Monday, January 24, 2011

HOW DO I DESTRESS MYSELF???

Hey there! How are you doing? Hope you are having a great week so far. 

You know the number one question that is asked of me is, "HOW DO I DESTRESS MYSELF?"

What a fully loaded question. The answer?!?

The number one way to destress yourself, no matter what you are going through,  is to change your thinking. Better yet, change your way of knowing.

First, you must know that you are the only thinker of your thoughts; therefore, you, and only you, are in charge of your thoughts.

Second, you have to know you have a choice: you can think of faith or doubt, fear, and worry.

Third, you must know you can rid yourself of addictive, stressful behavior. 

Fourth, you must know you can replace addictive, stressful behavior with successful practices.

This is simple to see and know but not necessarily easy.

Did you know that many people allow their minds to float on autopilot, with doubt, fear, and worry about the future and anger, frustration, and guilt about the past?

What if you chose to learn to be here, right here, right now. The book, The Power of Now, teaches you how to be fully present, enjoy your present moment and not live in the past or future. What problem do you have right now? This very moment? You don't really, do you? Maybe you have issues you think about and anticipate in the future, but you don't really have anything but this moment, now. 

You are the thinker of your thoughts. Choose to enjoy this very moment.

Did you know people worry about the worst thing that could happen rather than anticipating the best thing that could happen? That is the addictive, stressful behavior I am talking about. What is an addiction? My definition of an addiction is something that you cannot stop that is affecting you negatively. Like, drama in a relationship, getting offended quickly and all the time, not liking others "just because", worrying about the future, blaming others for your failures, letting your thoughts and emotions run on autopilot, and focusing on what is wrong with your life, focusing on what you don't have, and being way too serious. Need I go on?

Sound familiar?

And stressful behavior is the thoughts and behavior we inflict upon ourselves that cause stress. Stress is not getting in a car crash; it is caused by what we think about after we crash. Pressure is not losing your job or home; it is caused by what we believe and do about it during and after we lose it.

So, "HOW DO I DESTRESS MYSELF?"

KNOW THAT YOU, AND ONLY YOU, ARE IN CHARGE OF AND CAN CHOOSE YOUR THOUGHTS.

KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A CHOICE. YOU CAN CHOOSE FAITH IN OTHERS AND YOURSELF OVER DOUBT, FEAR, AND WORRY.

KNOW THAT YOU CAN RECOGNIZE AND RID YOURSELF OF ADDICTIVE AND STRESSFUL BEHAVIOR.

AND FINALLY, KNOW THAT YOU CAN REPLACE THAT ADDICTIVE AND STRESSFUL BEHAVIOR WITH SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES, WHICH IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF THAT BEHAVIOR.

YOU CAN DO IT!!! YOU GOT THE POWER!!! YOU CAN BE, DO, AND HAVE ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR HEART ON!

Sounds so simple, doesn't it? But it is not necessarily easy.

Have a great week, and don't forget to have fun and be playful.

Speak soon...

Elizabeth Stanfill 

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