Believe in yourself! - guide of motivation

Guide of motivation

This publication has been realized with the financial support of the European Commission (Erasmus + Programme). It reflects the views only of the author, and the European Commission and the National Agency for Erasmus + Programme are not responsible for the information contained therein.

Organizer: Stowarzyszenie - Porozumienie Pokolen (Poland, Slawkow)

Partners: Vidin fund Chitalishta (Bulgaria, Vidin)

Asociace stredoskolskych klubu Ceske republiky z.s.

(Czech Republic, Brno)

What is stress?

Since the dawn of mankind is our body adapted to any kind of physical issue you can ever imagine. But it's not only about our body. More important for us should be our mind. Our mental state. I guess everyone here experienced some kind of mental issue but today we will be more focused on the stress phenomenon. You may be asking what exactly stress is.

It's just the defense mechanism of our body. If you find yourself in a difficult situation your body can respond in a way that you don't have to find pleasant at all but it’s just a body response to a critical situation in which you appeared.

Throughout our lifetime we may feel stress sometimes. Usually, it’s just sweaty palms or butterflies in our stomach and these feelings last for a short time. It’s just acute stress which is completely alright. This kind of stress helps us get through some difficulties which we may experience. The real struggle appears when it comes to chronic stress. This could be a serious issue. If you’re experiencing some kind of stress for a long period of time you should relax. There's a possibility you can gain chronic stress which could be really difficult to get rid of.

The first problem of chronic stress comes with the physical reaction of our body. The effects can be really damaging to our organism. Basically, there are three types of body’s reaction you can encounter. The first one is physical. This physical reaction includes headache, sleeping problems whether it’s an inability to sleep or sleeping too much, muscle pain which can escalate to some unpleasant tension. The real struggle can appear if you start feeling like you have digestive issues. Don’t get fooled so easily because this symptom can have a serious impact on your health. Due to this problem, we can cause our body more harm than we already received during our stressful phase.

Another issue especially between youngsters could be some kind of change in our usual sex drive. Moreover, if you don’t have a relationship that is intimate this can cause even more problems so it’s very crucial to talk about these kinds of stuff with your partner or someone you trust and can rely on. This can deepen your relationship and hopefully help you get out of this. These are the most common physical effects which can stress have on our body.

The second big problem is the emotional reaction. Every single one of us reacts differently in many situations so it’s possible you don’t experience the same feelings as someone else. The most common emotional effects of chronic stress are moodiness, irritability, lack of motivation, sadness, anxiety, or even depression. If you very often feel some of these symptoms you should set an appointment with your doctor which will help you. Being exposed to stress effects for a long time period can lead to stress overload which is a serious issue because of all the symptoms. There are few signs of stress overload. One of many is panic attacks. Feeling you are under pressure or just being always worried can make your life much worse.

Very common is drinking too much and taking drugs to get rid of stress. This way just isn’t the right way to deal with any difficult situation in your life. Other defects could be overeating or smoking but the real struggle here is mostly withdrawal from friends and family.

Withdrawal is a really critical part mostly because people which are experiencing this can gain some more serious issues and become outsiders. It’s very important to be here for them and help if they need anything. The last one is a mental reaction. When you are in a long stress period you can feel how you step by step losing yourself. It’s mostly because you are just focusing on the problem and forgetting about regenerating the mind and the body. This is a very exhausting process so this whole situation could become a vicious circle.

The biggest problem is not using your energy the right way. Instead of thinking about the problem which you can’t solve right now you should start thinking about you, your social needs, hobbies. Just find some time for yourself and relax. If you keep yourself under constant pressure there’s a possibility of developing some serious mental disorder.

A very unpleasant phenomenon is a mental breakdown. If you experience this you have to keep on your mind that YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Always even if you feel you hit the rock bottom there is someone or something that can help you get back up. This is something really important and we should remind each other every single day and be there for them because maybe today it’s them who are struggling with some problem but tomorrow it could be us who need help.

So if you register someone helpless try to help them as best you can.

About the stress Nowadays stress is a subject as deep as the ocean. In psychology, stress is defined as a ‘’rapid adaptive relationship’’ between our abilities and the demands of the situation characterized by a lack of psychological and physical stabilization. In simple words, stress is some kind of psychological pain that we, as humans, experience when we can’t manage any hard situation that we are placed in.

Stress may occur due to a lot of different factors such as mental factors, physical factors, psychological factors, or anatomical ones. The word ‘’stress’’ was popularized in the twentieth century by a Hungarian doctor and endocrinologist Hans Hugon Selye who has devoted fifty years of his life to studying this subject matter. Thanks to Hans Hugon Selye we pay more attention to stress and its consequences.

Generally, people think of stress as a bad phenomenon but it is not entirely true. A Swiss physician, alchemist, lay theologian, and philosopher Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, in short Paracelsus, once said: ‘’Omnia sunt venena, nihil est sine veneno. Sola dosis facit venenum’’ which means that everything is a poison and nothing is a poison, only portions make a poison, and the same goes for stress. Small amounts of stress may be desired and beneficial for us because those small amounts can increase our abilities to manage hard situations that require adaptation, which in the process can help us expand our psychological health.

The real problem is either too much stress or long-lasting stress which in the process may contribute to the development of anxiety disorders or depressive disorders. Too much stress also creates a risk of occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder or even, in some cases, personality disorders. According to the above-mentioned Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, the course of stress is divided into three phases.

The first phase is called the ‘’Alarming phase’’. This phase is a reaction to a confrontation with a new unknown situation. The alarming phase has two sub-phases. One of those is called ‘’shock stage’’ and the other one is called ‘’prevention stage’’. In the prevention stage, our body tries to take some countermeasures.

The second phase is called the ‘’adaptation phase’’. During this phase, the human body learns how to efficiently and without any excessive troubles deal with stressors (stressor is a stimulus that causes stress). If our body is able to overcome a hard situation then everything goes back to standard, but if our body isn’t able to overcome a hard situation then comes the third and the last phase. ‘’Exhaustion phase’’ is the name of the last phase. In the exhaustion phase, our body is constantly energized which leads to the exhaustion of our immune system and it may lead to some serious diseases and in some death. More or less stress contributes to large amounts of ailments.

There are short-term physical ailments and long-term physical ailments as well as shortterm psychological ailments and long-term psychological ailments. For the short-term physical ailments, we include ailments such as shallow breathing which often feels like breathlessness or tightness of the chest, dryness of the mouth, increased heart rate, faster heart rate, and breath, increased activity of the sweat glands, problems with memory, attention or concentration, cold hands or feet which means that blood drains to internal organs, problems with the digestive system manifested in the form of nausea or diarrhea, strong muscle tension which sometimes manifests in the form of seizures; stomach problems that lead to stomach pains, nausea or constipation, tingle which may mean our entire body is hypoxic.

For the long-term physical ailments, we include ailments such as obesity, constant feeling of being tired, constant headaches or migraine, heartaches, spine pains, other pains or numbness in various parts of the body. Among short-term psychological ailments we can list the following ones: negative thoughts, losses of concentration, losses of self-confidence, sudden losses of energy, poor self-esteem, self-blame, difficulties in making decisions, dissatisfaction with the tasks performed. Long-term ailments are way more dangerous than previous ailments and should not be underestimated and for those, we include ailments such as frequent mood changes, depression, loneliness, low concentration of attention, anxiety disorders, or even thoughts of suicide.

Summarizing stress is a really deep and hard topic and while physical symptoms can be relatively easy to see, the psychological symptoms are very difficult for others to notice and because of that, we shouldn’t underestimate even the slightest ones of those symptoms. If we feel that something is not right we should immediately let our loved ones know about it and talk with them and if that doesn’t help us we should seek specialist assistance.

What makes us stressed?

LACK OF TIME - When we are not catching the bus - When the last two minutes of the test remain

DO NOT KNOW, WHAT WILL HAPPEN - We did something wrong and we are waiting for the parents' reaction - We have to help for our parents, we want to be done quickly, but they will remember a new task every minute

WAITING - When we wait for the mark that matters - When someone is close to the hospital and we are waiting for the result - When we take risks and wait for it to turn out GRADES - When a test or exam is approaching - When we need good grades - When we stand in front of a blackboard and know absolutely nothing WE DO NOT TRUST OURSLVES - We have an important phone call and we don't know what to say - We are afraid to be honest about our feelings - We don't want to report to school

NEW PEOPLE, CHANGES - When it somehow worked and we feel extra - We have to make a good first impression - We do not know what they expect from us - We have to adapt - We don't feel well between them KNOWING SOMETHING IS WRONG - There are a lot of inauthentic people around - See that the others are afraid to tell us something - Someone is watching us - Feeling we forgot something - A subconscious, that senses problems before me - There's a scam going on around us SECRET - When someone finds out our secret and we don't know if it's at the tank - When it affects secrets, we must lie - When we have to tell our secrets to others

PHOBIA - There was a spider in the room and he disappeared - We have to talk in front of people - He had run away from the neighbors

The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that puts high demands on you can be stressful. This includes positive events such as getting married, buying a house, going to college, or receiving a promotion.

Of course, not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be internal or self-generated, when you worry excessively about something that may or may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic thoughts about life.

Finally, what causes stress depends, at least in part, on your perception of it. Something that’s stressful to you may not faze someone else; they may even enjoy it. While some of us are terrified of getting up in front of people to perform or speak, for example, others live for the spotlight. Where one person thrives under pressure and performs best in the face of a tight deadline, another will shut down when work demands escalate. And while you may enjoy helping to care for your elderly parents, your siblings may find the demands of caretaking overwhelming and stressful.

Common external causes of stress include: - Major life changes - Work or school - Relationship difficulties - Financial problems - Being too busy - Children and family - Common internal causes of stress include: Pessimism - Inability to accept uncertainty - Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility - Negative self-talk - Unrealistic expectations / perfectionism - All-or-nothing attitude

Some of life’s most common sources of stress include: Stress at work While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and performance, impact your physical and emotional health, and affect your relationships and home life. It can even determine the difference between success and failure on the job. Whatever your ambitions or work demands, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from the damaging effects of stress, improve your job satisfaction, and bolster your well-being in and out of the workplace.

Caregiver stress The demands of caregiving can be overwhelming, especially if you feel that you’re in over your head or have little control over the situation. If the stress of caregiving is left unchecked, it can take a toll on your health, relationships, and state of mind — eventually leading to burnout. However, there are plenty of things you can do to rein in the stress of caregiving and regain a sense of balance, joy, and hope in your life.

Grief and loss Coping with the loss of someone or something you love is one of life’s biggest stressors.

Often, the pain and stress of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. While there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can ease your sadness and help you come to terms with your loss, find new meaning, and move on with your life.

Job loss and unemployment stress Losing a job is one of life’s most stressful experiences. It’s normal to feel angry, hurt, or depressed, grieve for all that you’ve lost, or feel anxious about what the future holds.

Job loss and unemployment involves a lot of change all at once, which can rock your sense of purpose and self-esteem. While the stress can seem overwhelming, there are many steps you can take to come out of this difficult period stronger, more resilient, and with a renewed sense of purpose.

Sometimes the stress comes from inside, rather than outside. You can stress yourself out just by worrying about things.

All of these factors can lead to stress: Fear and uncertainty. When you regularly hear about the threat of terrorist attacks, global warming, and toxic chemicals on the news, it can cause you to feel stressed, especially because you feel like you have no control over those events. And even though disasters are typically very rare events, their vivid coverage in the media may make them seem as if they are more likely to occur than they really are.

Fears can also hit closer to home, such as being worried that you won't finish a project at work or won't have enough money to pay your bills this month.

Attitudes and perceptions. How you view the world or a particular situation can determine whether it causes stress. For example, if your television set is stolen and you take the attitude, "It's OK, my insurance company will pay for a new one," you'll be far less stressed than if you think, "My TV is gone and I'll never get it back! What if the thieves come back to my house to steal again?" Similarly, people who feel like they're doing a good job at work will be less stressed out by a big upcoming project than those who worry that they are incompetent.

Unrealistic expectations. No one is perfect.

If you expect to do everything right all the time, you're destined to feel stressed when things don't go as expected.

Change. Any major life change can be stressful - even a happy event like a wedding or a job promotion. More unpleasant events, such as a divorce, major financial setback, or death in the family can be significant sources of stress.

What are the warning signs of stress?

Chronic stress can wear down the body's natural defenses, leading to a variety of physical symptoms, including the following: - Frequent headaches, jaw clenching or pain - Gritting, grinding teeth - Stuttering or stammering - Tremors, trembling of lips, hands - Neck ache, back pain, muscle spasms - Light headedness, faintness, dizziness - Ringing, buzzing or “popping sounds - Frequent blushing, sweating - Cold or sweaty hands, feet - Dry mouth, problems swallowing - Frequent colds, infections, herpes sores - Rashes, itching, hives, “goose bumps” - Unexplained or frequent “allergy” attacks - Heartburn, stomach pain, nausea - Excess belching, flatulence - Constipation, diarrhea, loss of control - Difficulty breathing, frequent sighing - Sudden attacks of life threatening panic - Chest pain, palpitations, rapid pulse - Frequent urination - Excess anxiety, worry, guilt, nervousness - Increased anger, frustration, hostility - Depression, frequent or wild mood swings - Increased or decreased appetite - Insomnia, nightmares, disturbing dreams - Difficulty concentrating, racing thoughts - Trouble learning new information - Forgetfulness, disorganization, confusion - Difficulty in making decisions - Feeling overloaded or overwhelmed - Frequent crying spells or suicidal thoughts - Feelings of loneliness or worthlessness - Nervous habits, fidgeting, feet tapping - Increased frustration, irritability, edginess - Overreaction to petty annoyances - Increased number of minor accidents - Obsessive or compulsive behavior

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Reduced work efficiency or productivity Lies or excuses to cover up poor work Rapid or mumbled speech Problems in communication, sharing Social withdrawal and isolation Constant tiredness, weakness, fatigue Frequent use of over-the-counter drugs Weight gain or loss without diet

The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated, and ready to avoid danger. Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between stressors. As a result, the person becomes overworked, and stress-related tension builds. The body's autonomic nervous system has a built-in stress response that causes physiological changes to allow the body to combat stressful situations. This stress response, also known as the "fight or flight response", is activated in case of an emergency. However, this response can become chronically activated during prolonged periods of stress. Prolonged activation of the stress response causes wear and tear on the body – both physical and emotional.

Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress – a negative stress reaction. Distress can disturb the body's internal balance or equilibrium, leading to physical symptoms such as headaches, an upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, sexual dysfunction, and problems sleeping. Emotional problems can also result from distress. These problems include depression, panic attacks, or other forms of anxiety and worry. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases. Stress is linked to 6 of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.

Stress also becomes harmful when people engage in the compulsive use of substances or behaviors to try to relieve their stress. These substances or behaviors include food, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, shopping, and the Internet. Rather than relieving the stress and returning the body to a relaxed state, these substances and compulsive behaviors tend to keep the body in a stressed state and cause more problems. The distressed person becomes trapped in a vicious circle.

How does the stress affect us?

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord. Stress effects on the central nervous system may include: Headaches Stress can be a trigger for tension headaches and migraine in some people. About 70% of people who experience migraine headaches report stress as the trigger.

Depression Many experts suggest that stress may cause depression. Some researchers have proposed the term stress-induced depression to refer to depression that occurs when people have a history of stress before their diagnosis. Continual work-related stress can contribute to depression.

Insomnia The hypothalamus is one of the key structures involved in the sleep-wake cycle. During stressful experiences, the body activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. These systems release hormones that stimulate attention and arousal, causing issues with sleep. People experiencing stress may develop insomnia or have worsening sleep issues.

IMMUNE SYSTEM Stress may cause decreased immune function, but researchers are unclear on the exact mechanism responsible. In moments of acute stress, the body prepares for the possibility of injury or infection by activating the immune system, which protects it from outside dangers.

If stress becomes persistent, the long-term release of immune factors, such as proinflammatory cytokines, can cause chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a risk factor for diseases such as atherosclerosis.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM Stress affects the interactions between the brain and the gut. Some of the changes may affect: - smooth muscle movements - deep gut sensations - stomach acid secretion - permeability (potentially leading to leaky gut syndrome, a proposed gastrointestinal condition) - cell reproduction and blood flow in the gut - the intestinal microbiome These changes lead to or exacerbate several digestive problems, including irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn, ulcers, and inflammatory bowel disease. People can also experience changes in appetite when they feel stressed.

MUSCULOSKETETAL SYSTEM Researchers have identified a link between work-related stress and the development of chronic pain. Monotonous work and lack of social support are possible risk factors for musculoskeletal issues, such as lower back pain. Ongoing studies are investigating the possibility of a link between non-work-related stress and musculoskeletal pain.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM During acute stress, the cardiovascular system prepares the body for the fight or flight response.

These preparations involve an increase in the following: - heart rate - contraction strength of the heart - release of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol - blood flow to the major muscle groups When a person experiences long-term stress, these responses persist and can also lead to inflammation. Chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Before reaching menopause, people have lower cardiovascular risks because estrogen helps with stress management. After menopause, when estrogen levels drop, the cardiovascular risks relating to stress rise.

ENDOCRINE SYSTEM Some researchers have suggested that stress can reduce insulin sensitivity. An increase in the hormones epinephrine and cortisol during stress affects the body’s response to insulin.

Cortisol can also lead to increased fat accumulation in the abdomen.

They also noted that the effects of stress might differ between people in good health and those with insulin resistance or obesity. People living with obesity may be more sensitive to the effects of stress on metabolism.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM Some people may experience breathing difficulties during a stressful response. Breathing difficulties, such as shortness of breath and rapid breathing, can occur with stress and strong emotions.

Researchers suggest that during stressful responses, the airways between the lungs and nose may contract and affect breathing.

When a person is in good health, these effects are usually not dangerous, but they may significantly affect people with breathing problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.

Research findings indicate that children with asthma experiencing a stressful event may have a higher risk of asthma attacks.

Stress does not directly cause asthma attacks, though. Experts suggest that stress increases the frequency, duration, and severity of symptoms by increasing the extent of the body’s inflammatory response to irritants, allergens, and pathogens.

How to avoid stress?

Stress is increasingly a problem of a young people, Many factors, such as problems at school, family situations, and problems with friends can influence it.

Stress is a phenomenon that cannot be taken lightly. Unfortunately, we cannot often avoid it or have an influence on the existence of stressful situations. Therefore, we must learn to deal with it. There are many ways we can deal with stress. Each of us is different and we must approach the problem individually.The first form of fighting stress and its harmful consequences is a healthy lifestyle: diet and exercise. With a well balanced diet, rich in antioxidants, our body can cope with the effects of stress more easily. While planning a diet, we should takeinto consideration our age and job. Thanks to this, we will know how caloric our meals should be. We must never forget about fresh vegetables and fruit.

The best solution for people who want to deal with stress on their own is to sit down and think calmly. It's worth writing down your problems on a piece of paper and think about each of them separately. If you are stressed about conversation with someone, think before how you can talk to them and what you would like to say. Another way is also to listen to music that can calm you down and take some stress of you.

Physical activity is also a good option because it has a positive effect on the body at all times.

During physical activity happiness hormones are released. It is also good to count on your close friends’ help, ask them for advice. Such a person can make you feel better. If you don't have such a person, you can use the help of a school psychologist or educator. Sleep is one of the most necessary things in our life. Our body needs about 7-8 hours of sleep a day on a regular basis.

There are several types of meditation, which can help you to handle stressful situations.

These include: - Mindfulness - Spiritual meditation - Transcendental meditation

The first type of meditation is Mindfulness. This type of meditation has its origins in Buddhism and is often used in the West. The essence of mindfulness is to develop selfawareness and its presence in your own thoughts.

The primary form of spiritual meditation is praying, which has similar results to other forms of meditation. Thanks to spiritual meditation, you will discover a path that will also lead you to knowledge useful in everyday life.

Transcendental meditation is a type that comes from Vedanta. Its foundations are based on Hinduism. In this technique, a person performs the exercises while sitting, preferably in the lotus or semi-lotus position, and mantras are used. The main purpose of this meditation is to rise above your thoughts, clear your mind, and live in the moment. Exercises in which the follower tries to focus on his breathing to calm his thoughts can also be an interesting alternative.

Do something you like, if you like to play on the computer - play a bit or simply go to the cinema. It's worth smiling and trying to start seeing the world in bright colors.

Tips how to avoid stress Watch something funny.

Laughter really is the best medicine.

It relieves physical tension, reduces stress, and increases immunity…so watch your fave comedy and laugh your way to tranquility.

Do some baking. The smell of baking can make people feel calm and comforted. Many people find baking stress relieving and adding decorative touches to your creation can give you a sense of pride, enhance how you’re feeling and therefore boost your self-esteem.

Get a Coloring Book.

They’ve exploded in popularity over recent months and for good reason – coloring in helps you chill out because it’s very difficult to focus on other things when you’re doing it.

Accept yourself – the hardest thing. Easy to say but hard to do it, I know.

But if you accept yourself as a human being, you won a life.

Try the Naam Yoga Hand Trick. Using your fingertips, apply pressure to the space between the knuckles of your index and middle fingers. This creates a sense of immediate relaxation by activating a nerve that loosens the area around your heart (don’t worry, it’s not as life-threatening as it sounds).

Eat and sleep properly – this is rule number one! Don’t skip snacks or lunches, eat that chocolate, and sleep at least 8 hours.

Watch a nature documentary. Nature documentaries can sprinkle our minds with mood-lifting wanderlust and highlight the sheer scale of life which can in turn help us gain perspective of our own lives.

Meditation – if you know how to do it, you should think about using this technique!

It’s very important to know how to relax our bodies and minds.

Relax – just take deep breaths, take a hot shower or a bath…

Stop multitasking. No wonder we’re all mega-stressed when we’re replying to text messages, whilst watching TV and speaking on the phone simultaneously! Not only is multitasking totally inefficient, but it’s also linked to the increased production of stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) that can send your body into panic mode! So chill out and take things one step at a time.

Stay inside and listen to the rain.

Want a good excuse to stay in your PJ’s? White noise may make you wanna tear your hair out when it’s blaring out the TV, but this sound of nature shares similar wavelengths to the frequencies produced by white noise and actually has relaxing effects on the brain.

Have a banana. When we’re stressed out our blood pressure tends to rise but the potassium found in bananas can help to regulate this. Stress can also leave us feeling depleted but bananas give you a replenishing energy boost!

Avoid toxic people or places – That’s for sure! You weren’t born to be with people you don’t like etc. Remember it.

Find a hobby – you can find a thing that you like and you will see a purpose in your life.

Try self-hypnosis. Forget dangling pendants and special powers, selfhypnosis can really work! There’s loads of mp3’s you can download online to help reprogram your subconscious to relieve stress and anxiety so have a listen.

Call an old friend. Feeling out of control? Speaking to an old friend can be really grounding. Social connectedness can reduce stress levels and no doubt the nostalgia will get you smiling and laughing too!

Squeeze a stress ball. Using a stress ball can help alleviate tension by promoting muscle relaxation and providing a general sense of release.

Visit a free museum or gallery.

Cultural centers provide a safe haven of positive distraction, reduce tension and inspire our creativity too. Often, you can get free entry or reduced rates so check out what’s available in your area.

Turn up the music and dance.

Combining music and dance can help build self-esteem, lift your mood and reduce anxiety. Dancing may also help express emotions.

A spoonful of honey.

Mother nature’s delicious treat has compounds that reduce inflammation in the brain which can help improve a low mood.

Exercise - I don’t mean you have to be like a bodybuilder, just go to the park and run.

Drink hot water. Learn from the tradition of Chinese healing and drink a cup of good ol’, clean hot water. It will cleanse your system of toxins that have accumulated in the body and may be causing tension. You could try adding some lemon for flavour, vitamin C and its mood enhancing properties (e.g. reducing anxiety).

Get help – if your stress became your everyday enemy, you should think about it.

Therapy, medication… it can help, believe me.

Chew gum. Chewing gum for a few minutes can help release anxiety, improve your mood and you’ll never have to worry about bad breath again!

Be with the loved ones you should be with the true ones and not the fake ones!

Doodle. You may associate doodling with being bored in class but doing it in your spare time can be a great way to relax. When we’re stressed we can get caught in our thoughts but by doodling you’re engaging the creative upper right side of your brain which will give you the space you need to calm down and find a fresh perspective.

Have a hug.

Hugging increases serotonin levels which are linked to happiness and releases oxytocin which lowers stress hormones like cortisol.

Play games. Board games, cards and even online/video games can be a really effective way of relaxing. Fun games can trigger the release of endorphins and can help shift your attention away from stress. Interacting with friends and families through games can help ease stressful dynamics too.

Keeping a diary. Venting all those thoughts and emotions onto paper can make your feelings and problems seem less intimidating. Writing can be both insightful and therapeutic so get those words down on paper!

Accept yourself – the hardest thing. Easy to say but hard to do it, I know. But if you accept yourself as a human being, you won a life.

Ask for help. Everyone needs a helping hand sometimes.

Trying to cope with everything on your own just exacerbates stress.

Eat stress free.

Incorporate stressbusting foods into your diet like avocados, oily fish, whole wheat varieties and oatmeal.

Do a puzzle. Try and crack a sudoku, a crossword or piece together a puzzle to unwind and get your mind into a state of relaxation.

Make your room your safe haven.

Your bedroom should be your sanctuary for peaceful relaxation so make it that way!

Drink more water. Even slight dehydration can lower our moods and it can increase levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Dehydration can also cause your body to stop functioning properly which can result in anxiety too.

Take a walk in nature. Not only will walking trigger the release of endorphins which can reduce stress hormones, but being out in nature can boost serotonin levels which can also contribute to an improved sense of well-being.

Write a card for someone you care about. Whoever it is I can assure you that they’ll appreciate a card letting them know you’re thinking of them. Random acts of kindness like this have beneficial effects for both you and the person at the receiving end. You can feel good about making someone else feel great and performing these acts has been linked to helping socially anxious people feel more positive.

Light some candles. Candlelight is known for its calming effects and (scented candles have aroma therapeutic properties which can improve well-being. Watching the flame of a candle can also be a great starting point for meditation.

Take a nap. The afternoon power nap can effectively reduce stress, improve your mood and increase alertness, so we give you full permission to climb back into bed!

Avoid negativity. Don’t let other people’s negativity shoot your adrenaline levels through the roof.

It’s important not to judge someone for being negative, try to support them but make sure you separate your identity and emotions from it.

Drink green tea. Feeling all worked up? Green tea is a source of the chemicals which can help relieve anger.

Stretch it out. Stretching has been linked to relaxation and stress relief as well as a greater sense of wellbeing. It’s also incredibly satisfying.

Organise your space. The mess can really start to clutter up your mind so clean your room and reorganize your desk.

Tidy room, tidy mind.

Buy a plant. Not only does filling your room with flowers look pretty and purify the air, but being around plants can help people feel more relaxed and actually reduce your likelihood of developing stress related depression.

Open the windows. Not only does fresh air promote well-being and relax you, but getting more oxygen to the brain improves concentration and gives you the energy boost you need.

Wake up and smell the coffee. Smelling coffee actually reduces stress hormones.

Turn off ALL electronic devices.

Technology can be wonderful but interconnectedness comes at a price… laptops, phones and tablets all subtly increase our stress levels making us feel constantly ‘wired’. They can also disrupt your sleep which will only contribute to stress so make sure you switch them off an hour or two before bed.

Try herbal remedies. Next time you’re feeling stressed try sipping on some chamomile tea, full of anti-anxiety components, or drip some lavender oil on your pillow at night to help relax you for a peaceful night’s sleep.

Get some sun. Vitamin D (which our bodies absorb through exposure to the sun) can play an important role in your mental health but by the time it gets to those long winter months many of us are lacking in it. Keep calm and soak up all the sun you can and if you’re running low, top up with vitamin D rich foods like oily fish and eggs.

Listen to calming music. Research suggests that chilled out tunes slow down our pulses, lower blood pressure and decrease stress hormones.

Listen to an audiobook. Being read a story is ridiculously relaxing and a comforting way to wind down before bed.

Enjoy simplicity. Rushing around is not only stressful, we forget about the simple things that bring us happiness too so learn to stop and notice life’s little pleasures like laughing with your friends or enjoying the feeling of sun on your skin.

Browse books. Go to your local library and spend some time browsing their book selection in the peace and quiet. Sit back, relax and get lost in the good book you’ve found. New research suggests that reading even for just six minutes can reduce your stress levels by two thirds!

Take a break from social media. Whilst interconnectedness and the opportunities of social media offer us so much, using it too often can have adverse effects. It can lower your self esteem, take you away from the moment and bring drama into your life. All of these factors massively contribute to stress.

Lower your standards. Setting ridiculously high standards for yourself generates anxiety by putting pressure on you to perform and it can make you particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of emotional stress.

Nobody’s perfect so try loving and accepting yourself as the great individual you are.

Avoid Caffeine. That comforting cup of coffee may not be so kind to your nerves.

Whilst giving you a temporary boost, caffeine injects adrenaline into your system and increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol. A cup of coffee can brew trouble for anxiety sufferers so try an equally heartwarming decaf alternative instead.

Stop judging. With so many things to worry about, don’t let worrying about what other people do with their time be one of them.

Sitting around gossiping about others and criticising them isn’t gonna make anyone happy.

Try supporting them instead. If you often find yourself judging others it’s likely that you’ve been giving yourself a hard time too so ditch the criticism and you’ll not only feel better about yourself but you’ll have a lot more time to relax too!

Plan, organize and implement Creating a life plan can help you feel more in control of your life and provide a clear path toward the things you want. The process of making a life plan starts with creating a document to record your thoughts and ideas either with pen and paper or electronically.

However you choose to document your life plan, make sure it is easily accessible where you will remember to review it often.

A life plan is a roadmap for your life that helps you prioritize what is important to you, make decisions based on your priorities and move toward the life you want. It should provide a clear path for your life, but it should also be flexible. As your life changes, your values and priorities may also change.

Creating a life plan is one of the best things you can do to identify the things you most want in your life and develop the strategy to make them happen. Here are the steps to help you create a life plan: - Create a vision - Perform a self-assessment - Prioritize your life - Identify your values - Establish goals - Outline an action plan Create a vision Allow yourself to dream big. Imagine what an average day in your ideal life looks like. Imagine where you work, what kind of work you do and the income you earn. Imagine your relationships with friends and family. Maybe your ideal life means gaining new skills to find a more fulfilling job. Maybe it is honing your skills to increase your marketability and find a higher paying job. Maybe it’s working from home to spend more time with your family.

Imagine the kind of person you want to be and how you want others to perceive you. Think about the things you want to improve in your life. This can include different areas in life, such as finances, career or health. It may entail some weaknesses you want to overcome. Consider how you will measure your improvement and define success. Clearly define what success means to you.

Perform a self-assessment To perform a thorough life assessment, you need to be honest with yourself and what you want. A life assessment includes considering factors like the roles you have in life, your satisfaction with different areas of your life and your various strengths and weaknesses.

Reviewing your life from different perspectives allows you to develop a holistic evaluation.

Practice self-reflection to clarify your roles and satisfaction in different areas of life. If you struggle with assessing your strengths and weaknesses, ask several people close to you who will give you an objective opinion.

Everyone fills different roles in life. Brainstorm a list of the different roles you play.

Examples of roles include: student, coworker, employee, manager, entrepreneur, volunteer, spouse, parent and sibling. In the next step you’ll prioritize these roles and identify the values you want to bring to each one.

Consider different areas of your life such as: career, finances, personal development, community, health, relationships and faith. Look at each area of your life and rank your satisfaction in that area on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being ‘needs a lot of work’ and 10 being ‘best ever’.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses. These can be either technical skills or soft skills.

Understanding your strengths and weaknesses allows you to decide where to focus your energy—which weaknesses to improve or which strengths to highlight.

Prioritize your life Now that you have identified the roles you play in life, the areas you want to improve and your strengths and weaknesses, you can prioritize these to discover what is most important to you.

Review your list of roles and reorder them according to what is most important in your life. For example, your role as a parent or a manager may be more important to you than your role as an employee or student.

Also, prioritize the areas of your life to identify what is most important to you. For example, your health and family may be more important than your work or hobbies. When prioritizing areas of life, it’s also important to consider how different areas are related.

For example, you may prioritize family over finances, but some financial goals are necessary to care for your family. Establishing that one is more important to you does not decrease the value of another; it simply indicates the areas you want to focus more attention on.

Prioritizing your roles and the areas you want to focus on will help you identify your values and non-negotiables when it comes to your career. For example, if your family is among your top priorities, you may prefer a career with good work/life balance that requires little or no travel for an organization that is close to home and respects employees’ nonworking hours.

Identify your values Comparing how your life is now and what you want your life to be will help you identify your values. Allowing yourself to feel and analyze the difference clarifies your core values. The person you imagine yourself to be—with the life you imagine—lives by these values. They represent who you are as a person even if you’re still working to realize them. When you identify your values and what is important in your life, they become a measuring tool for every decision. Decisions become much easier because you can clearly see what does and does not align with your values.

Establish goals Now that you have an idea about the life you want and what is important in your life, establish high-level goals for the person you want to be. These goals are the things you want to accomplish over several months or years. They may include things like achieving an executive-level management position or earning a specific annual salary within a certain timeframe. They may also include obtaining a job with the income and freedom to vacation with your family twice a year. For each role and area of your life, consider the big goals you want to accomplish, but also make them realistic. You will want to ensure they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely.

Outline an action plan Your high-level goals are the person you want to be and the things you want to achieve in life. Now you need to reverse-engineer those goals to identify action steps that align with your values and move you forward. These action steps are your ground-level goals for actions you take to achieve your high-level goals. For example, if a high-level goal is to change careers, a ground-level goal may be to obtain training and practice skills for the new career or start hobbies that help you build new skills. Your action plan is the steps you need to take to work toward the life you want.

The benefits of planning The benefits of planning Creating a plan may seem like an inconvenience when you want your journey to a better life to begin now. But traversing new territory is easier when you have a map—whether that’s taking a vacation, earning a promotion, or starting a new business.

Here are four specific benefits of planning: - Improved productivity. When you know how to get from one place to another, you’re less likely to suffer from “paralysis by analysis.” Planning prevents you from wasting your energy on unnecessary tasks and, as author Brian Tracy says, “every minute spent in planning saves as many as ten minutes in execution.”

- Increased focus. Planning helps you focus on the task at hand—you know what you need to do today, and why. This helps you feel more in control, by showing you what you can change and what is outside your control.

- Greater self-confidence. If your goals have always been just beyond your grasp, it may be because you’ve never created an effective plan for reaching them. Once you have a plan in place, you’ll be surprised by how much you’re able to accomplish.

- Greater self-awareness. To create a plan is to begin to understand yourself. It helps uncover your passions and priorities, and whether they reflect your true values. You come to learn about your personal tendencies, inclinations, and aversions—and how to overcome them!

When you make a plan, you’re creating the blueprint to get from where you are now to where you want to be in the future. It takes your goal out of the world of fantasy, and into reality.

How to build a plan that works Here are four steps you can take to create your own foundation for action.

Write down your goal Once you’ve decided on your goal, write it down. Begin by picturing your goal. See it in your mind. Now capture it in as much detail as you possibly can, using the S.M.A.R.T. formula: - Specific. This is the “who, what, when, where, and why” of your goal. Describe exactly how you define success, and the actions you’re willing to take to achieve it.

- Measurable. How will you measure your progress? For example, if your goal is to save money, by how much would you need to cut your spending? As writer Paulo Coelho says, “No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.”

- Achievable. Do you have the skills you need to reach your goal? If not, can you acquire them? This is not meant to discourage you; rather, it should motivate you to set realistic goals, and seek out help if needed.

- Relevant. Is this goal really what you want? Does it fit with your broader ambitions?

Creating a ‘life map’ using the Swiss PDP Approach can help you recognize what truly matters to you.

- Time-bound. When will you complete your goal? Without a deadline, there’ll always be more time, so there’s no sense of urgency. Setting a time limit motivates you to act now, before it’s too late.

Create a plan by dividing your goal into chunks Identifying your goal is a crucial first step. But big goals can be overwhelming, and it may seem like you just don’t know how to get there. Sadly, this is where many people give up. Instead, now that you know where you want to finish, break it down into chunks. If your goal is to have succeeded in two years, where do you need to be in one year? Six months? Next week? Create a plan that divides your goal into small, incremental steps. Write down each step and set a deadline for its completion. That way, you’re not overwhelmed by the mountain you’re climbing, you’re just putting one foot in front of the other. Each morning when you get up, you know what you need to do that day and why.

Review your plan daily A blueprint is no good if you never look at it. To stay on track, be sure to review it regularly—daily if possible. Read your goal aloud every day, preferably as soon as you get up in the morning. It’s a great way to set your intention for the day and keep your focus where it belongs: on the plan you’ve developed, and the specific actions that will move you closer to your goal.

Stay on target If your goal is big enough, you’ll need to stay focused to reach it—after all, we’re talking about a plan for life. As you complete each ‘chunk’ of your plan, take a moment to recognize the milestone. It’s an opportunity to celebrate your progress and reevaluate your plan: Is it still practical?

Are there any adjustments you need to make? Refocusing on your goal will remind you of why you started in the first place, and give you a much-needed boost of energy.

How to effectively plan a time and activities 1. Do the hardest task as the first thing right away.

Manage your time better by doing the hardest task first, energizing yourself for what’s left on the list, and eliminating the waste caused by dread.

6. Eliminate distractions.

You can’t concentrate completely on the task meaning you are not able to do it properly. Always make sure to put the distractions aside if possible.

2. Minimalist style.

Decide which tasks make you happy and produce results and which don’t. Spend your time on the stuff that actually matters.

3. Don’t panic.

Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t manage to finish everything on your plate. Not everything you planned to get done today will get done today. And that’s okay!

4. Know when you work the best.

Are you a night owl or an early bird? Set the harder tasks on the time when you feel the most productive.

5. Perfection is not the goal.

Don't get obsessed with the smallest details, you could lose some time by it.

Remember that you can always polish everything later if you need it. .

7. Check Pomodoro method.

Choose a task that needs to be completed, set a timer for 25 minutes, dedicate your time to that task until the timer goes off, and then take a 5-minute break for yourself. Repeat until you have completed 4 “Pomodoros” (25-minute periods of work) and then give yourself a 20 or 30-minute break.

8. No to procrastination.

How to reduce procrastination?

Don't push yourself, find out the reason for your procrastination, stay focused, and do the small steps instead of the big ones.

9. Enjoyment time.

If you work tirelessly without a fun task or a laugh every now and then, you’ll burn out. Find the time to have a good time. Save the best one for the last task. You should end your day with what you love.

10. Save the best one for the last task.

You should end your day with what you love.

How to be well-organized?

How to be well-organized?

Really organized people are not born organized, they have to cultivate healthy habits, which then help them to stay organized.

So even if you think you are a very disorganized person, you can learn to be organized. From planning things, jotting things down, to ditching the unnecessary and organizing things that matter, you will become an organized person as long as you’re willing to learn and practice.

Here are the essential habits on how to organize your life: Write things down We all know someone that remembers every birthday and sends cards for every holiday.

It’s not magic and they don’t use memorization. Trying to remember things will not help you to stay organized. You should try writing things down. A pen and some paper is our way of remembering things externally, and it’s much more permanent. You can also use this powerful Digital Brain. You will only further complicate your life by trying to contain important dates and reminders in your head. Write down everything: shopping lists for groceries, holiday gifts, home decor, and important dates like meetings and birthdays.

Make schedules and deadlines Organized people don’t waste time. They recognize that keeping things organized goes handin-hand with staying productive. They make and keep schedules for the day and week. They make deadlines and set goals. And most importantly, they and stick to them!

Similarly, by living a cluttered lifestyle, you will not have the time or space to make your deadlines or achieve your goals.

As an experiment, look at your bucket list or make one. Write down the things you want to achieve this year or in your life. Then write down what you need to do to achieve them.

Life is short, make sure you’re doing what matters to you most.

Don’t procrastinate The longer you wait to do something, the more difficult it will be to get it done. If you want your life to be less stressful and less demanding, then organize as soon as you can. Putting in the effort to get things done as soon as possible will lift the weight off of you from doing it later. As an experiment, think of one thing that you should organize in your life.

Write it down. Then write down when you can do it and what you need to get it done. If you can get it done right now, then go do it!

Give everything a home It’s easy to get lost if you don’t have a home. Keeping your life organized means keeping your things in their proper places. Organized people keep order by storing things properly and by labeling storage spaces.

Make easy-to-access storage spaces for things you use all the time, and don’t let your storage spaces get cluttered. Be creative about finding places for things. For example, a cup holder for your pens and pencils should go in an easily accessible place, but the rarely used craft materials can be stored out of sight.

Declutter regularly Find time each week to organize. Highly organized people make sure they find time every week or more to organize their things. Stuff does not stay organized on its own; it needs to be reorganized continuously and consistently.

Keep only what you need More stuff means more clutter. People who live organized lives only keep what they need and what they really really want. Having fewer things also means that you enjoy those things more and feel better about using everything you own, rather than letting half of what you own collect dust.

Stay away from bargains You have removed the things you don’t need. Will you replace them when you see something on sale? Instead of bargain shopping without planning ahead, write down exactly what you need and buy only those items. Organized people do not give in to false advertising. Items on sale will only produce more clutter.

Delegate responsibilities A really organized life is not overfilled with responsibilities, meetings, and deadlines. In fact, it has less because things that create stress have been slowly organized out. As an experiment, look at your to-do list or make one. Go through the list and find one task that you can remove from your list or give it to someone else. Now feel the stress of having to do it fall away.

Work hard Put in a little effort. Actually, put in a lot of effort when necessary. Once you have delegated responsibilities and made a schedule, then you can organize what you have to do and when you can do it.

Staying organized is not all a breeze. It requires that you work hard with the recognition that when you work harder, you can enjoy your clutter-free home life later. Work harder when you feel like giving up today.

What does your body say?

Stress is the body's natural reaction to demanding experience and situations which are difficult for us to deal with. When we are stressed, our body tells our surroundings about it. While meeting another person, non-verbal factors play the greatest role. Body language is one of the communication elements that we all use every day. We do that more or less consciously. People make many gestures unconsciously, not knowing that through them they send messages to others. These messages have a huge impact on the perception of people around . Body language reveals a lot about how we feel. People often do not pay attention to small gestures, which can reveal a lot about the other person. It turns out that nearly 90% do not notice body language signals. This result is surprising considering how much information they can give us when, for example, we are applying for a job or want to sell our products to customers. So, it is good to know how to read signals sent by hands, eyes or facial expressions. This skill can be very useful in both professional and personal life.

Our facial expressions are important in a conversation with another person. Eye contact is a very important element of interpersonal relationships. We often try to look someone in the eye during a conversation. There is a reason for this. Our eyes play an important role in body language. Stress can be expressed by looking away and avoiding meeting the other person's eyes. A very characteristic behavior for nervous people is touching the face.

Some people also have blushes. The lips can also tell a lot. If you bite your lower lip, it means nervousness. Biting or twisting your hair is also a sign of stress.

Our body posture says a lot about our mood.

A foot swing or shaking a leg are common signs of stress. A sudden change in the position of the feet can be a very important signal. Foot movements can mean both excitement and nervousness. During the conversation, most signals are sent using the hands. The hands show what we say in words and also express it. Sometimes they may contradict what the words are saying.

Crossed arms is a gesture that shows nervousness. A similar symptom is nail-biting and squeezing the fingers. Laughter is also an important sign. A short laugh means a tense situation. A few short smiles and looking around are a clear sign of nervousness. The inside of our body also shows stress.

Stressed people often have stomach pains and accelerated heartbeat. Sweating under stress is also very common. Before an important presentation, our hands are constantly sweating. It often happens that stressed people have cold hands. This is how our body announces nervousness. When we are stressed, we often eat more or less unhealthy snacks. This is a very bad habit. For this reason, we often eat much more than we should during the day. It takes a long time to master body language perfectly. You need to get to know yourself and your behavior in different situations. However, body language can be controlled to some level, or at least bad gestures can be avoided. If we're talking to a few people, let's look at each of them to make everyone feel important. Let's control the movements, stop the gestures for a moment so that there aren't too many of them. It's also worth looking at your body and behavior. We should stop biting our nails and curling our hair. Short smiles and looking around are best replaced with a longer smile and keeping eye contact with the other person. Controlling our body language is not an easy skill, but it is worth having it. It has many advantages. Non-verbal communication is definitely the basis of interpersonal communication.

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Believe in yourself!