Up until a few years ago many of my friends and family used to call me “a stress head”. Why you may well be thinking? I basically worried and stressed about most aspects of life.
So what was the cause of all of this stress? Most of the problems were probably due to the fact that I had a stammer/stutter. This speech impediment had developed when I was at the age of four. As you may well imagine it is something that destroyed my overall confidence levels. Therapy for stammering, at the time, was less than impressive which did not exactly help the situation.
Having a lack of confidence affected nearly all areas of my life; not just my speech. I would worry about what other people thought of me, I would stress about my height and my weight. I was so desperate, for whatever reason, for people to like me. I have to say that this now seems so bizarre however at the time I was being plagued by an army of demons that had taken over my brain. It even affected my career which is within the cheap mobile calls and cheap holidays industries.
As I entered into my twenties I decided that enough was enough. I could no longer live in this way – there surely had to be more to life than this.
There was only one person who was going to get me out of the mess that I was in and that person was me.
I started to work very hard at learning how to increase self-esteem for example. I also studied the ways in which the best fluent talkers were speaking in comparison to me in an attempt to eradicate the speech impediment.
Progress was far from quick however after around a year of battling against my demons I did manage to overcome the stutter and I did manage to discover ways to stop me stressing – it is all about attitude and the way we approach life – think positive and believe in yourself!
I am not sure that there is a better business than real estate but I am also not sure if there is a tougher one in today’s market. Home values countrywide are incredibly low and continuing to drop in places. Those in really bad shape now are the ones that bought five or so years ago when homes were way overpriced. Those in really, really bad shape are those who also got into a mortgage that seemed like a good idea at the time but made little sense in the long-term.
Here in California, where I live, people were literally and figuratively banging down doors to get into homes five years ago. And they were paying way more than the homes were worth. I was one of these people. Having just moved to LA and wanting to buy something rather than rent, I spent way too much on a home and got into an interest only mortgage.
I knew I couldn’t afford the place I ended up with. But, they gave me the mortgage so maybe they knew something I didn’t. My house was overpriced and my mortgage was way too pricey and not a good deal at that. I had little equity and no more coming anytime soon. Then, my wife and I had our second daughter and my wife left her job to stay home. We lost her full-time salary and were heading up-creek further without a paddle. We were literally sitting on collapsing furniture with home space heaters at our feet because we couldn’t afford to repair anything when it broke.
As was bound to happen, the housing market and economy collapsed. Our home devalued quickly but our mortgage payments did not. Now, not only could we not afford the home, we couldn’t sell it at a profit and barely sell it at a loss. We went through a bankruptcy to get rid of our debt and decided that to free ourselves up from all financial burdens, we would sell the home through a short sale if we could.
We are currently doing much better renting a home. I hate that we went through what we did but, had we not, we may not have learned some valuable lessons.
I would buy an income property, something that I could put a renter in that would cover my mortgage. I would buy a slight fixer-upper and spruce it up with some cheap home decor accents and maybe a coat of paint. But, most importantly, I would buy something below my price range, taking the renter into consideration and get a mortgage that earned equity and had a good rate either fixed or with a long arm.
This way, I would not have to worry about covering mortgage every month. Plus, my home would have real value and, I could hang on to it long enough to make it a truly valuable resale property, no matter the market conditions.
This article looks into the causes of stress and gives free tips to help you control and reduce your worries. I have, as I am sure many people do, stressed for most of my life for many different reasons. Even though I still worry about many things, I have now learned how to handle many of these situations and will write about how I go about doing this, in this article.
I do not work within the stress management industry and am in fact a personal injury claims expert from the UK. I also work on other projects to do with selling external doors and working with a business cost reduction specialist who offers amongst other things Vodafone Voucher Codes.
I am the kind of person who likes to have a simple and settled life. I would normally start to become a bit stressed when something big is about to happen such as a wedding. I am also somebody that is rather adverse to change; I like the way things are currently so why do we need to change them? This might seem a little crazy to you but I am just trying to tell you the way it is. I am not the kind of person who likes change, therefore things like moving house is something which will cause me a lot of stress. I have actually moved house four times in the last six years, not very clever for someone like me. I am now happy where I live and plan to stay at this abode for a long time.
I am also self-employed. There are many things I love about being self-employed, the fact that I am my own boss, I can choose my own hours, I have no-one to answer or to report to and the all round freedom it gives me. I often stress however that business will go through a bad period and that I do not have the security of a regular income. How will I pay the mortgage? How will I pay my car loan? How will I feed and clothe my children? These are all the things that at times can keep me awake at night.
I now have started to build up a back-up fund in a bank account. At the times when business is booming I am very disciplined at saving a fairly large perentage of the profits. These profits can then be used to help during the not so prosperous periods. This gives me a peace of mind and therefore I do not have to worry so much. Business will go through good and bad periods and this way I can easily cope when it does go slow.
I used to also worry about how I would pay my tax bill at the end of the year, however I have also started to put money away each month similar to the above example, to pay for it.
I now try and think about all of my worries in a logical manner and instead of losing sleep over them I try to find solutions.
I also feel stressed and I am not sure why it is, the day after I have a night out drinking alcohol. In the morning and nowadays since I am getting older, throughout the day, I often feel lethargic and my mind starts to play tricks on me. It makes me feel negative about the future and makes me worry about a whole host of issues. It now takes me around forty-eight hours to recover from a boozy night out and affects my family and work life. I have now decided that I will go out far less and that when I do, I will limit the amount I drink.
These are other things that can cause me to stress:
When I have worked too hard!
When I have had a lack of sleep
During and after an illness
After an argument with my girlfriend
When I am invited to a social occasion which I do not want to go to, such as a wedding
A visit from my girlfriends family for say a weekend
Going on holiday
I am aware that this may seem a little crazy to some of the people that read this article but this is the way life used to be for me. Yes going on holiday does cause me to worry. I do not like flying for a start, I worry that I or a member of my family may become ill or that the hotel may not be as good as what was described in the brochure.
One thing which I am now careful to ensure of, is that I get enough sleep. I must say I love going to bed and I love sleeping. My bed is where I feel safe and comfortable. I used to fall into a trap of working too hard and would then stay up late, possibly watching the television. I would set my alarm to wake me up early and I would then start the whole process over again.
From reading a book about stress management, I discovered that sleep was one of the best forms of stress-relief. I decided to give it a go and I must say it works. I now stay in bed an hour later in the mornings and where possible, I am in bed by 10pm at night.
I am also now attempting to take life in my stride. What happens will happen and I will deal with each challenge on its own merit. I try to deal with potential problems in a positive way and realise that if life was very smooth and easy, that it would probably be quite boring.
I now appreciate what I have in life and instead of looking at the future full of dread, I look forward to what life will bring. I am fully aware of the fact that there will be some tough periods in my life; I am ready for these and am confident that I will be able to cope with them.
Nowadays when I do feel down and miserable, I tend to spend as much time as possible with my children, as they make me happy and can soon put a smile back onto my face.
Discovering how to employ natural methods to cure your panic attacks is without a doubt, one of the best options you have. Natural methods are a lot safer when compared to using prescription medications, that can often cause undesirable side effects. It is possible for anybody to learn how to cure panic attacks using natural methods. In reality, several practical methods have been tried by many people with anxiety, and most of them have had excellent results. You may be amazed at how successful the natural techniques will be at ending your panic attacks, once you have learned how to use them.
Is It a Panic Attack?
Prior to being able to employ natural techniques to cure panic attacks, you have to be able to identify if you are really experiencing a panic attack or if you are suffering from some other kind of problem. While you are going through a panic attack, you might have trouble taking in air steadily, and you may also experience a speedy heart rate or fluttery sensation with an increase in your heart rate. A sensation of suffocation, queasiness, or sometimes even vomiting may also take place.
Are you still wondering How to cure panic attacks naturally? When you are able to identify the symptoms of a panic attack, you can then change your behavior to cause these symptoms to stop. In other words, you need to lean techniques to manage your breathing. This will prevent the chances of hyperventilating and stop the suffocating feeling. You can stop or at least lower the severity of an attack by knowing how to breath correctly. You have to learn to take deliberate, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Along with your breathing technique, thinking joyful thoughts will also help you evade an attack.
Extreme stress can take it’s toll on anyone. So, it is crucial to cut down stress levels as a way of curing panic attacks. This means not becoming too furious when it comes to daily happenings. You have got to do your best not to let things to get you too troubled. You have to learn to take the things that usually get you heated like a grain of salt. This is very beneficial in preventing panic attacks, and it is all natural with no drugs required.
Mental disturbances are the major cause of panic attacks, so it is wise to learn how to cure them by means of natural methods. By taking steps to control the psychological aspect of it, instead of trying to think that your condition is due to a chemical imbalance, you will have an easier way to control your anxiety. You will probable notice that you are able to ward off future panic attacks once you employ the above advice on how to cure panic attacks. When you are able to accomplish this, or as a minimum limit the number of attacks you experience, you will know how to get your life back to normal.
All would accept that job pressure can give you jitters. When you have over demanding bosses on your head requiring you to deal with hectic jobs, you are certain to feel stressed. One obvious way out of such a situation is that you change your job. However, the chances are high that you will have to battle the same problem problem again in the new job too. So, instead of trying to flee such a situation, it is recommended to learn how to deal with the problem of job stress.
The first and the most important measure that you can take to combat job stress is to start the day on the right note. Your stress begins much before you come to your office. Almost all of the time stress builds up when you are running late for the office. This makes you do stuff like eating your breakfast at breathtaking speed and then driving like crazy to escape the traffic blockages. So by the time you manage to reach office, you already have had a lot of stress build up.
So this makes the importance of beginning your day right, all the more vital. It is recommended to wake up early in the morning so that you have ample time with you to control all the household chores well in good time. Give a proper time to your breakfast. It will make you feel active and also help you maintain general fitness. All this will ensure that once you reach without any tensions and worries and thus remain stress free.
Once you have settled well in the office you can begin with planning your schedules for the day. A proper planning will help you forestall the strain build up. Keep a tab of all the work and activities that you have to complete off all thru the day. Start prioritizing. Keep note of the activities that are more important than the others. Perform the tasks in the order of significance. This could make sure that you are relaxed and able to perform your work fine. This in turn will keep you relaxed and therefore ward off the strain.
While being a perfectionist can help you achieve more, you want to guard against expecting too much from yourself. You do not have to undermine your job performance ; instead, you should ensure that you are not overburdened with unrealistic expectations. While perfection is admired, it isn’t obligatory not mandatory for you to aim for the stars with each task that you do.
Take a short break. Working constantly for interminable hours does no good. It won’t just worry you but it will also have an effect on your performance. So , it is vital that you take a short break after each hour or 2. You may either put your head down and relax or go for a walk in the corridor. Listening to your fave music also helps you unwind.
Lastly, maintain a positive attitude at work. You cannot be satisfied or stress free, if you have a negative approach towards things. Even if there are areas of conflict at work or the pressure is too much to handle, attempt to be calm and positive. Maintaining a positive attitude towards things slims down your chances of being stressed.
Stress is something that affects men and women of all ages. It is supposed to be a natural and healthy reaction to seemingly overwhelming circumstances. When we undergo these circumstances, we feel pressured. Our bodies aid us by releasing some adrenalin, allowing us to keep up and overcome those obstacles. This usually happens a lot in the office. When we face a lot of workload, our bodies react in what’s known as the stress response and we are able to finish a task 15 minutes that we would normally be able to do in an hour at the most.
When circumstances persist, however, the constant efforts of our bodies to help us cope are accompanied by side effects. In engineering terms, stress is something exerted on another thing wherein too much can break it. It’s the same thing for our bodies. When we are under too much stress, and it goes on for a longer time, our bodies will start to break. Fortunately, we can relieve the symptoms of stress through relaxation or distraction. Having a positive mindset can prevent the symptoms of stress, or at least reduce its effects.
Relaxation methods are usually composed of yoga postures and breathing techniques. There are also other means of relaxation, such as listening to music. While classical music is suggested, any genre may bring a calming effect on a stressed person (as long as they appreciate the kind of music). Distraction, on the other hand, can take the form of hobby engagement or exercise. Going away for a change of scenery is a part of the distraction method as well. One of the simplest forms of using distraction as a stress reliever is by playing games.
Note that I did not say stress relief games. This is because any game can de-stress in a similar way to how any genre of music can relax a person. There are, however, games designed to relieve stress by taking you out of the stressful moment even just for a short while. These stress relief games for women and men can be enjoyed for just five minutes since they are not that addictingThese stress relief games for women and men can be played for just five minutes since they are not that addicting. They’re also not that hard to learn. You can find a numerous stress relief games online.
If you’re the type who prefers offline games because, say, you want to leave your work desk, then there are other old-school games for you. Word games, guessing games, and card games can be enough to take that stress away. You can also do some crossword puzzles, or sudoku. Stress relief games aren’t that hard to find.
Stress is a natural response that is a part of the reaction called the “fight or flight” reaction. It is brought about by the anxious feeling of having to deal with seemingly overwhelming circumstances. While stress is a result of a reaction to a mentally perceived threat, it can do some damage to you physically if the stressful situation sticks around for a long time and you aren’t able to cope or get over it. Stress management techniques usually involve relaxation, turning your attention to something else, or developing a positive mindset. There are some circumstances though, where certain stress management techniques are inappropriate. This is because we all have different life experiences, therefore different encountered stressors. Also, we have different reactions to stressors when we meet them. For instance, listening to music after a stressful workday may be relaxing for an employee who works in an office, but may not be appropriate for a student who just took an exam. The student may be worrying about the results of the exam and he/she may need to be taking his mind off of it by playing a game, watching a movie, or entertaining a hob. Stress is usually a response if something catches us off guard. This is why in stress management, time management is always included. Careful planning can be made to avoid getting stressed. The planning shouldn’t be overdone, though, as it can cause further stress. When you give importance to your time, you learn how to prioritize and organize. Knowing the importance of your work makes the tasks at office a lot simpler to deal with. For students, they can also try studying a few days ahead of time rather than cramming everything in the night before the exam. Developing time management skills can make you more flexible to other stress management techniques. For instance, if you have a big day ahead of you, you may leave early for work or for school. You can also squeeze in a little exercise by walking the last few blocks to your office. If you’re a student, then you may be able to do a little more reviewing before walking in the exam room. If you are at work, you can start with your tasks a little earlier in order to avoid bringing any more work home. While there are a lot of stress management techniques out there, the skills in time management would apply to most scenarios. It's up to you to use your imagination. You may have heard that, “time is gold”, or “time is money”. In terms of stress, “less time is more stress”.
Subscribe to Success Empowerment Monthly Newsletter
designed to provide informative proven success strategies and recieve our free
ebook plus a