| This "Beat Stress" Process Works Whether | | | | Decide the best things to do to alleviate each |
| You're Healthy or Chronically Ill with a longterm | | | | stress point on your list. You can start at the |
| illness like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, | | | | least stressful and work up to the most stressful |
| Arthritis or some other Autoimmune illness. | | | | if that seems like the place to begin. Some people |
| If you live with high levels of stress, it may be | | | | want to tackle the most stressful one first. It's up |
| time for a personal change of course. | | | | to you. The thing to do is begin. This process will |
| Unanswered stress does nothing good in anyone's | | | | get easier the more you work on it. Running |
| life. This report offers you an effective tool to | | | | away and/or not addressing the problems will only |
| get rid of negative stress. (For the purpose of | | | | give them more power to affect your life |
| this report, the term stress will be considered | | | | negatively. The longer you go before facing them, |
| negative. There is such a thing as positive stress, | | | | the more your problems compound. Call these |
| but that is not the emphasis here.) | | | | items in #4, Mediators. They will help you decide |
| Let's take a good look at stress. It can severely | | | | what to do. |
| impact all aspects of your life including your health. | | | | Step 5: Find the Mechanisms (or plan) to make |
| Complaints of stress and fatigue are the prime | | | | de-stressing your life finally happen. |
| reasons that most people go to the doctor. Over | | | | After you've identified your stressors, ranked |
| a long period of time, excessive stress can | | | | them and found a way to confront each one, put |
| incapacitate you. | | | | the mechanisms, activities, philosophies or life |
| Not taking care of daily stress can lead to ruined | | | | changes into place that will help you finish this |
| personal relationships and job failure. Plus individuals | | | | process. |
| living with excessively high levels of stress are | | | | Example: Let's use a family member and a |
| prone to make bad decisions sometimes even | | | | comedy skit as the framework for an example. |
| irrational decisions, prompting them to engage in | | | | You have this "family member" who is sick, |
| dangerous activities, such as stealing, speeding, | | | | financially broke and/or getting really old and |
| drinking while driving, etc. | | | | feeble physically or mentally. His life has become |
| Let's begin this process of getting rid of your | | | | unmanageable and your spouse thinks this person |
| stress right now: | | | | should come to live in your home. Maybe he |
| Step 1: Find a quiet place where you won't be | | | | should, but that doesn't mean that it won't be |
| interrupted for at least 30 minutes. | | | | incredibly difficult for you, the other spouse living |
| Whether you're sick or well, if you want to | | | | there, too. In watching television shows like I |
| change your life, your actions, your way of | | | | Love Lucy and Family Matters, you know how |
| thinking or general approach to any problem, you | | | | silly and crazy daily life can be in a family. And |
| must step back from it. To be really effective in | | | | sure enough, yours is turning in that direction. Plus, |
| this initial approach, turn off your mind, relax your | | | | if you don't feel well yourself, the last thing you |
| breathing, and meditate or pray. You can even | | | | need is another source of stress. If this situation |
| listen to relaxing music; I personally like native | | | | becomes too much, work with your spouse and |
| American flute music such as Canyon Trilogy: | | | | or reliable family members to find an alternate |
| Native American Flute Music by R. Carlos Nakai. | | | | solution rather than this person continuing to live in |
| Use whatever method lowers your sensory | | | | your home. Even though this process may take |
| awareness and helps you feel the most relaxed. | | | | some time and patience to implement, it will be |
| This is key. (Whatever you choose to do, be sure | | | | worth it to your long term health, your family's |
| no drugs or alcohol are involved. They only | | | | overall stability and for the ailing family member |
| provide artificial sensations and will not help your | | | | who may be feeling the stress, too. Let's call this |
| brain and emotions function well together for this | | | | fifth and final step The Plan. It is the most |
| exercise.) | | | | important step to help you de-stress and find a |
| As you begin Step 1, make sure that neither your | | | | more peaceful existence. |
| mind nor body resist your attempt to relax. | | | | *BONUS: Construct an easy chart and use it to |
| Purposely, consciously decompress. Allow fresh | | | | keep on track (This tool will help you make sure |
| ideas and motivation to bubble to the surface. | | | | that you don't get de-railed trying to de-stress.) |
| Access the place where your emotions reside. If | | | | First, get out a notebook-sized sheet of paper (or |
| you're already stressed (which you probably are | | | | larger). Draw a big rectangular box inside the |
| or you wouldn't be reading this), make a really | | | | margins that will allow you plenty of room to |
| concerted effort. Tone down your normally | | | | write notes. Leave a little space at the top to |
| chatty brain and full-steam-ahead body. Take a | | | | name your chart. At the biggest, widest portion |
| few moments and allow this process to happen | | | | of the box on the top line, write the words, |
| as naturally as possible. You will begin to de-stress | | | | "Getting Rid of Stress," or something like that. |
| simply knowing that you're facing your problems | | | | Feel free to personalize the title. Write whatever |
| and intend to do something positive about them. | | | | will motivate you to take action every day. The |
| Starting a process is sometimes the most difficult | | | | more authentic, doable and important this project |
| step. Start this one and you'll begin to feel better | | | | becomes, the more effort you will give to |
| right away! | | | | constructing and completing the chart and making |
| Step 2: Identify your major sources of stress; | | | | these action points happen. You not only want to |
| write them down on paper. | | | | identify your stressors and know what to do |
| Write 2 or 3 sentences about each one. You can | | | | about them, you want to eliminate the source of |
| write more, but it is not necessary. Just be sure | | | | your stress! (Either right now or as soon as |
| to write down the major points about the | | | | possible.) |
| toughest problems in your life. You will refer back | | | | Second, after you've written your title, make |
| to this list more than once and the more | | | | three vertical columns across the sheet of paper |
| efficiently you compile your thoughts, the easier it | | | | (still looking at it as a wide box). The three column |
| will be to work with them in the following steps. | | | | titles should be listed as 1) Stressor, 2) Mediator |
| Step 3: Take your list and rank each item from | | | | and 3 Plan. By now what goes inside of these |
| most stressful (10) to least stressful (1). | | | | columns may be self evident, but if not, refer to |
| This requires a judgment call and your information | | | | Steps 2 and 3 above for how to determine what |
| may change over time, but that is not important. | | | | is stressing you, Step 4 for figuring out your |
| Make your initial determination about what seems | | | | Mediator and in Step 5, where you decided on |
| most stressful today, medium-range and so on. | | | | what mechanisms to use to make this |
| You may encounter certain details that influence | | | | de-stressing process happen. |
| your ranking system, i.e. panic attacks, migraine | | | | Realize that all of this can be extremely effective. |
| headaches, sleepless nights, job performance | | | | Do it in order, step by step. Give this a real effort |
| issues, overdue bills, people you want to avoid, | | | | because you want to come out of this process |
| etc. Set up your own criteria of what is stressful | | | | with 100% positive results if possible. Try not to |
| to you; these are your personal issues not mine | | | | impose unrealistic time constraints, as everything |
| or anyone else's. It is critical to address your | | | | may not come to a satisfactory conclusion |
| issues at the level of how you perceive them. | | | | overnight. Allow the process time to work and |
| Step 4: Now that you have your list and you've | | | | revise it if necessary. The important goal is |
| ranked them in importance, meditate, study or | | | | systematically, item by item, get it done. |
| pray about what you will do to confront each | | | | Know that self-introspection is tough stuff for a |
| issue. | | | | healthy person; it can be ten times more |
| Yes, this is a difficult step, but it is quite | | | | challenging when you don't feel well. If you suffer |
| necessary. Think of it this way-- if you already | | | | from long term, chronic illness, this becomes an |
| knew what to do about your life stressors, you | | | | important part of the equation to regaining your |
| wouldn't need information on helping you to | | | | health. Don't put this off. Get help from your |
| de-stress. Hang in there. You've done steps one | | | | loved ones or friends if necessary. They want to |
| through three; now you're at the action stage. | | | | see you healthy as much as you want to be |
| Don't be tempted to wimp out or make excuses. | | | | totally healthy and stress-free. |