Stress Mastery

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Too Busy to Meditate? Try This 2-Minute Mindful Moment Break

The research is overwhelming. Meditation is a powerful, highly effective way to enhance physical and emotional well-being. But what if you don't have time to sit and meditate during your busy day? There is a 2-minute solution that will work for you!

Too Busy to Meditate?
Try the 2-Minute Mindful Moment Break

Perhaps you've tried meditation in the past and said something like, "It just doesn't work for me". Perhaps sitting in a meditative posture for 20 to 40-minutes a day simply doesn't fit your lifestyle. Trying to carve out 20, 30, or 40-minutes from a day already oversubscribed with too many "To-Do's" simply isn't going to happen.

The Good News

Here's some good news: if you spend only one or two minutes an hour throughout your day de-stressing with easy Mindful Moment breaks, you can experience many of the same benefits enjoyed by those dedicating 30-minutes to an hour a day in formal meditative practice.

There are countless ways of adding Mindful Moment de-stressing breaks to your day. Here is one 3-step method to get you started.

Step 1 - Preparation:

First, set a reminder on your smartphone, computer, or other device to alert you once an hour. When you receive the alert - or as soon as safely possible after the alert - stop your work activity. Stand up, close your eyes, and slowly inhale and exhale three times. Open your eyes and take a few steps forward as you stretch, and yawn. Yawn and stretch two or three more times and then sit down or - if you prefer - continue to stand for step 2.

Step 2 - Come to Your Senses:

Sit or stand comfortably. Assume a posture that feels dignified and erect, but not stiff. Close your eyes, breathe in gently through your nose (mouth closed) and then exhale slowly through your nose.

As you continue to breathe slowly and comfortably with eyes closed, bring attention to your hearing. Simply "tune in" and notice. The first few times you do this, you will likely be surprised at how much more you hear when you bring awareness to the sounds around you. Attend to the sounds for about 10-seconds.

After attending to the sounds, shift your attention to your breath. Notice what aromas or scents you perceive. If there doesn't seem to be any identifiable scents, simply notice how the breath feels in your nasal passage as you breath in and out. Attend to your sense of smell for about 10-seconds.

Next, shift attention to your sense of taste. Notice what sensations are present in your mouth. Feel your tongue without moving it. Stay present with whatever sensations you notice in your mouth for about 10-seconds.

Now, allow your attention to move to your sense of touch. What temperature sense can you notice on the skin surface of your hands. Move awareness to your face. What sensations are present on the skin surface of your face? Move awareness to your neck and chest. Can you feel clothing touching your neck or chest? Just notice for about 10-seconds.

Open your eyes gently. Breathe in and out gently and allow your eyes to notice objects and their colors. Allow your attention to center on the shape, texture and color of whatever you see in front of you. Allow a soft, open gaze for about 10-seconds.

Again, bring attention to your breathing. Take two or three comfortable breathes, stretch and yawn one final time.

Step 3 - Return Attention to Your Daily Activities:

Congratulate yourself! You just completed a mindful meditation session using the Mindful Moment method.

Notice how you feel. Notice what's different. You'll likely feel far more relaxed, but alert.

You're now ready to return to your daily activities refreshed, renewed, and more creative.

For more Mindful Moment de-stressing techniques, email us at Stress Solutions, LLC, address CarterMethod@gmail.com. Your brain, body, and mind will thank you!

To ensure you never miss a Stress Mastery post, enter your email address in the "Follow by Email" box on the right.

With light and love,

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 written 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, with Stephen Carter, or with Stress Solutions, LLC 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, emotional, or physical conditions.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Want to Change Your Mood? Give Voice to Your Smile!

How often have you casually asked someone, "How are you doing?", and then heard them say, "Fine, doing great" in a flat low-energy voice. You know immediately how they really feel.

We can often tell where someone is emotionally based only on their voice alone. But what about our own voice? Can we self-detect emotional cues as we speak?

Emotional Voice Self-Awareness

In a fascinating study published in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", researchers had participants read a story while wearing earphones connected to an electronic device that manipulated each reader's voice. The voice was altered to sound happier, sadder, or fearful, as the story progressed. Participants heard their own altered voice through the earphones as they read aloud.

Researchers tracked the emotional states of participants as they read the story. The vast majority of subjects never consciously detected that their voices were manipulated, but they did notice their emotional states change as they read the story. The story content was neutral.

An interesting take-away for self-awareness is we are usually not conscious of the role our own voice plays in influencing emotional states. The good news is we can choose to listen with a mindfully tuned ear and change our voice to help change our emotions and mood.

Give Voice to Your Smile!

At age 16 I sold newspaper subscriptions for the "New York Times" by phone. The advice I received from my then manager is the advice that has been given to countless telemarketers for decades: smile!

When you smile - even if you don't feel like smiling - your emotions come along for the ride. People can "hear" a smile. You sound different because you are different. Your brain changes, your physiology changes, and your voice changes to reflect the "happier you".

How to Develop the Smiling Voice Habit

Try this: Notice how you feel right now. Do a quick body scan and get a sense of your energy level and overall mood.

After assessing your current energy level and mood, sit up in a dignified posture, look straight out with a soft focus as if looking at a sunset in the distance. Next, place a pencil or pen between your upper and lower teeth. This creates an automatic smile as you gently hold the pencil or pen in place for about 90-seconds.

After removing the pencil or pen, notice how you feel. Do another quick body scan and notice what's changed. Do you feel more energized, happier, more centered?

Allow yourself to really feel the positive energy and sensations as you say to yourself, "smiling voice". Repeat "smiling voice" two more times as you smile". After doing this just a few times, you will find it easy to create this positive emotional state simply by saying, "smiling voice". Use this "smiling voice" anchor cue before making calls, talking with others, or anytime you want a quick emotional boost.

Remember these lyrics in the Frank Sinatra song years ago?

"When you're smiln, when you're smilin, the whole world smiles with you..."

Great lyrics and sound advice.

------------------

Never miss a post. To receive new posts by email, enter your email address in the "Follow by Email" box on the right and hit "Submit".

------------------

*Study citation: Covert digital manipulation of vocal emotion alter speakers' emotional states in a congruent direction, Jean-Julien Aucouturier,PNAS, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1506552113

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!

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Can Stress Affect Good Gut Bacteria? Ask a Squirrel!

Researchers have discovered a link between low stress and percentage of beneficial communities of micro-organisms in the gut and other regions of the body1.

While this study was conducted using red squirrels living in the wild, the same relationship between low stress and beneficial micro-organisms (e.g., good gut bacteria) in humans is probable.

Study findings show a direct inverse relationship between stress and the type of micro-organisms present. High stress increased the non-beneficial micro-organisms, while low stress correlated with a higher percentage of good micro-organisms.

Implications for Humans

What implications does this have for humans? Obviously, we know based on thousands of studies that chronic high stress is typically harmful for health. Our physical, mental, and emotional well-being suffer when a chronic high-stress environment is experienced.

Options for People

So what do we do? Research shows meditation and other stress lowering practices have proven to be beneficial for enhancing health and emotional well-being.

If - as this study suggests - high stress is associated with a less than beneficial balance between good and bad micro-organisms in the gut, exploring the use of a high-quality probiotic may be beneficial if stress is a problem for you. As always, consult your physician before taking any supplements, over-the-counter, or prescription medications.

------------

Link between stress, unhealthy microbiomes discovered: http://bit.ly/1ZPBO1m

Journal reference

Mason R. Stothart, Colleen B. Bobbie, Albrecht I. Schulte-Hostedde, Rudy Boonstra, Rupert Palme, Nadia C. S. Mykytczuk, Amy E. M. Newman. Stress and the microbiome: linking glucocorticoids to bacterial community dynamics in wild red squirrels. Biology Letters, January 2015 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0875

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!

Monday, December 21, 2015

"I Complain Too Much!" - A Christmas Story of Gratitude

“I complain too much! I’m going to change that.”

Those were the words that greeted me when I answered a call from a client we’ll call Mary.

“OK”, I replied. “What happened that caused you to conclude you complain too much?”

Mary's Story

"Earlier today I was standing in line at the food store. I noticed a lady in front of me counting out change from a change purse. When I looked at her clothes, I saw she was wearing a worn shawl. It was cold and I remember thinking, ‘she should have a coat’.

"She placed a box of oatmeal and two cans of tunafish on the belt. When the clerk totaled up the cost, the lady looked at the coins she was holding and said in a flat, sad voice,

‘I’m sorry, but I am 28 cents short. Please take off the box of oatmeal.’

Mary continued,

“I couldn’t stop myself. I said to the clerk, ‘Please go ahead and ring up the oatmeal. I will pay the 28 cents.

"The lady objected. She said, 'No, you don’t have to do that'.

“I said, ‘I want to pay for the oatmeal. Please accept it as a small gift for Christmas. I would also like to add this bag of tangerines I have here. Please, accept this as a Christmas gift’.

“The lady thanked me and walked off. As she was leaving, I looked down and saw she had a piece of duct tape holding the back of a shoe together. It was so sad."

Our Conversation About Mary's Experience

When she finished, I said to Mary, "You showed compassion for someone in need. That was very kind.”

“Maybe so”, she replied. “But why did I cry all the way home? I kept wondering if she had children at home that aren’t being feed properly. I then wondered if she had a pet she can’t feed."

Mary continued, “You know how many times I’ve complained about what I don’t have. I haven’t had a raise in nearly 10 years. I'm working a part-time job to pay for Christmas. Money is always tight. I’m always complaining.

“After this happened, I realized I may not have everything I want, but I have what I need. I have a house. My car is 15 years old, but it runs. I have a warm coat, food to eat and enough money to buy my cats food. Thank God I never have to choose between oatmeal and tunafish because I don't have 28 cents.

“Maybe I’ll complain later. Maybe not. Right now I feel very grateful for what I have.”

After my conversation with Mary, I thought about the many blessings in my life I am grateful for.

What the Research Tells Us About Gratitude and Happiness

Research tells us the simple practice of writing down three things each day we’re grateful for helps increase our overall sense of happiness.

Helping others is another way to raise our sense of happiness.

What three things or experiences today are you grateful for? Little things such as a lovely sunset, an infectious laugh by a child, or a special touch from a loved one all count.

Pass It Forward

Please share a smile with someone, drop a donation in a Salvation Army kettle, or buy a cup of coffee or even a meal for someone homeless.

When you give someone else a reason to feel grateful, you can add that to your list as well.

May your holidays be blessed and joyous…

Love and light,

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!

Monday, November 23, 2015

How to Stay Financially Stress Free After Holiday Spending - Guaranteed!

Sometimes we experience stress from surprising and unexpected events such as an auto accident or illness. Sometimes we willingly create circumstances that we know will lead to later anxiety and stress. Take, for example, our decisions about buying gifts for the holidays.

Holiday Overspending Leads to Financial and Emotional Stress That Can Last Long After the Tree is Gone!

According to a *survey of 1,000 parents with children between the ages of 8 and 14 years of age commissioned by T. Rowe Price in January of 2015, 62% of of those parents agreed with the statement, "I spent more for my kids over the holidays than I should have".

This overspending led to a number of stress creating results including increased arguments with a spouse, a situation not healthy for the children or the parents.

The January Debt Free Solution:

So what are we to do? Is there a way we can stick to a budget that is realistic and yet still ensure our loved ones receive gifts they'll appreciate?

Here is what I recommend to make sure financial stress doesn't come down the chimney with Santa:

Look at your finances carefully and determine the absolute limit that makes sense given your other expenses. Write down this amount.

Make a list of the people you plan to buy for. Include any non-family members such as co-workers and service providers such as hair stylists.

After each name place the amount of money you plan to spend. If you want to add a specific item description (eg. X-Box), that's fine, but placing the allocated amount after each name is critical. Include the cost of shipping, holiday cards, and wrapping.

Add up the total amount you would like to spend for each person. Check that number against your agreed upon maximum spending.

If the total amount you would like spend on each person exceeds your budget, you have two choices:

1) Cut the amount of money for each person across the entire list or by individual people, and / or;

2) Eliminate people from the list.

Make sure that, "It's OK to spend just a little more so people will love you" voice doesn't cloud your judgement. This voice is likely to show up as you're making the hard decisions about cutting. Acknowledge the voice and message, say, "Thank you", and proceed with the task at hand.

Once you have massaged your list and the amount you would like to spend matches your budget, take one more important action:

Go to the bank and withdraw the exact amount of money you plan to spend.

Purchase each gift with cash from a real physical store. If you're buying gift cards pay attention to the fine print. Some cards have specific time windows before the face value of the card is reduced or looses all value. Shop early and - if shipping is required - ship the gifts by early December.

Remember, once the allocated money is spent your shopping is done. Resist any temptation to use plastic or otherwise spend "just a little more on this special gift she'll really love".

Your Positive Results:

Following this plan assures you have zero debt in January. It also reenforces your positive self-image at the subconscious and conscious levels of mind as someone who is smart, money savvy, and decisive.

Happy stress free holidays!

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!

*Resource citation: T. ROWE PRICE: MOST PARENTS SAY THEY OVERSPEND ON KIDS' HOLIDAY GIFTS. Baltimore: November 12, 2015 press release: http://trowe.com/1P4jlMe.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Random Acts of Kindness Change You - and the World!

Yesterday I happened to stop by a Baltimore City McDonald's to get a cup of coffee. Rain was falling and the wind was brisk, so I hurried toward the door.

As I approached the building, I noticed a mostly empty can of cat food someone had left about 20 feet from the entrance.

This act of kitty kindness caused me to stop and give a tip of my hat to the unknown person who cared enough about the well-being of one or more stray cats to provide food. It was simply a random act of kindness.

Seeing the evidence of that stranger's random act of kindness was touching. Even more important, I was reminded that I too have opportunities every day to make this world a better, happier place.

We all in fact have opportunities to practice random acts of kindness. Offering a smile to someone you pass on the street; allowing another motorist to pull ahead of you in traffic; buying a cup of coffee or even a meal for someone homeless are just three examples.

I encourage you to offer random acts of kindness today - and tomorrow. These acts change your chemistry and feelings for the better...

They also change the world.

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.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Healing Hatred With Love - Paris and Beyond

As I was dealing with my strong emotions following the barbaric murders in Paris, I recalled the Positive EFT Love audio (EFT is short for Emotional Freedom Techniques) I had recently recorded for clients. I was then reminded the most powerful healing energy in our universe is love.

The Positive EFT Love Protocol begins by inviting the energy of love to flow through us and ends by inviting the healing energy of love to circle the globe and touch everyone living on Mother Earth.

Photo source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:French_flag_in_Angers.jpg

How to Download the EFT Love Protocol 10-Minute Audio Guide

If you would like to use the Positive EFT Love Protocol, you can download the MP3 audio to listen directly on your computer or smartphone by clicking http://bit.ly/1N7Ae8l.

If you have no knowledge of EFT tapping points, I suggest simply listening to the audio as a meditation. If you would like to learn about EFT and watch YouTube videos demonstrating tapping points, visit our Stress Solutions, LLC website at www.EFT-MD.com.

I encourage everyone to use whatever methods or practices - to include prayer - you are called toward to help counter the dark energy of hatred and killing.

EFT Love Protocol Audio Download Link: http://bit.ly/1N7Ae8l.

Listen as Streaming Audio: http://bit.ly/1Lk5fhX.

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.

Pages

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

The Good News

Step 1 - Preparation:

Step 2 - Come to Your Senses:

Step 3 - Return Attention to Your Daily Activities:

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Emotional Voice Self-Awareness

Give Voice to Your Smile!

How to Develop the Smiling Voice Habit

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Implications for Humans

Options for People

Monday, December 21, 2015

Mary's Story

Our Conversation About Mary's Experience

What the Research Tells Us About Gratitude and Happiness

Pass It Forward

Monday, November 23, 2015

Holiday Overspending Leads to Financial and Emotional Stress That Can Last Long After the Tree is Gone!

The January Debt Free Solution:

Your Positive Results:

Friday, November 20, 2015

Tuesday, November 17, 2015