You Can't Avoid Stress but YOU can Manage It!

If there is one thing I have learned is that stress can take it's toll on you mentally, physically and emotionally, especially if you don't learn how to manage it. No matter who you are , you have some form of stress in your life at some point,that is the simple reality of life. In the last few years , experiences in my life have taken me down many stressful situations and in some cases I have not made the best choices and mistakes I made a few. Stress made me sick, physically and took its toll mentally. Luckily, I chose to learn from those experiences as I am an optimistic person by nature. I am happy and excited to say today my life is much different.

I am confident when I say my experience has taught that you can manage stress and instead of buckling under the pressure you can rise to the challenge. How is that possible? Well, in my opinion it comes down to how you look at things..and that has to do with your attitude. How we think has a huge impact on our life.

If there is one thing I can say with absolute certainity if you want to stop letting stress manage you , you have to learn to manage it and you have to change the way you approach situations. It all starts with YOU and you willing to make changes.

Here are some tips to help you change your mindset:

1. Start looking at yourself as a problem solver. Rather than wallowing in the issue at this stressing you out..seek ways of solving and believe you me there are always ways!

2. Stop being the victim. Its easy to be the victim but it serves very little purpose after awhile and it is much more useful to feel empowered than feeling disempowered. It is easy to sit and complian and blame everyone else for what has happened. You have to take accountablity for your actions. Whether you dealing with financial, health, relationships you always have a choice and you can control how you react to any situation. It is hard, believe me I know.

3.Look on the bright side. Focusing on the positive side of things is calming and far more productive. Taking a pessimistic view point naturally puts our bodies in a threatening state. Faced with any type of problem rather than catastrophize it , think of positive solutions.

4. Enjoy change. Whenever change is occuring it can be scary and create anxeity. When you view change from a negative viewpoint stress levels can escalate. Thinking of change as a reality of life and exciting helps embrace it in a more non threatening way.

5. Learn to Say NO. Women are often the worst for some reason. We tend to want to be all things to all people. There are times when we have to take a step back when we are feeling a little overwhelmed and be ok with saying NO. You know and understand your energy and time so protect it and use it wisely!

6. Set goals both short and long term. Goals help to organize and bring focus and clarity into our lives. I can't stress enough the importance of this and when you have a clear purpose in life it becomes easier to take charge and manage any stress that enters your life.

7. Strong Relationships. It has been proven that those who manage stress the best have strong support systems. It is important to have people in your life who encourage you, believe in you, listen, want what is best for you and allow you to be who you are.

8. Practice.Hey I know this doesn't happen overnight. We are all human and with any new skill it takes practice. So each time when faced with a new stressful situation if you keep practicing a new way to handling the situation you do start to feel the shift. You will slip from time to time, that is ok. The important thing is being aware!

It is so empowering when you learn that you can manage stress and it doesn't have to manage you!

Families are like Fudge..mostly sweet with a few nuts!

Happy Family Day!

May you enjoy time today with those special people in your life. Families come in all forms. They are your support, the people who are not afraid to tell you like it is when you need to hear it, they love you uncondtionally, they encourage you to be all you can be, and they can frustrate the hell out of you. In the end, they are there for you and you love them!

Whatever your meaning of family is..today is a great day to be grateful for all those people in your life that make life worth the ride!

I know I love my family!

Beat the Winter Blahs!

I guess everyone has been listening to the talk about the Winter blahs or SAD! It certainly has been a winter condusive to such a feeling especially with all the cold and snow.
Not being a big fan of the cold, I have to admit winter isn't my favorite season. For those snowmobile lovers and ski enthusists its a perfect winter.
Don't get me wrong it can be pretty but I am a person who enjoys color and warmth..must be my age! For some reason color seems to motivate , instill energy and make the world a little brighter all the way around!

Let's face it..it isn't overly colorful at this time of year except for the colors you see in people's winter coats, hats or snow suits! Which I have to say there are some jazzy jackets out there!

Might I offer up some tips to help brighten the day if you are looking for a little extra inspiration this time of year for those who are not outdoor winter activity lovers and might be feeling a little blah !

1. Buy yourself some bright colored flowers and keep them on your table
2. Work out..give a new excercise a shot..go for a walk, try zumba..get off the couch!
3. Laugh lots..do something that makes you smile, spend time with people who make you smile..go see a funny movie
4. Surround yourself with positive people. Positive energy motivates us!
5. Indugle and treat yourself to something you love..whether it is a favorite food, drink, movie, spa...you deserve it!
6. Dance your butt off..yes move your mojo to the music..and don't care who is watching
7. Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate with whip cream..ok add some baileys too if you are of age!
8. Get frisky..give some love!
9. Hug lots..nothing like a hug to brighten the day
10. Volunteer your time to help others..
11. Go shopping with a girlfriend and guys go to a game or for a drink with a buddy
12. Rent movies and have a theme night
13. Be goofy..spray paint the snow outside your house in different colors!
14. Make sure you are eating healthy!

Enjoy and do what you love... keep those Winter Blahs away..life is too short !!

Pondering DRAMA...

"There comes a time in life, when u walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make u laugh, forget the bad and focus on the good. So, love the people who treat u right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of LIFE ... Getting back up is LIVING ........ Re-post if you agree"

I have seen this post on facebook several times now and each time I see it, I read it and it makes me think. I thought about if I agreed or not and I guess after thinking about it I have mixed feelings.

I would like to offer a thought that might cause people think

We all, at one point in our life have created drama in one form or another. What exactly is DRAMA? Whether it was when you were a child and had that temper tantrum when you didn't get your own way or when you were a teenager and your boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with you or kissed another person and you were devasted. Perhaps it was when you lost a parent, a friend, a relative or special person in your life to death. Maybe it was dealing with divorce, or an issue at work, or within your own family.

When you are going thru a difficult time in your life.. you don't always do things correctly , act properly or make the best choices. You do the best you can with the skills you have, and you certainly may not act in a way everyone else expects you to.

When faced with challenges did you need support, someone to talk to, to help you , to listen to you, to just give you a hug, to be on your side? What if the people you loved walked away from you..what if they didn't want to have any part of your drama? How would you feel?

Is friendship, family and unconditional love not about caring for people regardless and not judging them but rather supporting them in good times and bad times?

Do you give up on your children everytime they make a mistake or behave inappropriate..how about the friend who loses their job has a family, mortage to pay, and is maybe having marital issues do you expect them to be of rational mind or is it reasonable to think they are stressed, worried ,scared? What about the people in Austrailia and Brazil who have lost their homes, in some cases family, have nothing but the clothes on their back..you see them crying, devasted, stressed, scared..that is DRAMA is it not? Would you walk away from them?

I agree there are times when we do need to remove ourselves from certain situations especially if people are not treating you well and you have done all you can to communicate how their actions are hurting you either mentally or physically. There is a proper place for having to remove toxic people.

Before you go removing someone from your life and judge them..be careful because one day and trust me that day will come when you have your own drama and you may not react or act appropriatly ..the people you remove may not be there for you and they may be the very people you need or can give you support because they have been thru what you are going thru!

What I do agree with is ,we should surround oursleves with people who love us and want the best for us, treat us kindly , love them and cherish them. Life is too short to waste.

Those who are wise understand no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes..unconditional love is a gift

Be gentle with your heart and with the hearts of others because you really don't know what people are going thru or what their coping skills are at the time..if you aren't prepared to ask or communicate that's ok but don't blame others ..it's yourself you really should take a look at!

If you have knowledge to share that could help them is it really that hard to show some compassion, empathy and support..or is it just easier to walk away and turn the other cheek?

Just my opinion and something to ponder...

xo

To Diet That is the Question..Attitude Attitude Attitude!

As each New Year begins one of the main topics of conversation always seems to be weight loss and exercise. We get flooded with information from TV, radio, fliers, books on how to lose weight, exercise, every year a new diet is added and new exercise gadgets that are designed to quickly and easily lose weight.

We have become a soceity that wants the quick and easy way for everything . Having everything fast has become an expectation. So if we can lose 10 pounds in 8 days or use a gadget for 3 minutes a day and lose 10 pounds why not? Sounds great doesn't it? Let's get real folks...there is no quick or easy way to get healthy..it takes commitment and a true desire to want to change your lifestyle. Sure you may lose 10 pounds in 8 days and feel good for a month or two but chances are within the next 6 months you are going to gain those 10 pounds back plus! For anyone who has done the quick diet thing you know what I'm talking about!

I don't want to criticize those diets or exercise gadgets because I do believe its important for people who feel they need to make a change that its better to start somewhere and do something rather than do nothing. Our society has an issue with obseity and there are many different reasons for that, the important thing is there is the realization that unhealthy lifestyles are dangerous with the greatest cost ..your life! I guess what I want people to remember is don't limit yourself and continue to educate yourself and learn all you can about healthy living.

How many times have you yourself started the year out going ding dong on a diet and exercise and by March it starts to dwindle...by May you start to go back to eating the old way because the sun is shining and barbeque season has started? Then the excuses start....we are all quilty of using every excuse under the sun why we couldn't exercise, or justifying those extra drinks, deserts etc...lol.

Several years ago due to my own health issues I realized I had no choice but to make a lifestyle change. There were no short cuts or quick diets I had to learn how to eat properly for my body. Is it easy , no it is not and there has been a great deal of trial and error because what might work for someone else doesn't work for me.

Each year as I learn more I adopt a more clean eating lifestyle and explore different types of exercise that I enjoy .

What does clean eating mean? Simply put it is eating food in its most natural state, so eating more fruits, vegetables and eliminating as much processed and refined , sugar and gluten type food from my diet is the goal. Being more aware of the types of food I consume and where they come from, especially items made from a long list of incredients that I can't pronounce I think twice about or at least limit.
Hey , I'm not saying I am the expert of healthy eating or exercise because I still enjoy cheating as much as the next person. However, I do have experience with being unhealthy and making that transition to finally adopting and making a lifestyle change that saw me lose 35 lbs and go from a person who couldn't jog to the end of the street to jogging 5km. Do I still have goals to achieve you betcha I do.
I love chocolate and there are some bad foods I still crave every now and then, and I quite often get bored with exercise and it is a challenge sometimes to keep it up , but I don't deprive myself of food I crave and I don't beat myself up when I don't exercise . I eat those foods in moderation and if I miss my exercise one day I make sure I do it the next.

Here's the deal...we all deserve to be healthy and if weight loss and being healthier is on your goal list this year ...remember the most effective ways involve educating yourself about food , your body type, and learning what is going to work for you, incorporating it into your lifestyle so that it works for you and is something you enjoy. Set yourself up for success right from the start..there are many good resources out there take advantage of them...ask questions!

Slick marketing , fancy gadgets, and fly by night diets don't create healthy lifestyles..they are short term solutions to a bigger issue...hard work, dedication, education, commitment and good support are the foundation to maintaining momentum throughout the year and your life!

Wishing you good healthy and happiness , I know I would like you to be around for a long time..life is for living!

xo

Reference sites:
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Recipes.aspx

http://www.canada.com/life/Clean+eating+look+food/1639529/story.html

http://www.commonsensehealth.com/

http://www.obesitynetwork.ca/

http://www.canadianliving.com/health/nutrition/nutrition_on_a_budget_learn_how_to_save_money_on_healthy_food.php