The TOP Performance Blog

Is Getting Big and Fat Making Us Sick?

by Jan Hickling...

Is there a connection between the dramatic rise in both obesity and diabetes?

In the U.S. and Canada, diabetes has increased more than 500% during just the last generation. More than seventy percent of adults and more than thirty percent of our children are considered to be either overweight or obese.

In spite of spending more than 30 billion dollars each year on diets and weight loss programs, the rate of obesity has tripled in this country in the past thirty years.

We need to learn a new lifestyle, not a new diet!

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has projected that one-third of our children born after the year 2000 will become diabetic. If you're Black or Hispanic, nearly fifty percent of your children will become diabetic. Diabetes is the leading cause of amputations, kidney failure, neuropathy, adult blindness, and cardiovascular disease.

And if that isn't enough, type 2 diabetes is now a global phenomenon. The International Diabetes Federation has now predicted that the number of individuals with diabetes will increase from 240 million in 2007 to over 380 million in 2025. The greatest increase in type 2 diabetes is going to occur in Asia and primarily among the younger population.

It doesn’t take much imagination to realize what the diabetes epidemic will do to the health of the world and to our financial health.

Are we doomed?

Is there anything we can do to change these horrible projections?

I want to bring focus to the health concept that developing type 2 diabetes is really a choice.  In over 90% of the population, no matter what their family history or genetic makeup, diabetes is preventable.

Even if you already have prediabetes or diabetes, it can potentially be reversed. You need to understand that developing type 2 diabetes mellitus is really a CHOICE.

I made the choice to change my life and you can too. It's simple and easy. The only hard part is making the choice to start.

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Jan Hickling is a Lifestyle Transition Coach specializing in healthy and weight release through personal development and education.   Learn more at www.GetHealthyReleaseWeight.com. 
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How to Stay Motivated and Reach Your Goals

by Gareth Barrow...

Motivation - We're all chasing it, but few of us understand it, or why we lose it in the first place.

What Is Meant By Motivation?

Motivation is the natural desire to reach a goal, combined with the passion and energy to work toward achieving that goal. Individuals who are motivated have a desire to take on new ventures and fulfil the requirements necessary to complete the task.

Motivation is a characteristic that we all require in order to achieve anything in our lives. Without motivation, we would all simply give up at the slightest inclination of adversity. Motivation is the instigator that inspires and encourages us to be our best. Someone who is motivated will do anything it takes to be successful in achieving their goals. Motivation can change your life by inspiring you to get everything you want out of life, no matter what other people try to tell you.

It is possible for someone who is stricken by poverty to become motivated and turn everything around into a life of abundance.

Motivation gives us the passion that we need to begin exploring our options in life as well as the courage to see these dreams through to reality. If you are unhappy with your current situation, it is most likely due to the fact that your current situation does not motivate you. You must take it upon yourself to determine what it is that you truly want out of life. Think about the type of lifestyle that you want to lead and the kind of career you want.

Once you know what makes you happy and change your life centre, you will be excited to jump out of bed each and every morning. Why We Lose Our Motivation

Three primary factors lead to the loss of our motivation, they are:

1. Lack of direction. You will not be motivated to achieve your goals if you do not know what those goals are.

2. Lack of confidence. Believing you will fail is the best way to ensure it.

3. Lack of focus. Not knowing what it is that you want will lead to wondering if you even want anything at all.

Tips on How to Stay Motivated

When you lack motivation, you also lack ambition, enthusiasm and zest. Motivation makes you feel as if you are full of life and ready to do anything you have to in order to reach the goals that you have set out for yourself. Once you find your motivation, you will be happier, you will have more energy and you will be able to see the positive results clearly in your mind.

You need to enhance the motivation within you and awaken your inner power to push yourself in the direction of fulfilling your dreams, no matter how great or small they may be. Here are a few tips to help you find your motivation and hold on to it:

1. Set goals. If you set goals for yourself, finding the motivation to reach those goals will come easier.
2. Finish everything you start. Make a promise to yourself that no matter what happens, you must always make it to the finish line.
3. Mingle with like minds. Positive attitudes seem to be contagious. Surround yourself with likeminded people who possess the motivation that you seek.
4. Do not put off for tomorrow what you can get done today. If you procrastinate, you will become lazy and lose all motivation to succeed.
5. Never give up. Patience and persistence to keep going and stay strong no matter what comes along will give you the motivation you need to succeed.

Constantly remind yourself that you can succeed. Visualize your goals and how happy you will be once you have everything you want.

Some Famous Quotes:

1. "Make Every Obstacle an Opportunity"
2. "Turn Every Negative to a Positive"
3. "Fortune Favours the Bold"
4. "Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained"

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Gareth Barrow is a writer, Webmaster and fitness enthusiast. View more interesting and informative articles on Fitness, health, weight loss and muscle building. Discover fitness tips, diet advice, lose weight and generally become healthier! For further information on men and women's fitness and the latest fitness training tips visit: 24 Hr Fitness.co.uk.
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Couples Communication: Six Super Simple Guidelines to Improve Your Ability To Listen

By Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D.

Good listening skills are important to a relationship.  Although most people have heard of "active listening", the definition of active listening is a source of confusion for many people.

Sometimes called "reflective listening", active listening involves making sure that you heard what was said by repeating it back.  Consciously listening to the other person to make sure that you heard what they actually said is reflected in these various terms.

When teaching couples how to change how they talk to each other, active listening is stressed.   Much of the time, a big part of the communication problems that couples experience involves poor listening skills or habits.

In order to communicate effectively in your most important relationships you must be able to accurately "hear" what is said. 

You can't have effective communication without good listening skills.  And you cannot be good at solving problems together without good communication skills.

An absence of effectively listening, means that the message sent or intended is not the same message as the one received by the listener.  Although this may happen for a lot of reasons, a simple absence of listening, is a major culprit.

A number of things can get in the way of good listening including assumptions that tells the listener that s/he does not need to listen past a certain point, a failure to pay attention or succumbing to distractions, and rehearsing what your response will be.  The listener may assume that he/she knows what the other is going to say, and may thus attend to just enough of the message to confirm his/her belief.

At other times, a listener may be tuning out what the other person is saying while s/he tries to come with his or her rebuttal.  Both of these scenarios are setups for the condition where couples dig themselves in deeper and deeper trying to be understood and not realizing that neither is hearing what is actually said.

When there are problems with focus or attention, the issue may be deliberate or non-deliberate lack of listening. 

To be a good listener, practice these guidelines:

1. Pay close attention to what is going on.
2. Concentrate on what they are saying.
3. Maintain eye contact without staring.
4. Don't interrupt.
5. Don't worry about what you are going to say until s/he is finished.
6. Practice active listening.

Active listening is an especially helpful tool in the presence of perceptual "filters".  Each partner comes into the relationship with a history of other interactions, communications, unique meanings, and personal experiences.  This collection of experiences and beliefs, attitudes, mood states, relationship event histories colors the information that we consume in the present. 

This emotional, attitudinal, and relationship background constitutes perceptual "filters".  These filters are uniquely one's own.  No two people have exactly the same filters.  The more long lasting and influential the experiences or the events, the more likely the filters will persist over time, and the more heavy the influence they play over perception in contemporary events.

You can improve your ability to listen by practicing reflective listening.  You can begin to override your filters by using this technique and by looking at the assumptions that you have been making about what is being said and looking for patterns.  Some people have filters about abandonment fears.  Others are ultra-sensitive to criticism.

An active listening technique that is helpful is the use of the phrase, "What I hear you saying is..."  This is only one example of reflective listening and feedback.  Any clarifying question could serve as active listening.  The point is that when you clarify a message, you are making sure that the message that you have received is the same messages as the one that was sent, or intended.

Sometimes the process can still get derailed when the paraphrased "what I heard you saying" message is met with "that is not what I said", and then an argument ensues over which one is correct.  Couples get derailed by arguing about what was actually said or not said in the first place.  This is easily remedied by each person first and foremost 's messages. 

It helps to not concern yourself about who is right and who is wrong.  A good phrase to remember for this situation is, "actually, what I intended to say was..."

Reflective listening feels awkward, unnatural, odd, stiff, and just plain weird.  It does however, have a number of benefits that make it worth practicing and learning.  Some of those are the fact that you can eliminate most of your arguments by making sure that the message that is received is the one that was sent.

Another is the fact that by carefully clarifying messages, you can discover your own themes in filters that color how you take in the contemporary events in your life.  Once you identify your sensitivity to certain messages and themes, some of the power of those filters can be neutralized. 

If you know that you are sensitive to abandonment messages, you don't have to panic when your partner says, "I'm starting to get angry in this discussion.  I'm going to take a break and go to the store."  In the past, instead of hearing that, you might have heard "I'm mad at you and I'm leaving you". 

If you have identified abandonment fear as a filter and your partner leaves in the middle of an argument, you can reassure yourself that your partner did not say that s/he was leaving you forever.

When you can actually hear what is being said in your conversations, you are less likely to engage in circular arguing, with each volley of verbal assaults setting up more miscommunication.

Communication exercises and training that have an active listening component are especially helpful.

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Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D. is a therapist in private practice in Stillwater, OK.  She is also a writer, trainer and consultant.  For more information, visit:  For more information, visit: http://www.peggyferguson.com
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Product Recall Protection Sites Provide Consumer's With Peace of Mind

By Jonathan Kraft (http://blog.identitytheftsecrets.com/)

We are a land of consumers and thankfully, although not a perfect system, there are systems in place to make product recalls for consumer protection. 

Many recalls make big headlines like the recall of Thomas the Train Cars and accessories with toxic red paint or bagged spinach containing e-coli or peanut butter containing salmonella.  Still, many consumers wonder if they are missing important recall information. 

One way to get on a recall list is to fill out the warranty or registration card that comes with many products from car seats, to walkie-talkies or cordless phones to washing machines.  By sharing your information, you can increase the chances of being personally alerted if there is a recall on your product.  Of course, if you move, change phone numbers or e-mail addresses, this makes it more difficult to find you. 

What is the ODI and what are EWRs?

The ODI is the Office of Defects Investigation.  As of September10, 2008, the ODI website was modified to make EWR, or Early Warning Reports public. 

Following the Firestone tire recall, Congress approved a package for EWR and manufacturers have been required to submit Early Warning Reports since 2003.  However, this information was kept confidential.  Now it is available to consumers through the ODI website. 

Consumers can learn hear about potential problems and safety concerns including any fatalities reported by car manufacturers.

Finding out about Product Recalls:  recalls.gov

Six federal agencies work together to share the information on federal product recalls at www.recalls.gov.  Those agencies include the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the Federal Drug Agency (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

This site of course is covering important but limited products including: 

• Motor vehicle recalls
• Food recall
• Boat recalls
• Medicine Recalls
• Environmental Product Recalls
• Cosmetic Recalls
• Consumer Product Recalls

Remember that this website will cover recalls that have been recalled by the federal government and is not all-inclusive. 

You can access information on the recalls.gov website a couple of different ways. There are tabs for the specific areas covered such as Motor Vehicle Recalls or Food Recalls.  Additionally, you can view Recent Recalls or search for specific product recalls.  Information is available in Spanish as well as English. 

You may be surprised by the number and variety of recent recalls including:

• Car seats
• Pressure Washers/Air Compressors
• Diving Masks
• Wooden Toys
• Children's Toys, Purses, Pen Cases
• Directors Chairs
• Diving Equipment
• Replacement Torch Fuel Containers

Finding out about Product Recalls:  parents.com (Parent's magazine)

Some of the most fearful of recalls are parents.  No parent wants his or her baby riding in an unsafe car seat or playing with a toy with that has a choking hazard.  Parent's magazine diligently covers baby and children recalls and offers an easy to use and updated product recall section on their web site. 

You can search for a specific product, look at their list of the Biggest Recalls of 2008, check the most recent recalls or check out products by category like bathing, bottles, clothing, slings or pacifiers. 

Examples of Most Recent Recalls include:

• Children's Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings
• Bonavita "Cabana" Drop Side Cribs
• Bonavita "Hudson" and Babi Italia "Pinehurst" Drop Side Cribs
• Outdoor Playset Gliders
• Children's Loungewear

Don't Forget:

Don't ever forget that you the consumer are part of the consumer protection process.  Always report any safety hazards, safety risks or malfunctions that you discover with any product.

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Jonathan Kraft is a recognized expert in helping people to understand Identity Theft Prevention & Protection.  Learn more about the secrets used by identity thieves at: http://blog.identitytheftsecrets.com/.
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Stress Free Living With Ten Practical Tips to Save Time

by Linda Hampton (http://www.keytostressfreeliving.com/)

Are you stressed for time?  Do you feel like the number of hours in one day just isn’t enough for all your activities? 

Well, here are several practical ways that you can do to save time without making sacrifices:

1. Sticking to your schedule for the day.  There’s a lot to be said for being organized and strictly following your itinerary.  When you have it mapped out, you focus on the current task instead of worrying about keeping them all in a balance.  It’s a good idea to know all your family members’ plans too.  That way, you help each other out and nothing is set aside.

2. Planning meals for the entire week.  When you’ve listed down all the ingredients for the meals that you will prepare, it means that the grocery trip would only be done once.  Rushing to the store is avoided.  When you’ve planned your meal, it also means that you’re not as tempted to go to the restaurant.  You save both time and money as a result.  If you need some help with your planning, you can search recipes online.

3. Keeping lists.  Honestly, it feels so good when you cross off the items on your list.  Keeping a list helps keep you on track and lets you avoid making mistakes or worse, forgetting about a task altogether.  It lessens your worrying too.

4. Being organized.  This saves you the most time.  When you know where things are and how each aspect fits into the picture, you’ll get rid of the stress associated with your responsibilities.  Staying organized is the key however, since it’s very easy to get your things all in a clutter.

5. Getting errands done in a single trip.  To accomplish errands the most efficient way, get them all done at one time if possible.  You can’t imagine the wasted minutes or hours that are spent waiting for the next task.  When you interlace jobs with errands, you’re exposing yourself to the risk of getting distracted.

6. Delegating if you can.  There can’t be a way for you to accomplish all the tasks yourself.  Thankfully, we have family members and co-workers who can assist us.

7. Eliminating distractions.  Don’t do too much multi-tasking.  You will find that when you’re working on the computer, turning off the social networking sites will actually mean that you’ll have more time for them later on.  Doing so also has the desirable effect of maintaining the quality of your tasks.

8. Knowing when to say no.  Sometimes, you will be required to accomplish more than one person could possibly do.  I suggest that you decline properly and either delegate or reschedule the task.

9. Using idle time wisely.  When you’re commuting or waiting for a meeting to begin, there are many productive things you can do.  You can respond to text messages and emails, plan your report, or make the shopping list.

10. Grouping similar tasks.  If there are tasks that you can do simultaneously, then you better schedule them to be accomplished together.  While talking on the phone, there are chores that you can do.  Or you can rearrange and clean at the same time.

Saving time means that you can have more time for things that are most valuable to you.  Managing one’s time also means that you can keep your lifestyle.  Apply these ideas and you’ll soon find that you have a lot of time for yourself.

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Linda Hampton RN, MSN a Wellness and Stress Management Breakthrough Life Coach is the publisher of a free 5-part e-course full of revealing information to help you deal with the stressful changes in your life.  For more information, visit http://www.keytostressfreeliving.com/.
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Boost Your Happiness Level With These 7 Tips

by Brenda Campbell (http://www.attractsuccess.com.au)

What if you woke up one morning and saw a sign above you that said "happiness bus - jump on here for the ride of your life"?  Would you excitedly jump on or would you pass, get up and just face your day?

Happiness is within the reach of any person who desires it.  It truly is there for you to just reach out and grab hold of and here are seven tips to boost your happiness level, whatever that may be.

But why would you bother?  Surely it is enough to just cruise along with life, taking it as it comes and if you are unhappy, that is just your fate in life.  You may be surprised to know that there are happiness experts who study and teach happiness, sometimes known as positive psychology.  These experts hold the view that happiness is a choice; you can choose positive emotions, you can choose to let go of fear, anxiety and sadness and you can choose to pursue happiness.  Most people believe that happiness is important and is worth having not just for the individual but for society as a whole.

Happy people earn higher incomes and are more productive, they have longer and more satisfying relationships and more friends, more energy, better health and even longer life.  There is evidence that individual happiness is a key factor in organizational performance so any employers reading this might want to explore happiness further.

The best possible news is that you can train your brain for greater happiness.  Read on to find out how.

1. Create the habit of keeping a daily journal. 

This might take a while and some discipline and every day that you do it will make it easier to continue.  When you get to 90 days it is very likely that it will have become a habit.  Your daily journal should be primarily about the positive things that occur in your life and that you appreciate about yourself.

2. Develop gratitude by adding to your daily journal a minimum of three notes about things for which you are grateful that day. 

Write down the things that people did that you appreciated, anything that made you smile or that you felt thankful for.  Talk to others about what happened and reinforce gratitude in your life.

3. Use your daily journal to identify the things that you can see are your strengths.

You might find that your writings about what you appreciate in yourself show some of your strengths and you can also ask trusted friends and family what they see as your strengths.  Use your strengths to make your life more enjoyable, for example, when you must do something that you do not like, approach it from the angle of your strengths.  Build on your strengths at every opportunity.

4. Give generously of acts of kindness.

Decide every morning how you will give at least five acts of kindness that day and be on the lookout for opportunities.  Doing this just feels so good and other's are very appreciative.  It is like giving and receiving gifts all day long.

5. Have fun!

I know that sounds a little crazy and looks obvious - happy people have fun right?  You know what though?  Sometimes we just stop being playful and exercising our sense of humor and again, it is just about practice.  So be on the lookout for happy people with whom you can have fun and practice being funny.

6. Be still with yourself - meditation, yoga and such pursuits calm the mind and give you time to see life from a different perspective.

Meditation can also help you to release fear, anxiety and sadness giving you room to allow happiness in.  Meditation, by the way, can be a lot more simple than you may think.  It can be as easy as watching the waves role in and letting all thoughts drift away in the process.

7. And finally, create yourself some habits like meditation, yoga or exercise.

The creation of habits reinforces your belief in yourself to be, do or have anything that you want, including happiness.

So now you have the secret formula to happiness, you know why you would bother and you know that it is possible to be happy, even if you are usually unhappy.  The choice is yours - reach out and grab hold with both hands or let another day pass.  Have fun with these seven tips and be happy.

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Brenda Campbell is an experienced coach and mentor who works with people all over the world to assist them to achieve their dreams and desires.  For more information, visit http://www.attractsuccess.com.au.
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Why Is It So Difficult To Lose Love Handles and Stomach Fat?

by Gustaf Eriksson

When you are trying to lose weight and stomach fat, and of course get rid of love handles, you might start by thinking "I'll eat fewer calories"! 

There are lots of low-calorie plans on the market, so it should be easy to pick a good one.  You think.  But before you do that, please read on and discover why a low calorie plan by itself will not work!

It does seem logical that if you eat less and exercise more, your body will burn the excess fat and then you'll be slimmer... surely it will work??

Well, yes, sort of... but, there are some extra considerations that complicate things just a wee bit.  If you start to eat less without thinking about WHAT you eat, you will end up being malnourished and skinny!

Here are two basic reasons why low calorie diets don't work:

The first reason is that all calories are not created equal - The calories that are in fat, sugar and artificial food additives are much worse than the calories in - for example - apples and vegetables. 

You should not avoid calories.  You should avoid "bad" calories.  Calories that are in natural, unprocessed food are much better for you than calories in "junk food" and processed foodstuff.

Because you don't just want to lose weight, lose that stomach fat and get rid of your love handles, you want to became slimmer and fitter.  Even if you cut down on calories drastically you would not achieve that.

A dramatic example would be to ONLY drink "Zero Coke" - there's absolutely no calories in that drink. Would you lose weight?  Certainly.  Will you be healthy?  Absolutely not!  You'll be malnourished and feeling pretty bad quite soon .....

Your body NEEDS calories to survive.  If you eat foods rich in "good" calories, your body will burn more energy.

A large apple contains about 100 calories and so do three strips of bacon.  Now imagine eating 10 apples a day or 30 strips of bacon... will you get fat from the apples or from the bacon?

The second reason has to do with the fact that muscle burns more calories than fat - In fact, fat is sort of "dead tissue".  That is, it doesn't do anything for your metabolism while muscle tissue actually consumes energy just to maintain itself.

That is the reason why people with a high ratio of lean muscle to fat can eat more, and still stay slim - whilst fat people stay fat even though they might just pick at their food.

Now there are obviously other things to consider when you want to lose love handles and stomach fat, or simply lose weight.  For example, fat obeys the same rule as the unions - last in first out.  What that means is that the fat you put on first - which usually is on your thighs and around your middle - is the last to disappear!

In other words, to get rid of love handles, it is necessary to build some muscle and be patient.

Your extra fat did not appear overnight, you most probably put it on over several years.  The good news it will melt away far quicker than you put it on, but it will still take time.

If you go on a low calorie diet you will not build muscle, instead your body loses muscle.  Since you don't have enough lean muscle tissue your metabolism is low, and so your body can't burn the fat.

Most of the low calorie diets around will "work" in a fashion - in the short term, you will lose water and muscle so you are fooled into thinking you're getting slimmer.  But long term they don't work!

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Gustaf Eriksson helps people become slimmer, happier & fitter.  For more information, visit her website.
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Combating Anxiety

by Jamie Noone, Author


Almost all of us experience times of worry, stress and foreboding at some time or another.  However, when anxiety is significant it develops into a medical problem in which a doctor or medical physician should be consulted.

What is Anziety

Anxiety is a psychological state and typically shows itself in physical symptoms and a large number of medical professionals now suggest that a healthy balanced diet can help to alleviate and in some cases eliminate, anxiety.

The physical symptoms of anxiety show themselves as a dry mouth, breathlessness, dizziness, thudding heart, sweating, chest pains, fatigue and in extreme cases diarrhea. It is also understood to weaken the body's immune system.

The decrease of appetite and constantly missing meals will disturb your normal eating regime and as a result, reduced food consumption can lead to a loss of weight and an inadequate supply of nutrition. The resultant deficiencies may be further worsened through the additional symptoms anxiety can create.

Causes of Anxiety

Evidence suggests that a lack of magnesium in combination with a lack of vitamins B is closely associated with anxiety.  When we find ourselves under stress, our bodies quickly use up reserves of vitamins C and individuals suffering from severe anxiety will frequently benefit from increased vitamin consumption.

It is therefore important to ensure you have a healthy and balanced diet and eat regularly to avoid suffering from anxiety.  Anxiety sufferers frequently turn to drink to help them feel better however this is likely to make them worse.  Drinking alcohol acts as a depressant and not a stimulant as is popularly believed which is why individuals suffering from anxiety who subsequently consume alcohol find themselves 6 to 12 hours after drinking, that their sugar levels have become low making them particularly susceptible to an anxiety attack.

Nutritional Recommendations to Ward Off Anxiety

To help ward off the effects of anxiety, ensure your diet contains a good proportion of nuts, cheese, meat, and green leafy vegetables containing rich sources of various B vitamins.  Consume plenty of citrus fruits thereby absorbing sufficient amounts of vitamins C whilst also incorporating sweet milk-based drinks.  Try to limit your exposure to excessive amounts of tea, coffee, coke, chocolate, and alcohol. 

Sweet milk-based drinks have been shown to significantly help individuals to overcome anxiety.  This is because they contain an amino acid which is present in cow's milk and carbohydrates in the forms of sugar.  The amino acid present in milk, stimulates the production of the happy chemical serotonin which helps to relax you and consequently, being far less likely to suffer from anxiety.
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Jamie Noone has been writing articles online several years and runs many websites.  His latest website (Home Gym Machines) is worth a visit.

Tips for Reducing Stress

by Versie Walker, Author, Speaker & Owner of A New Look Publishing (www.VersieWalker.com)


For most Americans stress has become a way of life.

In the past 30 years, there has been an increase in stress related illness.  As more demands are being placed on individuals, families, employers and society, this trend is certain to continue.

Americans’ are no longer working 40 hour work weeks.  The average work week has grown to 60 plus hours, which is a 33% increase.  In order to stay competitive, employers are expecting more productivity with fewer resources.

Medical studies and employment stats each show an increase in the number of sick days, hospital visits and deaths.  Due to the increasing need for additional income placed on the vastly deteriorating middle class, one can begin to see why stress is the leading cause of major illnesses.

Most of us are being consumed daily with numerous activities from:  running errands, job requirements, and family commitments.  It’s no wonder why millions of American’s are out of shape, out of touch and feeling that they are out of their minds.

Stress is now part of our everyday conversation.  Men, women and children alike can be heard saying, “I’m stressed” or “I’m stressing out.”  Unfortunately, for far too long this has been the norm.

Stress can cause:

•   Migraines, headaches
•   Shoulder, neck and back pain
•   Various forms of Cancer
•   Heart attacks, high blood pressure and sleeplessness
•   Excessive weight gain

These are just some of the effects of stress and for many their consequences can be deadly.

Many Eastern cultures believe and understand that you must have peace, balance, and harmony in order to live a fully productive life.  In various countries such as China and Japan – businessmen, managers and workers are seen in large groups throughout the day exercising and meditating.  Not only does this seem to reduce stress, it increases flexibility, mobility and longevity.

In today’s marketplace, you can find tons of products and methods for reducing stress.  Items ranging from expensive stress relieving pillows, back massagers, stress reducing crystals and more.  Most of which are just short term, temporary, quick fixes with no long term results.

I have found several great ways for reducing stress that are simple, easy, quick and more importantly free.  Here are a few of them.

•   Stay focused and positive (by reducing distractions and eliminating negative thoughts).

•    Set aside 15-45 minutes every day, either in the morning or before bedtime to relieve your mind. Exercising, walking, bike riding or meditating really helps.

•    Become Interdependent.  Find others that are strong in their area of expertise and partner up with them.  Either to share responsibilities, to critique or to act as a mentor.

•    Arrive at every event 15-20 minutes early.  This will allow you time to prepare and settle in before the event begins.

•    Use deep breathing techniques, (in through your nose and out through your mouth).  This increases blood circulation and reduces tension.

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Versie Walker helps individual discover the secret powers to becoming successful beyond their dreams.  His brand new book "SUCCESS: How I Ended Up Here" is available at www.VersieWalker.com.