Action4Balance

"Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hand with specific thumb, finger and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands with a premise that such work effects a physical change to the body ", state Barbara and Kevin Kunz,  internationally recognized authorities in reflexology. 

Reflexology alleviates and reduces stress and burnout.

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Positive affirmations are one of my top stress management choices. I have had very impressive results in different ‘sectors’ of my life and I strongly encourage everybody to plug into this powerful stress reduction, change management and personal development technique. I use them with very good results on regular basis alongside with the meditation and visualization.

The theory about affirmations is that your whole experience depends on the thoughts that go through your head, so if you introduce specific thoughts into your head on a regular basis, you are effectively training your mind to go in the direction you want it to go. Its about Conditioning, which could be both positive or negative.  

Positive affirmations introduce positive change through impressing the subconscious mind and trigger it into action (positive, desirable).

Steven Covey in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People points out that a good affirmation has five basic ingredients:

- Personal

- Positive (such as ‘I am perfect just as I am’. If you repeat a negative statement, such as I don’t want to be fat’, it is the being fat, that your brain will pick up on and the affirmation will be self-defeating)

- In present tense

- Visual

- Emotional.

Say your positive affirmations  several times during the day.

Having said your affirmations you now need to let it take effect. This is the point where things sometimes start to go wrong. It is helpful to take note of the following:

• You must sit back and let things happen. We cannot always see how our goals are to be achieved. Sometimes we are so busy controlling what we think we want to achieve, that we miss or even reject the real achievement of our goal. Learn to let go and accept what comes, trusting that what you need will come to you.

• Believe that you have a right to receive your goal. Often we are the block to achieving our goals, because we don't really believe deep down inside ourselves that we are worthy to receive. You are - remember that!

• When we have a strong goal in our mind, we send out that positive energy, which attracts the kinds of people we need to help us achieve that goal.
• If you wish try my favourite affirmation - Abundance flows into my life every day in miraculous ways.

Related Article:

Positive Affirmations as a Stress Management Tool

Recomended Resources:

Sedona.com

Visualization is the technique of using your imagination to create what you want in your life.

Visualization is also a potent method of stress reduction, especially when combined with physical relaxation methods such as deep breathing.

The practice of positive thinking in the treatment of physical symptoms was popularized by Emil Coue, a French pharmacist. Coue declared that all of your thoughts become reality – you are what you think you are.

You can use visualization for relaxation and for goal setting.

I higly recommend you to get the book by Shakti Gawain, Creative Visualization. The book is a real Gem.

Learn how to use visualization for goal setting click here.

Essential oils stimulate the powerful sense of smell and the part of the brain that affects our emotions.

The shape of an essential oil molecule is like a key that opens lock-like structure in the olfactory nerve receptors in the nostrils. The smells enter through cilia (the hairs lining the nose) to the limbic system. Stimulated limbic system releases chemicals that affect the central nervous system - the part of the brain.

In the brain, the oils can have many effects: promote memories or encourage feelings of relaxation, calmness, love, and excitement. These properties of essential oils make them so well suited to the treatment of stress-related conditions.

Whatever causes our stress – work, family, or other worries – when the pressure gets too much we need to unwind and relax. 

Click HERE to read.

Beathing is a necessity of life and we tend to take it for granted.

When a person is under stress the body becomes tense and our breathing shallow.

As a result:

1. We breathe in less oxygen and breathe out less toxic waste product carbon dioxide.
2. Our muscles ache and we feel pain especially in the neck and shoulder area.

Improper breathing contributes to anxiety, panic attacks, depression, muscle tension, headaches, and fatigue.

However we can do it the other way round as well - when we relax our bodies we can effectively reduce stress.

Deep breathing is a very simple but very effective stress management method. It works well in conjunction with other relaxation techniques such as Progressive Muscular Relaxation, visualization and meditation for stress relief.

Take Action:

- Inhale through the nose slowly and deeply to count of five (Make sure that the stomach and abdomen expand but the chest does not raise up)
- Exhale through the mouth, slowly and completely, making a quite, relaxing,whooshing sound like a wind as you blow gently out. Relax your mouth,tongue and jaw; also to the count of five
- To help quiet the mind, concentrate fully on breathing and counting through each cycle
- Repeat five to ten times and make a habit of doing the exercise several times a day, even when not feeling stressed.

While a deep breathing exercise can be learned in some minutes and you will experience immediate stress relief, the profound effects of this exercise may be fully appreciated only after month of persistent practice.

TIP: Start practicing the deep breathing for stress reduction when NOT stressed. When in stressful situation you will be able to do it automatically in order to obtain the stress relief. When under pressure and stress you could find useful to use herbal remedies for stress relief to obtain feeling of balance and wellbeing.