Thursday, December 24, 2009

Well Wishes for the Holidays and New Year's

GSimms
http://fyi-healthandwellness.blogspot.com
Reprinted with permission from
GSimms-HealthandWellness.com

Over the last two months, I've written quite a few articles about gratitude. And while thinking about them today, it dawned on me to ask, "what are you grateful about?" Feel free to send a comment and share.

It's that time of the year and I know that many people find themselves bummed out because the economy doesn't allow them to spend lots of money. Many people are out of work and are doing everything they can to survive.

I guess the mindset of not feeling whole because of your inability to participate in the maddening shopping mall parades highlight the doldrums that make an otherwise festive season the prescription of depression.

Come on folks. Lighten up.

I am truly happy and grateful about a number of things.

I'm grateful for being alive and look forward to the continuance of being productive and relevant. I'm grateful for my health and sanity. I'm grateful for my mom--she's 84 and still spry. I'm grateful for my daughter--she's a special youngster and has grown to be a very interesting young adult. I'm grateful for those people that I call friend--I can only shake my head about this group of twisted individuals. And of course I'm grateful for the special person in my life--I can write a book about her...hmmm, that's an idea. Perhaps I will.

Anyway, I look forward to next year and all of those opportunities to share and inform...to write and educate...to teach and entertain...to learn and grow.

In the spirit of the holiday season, here is a link to a site that's featured in my book, "The Top 25 Things You Can Do to Change Your Life for the Better...Forever". At the link, you'll find my rendition of the Christmas Song. Let me know what you think. I was told that I have a future as a vocalist. Hmmmm, imagine that. Anyway, please enjoy. http://www.singsnap.com/snap/r/ba1268bcb.

Happy Holidays to you all.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Stress: Have You Looked At Yourself Lately

GSimms
http://fyi-healthandwellness.blogspot.com
Reprinted with permission from
GSimms-HealthandWellness.com

How many times have we dealt with someone and walked away mumbling, "he ought to take a chill pill...whew!!!"

My point is--it's easy to identify stress in other people. But the million dollar question that you should ask and then answer is--have you looked at yourself lately?

It is unfortunate that we normally allow our personal stress to linger for far too long. We typically will make an effort to do something about our personal stress when it has just about gotten out of control. By this time, you are often at that point where perpetual rage has set in. Not good.

There are huge benefits to be enjoyed if you learn to manage or eliminate stress from your life. This is one of the topics that I wrote about in my book, "The Top 25 Things You Can Do to Change Your Life For the Better...Forever".

In that chapter, I highlighted how it is important to control your stress if you seek the maximum levels of health and wellness. When you allow your stress to control you, the inevitable downward spiral takes place. Before long, you will feel and look as if you've been depleted of your life source.

I'm sure you've seen people that you are acquainted with somehow and noted, after not having seen them in a while, how much they seemed to have aged.

Stress is a mighty foe...a major combatant...principle ravager of quality of life and health and wellness. Left unchecked, it causes unnecessary spikes to your blood sugar levels, raises blood pressure, causes you to sleep fewer hours, causes you to eat more, causes headaches, stomach aches, back pain and makes you a candidate for long term disease.

So after looking at yourself and acknowledging your stress and stressors, you should think about healthy ways to manage or eliminate your stress.

If you engage in activities or decisions that produce unnecessary stress, your first move is to stop the madness or learn to just say no to those things that you know are going to stress you out. This is that special time when it's good to be selfish about resisting those things (people included) that produce the stress in your life.

Next, it's a good thing to develop and participate in activities that inherently provide relaxation for you.

Maybe music is an outlet for your. Maybe art. Or maybe you have a hobby that you have not enjoyed lately. Perhaps the active participation in those areas or activities might provide some solace from the stress and become the bridge to a better state of mind.

One surefire antidote is exercise. Just 30 minutes of some good 'ol fashioned sweat producing exercise can release a battalion of nature's stress fighting chemicals in your body.

Laughter is always good. Studies have shown that laughter is like a wonder drug when fighting stress. When combined with exercise, it is like having a magical one-two punch that you can count on when fighting stress.

There are several more approaches that will help you back away from your stress. Choose those that work for you and make them a part of your life today.

Resource: "The Top 25 Things You Can Do to Change Your Life for the Better...Forever"
Learn how to manage or eliminate stress while enjoying strategies that will give you a great quality of life. Available in a new ebook at GSimms-TheTop25.com