A good way of relieving stress is to have a good cry.  You are not weak if you cry but naturally getting rid of feelings that might be damaging your health. Society seems to dictate when we are allowed to cry such as funerals and weddings and women are judged less than men for crying.  Other cultures are more relaxed about crying, for instance, Italians have no such reservation about crying in public. Most of us do cry though more often than we admit.  society though expects us to deal with o... Read Full Story

Image via Wikipedia Driving to work or anywhere for that matter during peak periods can be a very stress experience.  We seem to get all the red lights or they aren’t working, banked up traffic and construction zones.  There is also the noise and pollution associated with driving in the city.  The kids can get bored and restless and you arrive at your destination stressed. I don’t know about you, but for me I really feel anxious especially when others are cutting in to my l... Read Full Story

Image by Behrooz Nobakht via Flickr Like most anxieties we often avoid the problem rather than face it and this is the case with fear of failure.  It is easier not to take the risk so we go in avoidance mode.  We must understand what has made us fear failing in the first place.  Has outside influences had a part in our feelings? An example of this might be that we are told in our youth that we can never do anything right and so be believe it.   Is this outside assessment an accurate on... Read Full Story

Image via Wikipedia I suffer from anxiety attacks!  I don’t want to make that sound like a final statement because most of the time I don’t suffer from anxiety attacks and panic.  It is only when I have let myself get too stressed that I may have them now. Drinking too much coffee, not getting enough sleep or eating properly or a combination of these can also contribute to my having an anxiety attack. These are my triggers and I have learned to recognize what they are and a... Read Full Story

Image by susy ? via Flickr Shyness can often stop us from communicating the way we would like to.   If you suffer from social phobia this can be a problem in your life.  There are a few things you can do though to improve your conversational skills. Here are five tips to help you start: 1.  Listen Listening to what the other person is saying is important and often difficult when nervous as we are concentrating on what we are going to say next, but by listening, this will help you, as y... Read Full Story

Self hypnosis is a technique you can use to help you overcome phobias, bad habits and stress.  Self hypnosis techniques are quick and easy to learn and when you do your own hypnosis you are in full control and that is something that you don’t feel you possess when you are stressed, anxious or panicky. Using auto suggestions is a good start.  Use positive suggestions that are easy to remember. Visualize yourself actually doing or succeeding at this suggestion you are giving yourself.  Do... Read Full Story

Image via Wikipedia We all need to eat but the problem starts when you comfort eat when you are anxious.  Stress and anxiety can be a bad aspect of your life if you react to it by overeating.  This can lead to weight gain and health problems as well.  I was one who was a comfort eater and when things went wrong for me I would take pleasure in my food. Finding out what your stressors are is very important so you are aware of why you are overeating.  Sometimes we can’t change the s... Read Full Story

Food can play a big part in how you feel and improve your mood.  There are some foods that you should avoid as they are not good for your overall mental health.  These include sugar, additives and some colorings, foods high in fat, caffeine and processed foods such as white bread, cakes and some cereals.  When you look at this group of foods they are also not good for weight control either. Good foods you should be eating are fruits such as bananas, oily fish like salmon and tuna and wholegra... Read Full Story

Image by Amit Gupta via Flickr We all need to eat, but the problem starts when you eat for comfort when you are anxious or stressed.  Stress and anxiety can be a bad aspect of your life if you react to it by overeating.  This can lead to weight gain and health problems as well. I was one who was a comfort eater and when things went wrong for me I would take pleasure in my food. Finding out what your stressors are is very important so you are aware of why you are overeating.  Sometimes ... Read Full Story

Did you know you can breathe your way through anxiety? As you get older you no longer get the same amount of oxygen to your lungs as you used to when you were younger.  If you shallow breathe like I do then you will build up more carbon dioxide in your lungs. When you are anxious you also rapid breathe which not only can lead to overall tiredness but is not good for your heart.  It only takes about 5 minutes a day to freshen that stale air that is accumulating and this you can do anytime of t... Read Full Story