Picture Perfect Breathing for Fast Stress Relief

If you've experienced one or more traumatic events or you are prone to chronic stress, it’s important to engage in self-care activities including monitoring stress levels and taking steps to neutralize stress before it becomes overwhelming.

In this blogpost and companion podcast episode, you’ll discover a simple, effective breath technique you can use anytime to lower stress and create a sense of relaxation and calm.
Picture Perfect Breathing

Applying Picture Perfect Breathing (PPB) for 60 seconds or more allows mind and body to let go of tension and disempowering thoughts as your brain and body are refreshed and renewed.

With only one to two minutes of Picture Perfect Breathing, you'll be ready to engage in whatever activities are at hand feeling great. Engaging in PPB periodically throughout the day is a great way to maintain a sense of calm and control.

One important item: If you have asthma, COPD, or other breathing or lung problem, please talk with your doctor before doing Picture Perfect Breathing.
Here Are the Steps for Picture Perfect Breathing

• Begin with a yawn, sigh, and stretch. Really give it a good stretch, sigh, and yawn even if you don't feel like yawning.

• Choose a framed picture (preferably a picture of a calming scene), a doorway, or even your computer monitor or laptop screen. You'll be using the corners of your focus object and moving from corner to corner as you breathe.

• Allow your gaze to focus on the lower left corner of your focus object. Allow a gentle, unstrained focus. As you gaze at the lower left corner, inhale for the count of 5, which represents about 5 seconds.

• Gently hold your breath as you shift your gaze to the upper left corner of your focus object and count to 5.

• Shift your gaze to the upper right corner of your focus object and exhale gently through pursed lips for the count of 5.

• Shift your gaze to the lower right corner of your focus object as you relax into the empty breath sensation for the count of 5. If you feel an urge to breathe before reaching 5, go ahead and do so. With just a few times through the process, you will likely feel comfortable mindfully allowing the empty breath sensation to simply be for the count of 5.

Take one or more normal breaths. and then repeat the process for a total of 3 to 5 cycles. Each cycle will take about 20 seconds (5 seconds at each of the 4 corners), so 3 cycles will take about a minute.

Finish with another good yawn, sigh, and stretch and then return to your activities refreshed and rejuvenated.
Guided Picture Perfect Breathing Experience

PPB was the featured technique in the episode linked below of the, "Easy Stress Cures" podcast. Simply click the white triangle on the podcast player below, listen to the episode, and experience the positive mind and body benefits waiting for you.

For more "Easy Stress Cures" podcast episodes visit the, “Mind Over Stress Show” website at http://MindOverStress.us. 

To learn about Stress Solutions, LLC and how to apply Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to dissolve stress and create empowering beliefs and a happier, more successful life, visit, https://www.EFT-MD.com.

Good Stress, Bad Stress, and No Stress With Mindful Breathing

Important Note: To listen to the "Mind Over Stress" podcast episode related to this blog post, click the audio player at the bottom of this post. Because some phones and tablets may not show the player, you can also listen on our "Mind Over Stress" website home page at http://MindOverStress.us.

Is There Such a Thing as "Good Stress"?

It's important to make a distinction between a stress experience that can be positive and another that can be problematic - and how to deal with the latter.

The Eustress Experience

A visit to http://Dictionary.com tells us that a type of stress called "Eustress" is defined as, "stress that is deemed healthful or giving one the feeling of fulfillment". 

Examples include situations such as learning a new skill, preparing for your wedding, or those "butterflies" that come just before you're about to make a presentation. Eustress is episodic rather than chronic; it is typically associated with a positive change or experience.

The Distress Experience

Dictionary.com tells us that "Distress" the "other" stress experience - includes, "great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble". 

While there are an array of differences between eustress and distress, two of the most important are the duration and the meaning we give to the stress sensations. Typically, eustress situations are short lived (example: going on that "first date") and have an element of fun or positive excitement.

Distressful situations typically drag on for what seems like forever. Examples include working for a nasty boss, a lack of money to pay the bills every month, or being the caregiver for a seriously ill family member. There is no sense of fun, adventure, or positive excitement when we experience distress.

How Much Stress is Too Much?

One good way to determine when we are in a chronically distressed state is to monitor thoughts, emotions, and energy. Chronic distress wears on our sense of well-being and robs us of vitality. Our thoughts, mood, and general disposition turn negative. 

If your mood and sense of physical and emotional well-being turn south and you recognize your relationships are suffering, it's time to take action to manage and ultimately master the chronic distress experience called the Stress Repose.

How Do I Begin to Master Stress?

There are countless ways to mitigate and ultimately master the Stress Response. One of the easiest ways is to build short, mindful breathing breaks into your daily routine. This does not require you to sit on a cushion, OM, or spend hours in meditation. For most people, extended daily meditation isn't an option.

3-Step Mindful Breathing Practice

As a start toward your Stress Mastery way of living, I suggest doing the following simple Mindful Breathing practice.

• Set a timer or email reminders to alert you at least once an hour (once every 30-minutes is better) that it's time to take a break.

• Close your eyes for 60 - 90 seconds and simply breathe. As you breathe say in mind or out loud, "In" as you breathe in and then say "Out" as you exhale. The idea is to give your attention to the breath as you breathe in and out.

• If your attention drifts toward thoughts or physical sensations other than your breath, as soon as you notice the change, simply return your attention to your breathing.

After completing your 60 to 90-seconds of Mindful Breathing, open your eyes, stretch, yawn and return to your activities renewed and refreshed.

When you complete your first Mindful Breathing practice, congratulate yourself! You've taken an important step towards a practice of Mindfulness Meditation and a calmer, healthier you.

Improved Well-being With Each Day of Mindful Breathing Practice

You'll begin to notice positive brain | mind | body benefits of Mindful Breathing practice within a couple of days. Those emotional and psychical benefits will grow with each day of practice. Aim for at least 10 to 15-minutes of Mindful Breathing in total each day, accumulated one to two minutes at a time. 

If you would like to practice Mindful Breathing for more time each day, so much the better. 

Podcast Episode for This Post

Listen to the "Mind Over Stress" podcast episode that leads you through the easy 3-step Mindful Breathing method by clicking the player below. 

If you don't see the player, go directly to the Mind Over Stress podcast website at http://MindOverStress.us. 

This episode is available on the site's homepage. 

Blessings, light, and peace,

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC | www.EFT-MD.com | Mind Over Stress Podcast: http://MindOverStress.us 

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Create a Moment of Calm and Peace

In this video you'll be led through a short 2 minute 34 second breath and intention meditation to create a calm and peaceful state of mind and body. You can apply this meditation periodically throughout the day to enhance emotional and physical well-being.

For other Stress Mastery videos, visit us at http://www.EFT-MD.com.

Blessings,

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC | http://www.EFT-MD.com | http://StressMastery.blogspot.com

A Simple Way to a Calm Mind

There are countless ways to calm the mind. One challenge with many methods relates to the need to remove yourself mentally and physically from your day-to-day activities and sit quietly as you focus on a sound, an object, or your thoughts. 

What if there is an alternative to sitting for extended periods of time? Can you easily incorporate a simple mindful meditation practice into daily activities that take just one or two minutes and still provide hours of benefits? The good news is you can do that easily.

The Simple Steps

Begin by choosing an activity you normally do with little conscious attention. Activities such as brushing your teeth, shaving, walking, or eating all are perfect candidates. 

Before beginning your activity, stop for a moment and take two comfortable breaths. Feel the air enter the nostrils and attend to any physical sensations in your body. Notice if you're breathing into your upper chest, the middle chest, or deep from the diaphragm.  Change nothing; simply notice.

Turn your attention toward the activity. If, for example, you're brushing your teeth, slow down and pick up the toothbrush. Feel the sensations in your hand as you pick it up. Look at the toothbrush; really look at it and notice any writing, the color, the bristles, and it's overall shape. Just notice the individual parts of the toothbrush and then open your focus and notice the whole toothbrush as you're holding it.

Turn your awareness to the tube of toothpaste. Look at the tube with fresh eyes. Notice any writing, colors, the size, and how it feels in your hand. Notice it's weight and shape. Slowly unscrew the cap and squeeze toothpaste onto the toothbrush. Do this slowly and watch without judgment. 

As you slowly bring the toothbrush to your mouth, notice the physical sensations as you open your mouth. Where do you begin brushing? Notice without judgment. 

Give your attention to the physical sensations of brushing. Notice any sensations in your face, neck, chest, back, hands, arms, and shoulders. Simply notice.

When you are done, watch the water rinse off the toothbrush, replace the toothbrush to it's normal resting place, and replace the cap onto the toothpaste.

Stand up straight, take two more comfortable breaths, and scan your body. Notice your sense of calmness, presence, and peace. Take a final comfortable breath and go about your day.

Two Minutes of Mindful Attention Can Bring Hours of Benefits

The one to two minutes you dedicated to mindfully attending to brushing your teeth will result in biochemical, mental, and emotional benefits that can last for hours. 

You can throughout your day repeat this same mind-calming process with other activities that are normally on autopilot.

Congratulations! You are now a mindfulness meditation practitioner. 

With love and blessings,

Steve Carter

Stress Solutions, LLC

www.EFT-MD.com

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Stress Eating and How to Stop the Habit

Two recent studies published in the journal "Neuron", report on findings related to stress and food choices. Links to those two articles mentioned in the podcast are below.

Bottom Line Regarding Stress and Diet

The bottom line for those who are choosing to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is to recognize and account for the role stress plays in our choices about what we eat.

By clicking on the special episode audio podcast link below, you'll learn how to combine two easily done, simple methods that will dissolve stress and place you back in the captain's chair of control when making food choices.

To listen to the 5-minute audio, click:


http://www.audioacrobat.com/email/EDlF9PfRW




To download the MP3 audio file to listen on your smartphone or computer anytime, click HERE.

Key Points:

• Stress affects our ability to make good food choices.
• Stress chemicals can remain in the body up to several hours after a stress inducing event.
• A three-step stress mastering process done before you make a food choice can help you make healthier choices.
• How to apply the three-step stress mastering process:

1. Identify where in your body stress / tension / uncomfortable sensations are located. If possible, touch those areas and really connect with your awareness.
2. Say "Yes to the Stress!" Acknowledge "what is" without resistance or desire to feel any differently.
3. Use Bi-Lateral foot tapping and voice (out loud or in mind) the command to, "Release and let it go... Let all of the stress dissolve and release."

Using this three-step process, you are now ready to make food choices from a place of more physical, emotional, and mental balance that supports better, healthier food choice decisions.

Blessings,

Steve

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 along with any statement or statements made in any podcast, audio, or video associated with this site are for informational purposes only. This and all other posts and statements in any audio or video recording associated with this blog, Stress Solutions, LLC, or Stephen Carter 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, audio or video recording linked to this website or associated in any way with 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.

For more information about the studies mentioned in the podcast and intro above, click the links below.

Scientists scan the brain to see how stress undermines your diet

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-08-scientists-scan-brain-stress-undermines.html

How stress can tweak the brain to sabotage self-control

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-08-stress-tweak-brain-sabotage-self-control.html

Gain Clarity by Climbing Your Ladder of Consciousness

As we navigate through the ups and downs of our day, far too often we find the mind churning, turning, and blurring. Clarity and insights become strangers as stress drains energy and blocks access to creativity and wisdom.

What is the antidote? What simple actions - or non-actions - will bring us greater peace of mind, insights, and clarity?

The Ladder of Consciousness:

One secret lies in choosing to become aware of our thinking. I'm not talking about the "content" of our thoughts. Rather, we are best served when our conscious awareness rises above the content of thought and the emotions they generate. 

When we watch our thoughts float by without judgment we are climbing the ladder of consciousness for a grander, more expansive view. This is the purpose of mindful meditation. 

There are many rungs on our consciousness ladder. Like it's physical counterpart, we want to ensure our consciousness ladder is well maintained, firmly set, and ready to serve us.

Climbing the Consciousness Ladder Rung by Rung:

On the ladder's first rung, we are consumed in thought. There is no space, no awareness of anything but the content of a given thought and the attendant emotions that often overwhelm us as one disempowering thought is replaced with another. We are "lost in thought" and each moment feels like a never-ending struggle.

As we step up to the second rung, we are slightly more aware that there is a "Me" separate and distinct from thought and feeling. On this rung of the ladder, we still get lost in thought, but we're able to "wake up" more frequently to the reality that - while we have thoughts and emotions - we are not our thoughts and emotions. On this rung, we have greater access to creativity and problem-solving skills because we can take a step away from a given situation and gain greater perspective.

On the ladder's third rung we begin to realize a powerful truth: It is only when the mind is quiet that new thinking and insights can emerge into conscious awareness. At this level, the quiet mind seems to occur randomly. 

We're surprised when a new, fresh creative solution to a problem we've been wrestling with emerges. We're delighted with the new insight that came when we were driving, taking a shower, or strolling leisurely enjoying a warm spring day. 

It's Only a Thought:

When stepping up to the fourth rung, we are - paradoxically - taking more control by letting go of effort and struggle. It's at this level we realize not only that we are not our thoughts, but our thoughts are - well - just thoughts. They aren't "true" in any objective sense. Thoughts flow; they emerge, they peak, and they dissolve to be replaced by other thoughts...and then more thoughts through time. One by one thoughts go marching along.

At this level, we frequently have the expanded awareness to recognize and say, "It's only a thought". 

Discovering Your Quiet Mind:

In the moments following that "It's only a thought" statement, the thought dissolves and we enter into the realm of quiet mind, that open, expansive awareness that is the superhighway to intuition and wisdom. It's when the mind is quiet that deep wisdom moves us to informed action that is "just right" for the moment and situation at hand. 

The ladder of consciousness continues upward to even higher levels, but it is on the fourth rung where clarity begins to serve us with consistency and power.

Practice That Allows You to Climb Your Consciousness Ladder:

Let me suggest a simple, powerful practice that will help you easily climb your consciousness ladder.

Sit for five minutes and simply pay attention to your thoughts and the feelings those thoughts create. Just notice. Your mind will wander, but as soon as you notice you're no longer aware of your thoughts from a place of detachment, return attention to noticing the flow of thoughts.

After five minutes or so, you'll find yourself in a relaxed state of calm awareness. Now, for the next five minutes as thoughts flow, be an observer. As you notice each thought, say, "It's only a thought". 

Observe what happens. Thoughts simply dissolve. Your mind quiets even more. You are now in a state of awareness where fresh insights, deep knowing, and wisdom live and thrive. 

As you practice this conscious-raising method for a few days, you'll find it easier to enter that observer state of mind as you go about your day. Your stress will drop, your sense of peace will grow, and your ability to spontaneously experience fresh, creative thinking leading to informed action will become a life enriching habit. Life becomes a more joyous experience in every way.

The cosmic joke is this joyful playground is always teeming with freshness, positive feelings, and wisdom. It's only when the mind chatter is quiet, that we can perceive what is always there, waiting patiently to serve.

With light, love, and blessings,

Steve

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.