Stress management tips for Friday

Here are a few tips to reduce stress that I have found in a pile of resources today. They seem worth sharing and even having a laugh over perhaps:

 States of chronic alertness result in the storage of unused adrenalin, sugar, lactate, urine and hormones
 Have a good laugh or cry
 Recall your successes, they can help you through your defeats
 Loosen your jaw, let it sag
 Let your shoulders drop
 Relax your hair and scalp
 Uncurl your fingers and toes
 Let your stomach hang out!
 Slow down your breathing. Fill your stomach with breath as if it was a frog’s.
 Set time aside each day to do something slowly and just for yourself
 Say “No” to a demand on your time.
 Take some time out for you over the coming weekend

Advertisement

Promoting goodness

My friend and colleague, Marian Kerr has just launched two e-books, one entitled “The Confidence Connection” and the other “Positive words are powerful” via her website and I would warmly encourage you to visit, check out the details and purchase them either for yourself or for someone you know. The two books make a wonderfully complementary self development programme.

We are both passionate about empowerment and work to support others to be who they really are and to reach their full potential.

I did some proof-reading and feedback for Marian as she wrote and formatted the e-books and found my attention to her encouraging words and non-judgemental tone meant my step was lighter, my self awareness sharper and my sense of resilience increased.

I have been thinking a lot about confidence in the past few days as I watch two people close to me wrestle with making courageous steps in their lives, asking as Marian puts it “what am I capable of?”

Each of the e-books contain quotes, personal experiences, tips, guidance, exercises to complete and always a strong positive and encouraging tone. The benefits of reading and completing the material in the e-books would include increased capability, resilience, self acceptance, growth, confidence and a richer more enjoyable life.

These benefits are too good to miss!

P.S. As a bonus, on her website Marian offers a free e-book “Empowerment: Live life your way”

A fish out of water

This extraordinary wee car was across the road this morning. I had to smile and grab the camera.

Enjoy!

Sunday quote

You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
~ Christopher Columbus

Saturday Tip: Communication percentages

I have been continuing to tidy up and sort through my resources. Here is a handout I used a lot in many of the workshops and courses I ran.

7% of communication = words

38% of communication = tone of voice

55% of communication = body language and or facial expression

It will be interesting to learn what findings people make around communication methods used today. Emails, texts and tweets all rely solely on words or symbols alone. It is surprising how well we communicate using these means when 93% of the facets that apparently are so critical to clear and effective communication are missing.

What are your thoughts on all this? Do these percentages need changing perhaps?

The buzz of empowerment

I have worked either as a volunteer or in a paid capacity for over 30 years in the field of empowerment. I have always felt a buzz from watching people step forward and increase their self esteem, or their self confidence or to make positive changes in their lives.

I’ve had a real buzz today from learning that someone I know has taken such a step in her life today. To many it might have seemed very small and insignificant but for her it was a biggie. I am so pleased to learn that the step into the unknown was a happy and fun occasion with the chance it can be repeated next week.

“Feel the fear and do it anyway” wrote Susan Jeffers and so often when fear is defeated new opportunities and growth occur that touch not only the person who was courageous but others too. That happened today. Great stuff.

Flowering cherry tree, kowhai tree and birds

I took my camera outside this morning to capture some spring photos.

The flowering cherry tree is in our garden.

Just over the fence in the neighbouring reserve is the kowhai tree that is being visited constantly by Tuis at the moment…..can you spot one feeding on the nectar?

And this afternoon, way off in the distance, amid road noise, other bird song, and the voices of children I heard the Shining Cuckoo. My guess is the Cuckoo is up at the end of our street in a larger, more secluded, wooded reserve. It has been a few weeks since I heard the first Shining Cuckoo of the season but the one today near my home is right on schedule!!!

“Don’t Quit” poem

The author of this poem is unknown, but it is widely read and it is timely for me today. I hope it inspires you too!

“Don’t Quit”

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow –
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell just how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Author unknown

Sunday quote: Doug Firebaugh

Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow.
Doug Firebaugh

Spring in its fullness

We have had some welcome rain this week with some warmer temperatures and the garden is bursting with spring growth and beauty. It has been a very wind free year where I live and normally spring growth takes a battering. It is thriving without the damaging winds and I am really enjoying that.

Rock rose

Chatham Island For-get-me-not flower just emerging

New foliage on the Japanese Maple

Rock rose bushes