“Some men see things as they are and say “Why?”…“I dream things that never were, and say Why Not?”
~George Bernard Shaw
“Simple and Effective Ways
To Reduce Your Stress Now!”
Presented by Standifer Chiropractic 3314 W. Kiest. Dallas, Tx. 75233 (214) 623-0505
D
allas - In today’s world, it’s easy to feel “stressed out.”
Like most people, you may find it difficult to balance all the tasks that demand your attention. You may even find yourself saying, “If I just had more hours in the day!”
But That Isn’t The Problem!
Amazingly, some anti-stress gurus are saying it isn’t the volume of tasks that make stress unmanageable. Stress takes over when the tasks that keep you busy don’t align with your value system.
Donald A. Tubesing, in his book Kicking Your Stress Habits, focuses on what it means to be aligned with your values. It essentially means you live in a way that your commitments or tasks that take the majority of your time are connected to what is most important to you.
Yes, you may be overwhelmed with finances, your family’s needs, work responsibilities, housekeeping, and a myriad of other things. But here’s the good news: when your activities and workload are aligned with your values, stress IS reduced!
Really, you are changing your mental state. You are creating love and joy and commitment behind all you do. For instance, if grocery shopping is just one more thing on your platter, consider your shopping experience when you focus on your love for your family. This is really why you shop. This necessary errand is core to your value system!
You can examine all your activities and commitments like this. Write down where you spend
your time; driving your kids to lessons, attending work meetings, buying groceries and cleaning the household, going out with friends, working late at the office, joining local committees, organizing your home or office, helping your neighbors. What activities fill your days?
Next, examine your “alignment factor” states Trish Manwaring of Simplify For Life Inc., a coaching and training organization specializing in training people to prioritize. “You know what your tasks are. Now you want to see if they are aligned with what is important to you.” If devotion to your family is one of your core values, do you spend a majority of your time there? If accomplishing or mastering skills is important to you, are you doing so now?
It’s easy to let the urgencies take the forefront in a busy schedule, and the important things slide, simply because they aren’t pressing upon you.
In her trainings, Trish emphasizes the joy and satisfaction that arises from having your daily activities aligned with your values. “Aligning your commitments with your core values is the greatest stress reducer on the planet, because you feel that all the effort and time you expend is moving something very important forward!”
If you examine your values and commitments and find you are spending much of your time in areas that aren’t a high priority for you, you may want to let go of some commitments. It is typical for people who are over stretched to be less committed to everything,
which is stressful and unsatisfying. Choosing among possible commitments is difficult, but it makes life easier, less stressful, and more meaningful.
“Letting go does not mean giving up,” states Trish. “It means learning what's important to you, recognizing that you have limits, and deciding carefully how you want to spend your time and energy. Saying yes to some things means saying no to others. You may prioritize your values and decide not to waste your energy on efforts that you don't value as highly as others.”
Now that you’ve focused on aligning your daily activities with your values, next consider those mental activities that fill your day. This will begin your process of controlling internally generated stress.
The first technique is to become aware of your own thoughts, perhaps when under stress, and become aware of what is going through your head. It’s best not to suppress any thoughts - just let them run their course while you observe them.
Watch for negative thoughts while you observe your “stream of consciousness.” Normally these appear and disappear and you will hardly know that they exist. Examples of common negative thoughts are: worries about how you appear to other people, a preoccupation with the symptoms of stress, dwelling on consequences of poor performance, self criticism and feelings of inadequacy.
Make a note of the thought - you don’t need to judge or evaluate the thought – just note it and then let the stream of consciousness run on. Thought awareness is the first step in the process of eliminating negative thoughts - you cannot counter thoughts you do not know you think.
Once you are aware of your negative thoughts, write them down and review them.
See whether the thoughts have any basis in reality. Often you find that when you properlychallenge negative thoughts they are obviously wrong. Often they persist only because you don’t notice them.
The final step in having power over your thoughts, is to replace your negative thought patterns with positive ones.Positive thoughts will build confidence and change negative behavior patterns into positive ones. You can base these thoughts on fact (in other words, you don’t have to lie to yourself, but make positive statements that are true!) Just watch this
technique undo the damage that negative thinking may have done to your self-confidence!
To design your positive thoughts,
you might try a simple technique:
Pretend you are coaching someone who is learning a new task…someone you care a great deal about. Give them powerful statements of encouragement about themselves, and how well they are learning the task. When you are finished, you’ll find these positive statements are custom designed by you and for you!
YOU have the power to reduce the stress in your life by addressing these two things: Aligning your commitments with your values, and turning negative thought processes into positive ones! You will gain confidence and power when you have control over your stress, rather than it controlling you!
And don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your, questions. We’re here to help, and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in your life long good health!
Presented by Standifer Chiropractic 3314 W. Kiest Blvd. Dallas, Tx. 75233 (214) 623-0505
Success Story of the Month
(Names and Details Have Been Changed to Protect Privacy).
Tennis Elbow Causes More Than Just Pain
If you’ve ever felt you wanted to help someone just because they have been through so much, then you understand how we felt about our patient Oanh. Oanh grew up with her parents and brother in the Vietnamese countryside. Oanh’s family felt concerned with the political climate, and during the period of repression, several years after the war had ended, they struggled with a decision to leave their homeland. They wanted to bring their extended family, but could only save enough money to emigrate themselves and Oanh’s ailing uncle.
With much sadness, Oanh’s family left their beloved home; she and her brother had been especially close to their grandparents and several aunts and uncles, but were forced to leave them behind in their attempt to live a liberated life.
Oanh faced the challenge of school with English being her second language but was fortunate to have other children surrounding her with similar challenges.
Her mother became the main breadwinner after her father began to take ill; getting a job at a laundry and dry cleaning business. Each evening after school, Oanh worked hard alongside her mother. In time, her family was able to buy the business. Oanh tells us this was a proud time for them. And a physically hard time as well; they had to make it work! They intended to bring the rest of their family to America too!
One day when lifting a large load of clothes off the conveyer, Oanh felt sharp pains in her elbow, causing her to drop everything from her arms.
Oanh continued to work even when her elbow pain became intense. She trained herself to do things that wouldn’t let her move her arm in the same way. She worked as hard at academics as she did at her family’s business. In high school she found botany and chemistry to be her loves. Upon graduation, she selected from several college offers, and chose to attend the local university to remain close to her family.
While in her second year in her botany undergraduate program, her mother got sick, and was unable to do the physical labor required in their business. Oanh decided to drop out of her full time studies and switched to evening classes to run the business. Her brother wasn’t in a position to do so, and Oanh’s sense of duty carried her to this conclusion. Though her mother felt bad that Oanh’s studies suffered, she knew the business must succeed so the family could succeed.
Returning to work, Oanh soon found herself lifting and carrying, cleaning and stacking…just as physically busy as she had been when they first arrived years before.
Not long after she began, her elbow pain returned. This time, it didn’t build up gradually, but began as a deep pain. Within a couple of days, Oanh found herself extremely limited in what she could do, and found it hard to even finish out the work day! Her elbow hurt her all through the night, and it was clearly not going to go away.
Oanh learned of us through a classmate, and called us the very next day. She came in, and after examining her, we discovered she had “lateral epicondylitis” or what is commonly known as tennis elbow. Hers was in an advanced stage, partly because it was a reoccurring injury.
Oahn agreed to the care and Recommended Action Plan we suggested. She learned how to do the same tasks a different way to keep the stress off the tendons and muscles of her elbow so in time it returned to normal health.
Within a short time, Oanh was back to school fulltime! Oh and another thing, we just heard from Oanh and are happy to report her grandparents now live nearby! What a wonderful success story for her entire family
If you, or someone you know is in pain, please let them know about what we do. We might be able to bring them the relief they seek. We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger! Don't be a stranger. Call us, and we will assist you in putting together a customized maintenance plan. It's not a luxury anymore! With our low monthly payment plan, it's less expensive to maintain your good health! You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don't wait until you can no longer move.
Presented by Standifer Chiroprctic 3314 W. Kiest Blvd. Dallas, Tx. 75233 (214) 623-0505
Did You Know?...
1. A host of factors can affect your chances of developing osteoporosis, the bone disease which reduces bone mass. The good news is that you control some of them. Even though you can't change your genes, you can still lower your risk with attention to certain lifestyle changes such as getting enough calcium and vitamin D, engaging in regular physical activity, not smoking, and not drinking alcohol, or doing so in moderation. Chiropractic reduces the risk of injury!…enabling you to exercise more frequently and pain free!
2. Metabolism happens in your muscles and organs and is the process of converting food to energy (movement and heat). Basal metabolism accounts for about 75% of the calories you expend on a daily basis! If you use some of the following methods to boost your metabolism, you will be a more efficient calorie burner (you’ll lose weight).
Always eat breakfast! Skipping breakfast sends the message to your body that you're starving because you haven't had food for several hours. As a protective mechanism, your metabolism slows down. Food, especially complex carbohydrates, fuels your metabolism; especially when you eat small balanced meals every 2-3 hours!
Exercise on a daily basis(preferably in the morning)!-Look for situations to be active. Park as far from the store as you can rather than looking for the closest parking spot. Use the stairs rather than the elevator, a rake rather than a blower, etc. Look for the "hard" way to do things!
Avoid alcohol! Alcohol depresses your metabolism and stimulates your appetite.
Drink 60+ ounces of water a day. Your metabolism needs plenty water to function properly. Carry a bottle of water with you and drink frequently throughout the day.
Tip of the Month...Do You Really Want To Lose Weight,
Stay Healthy, & Fight Off Disease?…
.…then you must really eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day.
Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients, fiber, and most are low in fat and calories. In addition, they contain several plant chemicals that also contribute to health and possibly disease prevention, such as the antioxidants mentioned in the previous article. Eating five servings a day may seem difficult, but it's simpler than you think! Here’s How…For breakfast, toss some broccoli or spinach into your omelet, or add a tomato to your bagel. Fruit on your pancakes will not only be good for your system, but add a splash of flavor. For lunch, don’t go for a plain cheese or meat sandwich - add some lettuce, shredded carrots or cucumbers! Have some soup with veggies, or yogurt with fruit. And for dinner, change that spaghetti into a vegetable affair, with zucchini, peppers, carrots and whatever else sounds good! When making lasagna, cut the meat in half (or eliminate it) and add shredded carrots, shredded zucchini and chopped spinach or broccoli. Beef stroganoff can become beef, carrot, squash stroganoff. Add pureed or shredded vegetables and fruits, like bananas, carrots, or raisins to homemade muffins and breads. The idea is to place vegetables into your diet wherever you can…they add flavor, texture and good health. And while you are considering making fruits and vegetables a big part of your diet, remember that you can opt for convenience: Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables can save a lot of preparation time, even if they aren’t as high in vitamins as the fresh variety. If you prefer fresh, stores offer pre-washed, pre-cut varieties and the convenience may be worth the extra cost. Salad bars also offer a convenient way to eat more fruits and vegetables!
If you want to take a bolder step with your menu, make vegetables the focus of your meals. Grain and vegetable-based entrees can be just as substantial a meal. Maybe you would like to try this once or twice a week to get used to the idea. Remember, the idea isn’t to necessarily eliminate meat, unless you want to, but to increase your vegetable and fruit intake If vegetables are just too plain, explore seasonings. Experiment with herbs and spices, such as garlic, curry, parsley, basil, cumin, oregano, thyme, dill and garlic powder. Cook your vegetables in chicken or beef broth to add flavor.
Lastly, make eating right an adventure! Try a different fruit or vegetable each week! The added vitamin and fiber these fruits and vegetables will give you will make you feel and look great!
Remember, we’re always here, using the miracle of Chiropractic to help your body heal and maintain the health you deserve!
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