HOW TO: STRESS!!!

STRESS

CAN MAKE YOU DO

VERY STRANGE THINGS

Stress: (verb with object) 1. to emphasize, 2. to subject to strain
(noun) 3. physical, mental or emotional strain or tension 4. emphasis

Good morning with coffee from Disney... Stress... Disney in July; theme parks, lines among lines of people... all rushing... all wanting to do mass, coming/going/doing/running/yelling/hollering/
things...

Parents having spent lots and lots of money (did I mention the lots of money spent)
to have a great time, Hallmark kinda time... with kids...
NOW... here's the amazing part: those very same loving and giving people are "dragging their kids! YELLING at their kids! The kids are exhausted, "stressed", the parents are saying things like, "Wait until I get you home", or "do you want me to take you home RIGHT NOW", and some parents are just beating/slapping and hitting their kids right out in public....
And they paid $80 plus bucks to get in the place to have FUN... and they are stressed!!!
AND THEY ARE NOT HAVING FUN!!!
WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE???

We are on the other hand, having the time of our lives ~ just as silly as silly can be... that's us all right! Each breath, each day, each minute a joy an adventure, a treasure....
I wish I had invented "Lines"...
Where was I anyway... ah... stress... heehe


Let’s talk about how we make ourselves crazy. Let’s face it, there are everyday stressors in everyone’s life. Good things cause stress, bad things cause stress ~ It's just the way it is...

It’s the natural state of world to be forced to cope with stress as we move through our day.

OK, but what about all the self-inflicted stress we welcome into our lives? Go to Disney... just go to watch people, I swear it is amazing... the number of people who look like you are punishing them to just be there... who complain about standing in line! And oh my... the ones who fuss at their kids... and yell ~ I almost got myself in trouble over bearing witness to that nonsense... Talk about self inflicted ...


But there are some folks who just to spin in stress...
Do you go to bed at night still wrestling with the stress not dealt with today. Toss and turn, wake up a thousand times your head spinning? Twitching with dread, anticipating tomorrow’s pressures?
Are you feelin me?
Oh yeah, does that resonate?


Sure recipe for waking up less able to cope.

So, we start the day worn out from a sleepless, or near sleepless night, and expect ourselves to be ready for a peak performance in this day.

This is crazy making at it’s finest.
So how do we get off the merry-go-round of stress?
STOMP.


Say NO.
No to bringing home work stress.
Say no to the demands others inflict on our time.
Stop making ourselves so busy that we can’t possibly ever catch up.
Does all the worry about what we have not yet done produce results? Nope.
Does taking on too many tasks allow us to face a well organized day?
Does trying to squeeze in quality time to enjoy our life fix the problem?
Or is the problem that we are not realistic about how much one should reasonably try to do in any one day?
By taking on more and more things to do, and running ourselves ragged trying to do it all and be it all is crazy making.


I’d personally rather do one thing well than swat at fifty things and have to redo each because I never could stop spinning and stressing about all the things still on my list of “to dos”. There is an easy answer. Say NO. Sorry, my plate is full. Just can’t take on one more thing until I catch up.
 I often say “ Thank you for thinking of me for this opportunity, but I know that I can’t give this: project, task, chore, etc the attention it deserves”.
Would love to join you for; that meeting, dinner, community project, dance recital, etc. but I have a full plate. Perhaps a rain check. Glad you asked, but, sorry, I can’t participate.
Try it. Trust me, you will have other opportunities.
Just stop and clear the deck.


Lists work for me. I make a list of EVERYTHING that is jammed in my head, every, and I mean EVERY thing I think I have to do, want to do, meant to do, must do, think I ought to do. Then, and here’s the trick.
Highlight the one’s that are deal breakers. The ones that would cost you your job or your life, or your well being if you did not tackle them today.


Next, put them to order.
 What MUST be done first?
How many are longer term efforts that you must spend some time on over time.
Are that you just have to do right this very moment?
If so do it.
 Good, now that one is off the list.
The long term ones you are already working on. Draw a line through the ones that you really don’t have to do.
The ones that jump on the list because you let them.
Like, Oh, I don’t know, let’s say, the Sunday paper laying around until Thursday because you didn’t have time to read it.
Toss it in the trash.
 Gone.
Now you’re getting in the spirit.
The two million emails that have been haunting you for months. (fEELIN ME HERE TINK?)
Just because someone sent it to you, there is no rule that says you must attend to each and every one.
Hit the delete button.
 Gone. Ah, that was easy.
Trust me, if you deleted an important one, someone will resend it.
 Now speaking of emails... that is a real pet peeve of mine. In this day of fast everythings, if someone takes the time to email you, the least you can do is respond "timely". IF you are not going to respond timely... then delete the daggone thing. I mean it really gets me... I take the time to send an email to someone, and it would take all of 5 minutes of their precious time to respond... but ohhh nooo, guess they are just too busy to do it, and then poof... days later I get a reply... C'mon now...


So, now, already the list is much shorter. NEXT… What is on the list that you don’t even want to do?
What petty obligatory junk did you list that will only cause you aggravation?

Scratch it out. Do you really want more irritation in your life.
Did you forget the “Say No” rule?
Stop agreeing to do things and go places, that don’t work for you.

Now your list should look a lot more reasonable. Much more “do able”.
If anything is still on the list that is busy work, dump it. Good Job!
See anything else on there that you now would enjoy crossing off just because you can?
DO IT.
So tell the truth, are you a bit less stressed already?
You should be.
The really important stuff will find it’s way back on the next list you make.
Trust me on this.

Make tomorrows list today.
 Then when you go to bed tonight, tomorrow is already organized and manageable.
You need not spend your sleeping hours twisting it all around, considering getting up in the middle of the night to worry.


Take back your personal power.
Lead your life, don’t be a victim to self-made stress.

Now for the stressful stuff that is out there everyday no matter what we do.
Let’s say, too many phone calls.
Ever hear of voice mail.
Let the machine take the calls.
You can check it once or twice a day and return the calls you want to.
 You DO NOT have to answer every call.
Let’s face it, if YOU had wanted to talk to the caller, you would have called them. I have such a reputation of NOT answering my phone callers are pleasantly surprised when I do!
Easier to manage your time if you have fewer interruptions.

Traffic stress you out?
Why?
Do you really think that getting all worked up while sitting in a traffic jam helps you in any way?
Leave a bit earlier, take a different route, or kick back, crawl along as best you can and listen to a good book on the car sound system.
 I’ve had days where I prayed for a longer commute because I was really engrossed in a book on tape.
Works for me.
 My blood pressure never goes up because the other drivers are nuts.
 I have no space in my head for that foolishness. There are idiots on the road.
I just watch out and avoid them best I can.


I could go down this path a long way my friends.
But I will close with a quick review.


First decide how much stress you want in your life.

Second, de-stress your life in big and small ways, always. STOMP.


Third, accept that some stress is a natural consequence of being alive.

Fourth, Say NO more often. It is all about choices.


Fifth, instead of making yourself crazy, laugh at how crazy it can get.


Sixth, know that you are in charge of the quality of your life. STOMP

Last: Do NOT practice Kamryn's pose in that picture... your eyes might get stuck that way!
LOL... One last thought...
If/when you decide to "splurge" and go to Disney...
Do it with wild abandon... do it with joy... do it at a "laid back pace and attitude"...
Relax, watch people, have FUN, make memories, make MAGIC...
Life is too short... to do it any other way!

The fire is burning brightly, its embers are HOT
Sending hope in healing on the winds to all who gather here and for all in Tampa, the families of the fallen, those in blue who are grieving while they are serving and protecting us.


To those who are serving this great Nation, I thank you and your families, I want you home safely.

We are together in prayer, in thoughts of all that is needed to remind you out there, we are WARRIORS... we are with you, along with some powerful angels... May you find comfort in knowing we are with you always:



FOR:Tampa, our Mayor, Chief, Tampa PD, all who serve: Tink..and


Trish, Barb, Anastasia, The Kocab Family, Curtis Family, Tampa PD, those serving here and there in Uniform...


Randy and Winnie in New Mexico,


Our Black American Bears Lily and HOPE, their spirit, and Chris, Jill, the folks at the NABC, Joseph, Cathy Madden and her family., Vicki and Matthew, Cindy in NC, Cindy C, Laura, Mitch and family, Liz, Lee, Molly, Joanie, Jude, COFA,Judi, Matthew, Matt, Mark's family and many friends , Andrea, Jimmy, Marie and family up in New England, Pat, Dorothy, Angela, Elijah, Ode, Linda M, "Southwest VA", Irene, Kevin, Dr D, Deb, Randy, Dr B , Charlie and family, Booker, Bernice, Jean, Julie, Rhonda, Victoria, Mildred, Andi and family, Irene, Faith, Denise, Jim, Tom, Joey, Shelby friends and family, Judi, Phylis, Joyce, Gina, Tonya, Beverly and Family, Janeth, Melissa, Pam, Virginia, Stacey, Kevin Edward Belevich and his Pops Jack Phelan, Elizabeth, Nita, Gary Siegal, Adrienna,Brian Mawbey,






Please hold the friends and family of these people in your hearts and prayers as they begin that long and uncertain journey through grief and into the lights of healing...

Walk In Beauty,


DRSES
http://www.healingheartaches.com/