MOVE YOURSELF UP THE EMOTIONAL SCALE

This is an excerpt from the book "Ask and It Is Given" by Esther Hicks / Abraham. This list will help you work out where you are on the emotional scale and will give you a guide as to what emotion you are aiming for up the scale!

The Emotional Guidance Scale

1. Joy/Appreciation/Empowered/Freedom/Love
2. Passion
3. Enthusiasm/Eagerness/Happiness
4. Positive Expectation/Belief
5. Optimism
6. Hopefulness
7. Contentment
8. Boredom
9. Pessimism
10. Frustration/Irritation/Impatience
11. Overwhelment
12. Disappointment
13. Doubt
14. Worry
15. Blame
16. Discouragement
17. Anger
18. Revenge - work through this emotion mentally, for example: write a letter that you do not actually post, picture the revenge, BUT, do NOT act on it! THEN let it GO and move up to Anger:)
19. Hatred/Rage
20. Jealousy
21. Insecurity/Guilt/Unworthiness
22. Fear/Grief/Depression/Despair/Powerlessness

This is a FANTASTIC list for you to help guide you in the right direction!

Should you wish to find out more about their work, their website address is: http://www.abraham-hicks.com

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

More About Panic Away - Click Here

More About Easy Calm - Click Here!

More About Hypnosis - Click Here!

JOURNALING - PART TWO

I would like to expand on this topic because it is so important that you do not miss this exercise! If you have not read the first entry here, check it out under "Journaling - A Must Read!!!".

When you are writing in your Journal on Happy Thoughts, it is so important for you to explain WHY you want these things!

Such as...

I Want To Feel Slender...

Why.... Because I can play tirelessly with my children; Because it feels good be relaxed and at peace in my body; Because I love the feeling; Because I can play that sport I love so much; Because I can work more efficiently; Because I can garden with ease; Because I can buy those clothes I love so much; Because I can buy anything I choose to wear; Because it feels great just to move around... Get the idea?

You really do want to evoke that FEELING RESPONSE from "within"! The more good thoughts you can get, the more of those good thoughts automatically come to you "naturally".

This is EXACTLY how it is done with your negative thoughts!!! So, turn the tables and write yourself a new chapter! This is again so very simple, BUT, this is a HUGE KEY to your happiness!!!

"FEEL YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS WITH EVERYTHING YOU WANT" Esther Hicks / Abraham

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

Stuck in a rut with your job / Want a change???

At times things can feel so overwhelming with work and there seems to be no way out!

Wanting a career change, not knowing where to start or having the confidence to dare take one step towards your goal is obviously going to be very daunting to you!

Here are some of the steps I took to change my career even when I had Panic Attacks & Depression…

1. Work out what it is you want. I don’t care if it is doing a 180 degree turn around from what you are currently doing (if anything).

2. Research it, get into that feeling mode of being in that job!

a - Find out what skills are required in order to do the work.
b - Find a place that offers training in these areas.
c - Ring them or again, search online for their courses available.

3. You can with many places nowadays study from home! This enables you to work at your leisure and study when you are able to, or, study when you feel like it without the added stress (if you are inclined to worry about studying within a school environment).

4. If you have the opportunity / time, perhaps you may want to consider calling some places in the field you have chosen to do some work-experience! There aren’t too many places I know that would knock back getting work for free! This can also help ease any pressure you may have conjured up in relation to letting anyone down should it not be the correct job for you!

5. Start journaling on this, write down everything that you want to do and become! You will find that ideas seem to pop up out of the blue once you get into this. Life is funny that way, you will meet someone who knows someone who can help you in your new idea!

6. Meditate on it – Sit quietly for 10 or 15 minutes just visioning doing this job, get to the FEELING PLACE of having it already!

7. Be positive! There are times you may very well get disheartened by the thought of changing career-paths, BUT, don’t let that stop you. When you feel like this, just acknowledge it and let it go. Don’t dwell upon it. If it is what you truly want, it will come! You will get a thirst for life you never knew existed when you take these small but important steps towards your personal desires!

8. Be Easy about it…… Be easy, Be easy, Be Easy, Be Easy, Be Easy…!

9. SMILE…. It’s right around the corner ;)

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

A great post for looking for the PERFECT JOB FOR YOU is: http://www.career-job.blogspot.com/

Feeling of not being in the moment???

Often when you go out, panic can arise in different forms. One being the feeling of disassociation / swooning feeling. The best way I have come across is the following:

While it is good to practice your breathing techniques, sometimes the fear associated with this is too overwhelming to even think of what you can do to reduce the severity of this symptom!

Hold onto something such as your car / house keys, FEEL what the object feels like, run them through your fingers. You can also do the same holding on to a shopping trolley, etc!

Women – A long beaded necklace gives you quick easy access to something to play with when you are feeling this way.

What you are wanting to do is re-connect yourself, a sort-of grounding-technique!

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

Acclimatise to EVERY Environment

Ever gone shopping, lunch / coffee with friends, to the movies, work, ANY outside activity can lead you to sit and worry and fret over nothing in particular. It is just the “thought” of engaging in any activity can send us into emotional-shock!!!

It could be anything to get your nerves on edge from the lighting, the noise of all of the hustle & bustle in the shops, sitting in a quiet room watching a movie, concentrating on your job. Whatever it is that pushes your buttons, I advise you do the following:

Get wherever you are wanting to go earlier than scheduled, what you are wanting to do is ACCLIMATISE to your environment. Because it only takes 10-15 minutes to go from fear to calm.

Going to the shops? Go there earlier, take some time, sit in your car or walk to the toilets, practice your BREATHING (In The Beginning (May ‘08) and Out & About (June ‘08)) if you feel yourself getting light-headed. Practice the TAPPING as previously discussed (Tap Away Your Troubles (June ’08)), or simply sit (yes, in the toilets) and get back your balance! Also, the diversion-tactic as discussed this month under “Out & About (June ’08)”.

If you have an iPod, take it with you wherever you go, keep the music, or audio-book (my personal favourite) on it that makes you feel good and listen to that! – Depressed / Nervous??? Mix It Up… (June ’08).

You could also head straight for a coffee shop, grab a water (Nutrition Matters (June ’08)), perhaps tea, whatever works for you and sit and drink and relax. You could even take a favourite magazine to flick through to keep your mind occupied!

OR – You could very well just dread the thought of doing any of this, if this is the case and WHEN you get the urge to want to go and do something (shopping, lunch, etc), go and do it, BUT, when you do this, I would like for you to KNOW that you have the option at ANY TIME to leave! When you do, DON’T criticise yourself for having done so, you are wanting to CONGRATULATE yourself for having tried it at all!!! Bleed those good feelings of what it felt like to take that first step, you are TRULY AMAZING, you will know within yourself that when the time is right to take that next step, you will and you will again come through it with flying colours!!! (I am speaking from experience)! If you are still having troubles, read about my section on Journaling – A Must Read (June ’08), and you will get there! Don’t keep checking the time-frame, your best time-frame is your emotions!!!

It takes EVERYONE a certain amount of time to acclimatise to their environment, so, PLEASE, be easy upon yourself and KNOW that you are not alone in this (ALL OF THIS), there are plenty in the same boat as you!

LOVE TO YOU

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

TAP AWAY YOUR TROUBLES

Sound simplistic? Well, it IS!!!

PLEASE, I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU READ THIS INFORMATION CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT COULD VERY WELL BE THE THING THAT CHANGES YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER!!! AND… IT’S FREE!

The best way I can describe it personally is, it is like acupuncture MINUS THE NEEDLES! Instead of needles, you simply TAP on certain points on your body for different issues…

I was blown away by this website, I am absolutely THRILLED to give you this news. They claim to help anyone , here’s the list of some of what they can help:

Eating Disorders
Weight Loss
Anorexia
Children’s Issues
Abuse
ADD-ADHD
Addictions
Allergies
Asthma
Dyslexia
Fears / Phobias
Agoraphobia
Animals
Claustrophobia
Fear of Flying
OCD
Sports & Other Performance Issues
Pain Management
Carpal Tunnel
Headaches
Neuropathy
Serious Illnesses
Addictions
Allergies
Asthma
Blood Pressure
Diabetes
Headaches
Vision
Panic / Anxiety
Abuse
Anger
Animals
Depression
PTSD
Trauma
SEXUAL PROBLEMS
Also reduce the need for drugs, surgeries, radiation, etc,

GET THE FREE MANUAL NOW AT:

http://www2.emofree.com/downloadeftmanual.asp

The website is called EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques)

I am so excited to share this with you, I used it for different things and IT WORKS!

Now, there are a LOT of pages to go through, so, I suggest if you are in a real hurry, go straight to ‘The Basic Recipe’ (on page 20) and read the following 8 pages!

LIKE I HAVE SAID BEFORE, IT IS THE SIMPLE STUFF THAT WORKS AND ONCE YOU READ THIS AND APPLY IT, YOU WILL BE AMAZED!!!

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

Depressed / Can’t Sleep

Whilst there are many things I have mentioned you can do on a personal level thought-wise to rid yourself of the blues / panic or insomnia, I also suggest the following:

First of all, if you’re laying in bed and you can’t sleep after 20 minutes or so, I suggest you get up for an hour and then try returning to your bed. Should you stay in bed and think and think and think, you are beginning the association with the bedroom as yet another thinking place to air all of your troubles! When you start to associate this room as ONLY a place for relaxing will you find it easier to sleep.

CLEAN IT UP...

If it is cluttered, it will only cause you to be less inclined to go to bed or relax. Get rid of those stuffed toys, sporting equipment, old clothes / shoes lying around on the floor. Keep it tidy!

BEDROOM COLOURS...

NEVER have your wall colour or decorations in dark colours (dark blue, black, grey, etc) or too bright of colours (bright red, yellow, orange, etc) in your bedroom. This will NOT help in your relaxing for stress or depression. These colours stimulate you to a point of over-exaggerating your problems be it from stress or depression! You are wanting soothing colours in your room such as cream, light blue, pinks, purples, something bright without the dramatic colours! You get the idea.

YOUR OASIS...

Put your stamp of approval on it, make it yours. It doesn’t matter what another thinks (unless of course your significant other happens to naturally get involved), make it your place for relaxation.

I have found that painting a room is one of the cheapest ways to improve the look!

BOOKS...

If you have a favourite self-help book, I do suggest you keep it on your night-stand for times when you are finding it difficult to sleep. Reading for me is one of the FASTEST ways to become sleepy and divert my attention! Purchase a good book-light, I suggest personally you google Think Geek (in the US) and search in their site for “book light”, it is amazing, it does not disturb your partner with light in the room, not like any other book light I have used, for me, it is ideal!!! I will put a link up here later for those of you wishing to find out more about them!

ONE MORE THING...

Should ANY of you have questions that have not been answered, PLEASE contact me and I will do my best to help you! If it is appropriate for this site, I will post, however I will NOT give names or personal details in this site!

LOVE
*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

PAMPER YOURSELF

At the end of the day when you're feeling too tired / lethargic or tied up in knots, take a step back and UNWIND!!!

This may not seem like a big-deal to some of you, however, I know personally that the more depressed or anxious I became, the less I worked on myself. When I took those small steps of keeping myself feeling good whether it be through appearance to eating habits, I changed!!!

One more thing you may want to consider...! If you are sitting at home a little too much for your liking, get up every morning and take a shower and get dressed before you even have time to think about it. Dress how you would if you were to go out and do something nice, this will help give you your passion back to the point where some days you will just want to get out of the house for a while! Don't believe me... Give it a try for one week and get back to me ;)

Ok, back to the indulging :)

Get some candles, make a BIG thing of it, after all YOU are the most important person in your life, you would do it for a loved-one, time to start thinking of yourself first!

PLAN AHEAD...

A cup of herbal tea. For those of you feeling anxious, I suggest Chamomile Tea! Depressed? Try Licorice tea. You can get either of these from your health food store!

Get your favourite essential oils (I suggest lavender if you're stressed-out or a citrus base such as lemon, orange, lime or mandarin if you're feeling depressed). Preferably used in an oil-burner (if you don't have one, you can pick them up pretty reasonably at your local discount store).

Either purchase a favourite facial mask from the local shop or make one up yourself. My favourite is:

• Mix some hot water with rolled oats, to this you add:
• Honey (it will dissolve witht he hot water)
• Avocado (mashed-up)
• Powdered milk (normal milk will make it too slushy)
• If you have an Aloe-Vera plant, cut off a stem and squeeze the juice into the mix!

Mix it to make a thick paste, you will be able to easily get the consistency by either adding a little more hot water or some more rolled-oats!

Either put this onto your face and leave for 1/2 hr, or, alternatively you can put on your face and dab until it feels sticky enough to then rinse-off with warm water. This will leave your face feeling smooth, the rolled-oats will help remove dead skin cells.

After you've done this, put on some of your favourite face-cream to keep it nice & soft:)

Hands...

Get some sugar and preferably some liquid soap. Put a small amount of sugar into the palm of your hand along with a few squirts of liquid soap and a little bit of water. Rub your hands together as if you were washing them, all around until the sugar has dissolved or nearly dissolved, then, wash off with warm water. This is fantastic for softening and getting rid of dead skin cells from your hands, however, you MUST put hand cream on afterwards or it will have all been done in vain!

Now for the feet...

Get either a foot-bath - OR - You can simply use a big dish. Put a few drops of your favourite essential oil (pre-mix with milk if it is not lavender oil because it can irritate the skin if you put it in neat) into the mix and (if you are using a dish, you may want to consider buying some marbles to put in the bottom to massage your feet, I use this method, it works better than the foot-spa I have) then you are wanting to soak your feet for at least half of an hour, make sure you have a towel on hand and a good book or some music to keep you entertained.

After this, get some cream and massage into your feet. Massage your feet for as long as you can, this will get a lot of pressure points that can also release any tension you have!

Please Note: If you are pregnant, do NOT massage around the ankle area, many people are not aware that this stimulates the pregnancy and can bring on an early labour!

THEN......

If you feel the urge to go for a sleep or whatever it may be that floats your boat, don't fight it........Just do it ;)

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

STOP LABELLING YOURSELF...!

Ok, now here it is, I personally refuse to use the words “mental-illness” and “clinical-depression” OR any other words that can describe (on a personal level to you) an inability to heal yourself! Listen, it will make sense…

It is fine if you go to your local GP and get diagnosed, nothing wrong with that what-so-ever. BUT, do NOT keep telling that story to others. Stop labelling yourself. What this will do is keep you in the rut you’re trying to get out of! STOP the self-talk about it also (the labels), it is the same as telling the story over and over again! You are only doing yourself a disservice by doing so! We all have someone in our lives who LOVE to lament the fact that they don’t have enough money, aren’t their perfect body weight, are still single, etc, etc, etc. Now, here is the clincher….. Do you see them getting more money, the perfect body, a partner??? NO, because, simply put……..They don’t stop talking about what they don’t want!

“STOP TELLING IT LIKE IT IS, IT ONLY GIVES YOU MORE OF WHAT IS” – Esther Hicks / Abraham

I am not asking you to lie about your situation, all I am saying is, don’t play that broken record for yourself or anyone else! Start by saying something different, when someone asks how you are going, play it up, tell them how well you are doing. Some days you will not want to sugar-coat things, you may very well feel too miserable to do so, in that case a simple “I’m getting there” should suffice!

Very simple steps, yet, imperative to your changing your outlook on yourself, life and the way the world sees you!

There will be days you wake up and nothing is bothering you, you feel GREAT, you feel INVINCIBLE, THAT is when you need to congratulate yourself for doing such a wonderful job, keep it up! The world did not decide to bless you that particular day, YOU made it happen with these (what seemed insignificant) simple steps. AND if you don’t acknowledge it, when you have a down day (like everyone else gets), you will think that the world has decided to curse you YET-AGAIN…

Make EVERY good feeling count! We don’t let the negative feelings get away without dissecting them, why not milk the good ones!!!?

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

MEDICATION & PANIC / ANXIETY / STRESS OR DEPRESSION

Many of you reading this are taking some form of medication to combat the negative thoughts whether it be through panic or depression, or both! I want to make one thing totally clear for anyone here, there is nothing wrong with taking the medication. I personally believe we are at different stages in our lives regarding panic / depression and I also believe that it is a tool for helping us getting back our equilibrium! NEVER worry about another's views on this topic, you go by what your own gut-instinct tells you and not the one that pipes up after you've had fifty different discussions with yourself on the matter!

"You are where you are and that is OK"! Esther Hicks / Abraham

Being ok with who you are and what you choose to do / take is a release for most of you given you can form a habit of listening to other uneducated peoples opinions on what you "should" be doing. The ONLY person who knows best for you is YOU!

The point I want to make here is this, take the pills if you believe it is what works for you, in time you may very well discover you want to ease off of them or eliminate them alltogether!

I did (to begin with) take medication back when I was 16 years old. I did fight the need to ingest anything to what I considered to be foreign into my body which was one of my biggest fears to begin with (not having total control), I also refused to take it (which is what resulted in my 16 year long and expensive research into overcoming panic & depression), BUT, I do NOT advise those of you who are doing well on anything that works for you to just quit, especially without your physicians help! I knew what I wanted and it worked for me, so, should you try to go against what makes you feel good, you will not get the final results that I did which is to be free of anxiety, depression & panic!

Sure, there are the "old-school" people who don't believe you should take anything that comes in the form of a tablet or take advice from a book, you will also discover those same people are stuck in their old ways, refuse to accept change or even refuse to believe that what you endure day in day out as a panic attack or depression even exists! I also know their lives would be a far cry from enviable. Live & Let Live, they are who they are and so are you which is someone pretty remarkable!!!

P.S. Did you know studies have proved those with higher IQ's usually are the ones who suffer from Panic Attacks, etc. Too smart for our own good:)

So, feel for those who don't have a problem in the world;) hehehe

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

HIVES / RASHES AND STRESS

I recently had the pleasure in hearing of another's personal problem with getting hives and her doctor prescribing a medication which led her to put on a bit of weight due to the medication...

I did get what was classified as "nerve-related" hives which I discovered could be avoided by avoiding the following foods:

• Oranges - HIGH Acid Content which I worked out brought them on. I used to drink a fair bit of orange-juice on a regular basis which didn't help the matter!
• Tomatoes - Again, not a biggie for me personally, however, if you are sensitive to getting rashes, you may want to re-think your tomato intake! They can be the main cause for some people!
• All citrus - Lemons & Limes, etc
• And Pineapples

Whilst there may be other foods that cause your rashes to appear, these are the main ones for me personally! Just keep a mental note of what you have eaten over the days leading-up to your break-out and you should be able to easily identify which foods may have caused it. Should you want to know more about what foods are good for you, I have a link under "Food Matters" which can be of assistance!

ALL THE BEST

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

DEPRESSION & STRESS PACK

Make up your own stress / depression kit for unforeseen moments...

There are some things I did when I got nervous or depressed, the reason being it DIVERTED my attention from negative thoughts and they are...

• Lavender Oil - Tension Headaches (Discussed Under - In The Beginning)
• Meditation CD / Music (Discussed Under - In the Beginning)
• Collection of music on CD's, iPod or Tape (Discussed Under - Depressed / Nervous??? Mix it up...)
• Journals (Discussed Under - Journaling - A MUST READ)
• Water (Discussed Under - Nutrition Matters)
• Get a game, I am not talking about buying the latest of games, it could be anything from a cheap $5 game you get at a local discount store to the latest Nintendo / PSP or PlayStation game. I find that the small compact games are best so you don't need a television or computer in order to play them, you can do this wherever you are! Play it when you're anxious / depressed, what you are wanting to do it take your mind off of your current thoughts so you can move forward OR come back to the issue (if there is one to deal with) at a later time!
• Crosswords & Magazines are a good mind-consumer also!
• Make a list of your favourite websites which make you FEEL GOOD when you go to them!

The aim of the game here is to take your mind off of the problem and divert your attention, so, anything goes here! Whatever makes you feel good, add it to your Stress Pack & keep it on-hand:)

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

INSECURE???

One thing I found that troubled me over the 16 years I had panic & depression was I gave too much thought to what others opinions were of me and what they might think of me as a person! Things such as “if they really knew me for what I am like, they would not like me” or “I am too ugly, or fat, or stupid” or just simply “they don’t like me because I’m different”, etc. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but, simply put… WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT.

Sure, there are those out there willing to tell you otherwise, however, they would be the ones so insecure they are still to this day making up stories on how wonderful they truly are! If these people are so wonderful, they wouldn’t be spending so much time trying to convince you of it! The fact is, they are searching for compliments everywhere they go because they need CONFIRMATION that they are infact worthy!

CONFIDENT PEOPLE NEVER NEED TO CUT YOU (OR ANYONE ELSE DOWN) IN ORDER TO FEEL GOOD. It is the insecure people who do this to TRY to boost their self-worth, BUT, it is backwards, it NEVER works. I know, the first thing you want to do is give them a good tongue-lashing back, however, this does not really make you the victor either!!! NO-ONE knows what someone else is going through in their private lives, if you knew, perhaps you would be more sympathetic and learn to ignore them because they are looking to boost their self-worth by treading on you or for some sort of fight! When you come across someone like this, just sit and think for a moment, WHY are they like that, WHAT has made them be like this, and feel for them because they are in much more pain emotionally than you could ever imagine!

Don’t ever again look at someone conceited or “out there” in their personality and get jealous or feel sub-standard around them because they are coming from the exact same place you are, only over-compensating for their insecurities. Truly, you need to be sympathetic (in your own mind, not always verbally toward them), know in yourself that they are just as scared as you as to knowing their own abilities. I don’t care if it is about looks, skills, ability, knowledge, career, parenting, WHATEVER it is that someone is trying to point out to you to get you to feel bad, it is their own insecurities doing this!!! PLEASE KNOW THIS…. The people who really do have it all-together, WOULD NOT EVER, NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS GLOAT OR TRY TO MAKE YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT THEIR SUCCESSES OR TRIUMPHS. THEIR INTENTION WOULD NEVER BE TO MAKE YOU FEEL BAD! IT IS THE CONFIDENT SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE WHO CASUALLY GO ABOUT THEIR DAY AND…………… “LIVE AND LET LIVE” IS THEIR MOTTO!"

When you have a GREAT DAY, have you ever seriously tried to hurt someone on any level??? Think about it!

As Esther Hicks - aka Abraham would say "You have to NOT give a RIP about what anyone else thinks!!!"

LOTS OF LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

TAKE A BREAK

For many of you, taking time away from the security of home is daunting (for both panic / anxiety sufferers and those with depression), so, stay at the journaling as explained earlier under "Journaling - A Must Read".

However, if you are toying with the idea you could do it, then, here are some ideas....

• Go on a SHORT holiday with a loved-one or significant other - One Night - or - Two Nights LOCALLY...

You see, you don't have to go on some huge holiday interstate or overseas, it can be in your own state, city or suburb. Just getting away for those few days can really clear out some mental clutter and get you re-aligned and recharge those batteries! It doesn't have to be expensive either, depending upon your budget!

• Go Camping - OR - Stay in a Caravan Park...

Again, it doesn't have to be expensive. When you get the urge to want to go away DO IT, you have come this far, what basis do you really have to rely upon you won't be able to make the trip and come back happier and healthier for the experience? You're reading this, so, there must be some truth to it ;)

• Visit and stay with a friend for a few days...

This can be more comfortable for some to begin with!

• If you're feeling a little more adventurous, take that trip interstate...

It doesn't have to be long, just some time away, out of your comfort zone (not too far out of your comfort zone, you are wanting to re-define / broaden your boundaries not conquer the world in a week, this attitude can more than likely hinder your progress).

• A WHOLE DAY OUT is also a great idea...

You don't have to spend the night anywhere if this is not your thing, just make a personal Itinerary for yourself and go have fun, you could start by having breakfast at a local hotel, take a walk along the beach, stroll through some shops, get some lunch and have it in a local park, or, have lunch in a nice little coffe shop, then, perhaps dinner in your favourite restaurant.

It's as big or as small as you want AND allow it to be! EVERYTHING IS.

Your life is calling you, what are you going to do with it today???

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

REALLY STRESSED???

STOP watching and reading the News for one week!

Life gets us down without much help, so, why do we bombard ourselves with even more problems? What on earth can be done about things that have hit the local news? More often than not.... NOTHING! However, it is absolutely fantastic at making us feel even worse than before! So, I dare you to turn off the television / or / at least change the channel when the news services come on and watch something thrilling to you! I mean to say, we can't even watch the local weather report without El Nino rearing it's ugly head...! Watch what makes your heart sing - a corny line, BUT, an honest one that will serve you very well...!

Tell those who say "you have to face facts" to sing a different tune because you already have! WHY, (if we are facing facts) don't we get news on ALL THE GOOD STUFF that is out there? Why don't we hear about Joe Bloggs down the street who just won millions of dollars, came across a new invention, little Joey who took his first steps? Because apparently the news has decided on our behalf that we want to hear the gruesome details of a one in a million case!!! BUT, we think it is a regular occurrence because these stories are in the news every single night. Well, don't forget, they scour the GLOBE with a fine tooth comb to get you these "common stories"!

Let's get back to basics.... IF IT FEELS GOOD......DO IT... IF IT FEELS BAD.......DON'T DO IT...!

Short but sweet today, oh so very sweet!

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

DEPRESSED / NERVOUS??? MIX IT UP...

One way to beat those blues or nervous tension is to find MUSIC that resonates with YOU!

If you are nervous / or / anxious, get some music that you find relaxing. I found sounds of nature to be a good investment for me, also I have a machine that plays different sounds - rain, birds, waterfall, etc. Quite an amazing little tool.

For those of you with depression, find that music that lifts your spirits, it could be anything from a song you know and love from years ago that bring forth happy memories to anything current. Don't stick to one particular genre because, you will find that some days when one particular song works, other days it will not! Mix it up!

TIP: Get a whole stack of music you love and stick it on your iPod, or, make a CD or Tape that you can play wherever, whenever. I like setting my iPod up for certain music to play when I wake in the morning, it beats the old alarm clock!

ANOTHER GREAT TIP is, instead of relying on your car radio to keep you on a happy-note, play CD's & Tapes whilst driving instead. Keep a good collection from relaxation (not too relaxing:) ) to up-beat material.

DEPRESSED?

... Move your furniture around, this changes the thought-pattern and helps mix things up! Incredibly effective, A CHANGE IS AS GOOD AS A HOLIDAY...!

... Get ORGANISED - Clear-out old cupboards (bedroom, kitchen, anywhere). Tidy things up in general. To begin with, you may feel so overwhelmed that the thought of doing so seems too drastic! What you do is this... Every day, get a big garbage bag (or small, depending on where you are with this emotionally and clutter-wise) and make an effort to fill it with things as you go about your day, then, throw it out! You will be surprised how quickly things become more organised AND you will start feeling better within yourself!!! It is much more difficult to sit in a home that is neat & tidy and get a bout of depression ;)

MORE GREAT IDEAS TO COME

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

Take Back YOUR POWER

This is key! Take back the ownership of your feelings! Be OK with where you are at, you have to be ok with it before you can change.

POWER DOES NOT = PUSHING AGAINST

LOVE YOURSELF – A corny line I know, BUT, an important one! Louise Hay is an amazing woman and she said it perfectly “I LOVE AND APPROVE OF MYSELF”, I said this every day when I got nervous / depressed for whatever reason. Keep repeating that phrase to yourself and see what happens! Many of you may very well be thinking that it is too weak, not enough substance to it. I have to tell you, in the 16 years I had panic attacks & depression, the small & easy steps ARE the ones that work!

STOP TRYING TO PLEASE OTHERS – Ever heard this line “You just have to snap-out of it”? Frustrating, isn’t it! You want to please your loved ones and try to do back-flips in order to do so! STOP, it will never happen. No matter how hard you try or what you do, it will never please them how you want it to! This is only for their own selfish interests. I know, they would debate this and well they should (hear me out with this one), they (loved one’s), want to see you happy, healthy & thriving because it makes them feel bad to see you otherwise, SURE they also want it for you, but, this does NOT help you. The more tricks you try to do to please them, the more disconnected with you you are becoming. Then, you fall back into a ditch and wonder what on earth happened! STOP TRYING TO LOOK GOOD ON THE OUTSIDE TO PLEASE ANYONE ELSE because inside, you know it is false and feel ten times worse inside for having tried it! I am talking about working from the inside-out. Explain to them (in a nice way) that you need to do things at your own pace in order to succeed. Also explain how much their being there means to you and you love and even need their support. PLEASE NEVER AGAIN BE ON A DIFFERENT PAGE TO YOUR LOVED ONES, this hinders and confuses your recovery!

TRY NOT RELYING ON OTHERS – I know, there was a point in my life just reading that line sent shivers down my spine, the very thought of not having a “safety-net” scared the daylights out of me. If this is how you feel, don’t. Simple as that. Just entertain the idea of not having that safety-net all of the time and you will get there, I promise! For those of you who are ok with this statement and still have that certain someone doing things you dare not do, occasionally try doing it yourself when you get that whim you think you can, because you know what, YOU CAN :) Even imagining doing things on your own can conjure some amazing feelings from within, build those thoughts up enough and you will be spurred on to exciting new levels you didn’t know you had in you!

DON’T FORCE ANYTHING - All in good time! There will be days you read this and think “what’s the point, why bother, what’s the use”, the use is this. Each day you do something different to your normal day and slowly without realising it (which is why you get to the ‘what’s the point’ thoughts) you are releasing the resistance regarding your panic / depression. Don’t take this as a set-back, why, because…..

EVERYBODY HAS A BAD DAY - YES, you heard right. We often think that we are the only ones who have bad days when panic / depression becomes our right-hand-man. Step back and think, people who have never had a nervous bone in their body wake up some mornings feeling dread, fear or downright depressed for no apparent reason. If they thought too much about it, they’d be reading this too. The ones who succeed just take it with a pinch of salt, YOU can do the same! Be easy on yourself and remember….

LOVE AND APPROVE OF YOURSELF!!!

MUCH MUCH LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

JOURNALING - A MUST READ!!!

I strongly suggest you start your own journal. TWO in fact!

Get yourself a couple of A4 Note Books.

1. Is for HAPPY THOUGHTS - I will explain below
2. Is for WORRYSOME THOUGHTS - Again, read below to find out more :)

Ok, you have your note books, now, what to do...

1. HAPPY THOUGHTS - I want you every day when you are feeling your best and ONLY when you are feeling your best (if you don't feel like it on one day, don't do it, it is not supposed to be a chore), write down EVERYTHING that you want. Every feeling you want to feel, every thing you want material-wise (car, clothing, shoes, money, etc), the type of person you would like to be (happier, healthier, fun, loving, etc), the type of partner you want OR what you want out of your current partner. ALSO, what already makes you feel good when you think of it! Write EVERYTHING THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT and really milk it for all it is worth, all of the good feelings you can conjure-up, the better it will be for you. Nothing is off-limits here! What you are wanting to do with this exercise is to CHANGE THE MOMENTUM of your life experience and get your mind focusing onto things that make you feel good! In time (not so far in time either), you will find you automatically gravitate towards these things instead of away from them, this is what will WEAKEN YOUR NERVOUS / DEPRESSIVE / ANXIOUS THOUGHTS, YOU ARE LITERALLY DILUTING YOUR NEGATIVE THOUGHT-PATTERN! ADD PICTURES of things you want from items to happy people, etc. Once you do this, every night before you go to bed and every morning when you awaken, I want you to read this book and FEEL GOOD about everything you have written!
2. WORRYING THOUGHTS - DO NOT DWELL UPON THIS FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES EACH DAY - Set a timer and stop when the timer goes off. Also, if you don't feel like doing it DON'T! ONLY do this when you are worrying about something in particular, never over-indulge yourself in this book! What you do is this: Whenever you feel yourself worrying, allocate 15 minutes to writing as much stuff as you can that is troubling you, everything that you can think of, get it all out in the open. In time, or straight-away, you will feel a super-strong urge to cry! This is very Cathartic / Healing for you. I suggest you CRY and LET IT ALL OUT! What you will find is that when you do this, you RELEASE all of that built-up tension inside of you because over time, you have bottled these emotions up and created a pressure-cooker that is ready to explode. The more things you can LET-GO of, the quicker you can MOVE FORWARD and back into the GOOD STUFF :) You may also find that things crop-up out of what seems to be nowhere when you do this. I think of it like clearing out an old cupboard, the further into it you get, the more things you forgot were laying around, but, you don't dwell on it, just acknowledge it was there, be grateful for these thoughts (whatever they are) and then, clear them out also. You will be amazed at your own abilities when you get into this!

EXERCISE

Sometimes it is difficult if not impossible to exercise or even want to for that matter, so, here are some ideas for you to get started no matter where you are at regarding nervous tension or depression...

1. If you are finding it difficult to get out of the house, take small steps, for example, walk around your back-yard, go to the letterbox, even just outside your front door, wherever you are at is just fine! Keep testing yourself every day and build-up the momentum, don't forget to PRAISE YOURSELF for EVERY EFFORT you make! Wherever you are is perfect for you! Reel in the feeling of accomplishing this task!
2. Either start to or when you have conquered the first step, try a quick walk every day, it doesn't have to be long, it could be just a few minutes to a walk around the local block.
3. Go for a 15 minute brisk walk. I find walking briskly gets the nerves down and becomes relaxing (This releases ENDORPHINS in the body, like a HAPPY TONIC). The more anxious you are, the faster you walk because when you get home and sit down, you will feel more relaxed within yourself!
4. Go for a 20 minute walk (see where this is going?), gradually build-up your exercise regime.
5. DON'T THINK THIS HAS TO BE DONE IN A DAY, WEEK OR MONTH, THE BEST ADVISOR ON THIS TOPIC IS YOU. YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AT EMOTIONALLY AND YOU WILL "FEEL" WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT TO INCREASE YOUR SCHEDULED WALKS - THIS GOES FOR ANYTHING YOU DO!

For those who have mastered the above or are already at this point, I suggest:

1. GET INVOLVED IN AN OUTSIDE ACTIVITY: Take that class you have always wanted to do, Meditation Classes (some may think this would be perfect to start with, however, sitting quietly with new people CAN (for some) be overwhelming to begin with), Yoga, Pilates, Boxing / Boxercise (a great one for stress, trust me;) ), Chi-Kung (very good, I love it), Table-Tennis, Chess (ANYTHING THAT GETS YOU INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY / MIXING WITH OTHERS), Art (My personal favourite).
2. Start an on-line chat group about something you ENJOY! PLEASE NOTE THIS: I would NEVER suggest you start one regarding Panic / Anxiety Attacks & Depression for the following reasons... I attended such a thing (Panic / Anxiety Group) and found it not only overwhelming because everyone wants to talk about their personal stories & problems, AND, they want to discuss the latest drugs on the market, etc. There may be some advantage, BUT, I did not find it. You can have friends with the same issues! The difference being, it is easier to tell them you don't want to hear their problems, just solutions and it makes it easier for you to change the topic should you become uncomfortable...!
3. Try to plan outings with loved ones, something you love to do, anything from a picnic at your local park to a day at the zoo, perhaps a bike-ride, the beach, an amusement park, museums, visit places that ring your bells. From that, each time you do this, you are WIDENING YOUR BOUNDARIES to the point where going to the local shops, work, etc seem INSIGNIFICANT in time!

That should be enough for today:)

One tip I have come across more recently and I am pretty excited about it. As mentioned on "Food Matters", they suggest for NERVOUS TENSION, to eat Cashews, this will help calm you down! You can check their link out, it is on the right hand side of this under "HEALTH MATTERS", they have a FREE PREVIEW AND YOU CAN ALSO WATCH THE WHOLE THING ON-LINE!!!

TO GOOD HEALTH

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

NUTRITION MATTERS

Today's post is on nutrition!

I personally discovered that my mood & attitude altered dramatically when I changed my eating-habits.


You don't have to totally change your eating habits. I would suggest a few changes to begin with and just see how this makes you feel over the next few days:

1. Start to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day.
2. Either stop or cut down your caffeine intake. If you drink a lot of coffee, etc, you will want to gradually phase this out as you find you may get headaches, etc should you try to go cold-turkey!
3. I am going to generalise this third rule given there are that many out there and it can become overwhelming for us all. Just eat as NATURAL FOOD AS POSSIBLE. In other words, things that are not processed as much, such as: Fresh Fruit & Vegetables, Fresh Meats & Fish that are not covered in a batter or a breadcrumb, Wholegrain Breads & Cereals. The closest to it's natural state, the better. Give it one week and see what a difference this makes to your life! :)

TIP: Fish Oil Capsules from your local store or health food supplier can help with nervous tension, containing Omega 3's. AMAZING FOR ANTI-STRESS, TENSION & SCHIZOPHRENIA, THE LIST JUST GOES ON & ON.

IF YOU CAN'T TAKE FISH OIL (EVEN IF YOU CAN), CONSIDER THIS: Eat 5 to 10 Walnuts per day, they are absolutely chock-filled with goodies from Omega-3 to Manganese & Copper which help fight free-radicals in the body! They are also excellent for women suffering from PMS. Helps improve your skin-tone, Cholesterol Problems, High Blood Pressure, Helps to Protect Arteries, Helps Prevent Gallstones, Prevent Weight-Gain, etc. People, the list goes on & on regarding the health benefits in Walnuts...!

BIG TIP OF THE DAY: You may want to check what is in your can of soft-drink / soda / fizzy drink. It has now been noted that (in Australia at least) an ingredient called "Sodium Benzoate" which is put in some drinks is now linked to DNA Damage resulting in hyperactivity in chilren (give them some more time until they realise it affects the human body in general, children AND adults).

IN GOOD HEALTH

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

ONE MORE THING

HELLO AGAIN

I know this is absolutely nothing to do with Panic / Anxiety Attacks, BUT, I do feel VERY strongly for this cause. It was on the Ellen Degeneres Show a couple of weeks ago (Google it if you like) and this man came aross MANY dogs that had been dumped / left to die - Just so you know, they (he and his wife) used their own savings they had to purchase a house to help save these animals. Now, I personally am a HUGE ANIMAL LOVER and even though this is not related, I would appreciate anyone who reads this who feels they are able and wanting to give to this charity, it would help all of them dearly! Just so you know, I am in no-way affiliated with them and I get no "kick-backs" for doing this. Even if you would prefer, you can again, Google their website (Island Dog Inc.) and check it out to make a donation. Otherwise, I have the link to their website for donations on the right hand side of this screen at the very top!!!

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR READING THIS POST!!!

MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

NO NEED TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS

HEY THERE

I just wanted to quickly inform you all that my posts do NOT require you to purchase a book / cd or the latest anything in order to succeed.

I do in fact have a few adverts here for you if you like (perhaps want more clarity on a given topic, etc), HOWEVER, this is only the work I have personally purchased over the last 16 years and found useful. Having said all of this, I will be giving you (hopefully on a daily basis) ALL of the tips & tricks I have come across (also friends & family's tips) over time that worked for me! I have tried pretty much everything there is to offer out there in regards to my personal well-being from Aromatherapy, Massage (I am also a massage therapist out of all of this), Kinesiology, Accupressure, TFT, Meditation, Reiki, to possibly every book written on the subject. I would love to help someone SAVE $$$$'s and get to freeing up your life for all of the FUN THINGS ahead of you:)

One more thing: Should ANYONE feel like they have a question in regards to this topic that they have NOT found an answer for, PLEASE CONTACT ME and I will do my best to assist you with the best of my knowledge:)

Much Love

*.*.*. Joy .*.*.*

OUT & ABOUT

GOOD MORNING

Today I am going to discuss what to do when you're OUT & ABOUT and have a Panic Attack (P.A.)...

First of all, you want to keep a check on correct breathing, what I mean by this is, when we get anxious, there is a tendency to breathe in too much oxygen too quickly which CAUSES the dizzy-spells, numbness and that swooning feeling. There are a couple of ways on dealing with this, depending upon where you are at at the time. They are:

1 - If you are in full swing of a P.A., I suggest you go somewhere quiet (toilet is usually the best when out) and, instead of the old paper bag trick, you simply use your hands, cup them over your nose & mouth & breathe until you feel yourself starting to re-align again. This will help balance-out the over-oxygenated feeling & sensations. Time will vary on severity of symptoms.

TIP: TRY to go about your day by breathing through your nose whenever possible (preferably all day), this will help to eliminate getting too much oxygen in and keep you calm throughout your day :)

2 - Try to avoid caffeine where possible, this is a STIMULANT and will more than likely exacerbate these symptoms.

3 - Smoking is another one, BUT, only if you are ready to quit. I found that quitting was more stressful than the actual habit at the time!

4 - If you are at the point of feeling a P.A. coming on, DIVERT YOUR ATTENTION. This was a great tip told to me by a friend. When out, start to look at objects and name them, name the colour and then the number. For example: Lamp, Yellow, 1 - Desk, Brown, 2 - Chair, Grey, 3 - Plant, Green, 4, etc, etc, etc. What this will do is begin to disengage old thought patterns and begin new ones :)

Once you have the severity of the symptoms under control. THEN is when I suggest you concentrate on your breathing as mentioned previously:)

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*

IN THE BEGINNING

HEY THERE

This is for ANYONE who has experienced / experiencing or knows someone who is going through any trouble with PANIC / ANXIETY & DEPRESSION. For ANYONE looking for ANOTHER WAY... :) HERE'S MY WAY...

First of all, I would like to give you an insight into what I have experienced before I get into my tried & true practices. BUT, should you already be experiencing a Panic / Anxiety Attack, I suggest you go straight to the coloured-text where I have started listing my remedies!

Love
Joy

I had experienced all of these not-so wonderful feelings for the past 16 years. I can go into detail, however, those of you reading this know that there is no fix in doing so (going over the past that is). Reading about others problems does not always help, more to the point, it can (and did for me) hinder. UNLESS there is a MORAL VICTORY to the story (wouldn't THAT be nice), but, usually not! Most stories are filled with fear, regret, blame and shame, NONE of which need to be:) This is where I come in...

I have most recently discovered Blogging and have been wanting to share (and discuss openly here with YOU should you wish) some of my stories about how to overcome the overwhelming fear associated with Panic / Anxiety Attacks!!!

Fed-Up with "professionals" having varying opinions on what they THINK should be done about treating Panic / Anxiety Attacks. When questioning them about their 'theories', only to be told "well, this is how it is done, I know because I STUDIED it for years"... I don't know about you, however, their study habits didn't give me much comfort in my ability to recover! THEN to top it all off, watching the local 'professional' drive-off in the latest model Mercedes knowing there aren't THAT many people in this area code with the same problem, so, unless they keep getting REPEAT CUSTOMERS on a regular basis, this piece of machinery wouldn't exist in their experience...! What I wanted was to come across a method that had been used successfully AND what had already worked for others. So, without making you read much more, I am wanting to get right down to the business side on what I did that WORKED for myself and others:)

# 1 - First of all, I highly recommend you begin to meditate (morning / evening - or - both. Preferably first thing after you awake in the morning, or, just before you go to sleep). I am NOT talking about going on a 2 year bender where you're stuck ontop of a hill in some dark cave trying to find enlightenment! What I AM talking about is, taking 15 minutes ONLY *perhaps more if it feels good at the time, however, ONLY if it feels good to do so, if not, 15 minutes is sufficient for anyone!

This does not have to involve outsourcing a Guru either, 'nor does it involve having to purchase a "recommended" cd / book on the subject. These can be of assistance if you have trouble concentrating / letting go of old thought patterns, however, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS:

(Set a timer for 15 minutes, NOTE: DO NOT HAVE THE TIMER NEXT TO YOU IF IT IS LOUD, PLACE IT IN A DIFFERENT ROOM / WRAP IT IN A TOWEL, WHATEVER WILL MASK THE NOISE A BIT IF YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE VOLUME, BECAUSE IT WILL SCARE YOU IF YOU ARE NEAR A LOUD TIMER WHILST IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEDITATION).

Wear comfortable clothes (nothing restrictive).

• Sit in an upright position (legs folded, crossed, straight out, whatever FEELS BEST to you...!



• Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing (preferably through your nose if possible). What this does is quiets the mind (it will never be completely quiet, however, it reduces this dramatically), each time you feel your mind wandering to unwanted thoughts, gently accept that this will happen and let them GO / release the thought and continue to concentrate on your breathing. As you do this for a period of time, you may very well come up with your own way of going about it, for instance, picturing a beautiful scenery that makes you feel comfortable, perhaps planning how your day will unfold mentally, ANYTHING that makes you FEEL GOOD when you are thinking it is great for that 15 minutes!

# 2 - TENSION IN YOUR NECK / HEADACHES??? Buy some Lavender Oil (pure essential oil works best and is the ONLY essential oil that can be applied directly onto the skins surface), this works wonders, when you feel the tension coming on (or already upon you), get the Lavender Oil and put a dab onto your finger and put a bit behind each ear and at the base of your hairline / neck region and onto your temples. This helps alleviate the stress / tension you are putting in this area. You will also notice that you keep your shoulders tense, so, throughout your day, make a conscious effort to relax your shoulders, you will notice the drop immediately. This can also help prevent tension-related headaches, etc. ALSO, check your jaw, this is another HUGE tension area which creates headaches, etc. Make sure you relax your jaw and lightly touch the back of your top teeth with your tongue, this will keep the jaw muscles relaxed!


TIP: I recommend (when in a work environment and you don't want anyone to know you have Panic / Anxiety Attacks), you purchase a little bottle called "Migra-Stick" (it is a tiny bottle (approx. size of a lip-balm) which has essential oils in it with a ball on the end which allows easy application wherever you are), this is for Migraines, tell people who ask why you are using it, or, what the smell is, that you feel a Migraine coming on. This eliminates any need for further discussion and I have found people will leave it at that. Use it INSTEAD of the Lavender Oil, it has Peppermint & Lavender in it which will alleviate the stress-symptoms!

This can be purchased at most pharmacies, supermarkets, etc. However, I will put a link to the site up here just incase you have difficulties finding any.

The link is on the Top Right Hand side of this page under "MigraStick".

# 3 - When PRESSURE / TENSION IN YOUR CHEST: Buy SODA WATER. I have found where I am Schweppe's Soda Water is the best. BUT, all you need to do is find a Soda-Water that has a small-bubble content. Hard to describe, however, not like a Soda-Stream will make, you want one that gives tiny bubbles (most purchased Soda-Water is like this anyway). When you drink the soda-water, it helps to release the gas you have caught in your diaphragm which causes the tension. A great way to reduce this! Also, women, make sure your bra is not too-tight, as this will keep that knot in your chest and for both men & women, make sure that your clothing is not too-restrictive!!!

# 4 - BREATHE...! Perhaps this should be at #1, however, it's here and it's IMPORTANT... The deeper you can breathe (into your stomach), the better...!

TIP: When in the midst of a Panic Attack, count your breaths. Inhale through your nose slowly, counting the seconds it takes UNTIL you have reached the COMFORTABLE limit of inhalation, hold it for a few seconds, then, RELEASE SLOWLY THROUGH YOUR MOUTH - NO need to count with the exhalation...! The longer the seconds for inhaling, the better & stronger your breathing is becoming, this WILL HAPPEN AND this WILL help for current and future events, especially for eliminating Panic / Anxiety Attacks in the future! The better you can breathe, the more stable you will feel... :) It is the RELAXED DEEP BREATHS that come with time that will keep you FEELING RELAXED...!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THIS SITE (BELOW), I HAVE MANY MANY MORE TIPS USED BY MYSELF AND OTHERS FOR YOU AND AM ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR STORIES / QUESTIONS & SUCCESSES :)

LOVE

*.*.*. JOY .*.*.*