Stress Education Center - Dstress.com Newsletter

"Dedicated to serving by providing information, products, and services to create awareness and then offer control of stress and the process of change."

In this issue:

1. Introduction and Welcome

2. Article: Change and Transition Management for the Individual

3. Product of the Month: New product survey Results and New Product Release

4. Stress Management Tip of the Month: Get Back into the Present

5. Coming Attractions

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1. Introduction of the Stress Education Center's - Dstress.com Newsletter

Welcome to the May-June, 2002 issue of this monthly e-zine.

Surviving change as an individual and managing stress by being in the present are the two main focus points for this issue of the newsletter. This information comes from requests from our readers. If you have any issues that you might want to see addressed please e-mail us your thoughts.

The purpose in providing this newsletter is to offer information about stress and possible solutions to managing stress and change. This will be a forum for answering questions/concerns, offering suggestions, motivating you and your clients to develop and practice a strategy of self-care that includes regular stress management.

The goal is to enhance your quality of life, increase your productivity, and offer tested fun strategies that will give you more time and energy.

Please read the newsletter and provide feedback. This feedback will help to shape the form and content for future editions. Thank you in advance for your assistance in the development process.

L. John Mason, Ph.D.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
A new training and certification study group is forming which focuses on offering Personal Coaches and Executive Coaches targeted information to serve their clients and to enhance their ability to offer community presentations in stress management. Contact the Stress Education Center if interested in reserving a spot.


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2. Article: Change and Transition Management for the Individual

Life change is unavoidable. The pace of change has increased to a record rate with the latest innovations and information technologies. Our body's primitive response mechanism has not been able to keep pace and we are living with "overwhelm" as a daily companion. We do not have time to adapt at a genetic level, so we must learn to use behavioral adaptations to survive and thrive.

Each of us is a unique person with our unique habitual response to stress. Some of us respond to stress with anger, frustration, rage, or fear. Some of us get "uptight" and hold tension in our jaws, necks, shoulders, backs, or legs. Some of us want to run away as a response. Sometimes we tighten our stomachs, hold our breath, feel our heart racing, our blood pressure may rise, or our hands and feet may get cold. Sometimes we withdraw as if we could hide from the dangers of newness of our transitions.

When we do not have any "control" over the transition and it is an "important" issue, then our stress levels increase. Our body responds, in the only way that it can, as if we were in a life or death situation. We must learn that in life's interactions, the only thing that we can control is our response to the event. If this situation is important to us, it is best if we can have some input in the change process. We must understand our role and importance of our contribution to the larger picture. And finally, we must be meticulous with our self-care.

If stress comes from an unclear picture of what the transition entails and what our role in this transition will be, then we can respond with fear and resistance which can hurt the project and often our credibility. Communication with higher ups, peers, and the personnel we must manage is critical. Make sure everyone really understands their value, their role, and their contribution to the success of the project. Honesty is essential. Open conversations about the fears of the new or the grieving of the things that have had to change to make way for the new policy or procedure. Dealing with these issues will enroll the participants more successfully.

In a perfect world, there would be time to honor all of these necessary steps for positive transitions, but often the reality is less complete. We must develop strong, uncompromising habits for personal survival and self-care. This might include non-negotiable time for exercise and stress management practice. It would include patterns during stressful transitions where there is enough time for sleep/rest and proper nutrition. Simplify your expectations and distractions. It may not be the best time to take on new projects that would add to the stress like: remodeling the house, moving, new relationships, or large family or social commitments. In other words, use your best common sense and do not over do non-essential activities.

Consider using the following checklist of eight tools for managing major transitions more gracefully.

Tips for Surviving Change

1. Self-Care Daily! See and Use the suggestions from the Ten Timely Tips page. Self-care is the single most important ingredient to maintaining balance as you go through transitions and change. Proper diet, exercise, and regular relaxations will allow you to be more productive with a higher quality of life!

2. Communicate. Keep yourself from falling into the pitfalls of life by giving and getting feedback about every major concern (change/transition) you are dealing with. Remember, listening is the most important part of communicating. Ask for clarification, so you can make good decisions.

3. Planning... Be Prepared. A productive journey through life's transitions can not occur gracefully without a plan. Long range goals can keep short-term setbacks from defeating you in major ways. Focus on your long term goals regularly to keep you focused and moving ahead. Plan in every area of life: Finance, self-care, education, relationship, emotional growth, creativity/aesthetic, and spiritual development.

4. Develop Positive Support Mechanisms. If you want to survive, in good health, you need to have proper feedback and support. The "Family" is not always the best place. Friends and professional counselors can sometimes be the best venue for honesty and appropriate support.

5. Develop Positive Rewards. Small and large rewards along your way help make motivation easier, especially with large, long-term goals. A real heartfelt pat on your own back with achieving a reward makes the difficulties easier to bear.

6. Use and Develop Your Humor! Positive Attitudes Really Help! Difficulties, when viewed as opportunities for growth and proving your abilities, are less harmful. But do not bury your anger, fear or sadness.

7. Deal with the Dilemma of Diversity! Every change throws you into a position of dealing with new people, teams, attitudes, emotional "stretches" and more new obstacles. Learning acceptance (through self-care) can help you to make the necessary adjustments and get along faster toward productivity and higher performance. There will always be a contrary attitude around, accept that other opinions exist and you are entitled to your own.

8. Maintain Balance in Your Life! Prioritize, acknowledge, celebrate, and follow through on every area of life, including your emotional and spiritual needs.

© L. John Mason, Ph.D., 2002. Stress Education Center

Along the way, do not forget to take good care of yourself!

Good Health!
L. John Mason, Ph.D.

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3. Products of the Month: Special Newsletter Reader Survey Results and Announcement of New Products

Results from last issue's survey. In order of most requested:
1. Stress Management for Panic/Anxiety Control
2. Stress Management for Headache Control
3. Stress Management for Digestive Disorders
4. Enhancing Performance with Stress Management

Newly Developed (in CD format only) and Released:

#205 Stress Management for Panic/Anxiety Control Combined with temperature training BFT makes an excellent program.

#206 Stress Management for Headache Control Exercises for both tension HA and Migraine HA are included.

#207 Stress Management for Digestive Disorders For control of stress related GI problems, including: upset stomachs, ulcers or pre-ulcerous conditions, IBS/colitis, constipation or diarrhea

#304 ReBoot for Controlling Overwhelm Twenty stress management training leading to a ten minute ReBoot for on the job, overwhelm.

See http://www.dstress.com/tapes.htm for description and ordering.

More information and a list of specific techniques and tools to be covered are outlined at the Stress Education Center's website, www.dstress.com. If you are interested in this certification process, please contact Dr. John Mason through return e-mail or by telephone at (707) 795-2228.

Please view the tapes page for more information regarding tapes and CD's at http://www.dstress.com

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4. Stress Management Tip of the Month: Get Back into the Present!

The Power of Now. This is the title of a book that requires reflection and introspection. The value of this book's philosophy is very personal but it does reflect an important universal truth.

Most people's stress can be related to the their mind wandering to and then dwelling in the past or into the future. We can easily get caught reliving some difficult situation from our past memory. This memory can have a great deal of power and elicit the flight/fight response just as the original experience create a major response. This past response does not even have to have been traumatic, but the re-experience can still feel life threatening.

The future is unknown. The unknown creates a fearful response for many people. When we project ourselves into the unknown future, we can create the uneasiness that will trigger our sub-conscious survival mechanisms. As an example, imagine that you were asked to speak to a group of world leaders, offering your proposals for world peace. It is a great opportunity, but most of us would feel some significant level of stress. Chances are good that if we were actually in this situation, our lives would not be threatened by these leaders, but our body responds as if this were a life or death situation.

Remember, our body has only one way to respond and this involves the triggering of our primitive survival mechanism, the flight-fight response.

Learning to re-engage and to live in the present moment can not only put things back into perspective, it can help to minimize our stress response. If you can be in your body in a positive way, you can change your response to stress and get back in control. With practice it only takes a few seconds, but can be a the difference from getting a distracting headache, an upset stomach, or having an over active mind that does allow you to rest at night.

The following simple (but powerful) exercise can give you needed control over your stress response. Remember to bring your mind back into the present moment as you focus on this technique.

Remember to breathe!
This will help to keep you in your body in a positive way and in present time! Distractions will surface, but gently return your mind's focus to the process of slowly breathing.... inhale then exhale. You may even want to feel for cool air as you inhale and warm air in the breath you exhale. Imagine that as you exhale you can begin to release distracting thoughts, pain or discomfort, even anxiety. Some people will even be able to imagine that with every breath they can take another step down into comfort and relaxation. With every additional breath you allow yourself to let go of stress and slowly drift deeper into control.

It requires practice and some discipline, but this will work for you. Try it!

Do not let the smaller stresses carry you off into dysfunction or despair. It takes practice, but you will learn to not get sucked in to unnecessary anxiety.

Try this. It can really work well for you.