Stress Management

Feeling self-confident is key to success in any area of life. When you feel good about yourself, you’re more likely to take on new challenges and achieve your goals. Sadly, 85% of people worldwide struggle with low self-esteem. If you’re one of those people, don’t worry! You can do plenty of things to start feeling more confident. Here are four of them.

1. Try Power Posing

You don’t need superpowers to reap the benefits of the power pose. The power pose, or superhero stance, is a simple body language trick that can make you feel more confident and ready to take on the world. All you need to do is stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips, and chin up. As little as two minutes in a power pose can increase confidence and reduce stress.

When you stand in a power pose, it signals your brain to release testosterone or the power hormone. Testosterone makes you feel more self-confident and dominant. It also reduces the stress hormone cortisol. So, not only do you feel better, but you also look better.

Start practising power posing right now, and see how it can change the way you feel about yourself and the world around you.

2. Set Goals

If you feel overwhelmed, try starting small. Set a goal that’s attainable and manageable. For example, making your bed can be a great first step. It’s a simple goal, but it can make you feel good about yourself when you accomplish it. Research has shown that completing small goals, such as making your bed, leads to a greater sense of self-efficacy and improved moods.

3. Consider a Career Change

Finally, if you’re feeling stuck and unfulfilled in your current career, it may be time for a fresh start. A career change can be daunting, but it’s also an exciting opportunity to explore new possibilities. If you’re ready to take the plunge, start by exploring different career paths.

Alternatively, start a business or side hustle that aligns with your passions and goals. This can be a great way to gain some confidence and feel empowered in your career. If you choose to start a business, do your research, and create a solid business plan. The business plan acts as your roadmap and helps you stay on track.

A winning business plan needs to include the following:

• A clear description of your business and its products or services
• Your business goals and objectives
• A detailed outline of your company structure
• A marketing plan defining your target market and how you plan to reach it
• Financial projections and funding requirements

This helps you navigate the early stages of starting a company and increase your chances of success. If you’re feeling lost and uncertain about your career, you can always seek out professional guidance.

4. Stay Confident When Things Get Tough

Confidence is a state of mind, and it can be cultivated. Follow these tips, and start feeling more confident today. If you’re looking for more ways to build confidence, check out these blog posts on Motivation for Success.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this article should be taken as providing financial or legal advice. If you intend building a business, take professional advice relevant to the jurisdiction you are in.

This article contains affiliate links.

Growing up, many of us were encouraged to keep a journal or a diary. We might not have been aware of the benefits it came with but we did it all the same. Writing your thoughts in your little book of secrets seemed so mysterious and exciting until we grew out of it. With the everyday jostle and a busy schedule, sometimes it becomes hard for one to consider writing in a journal. Just like how we become so pumped up at the beginning of the year, we see the need to document our resolutions and how the previous year went, it should continue like that throughout the year. The reason why many of our resolutions are never realized is how we choose not to make a habit of journaling.

One might be wondering why they should keep a journal as it might seem trivial. There are many benefits to keeping a journal, it has been seen to be a great way of reducing stress and anxiety in turn improving a person`s mood. People who keep journals have better mental health and even physical health as the immune system is boosted. It helps you to organize, clarify, and articulate your thoughts. You develop better self-knowledge and problem-solving skills. It even aids with creativity and innovation as you get time to brainstorm on ideas, enhancing the curiosity to learn new things.

Keeping a journal sounds easy, l mean what could go wrong with just writing your thoughts in a book? Plenty of us at some point picked up a book and started journaling maybe for a couple of days and probably just lost interest in the process. It takes a lot of willpower and organization for one to be able to be consistent about keeping a journal. Below are some amazing tips to help you keep going once you start, all the while enjoying the process as well as getting the most out of it.

Always have your journal with you

Your journal shouldn’t be a book for special occasions or just one you use when you want to write something special.  Dump all your thoughts into it. By always being with your journal you give yourself more chances to write in it. You get to scribble down ideas and decisions you might need to get back to. Inspiration can strike anytime. And if you have a journal that you can also color in, it allows you to have something to do that is both therapeutic and relaxing. A coloring journal allows you to plan out your week or further ahead, while also having fun coloring.

Make lists

It is not always easy to make detailed entries in your journal especially when you always have a busy schedule or when you are someone who doesn’t really like writing. A bullet journal will work just perfectly for you. Write lists instead,

• things you like,
• what excited you today.
• Interesting quotes you come across
• bucket lists.

You don’t have to narrate your whole day.

Create a layout that works for you

Write in a way that makes the experience enjoyable, one that allows you to go back at some time and still understand what you were writing about. If you list your goals, things you want to work on, let them be clear also with a specified time frame that allows you to go back to them and track your progress. Include how you plan to achieve the desired goal in well-articulated steps.

Don’t be hung up on perfection

Many times we end up losing the zeal to write because we will be obsessing about doing it the right way. There is no right way to do it. Embrace your thoughts and go wherever they take you, it is alright to be spontaneous. Your handwriting doesn’t have to be perfect, that idea doesn’t have to make sense entirely before you can scribble it down. If you find it difficult to write anything down unless it’s “perfect”, then before you start, write at the top, “no one else has to see this”or  “practice  pages  only”  or  something  else  that  will  encourage  you  to write,  rather  than  edit  yourself  before  starting  to write.

Don’t overthink it…

Write it down no matter how ridiculously big or how small the idea might be. Write about what scares you; your long-term goals, the short-term ones and be sure to always document your wins and celebrate them no matter how small they might be. Keep your journal entries short and easy to follow up on. Use diagrams  or mind maps or speech bubbles or drawings of scrolls or whatever you want to record a few words and make them stand out.

Journal consistently

Make it a culture, it might not necessarily be every day but to make the habit stick it is advisable to write daily and even push it with a specific time you find flexible. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time you give yourself – five minutes daily to write up a few thoughts. You can even choose to write during a specific activity during your day, if you take a bus to work or to school you can even make the bus ride a time for reflection and writing daily. Set reminders if you are one to forget.

Eliminate distractions while journaling

To be in sync with your mind and to able to tap into the creative realm your mind should be free of distractions. Find a serene spot that is relaxing which makes it easier for you to focus. If music calms you down, play some to shut out all other distractions. Or maybe color in and focus on the coloring. It is surprising what useful ideas suddenly start appearing!

No need to make it too serious!

Journaling should be fun. If you love color and glitter, if you are into pictures include some in it. It does not have to be strictly writing. Spice it up to keep it interesting in line with your preferences. Sketch a drawing if you want to.

If you have not yet started the journaling journey, anytime is the right time to do it. Don’t wait for the beginning of the month or the year, start now. Grab a book and get on it, you will not regret it!

Using Massage To Improve General Well-Being

Did you ever wonder about the health benefits of massage, or did you think it was just a luxury item for self-indulgent rich folks with lots of time on their hands for pampering? There are several different types of massage and many ways that massage can help to increase your general well-being.

Some of the most commonly known types of massage are Swedish, Thai, Shiatsu (Japanese finger pressure) aromatherapy massage, and reflexology.

A quick definition of these types follows below:

• Swedish massage typically uses oil on bare skin and long sweeping, or circular, and rhythmical strokes that induce a sense of relaxation, peace, and calm.
• Thai massage may be done with the recipient either naked or clothed: the practitioner uses various stretching maneuvers along with deep finger pressure to reduce tension. It is usually performed on the floor and famously the practitioner walks along the back!
• Shiatsu is typically performed through clothing on a mat known as a futon on the floor. Deep pressure on acupuncture or acupressure points using thumbs, hands, elbows, and even feet may be used. Some stretching but generally less vigorous than Thai massage. Shiatsu works by balancing the distribution of energy throughout the body.
• Aromatherapy massage uses oils blended with essential plant oils whose properties are known to have medicinal qualities. The beneficial molecules get absorbed into the bloodstream via the skin and aid in healing.
• Reflexology is an ancient form of foot massage. Points on the feet relate to various parts of the body and are pressed and massaged to bring about healing in the related body part.

Relaxation

You probably know that massage is incredibly relaxing. If you are into natural highs, or just want to feel better overall, then massage is probably a good choice for you. It can also help you sleep better and relieve stress. So, how does it work? You know that when you have a massage your body quickly softens into a deep state of relaxation. Massage works by relieving muscular tension, increasing blood flow to an area and promoting relaxation.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine point of view, massage helps to alleviate stagnation in the flow of vital energy, or Qi, and improve the circulation of energy. When energy in the body is in flow, health ensues. When energy is stuck, disease is the result.

Massage Benefits

Various studies have found massage to be helpful in reducing symptoms in the following conditions:
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Back pain
• Sports injuries
• Stress
The benefits of gentle caring touch should not be underestimated in and of themselves.

Contra Indications

There are a few contra-indications for massage, which include deep vein thrombosis, cancer, blood disorders, open wounds, severe osteoporosis, and fractures. If in doubt, consult your physician before trying massage.

Benefiting From Massage

A good massage usually lasts about an hour but length of sessions can run from half an hour to up to two hours. A recommendation by word of mouth is usually the best way to find a great practitioner; however, you find them you should check out their credentials and make sure they are certified by a reputable school.
All in all then, massage is much more than a superficial and luxurious way to pamper yourself. Massage can have far-reaching effects on your overall health and general well-being and can be a valuable tool in your self-care regime.
Regular sessions can increase your quality of life by enhancing your mood, reducing the tension you carry, and alleviating an array of physical symptoms.
If you can manage a session, a week you will really notice an improvement in how you feel about yourself; and your motivation and outlook on life will improve, as you feel more comfortable inside your own skin.

How to Deal With Panic Attacks With the AWARE Method
We can all experience anxiety from time to time but for some people, this can evolve into a full blown panic attack. Some of us will experience this at some time in our lives or will know someone who suffers from this and how crippling this worry can be of having a panic attack in a public place or while driving or even that falling asleep could trigger an attack.

Fortunately, there are ways to deal with panic attacks and with the right approach, these methods can be highly effective at getting the problem under control and even preventing them altogether. One such option is to use the ‘AWARE’ strategy.

What is AWARE?
AWARE is an acronym that stands for:
Acknowledge and Accept
Wait and watch
Actions to make yourself comfortable
Repeat
End

The key to this way of controlling panic attacks is essentially to accept that the attack is happening and not to try and ‘fight it’. Instead, you simply acknowledge it and then ‘watch’ it as you go about your business as usual. The very best thing to do when having a panic attack? To continue acting as though it’s not happening. This may not be easy, especially when you first try it, after all, when you first notice a panic attack happening, you may find yourself wondering whether you are having a heart attack. And this in itself can be a highly distressing prospect causing even more anxiety.

This means that someone suffering from a panic attack is not only worrying about whatever triggered it in the first place but also whether it is something even more serious. This can lead to escalation and even in the individual passing out or collapsing.

This is why it’s so important not to try and ‘combat’ the effects of a panic attack through sheer will. Fighting it can escalate it, whereas, by ignoring the panic attack, (after recognizing it for what it is) and by being comfortable and allowing it to run its course you can actually find that it goes away much more quickly. And it is possible that by practising the AWARE approach, you could lose the fear of the symptoms, and it may stop happening altogether.

Of course it is still important to try and remove yourself from any potential danger – which may mean pulling over if you are driving or removing yourself from a public space.

Sleep Well

Regularly getting a good nights sleep makes a huge difference to so many aspects of our lives. Our health, energy, productivity, mood, sex drive – all will be greatly improved by good quality sleep. Stress can cause sleeplessness and lack of sleep can cause stress. It can feel like a vicious cycle!
If you are struggling to get to sleep or feeling as though your sleep quality isn’t good then the following ways to get to sleep might help.

Ban TV

1. Ban screens for at least an hour before bed – two hours would be even better. The back light from screens has been proven to suppress our melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone which is essential for helping us fall asleep. So get rid of the TV in the bedroom and put your phone down an hour or two before bed. Read an actual paper book rather than your kindle.

Cut Down On Food And Liquid

2. Watch your food and liquid intake. Avoiding caffeine is a no brainer. And while a little alcohol might seem to make you sleepy it actually has a detrimental affect on sleep quality. A heavy meal will also make it harder to sleep soundly as your system struggles to digest rich, heavy food.

These help you sleep

3. Certain foods and drinks can aid sleep. According to the BBC good food website drinking milk can help, or eating yoghurt, bananas, oats, tuna, poultry, eggs and peanuts. These all contain good amounts of tryptophan which aids the production of melatonin. Herbal teas such as camomile, passionflower and valerian tea contain mild sedatives too.

Exercise Earlier in the Day

4. Exercise but do it at the right time! Yes regular workouts will aid sleep but there is evidence to show that working out close to bed time makes it harder to get to sleep. If you can fit your workout in earlier in the day then do so.

Routines, Habit and Rituals

5. Routine is important. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day can help you sleep. Performing the same bedtime routine each night can help too. You may een find it helpful to develop your own rites for sleeping – a set of habits you perform each night, to get you into the habit of going to sleep quickly and easily.

Dark is Good

6. Sleep in the dark. In this day and age of street lights and multiple electronic gadgets with lights on them it is unusual to be in a completely dark room. Light interrupts our sleep rhythms. Try to sleep in a fully darkened room. You can buy black out blinds or curtains if needed.

Deal With Stress

If you need help dealing with stress, look at this article. And if your sleep is disturbed by snoring, check out the best way to stop snoring

Try all of these tips and you will be on your way to a better nights sleep.

Stress can be a part of anyone’s life, but for some people, it can be a constant companion. Being stressed all the time is unhealthy for your body and your mind. People with high levels of stress are at greater risk for a wide range of health problems. Stress weakens your immune system and makes it harder to remain positive.

If this sounds familiar to you, then you need to take the time to learn some effective techniques for stress management. By incorporating these methods into your daily life, you can make sure that stress does not gain the upper hand. Use these every day so that you can keep this problem to a minimum.

One simple way to get a handle on things is to keep a journal. Spend a few minutes at the end of the day writing down your thoughts and feelings about what happened. If you had a particularly stressful or unpleasant day, feel free to use this as an opportunity to vent.

By doing so, you can express yourself and blow off some steam. Keeping a journal can also help you gain a better perspective on things. When you take the time to look back at your day, you may realize that things were not really as bad as they seemed at the time. A journal can also give you a record of your stress over time so that you can look for any patterns.

Make time in your life for activities that you enjoy. When you have a busy schedule with a lot of responsibilities, taking time to enjoy yourself may seem too indulgent. However, if you never give yourself some time off, you will quickly become a victim of stress, which will make it more difficult to fulfill your obligations.

Finding a hobby that you enjoy can really help you feel better. This can be something as simple as doing a crossword puzzle or as involved as building a dresser. It does not matter what the activity is as long as you find it relaxing and fun. Schedule some time each week for these activities.

Staying physically active is another great way to beat stress. People who exercise on a regular basis generally have lower stress levels and are less likely to become anxious. Just going for a walk or riding your bike for 20 to 30 minutes a day can have a significant positive impact on your life.

Meditating is another excellent tool for managing your stress. By relaxing, sitting quietly, and focusing on your breathing, you can let all of that stress melt away. Just 10 to 15 minutes of meditation every day will be very beneficial, both in the short term as well as the long term.

Understanding the principles of effective stress management is vital if you want to avoid become worn down by anxiety. You need to make sure that you do not become overwhelmed. With these tools, you can avoid many of the negative consequences of excessive stress.