Ali Tennen – Stress Relief Mentor
Posted in Alternative Health, Health, Psychology on Aug 20th, 2010
At first I wasn’t exactly sure what to write about today, there are so many choices. Are you ever indecisive? I find that not being able to make quick, confident decisions on a regular basis can, in itself, become a great source of stress. The decisions we are required to make are ever increasing.
Posted in Alternative Health, Health on Aug 10th, 2010
Do you have kids? Whether or not you have a paying job, as a parent, there is a good chance you experience some stress on the job. Between co-ordinating schedules, multi-tasking and being in demand, what do you do to counteract the effects of stress? So many parents feel pressed for time, sleep deprived, overwhelmed with responsibility while consistently having to manage new situations on the fly. Perhaps while enjoying the summer weather, the pressure has eased up a bit but I’ve been noticing those ‘back-to-school commercials lately, have you? One stress relief tip is to keep your sense of humor close at hand. Below is a comical clip from a mom who’s condensed many of our on-going parenting concerns and dialogue into an entertaining song.
Posted in Alternative Health, Health on Jul 28th, 2010
Have you ever felt frustrated or stressed over an un-achieved goal? The feeling of wanting to accomplish or change something and not yet finding the way, can be most discouraging. I have my challenges where I feel stuck, such as keeping the space in our home organized, for example. I know there are other areas of my life where I can say “I’m just not there yet” and while it’s uncomfortable, I can recognize how far I’ve come and that keeps me in action. For some, this feeling of being ‘stuck’ over time can cause them to give up. They gradually lower their standards so they don’t have to feel the disappointment of trying and failing yet again. Rather than change their approach, they unconsciously adjust their opinion and perception of themselves to match what they conclude they’re capable of. They decide it doesn’t matter anymore and accept that things will be as they are…like it or not.
Posted in Alternative Health, Health on Jul 20th, 2010
Even though we are adults, our emotions are not typically as mature or sophisticated as our intellect. Have you noticed? Some people believe that there is a wounded child that lives within all of us. When we feel hurt or upset, it is important to have tools to help clear the emotional charge. Of course, some things are easier to forgive than others and some people are more willing as well. I’m sure we all know someone who has cut off communication with friends or family members for days, months and sometimes years over an incident that could have been resolved over a brief heartfelt discussion.
Posted in Alternative Health, Psychology on Jul 7th, 2010
Have you ever been tense without quite knowing why? I experienced that last night. This tension caused me to putter around the house and clean up a little longer than usual. It led me to deliberately go outside in my pj’s and double check that the garage and car doors were locked before heading to bed. That same uneasy feeling caused me to get to bed unusually late and surprisingly, it kept me from relaxing fully into sleep.
Posted in Alternative Health, Health on Jun 30th, 2010
It’s good to be prepared but, in those moments, I need to remind myself to pull back on the reigns and affirm out loud that ” all is well..relax!” I used something I call the ‘zoom technique” which is a tool I created to help myself and my clients get present to the actual situation. The zoom technique is to fast forward (zoom) to the end point or greatest fear of the situation and work backwards to the present. It goes something like this:
Posted in Alternative Health, Health, Women's Health on Jun 22nd, 2010
How stressful was this week for you? Do you know what triggers you? Sometimes we can easily name our challenges. For some, it’s a financial situation, a difficult relationship, paperwork, getting the kids to bed…other times, it’s hard to put your finger on what’s causing you to be edgy or your stomach to clench. If you can identify what’s weighing on you, that’s the first step toward being able to deal with changing it.
Posted in Alternative Health, Exercise, Fitness, Health, Uncategorized, Women's Health on Jun 14th, 2010
Do you ever beat yourself up for what you’re not doing? Do you sometimes feel like whatever you do manage to accomplish just isn’t good enough? How stressed are you, generally, on a scale of one to ten?
Fill in the blank of the following statement: “If only (…………….) , then I would feel better. ”
What needs to happen for you to finally feel fulfilled and truly happy?
