There are many fun and creative ways to manage stress, aside from the usual techniques like exercise, relaxation, meditation, and counseling. As a matter of fact, the following stress management ideas are not dissimilar from the more common methods in terms of what they accomplish: a sense of well-being, a venue for healthy expression, and a productive vehicle for coping. So if you'd like to explore some new ways to combat stress, try some of the tips below, or use them to develop techniques of your own.
  • Write yourself a letter or a love poem, complementing yourself and highlighting your successes.
  • Take pictures. Step outside yourself and take a look at the world around you though a lens. Snap photos of trees, flowers, animals, people, buildings - whatever it is about your world that you truly appreciate.
  • Create a sacred space. Find a corner or small area in your house and fill it with items that have a relaxing effect on you - candles, incense, artwork, photos, spiritual figures, books, crystals, etc. Make it a comfortable and welcoming space where you go to relax and no stress is invited in!
  • Paint or draw. Express yourself on canvas - or paper! However you choose to manifest your energy in the form of art, run with it! You may even choose to ceremoniously break some old glass plates or trinkets and then reassemble them into a mosaic! Do something conducive to taking negative, stress-causing energy and turning it into a beautiful creation that's symbolic of your calm, positive mentality.
  • Take a class, play a sport, or cultivate a hobby. Anything outside of your normal routine that you have a little time to focus on is a great way to enhance your overall quality of life. After all, it is something you can look forward to - a healthy diversion from the everyday.
  • Cook or bake something delicious for either yourself or someone else. For some people, immersing themselves in the preparation of delicious food is calming in itself. Cook with the intention of nourishing the bodies and souls of those you feed and it will make you feel good.
  • Make a lifetime to-do list. Include things, aside from work-related goals, that you'd like to do in life. Climb a mountain, visit the Egyptian pyramids, skydive, build a house for a family in need, take your children on a cross country road trip, or whatever! Think of things that pertain to your adult life as well as things you always wanted to do as a child. Make a promise to accomplish at least one of these things per year.
Even the most industrious individuals will tell you that it's not easy to stay motivated all the time. There are three main reasons why people lose motivation - lack of confidence, lack of focus, and lack of direction. By learning how to neutralize negative thoughts, nurture motivating thoughts, and focus on the task at hand, you can pull yourself out of a slump before lack of motivation turns into a lack of ambition.

When your motivation begins to wane, regain direction by creating a plan that contains two positive actions. The first one should be a small task you've been meaning to do, and the second one should be a long-term goal. Do the smaller task immediately to generate some positive momentum. Then, take the first step towards achieving the long-term goal – that momentum is building! Doing this periodically is great for getting out of a slump (no matter how big or small), creating positive reinforcement, and getting long-term plans moving.

Ultimately, as long as you're taking action, you're making progress. Talk to yourself as if you were your own motivational speaker or life coach. Tell yourself to tackle a small goal, and then take the rest of them step-by-step. If it helps you to break small tasks down to even smaller tasks, do whatever keeps your brain focused and the momentum going!

Be on guard against the three main killers of motivation discussed earlier. It's inevitable that you'll encounter these feelings, especially during periods of low energy, bad luck, and outright failure. If you don't discipline your mind, these bumps in the road can turn into mental disasters. Keep your motivation intact by being proactive and avoiding the urge to procrastinate. Once that momentum starts to slow down, it can be a real struggle to get it going again.

whether you suffer from occasional bouts of sleeplessness or full on insomnia, you probably know that excess energy, stress, and distractions can affect your ability to get adequate amounts of sleep. Here are a few tips for developing a lifestyle that's conducive to better sleep.

Don't go to bed upset, angry or anxious. Take action in your waking life to reduce stress, anxiety and negative feelings that hinder your sleeping life. Exercise, relaxation, and mediation techniques that are great for sleeping disorders related to stress abound.

If you work and live in the same space, this can affect your sleep. Put some neutral time between work and sleep activities. If you work in your bedroom, place a screen, curtain or some kind of divider between your sleeping area and your work area if possible.

Keep a sleep diary. If you have persistent insomnia, track your diet and sleep behavior to look for patterns.

Comfortable bedding. Your bedding should be comfortable and non-restricting. Use an inviting pillow as well. Natural fibers are best as synthetic fibers can cause static and even electromagnetic interference.

A good mattress. If you have a bad mattress that's old, warped and buckled, you're probably not waking up refreshed from a good night's sleep every morning. A comfortable, supportive mattress, although it could be a bit of an investment, can make a world of difference. If you use a futon, try placing a thick sheet of plywood under the mattress for when you're not using it as a couch.

Stick to a regular sleep routine as much as possible. Go to bed and get up as consistently as you can. Bright, early morning sunlight helps reset the human circadian clock, which is based on 24.8 hours. Getting used to rising early will help you get to bed earlier and fall asleep easier.

Fresh, clean air is indispensable to good health and well-being. Fresh air refreshes the cells, lowers body temperature, improves lung functioning, and kills bacteria and viruses in the air. High concentrations of negative ions are essential for high energy and a positive mood. In nature, negative ions are generated by tumbling water, like waterfalls and ocean surf, and though electrical thunder and lightning storms.

Unfortunately, the average person spends about 90% of their time indoors, often with the windows shut, breathing very little fresh air. If you spend most of your time indoors, whether by choice or not, there are some things you can do to revive the air you're breathing.

Fresh, clean, outdoor air is alive with a combination of positively and negatively charged oxygen atoms. On the other hand, indoor air that has circulated again and again through air conditioning and heating systems becomes polarized, containing only positively charged ions. Indoor air pollution comes from paint, upholstery, carpeting, wallpaper, ceiling tiles, and hundreds of other synthetic products that release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde and benzene – making stale, stagnant air even unhealthier.

What can you do to improve the quality of the air you breathe?
  • Take breaks outside in the fresh air whenever possible, and open windows whenever possible.
  • Place indoor plants throughout your home and workspace. NASA scientists have discovered that many houseplants are able to extract volatile organic chemicals from the air, thus filtering out toxins as well as providing a constant source of oxygen.
  • Get an ion generator and keep it in the room you spend the most time in.
  • Install a decorative indoor waterfall to generate some negatively charged ions that help to purify and recharge the air.
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Unique Uses for Hypnotherapy
Here are a few uses for hypnosis you may not have known about:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - A common problem these days, IBS can be very embarrassing for sufferers. Often this is caused by psychological reasons which have been shown to respond very well to hypnosis in just a few sessions.

Anesthesia - It's possible for hypnosis to induce a partial or nearly complete state of anesthesia, making subjects unmindful of surgical instruments, a state presumptively likened to that of Indian yogis, who can stick needles in their arms or lie on a bed of nails without experiencing pain.

Positive Hallucinations - Hypnosis has the power to generate positive hallucinations - very vivid, realistic images which result in a sensory experience that evokes an emotional response as if the hallucinations were real. This is a powerful form of suggestion that activates the imagination and penetrates the memory, getting past the brain's normal "reality testing" processes.

Pregnancy - Hypnosis can be really beneficial in creating a relaxing effect during pregnancy and childbirth. It also tends to create a positive impression and trusting attitude toward labor and other processes. With hypnosis, stress hormones that cause pain in childbirth are neutralized. On the other hand, pain relieving endorphins are elevated, thus keeping the laboring mother in a state of relaxation in which she is better equipped to handle the physical and mental stresses of childbirth.


Journaling

In the healing arts we talk a lot about journaling, and for good reason. Taking those thoughts that are swarming around like bees inside our heads and committing them to paper is one of the best ways to both channel emotion and accelerate personal development. Have you wanted to start a journal but keep putting it off? Have you started a journal only to abandon it, after several entries, to your desk drawer? Here are a few simple tips for getting your journal - and your emotional growth - underway:

- Get the writing tools that fit you. Are you more comfortable pounding away on your laptop or using old fashioned pen and paper?

-Designate a time and place each day to write. Find space in your schedule and in your home or office where you will not be bothered or interrupted. Aside from the time you set aside each day, you may choose to keep your journal with you for those impulsive moments when you have a thought or idea you simply have to write down.

-Not sure what to write about? Start off by writing down the three words that best describe how you're feeling right now, and then tell why. Write about your dreams, ideas, and desires. Remember, this is YOUR journal, so there's no right or wrong, as long you're being true to yourself. Each page represents a sacred space for you to articulate what's inside you.



Today's Meditation

 

Find a quiet spot in your busy day for a bit of reflection. To aid you along, here's your daily meditation:

When you suddenly
Realize the source of mind,
You open a box of jewels.
Honorable on earth and in the heavens,
You are aloof even
From the joy of meditation.
The essence containing all flavors
Is the supreme delicacy,
Worth more than ten thousand
Ounces of pure gold.

- Fenyang

 
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