Wellness an Antidote in stressful times

If you are like me, you probably are challenged by the multiple and often conflicting, demands that confront us almost everyday of our lives.

Balancing the demands of a career, family, intimate relationships and so on can leave the best of us overwhelmed and beleaguered.

It is no wonder that in recent years our society has been beset by a wide-range of so-called “stress related” disorders, ranging from headaches and various gastrointestinal difficulties to heart disease and cancer. As our world seems to move faster and faster each day, it becomes more challenging to achieve wellness and balance in our lives.

What follows are 10 suggestions offered by Penny Paltz in her book, “Wellness Works!” In it, she offers some of the best and most practical advice I have read on the subject. Try to see which tips relate the most to you.

Rather than trying to master all 10, try to focus on one or two that you feel will have the most important impact in your life.

Remember, it is more effective to focus on progress rather than perfection.

Slow down

As John Bradshaw noted so astutely, we have become a society of “Human Doings” rather than “Human Beings.” Examine how much of what you do in a given day is essential to your well-being and how much is pure busywork.

Slowing down is not easy and requires discipline. We must learn to quiet the incessant chatter in our minds in order to allow our body to rest peacefully by creating quiet time, we are more able to act with intention rather than react.

Clear out the clutter

Everything in life is imbued with energy. Our clutter is no exception. Clutter blocks the flow of positive energy into our life. Clearing out the clutter creates a vacuum that attracts new people, ideas and opportunities.

Cultivate your creativity

Have you ever noticed how naturally expressive children are and how easily they inject their imagination into an otherwise dull situation? Creativity is not about perfection, but expression.

Find ways to cultivate your creativity in your day-to-day life, then watch what happens.

Get moving

Make some kind of movement part of your daily routine. If your job is sedentary, make sure you get up at least once and hour and move around. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. Movement does not have to be strenuous to have an impact.

Pay attention

Practice being fully present in the moment. Rather than multi-tasking, practice doing one thing at a time and give it your full and undivided attention. Your life will be much more balanced and enjoyable if you are fully present for it.

Start a fiscal fitness program

Many people have an unhealthy relationship with money yet do little to change it.

However, what we resist persists, and wishing won’t make our financial problems go away. It can be daunting to face our financial problems, but facing them is far more healthy than not facing them.

Try a little tenderness

Learn to go easier on yourself and others. Learn to laugh at your mistakes.

Remember, it is kindness, not nastiness that is contagious. Play big

Nelson Mandella once said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.” Playing big means showing up for life in all your glory. It involves daring to be fully and completely you and refusing to be limited by others perceptions about who you are and what you can achieve.

When you play big, it gives those around us permission to do the same.

Your life is your message

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “My life is my message.” When we finally understand that everything we say and do reveals something essential about us, we start to live life with greater intention and attention. Remember, Intention + Attention = Miracles.

Tap into your 'wellpower'

Understanding our strengths and weaknesses gives us the insights necessary to live a balanced lifestyle. Willpower implies struggle and resistance, wellpower implies strength and depth. Take the time to honestly look at your life and identify the areas that need work. Then look at how each area affects the whole. Doing so will help you achieve mastery in these areas and will also increase your mental, spiritual and physical well-being.

Tags: Dr. Ray Angelini New Attitudes Health & Wellness

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