Stress is a part of life, but where does stress come from?  What is the origin of stress?  This is a question that many people ask but can never quite pinpoint it.

Where Does Stress Originate?

If you ask 10 people where their stress comes from you’re likely going to get answers such as their kids, family, work, and especially money.  These are stress factors that are common to most of us.  Yet, when you receive these answers and really understand them you’ll notice that these are causes of stress but not where the stress actually comes from.  So where does stress come from?

There are many different schools of thought about where stress comes from.  The fact of the matter is that stress is our body’s response to the demands that we place on it.  The demands may be physical, mental, or emotional in nature and when we place these demands on our body, chemicals and hormones like Cortisol and Neuropeptide Y are released into our bodies and then we feel stressed.

Stressful Thinking Leads to Stressful Feelings

Some believe that stress can stem from our own minds.  This is true to some extent because we can cause stress through our worries, fears, and anxiety.

We often get into the habit of negative thinking where we can somehow convince ourselves about things that are untrue. For example, have you ever convinced yourself that you aren’t good enough, smart enough, or pretty enough to do something? This negative self-talk creates stress within our own minds. Unfortunately, these thoughts are going on unbeknownst to us because we have come to accept our negative thoughts as truth, even when it’s far from it. This is precisely why we need to begin to tame our negative thoughts and replace them with positive truths.

Stress is a normal part of life so we’ll never be able to escape it. What really matters is how we deal with stress, but we all experience stress differently; hence there’s no universal stress treatment!

Dealing with Stress

As we now know, stress is a bodily response to the pressures and demands that we place on ourselves in every day life.  To limit the negative effects of stress – such as heart attack, breathing problems, reproductive problems, and stomach problems – you need to learn how to actively manage your stress.  There are many simple stress coping strategies that you can employ such as:

* Getting more exercise
* Using positive self-talk
* Getting more restful sleep
* Eating a healthier diet
* Knowing your work limits
* Saying no when you need to
* Asking for help
* Creating time for fun
* Using positive imagery
* Employing deep breathing techniques
* Listening to calming music
* Clearing your life and workspace of clutter
* Keeping things simple

These are all effective ways to deal with the stress in your life, however, you need to remember that the goal is to proactively manage your stress.  If you react to your stress, you’ll be spending most of your time putting out fires.  Instead, if you constantly implement just a few of these stress management techniques, you will live a healthier, happier, and more productive life!

What many people don’t know is that stress is a state of being that negatively impacts the body. In fact, stress has a bigger impact on our bodies than most of us realize or care to acknowledge.

Facts About Stress and Your Body

There are some downright scary facts about the toll that stress takes on the body.  When you look at these facts it is hard to deny that we all need to learn how to manage our stress more effectively.  Some of these facts include:

* 43% of all adults have health problems related to stress
* 75-90% of all doctor visits are stress-related
* 82% of workers are at least a little stressed in the workplace
* Stress is known to cost American businesses more than $300 billion each year

Seven Ways In Which Your Body is Affected By Stress

There are two kinds of stress. The “good” stress is called eustress but we generally only hear about the “bad” stress known as chronic stress or distress.

Chronic stress gradually affects your health at first; in fact, you may not even notice the symptoms at all! And if the stress is not managed, the symptoms will get worse and its effects may even be irreversible.

Seven ways in which stress may manifest itself in your body are:

1.    Depression.  When you are stressed out, it is very common for people to become depressed.  There are only so many chemicals in the brain to help a person deal with stress, and when they are used up, they’re used up.  This can lead to a person becoming profoundly depressed in what seems like a relatively short period of time.

2.    Anxiety.  Those who are stressed are likely to deal with uncontrollable levels of anxiety.  Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand, and this can cause many different changes in the physiological functioning of the body.

3.    Heart disease.  Stress is very closely linked to heart attacks and death associated with cardiovascular disease.  When stress is not managed, the body breaks down quickly and the heart is often profoundly impacted.

4.    Diabetes.  Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing epidemics in the world and both mental and physical stress can cause rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The long-term effects associated with this include heart disease, blindness, liver problems, kidney disease, and more.

5.    Hair loss.  We often tease our friends and family when they begin to lose hair, but this can be a symptom of unmanaged stress.  If your hair is falling out prematurely don’t blame genetics, look closely at how you are dealing with the stress in your life and see if there are things you can do to control it more effectively.

6.    Obesity. We often cope with stress by consuming unhealthy, fattening foods.  Plus, stress prohibits the control of necessary chemicals that are needed to break down fat, which can lead to obesity.

7.    Sexual dysfunction.  Stress is one of the most common reasons associated with impotence in men.

As you can see, stress can affect your health in many ways. This is by no means an all-inclusive list of how stress affects your body and health.  You may also suffer from hyperthyroidism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, tooth and gum disease, ulcers, and even cancer. Stress is serious stuff! This is all the more reason to start actively managing your stress today.

You know you need to make some changes to your organizational habits if you see piles of papers, files, or junk in every nook, corner, and crevice.  Once clutter takes over your workspace it’s time to fight back with some clutter-free organizational tips!

Creating Your Clutter-Free Office

A clutter-free office starts with the desire to get rid of the clutter. Every morning make it a goal to put away (or toss) ten things that are not in the right place.  You can use this strategy anywhere – at home, in the car, or at work – and you’ll notice a huge difference on a day-to-day basis. If you’re rather motivated, try removing 20 or more pieces of clutter. Think of how many pieces of clutter you could eliminate if you spent half an hour to the problem!

You also need to come up with a filing system for papers.  Paper is often the worst clutter culprit, and if you come up with a way to deal with all of the paperwork, you’ll find your office to be much easier to work in. This is often as simple as having “in”, “out”, and “to be filed” boxes.  Getting the paperwork off the desk will change the whole look and feel of your space.

Empty your garbage bin at least once a day. You probably already do this if you have a cleaning service at work, but if not, make sure you do it regularly. You also need to make sure that you have an adequate-sized wastebasket. If you don’t, you will find trash all over the place. Not only would this be distracting, but you’ll have a bigger job on your hands than if you had just emptied the bin to begin with!

Computer De-Clutter Tips

Make sure that your computer is clutter-free, too! It’s easy to store everything on your computer, but it still counts as clutter, even though it’s virtual.  Remove any unused icons from your desktop, empty your recycle bin, and make sure you check for viruses and spyware to ensure your computer is running smoothly.  Having virtual clutter on your computer will slow you down and distract you just as much as having real clutter in your office.

A clutter-free office really is a more productive office.  You need to make sure you implement one or all of these strategies so you can maintain a clutter-free office, day in and day out.  It may take some time and effort to get rid of the clutter and keep it that way, but the work will be well worth it because you’ll feel better, find things faster, and get a whole lot more done in less time.

There is seemingly endless products and foods available that can help you live a healthier lifestyle, but there is often little focus on mental health, and most specifically, positive self-talk.

Positive self-talk is a simple technique that doesn’t cost any money or take much time. You can begin to immediately implement this strategy as soon as you are ready to make a positive and healthy change in your life. Why should you live an unhealthy life? You deserve much better than that!

How Positive Self-Talk Indoctrinates You with Positive Thinking and Action

Positive self-talk is not something that a lot of people tend to take seriously. The process actually is quite simple, but it takes some dedication. You have to want to live a more positive lifestyle for this to work, and you need to believe that you can change your life. In essence, you are changing your inner dialogue when you implement positive self-talk techniques.

If you are having a bad day and negative thoughts are running rampant in your mind, it not only affects how you think and feel, but it also affects how you react to situations throughout the day. For example, if you’re feeling unusually down or negative, you might find something to complain about, even if it’s the most trivial detail! That’s how much a negative attitude can affect how we think, feel, and react.

Just as negative thinking begets negative action, positive thinking begets positive action. When you have moments of doubt, you can respond with something positive instead of allowing those negative thoughts to affect how you feel.  The bottom line is that it’s a conscious choice you have to make. Are you willing to choose the positive?

Using Positive Affirmations to Combat Negative Thinking

Many people use positive affirmations or ideal statements when they are coming up with responses to the negative thoughts. If you are having negative thoughts about your life, for example, you can respond with the affirmation: “I am worthy of being a happy and satisfied person.” This simple statement really can turn your thinking around and make positive thinking your way of thinking.

Most of us don’t realize just how negative we really can be until we start using positive self-talk.  When your goal is to reply with at least one positive thought to every negative one, you will become very aware of the negative dialogue that runs through your mind all the time. You may also find that you have much to be happy about and that your life is really quite good!

Utilizing the power of self-talk will be an eye-opening experience and one that will allow you to concentrate on all the great things in your life. This will help you leave your old, negative thought process behind, one thought at a time. If you would like to live a happier and healthier life, you can through the power of self-talk!

How Your Diet and Stress Are Related

* When you’re stressed out you’re more likely to either over-eat or under eat. When you do either of these things you are negatively impacting your blood glucose levels and your moods may swing violently, which will only create conflict and intensify your stress. Unfortunately, most of us don’t realize how we can sabotage ourselves with food! Once you become aware of your stress response, you can make the choice to change it.

* Food cannot cure stress, but it can help. When you eat nutritious foods you are giving your body what it needs to deal with your daily demands. In other words, when you eat the proper foods you are giving your body the fuel it needs to make it through common stressful situations. When you predominantly eat sugars and fats in your diet, your body doesn’t have all of the nutrients and energy supplies needed to deal with stress, so instead, you’re more likely to feel grouchy, tired, or anxious.

* Stress breaks down the immune system, while the right foods can help support it.  Time and time again, studies have proven that stress makes our immune system weaker, leaving us exposed to dangerous viruses, bacteria, and illnesses.  It has also been proven that when you eat the right foods you’re helping your body build and maintain a healthy immune system. The key here is simple: Eat right, feel great!

Your Stress and Your Diet

When you look at all of the ways that stress and diet are interwoven, it’s hard to deny the fact that the foods you eat affect how you think, feel, and react. After all, an unhealthy diet not only stresses your body, but your mind as well. A good starting point is to evaluate your daily diet and make one change at a time to create that healthy lifestyle you deserve.

Not Just the Diet

A healthy and balanced diet can help you manage stress much more effectively, but simply eating right is not enough to help you deal with stress.  There are many different things you can do to help control and manage your stress such as:

* Getting 7-8 hours of sleep at night
* Making time to relax
* Having a support system
* Knowing your limits
* Proactively planning and organizing
* Being able to say no

These are just a few stress solutions that, in addition to healthy eating, will help you limit and control the stress in your life.  When you incorporate even just a few of these healthy living strategies into your life, you’ll find that overwhelming stress is a thing of the past; and the weight will be lifted off your shoulders (and thighs!)

Creative Thinking Begets Creativity

Creativity allows you to become who you want to be. If you cannot release your creativity, you may feel your professional growth stunted, or you may not be able to think as clearly as you would like to. Many of people don’t realize the importance of creativity until they are taught to tap into it through creative thinking.

Are you wondering how you can get started with creative thinking? You can begin with simple exercises like going through magazines and cutting out random images. You then can glue them all to a paper or a board without thinking about it – just let your creative juices flow! Finally, step back and see what your mind has created. You may be impressed and surprised with yourself. This surely will help you tap into your creative energy.

Listen to Something New

Another way to jump-start your creative thinking is by listening to music. Put on an album that you are unfamiliar with or borrow a friend’s CD. When you listen to something that you have never experienced before, you may find that you are changing your definitions of creativity and are lighting your creative fire at the same time.

Get Creative By Getting Your Groove On

Dance! Creative thinking often starts with an active body. Put on a CD or go out to a jazz club. Try a dance class, or enjoy the movement of your body in your own living room. Whatever it is, do something to get up and get going! You will be surprised at how creative you’ll feel afterwards. You may feel inspired and ready to tackle new and exciting projects. Or perhaps you’ll find that your workload isn’t as daunting as it first appeared. After all, you’ll be relaxing while having fun!

Write Your Heart Out

Another option is to set your timer for 15 minutes.  From the minute you press start, you should write freely. Write whatever comes to mind without thinking about it or planning. Then step back and see the creativity that flowed from your mind to your hand, and then to your pen and onto the paper.

Yet another awesome way to boost creative thinking is through affirmations. These positive statements can help you remember what it is to be creative and how wondrous it feels when creativity flows through you. You can create a list of affirmations for yourself such as, “I feel an intense flame of passion for things that interest me,” that can help you tap into the creative person that you are, even as you deal with everyday stresses.

Stress Tips For Every Mother

Get the kids on a schedule.  The best thing that every mother can do for herself is to get her kids on a schedule and keep them on it.  When you try to stick to a routine you’ll feel more comfortable handling breakfasts, lunches, naps, and bed times.  When you don’t have a schedule, you may begin to feel scattered or disorganized and your stress levels will increase exponentially!  Things are always unpredictable when kids are involved, but when you have even the simplest structure, your days will be a little more predictable and you’ll save your sanity!

Don’t be afraid to put yourself in time out.  Many mothers feel like they just have to keep pushing forward when they are about to come unglued.  Moms get stressed and often need to take a breather, just like kids!  Instead of continuing to push forward when you are about to snap, walk into another room and just breathe deeply for a few minutes.  While you are breathing, picture how you would like to respond to the situation and then remind yourself that it is important for you to follow through in a calm manner. After all, you’re a role model for your children.  A minute or two in “time out” can make for a great day for the whole family!

Eat healthy.  If you ask 100 moms what their diets are like, at least 85 of them will look at you and cringe.  Unfortunately, there’s a tendency to just eat what you can, when you can.  Even if you are on the go you need to make a conscious effort to eat well.  When you eat nutritious foods, you are providing your body with the energy it needs to keep up with your kids and cope with the stress you encounter every day.

Create a support system.  Teaming up with other moms makes a great support system.  Even if you can’t get together every couple weeks, it is nice to know that you have someone you can call who won’t question your abilities but will just listen and empathize.  All mothers feel the stress that comes with the job, so make sure to surround yourself with other moms that will be happy to listen to you when you need a shoulder to lean on; and be sure to return the favor!

Make time for yourself.  As a mom, you may forget that you’re important too! This is why you need to make time for yourself every day.  You may think that there is no time, but there is if you get help or if you sneak in some relaxation after the kids go to bed or before they get up.  Give yourself a manicure or pedicure, drink that cup of tea slowly, read a book, take a long bath, or get a massage.  Your relaxation time doesn’t have to be extravagant, but it needs to be there.  Even 15 minutes every day can make all the difference!