Immediately Improve Your Mood With This Simple Action

To listen to this new, "Less Stress More Joy" podcast episode, click the player below or go to https://www.spreaker.com/episode/17670713

Can a Forced Smile Change Mood and Emotion?

A large meta study by researchers at the University of Tenn. and Texas A&M looked at 138 scientific studies with more than 11,000 participants to determine if facial expressions - including the simple smile - can affect mood and emotional state. 

The answer, "absolutely yes!"

Results may be short lived, but there are measurable changes in mood and emotion when you smile, frown, or scowl.

4 Easy Actions to Improve Emotional Wellbeing

This episode summarizes study findings and offers three easy actions to improve your emotional wellbeing.

They are:

• Take periodic breaks throughout the day. Stop what you’re doing, sit or stand comfortably, and take take three comfortable breaths as you yawn, sigh, and stretch.

• Smile! Smile whether you feel like smiling or not. Hold the smile for at least 15 to 20 seconds or more.

• Say the word, “Peace” and allow the vibration of the word to flow through your body as you smile.

• Again, breathe comfortably as you yawn, sigh, and stretch and smile again before returning to your activities. 

For more Stress Mastery methods visit the, “Mind Over Stress Show” website at http://MindOverStress.us. 

Stephen Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC | www.EFT-MD.com | Podcast: www.MindOverStress.us 

Here are study related links:

"The Key to Happiness? Just Smile Study Suggests"; https://www.studyfinds.org/key-to-happiness-smiling-more-frequently/

"A Meta-analysis of the facial feedback literature: Effects of facial feedback on emotional experience are small and variable"; https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fbul0000194

How Mother Nature Can Change Your Mind

Listen to the podcast by clicking the audio player above. If you don't see the audio player, click HERE to listen.

Recent research confirms what we all know to be true. Time spent outside in Mother Nature renews the mind, body, and spirit. Time in Mother Nature literally changes the mind. It provides a direct link to our physical roots and reconnects us with the primal source of life.

Moment to Moment Experience in Mother Nature

In this episode recorded in a lovely grove of trees, I share my moment to moment experience as Mother Nature works her magic. I literally feel the positive changes take hold and share how those changes bring enhanced energy, wellbeing, and a sense of calm.

Your Invitation to Enhance Mood and Well-being

I invite you to take just a few minutes each day to leave your residence, your office, and other indoor spaces to spend time in a park or even a tree lined neighborhood connecting to the magic energies only available when we're outside. The air we breath outside is far more energized and fresh than the air available inside offices, homes, and even cars.

Why would I invite you to experience even just a few minutes of Mother Nature? Because it changes your mind and enhances mood and wellbeing. 

How You Can Make the World a Better Place

When you are energized, relaxed, and calm, you influence those you connect with. They are influenced by your positive energy. When that happens, you are literally making this world a better place. 

Stephen Carter | CEO Stress Solutions, LLC | www.EFT-MD.com | Podcasts: https://www.MindOverStress.us

Letters to Your Future Self Create Joy

Note: If you don't see the audio player, click: https://sites.google.com/view/mind-over-stress/audio-podcasts-other-than-mind-over-stress/less-stress-more-joy

You'll find the transcript for Episode 3 of the, "Less Stress More Joy" podcast below. This special episode is entitled, "Letters to Your Future Self Create Joy". 

I suggest listening to the podcast in the player above, and then reading through the transcript to review the simple joy creating actions shared in the audio.

Steve
---

Hello, this is your host for the Less Stress More Joy". I am Stephen Carter, CEO of stress solutions.LLC. 

This podcast is dedicated to providing 60 to 90 second actions that will help you feel good about who you are and what you do. 

Write a Letter to Your Future Self

In this episode, I'm going to make a recommendation that you do something that may seem a little odd. But I guarantee if you do it, you will feel wonderful. 

I would like you to take a piece of paper and a pen, not your computer, but a real piece of paper and a pen. And I would like you to start a letter and address this letter to yourself, beginning, "Dear -----",

After addressing your message, add, 

"I'm sending this letter to my future self. I will be including two lists. The first list is a list of three things that I really like and respect about myself. The second list is a list of three things, three goals, I would love to achieve over the next three months."

That's it! Put three things on this sheet of paper that you like and respect about who you are or what you've accomplished; something perhaps about your values. 

What do you value? Are you kind? Are you considerate? Do you say and do good things? Do you say nice things to family members and to strangers?

3 Things You Like or Respect About Yourself

Make a list of three thing you really, really like about yourself. And then make a list of three goals, three things you would absolutely love to achieve within the next three months. 

Worry not about how neat your writing is or isn't. No, that doesn't matter. 

Three things.  Write them down. What do you like about yourself as a human being? What do you respect about yourself? What kindness have you shown others? Then write three things that you would love to achieve. Write those down in your second list.

At the conclusion of your letter write, "With love", and sign your name. 

Mail Your Letter

Read over your letter, fold it up, and put it in an envelope. Address the envelope to yourself, place a stamp on it, and mail it. Yes, we are going to use the mail. Mail that letter to yourself. 

In three, four, or five days. whenever that letter arrives, open it up and read it. You are going to feel absolutely marvelous.

Feel Warm and Good

Try it! You will feel good about yourself. It will put a smile on your face today. It will put a smile on your face during the days to come in anticipation of receiving that letter. 

And when you do receive that letter and open it, there will be a big smile on your face and you will feel good. 

What's Next?

For more great tips about feeling good about yourself and creating a healthier happier you visit us at http://wwwMindOverStress.us. If you would like like to learn about EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, and other energy psychology methods, visit our website www.EFT-MD.com. 

Thank you for listening. Please subscribe to this podcast. It will brighten every day that you listen.

Until our next visit together. This is your host Stephen Carter from stress solutions LLC  asking you to please.... be well,... be kind,.... and be blessed.

Stephen Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC | www.EFT-MD.com | Podcasts and Videos: http://www.MindOverStress.us

Six Ways to Help Your Child Navigate Emotional Storms - The 'Inside Out' Story

Photo Credit: Amanda Mills

Pixar's new film, "Inside Out", is the story of an 11-year old girl named Riley who is dealing with strong emotions resulting from her family's move from Minnesota to San Francisco. Much of the "stage" for this intriguing and innovative film is Riley's mind. 

Through Riley's emotional journey, her memories and emotions are dictated by a team of characters representing joy, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust. These characters "live" inside Riley and seem at first to control how she feels about the move. As the story arc progresses, she - and we - learn how to better navigate our internal emotional stage and its cast of characters. 

The Role of Caregivers

The Pixar film focuses on the important role of emotions - even those we label as "negative" - and highlights the importance of how parents and other caregivers respond to children's emotions.

Dr. J. Zoe Klemfuss, a psychologist and researcher at Florida International University's Center for Children and Family offers some cogent guidance for parents and other caregivers to help children through challenging emotional times.

According to Dr. Klemfuss,

“Simply encouraging children to talk about their thoughts and feelings might not be helpful, especially if children are so young that they can’t effectively process or cope with those thoughts and feelings,” Klemfuss said. “What seems to be more effective is helping them understand the causes of their thoughts and feelings. This might involve simply asking them what made them feel a given way, or think a given thought and then helping them generate possibilities if they get stuck.”

Six Ways to Help a Child Navigate Emotional Storms

So how can we as caregivers help a child or adolescent navigate emotional storms? Dr. Klemfuss recommendations include:

• "Practice by talking about shared events. Your children learn from you. Show them how you remember and talk about events or feelings you both experienced. It can also be helpful to talk about how other participants in the event might have felt."

• "Avoid yes/no questions. Ask open-ended questions like what, when, who, etc., follow up on what your child says, and give feedback if it was a shared event (e.g. “Actually, daddy wasn’t in the car with us.”)"

• "Ask about emotions and their causes. “How did you feel when [event] happened?” Then ask 'Why do you think that happened or you felt that way?'"

• "Show support. Use very simple support behaviors like smiling when appropriate, using eye contact, and maintaining open body posture."

• "Minimize negative reactions. You want to encourage them to want to talk to you. A negative reaction may deter them from confiding in you again or sharing their feelings."

• "Brainstorm effective coping strategies with your children. These include figuring out how to avoid a negative situation if it starts to happen again (e.g. “If this happens again, you can tell a teacher right away.”) Don’t be afraid to directly tell them what to do when they feel a certain way."

Your Experiences and Suggestions

As a parent, caregiver, or professional helper what are your experiences with helping children or adolescents? What suggestions do you have that can help a young person navigate emotional storms in their lives? 

Please share your experiences and suggestions in the comments section below.

Blessings and light,

Steve Carter

Stephen Carter Stress Solutions, LLC p:804-677-6772 | e:CarterMethod@gmail.com | w:http://www.EFT-MD.com

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail!

Important Note: This and all other postings to this blog are for informational purposes only. This and all other posts are not intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise recommend any treatment for any medical or psychological condition. Anyone using any of the information contained in this or any other posting on this website does so at his or her own risk. You are urged to seek competent medical consultations with appropriate licensed medical professionals for any and all medical, psychological, or physical conditions.

Resources:

Florida Internation University News: 'Inside Out' Provides Roadmap for Navigating Emotions: https://news.fiu.edu/2015/06/inside-out-provides-roadmap-for-navigating-emotions/89747

Does Pixar's Inside Out Show How Memory Actually Works? http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-pixar-memory.html#nRlv.

Why We Ignore Stress and How to Ensure We Don't Using an Easy 3-Step Technique

Is it possible to go through your days in a state of numb chronic tension and not recognize you're about to get hit by the Stress Express Bullet Train? For virtually everyone, the answer is absolutely yes!

How can that be? Isn't stress something we notice, something we feel, something we are always aware of? The answer is - like so many areas of life - it depends on focus and habitual mind patterns.

The Good and Bad News: You Are Wired to Survive:

As a key part of evolution we are programmed to survive. One of the mechanisms that helps us do that is habituation, or habit.

Think of habituation as a form of learning. As a given stimulus is repeated, we're less and less likely to respond to or consciously notice the stimulus. 

The brain is on alert to notice what's new, novel, and threatening. As we get used to a given stimulus over time, we tend to pay little or no attention to "old news". We tune out old signals in favor of attending to new and potentially threatening situations.

Ignoring Chronic Stress Signals:

As we habituate to internal signals we at first may have recognized as stress alerts, our overall stress levels increase. The physical body may take on a chronic muscular tension. Blood pressure becomes chronically elevated. Emotionally, we are frequently on edge, short of patience and less considerate. Life seems to become more of a struggle, so we feel the need to push harder. And we do.

Soon, another round of stressful circumstances hits us. Yes, we may for a time recognize that we're "stressed", but the business of life takes our attention away from internal signals of stress. We habituate to yet higher levels of tension and dis-ease.

Sadly, this ever increasing stress spiral can continue for years. Our physical and emotional health will likely deteriorate and lead to acute medical conditions such as heart disease and stroke. We can become profoundly unhappy to the point that life seems far more a burden than a joy.

Apply the Stop - Look - Listen Technique:

Fortunately, we can harness the power of positive habituation to recognize and release stress in real time throughout each day. 

Choose to get into the habit of taking a one-minute stress break several times a day. At first you'll likely need to schedule these breaks in your daily calendar or set your email program to send reminders. You can also use sticky notes or other items as prompts until the Stop - Look - Listen habit becomes automatic. That will likely take about three to four weeks of daily practice. After that time, you will have created a new, habitual healthy pattern you can benefit from for the rest of your life.

The Three Easy Stop - Look - Listen Steps Are:

Step 1: STOP: Stop whatever you're doing when it's time to take the Stop - Look - Listen break. Notice any sensations, tightness, or uncomfortable feelings in your body. Touch those areas gently and say out loud or silently in mind, "Soften, soften and flow. It's only blocked energy, release and let it go." After a few seconds move your hands over your heart. As you place hands over your heart (right hand over left or left hand over right is fine) take three gentle, long, easy breaths as if breathing into and out of your heart.

Step 2: LOOK: Raise your head up or - even better - stand up and take a few steps. If a window is nearby, look outside. Soften your gaze and look off into the distance. Returning attention to the space nearby, if you have a photo of family, a loved one, or pet available, look at that photo. Really, really look at the photo and allow positive feelings of appreciation and gratitude to flow through you. Feel those feelings and smile. In the absence of photos, find something to look at that creates positive feelings. Flowers, a stuffed animal, a special award or a thousand other items can all work. Really feel the positive energy flow.

Step 3: LISTEN: Pay attention to your self-talk and notice if your self-talk is positive, helpful and upbeat or critical, judgmental, and energy depleting. Choose self-talk with phrases, and commentary that are upbeat and encouraging. Use phrases that include words such as, "can", "choose", "positive", "happy", and "success". Positive power words change our state and allow us to get onboard the Success Express train bound for Joyville, Abundance, and Peace.

There you have it. Three simple steps to help avoid getting hit by the Stress Express while ensuring you enjoy a first class seat on the Success Express for daily travel. 

Acute or serious chronic stress may require help from an appropriate professional. But choosing to take charge of your daily stress challenges with Stop - Look - Listen and other techniques described in posts on this site - and in other authoritative sources - offer wonderful ways to help assure stress mastery becomes a healthy habit everyday.

Your Suggestions:

How do you ensure you stay on top of stress in your day-to-day life? Please add your voice to the conversation in the comments section below.

If you would like to contact me privately, please email me at CarterMethod@gmail.com.

Stephen Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC
CarterMethod@gmail.com
www.EFT-MD.com | www.EasyStressCures.com
804-677-6772

Important Note: This and all other postings to this blog are for informational purposes only. This and all other posts are not intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise recommend any treatment for any medical or psychological condition. Anyone using any of the information contained in this or any other posting on this website does so at his or her own risk. You are urged to seek competent medical consultations with appropriate licensed medical professionals for any and all medical or physical conditions.