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It's all about Attitude!!

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by

Charles Swindoll

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.  Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.  It will make or break a company... a church... a home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes”

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Only YOU know what can calm you.
Or, maybe you don't. Let's work through the next four columns.  Remember you alone have got to harness your peace, plan for it and keep it near by for emergencies.

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Ponder THIS: What things are outside of my control?

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Ponder THIS: What things are outside of my control?

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Be aware...you've got to know when you cannot handle this on your own.
Consider:
Serious Illness
Major changes at work
Family Crisis
Financial Crisis
New Baby
Death
Mental challenge
Addictions

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4 Beautiful Soundtracks | Relaxing Piano [10min]

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Use to record your unique plan.

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Look at the handout...there are twenty spaces you can fill with things that make you smile. Do it.

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What am I anxious about?
What's another way of looking at this?
What's the worst thing that can happen?
What will happen if the worst happens?
IN OTHER WORDS....TAKE YOUR STRESS HEAD ON AND DEAL WITH IT.

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After you've dealt with your stress HEAD ON...next look at something bigger than your stress, and ask, "What is my stress in relation of the vastness of the universe?"

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There is beauty in the world...and there always will be. Let's look at my stress from a vantage point of beauty.

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The world has a whole lot of jaw-dropping places -this you know. But have you ever thought of them all at the same time? We decided it needed to be done. Here, the 50 most insanely beautiful places in the world. Prepare for an onslaught of wanderlust.

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The 50 Most Beautiful Places on the Planet

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The world has a whole lot of jaw-dropping places -this you know. But have you ever thought of them all at the same time? We decided it needed to be done. Here, the 50 most insanely beautiful places in the world. Prepare for an onslaught of wanderlust.

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Colors, light, sound, atmosphere ...you can create or carry with you. Be aware of the type of each that calm and soothe you personally.

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used to be my office...The colors in the room caused it to glow at certain times of day. I found myself giggling when I passed by and saw the glow. I don't live in that space anymore so...NOW,

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Change your physical perspective
MOVE!
If you are sitting, stand...standing sit...inside go outside, driving pull over and stop...in other words CHANGE your immediate physical position and note that what you see around you, you are seeing from a different vantage point. Yes, that's the whole idea of changing perspective.

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I Like To Move It (Original Video)  Madagascar HD

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Relax and take a few minutes...
..sit, stretch, breathe, do some positive self talk, listen to music

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We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here's our process.

There's no doubt that today's modern lifestyle can be stressful. Between work, family, and social obligations, it can be hard to make time for yourself. But it's important to find the time.

Relaxing can help keep you healthy, in both your body and mind, helping you recover from the everyday stresses that life throws at you. Luckily, no matter how busy you are, it's simple to learn how to create time for chilling and also how to best relax.

When it comes to relaxation strategies, the easier the better! If you can find five minutes of your day for yourself, you can easily slip in a simple relaxation strategy. Here are some easy ways to help relax:

1. Breathe it out. Breathing exercises are one of the simplest relaxation strategies, and can effectively calm your stressed-out body and mind anywhere at any time. Sit or lay down in a quiet and safe place such as on your bed or the floor in your home and put one of your hands on your belly. Breathe in to a slow count of three, and then breathe out to the same slow count of three. Feel your belly rise and fall as you breathe in and out. Repeat five times, or as long as you need to feel relaxed.

2. Release physical tension. When we feel mentally stressed, we often feel physically stressed as well. Releasing any physical tension can help relieve stress in your body and mind. Lay on a soft surface, such as your bed, a carpet, or a yoga mat. Tense up one part of your body at a time, and then slowly release your muscles. As you do this, notice how your body sensations change. Many people start either with the muscles in their face or those their toes, and then work their way through the muscles across their bodies to the opposite end. Shop for a yoga mat

3. Write down your thoughts. Getting things off your mind by writing them down may help you relax. When you feel stressed, take a few minutes to write down some short notes about how you're feeling or how your day is going. You might do this in a notebook or in a notes app on your smartphone. Don't worry about being poetic or spelling everything correctly. Just focus on expressing yourself to help release some of your stress. Shop for a journal

4. Make a list. Making a list about what you're grateful for can help some people feel relaxed. Experts say that when we're stressed, we tend to focus on the negative parts of life rather than the positive. Thinking about the positive parts of your life and writing them down may help you chill out. Try to think of three good things that happened to you today and write them down, even if they're small things like getting to work on time or eating a delicious lunch. Shop for a gratitude book

5. Visualize your calm. Have you ever heard the expression "find your happy place"? Sit in a quiet and safe place, such as your bedroom, and begin to think about a place in the world where you feel most calm. Close your eyes and imagine all the details linked to that place: the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile feelings. For example, if you think of the beach, you might imagine calm waves, the sound of children playing in the sand, the smell of sunscreen, the taste of cool ice cream and the feel of gritty sand under your feet. The more you get into your visualization, the more you can relax.

6. Connect to nature. Spending just a few minutes in nature when you feel stressed may help you relax. When you're feeling stressed, take a step outside and go for a short walk, or simply sit in nature. But you don't necessarily need to be in nature to feel its stress-reducing effects. Scientists have found that simply looking at images of nature with greenery for five minutes on a computer screen can help calm you down. So, thanks to technology, even people living and working in big cities far from nature can still experience its calming effects. Shop for nature sounds

Relaxation isn't just for adults: It's important for kids and teens too. If you sense your child needs to relax, help him or her through these exercises. Better yet, get involved in these easy relaxation exercises with your child. This can help encourage self-regulation and relaxing behavior in your child.

There are many benefits to keeping your brain and body relaxed. Relaxation balances out the negative mental and physical effects of stress that we all experience every day.

Positive effects of relaxation

the ability to think more clearly and make better decisions

the power to better resist future stressors

a more positive outlook on life and your experiences

a healthier body, with a slower breathing rate, more relaxed muscles, and reduced blood pressure

a reduced risk of heart attack, autoimmune disease, mental health disorders, and other stress-related illnesses

Children who are encouraged to take up relaxing behaviors tend to be better focused and have an easier time learning than children who are more stressed. They may also be more cooperative and experience fewer social and behavioral issues in school.

Stress is a part of everyday life. It can be a helpful thing that motivates people to act, and can even save your life in a dangerous situation. Most stresses we experience are small, like getting caught in traffic on the way to a party or losing an earring on the train to work.

The same helpful "fight-or-flight" instincts we get from these small stressful events in our life can backfire on us if we don't take time to relax. Relaxation doesn't just feel good, it's also important for good health.

Stress from work, family, social obligations, and even exercise will wear you out over time if you don't set aside time to relax. Some of the negative effects of not relaxing enough include:

Risks of too much stress

frequent headaches and pain throughout the body

sleeping problems, such as insomnia or nightmares

forgetfulness and confusion

chest pain and heart problems

stress-related illness

increased or decreased appetite, often with weight gain or loss

social isolation and loneliness

increased use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol

crying spells and feelings of depression, sometimes with thoughts of suicide

loss of interest in punctuality and appearance

increased irritability and overreaction to small annoyances

poor performance at work or in school

Stress may be a universal part of life, but that doesn't mean you should let it get the best of you. Take charge and control your stress by learning how to relax.

Reach for a simple relaxation exercise when you feel stressed, and encourage your child to do the same if you notice they're feeling stressed out. Even if you don't feel very stressed, practicing relaxation exercises daily can be a good preventative measure for keeping stress away in the first place.

If relaxation exercises are not helping reduce your stress, you should seek the help of a mental health professional. They'll be able to recommend a specific treatment plan suited to your needs.

Call 911 or the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) if you're having thoughts of suicide.

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How to Relax: Easy Ways to Relax, Recharge, and Vanquish Stress

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Learning how to relax can prevent a host of stress-related ailments from headaches and fatigue to irritability and poor performance at work or school. Techniques such as breathing, visualization, and enjoying nature are just a few effective ways to relax that you can do today.

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listen to laughter....fake it

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Why Cat's Are Better Than Dogs. Zoltan Kaszas - Full Special

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When I do this in person, I keep a cache of toys, crayons, coloring books, jaxs, bubbles, balls, jump ropes, silly string, play dough, tickle me elmos and here

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If we were together, you'd go to the table of toys and play for 10 minutes! 

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If we were together, you'd go to the table of toys and play for 10 minutes! 

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So, for ACTIVITY #4 your assignment is to remember a toy that you think you'd still like to play with and get one and play with it when you need to de-stress. Then think it over, how did that feel? Next,  is there a type of candy that you loved as a child? Does it bring back good memories, joy?  Try rewarding yourself as a rare treat!
ACT THINK FEEL

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For de-stressing, you really need to be sure you are getting enough sleep, exercise and a balanced diet.
These are simple things that are necessary for a peaceful countenance.

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It's not a wirty dord...We all need it sometimes.
physician
psychiatrist
additional training (more school)
support: financial, friendship, religious counsel, mentor, coach

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As you listen, ponder the things that this training reminded you that you have at your disposal. Put together your own "de-stress" kit and plan to keep it with you!

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Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy (Official Music Video)

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Good/Happy Memories
Attitude
Our ability to make choices!

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Why are you interested in stress management now? Add a comment. 

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Why are you interested in stress management now? Add a comment. 

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Click the + and start writing!

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For those of you who attended the training, I have added notes here in the padlet so that hopefully someone who did not attend can get the same experience just reading. If you are watching the recorded version...you won't need to read. PEACE dear ones!