Stress Relief Blog

Stress relief and the Christmas holidays is a time to take a break and enjoy with family and friends.

My four children and their families are coming over for our famous traditional Midnight supper on Monday December 24, 2007. This appears to be the only time that is good for everybody.

Whether or not we like to admit it most entrepreneurs spend long hours at work. You know how easy it is to get caught up with work and forget about our purpose for working this hard.

YES, we have the pleasure of a flexible schedule and the ability to take time and the financial freedom to do what we want. Here’s the truth: Many of us get caught in front of the computer spending long hours instead of taking a break with our families.

OK. I know it takes time to be successful, but when an opportunity comes along to stop and take a break and spend time with those we love. Don’t miss it… Take advantage of it.

YES. I am following my own advice in case you’re wondering.

May you and your family continue to be richly blessed during the Christmas holidays and enjoy a prosperous New Year.

** ‘If you’ve enjoyed this blog post, please be sure to forward it to a friend.” **

Cecil McIntosh, The EYC™ Stress Management Expert, Teaches you how to transform stress into success. You will discover how to get twice the results with half the effort and realize how easy it is to relax anytime anywhere. He is a published author of many audio Relaxation Programs using accelerated learning approaches and a
Teacher, NLP Trainer and life Coach. You can reach Cecil at cecil.mcintosh@gmail.com

Want to learn more tips and tools for taking a break? Or ** IS YOUR LIFE TOO BUSY … TOO MUCH STRESS? ** Do you want to find more time to enjoy stress relief? - Split Second Stress Relief

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.

Two stress relief tips for New Year’s resolutions which are based on simplicity. However, before we get to our resolutions, it time to celebrate. It won’t be long before the champagne corks will be popping, revelers will revel, the ball will drop and we’re all presented with a clean slate.

A new year… The chance to make things better - and you can.

New Years resolutions an annual ritual…

Most of us make New Year’s resolutions. How many times have you resolved to quit smoking or start jogging a few miles in the morning? For many of us, it’s an annual ritual. Make the resolution, stick to it for a week and then quickly forget all about it as time passes.

New Year’s resolutions are prescriptions for failure if they aren’t reasonable. For example, if you half-heartedly resolve to quit smoking but light up at the stroke of midnight, your chances of keeping that resolution are nil. As a result, you feel like a failure. You tried, couldn’t quit, you failed.

What the problem with making New Years resolutions?

The problem isn’t in making the resolution. It’s a good one. The problem is an ability to maintain self-discipline over a long period of time. Old habits die hard. Older habits die even harder.

Keep Resolutions Reasonable…

To resolve to change your diet completely and lose 40 pounds by beach weather is probably not a resolution you can keep. Too much change at one time. Better to resolve to slowly transition out of your unhealthy diet into one that’s healthier.

Here’s how easy it is…Switch to skim milk. That’s easy. Look for Heart Smart foods when you shop. Eat more greens. None of these are earth shattering lifestyle changes, but the cumulative effect is a healthier you and resolution success. And, don’t forget: success builds on success.

What are reasonable resolutions?

Use the New Year to resolve, to alter bad habits but don’t create a trap in which you’re guaranteed to fail. Reasonable resolutions that you can stick to are much better than outrageous resolutions that you’ll forget before Valentine’s Day.

Don’t look for drastic changes. Know this: Just small changes in attitude that grow as the months pass.

The Conscious Act of Will…

It may not feel like it all of the time, but you are in charge. You are the boss. You can control your actions, your emotions, your relationships with others and your relationship with yourself. How?

By exerting a conscious act of will… “I will not eat any more fast foods.” By making that statement, you’re exercising your free will in a very conscious way. You made the decision and now, through your own self discipline - your conscious act of will- you will change your life.

An act of will, one you demonstrate to yourself, builds confidence and self-esteem. Confidence because you’ve reached your New Years resolution objective. Self-esteem because you’ve taken control of at least a portion of your life.

May the New Year 2008 bring you wisdom, serenity and peace?

** ‘If you’ve enjoyed this blog post, please be sure to forward it to a friend.” **

Cecil McIntosh, The EYC™ Stress Relaxation Expert with 14 years of experience helping Entrepreneurs like you, transform stress into success. He is a published author of many audio Relaxation Programs using accelerated learning approaches and a Teacher, NLP Trainer and life Coach. You can reach Cecil at cecil.mcintosh@gmail.com

Want to learn more tips and tools for New years resolutions? Or ** IS YOUR LIFE TOO BUSY … TOO MUCH STRESS? ** Do you want to find more time to enjoy stress relief? - Split Second Stress Relief

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.

Stress relief being the business can help you to focus on what special gifts you have to share as a business. Here’s the question, Are you in business to please others or please yourself? Episode 27, one stress relief tip for being the business provides the answer.

** “If you’ve enjoyed this Podcast, please be sure to forward it to a friend.”

Cecil McIntosh, The EYC™ Stress Relaxation Expert with 14 years of experience helping Entrepreneurs like you, transform stress into success. He is a published author of many audio Relaxation Programs using accelerated learning approaches and a Teacher, NLP Trainer and life Coach. You can reach Cecil at cecil.mcintosh@gmail.com

Learn more tips and tools for being the business. Or ** IS YOUR LIFE TOO BUSY … TOO MUCH STRESS? ** Do you want to find more time to enjoy stress relief? - Split Second Stress Relief

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.

Mary came to see me because she was having a problem with her partner and her children. Previously Mary was one of my best students. So what happened?

Let me explain…

What do Mother Theresa and Mahatma Gandhi have in common?

Both names are easily recognized.

What one characteristic do they have in common?

In their chosen fields, they both overcame great odds by living the principles in which they believed. Mahatma Gandhi preached non violence and won independence for India by refusing to fight back against the brutality of the British forces. Mother Theresa cared for the poor and lost souls. It was their destiny, their calling.

Success from practicing daily meditation…

My student, Mary, was also a success in her life when she practiced her daily meditation, but she got too comfortable. She was feeling focused and in control, going with a flow. So Mary lessened her daily practices. Her colleagues admired her quiet demeanor in the midst of chaos.

So why did Mary stop practicing?

She got upset with her partner and took what he said personally. Mary became conditional. The meditation practice that worked so well for Mary taught her to be unconditional.

But first, let me give you… an explanation of being unconditional…

Ok. You might be asking…What does unconditional mean? Unconditional refers to accepting your partner (in Mary’s case) with all their imperfections. After facilitating Mary, she admitted that she had started putting conditions on her partner because of his behavior.

So what’s the difference?

Here’s the difference between Mother Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi and Mary. Mother Theresa and Mahatma Gandhi were unconditional while Mary was conditional. Mary also stated that this experience reminded her of a very profound lesson: when she practiced being unconditional with others she is also unconditional with herself.

** ‘If you’ve enjoyed this blog post, please be sure to forward it to a friend.” **

Cecil McIntosh, The EYC™ Stress Relaxation Expert, Teaches you how to transform stress into success. You will discover how to get twice the results with half the effort and realize how easy it is to relax anytime anywhere. He is a published author of many audio Relaxation Programs using accelerated learning approaches and a Teacher, NLP Trainer and life Coach. You can reach Cecil at cecil.mcintosh@gmail.com

Learn more tips and tools for being unconditional. Or ** IS YOUR LIFE TOO BUSY … TOO MUCH STRESS? ** Do you want to get twice the results with half the effort? - Split Second Stress Relief

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.

3 stress relief tips for feeling guilty which will allow you to calm down. We each grow up with a different set of values - our beliefs in what’s right and what isn’t. For some, the result of doing something “wrong” is guilt. You might be familiar with the feeling.

1. How can that be? When I Say “No,” I Feel Guilty

A patient of mine expressed feelings of guilt when she was unable to free up her schedule to baby-sit her grand-daughter. Even though this wonderful woman had helped her daughter many times, in many ways, this one time she was unable to help - and that made her feel guilty.

Don’t forget… your negative emotions…

And that guilt, like all negative emotions, has a corrosive effect on everything associated with the self - the inner you. Guilt lowers self-esteem and distorts self-image. My patient felt that she had done something hurtful even though she was bound by other obligations that prevented her from baby-sitting.

Fact is,… She did nothing wrong?

She did nothing wrong. Her hands were tied, yet she felt guilty. And guilt has a way of feeding on itself. It’s self-propagating, often leading to stress (caused by strained relations with those closest to you) and, ultimately, depression.

We’ve all experienced this phenomenon. We don’t want to let down friends, family, co-workers, neighbors - even total strangers. We have a conscience that directs our actions. We don’t steal because we know it’s wrong. Not because it’s against the law. We control our actions and, in turn, we control how we feel about those actions.

2. Can saying “I’m Sorry” Makes You Stronger?

When we feel guilty, it’s our conscience at work. We think (or know) we’ve done something wrong according to our value system, and the pain of guilt is the result of that realization. There’s only one way to alleviate guilt and the stress it produces. You have to learn to say “I’m sorry.”

Here’s the thing: Is it easy to say “I am sorry?”

Now, that’s not an easy thing for most of us to do. Saying “I’m sorry” indicates that we made a mistake. It diminishes our self-image because apologizing is often viewed as a sign of weakness. We’ve all seen family feuds, or disagreements between friends, continue for years - simply because the parties won’t apologize. That would be a sign of weakness, right?

On the contrary, it’s the strong individual, the person of character, who can admit that he or she has made a mistake.

But guess what? I was” never wrong…”

There was a time in my life when I was “never wrong.” When I hurt a loved one’s feelings, well it wasn’t my fault. I could justify any hurtful thing I did.

It was only later that I discovered that apologizing for a perceived wrong - intended or otherwise - made me a stronger, better and emotionally healthier person. I recognized my imperfections and learned that expressing real sorrow at my mistakes made me feel better. The stress caused by the guilt I carried around disappeared.

3. Here’s the secret… Don’t Live With Guilt…

We all do.

If we have a conscience it’s inevitable that, at times, you’ll feel guilt. You were too brusque with a co-worker, or let down a good friend - again. And your set of values - your conscience - is telling you that it’s time to make amends.

How do you live with guilt?

Don’t live with guilt. When you do something that hurts another, apologize and truly mean it. The first time will be difficult. But, when you discover how a well-meant apology solves both internal and external problems, you’ll quickly see that you’re stronger than you’ve ever been before.

You can admit mistakes, apologize for hurting others, relieve the stress associated with guilt and enjoy a happier, healthier life.

** ‘If you’ve enjoyed this blog post, please be sure to forward it to a friend.” **

Cecil McIntosh, The EYC™ Stress Relaxation Expert with 14 years of experience helping Entrepreneurs like you, stay focused, get more done and find more time, so that you can live in the moment. He is a published author of many audio Relaxation Programs using accelerated learning approaches and a Teacher, NLP Trainer and life Coach. You can reach Cecil at cecil.mcintosh@gmail.com

Do you want to learn more tips and tools for feeling guilty? Or ** IS YOUR LIFE TOO BUSY … TOO MUCH STRESS? ** Do you want to get twice the results with half the effort? - Split Second Stress Relief

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.

If you were to learn, one stress relief tip for taking a break, how would that improve you health?

Here’s the real truth:

We are usually so busy that, taking a break is not an option. It is generally believed that the faster and longer we work the more we accomplish. Health is very seldom of importance until, we have a health challenge.

It’s true, I work with heart, stroke and cancer patients in hospitals and they tell me that they had no idea that they were not taking a break. Being in the hospital was the hard evidence they needed.

Yes you read that right… We sometimes need a rude awakening before taking a break.

So what’s the answer?

Episode 26: of the stress relief podcast gives you a chance to break your myth about taking a break.

Cecil McIntosh, The EYC™ Stress Relaxation Expert with 14 years of experience helping Entrepreneurs like you, stay focused, get more done and find more time, so that you can live in the moment. He is a published author of many audio Relaxation Programs using accelerated learning approaches and a Teacher, NLP Trainer and life Coach. You can
reach Cecil at cecil.mcintosh@gmail.com

Here’s how to start taking a break more often? Or ** IS YOUR LIFE TOO BUSY … TOO MUCH STRESS? ** Do you want to find more time to have fun with your family? - Split Second Stress Relief

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.