|
Author: Jeff Herring Article source: http://www.reducing-stress.com/. Used with author's permission.
One of the best professional experiences I have ever had was working for an adolescent drug treatment center for a good part of the eighties. I certainly didn't make much money there, but what I learned during those six plus years was priceless.
HALTS is an acronym commonly used in substance abuse treatment that can be very usefully applied to stress management. A HALTS approach to managing our stress recommends that we avoid getting too Hungry Angry Lonely Tired Scared.
Hungry - Although food comes immediately to mind (when doesn't it?), there are many other things for which we can "hunger." We all need a sense of worth, connection to others and to something bigger than ourselves, appreciation, and many others. Miss out on some of these basic emotional needs for very long and we can end up sad or depressed.
Tip:Angry - I get angry, you get angry, we all get angry. No problem there. The problem comes when anger is our most common emotion and our first response to most situations. Recent research has demonstrated that constant anger is not only not good for you, it can kill you.
Tip: Pay attention to and deal with the emotions that anger typically grows out of: fear, frustration, hurt.
Lonely - In spite of all the modern ways we have to communicate with each other, we still live in a culture where it is incredibly easy to become isolated. Most people don't know the names of their neighbors on either side or across the street. I know of people who are "just too busy" to spend the time to connect with other people. These folks are way too busy for their own good.
Tip: Take the time to connect and stay connected to others. Walk next door and introduce yourself. Call an old friend you have not spoken with in a while. Stay connected.
Tired - Vince Lombardi said "Fatigue makes cowards of us all." It's not that most people don't have the time to rest, it's that most people have actually forgotten how. When it comes to the ultimate form of rest, sleeping, when was the last time you got the recommended 8 - 10 hours? You can stop laughing now. We can push ourselves just so far before the body takes over and forces us to rest. I've worked with clients that have told me that it's actually a badge of honor among their colleagues to have been hospitalized for exhaustion. Go figure.
Tip: In addition to getting enough sleep, schedule time to rest. Put it in your appointment book, and protect it and keep it like you would any other important appointment.
Scared - In the Tarzan movies I watched as a kid, there were these natives with blowguns who would shoot darts coated with poison that would render a person temporarily paralyzed. Fear can do the same thing - paralyze us into inaction. Fear of failure, of rejection, of success, of the future, you name it, we get too scared and we freeze up.
Tip: Facing your fears and taking action is spite of them can reduce or eliminate your fears. Remember that fear stands for forget everything and run and false evidence appearing real. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is being afraid of something and doing it anyway.
For better or worse, we may have too much of one of these on any given day. Consistently having two or more can indicate a situation in need of change. Practice these tips to successfully manage your stress or you might want to get with someone who can coach you on making your stress work for you. Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.
3 Ways To STOP Affiliate Link Hijackers
As money gets tighter and product prices rise, people who know how to manipulate the system will sometimes replace your affiliate ID with theirs and "hijack" yo...
Female Aphrodisiacs
Female aphrodisiacs and female sexuality in general, seem to have taken a back seat to the slew of male sexual enhancement products of today. See why sex enhan...
Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - BCAAs
Bodybuilders are notorious for taking all sorts of nutritional supplements as they strive to build muscle, but are they always familiar with what they are putti...
If I Won the Lottery, I Wouldnt Have to Job Search!
Values Rule in the Job Search!
Estate Planning Basics
Greek philosopher Heraclitus had remarked that 'you cannot step into the same river twice' i.e. time will never be the same… 'Change' is the only constant facto...
13 Steps to Successful Blogging
This article contains information which details the art of successful blogging. It explains how blogs can be successful while growing an everlasting experience...
A Christmas Story – The First Christmas Lights
The history of when the first strands of colored blinking lights decorating our trees and houses were used.
Notify Them When Youre Moving
One of your first steps, when you're getting ready to move, is to pick up a stack of change-of-address cards from the post office. Yes, old-fashioned go-by-snai...
MLM Training - The MLM Success Secret of Results Vs. Method People
Are you a results person or a method person? Your Success will depend on it! Read on!
No Prosecutors Should Ever Hold Office
It has become apparent in hindsight that those politicians who have previously been prosecutors should never hold office. They often have a negative skewed view...
Where Did The Word Spam Come From?
We use the word spam in our everyday conversations about computers and the Internet. Where did the word actually come from?
Weight Loss Pills vs Weight Loss Clinics
Weight Loss Pills Vs. Weight Loss Clinics.
Which one is really looking out for our health?
Exercise Program
Article discussing an exercise program and variations of workouts depending on your fitness goals and objectives from bodybuilding to toning, staying healthy an...
Necessary Technology for Sustained Lunar Colonies
New technology must be constructed in order to make the dream on living on the moon a reality. The five key inventions suggested by Astronaut Young, in my opini...
How to Write an Uncommonly Good Article - Six Key Steps Part 1
It is a well-known fact that writing good quality articles and placing them on the internet is a great method for getting exposure. Unfortunately, it is also a ...
Six Bridesmaid Gift Basket Ideas to Make Yourself
Your bridesmaids will be thrilled to recieve one of these six themed bridesmaid gift baskets. Here are six basket ideas that you can easily put together yourse...
Internet Marketing Tip - Go For The Bronze
Go for the bronze.
Wedding Anniversary Signature Frame – The Perfect Anniversary Gift!
Wedding Anniversary Frames can combine traditional anniversary gift materials with modern features that allow couples to display their wedding and anniversary p...
2nd Mortgage - Better Than Refinancing
There are many reasons why a 2nd mortgage may be better for you in your situation.
Soulmates, Are They Pre-ordained?
How to recognize your soulmate and find happiness in your love relationship
Does Your Resume Lack Vision?
Are you submitting your resume to countless job posts but not getting any responses? It may be that your resume lacks vision. In this insightful article, you ...
How to Boost Morale In Your Organisation
Who keeps the wheels turning in your organisation? Who holds it all together when chaos reigns supreme? Who can you rely on to run your department/business in y...
A Rough Cut on Feasibility
The Census of Retail Trade provides the average number of stores per capita for a variety of retail outlets. Based on their data, we can determine how well our...
Wedding Jitter and Cold Feet!
We all experience Wedding Jitters but how can we deal with them?
|
Print this page