March 2019 - Training by BCFS

Using Prayer and Meditation to Calm Anxiety

Posted on March 31, 2019 by SPT-Techgirl66

Using Prayer and Meditation to Calm Anxiety

If you feel anxious from time to time, that’s completely normal. When anxiety becomes overwhelming, you may be tempted to seek solace in prescription medication, alcohol, or drugs. These methods, though, inherently bring problems of their own.

The good news is you can get through anxious moments on your own without mind-altering drugs. Your worries can be transformed into peace with simple, natural strategies. One of these techniques is using prayer and meditation.

Which is Better: Prayer or Meditation?

The answer is simple: Use whichever you prefer. Some people have a close relationship with a higher power while others do not. No matter what your religious belief, you can conquer your anxiety through your thoughts and affirmations – no medication required!

If you like to pray, that’s great. If you want to meditate instead, then do it! Whichever technique makes you feel the most comfortable is acceptable. This is about you getting better, and you know best what will make you feel at ease.

How to Get Started

You can start on your path to an anxiety-free life right away and it all starts with a deep breath. Pull the air deep down into your diaphragm, and let it out slowly. Do this several times and you’ll begin to feel calmer.

Are you breathing effectively? When you take in air, if only the top part of your lungs expands, your chest rises and falls. When you breathe the right way – the calming way – your belly rises and falls, not your upper chest, because your entire lungs are being filled with fresh air.

Avoid breathing from your upper chest only and you’ll already be on the road to feeling calmer and less anxious. It’s a simple thing to do and a great way to get started. The more you do it, the more it’ll become automatic. Soon, you’ll feel calmer without even thinking about your breathing anymore.

Here are some other tips to help you feel calm while praying or meditating:

Use your breathing like a mantra. Inhale while you give yourself positive thoughts and feelings. Exhale anything negative you’re thinking or feeling. Breathing is the rhythm of life. Use it to your advantage.
Pray or meditate at the same time each day. Spend a few minutes – it doesn’t have to be a long time – in quiet reflection. Say good things to yourself. You can focus on your health, finances, family, or anything you want to make stronger. Avoid negative thinking during this time.
Laugh. Try saying “ho, ho, ho, he, he, he, ha, ha, ha” and other silly phrases out loud. When you do, you’ll start to smile, then grin, and then laugh for real! And when you’re laughing, you can’t frown or feel anxious!
Pray or meditate with others. Join a church, take up yoga, or find a support group for anxiety. Many others share your struggle, and you can feel better about yourself and more in-tune with others when you share your feelings.

Next Steps

When you start your journey toward personal peace through prayer or meditation, expect to conquer your anxiety. However, avoid the trap of assuming you’ll do it in one day, or even in one week. It took time to get where you are, and it’ll take time to get back to where you want to be.

The important thing is to take that first step and then enjoy and appreciate the journey.

Every journey begins with that first step, and once you make it you’ll be well on your way. Breathe. Laugh. Meditate or pray. Find time to think about and interact with others, rather than concentrating on your worries.

When you do these things, you’ll become calmer and more focused. Most importantly, you’ll be back to being happy again, and there’s no greater gift you can give yourself than joy!

Turn Your Home Into a Relaxed Haven

Posted on March 24, 2019 by SPT-Techgirl66

Transform Your Home Into a Relaxed Haven

Your home should be a place you can escape to and shield yourself from life’s frustrations. To increase your tranquility, you can transform your home into a haven where you can retreat if you need to release stress or simply relax.

You don’t need the services of an interior decorator or Feng Shui designer to accomplish the atmosphere of relaxation and comfort you want for your home. Instead, you can easily turn your home into the haven you desire by doing some minor adjustments on your own.

Try these easy and effective ways to convert your home from simply livable space into your own personal retreat:

Enhance the beauty of your home with natural elements. Beautifying a space is a great way to make it warm, comforting, and inviting. And those feelings can effectively be achieved if you include natural elements as part of your home’s decor. Here are some ways you can incorporate nature for an instant feel of relaxation:
- Get flowering plants for your bedroom balcony or back patio.
- Set up wind chimes in locations that catch the breezes during the day.
- Install a fish tank and fill it with aquatic life.
Install light dimming controls. Instead of spending money to convert a single room in your home to a center for relaxation, why not install light dimming controls in every room? With these controls, you can easily change the ambience in any room of your home and instantly achieve comfort and relaxation!
Paint your private space a soothing color. Whether you like to retreat to your bedroom, bathroom or living room, changing the paint color on the walls can instantly convert your private space into a haven. For a soothing effect, you could use shades of blue on the walls. You’ll instantly feel the calm energy when you walk into the space.
Use aromatherapy. Aromatic scents can infuse a sense of calm in your mood. Try these methods of filling your home with pleasing, relaxing scents:
- Scented candles that you can buy in any grocery or department store
- Flowering plants that have natural aromas
- Aromatic herbs like lavender that could be placed in aromatherapy diffusers
- Incense burners
Get a recliner. A reclining chair is beneficial in relaxing you and a great addition to any space! When you get home from a tough day at the office, spend some time relaxing in your recliner. You’ll be surprised at how much help it can be, especially if you get one with:
- Massaging capabilities
- Comfortable headrests
- Cup holders so you can sip on your favorite beverage while relaxing
- Pockets to hold your favorite magazine as well as the television remote

These are only some of the easy ways you can turn your home into a haven for relaxation. And the best part is that you can actually make these minor changes, adjustments and additions on your own. There’s no need to get professional help from an outside source.

You alone know what you need to feel completely relaxed and comfortable.
Let your home bring you a peaceful feeling every time you step into it!

The Real Dangers of Stress and What You Can Do About It

Posted on March 17, 2019 by SPT-Techgirl66

The Real Dangers of Stress and What You Can Do About It

Truth: stress can kill you, or at least too much of it can. If unchecked and unmanaged, the exposure to stress can wreak havoc in all aspects of your life.

Notwithstanding the fact that being overloaded isn’t a good feeling in general, but uncontrolled stress can also have ripple effects in your personal and professional lives, at work and at home.

Consider these real dangers of stress:

Immune System. Both chronic and acute stress can weaken your immune system, putting you more at risk for everyday illnesses. Individuals who manage their stress well have fewer bouts with the common cold, allergies, and seasonal flu.
Other Health Risks. Exposure to stress, especially uncontrolled stress, takes a toll physiologically on your body.
- Certain chemicals, such as dopamine, epinephrine, and other neurotransmitters are released during times of stress. You may experience higher blood pressure, increased heart rate, and other symptoms when you’re stressed.
- High stress levels have been linked with many health challenges and illnesses. You are at a greater risk for strokes, heart attacks, headaches and migraines, and other cardiovascular diseases if you don’t have a system in place for dealing with and managing stress.
- Cancer has even been linked with uncontrolled stress in some research studies.

Your Mental and Physical State Without Stress

As you can see, the case can certainly be made for examining the stressors in your daily life and working towards eliminating some of the issues. Effective stress management plans will make you feel better overall, in both your physical and mental health.

You’ll experienced a greater amount of energy, experience less physical pain, and enjoy more quality of sleep because your mind won’t be preoccupied with stress.

In terms of your mental state, lower stress levels may lead to better concentration and focus, a calmer mood, and less irritability. Lower rates of depression, adjustment disorders, and other mental health issues are also experienced with lower stress levels.

Managing Your Stress – Putting Yourself First

If you say to yourself that dealing with stress is part of your job, that you just “deal” with it, or that you work well under pressure, then you may be doing more harm to yourself than good.

Indeed, many employers, institutions and organizations today are putting into place “wellness plans,” which are sometimes focused on stress management.

Creating an Individual Plan

There are all sorts of ways to get your stress under control. Perhaps the best way for you to work on getting your stress down is by coming up with a plan that is individually tailored to you and your schedule.

Consider adding these stress-reducing practices to your plan:

Meditation and mindfulness. Meditation and mindfulness have been shown to have a positive effect on a person’s stress level and their ability to manage stress.
- These practices involve setting aside at least five or ten minutes each day to spend in a quiet space, free of distractions.
- Paying attention to your body’s natural breathing patterns is an important part of these practices. Focus on your breath and alleviate your stress.
Exercise is also a way to de-stress. The release of endorphins to your brain acts as a buffer against stress, and is almost like a natural antidepressant. Whether you go for a daily run or take a trip to the gym, the physical activity is good for both your brain and body.

The most important part of stress management is establishing a routine. Setting aside a specific portion of your day, even if you have to schedule breaks in your work day, ensures that you’re giving yourself the time you need to de-stress.

Failing to get your stress under control, however, will lead to negative repercussions in your physical, mental, and overall well-being.

Start reducing your stress today with a regular routine of meditation, mindfulness, and exercise. Soon, you’ll be singing the praises of your practices as you see your stress melt away and you enjoy greater health.

Staying Calm in the Midst of Stress and Chaos

Posted on March 10, 2019 by SPT-Techgirl66

Staying Calm in the Midst of Stress and Chaos

Knowing how to stay calm is a very important skill. However, this skill tends to deteriorate under stressful or distracting conditions. Staying calm under extreme pressure is much more challenging than staying calm under moderate conditions.

For example, hitting a golf balls with your friends is relatively easy. But add 5,000 spectators and some TV cameras and see how well you do.

Imagine being calm and peaceful at all times. How would your life change? A greater ability to manage one’s emotions is invaluable!

Follow these suggestions and keep calm under pressure:

Start your day being calm and make every effort to stay that way. A calming morning ritual, performed religiously, will get your mind and body in the proper state. Then the only real task is staying that way throughout the day.
- A good morning often results in a good day, just like a good Monday often results in a good week.
Monitor yourself. Continuously monitor your reactions to stressful events. How do you feel physically? What thoughts do you have? Do you use self-talk? Notice everything that has changed.
Bring yourself back to your calm state. If your self-talk has become negative, take control and stop it. Turn it around and make it positive. If your heart is beating faster, take slow, deep breaths and relax.
- Think positive thoughts and focus on solutions. Take action and avoid worrying.
Remember that it’s not all about you. Avoid assuming that a negative event says anything about you. If someone gets snippy with you at work, it might just be a symptom of trouble at home. People do things for lots of reasons that don’t involve you. It’s common to take things personally, but it’s often inaccurate.
Find some healthy coping habits. Many of us shop, drink, or eat when we’re stressed. That’s a good way to end up poor, drunk, and overweight, all of which can add their own stress.
- Develop some new habits that are actually good for you. Yoga, meditation, and exercise are just a few suggestions.
Eliminate clutter from your environment. This includes all types of clutter, including excessive noise and other distractions. Turn off your social media and email notifications.
- Keep your work areas clear of clutter. You’ll feel calmer and less stressed.
Get enough sleep. It’s much easier to remain calm when you’ve had 7 hours of sleep rather than only 4. Sleep helps to reduce the stress in your mind and body. Being well-rested also allows you to handle stressful situations better. Even if you’re super busy, you’ll usually get more done if you maintain your normal sleep schedule.
Ask yourself questions. Questions can determine our focus and influence our actions.
- Is this really going to make a difference? Does it matter? Is the other person overreacting? Am I over reacting?
- Am I stressed about the past, present, or future? The past is over, and the future hasn’t arrived yet, so focus on the present.
- What can I do to turn this situation around? Is there an outcome that will make everyone happy?
Take a break. If you’re unable to remain calm, give yourself a few minutes to regroup. Some time alone can have positive results.

Staying calm in challenging situations can be difficult, but it’s a learnable skill. Start with less stressful situations and test your ability to stay cool, calm, and collected. In time, nothing will be able to get under your skin.

How to Relax When Life is Out of Control

Posted on March 3, 2019 by SPT-Techgirl66

How to Relax When Life is Out of Control

Stress is a constant companion, and most of us, through lots of practice, have become experts at elevating our stress levels. The ability to relax is an acquired skill too. Luckily, you can teach yourself to handle stress in a manner that minimizes it. However, the more stressed you feel, the more challenging it can be to relax.

Discover how you can relax your body and mind when your stress levels are out of control:

Take a moment to stretch. Stand up for a few minutes and stretch your body. Release the tension and stress in your muscles. Shake your arms and legs individually and get back to work. Try this. It works!
Exercise. If you have more time available, 30 minutes of exercise can work wonders. Avoid limiting yourself to the standard walk or jog. Play a match of tennis or attempt to break your personal bench press record. Consider whether you’d prefer to exercise alone or with others and make it happen.
Listen to music. Music can be very soothing. The theme from Rocky might make you feel great, but might not be the best choice if you’re feeling agitated. Choose music that you find relaxing.
Meditate. Meditation is simple, but challenging. You can learn to focus your thoughts and relieve your tension. Keep your thoughts focused on your breath and return to these thoughts whenever you get distracted. What could be simpler?
Reach out to others. Some of us find relaxation in being alone, while others feel better with others. Reach out to your friends and family. You can discuss your feelings and the challenges you’re facing. You could also choose to use the people in your life as a distraction. Go out to dinner or watch a movie. Have a little fun.
Laugh. Maybe laughter is the best medicine. Pull out your favorite video or spend the evening at a comedy club. Call your funniest friend for a chat. Read a book of jokes. Find something or someone that will make you laugh.
Feel gratitude. It’s easy to forget about all the wonderful things in your life during challenging times. Make a list of all the blessings in your life. Focus on feeling gratitude. By reminding yourself of all the good things, the bad things won’t seem nearly as bad.
Take a nap. One of the best ways to reset your nervous system is sleeping. Find a quiet place and lie down for an hour. A nap can be the best stress-buster.
Think happy thoughts. Remember a happy, past event. Relive it in your mind. Creative visualization can be an excellent way to take a break from your stress. Be creative and enjoy yourself.
Drop the caffeine from your diet. Caffeine and stress don’t combine well. Give your nervous system a reprieve and avoid caffeinated beverages. Do you really need to be any more stimulated?
Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. You could also cover your ears and focus on what you see. You’ll just look sillier. Block off one of your senses and focus on your environment. This is an excellent way to be more present. Giving your attention to your surroundings will stop your mind from creating more stress.

Stress is a part of daily life. Learning to manage it makes life more enjoyable.

The best time to address stress is the moment it begins. There’s a momentum to stress. Once your stress reaches a high level, it’s far more challenging to reduce. Most stress-reduction techniques provide a small to moderate amount of relief. Use them sooner, rather than later, and prevent a meltdown before it happens.’