Stress Management

Tom Sawyer does what behaviorism, such as PBIS, can never accomplish

On February 28, 2017   /   Blog, Learning, Stress Management  

Tom Sawyer was a better psychologist than any behaviorist. Behaviorism relies on external approaches to control. In contrast, Tom inspired others to whitewash Aunt Polly’s nine feet high, 30 yards long fence. Here is how he did it—using an approach that behaviorism NEVER considers.

On the Saturday morning Tom was engaged in the project, Ben was on his way to the swimming pool and commented to Tom, “What a shame you have to work on Saturday.”

Tom replied, “This is not work. Work is something you are obliged to do.

Besides, I don’t think there may be one, maybe two in a thousand who can do the work the way Aunt Polly wants it done. She’s not too particular about … >>>

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Exercise: The Best Stress Reliever

On February 28, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

It cannot be stated strongly enough that physical activity is a great stress reliever. Exercise plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. But you don’t have to be an athlete or spend hours in a gym to experience the benefits. Just about any form of physical activity can work as a stress reliever. Exercise can burn away anger, tension, and frustration. Exercise releases endorphins that boost your mood and make you feel good. And it can serve as a valuable time out from your daily cares.

Aerobic exercise, in particular, can be one of the most effective approaches for dealing with stress. It can improve your cardiovascular system and decrease your anxiety level. Experts recommend … >>>

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Visualization Reduces Stress

On February 23, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

In my new book, Live Without Stress: How to Enjoy the Journey, I assert that visualization reduces stress. To that end, visualization—creating mental images—can improve the quality of life. Why? Those who use visualization attain a more positive energy level because it increases the sense of emotional well-being.

Think about this: Before the first airplane was built, there were many people who visualized human flight. Before smart phones were developed, Internet communication with a hand-held device had to be visualized. There is no doubt that visualization is a critical cornerstone for any goal to be achieved.

A Basic Understanding of Visualization

Until just over 100 years ago, no person could ever tell another person the same story. For example, … >>>

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Laughter is the Best Medicine

On February 21, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

You’ve probably heard the phrase, laughter is the best medicine. That’s because laughter reduces stress. Humor and laughter trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being that reduces the negative effects of stress. Laughter makes you feel good. It’s infectious, and the sound of roaring laughter is contagious.

The good feeling that you get when you laugh remains with you even after the laughter subsides. Laughter is engendered through humor, which helps you keep a positive, optimistic outlook in difficult situations, disappointments, and loss. And this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use. All this combined are why the old phrase, Laughter is the best medicine, is so true.… >>>

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Does Helping Others Lead to Stress?

On February 16, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

Helping others is a natural human instinct. And while most of us want to be kind and help others, sometimes we go too far and take on other people’s problems. This is a recipe for stress. Chances are your life is busy and stressful enough. The last thing you need is other people’s stressors resting on your shoulders.

Of course, this does not mean we shouldn’t help others. Quite the contrary. Helping others is vital to the success of our society. No one is an island. We all need help from time to time. The key is knowing how much help to give.

I’ve found that sometimes the best way to help people is to stop helping them.

The Right

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An Easy Way to Reduce Emotional Stress

On February 7, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

Although we all encounter experiences that prompt feelings that lead to emotional stress, these feelings need not control us. Realize that I’m not talking about stopping emotions you feel about a situation. You cannot stop an emotion directly!

You may have heard someone say, “You shouldn’t feel that way.” But the person cannot help it. I repeat to emphasize the point: No human can directly stop an emotion. That’s why emotional stress occurs. However, there is a way—a rock solid way—to control emotions, as shared by my experience below. I suggest that you visualize the scenario so it will go into long-term memory.

One day when I was an elementary school principal, a kindergarten teacher contacted the office for assistance … >>>

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Positive Thoughts are the Key to Stress Management

On February 2, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

Did you know that positive thoughts are the key to stress management? It’s true! Your mindset affects your stress level. In other words, what you think—whether positive or negative—will trigger certain emotions, which will then either invoke stress or reduce it. Your mind is a powerful tool in your stress management arsenal.

I was brought up on the principle my mother instilled in me: “If you can’t say anything nice about a person, then don’t say anything at all.” She knew the value of positive thoughts!

I extended this admonition to refer to my own self-talk. As such, I continually said to myself, “If I can’t say something nice to myself about myself, then don’t say anything at all—unless I … >>>

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Information Overload and Stress Management

On January 31, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

In today’s world of social media and 24/7 news, information overload is real and potentially doing more harm than good—causing many to make poor decisions and feel an overwhelming amount of stress.

How is this possible? Science tells us that with too much information (aka – information overload) people’s decisions make less and less sense and their stress level rises. This may seem counter-intuitive at first. After all, isn’t getting all the facts in the best interest of everyone? And if some information is good, then more information is even better, right? Wrong!

Here’s a fact to consider: Decisions requiring creativity benefit from letting the problem incubate below the level of awareness, something that becomes ever-more difficult when information never … >>>

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Let Go to Reduce Stress

On January 26, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

Sometimes you need to let go of old thinking to reduce your stress levels. Unfortunately, most people have a hard time letting go of outdated thinking and old techniques.

Consider the following story. An expedition of scientists went on a mission to capture a Tonkin snub-nosed monkey. Only an estimated 100-200 of this particular species exists, and they reside only in the jungles of Vietnam. The objective was to capture one of the monkeys alive and unharmed.

Using their knowledge of monkeys, the scientists devised a trap consisting of a small bottle with a long narrow neck. A handful of nuts was placed in it, and the bottle was staked out and secured by thin wires attached to a tree. … >>>

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Make a Paradigm Shift to Reduce Stress

On January 24, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

Sometimes, making a big change in your life requires a paradigm shift. Stephen Covey, in his classic book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, refers to his now famously used term, “paradigm.” He writes: “A paradigm is like a new pair of glasses; it affects the way you see everything in your life.”

For many people, the three practices that I teach to reduce stress are a paradigm shift in how they think.

Three Practices Lead to a Paradigm Shift

  1. The first of the three practices is positivity—in other words being positive with oneself and others. We know that we do better when we feel good, as contrasted to doing good when feeling bad. With this in mind,
… >>> READ MORE >>> →
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How to Combat Student Stress

On January 12, 2017   /   Blog, Stress Management  

These days we can see an unprecedented level of student stress. Between school expectations, numerous extracurricular activities, peer pressure, and social stress, students of all ages are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and just all-out stressed. And just as stress is hard on adults, causing both physical and emotional symptoms, it’s equally as hard on children who may not have yet developed any positive coping mechanisms. If you notice your child exhibiting signs of student stress, try these three quick tips.

1. Practice Positivity

Positive communications elevate the spirit; they offer encouragement and support. They send the message that the other person is capable of handling challenges. Positivity creates hope and prompts feelings of being valued, supported, and respected. Because being positive … >>>

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Overwhelmed and Stressed? Try This

On January 10, 2017   /   Stress Management  

Have you ever felt overwhelmed and stressed but didn’t know exactly why? Of course you have. We all have at one time or another. Unfortunately, when these situations occur, most people attempt to treat the symptoms of their feelings rather than address the situation itself. It’s important, though, to uncover what’s causing you to feel overwhelmed and stressed, rather than just treating the symptoms.

Here is a short story to illustrate my point: A teacher walked into her classroom after a rainy weekend and discovered a puddle of water in the middle of the floor. She called the custodian and told him what was wrong. He came and mopped up the puddle. The next morning, the scenario was repeated.

When … >>>

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Body Posture Affects Emotions

On December 29, 2016   /   Blog, Stress Management  

Your body posture can greatly impact how you feel. Striking the correct body posture can also help you reduce the amount of stress you feel. Researchers at both Columbia and Harvard Universities have found that you can manifest your personal power simply by focusing on your body posture. They found that certain postures make people feel more commanding while other postures invoke feelings of stress or sadness.

The researchers found that cortisol and testosterone levels significantly change for most people after they stand in high power positions. In other words, when you stand firmly on both legs with your shoulders back and chest out (think Superhero pose), you’ll feel better and more positive about yourself and your situation.

Conversely, testosterone … >>>

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Choose Your Response During Stressful Situations

On December 27, 2016   /   Blog, Stress Management  

Stressful situations are bound to happen. But no matter what occurs, you can always choose your response. Consider this true story.

I was comfortably seated in an airplane ready for take-off on a flight to California. I had just started reading my book when the pilot announced a two-hour delay. Los Angeles International Airport was fogged in.

After a few minutes of additional reading, I looked up from my book. I was one of the few passengers who had not deplaned. Even with a good read, adding two hours to the flight seemed a little long to remain seated. I left my materials in the overhead storage compartment and returned to the airport terminal.

After a half-hour of strolling and … >>>

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Improve Your Listening Skills to Reduce Stress

On December 22, 2016   /   Blog, Stress Management  

How developed are your listening skills? Without good listening skills, you could be making your life much more difficult. The fact is that so much stress occurs when people don’t listen to each other. Listening—really listening—to others can improve relationships and make life much more enjoyable. To make this happen, though, you need to engage in true listening, or what I call “empathic listening.”

When it comes to listening, “active listening” is a term with which most are familiar. It means constructively engaging in the act of interpretation while capturing the information being presented. Stephen R. Covey in his classic book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, points out that most often we do not listen with the … >>>

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How to Resolve Conflict

On December 15, 2016   /   Blog, Stress Management  

Wouldn’t you love an easy way to resolve conflict with others? The fact is that disagreement between people is bound to happen. And disagreement causes so much stress! We see it happen every day, especially on social media. Whether it’s online, in the news, or while conversing with a friend, whenever someone expresses a viewpoint that is different from our own, arguments and stress often occur.

But why?

Why is a differing opinion so stressful? Why do many people insist that everyone think like they do? Why should a difference of opinion cause stress? Why is it so hard to resolve conflict?

Unfortunately, I don’t have the answers to these questions. And even if I did, I’m sure some people … >>>

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Optimistic vs Pessimistic – Which are You?

On December 8, 2016   /   Blog, Stress Management  

Optimistic vs pessimistic – Which are you? While it’s natural for everyone to flip flop and take on either of two roles during key points in life, chances are there is one side you lean to more than the other. Hopefully it’s that of an optimist!

Optimists are more than just positive people. They are also healthier! Research shows that being an optimist is associated with a healthier immune system and an ability to better cope with physical pain. Other studies have connected a positive attitude to a quicker recovery from heart surgery and a reduced likelihood of re-hospitalization, as well as to a superior ability to handle the emotional upheaval of life-threatening illnesses like cancer.

Optimistic vs Pessimistic –

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The Importance of Friendship

On December 6, 2016   /   Blog, Stress Management  

The importance of friendship cannot be overstated. Having strong relationships with others (aka: friends) is vital to maintaining good health. In fact, according to health researchers, friends are good for your health because they:

  • Increase your sense of belonging and purpose
  • Boost your happiness and reduce your stress
  • Improve your self-confidence and self-worth
  • Help you cope with traumas, such as divorce, serious illness, job loss or the death of a loved one
  • Encourage you to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise

As if those findings aren’t enough to highlight the importance of friendships, research further finds that adults who develop strong friendships have a lower risk of health problems, including depression, high … >>>

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