Action4Balance.com Ezine Archive

Lean From Gurus

2011-02-04T06:30:00.000-08:00

NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

Welcome to all new subscribers! I am glad you are joining me for stress reduction articles and information.

I hope your holiday season was refreshing and at this point you are fully into new beginnings and curious of what this year has in store for you. I hope you have intention to make 2011 a year in which you will conquer stress and make healthy changes.

As usual I will do my best to keep you informed about easy to apply stress management techniques to help you with your goals.

Have a wonderful week!

As usual your feedback is welcome. Just leave your comment.

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

http://www.action4balance.com/

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

New Blog Entries: Learn From Gurus

I have some new blog entries on topics you might be interested in.

This month I have reported from stress management, body/mind connection and personal developments gurus such as Joan Borysenko, Loretta LaRoche and Brian Tracy. I hope you will find the information useful, inspiring and propelling you towards an action.

January is a month when many of us suffer from colds. It is estimated that healthy adults have an average two colds a year. Persons who have significantly more colds and infectious diseases are likely to have weakened immune function many times due to chronic unmanaged stress.

Find out how you are secretly sabotaging your immune system every time you feel stress?

Please feel free to browse and read them on your leisure and don't hesitate if you have any questions or comments in regard.

I am here to help you with your stress management goals. I love hearing from you. Drop me a line at info@action4balance.com

Lean about Holistic Stress Management coaching benefits

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

"Mind Sweep" - Clearing the Stress of Mental Clutter

2011-02-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

Welcome to all new subscribers! I am glad you are joining me for stress reducing articles and information.

We are half way through December and rapidly approaching 2011. I think that this time of year is particularly good for a "mind sweep".

What is "mind sweep" and why would you need it, is today's topic of our conversation.

"Don't wait. The time will never be just right." - Napoleon Hill ...indeed the time for "mind sweep' is NOW.

Take your time to apply the tips so you could start New Year renewed and fresh: getting rid of mental clutter is essential part of it.

Have a wonderful week!

As usual your feedback is welcome. Just hit reply.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy, abundant and balanced New Year.

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

http://www.action4balance.com/

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

"Mind Sweep" - Clearing the Stress of Mental Clutter

Would you like be able enjoying the Holiday season more and be facing the upcoming year with less worries and anxiety?

If so, you have to do some cleaning - "mind sweep"-decluttering from all ongoing concerns in your life. From all of the things you're thinking about, trying to remember, or need to do that are cluttering up your mind and adding stress. As you engage in de-cluttering activities you will notice how your stress levels decrease reasonably bringing you lasting benefits.

Continue reading on my blog...

I can help you reduce your stress and balance your life ! (Lean about Holistic Stress Management coaching benefits)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

Tips to Create Relaxing Bedtime Routine

2011-02-04T06:04:00.000-08:00

NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

Welcome to all new subscribers! I am glad you are joining me for stress reducing articles and information.

Did you sleep well last night? is the topic of today's conversation.

Enjoy! I hope the tips will help you create healthy sleep habits and alleviate some stress.

Sleep well! :)

As usual your feedback is welcome. Just leave your comments.

Have a wonderful week!

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

http://www.action4balance.com/

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Did you sleep well last night?

Tips to create relaxing bedtime routine

Nothing helps you to be as productive, mentally sharp, emotionally balanced, and full of energy all day long as a good night's sleep. But what if your days are too stressful on a permanent basis and you just can't get any not to talk about good?

Sleep is an integral part of a good self-care program: a basic condition for well-being and health.

Unfortunately good self-care happens to be the first thing we neglect during stressful times: we stop exercising, we start eating more of comfort food (sorry, carrots and celery sticks, nobody wants you when stress increases!) and we sleep badly. Our good intensions about our wellbeing and health just go out of a window.

When you are not able to sleep well you are not able to cope with all of the demands and stresses the life throws on you during the day. Your thinking is foggy, you are more irritable, depressed, and anxious; your concentration suffers. You drink more coffee during a day or alcohol in the evening which conversely impedes a good restoring night sleep...and here you are in a vicious circle and your stress mounts up.

Not the best scenario :(

How to slow down, destress after a busy day and induce sound sleep?

I suggest starting a relaxing bedtime routine.

Check out my healthy sleep tips for good, refreshing sleep.

Looking for the best ways to reduce your stress and balance your life ! (Lean about Holistic Stress Management coaching benefits)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

Anxiety - the Modern Stress

2010-12-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

Welcome to all new subscribers! I am glad you are joining me for stress reducing articles and information.

Today lets talk about anxiety because:

- Anxiety is perhaps one of the most common emotions experienced when we are stressed.
- Anxiety is a form of stress that we all want to avoid.

As usual your feedback is welcome. Just leave the comments.

Have a wonderful week!

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

http://www.action4balance.com/

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Anxiety - the Modern Stress

You are a professional woman and you work 70 hours a week for several years. This puts excessive stress on your body. To make matters worse, you are so busy working that you only manages to get five or six hours of sleep a night, you do not exercise regularly, and you eat mainly food that increase stress level. You cant even remember the last time you took time out for yourself.

Sounds familiar?

The lives of the majority of female professionals are out of balance nowadays. And this imbalance is a reasonable source of stress. And stress feeds anxiety. And anxiety feeds stress.

Over time your body starts perceiving these constant stressors as a threat to your survival. Your body eventually gets "burned out" from repeated unnecessary stress reactions. It is on a constant state of alert - contributing to the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety.

Can You change it? Click to read.

If you have any questions about stress or stress management, submit them on our Ask The Expert page! And don't forget to visit Action4Balance site regularly to learn new stress management techniques or submit your own stories and tips.

I can help you reduce your stress and balance your life ! (Lean about Holistic Stress Management coaching benefits)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

How Identifying Your Locus of Control Can DeStress Your Life

2010-12-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

Welcome to all new subscribers! I am glad you are joining me for stress reducing articles and information.

Let me ask you a simple question: "Are you the driver or the passenger in your life?"

Yes, I know we can't control everything that happens to us. But most stress in your life comes from your perception of not being in control of a situation though.

How about being a director instead of only the actor in your life? Wayne Dyer talks about being not only the actor in your life, but also the director and producer. Actors are just given scripts that they then play out. They have no say in how the story line progresses. Directors make conscious choices about how the story is going to be told. Producers select the ideas that become the storylines created by directors and actors. out 'locus of control'-- whether you feel your life is controlled by you or by forces outside yourself.

As usual your feedback is welcome. Just leave your comments.

Have a wonderful week!
Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

http://www.action4balance.com/

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

How Identifying Your Locus of Control Can DeStress Your Life

Do you believe that what happens to you is a result of chance or environmental factors and is unrelated to your behavior? Or you believe that you instead have control over events in your life?

The first are known to have an external locus of control and the second - an internal locus of control.

Which group do you belong to and which locus of control helps you to manage your stress more effectively?

Click to read the full entry on my blog.

If you have any questions about stress or stress management, submit them on our Ask The Expert page! And don't forget to visit Action4Balance site regularly to learn new stress management techniques or submit your own stories and tips.

I can help you reduce your stress and balance your life ! (Lean about Holistic Stress Management coaching benefits)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

Conscious eating or an apple a day keeps your stress away

2010-10-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

Welcome to all new subscribers! I am glad you are joining me for stress reducing articles and information.

Special thanks to those of you who shared their vacation plans and experience with me.

Peaceful vacation time is already far behind and the autumn is here with all its hurry and new duties. We women are always rushing in order to get everything done and caring for everybody but ourselves. Even if we know quite well about the importance of slowing down and relaxation, self care and healthy nutrition as the only reliable foundation for stress free balanced life.

Knowing is not doing, though.

We don't have time to change our unhealthy habits or introduce new healthy ones? (....or we still find time for changes or duties we consider important?)

Today I want to share an exercise which helps you to change something you have to do anyway. So, no extra time requested.

As usual your feedback is welcome.

Have a wonderful week!

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

http://www.action4balance.com/

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Conscious eating or an apple a day keeps your stress away

How many times you simply swallow your food even without noticing it?

We notice neither the taste nor the amount of food we shovel into our mouth on ago, while watching TV or reading something on the computer. And this, let us admit, is a proven way to add some extra stress and extra body weight.

The good solution is to start eating one nutritious meal or nutritious item (fruit for example) being fully present and concentrating on the food only.

No time to implement any change?

With a simple exercise you can change something you have to do anyway. You change the way you eat and reach profound relaxation state while enjoying delicious and nutritious food. Hopefully :)

It's autumn, apples' time. So, why not grab an apple and follow along:

1.Clear everything out of the way - no TV, no books or magazines, nothing should distract you from the food.

2.Look at the food. Observe the colors and shapes. Notice shiny and dull parts of the apple.

3.Feel your apple: hold it in your hand, sense it weight, the smooth surface and the stiff stem.

4.Smell the apple: take in its sweet bitter fragrance. Is your mouth starting to water?

5.Observe your feelings: how do you feel? Hungry, calm, happy or tense and anxious? Affirm yourself that you accept any of your feelings as valid.

6.Notice any thoughts regarding this exercise: is it stupid, fun, waste of time? Any thoughts are ok.

7.Take your first bite. Notice the juiciness, the texture, the taste. Start chewing slowly, notice any change in taste and texture.

8.Swallow and sense your muscles work.

9.Tell yourself that you are nourishing your body with good food.

Stop eating when you feel full and satisfied. You don't need to finish all of your food.

Take Action:

Start using your mealtimes as a 'Me' time of peace and relaxation on a daily basis.

P.S. I must confess that when I had intention to try this exercise for the first time ...I remembered about my objective only some time AFTER I had literally swallowed my apple even without noticing I was eating it...I was anywhere else in my thoughts but not in a present moment! The second time went little bit better...at least I looked at it. Oops!

Yes, this is how it goes...but let's just be patient, and as you know, Practice Makes The Master.

Keep practicing and let me know about your success.

I can help you reduce your stress and balance your life ! (Lean about Holistic Stress Management coaching benefits)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

Do you need THE vacation (not any)

2010-10-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

I am going on a vacation! What about you?

Do you feel like an annual vacation is a luxury that you can't afford?

There are several 'why' vacations that are not only fun, but necessary for stress relief, a productivity boost and a general health improvement.

Vacation can gives us the break we need to refresh the body as well as the mind and spirit so that we can return to our lives refreshed and better equipped to handle whatever comes.

This is exactly what I am looking forward to.

I am going to my home country Latvia to visit my family and friends. You can learn more about Latvia here.

I would love to hear about your vacation plans and experience. You are very welcome to share.

Wishing everybody a restful vacation!

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

http://www.action4balance.com/

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Do you need THE vacation (not any)

As from research many professional women don't take vacations often enough. Although vacations are an important part of enjoying life, staying relaxed, healthy and effective in your professional and personal your life.

Taking some time off every year from the stress of daily life to rest, renew, and enjoy yourself pays big dividends to your health and wellbeing. Vacation can gives us the break we need to refresh the body as well as the mind and spirit and so that we can return to our lives refreshed and better equipped to handle whatever comes.

Warning! Not all vacations are equal. Here I am talking about the vacation aka restful vacation not one you still bring your working mindset in. Only restful vacations can relieve stress, prevent burnout, enhance overall health and well-being, reawake creativity and help with your job performance when back at work.

What to include into your destress vacation?

· Some physical exercise, like walking, hiking or jogging. It will help you to metabolize your stress hormones, give yourself an endorphin boost!

· Choose a warmer, sunnier place as your vacation. Research shows that these vacations are restful and beneficial. Being outdoors and just be in the sun as much as you can so to enjoy the Vitamin D and other benefits wherever you are. Don't forget a good sunscreen, of course!

· Get some quality 'Me' time all for yourself. As far as our busy lives don't let us plenty if any unstructured time it is important to avoid over-scheduled, overcrowded vacation. Try to find some time to just sit and be. This time gives you an emotional and mental break from constant striving and measuring of productivity that is unnecessary increasing your stress hormone levels. You will be glad you did.

· Get restful sleep. Slow down your desire to explore and see all the great things you can see while on vacation and allow plenty of time for restful and refreshing sleep. Sleep is very important for your adrenal recovery.

· Have fun, enjoy new acquaintances! Laugh! "Laughter is the medicine!" When you laugh, stress decreases and all the mechanisms in your body relax.

· Read a good book. Sometimes a good, insightful and inspiring book is all we need to de-stress. Click for my book recommendations.

Wishing everybody a restful vacation!

If you have any questions about stress or stress management, submit them on our Ask The Expert page! And don't forget to visit Action4Balance site regularly to learn new stress management techniques or submit your own stories and tips.

I can help you reduce your stress and create a balance life ! (Lean about Holistic Stress Management coaching benefits)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

Relax the Body and Mind follows

2010-10-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Have you ever thought that how you treat your body and how attentively you listen to your "body's voice" could be an important step toward acknowledging and reducing stress?

Your body is always talking to you. It has a loud voice. It says things like "I'm tense", "I can't breathe" or "I don't have enough energy to cope."

You can't help but listen and you can't help feeling the tension mount.

Do you give attention to those body signs? Do you put ANY attention to them?

The first step towards true relaxation must start with your body. Right now you can change what your body says by spending a few minutes each day giving it a chance to relax.

Your feedback, questions and ideas are always much appreciated.

This helps me address your stress management needs even better.

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

www.action4balance.com

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Relax the Body and Mind follows

True relaxation starts with a relaxed body. Only when you are totally physically relaxed you can start to relax mentally.

All body tension is muscular tension, and all muscle contraction is self produced, even if you aren't aware of producing it. Once you become aware of the tension, you can begin to let the tension go.

The truth is that your body registers stress long before the conscious mind does. Tense muscles, sore joints or tiny pains and aches are your body's way of letting you know that you are under stress. They are those red lights on a car's front panel signaling you that something is going to break down.

Do you give attention to those body signs?

Many times we are treating our body like a junk car that gets you from one place to another, instead of treating it like a precious temple.

Your body can tell you a long story about your unique states of tension and release. All you have to do is turn your attention within, and quietly listen.

Remember to thank your body for keeping you alive and informed, for serving you despite all the times you have ignored it needs.

Do something special for your body today: take a bubble bath, wear your most comfortable clothes, get a manicure or foot massage.

Here is your this weeks challenge: Daily Body Scan

Start with body check-in.

Pause in a quiet place and close your eyes. Allow your breathing to slow down and deepen. Tune into your body. Ask your body,

"How relaxed am I at the moment?"

" Where is the tension in my body?

Scan your body for any tight neck or back muscles, sore joints, tiny aches or pains.

As you find each contraction, twitch, or distortion, thank your body for showing it to you.

Focus on each area for a moment, exploring the tightness and soreness. Inhale deep down in your abdomen and then exhale and allow your tight back muscles to relax, your eyelids to stop twitching, your knees to stop aching. You don't need this tension anymore and you can let it go!

Of course it is difficult to remember in the middle of a daily rush that you are supposed to notice your physical sensations. To help you to keep focused and develop this destress habit, I suggest you to make signs that says Check In With Your Body. Hand one on the bathroom mirror, and other in the place where you will see it throughout the day. Practice your body scan when you aren't under stress.

You can choose to start your day with a body scan. Do it while you are brushing your teeth. Mentally go down, from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, ad simply notice what you feel. Relax any tense area.

Keep checking in with your body daily. It will tell you the truth you need to know about stress in your life, secrets you cannot hear from any other source.

Start your day with the relaxed body and your mind will follow.

I wish a relaxed week!

If you have any questions about stress or stress management, submit them on our Ask The Expert page! And don't forget to visit the site regularly to learn new stress management techniques or submit your own stories and tips.

I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Lean about Holistic Stress Management coaching benefits)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

Tension Headaches: Causes, Symptoms, Relief

2010-07-16T10:23:00.001-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

Let me ask you a question!

Have you ever suffered from headaches which seem coming out of blue? You were feeling alright, but were late to a meeting and rushing....or you argued with your coworker....or you slept poorly, and then you did not feel alright anymore because of sudden tension headaches.

Tension headaches are commonly triggered by the emotional factors, of which the most common one is stress.

Let's talk about those stubborn and very annoying disrupters of our wellbeing and how to relieve tension headaches safely, effectively and for good. And what's the most important - naturally.

Your feedback, questions and ideas are always much appreciated.

This helps me address your stress management needs even better.

Just hit reply.

Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)
Holistic Stress Management Coach

www.action4balance.com

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Tension Headaches: Causes, Symptoms, Relief

Close to 90 percent of women and 70 percent of men experience tension headaches during their lifetimes, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Tension headaches are commonly triggered by emotional factors, the most common of which is stress and stress related conditions such as depression, anxiety, worries and other negative emotions.

Fortunately, there are many natural options that can help to relieve tension headaches safely and effectively.

Read my entire blog post here.

Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Lean about Holistic Stress Management coaching benefits)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

Overcome Negative Body Image

2010-07-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

I hope you all are doing just great!

Are you gardening and enjoying summer as I suggested you in the previous ezine? Don't forget garden meditation, it works wonders lowering your stress levels.

Today I have something different to share. A week ago a received an email from my dear friend who was asking for advice about how to deal with negative body image. "I feel ok one day, then fat another, and this creates a great deal of stress"...she wrote.

Negative midlife body image can create stress. Let's talk about causes and solutions of negative body image.

Your feedback, questions and ideas are always very appreciated.

This helps me address your stress management needs even better.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

www.action4balance.com

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Overcome Negative Body Image

I guess we can all agree that by age forty plus, fifty or sixty our bodies aren't what they once were.

The changes happen gradually over time, and we can grow to accept and appreciate them. The signs and lines tell the story that we have lived and have a history. There is nothing to be ashamed of.

But we are. Unfortunately. We are anxious about our body image. And negative body image adds a great deal of stress to many midlife women.

What are the causes and what are the solutions for negative midlife body image?

Its time to put your best foot forward.

Read my entire blog post here.

Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Lean about Stress Management coaching benefits)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

Deep Breathing For Stress Relief

2010-05-24T05:39:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

My apologies to all my readers for a long silence from my side.

This has been quite stressful time. An excellent chance for myself to practice stress management techniques. They work faultlessly for me as they do for anybody. They don't always have to be complicated. Sometimes, the best thing to do when in a stressful situation is to just stop and take a deep breath.

Let's talk about deep breathing today.

Take a deep breath in....one...two...three...four....Hold it...And release ...one...two...three...four.

You are very welcome to share your feedback, questions and ideas you would like to read about.

This would help me to address your needs better and help you create less stress and a more balanced life.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Holistic Stress Management Coach

http://www.action4balance.com/

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

How to pace and balance yourself at work?

2009-08-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

I can't believe it's already August. It's traditional vacation time here in Italy.

Still I bet that many of you have already enjoyed your vacations and now are back at work.

Vacation is an excellent time for recreation and putting some balance into your life.

But is there any possibility to pace and balance yourself at work, too?

Let's take a closer look.

You are very welcome to share your feedback, questions and ideas you would like to read about.

This would help me to address your needs better and help you create less stress and a more balanced life.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere

M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)

Stress Management Coach and Consultant

http://www.action4balance.com%20/

info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

How much is Enough to live Balanced life?

2009-08-06T11:33:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

I have had a great week!

I had my dear friend from Mexico, Alicia, visiting. We had a really great time together, not only sightseeing in Rome, Tivoli and Florence but also chatting. Taking into consideration that the last time we met was ten years ago in Moscow, where we both used to live and work, there was a lot to catch up with :)

How about you? What about this summer's vacation plans? Is somebody going to visit Italy? Let me know, so that we could meet up and enjoy a coffee or cappuccino together on a sunny terrace!

July is the month of summer sales here in Italy. Sales are very tempting indeed. But there is something I have noticed - when I am NOT stressed and out of balance, I am not as tempted to shop and I spend a lot less money.

Let's take a closer look.

You are very welcome to share your feedback, questions and ideas you would like to read about.

This would help me to address your needs better and help you create less stress and a more balanced life.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)
Stress Management Coach and Consultant

www.action4balance.com
info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

How much is Enough to live Balanced life?

" What I have found is that when you are NOT stressed and out of balance, you spend a lot less money; you have more time to prepare meals, rather that always buying takeaways, you stay healthier because you are not looking for instant fixes; you are more in touch with YOU rather than constantly looking outside of yourself for "things' to make you feel better.

In fact being more in balance has helped me to come to the realization that 'things' cant make us happy, only we hold the key to our happiness", writes Robyn Henderson in Balance: Real Life Strategies for Work/Life Balance.

Take Action and answer the question:

How much money do you spend trying to make yourself feel better about being out of balance?

Your answer will help you to see your life's priorities much clearer and more manageable.

Ready to invest in your real balance? You can start RIGHT NOW.

(Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Check out my programs)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief

2009-07-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

What is the antonym of the word "stress" which first comes to your mind?

I bet many of you said "relax". And you are absolutely right.

When anxious and stressed you are often told to relax but you are not taught HOW to relax.

Let's take a closer look at the relaxation techniques for stress relief.

Your feedback, questions and issues are always very appreciated.

This helps me address your stress management needs better.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)
Stress Management Coach and Consultant

www.action4balance.com
info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Relaxation exercises reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

Some theory first :)

Whenever you perceive something as threatening, an inbuilt alarm-system in your brain triggers the adrenal glands to release a complex hormonal cascade of over 30 stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.

Those stress hormones give you the extra strength and speed you need to deal with the threatening stressful situation. This reaction is known as the "fight-or-flight" reaction, or the stress response.

The body's balance is destroyed, which if not restored at the end of the day can lead to multiple health and work related problems, premature aging to name just few.

Good news!

Just as your body has an inbuilt fight-or-flight response mechanism, it also has an inbuilt mechanism for triggering relaxation.

This is called "the relaxation response". It turns the fight-or-flight response off returning the body and its biochemistry back to pre-stress levels. In other words - back to the state of balance and wellbeing; back to health.

Bad news!

Unfortunately nowadays when majority of you live in a constant tension, and face chronic stress on a daily basis, living on the edge of burnout, your stress response never turns off and this doesn't let the relaxation response to be turned on.

You have a choice!

Therefore the relaxation response is supposed to be consciously stimulated by applying of any relaxation technique you like the best.

I have created information about variety of relaxation techniques that will help you activate the relaxation response. Just click on the link by your choice:

* Aromatherapy
* Physical relaxation
* Mental relaxation

As you see there are many activities that are considered relaxing--and what relaxes one person may not feel relaxing to another.

As with any stress management plan you have to find the relaxation technique which works the best for you. Stick with it and practice it regularly, setting aside at least 10 to 20 minutes a day for your relaxation practice.

This will lead to a reduction in your everyday stress levels and a boost in your feelings of joy and serenity.

Plus they also serve a protective quality by teaching you how to stay calm and composed in the face of life's challenges.

TIP:

The relaxation response is not:

* laying on the couch
* sleeping
* being lazy

The relaxation response is:

* a mentally active process that leaves the body relaxed
* best done in an awake state
* trainable and becomes more profound with practice

My question for you is:

What activities do you find relaxing?

Share your favorite relaxation strategy, just leave your comments and let me know.

(Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Check out my programs)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

Chicken or Eagle? Which do You prefer?

2009-07-16T06:05:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

It is very, very hot here in Italy!

I try to stay cool drinking fresh fruit/berry/soy smoothies with ice and lots of water.

What about you? Let us know what you do to stay cool!

I am glad that many of you enjoy my de-stress and re-balance tips. Thank you all for the great feedback.

Today I want to share a story with you.

About what? It's just a story.

What you want to make out of it is entirely up to you.

Your feedback, questions and issues are always very appreciated.

This helps me address your needs better and help you create less stress and a more balanced life.
Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)
Stress Management Coach and Consultant

www.action4balance.com
info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Chicken or Eagle? Which do You prefer?

Once upon a time there was a chicken farmer, who happened to be a keen rock climber. One day he was out climbing on a very high crag and he came across a nest. In the nest there were three very big eggs. They were eagle eggs.

The farmer knew that it was not good to steal eggs but he took one anyway.

When he got back to his chicken farm he put the egg in a hen house. When the egg hatched the hen was very, very proud. The eagle began to grow and spend his life with the hens - his brothers and sisters, doing what hens do: scratching around in dirt, flapped its wings fearlessly but never go more than few feet of the land.

And then one day the eagle happened to look up and the air it saw soaring very high, very majestically a golden eagle. He had no idea what it was. He turned to other chicken and said that it's absolutely fantastic!

What is it? Chicken answered: well, it's an eagle, it's the king of the birds, king of the skies. We are not a part of that eagle's life. We are earth birds and we are destined to spend our lives in a farm yard doing what we are doing.

Moral: The eagle lived and died as a chicken because that's all it though there was.

Look at your current life and ask yourself:

* Do I settle for what I have or for what someone else thinks or what he or she told I should have done, think, live you name it?
* Am I letting the stress to put barriers between me and my family, me and my friends, me and my career, and finally me ....and myself?
* Where can I see that my negative thinking has set myself up for stress or failure?

Here is my challenge for you - act now - find practical ways to destress your life.

Never, never settle for less.

"...Dont fly like a barnyard hen when can can soar like an eagle", writes Josemaria Escriva in The Way

Now it's time to apply your new stress management tool.

Just leave a comment let me know if you find it useful.

I will be back next week with another stress management tool.

(Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Check out my programs)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

How to nurture the emotional dimension of your life?

2009-07-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

Everything has been figured out except how to live.
- Jean-Paul Sartre

How do you truly WANT to live YOUR life?

Do you have a dream of living a "balanced life"?

'A balanced life is a myth,' I hear you saying. Well, yes and no.

There are times when all you need is someone in your life to help you find a way of creating the life that you want and hold you accountable.

Today I will share with one more tool to add to your stress management tool kit: how to reduce stress and re-balance your life through creating and spending quality time with family and friends.

You are very welcome to share your feedback, questions and issues you would like to read about.

This would help me to address your needs better and help you create less stress and a more balanced life.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)
Stress Management Coach and Consultant

www.action4balance.com
info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

How to Nurture the Emotional Dimension of Your life?

When asked to take an inventory of the current life and to imagine the desired balanced life, spending quality time with family and friends is usually high on my clients' list of priorities.

Priorities 'wish list', though.

Professional women today have too many roles, duties and commitments and are so exhausted at the end of the day that the emotional dimension - the need to cultivate quality relationships - is the first to be dropped.

Doing so, the goal was to probably release some stress but in reality you are just adding more.

As demands increase, you could feel a sense of imbalance, losing control and helplessness, therefore making yourself prone to stress and burnout.

Nowadays the lack of balance is a major source of stress in professional womens' lives.

Finding the right balance helps to restore harmony and reduce stress.

What are the key areas to consider in order obtaining desired balance?

"Balance" is not a static or have the same meaning for everybody; it changes depending on your current life priorities.

There is one core rule though - for creating a whole balanced life or "wholeness", it is important to integrate and consider all of the following areas: physical, intellectual, spiritual, and the emotional dimension.

When you drop spending quality time with your family and friends you distort and neglect the emotional dimension. Those quality relationships make your affective world rich and joyful and they work as a powerful stress reduction tool.

What is quality time?

Quality time is time spent doing an activity that is meaningful to all people that are participating. It is about focusing attention on the other person, listening attentively, and sharing thoughts and feelings.

However, spending time together does not have to be a tiring or expensive venture. In fact, doing something meaningful usually does not cost much, yet the memories last a long time.

Take Action:

Make a date.

Set aside some time on your busy agenda for family and friends, and treat it as you would any appointment-something that's important-not to be missed or rescheduled.

Your date day with family could include anything-playing soccer in a park, riding bikes, playing board games at home, doing crafts with younger kids, cleaning out your closets together to give you an idea.

With friends, it could be a simple cup of coffee and window-shopping that allows you to spend some free time together.

Friends are a great stress management tool, and group get-togethers will allow you to catch up with a lot of them at one go. Don't neglect it.

What if everybody is too tired and busy to participate?

Start new traditions.

Be creative - launch a tradition! People are inquisitive.

Pick a new neighborhood to visit, a new ice cream parlor to try out, or a new bicycle trail to explore.

If doing something outdoors is not your thing, then start a book club gal's night in and turn this night into social event of the week. Crack open a bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy good time together.

Doing this on a regular basis will create a ritual that you all look forward to.

Give back to the community.

Choose a charity and volunteer with your family or friends once a month. You'll feel great about what you're doing and your close circle will be there to share it with you.

Selecting an activity that everyone enjoys and is willing to try out is a great way to ensure everyone stays in the program and is committed to meeting.

Be creative - there are many ways to keep close to your family and friends.

If you are looking for ways to destress and rebalance your life spending quality time with family and friends should rank high on your priority list.

It could take some effort to schedule it in, but the rewards you reap are well worth your time and commitment.

Now it's time to apply your new stress management tool.

Leave your comments and let me know if you find it useful.

I will be back next week with another stress management tool.

Stay tuned in and don't miss the next News from Action4Balance.com

(Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Check out my programs)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

"Salami"principle

2009-07-01T05:36:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

I hope you are having a great week.

Let me ask you a question - have you ever needed to deal with large tasks?

How did it feel?

Thrilling, positively challenging? Or, on the contrary, it can be so stressful and daunting that you either never start them, or having started them, you become dispirited and give up. What a stress indeed!

The easiest way would be...to give up, right? But does this solve the problem?

Today I will share with you a simple principle to add to your stress management tool kit: how to stay on track and motivated when dealing with large (but necessary) tasks.

My daughter Marta uses this principle during her exam session at University. When she thought about whole eleven exams at once she felt extremely overwhelmed, but after being introduced to the "salami" principle she was able to avoid unnecessary worries and stress eating slice by slice, exam by exam.

You can apply the "salami" principle to any big project.

You are very welcome to share your feedback, questions and issues you would like to read about.

This would help me address your needs better and help you create less stress and a more balanced life.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)
Stress Management Coach and Consultant

www.action4balance.com
info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

"Salami" principle - cutting big projects into slices

Big projects often pose particular difficulties.

They can be daunting at the beginning because they are so big. And they can be dispiriting in the middle when the initial blush of enthusiasm has paled and the end is still out of sight.

Does this scenario sound familiar?

Let's assume that you have decided that today is THE day. You putter around a bit, pour a second cup of coffee, scrub the grime off the stovetop, skim the paper, field two phone calls, telling yourself all the while that you will find your way to your project eventually. But it never happens.

What to do?

One of the biggest mistakes we make with a big project is to make it too daunting. The key is to break big projects down into manageable segments.

The principle to apply is called the 'salami' principle: large tasks should be broken up into a series of small tasks - appetizing slices.

If you "eat" the slices one by one, you will eventually consume the whole "salami" aka task.

Instead of focusing on unnecessary worries and feeling overwhelmed focus on the demands made by each "slice".

Additionally this will allow you to estimate much more accurately the time it takes to fulfill the goal or realize the project as well as making each slice more appetizing.

Take Action:

Set yourself small manageable tasks so instead of trying to achieve everything in one go, you take a small step each time, achieving a limited objective before moving onto the next stage.

By progressing through them you will eventually accomplish the large task.

For example you could decide to deal with the task for 15 minutes a day. Fifteen minutes would be your personal salami slice, and probably not that hard to manage.

Over time it will became easier so you could extend the fifteen minutes to thirty and then sixty.

Applying 'salami' principle you kill two birds with one shot - eliminate stress and worries and get your task done.

Let me know if you find this principle useful?

I will be back next week with another stress management tool.

Stay tuned in and don't miss the next News from Action4Balance.com

(Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Check out my programs)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

Welcome Challenges

2009-07-01T05:28:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

These days I have been enjoying long walks on the beach, abundance of summer fruit and veggies and relaxing reading of a good book on my terrace in the evenings when it gets cooler. All great de-stress activities.

Do I have some challenges, too? Sure I do.

For life to be enjoyable we all need challenges. To keep our distress in distance we need those we feel you can cope with.

Sadly we are all, at times, faced with challenges/ problems that we cannot cope with or I would rather say - we perceive as such with which we cannot cope with and which mount up to stress and lead to burnout.

Unresolved problems are significant stressors or source of stress for the majority of my clients.

Today I will talk about using certain steps you can resolve even the most stressful problem.

I urge you to try the technique. I think that you will be amazed at the results!

You are very welcome to share your feedback, questions and issues you would like to read about.

This would help me to address your needs better and help you create less stress and a more balanced life.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)
Stress Management Coach and Consultant

www.action4balance.com
info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Manage Stress with Problem Solving

Managing stress is about being proactive.

It is very important to take positive action.

Here is a serious warning though - drowning your stress in alcohol, eating junk food, self medication with drugs such as nicotine - this is not the answer. ( To learn How to change bad habits in 6 simple steps Click HERE)

Proactivity means that you must take the responsibility and move yourself out of your comfort zone (which is not that comfortable after all) into the driver's seat.

How many times have you thought that others cause your stress or that you have no choice?

The reality is you can choose whether to be stressed or not. Hey, someone had to say it!

Dealing with stress is dealing with change. The question is what changes to make, and how to make them.

This is where the problem solving comes in. Problem solving is a proven stress management strategy which directly claims your positive action.

Let's first define what I mean by a problem. Problems are issues, dilemmas, challenges, situations in your professional or personal life that needs to be resolved otherwise they become stressors, open loops that drain away your precious energy and trigger you stress.

Important - problems don't be necessarily negative ones but they definitely claim your attention and solution.

Unresolved problems are significant stressors or source of stress for the majority of my clients.

Problem solving is not as complicated as it sounds. It is much easier then you think indeed.

The key to your success is to complete these steps.

Take Action: Follow these Steps

Step 1. Select, identify and specify the problem

This is a very important step because the problem must be clearly identified.

A vague feeling of anxiety or stress is hard to tackle. Name your problem and recognize that a problem exists. Make it as specific as possible, ask yourself:

* What is the problem?
* When do I have this problem?
* Why is it a problem?
* With whom is it a problem?
* What is the result of the problem?How often is it a problem?

Step 2: Think of alternatives

Choose the problem you have identified during the step 1 and do a brainstorming session.

This will help you to think of as many solutions as you can. Write down each solution but at this stage just write down as many as you can. Don't reject or censor any. Here's where your creativity is especially important.

Step 3: Evaluate each alternative

Evaluate the pros and cons of each proposed solution and order the solutions from least to most practical and desirable.

Step 4: Select the best solution

Look at your results and decide which of the solutions are worth implementing. If you enjoy an activity, you'll look forward to it rather than put it off.

Step 5: Choose and implement the best alternative

Put into action the best selected alternative. Make plans for carrying out the solution. Ask yourself:

* What actions are needed to achieve it?
* What other changes may be needed?
* Can any assistance be obtained from friends, colleagues, personal coach?

Then, follow through on your decision by monitoring the results of implementing your plan.

Expect some failures, but always reward yourself even for having tried.

Tips:

* It can be difficult and daunting to specify what your problems are. Trust your intuition or talk to someone you trust.
* There are ties when we all need the help and confidential support of other people. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. It can be so helpful.
* If you feel stuck, imagine and consider how others might respond if asked to deal with a similar problem.
* Make sure you start with a problem, which is manageable enough to allow a solution to be found.
* Do not start with your biggest and worst problem. Motivation is lost when the goal seems too difficult and you give up.
* Once you find you can solve a relatively small problem you will be better able to tackle your larger ones.
Let me know if you find this principle useful?

I will be back next week with another stress management tool.

Stay tuned in and don't miss the next News from Action4Balance.com

(Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Check out my programs)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

Mindfulness For Stress Reduction

2009-07-01T05:23:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

I hope you are having a great summer and taking some time to relax, enjoy healthy and colorful meals and doing some exercise - all of which help to control our stress response.

But are you really able to empty your mind, be here and now and fully enjoy an activity or enjoy a meal? Or your mind constantly wanders and is bombarded with endless thoughts?

Have you noticed that much of your stress comes from thinking about the past or worrying about the future?

Today something that I would like to bring to your attention is mindfulness - the ability to focus on increasing present moment, the here and now experience, which is the foundation for a mindfulness based stress reduction.

You are very welcome to share your feedback, questions and issues you would like to read about.

This would help me to address your needs better and help you create less stress and a more balanced life.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)
Stress Management Coach and Consultant

www.action4balance.com
info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

Practice Mindfulness - Stay Here and Now

"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness," writes Victor Frankl in Man's Search for Meaning

You too have choice - choice to decide what thoughts to think and what actions to take, choice to be mindless aka reactive or be mindfull aka pro-active in order to create the life you desire.

Have you noticed that much of your stress comes from thinking about the past or worrying about the future? Much of your stress is self induced, indeed.

When you allow your negative thoughts to reign and yourself to be unaware of your daily choices and responses, you are living mindlessly.

You live in a reactive manner, only accumulating extra stress and letting it damage your health, personal and professional life.

When you learn to live mindfully, you learn to observe your behavior, thoughts and reactions to the challenges in your lives.

When you live mindfully - in the present moment, and your attention is focused on what you are doing here and right now, there is no space for worries, fears, desires, or anything that could be stressful.

Mindfulness is a proven remedy against the downward spiral caused by automatic negative thoughts - well known stress trigger.

Mindfullness allows you to catch yourself before you go into a habitual reaction that leads to stress.

Rather than getting stuck in reactivity, you should breath, pause and make new choices about how to respond. Be pro active instead of reactive.

There always is a choice. Make those that bring you healthier thinking, relaxation, connection with others.

Take Action:

Try this mindfulness meditation - walk mindfully.

Most of you cover long distances daily. This makes walking a good opportunity to practice mindfulness.

1. Stand up, relax your abdominal muscles. Take several deep breaths. Mentally repeat the word "in" with each inhalation and "out" with each exhalation.

2. Start walking. Pay attention to your breathing and your steps.

3. When any thoughts interrupt your focus, make a mental note of this and return to your walking and breathing.

4. Pay attention to your sensations of walking. Notice which muscle contracts, which relaxes. Other feelings in your body. Notice the ground texture - is it hard of soft. Become aware of rocks, trees, flowers, animals, cars, smells, sights and different people.

5.Don't think your thought, catch them and let them go.

Any simple activity can become a meditation when you try to continuously focus your attention on it.

You can practice mindfulness when you brush your teeth or wash dishes or ear your healthy colorful meal.

Don't let any thoughts to distract you - note them and then go back to the task with renewed concentration.

There is nothing to be achieved. There is only observation.
Let me know if you find this principle useful?

I will be back next week with another stress management tool.

Stay tuned in and don't miss the next News from Action4Balance.com

(Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Check out my programs)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust

During Stressful Times - Drink Plenty of Water

2009-07-01T05:10:00.000-07:00

A NOTE FROM INESE

Greetings!

Here in Italy we are already enjoying full summer. The sun is bright and must say very hot.

Many of us increase our water intake, but many don't.

Drinking plenty of water is a powerful stress reduction tool.

Let me show you why!

Just one more thing before we jump right into today's topic.

As you may know everybody has different stressors and reacts differently to stress and has different coping resources. There are specific indicators helping to tailor a specific individual program (this is what we do during the individual coaching sessions).

However, there are certain things - steps you could make right now and these are the steps to achieving a healthy lifestyle (balanced nutrition, physical exercises, relaxation).

You are very welcome to share your feedback, questions and issues you would like to read about.

This would help me to address your needs better and help you create less stress and a more balanced life.

Just leave your comments.

Dr. Inese Millere
M.D.,M.A.,C.H.Ed (Dip Stress Mgt)
Stress Management Coach and Consultant

www.action4balance.com
info@action4balance.com

Your Action, Your Balance

FEATURED ARTICLE

What has water to do with stress?

I have very special relations with water.

During my 20ties I suffered from severe migraine headaches. I was under stress indeed. I never left my home without strong pain killers in my purse. My headaches were caused by tons of toxins that flooded my body waiting to be flushed out. Needless to say that my migraine disappeared as those toxins gradually left my body when I increased my water intake.

When your body is under stress, the adrenal glands release stress hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol into the blood that speed up the body's metabolism. These metabolites are broken down into toxins and these waste products have to be eliminated.

Water is the single most important element in cleansing the digestive system and ensuring the health of all cells in the body.

In fact - the first aim, before even the diet changes, is to remove toxins (which are chemical stressors) and stimulants (certain foods, drinks and allergens from the body). A detox is the first step to turn your health around.

The insoluble wastes should be removed via bowel and to help this process fiber rich foods are needed. So, accordingly you should increase the intake of fiber for bowel cleansing.

The toxins, which are water-soluble, are removed through the kidneys and sweat and this is why it is very important to drink plenty of water to provide the effective detoxification.

Most people, and particularly people suffering from stress, are dehydrated and dehydration per se is a stressor to the body.

Take Action:

Start increase your pure water intake still today.

Until you reach at least 8 big glasses per day.

Let me know if you find this principle useful?

I will be back next week with another stress management tool.

Stay tuned in and don't miss the next News from Action4Balance.com

(Remember, I can help you reduce your stress and rebalance your life ! (Check out my programs)

The Action and the Balance is up to You

For Email Newsletters you can trust