I Asked Grok, "Who is Elizabeth M Stanfill?"
2 months ago
There's nothing better that relieves stress than a good old, hearty laugh. Its contagious as much as it is infectious, and it just makes us feel so much better, and above all, its easy and its free! They say that laughter is the best medicine, this is true on many levels; physically - because it actually strengthens your immune system, boosts your energy levels, diminishes pain and lets you escape from the damaging effects of stress. It also has social benefits because of the contagious nature of laughter, it is shared amongst the whole group and helps the bonding process between peers. Haven't you realised how mush easier it is for a group to accept someone new if they are able to crack a good joke?
Laughter is good for your health! - Some extra facts:
- Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
- Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
- Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
- Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
If there's one thing I cannot be patient with it's people with bad manners.
Working in retail has really opened my eyes to just how rude people can be. This lack of patience often also applies to our relationships with friends and family and even class or workmates. So how do you remain calm and keep your patience in these situations??
Today I found myself with a particularly impolite and discourteous customer at work - patronising me, talking over me and just plain rude. If this encounter had been outside this work environment I would have drawn on a wide range of "methods" for expressing my "unhappiness", but I was forced to remain calm because of the setting. I decided to use the situation as an opportunity to remain calm and to implement some of our destress strategies.
Step 1. Do not head-butt said customer / person with whom you are losing your patience. Instead count to 10 before responding. Slow and regulate your breathing
Step 2. Come to an agreement/ remove the problem, or remove yourself from the situation. Any excuse will do "excuse me but I must go purchase a large gun now." Alternatively, begin a crazy conversation aloud with yourself and glaze over.
(In my case none of this was not possible as I had a 30min appointment with this woman, hence proceed to next step)
Step 3. Apply method of stress-management (i.e. reasoning with them/ zoning out to your 'happy place') in my case smiling and nodding was added to the latter. I also set myself a goal: to practice patience and turn the situation around, making the customer actually like me by the end of the appointment.
I did not respond to any of her taunts, but simply kept my patience, a soft steady voice and hurried the process as much as I could, focusing the conversation on her (which she loved).
Step 4. With a little patience, slight sucking up, distraction, and being firm and confident, the situation resolved itself! The customer forgot what she was cranky about and left very happy
Step 5. Vent. When someone mistreats you it often stays with you through the day, especially if you must remain in the workplace and continue to attend to more people without distancing yourself from the event. This is when talking it out (or even writing it down) really helps you to process the situation, through getting it off your chest. This very much helped me.
Step 6. Distraction. If you are still feeling stressed or frustrated, do something you enjoy: go for a walk (exercise releases endorphins :D ), put on your favourite dvd, read a book, catch up with friends, bake a cake! In no time you will be feeling better
Think of these experiences as a chance to practice your patience and anti-stress techniques, soon you'll be a pro
For more helpful hints follow this link:
'bluemooncandles' blog
Ive seen a few different movies recently, i find them to be a great way to relax and unwind with friends and family. Maybe its the way that you are able to completely emerge yourself into the storyline and be captured by the characters and the world within the movie. This theory applies especially to 3-D movies, hence their growing popularity. Speaking of 3-D movies, Avatar the movie has been the best movie i've seen in a long time and i cannot wait till the release of the DVD.
Here a a few deals that i watched about on the news, i couldn't find the video but i'm 99% sure these figures are right:
1.JB HIFI: $19, but free with any purchase over $100
2.Woolworths: $19, but free with any grocery purchase over $150
3.Big W, Target: $19
4.Dicksmith electronics: $30 (but they said they would price match very soon)
The large sums of work asked of students that almost always leads to high anxiety and a large amount stress. Sometimes it can play on your mind so much that no matter what you do all you can think about is the quiz due tomorrow or the assignment due next week, leaving all other aspects of your life a distant memory.
For me however, ive found that a having a few friends around to watch the footy or versing them on fifa puts you in a position to forget university work even if only for an hour and its at thses that im most relaxed. I dont feel any need to pick up a pen or a book, and it allows me to clear my thoughts and enjoy myslef- a care free enivronment removes all the worries and stress i may have at the time.
So even though the workload is huge and time may not be on your side, taking a break from uni work to partake in sport activiites of any kind can be what you need to feel relaxed and rejuvinated.
I was reading through the health and lifestyle section of a magazine today and found that they had a whole 5 page section dedicated to yoga. Its become a really popular activity amongst men and women of all ages as a form of not only relaxation, but also core strength, flexibility and and also a means of weight lose and muscle toning. To put it in simple terms, just overall well-being.
Ashtanga yoga
There are several forms of yoga that cater to people looking for different results or targeting different aspects, these are the main and most popular types of yoga:
Ashtanga yoga
Breath is harmonised with a series of progressive postures to produce intense internal heat, and a purifying sweat that detoxifies organs and muscles.
Seventy-five poses are performed in 1.5-2 hours, starting with the "primary" postures (concentrating on alignment), and working up through a series of "grades" as strength and flexibility builds.
Health and fitness benefits
- Tones the body (think Madonna — she does Ashtanga yoga!)
- Improves circulation
- Realigns the spine
- Calms the mind
- Detoxifies
- Builds strength, stamina and flexibility
More info: www.ashtanga.com
Bikram yoga
A series of 26 postures in a 38°C room! "The sequence of postures is designed to stretch, strengthen and prepare specific muscles, ligaments and joints needed for the next posture," says Bikram yoga instructor and Yoga Tree Melbourne director, Mili Crncevic.
"The method then also stimulates the organs, glands, and nerves, moving fresh oxygenated blood to 100 percent of the body, restoring all systems to a healthy working order. This, combined with a hot room, helps you flush toxins from your body."
Health and fitness benefits
- Promotes weight loss
- Reduces stress
- Increases vitality, energy, relaxation, concentration and mental clarity
- Keeps joints supple
- Increases blood circulation
- Improves immunity (eg, arthritis and thyroid disorders)
- Helps heal injuries
- General sense of wellbeing
More info: www.bikramyoga.com
Iyengar yoga
Focuses on correct posture and body awareness. The creator, BKS Iyengar, wanted to make yoga suitable for everyone, regardless of age, health, disability, etc. so he included props, including pillows, mats, bolsters and sticks so everyone could do the poses without strain or injury. Postures are held for varying amounts of time.
Health and fitness benefits
- Mental and emotional wellbeing
- Helps alleviate postural/structural problems
- Stress release
More info: www.iyengaryoga.asn.au
... for me, yoga on my wii is sufficient :)
While healthy foods are good to prevent stress from occurring, sometimes, a bowl of fruit just wont do the trick.
One of my favourite ways to de-stress: Chocolate, and lots of it.
Whether it's the sugar, indulgence, the endorphins it releases or the chemical reaction it causes, chocolate (or any dessert for that matter) is a great, simple and effective way to relieve stress.
Did you know that what you eat can affect your stress levels?
Highly processed foods have chemicals that are unnatural to our bodies. Therefore the body takes more energy to process thses foods.
Foods to avoid:
- high sugar content, high salt content, processed
Foods to calm you:
- high in magnesium or calcium eg. milk, yoghurt
- teas such as chamomile and lemon balm
Burning essential oils can also be calming:
- lavender oil
- any blend labelled "meditation oil" or "calming"
more ideas can be found here:
'stressless' blog
Color Scheme:
Blog layout:
We decided to use a different layout because we felt that as the old one was satisfactory and met all the requirements, it was simply a little too plain. This new one encompasses a similar color scheme and blog layout, with a much more refreshing outlook. We found it on a blog-skins website http://btemplates.com/ which has is a website dedicated to numerous amounts of blog templates specifically for blogger users.
Have you ever tried to relax but find you can't switch off your thoughts? This can really inhibit your ability to de-stress after a hectic day.
One method to help this problem is MEDITATION, this allows you to focus on a single objects (mental/physical depending on type of meditation). By focusing on that object you disallow any other thoughts to enter your mind, thereby allowing you to rest.
Here's a quick crash course for beginners:
1. Find a quiet spot - no distractions
2. Sit in a comfortable position that you will be able to maintain for at least 10 minutes
3. Get comfortable - no shoes/tight clothing
4. Your senses should be able to rest i.e. no loud noises/strong smells/visuals
5. Close your eyes
6. Breathe normally and naturally - observe the breath (for 10 breaths)
7. Observe the pause between inhalation and exhalation (for 10 breaths)
8. Imagine your breathing - imagine breathing in from the bottom of yor feet and out through the top of your head - then reverse for breathing out (for 10 breaths)
9. Slowly bring your breathing back to normal
10. Open your eyes - end
Your first session should last no longer than 10 minutes. Subsequent sessions can be lengthened as long as you still feel comfortable and relaxed.
For more ideas visit this blog:
'meditationiseasy' blog
One method to help this problem is MEDITATION, this allows you to focus on a single objects (mental/physical depending on type of meditation). By focusing on that object you disallow any other thoughts to enter your mind, thereby allowing you to rest.
Here's a quick crash course for beginners:
1. Find a quiet spot - no distractions
2. Sit in a comfortable position that you will be able to maintain for at least 10 minutes
3. Get comfortable - no shoes/tight clothing
4. Your senses should be able to rest i.e. no loud noises/strong smells/visuals
5. Close your eyes
6. Breathe normally and naturally - observe the breath (for 10 breaths)
7. Observe the pause between inhalation and exhalation (for 10 breaths)
8. Imagine your breathing - imagine breathing in from the bottom of yor feet and out through the top of your head - then reverse for breathing out (for 10 breaths)
9. Slowly bring your breathing back to normal
10. Open your eyes - end
Your first session should last no longer than 10 minutes. Subsequent sessions can be lengthened as long as you still feel comfortable and relaxed.
For more ideas visit this blog:
'meditationiseasy' blog
Uni today was a little bit full on, in my ISY100 tutorial i found out that my group's presentation was actually next week, not week 10. And to add to that i also found out that there was going to be another tutorial quiz next week before the presentation; and that this time it is going to be relatively harder compared to the last quiz we had as too many of us apparently did "too well" in that one and so they're not going to give us too much information for this one.
Also found out about a 2000-3000 word report that we're going to have to put together around week 13.
How unfair life is.
So after uni, being the litle bit of a shopaholic i am, i decided that i deserved some retail therapy, and therapeutic it was :) im not sure how long this gratifying, fulfilling feeling will last for though, I might have to have a repeat when my procrastinating gets the better of me. Its amazing how it simply takes my mind off things and instantly de-stresses me, even if this effect is only temporary.
Im not sure how the concept of "Retail Therapy" works, especially with women so i did a little bit of research:
"It is true that a shopping trip to the mall or the local store can help a person feel better. Who doesn't like to have new things? But buying a new sweater or a new CD does not make your problem or situation in your life better. It just puts it off to the side. Every once in awhile that may be okay to do. To step back and go shopping and take your mind off your problem. But, when does your retail therapy become the problem? More and more people are going into debt nowadays. The use of credit cards is up every year. If a person thinks that buying something new will help them, then when will they stop? Will they have to buy something new everyday just to feel better? What they do not realize is that they are spending money on stuff that they most likely do not need. This is likely adding to the stress in their life. An extreme case of retail therapy is were a person actually goes into debt because they need that instant gratification of purchasing something new all the time."
Our Blog, The Little Blog of Calm, will share some of the many stressful situations in our lives, and how we are, or should be dealing with them. our blog entries will aim to De-stress the lives of our readers and the layout of our blog was designed to reflect this.
Colour Scheme:
A simple layout was chosen for our blog. It is clear and easy to navigate. Given that our target audience are trying to De-stress their lives, a simple layout seemed most appropriate.
Colour Scheme:
The colour scheme of our blog was chosen to calm and relax our readers. The soft, pale colours compliment our blog topics and the natural tones contribute to the ambiance of our blog.
Layout:
A simple layout was chosen for our blog. It is clear and easy to navigate. Given that our target audience are trying to De-stress their lives, a simple layout seemed most appropriate.
This morning i woke up and it dawned on me, exactly how many assignments, exams, family commitments, work commitments, birthdays and STRESS i am going to have to cram into the next few weeks.
The first thing i did to begin de-stressing was write a list of everything i had coming up. Normally this process of writing a list de-stresses me, as i can see what i have to do and when, and can see where to start. This list however, was HUGE! So rather than sit down and begin item number one on my list (an assignment due in less than a week), i went into the bathroom and began straightening my hair..?
This did not contribute to accomplishing any of the tasks on my constantly growing to-do-list, but it was a job that i could start and finish. this tiny sense of accomplishment managed to de-stress me.
So, while i may never fisish my assignments, or mae it to half of the events i have coming up, at least i will do it with straight and stress free hair.
Welcome to the little blog of calm.
Please think of this space as a little refuge from the everyday; a sanctuary for finding serenity in amongst all the hustle and bustle of your busy life.
De-stress step 1; take a step back, a deep breath in and out, and await the calming advice and strategies we will be sharing to help you calm your life!
Please think of this space as a little refuge from the everyday; a sanctuary for finding serenity in amongst all the hustle and bustle of your busy life.
De-stress step 1; take a step back, a deep breath in and out, and await the calming advice and strategies we will be sharing to help you calm your life!
