MOUNTAIN WISDOM WHOLISTIC HEALTH, LLC

Blog Posts

  • Home
    • What is Wholistic Health? >
      • Ayurveda - The Science of Living a Balanced Life
    • Annual Calendar of Events
  • Yoga Therapy
    • Breathing Assessment
    • Yoga For Wellness >
      • Meditation
      • Alternate Nostril Breathing
      • Mudras, Mantras, and More
      • Ayurveda and Yoga >
        • Ayurveda
      • Yoga For Sleep
  • Private Sessions
  • Group Classes
    • Group Activities >
      • Retreats and Special Events
  • Buy the Breathing Book
    • Read This!
    • Store >
      • Nourish with Ghee
  • Yoga Nidra
    • Yoga Nidra Details
    • Sankalpa
    • Yoga Nidra Sample
  • Reiki
    • Breathe Into Reiki Nidra
  • About Sharon
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
    • Pose of the Month
    • Articles to Educate and Entertain
  • Contact Us

12/3/2019

Stress - Good or Bad??? And what to include in your stress busting tool kit!

0 Comments

Read Now
 
Have you developed a Stress Busting Tool Kit?

How does stress impact the quality your life? Take a moment and consider what stresses you out. Can you sense how it affects your body and mind each day? Do you have effective tools to help you navigate stressful times? If you would like to pleasantly mitigate the negative affects that stress plays in your life, please read on.
 
For some people, stress seems to be primarily work related. They feel pressured to meet quick or persistent deadlines. Their daily schedule seems hectic and possibly unpredictable. Relationships with colleagues may be cloudy or tense. There are expectations placed on us by others that may not feel important, yet we don't want to disappoint. Many know not what to do about all this. Is that true for you?
 
For some, there are developing health concerns - yours, or a family members - that create worry and stress.
 
And of course, “change” can be unsettling for anyone. This can be especially true for those who are aging, and may have become comfortable in a particular routine. Change in the status of a relationship, a place of residence, a career path, your physical ability, or something else can leave you feeling anxious and unsettled. When this discomfort or worry continues for a prolonged period of time, it may  have negative impacts on the quality of your health. 
 
At the same time, many people are motivated by stress. The seriousness of the situation –- be that a deadline, a state of health, or something else — causes them to focus more attention on the issue than they might have otherwise. I think of my son’s tendency to procrastinate. A tendency that I, too, share at times. What I find when I am pushing to meet a deadline is that my mind becomes more focused, and my choices and decisions more clear. This is, in part, because I understand what my priority is at the time, and move forward in a more linear fashion when time is tight. The idea that stress can be empowering is labeled by the term "eustress."

Eustress is the positive response that one has to stress. It is a term coined by endocrinologist Hans Selye. The prefix "eu" means "good". Combined "eu" and "stress" mean "good stress." The idea is that one can exhibit a positive cognitive response to stress. This is healthy, and can lead to feelings of fulfillment and even joy. This is but one manifestation of stress, and can be sensed in a physiological or psychological manner. It has to do with how one perceives a particular stressor. According to an article on wikipedia, eustress may result when one responds to stress by giving it a sense of meaning, or with hope or vigor and results in elevated levels of life satisfaction and overall well-being. While it may be uncomfortable, as stress of all kinds typically is, the experience is one that can lead to personal growth. 
 
Knowing about eustress, would you agree with me that our perception of “stress” may be defined by the way we react to a particular situation, event, or even a person. How, then, can one become less reactive and more responsive to the demands placed on upon us?
 
The first step is to understand what you can control, and what you cannot change. This helps minimize the stress-inducing aspects of the stressful experiences in our lives. To paraphrase a quote from the Dalai Lama: "If you can change or improve something, do. If you can't, let it go."

For me, clarity around my influence comes in quiet moments. While sitting quietly in meditation, my mind experiences greater levels of ease, and is better able to process things. It's possible to cultivate "the witness perspective." The experience is similar for me when I am out in nature. Everything seems to slow down eventually; my body/mind drop into a more soothing and rhythmical pace. This, in and of itself, is a great antidote to stress.

Because I have found solace in quiet experiences, I aim to provide that for others through the work I do. Offering soothing experiences to my clients is a priority for me, in part because it allows me to contribute to making the world a better place ... one breath, one thought, one gentle and creative movement or restful moment at a time.
 
If you are someone who tends to get anxious easily, or feel unsettled in stressful times, it can be helpful to have a toolbox of techniques to fall back on as needed. I came across an article by Elizabeth Scott M.S. written for verywellmind.com that offers up fantastic stress busting ideas in line with my thinking, too so I thought I'd share it with you.
 
Click here to read the article.
 
Also, I encourage you to attend the weekly gentle and creative movement classes I offer in the Mountain Wisdom Healing Arts studio. They are designed to help you find center, turn off the noise of life around you temporarily, and let your inner voice guide you through the tumult of life more smoothly. As a result, over time you may find that you feel resourced and able to handle daily stressors with more ease and grace. Another great way to release stress and cultivate ease is through a Reiki Energy Balancing Treatment; it is a great antidote to the tension or anxious mind that can results from a fast paced and active life. Use this link to schedule a session today!

Finally, remember to breathe! If you're looking for ways to use your breath to turn off the flight/fight/freeze response to stress, and turn on the relaxation response in your body/mind, pick up a copy of my book: Learning to Breathe, Learning to Live: Simple Tools to Alleviate Stress and Invigorate Your Life. I teach and train from the book, so let me know if you'd like me to bring a workshop to your place of business, or social organization.
 
The bottom line? Make sure to schedule some time for yourself this holiday season. When you take time out to do that, you can banish stress, or transform it into joy. Not only will you benefit, but all of those around you benefit, too.
 
Wishing you a joyous and stress-free holiday season.
 
With Joy,

Sharon Harvey Alexander, C – I AYT










I came across a great article on the Very Well Mind site a few days ago, and wanted to share it with you. In it, author Elizabeth Scott MS, descripbes many effective stress releiving ideas. 

https://www.verywellmind.com/tips-to-reduce-stress-3145195?utm_source=emailshare&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=shareurlbuttons

Share

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

Details
    Picture
    Newsletter Archive

    Author - 
    Sharon
    Harvey Alexander, 
    E-RYT 500


    Archives

    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    August 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    March 2013

    Categories

    All
    Anxiety
    Ayurveda
    Cooling The Body
    Essential Oils
    Health And Wellbeing
    Recipes
    Self Care
    Skin Care
    Stress Relief
    Wellness
    Yoga
    Yoga Nidra
    Yoga Therapy

    RSS Feed

    Mountain Wisdom Yoga

    ApplE Yum Yum - a Simple and delicious way to start your day

    A Delicious Fall Recipe to Help You Enjoy a Healthy Start to the Day:

    ​Ayurvedic Apple Yum - A simple and infinitely variable recipe crafted by Sharon.  (repeat post)

    All amounts are approximate. Serves ONE person.

    * Take one organic apple, chop and cover with water in a small pot. 
    * Sprinkle with a little salt (1/2 tsp. Salt helps break down fibers.)
    * Add dash cinnamon (1 tsp. Helps metabolize sugars.)
    * Add grated fresh ginger root (1+ Tbsp. Enhances digestion.)
    * Chop and add 5-8 dates (great added natural sweetener.)
    * Throw in a small handful of almonds (8-10. Extra fiber, protein and good fat.)
    * Add other dried fruit as desired (raisins, goji berries, mulberries, mango, apricot)

    * Top with a spoonful of GHEE (1 Tsp. Adds great fat, helps body absorb vitamins and minerals, carries nutrition IN to the cells and waste products OUT.)
    * If desired, add 1/4 cup chia seeds or flax meal (beneficial fiber).


    Bring water to boil, then turn down low and simmer up to 10 minutes or so (until apples are quite soft). 
    Mash together and serve as is.
    Enjoy!

    This is a great way to enjoy the benefits of apples in a warm and nourishing dish. Perfect for the cool, dry mornings of autumn.

Looking for Beta Testers!

What's involved:
* Scheduling four, two hour visits over a two month period.
* Arriving for, fully experiencing, and offering feedback on those four, two hour visits in the next two months.
* Completing an emailed feedback form after each session and at the end of the four sessions.
* Providing a testimonial and recommending this program to others.

The market rate for this program $1007.

As a selected Best Tester, you would:
- Pay upfront only $607.
- Schedule the four appointments and complete them within three months.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Rob.Bertholf, mle86, www.pvz.lt
  • Home
    • What is Wholistic Health? >
      • Ayurveda - The Science of Living a Balanced Life
    • Annual Calendar of Events
  • Yoga Therapy
    • Breathing Assessment
    • Yoga For Wellness >
      • Meditation
      • Alternate Nostril Breathing
      • Mudras, Mantras, and More
      • Ayurveda and Yoga >
        • Ayurveda
      • Yoga For Sleep
  • Private Sessions
  • Group Classes
    • Group Activities >
      • Retreats and Special Events
  • Buy the Breathing Book
    • Read This!
    • Store >
      • Nourish with Ghee
  • Yoga Nidra
    • Yoga Nidra Details
    • Sankalpa
    • Yoga Nidra Sample
  • Reiki
    • Breathe Into Reiki Nidra
  • About Sharon
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
    • Pose of the Month
    • Articles to Educate and Entertain
  • Contact Us