Live a More Serene Life

Spiritual steps to reduce stress

by Adrianne Stone

Source: California Psychics

Today, polls are showing that we're more stressed than ever before - recent ones even indicate that people are sleeping less and worrying more than they were just six months ago. So what can you do before things spiral out of control?

Like many challenges in life, many times the best and easiest approach is a spiritual one. Simply having a sense of awareness can help you turn your upside-down world right-side-up again.

For example...
Barbara's relationship with her personal technology - her Blackberry, in particular - was out of control. Between emailing, phone calls and Twitter, she had little time left for herself after she put the "crackberry" down. "I needed an intervention," she says. "Things finally came to a head when my husband woke up in the middle of the night to find me texting in bed... I realized I had a problem." So after a marital heart-to-heart and a decision to turn technology off after a certain hour, she and her husband came to an understanding. They have even rediscovered the joy of intimate communication - by not texting so much - and emailing less, too. This strengthens their marital bond, and provides a great natural means of stress relief.

Kevin, an internist, often saw patients from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., then brought paperwork home with him. "I'd arrive home exhausted, kiss my wife and kids, eat dinner at my desk, and then go to bed. That left little time for exercise, socializing - or even sex with my wife." Fortunately for Kevin, he attended a doctor's conference that introduced the idea of yoga as a preventative measure for optimal health. It led to a drastic change in his lifestyle, and it's something he and his wife can do together. "Every morning, we start with yoga. Breathing deeply and rhythmically together and stretching puts us both on a different spiritual plane. Needless to say, finding ways to relax at home has become a new priority."

Stacey was surrounded by negativity - she was in the midst of an acrimonious divorce, and her new boss was an unappreciative taskmaster. As a result, she found herself fighting depression. One morning she woke up to find a bird chirping in a nest it had built outside her window. "It was a perfectly joyous vision. It reminded me that there is more in the world than my problems. Now when I'm stressed, I just go for a walk - and admire the nature all around me."

Kevin, Barbara and Stacey were able to manage their stress with simple changes that helped to calm their lives and soothe their souls at the same time. Here are more techniques to ease some of the pressure in your everyday life. They will help you maintain your inner balance, as well.

Spiritual steps:

1. Alter your routine
Take a different route home after work, and stop to discover a new neighborhood or a scenic spot before you head back to the house. Decompress with a walk or a stroll - you might even go window-shopping. Moving your muscles a bit while you see the world from a different angle is a quick way to create some mental calm.

2. List your concerns
If you're one to awaken nightly with a worry-filled head, try writing down your concerns immediately. Spend a few minutes each evening listing your grievances with the world. Write down everything - especially the small things - like being bothered by a cold sore, a new blemish, or a few new gray hairs. You'll notice that giving yourself a place to vent will make your nights and days go by much more smoothly.

3. Be thankful
Start each day by reminding yourself what it is that you're thankful for. If your body is in good working condition, be grateful for that. If you have many loved ones, be thankful for that. If you enjoy your job, remember that blessing. Embracing thoughts of gratitude leaves little time for negativity.

4. Shift your consciousness
Find the good in everything. Another rainy day? Think of the gorgeous flowers that will result. A smaller yearly bonus due to the economy? Remind yourself that you're lucky to have a job! Simply put, thinking positively makes you happier. Do you tend to get the Monday blues on Sunday night? Flip your thinking, and schedule a regular event on that Sunday night - watch Masterpiece Theater, or have friends over for a weekly scheduled dinner or to play a board game.

5. Use visions of happiness
Gather some photos of that gorgeous beach from your island vacation, or your puppy's adorable face or your best friends - and post them at home or in your workstation. You need only look at them to take you to a happy place in your mind. Hold on to that feeling - and you'll feel your stress melt away. Esther M. Sternberg, M.D., the author of Healing Spaces: The Science & Place of Well Being, suggests choosing a pleasing desktop visual as your computer wallpaper - one of sweeping vistas such as green mountains against a blue sky dotted with puffy clouds, or maybe a beautiful sunset. A nice view, she says, triggers positive brain responses.

6. Change up your play list
Create a mellower playlist by loading your iPod with songs that you find relaxing or inspirational. Music with a slower or meditative beat can move your attention inward - and away from the everyday rush of chaotic events and thoughts.

7. Meditate
Last but not least, even taking five minutes a day to sit still, close your eyes and breath deeply can change your life. Anything that puts you into a gently contemplative state will relax you and take you to a higher level of consciousness.

If nothing else, when life is overwhelming, give your mind, body and spirit a break - even if it's just by making a conscious effort to breathe in and out, deeply and slowly. Directing your attention away from the things that are worrying you is always a powerful restorative during stressful times.

Do you need help managing stress? Let a psychic guide you. Call 1.800.573.4830click here now.

Face Uncertainty

3 ways to handle life's unknowns

Source: California Psychics

It may sound like a cliche, but uncertainty is a part of life. Even before these hard economic times, it was possible to unexpectedly lose a job, suffer a breakup or to get into an accident. That's because there are no guarantees in life!

As terrifying as that can seem, it's also what allows us to reach outside the status quo and shoot for the stars - even if the odds are stacked against us. We all create our own destinies, whether they come to us in exactly the form we're expecting, or not.

Try this three-step approach to tackling life's uncertainties- any one of them can make your life easier, simply because you'll find yourself better prepared for whatever happens - and, when the time comes, more willing to take the right risks.

1. You can't know everything
If we knew every single little thing awaiting us around the corner, life would be unbearably dull. Yet by changing the way you see life's curveballs, you can alter how you handle them. So, from now on, instead of worrying about events you can't foresee - or letting those that occur send you into a prolonged state of shock and immobility - try to see unexpected events as opportunities.

Perhaps getting laid off will put you in a position to go back to school and find a job you like better - or make more money in. Maybe getting dumped is a chance to reconnect with yourself and your deepest desires, before finding a mate who is suited to a more fully realized you. Seemingly bad things often wind up teaching us valuable lessons and setting us on the paths we should have been on in the first place.

Likewise, even in "good" times, don't let fear of the unknown get in the way of going after your goals. After all, while certain success is never a given, there's also no such thing as certain failure, either! It's up to you to chase your dreams - and sometimes that involves a little risk.

2. Best and worst
When faced with uncertain outcomes, many of us get paralyzed. After all, without knowing what to expect, it's best to keep a low profile and do nothing, right? Wrong! In times of flux (and any time, really), the best way to combat your anxiety is to be active.

If you're having trouble knowing how to act in any given situation (say, whether to make a change or stay put), why not ask yourself the same questions about the alternative choice? What's the best that can happen if you do what you're considering and - and what's the worst? Now see how your answers compare.

It could be that sticking with the status quo will not lead to the change you're seeking. And if things go wrong, you may not be any worse off than you are today. Even if you are - can you live with never having pursued your goal? Set aside your fear of the unknown, and repeat to yourself this fundamental truth - without risk, there is never any reward!

3. Baby steps
Often we make the mistake of thinking that huge changes are required to make progress in life. Not so. In fact, by taking small, active steps toward a larger goal, we make achieving it more likely by giving ourselves the opportunity to reposition and regroup if things don't go our way. Whether it's trying a class before enrolling in a program, or asking for a raise before looking for a better-paying job in a field you're less interested in, one thing's for certain - doing nothing definitely won't get you where you want to go. Doing something just might make a difference.

So what's stopping you? This is your life we're talking about! Throw caution to the wind every once in a while, and simply go for it.

Are you paralyzed by uncertainty? Let a psychic guide you. Call 1.800.573.4830 or click here now.

inbox - not interested - spam or scam?

Hi sugar,

Have not heard from you for ages! Have you forgotten about me? Hope not!

How are things going?

I am still single and spring has come.. all of my friends are hnaging out
with their boyfriends and I am alone ..

I have registered my profile at http://matesville-ml.com.ua/?idAff=32 -
why don't you come and see my new photos? And perhaps even email me..

Though we might get to know each other better and perhaps this Spring will
be the last lonely spring for us?

Will be waiting:
http://matesville-ml.com.ua/?idAff=32

I have never heard from this person before as insinuated although I do recognize Aff 32 that touts other dating sites.
ikillspammers.blogspot.com/ - I suspect would say that the dating site uadreams.com is behind this (they do have my e-mail address as my profile is with them)

Your Horoscope for Today

By Hollywood Astrologer, W.C. Moriarity

Source: California Psychics

It may sound like a cliche, but uncertainty is a part of life. Even before these hard economic times, it was possible to unexpectedly lose a job, suffer a breakup or to get into an accident. That's because there are no guarantees in life!

As terrifying as that can seem, it's also what allows us to reach outside the status quo and shoot for the stars - even if the odds are stacked against us. We all create our own destinies, whether they come to us in exactly the form we're expecting, or not.

Try this three-step approach to tackling life's uncertainties- any one of them can make your life easier, simply because you'll find yourself better prepared for whatever happens - and, when the time comes, more willing to take the right risks.

1. You can't know everything
If we knew every single little thing awaiting us around the corner, life would be unbearably dull. Yet by changing the way you see life's curveballs, you can alter how you handle them. So, from now on, instead of worrying about events you can't foresee - or letting those that occur send you into a prolonged state of shock and immobility - try to see unexpected events as opportunities.

Perhaps getting laid off will put you in a position to go back to school and find a job you like better - or make more money in. Maybe getting dumped is a chance to reconnect with yourself and your deepest desires, before finding a mate who is suited to a more fully realized you. Seemingly bad things often wind up teaching us valuable lessons and setting us on the paths we should have been on in the first place.

Likewise, even in "good" times, don't let fear of the unknown get in the way of going after your goals. After all, while certain success is never a given, there's also no such thing as certain failure, either! It's up to you to chase your dreams - and sometimes that involves a little risk.

2. Best and worst
When faced with uncertain outcomes, many of us get paralyzed. After all, without knowing what to expect, it's best to keep a low profile and do nothing, right? Wrong! In times of flux (and any time, really), the best way to combat your anxiety is to be active.

If you're having trouble knowing how to act in any given situation (say, whether to make a change or stay put), why not ask yourself the same questions about the alternative choice? What's the best that can happen if you do what you're considering and - and what's the worst? Now see how your answers compare.

It could be that sticking with the status quo will not lead to the change you're seeking. And if things go wrong, you may not be any worse off than you are today. Even if you are - can you live with never having pursued your goal? Set aside your fear of the unknown, and repeat to yourself this fundamental truth - without risk, there is never any reward!

3. Baby steps
Often we make the mistake of thinking that huge changes are required to make progress in life. Not so. In fact, by taking small, active steps toward a larger goal, we make achieving it more likely by giving ourselves the opportunity to reposition and regroup if things don't go our way. Whether it's trying a class before enrolling in a program, or asking for a raise before looking for a better-paying job in a field you're less interested in, one thing's for certain - doing nothing definitely won't get you where you want to go. Doing something just might make a difference.

So what's stopping you? This is your life we're talking about! Throw caution to the wind every once in a while, and simply go for it.

Are you paralyzed by uncertainty? Let a psychic guide you. Call 1.800.573.4830 or click here now.