Power Tips to Zap Stress Out of Your Life

This guide is dedicated to helping people, everywhere, to harness the stress in their lives and channel it into something that is beneficial and positive.

Stress Research Identify Stress in your Life Stress Diary Powerful Stress Management Tools Manage Stress through Mental Imagery Physical Relaxation Rational and Positive Thinking Bust Stress Away Laugh Stress Away Self Therapy for Nagging Daily Stress Natural Stress Busters Good Remedy for Everyday Stress Relaxation and Scent De-Stress your Home Create a Home Spa Experience More Good Relaxation Tips How People Deal with Stress Controlled Breathing Targeted Relaxation Stress Self Assessment

For the past one hundred years there has been much debate and theory offered about what stress is and what stress is not.  We each know intuitively what stress is to us because we all experience it.  Defining stress, however, is not so easy.

 Hans Selye is one of the founding fathers in stress research. In 1956, Mr. Selye argued that “stress is not necessarily something bad – it all depends on how you take it. The stress of exhilarating, creative successful work is beneficial, while that of failure, humiliation or infection is detrimental.”

 Selye’s position was that the biochemical effects of stress would be experienced irrespective of whether the situation was positive or negative.

 Since that time, much more research has been conducted, and new ideas have evolved. Stress is now widely perceived as a "negative," producing a range of harmful biochemical and long-term effects. These same effects have rarely been observed in positive situations.

 Richard S Lazarus is attributed with our most commonly accepted definition of stress: Stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.”

 Everyone responds differently to stressful events.  That stress response is part instinct and part to do with how we think.  We can train our minds how to best respond to the stressors in our lives.  Stress does not need to be all bad.  Some stress in our daily lives is good and challenges us to reach even higher heights.

Relaxation is every bit as much of an attitude as it is anything else.  When you know you are in control of your mind and body, you just instinctively know what to do about stress.

Taking the time to be mindful and cultivating a loving, gentle, stress free spirit means taking the time to relax.  Relaxation exercises can become a part of our daily routine just as sitting down to a good dinner is. Your body and mind will love you for it!