Is this the end, or the start of something new?

Its almost the end of 2009, which would also make it the end of the decade. Of course that means its almost the start of 2010 and the beginning of a brand new decade.

Some look at the daily challenges we all face as ends. The end of a job. the end of a relationship. The end of a vacation. The end of the year.

I choose to perceive these things as beginnings, as the start of something new. A successful career, the chance to meet new people, the chance to begin work with new vigor.

Why do I choose this strange path? Well, because I choose to be happy. Endings are generally thought of as sad negative things that imply loss. I prefer to be as positive as possible, even when there is evidence to the contrary.

After all since you’re alive, you might just as well be happy about it:-)

Wishing you and yours prosperity, health, and the very largest of lives in the coming year.
BB
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Health Stress

Health stress can come in many forms, mental, physical and spiritual. When your body doesnt get what it needs, it becomes physically stressed, which causes increased physical and mental stress. It can easily turn into a non-stop vicious circle!

This section will explain how to provide your body what it needs to keep it from getting stressed, as well as what you can do to counteract the harmful effects of stress itself.

Without a doubt eating nutritious meals and regular exercising are the best things you can do for your body. When you feel good and look good, it helps you gain confidence and fight stress as well.

When you eat the healthy foods your body craves, you help maintain it in peak-performance condition: your body, brain, and immune system all work together to keep you healthy and alert and fight off disease.

On the other hand, filling your body with greasy, sugary or over-processed foods purposefully introduces toxins into your body that cause its functions to fail, which prevents it from getting the nutrients it needs to heal itself.

The result is an unhealthy body burdened by increased stress.

Job stress can make your life miserable and can carry over into every other area of your life, if you let it. Reducing stress at work plays a large part in making your job – and your life – more pleasant and fulfilling.

Follow these tips to reduce your on-the-job stress and become happier and more productive:

1. Create a work environment that fosters a healthy lifestyle. Arrange the lighting to reduce eye strain. Keep your desk uncluttered. Get a comfortable chair. Go for frequent “health” breaks. All these little tweaks will make your workplace more comfortable.

2. Associate with positive people. Positive people help bring out the best in you and reduce stress. Rather than gossiping, they see the good in people. Rather than complaining, they find what’s good about the job and focus on that, which makes for an uplifting workplace.

3. Adopt a positive attitude. Let yourself be one of those people whom others enjoy being around. Uplift others and you’ll find your own spirit is lifted as well. Smile and others smile with you!

4. Set realistic goals for yourself. If a project is too big, divide it into easily achievable mini-goals. This sets you up for success every day.

5. Take a tip from Santa and make a list! Each morning, determine your tasks for the day and arrange them by priority. Keep your list where you can see it and cross off each task as you complete it. This gives you a sense of accomplishment which grows as the day goes on.

6. Delegate as much as possible to the best person for the task. This lets you concentrate on the more demanding tasks while others do the legwork. All in all, the team becomes more productive and successful.

7. Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. This is much less stressful than being unable to do something that was expected of you, and then facing the consequences of it not being done or being done incorrectly.

8. Communicate. Open, honest communication can prevent misunderstandings and hard feelings. Even if you feel upset about something, let the person know about it with the intent of resolving the issue peacefully.

9. Take frequent short breaks. Get up, shake out your muscles, and take a short walk outside. This gives your mind a rest while rejuvenating it with some fresh oxygen for mental clarity when you return.

10. Take vacations. You’re more productive and perform higher quality work when you give yourself a chance to get away for a while and relax. A vacation doesn’t have to mean a week at an exotic island. A weekend trip would serve you just as well!

11. Leave your work at the office. When your workday is done, forget about the job and concentrate on enjoying your time away from work. Make it a policy to never take work home with you. It’s much less stressful to come in a little early to get a head start on your day, instead of working all night.

12. Here are some affirmations to help you reduce job stress:
I plan my work and work my plan.
I remain calm at work.
I bring joy to my workplace.
I handle rush projects with mental clarity and efficiency.
I have patience with my co-workers.
I am a success.

1. Ask questions- in order to get ahead, you need to know what you are doing and what you can do differently. You need to take control of your career and ask the right questions. Talk to your co-workers and your bosses about moving up and gaining control of your job.

2. Determine your skills- when it comes to self-improvement in the work place, you need to determine what makes you a good worker. What thrills you? What interests you? What are you good at? Perhaps you are a good writer; perhaps you are a great salesperson. You need to find dig deep within yourself and determine your strengths, which will lead to a successful dream career.

3. Prioritize- at work it’s important to prioritize what needs to be done now and later. It can be easy to do the simple tasks first and push the harder tasks to another day. However, this is going to just bring you more stress in the end. To improve your work schedule, you need to set deadlines and meet these.

4. Keep a schedule- many people carry around a diary or a calendar of their meetings and things that need to be done. This is one of the most important things you can do to keep control of your tasks and make the day run smoother. Do not just schedule work-related events; keep one step ahead of all your daily chores and errands. If you see what needs to be done, the workload can be a lot less overwhelming. Just take it one step at a time.

5. Make a To Do list- at home and on the job, To-do lists are one of the most effective ways to get things done. Make a list of everything, from cleaning the house and laundry, to writing that report and making the presentation at work. One of the best things about To-Do lists is that you get to check off each item once it is finished. Seeing what you have accomplished throughout the day with checked To-Do lists is liberating and therapeutic. It can improve your self-confidence and your stimulate motivation to successfully get the job done.

6. Accept your weaknesses and work towards strengthening them- everyone has weakness. While some people cannot spell without a computer spell check, others are terrified of public speaking. Accept your weaknesses and then work towards strengthening them. You may need to attend a course, put in extra hours and ask for help from your superiors, but all of these things can improve your self-esteem and break the barriers of your weaknesses.

7. Stay away from those distractions- Attention Facebook, MySpace, and MSN users- step away from the social networking! For those who work in an office environment where you are constantly on the computer (and internet), it can be a challenge to stay away from fun distractions such as games and chatting to friends. You need to block these sites to stop yourself from using them at work. This is not good for your self-improvement, and, if your employer catches you, it also won’t be good for your career. Other distractions come from gossipy co-workers and text messages. Steer clear of these distractions to improve your work ethics. There’s a time and a place for distractions- it’s called ‘after work.’

8. Take baby steps- big projects are hard to tackle. However, the hardest part is always starting it. If you have to tackle a big project, break it up into smaller sections. A book is really only several different chapters. Think about this when you need to tackle your next big project. This can make the project a lot less overwhelming and greatly increases your chance of success.

9. Relax, once in a while- it’s okay to take a few minutes during the day for yourself, as long as it is not stopping your productivity. Many people can motor through a 10 hour working day without a break; most people, however, cannot. Use your breaks to their full potential but relaxing and recharging.

10. Take advantage of your peak time- everyone has a certain time during the day that they get the most work done. For many, this is in the morning. For others, this may be after lunch. Take advantage of your peak time by working through the hard tasks then.

11. Stop procrastinating- it’s sooooo easy to procrastinate. But it’s also sooooo bad for your work ethics to do so. Setting daily goals, using ‘To Do’ lists and small rewards for a job well done can all beat procrastination before it beats you.

12. Never stop learning- you are never too old to continue your education. Many people assume that they chose one career path and are stuck with this choice. Not true, especially not anymore. There are so many different ways to increase your education including online courses, distance education and night classes. Book clubs and other clubs can also increase your brainpower and help with self-improvement.

Eating to Combat Stress

The most important rule in healthy eating is to focus on natural, unprocessed foods as close to nature as you can get. Increase your fresh, raw fruits and vegetables and decrease your meat. Eat organically whenever possible. Include fish like tuna and salmon in your diet. Add probiotic dairy foods to aid in digestion as well as help provide an environment where your body can better absorb your nutrients.
Avoid eating when you’re feeling stressed! The fight or flight response to stress causes your blood to flow to your arms and legs for quick action and shuts down your digestive system. This prevents you from absorbing the nutrients from your food and slows down your metabolism. That’s not so good!

Here are some specific foods that help combat stress and its undesired effects:

B-Vitamin foods. The B vitamins are particularly important in fighting stress, depression, and panic attacks. They’re also water soluble, so reserves of them don’t remain in your body. You need to replenish them as often as possible – several times a day./p

These foods have lots of B vitamins to help you fight stress:

Whole grains
Eggs
Milk
Vegetables with dark green leafs – broccoli, kale, spinach
Nuts
Bananas

Turkey.

Turkey contains L-tryptophan, an amino acid which triggers the release of serotonin. Serotonin makes you feel relaxed. This is one reason why we so often feel the need for a nap after Thanksgiving dinner!

Sweet potatoes. This high-fiber, high-vitamin, carbohydrate-rich food is one of the best for fighting stress.

Anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables. Since stress inhibits our immune system, these foods counteract that effect by building it back up again.

Carrots and acorn squash have beta-carotene, a powerful anti-oxidant.

Citrus fruits have lots of Vitamin C to help our immune system and return our blood pressure and cortisol levels back to normal after a stressful situation.

Apricots and spinach. These foods are high in magnesium, which fights stress and is also a muscle relaxant.

Avocadoes. These contain a lot of potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.

Salmon. High in the good fatty acid Omega-3, salmon fights stress effects by leveling off the amounts of adrenalin and cortisol produced by stress, which also helps your heart.