irritability, poor concentration and depression.  High consumption of sugar can also result in diabetes.

—> Fat – Avoid foods rich in saturated fats as they place unnecessary stress on the cardiovascular system.  These include: deep fried foods, bacon, sausages, cakes and pies. 

—> Salt – Foods high in salt increase the blood pressure affect the adrenal glands and cause emotional instability.  Look for salt substitutes that contain potassium to still enjoy the flavor of salt without all the nasty side-effects.

These foods mentioned are all Ok in moderation, but should never be used solely as a method of stress relief as they will result negative side affects.

Of course diet is essential in stress relief, but nothing can beat well chosen stress relief techniques like exercise, yoga, a stress relief CD, meditation, relaxation breathing techniques or other beneficial stress management activities.

Many of us dream to have a lot of it and very few of us have more than we think we need.  It’s one of the 3 main stressors that keep many people awake at night.  Whether you’re living beyond your means or wondering how you’re going to have enough income for retirement all comes down to Money.

When you’re feeling financial pressure it can affect so many other areas of your life.  It can cause stress at work, anxiety attacks, insomnia, arguments, alcoholism, gambling and relationship break-ups just to name a few.

But there has to be something you can do about it, to manage your money and experience real natural stress relief.

With that in mind, here are 5 money management tips for Stress Relief:

—> Understand your worth – before you can live within your means you need to understand what your means are.  Gather a record of all your money, assets, investments and current cash (N.B. although credit cards and lines of credit are additional resources to make purchases, when we tap into them we decrease our spending power over the long haul with bank charges etc.)

—> Track your income – Really take a look at your income.  Measure it over the last 4 weeks or even better the last 13 weeks (the number of weeks in a quarter). Average it out by totaling your overall income and dividing by the number of weeks.  (N.B. Don’t just take 1 weeks wage as an average as you may miss out on overtime, sick days, etc.)

—> Measure your expenses – Once you understand what you are worth and what your income is begin to measure where you money goes.  Carry a small notebook you can pop in your pocket or handbag and make a record of every purchase you make.  Do this for a month to get a real understanding of where you’re spending your money.  Record everything including bills, repayments, where you shopped and the amount you spent.  After the month prioritize your expenses into different categories; essential (food, shelter, rent or mortgage), utilities (heat, water, electricity), loans and leases (car loans), insurances ( home insurance, car insurance, life insurance) and discretionary expenses (other loans, credit card repayments and low priority expenses)

—> Manage Money – Calculating your average monthly income (13 weeks wages divided by 3) and minus your different expenses (if some of your expenses are yearly, then divide the amount by 12 to calculate monthly payments).  This will give you your disposable income.  Use this figure as a baseline for spending.  Ensure you keep at least this much of your wage aside each month (multiply it by 12 and divide by 52 to understand it weekly) and try to put aside a little more each week for that rainy day.

—> Learn to Relax – Financial stress can be a result of the feeling of discomfort over using other people’s money, being in debt, or concerned you may not be able to grow your wealth.  Whatever the case it is important to improve how you can handle money stress.  A good stress relief CD or other relaxation techniques like exercise, relaxation breathing techniques or stress relief programs can help build that threshold and show you how to release and handle unnecessary stress.

Remember, even if you’re stuck in financial stress and your living beyond your means you have the power to change it.  After all, money comes and goes but your health is important.