Stress Management

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Healing Teen Anxiety: 5 Ways to Break Free

There's an anxiety epidemic in our culture today and it's affecting millions of teens, especially girls. Nearly 32 percent of adolescents in the United States have an anxiety disorder, according to survey data reported by the National Institute of Mental Health. Society's solution is often prescribed medication to alleviate the symptoms, but like a bandaid on cancer, it only masks and rarely eradicates the problem. In order to heal it, we have to fully understand it and become aware of the insidiousness of this disease. Make no mistake about it—this is indeed a disease, as in, not being "at ease," and it's literally killing our kids. According the CDC (Center for Disease Control), suicide rates are up 30% since 2000. 23% of high school girls seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year (YRBS - Youth Risk Behavior Survey). Just last year alone, four of my teen girl coaching clients [...]

By | 2021-06-07T13:35:42-05:00 April 3rd, 2019|

Teens and Social Anxiety

Let’s face it, hardly anyone enjoys walking into a roomful of strangers and many of us would rather isolate than deal with the dreaded small talk. Yet, ironically all of us are longing for a deeper connection to others, to find “our people” - the ones who like us for who we are and who share similar interests. You might think today’s teens, who were born wired and woven into the fabric of social networking would have no problem making those connections. Yet hiding behind a computer screen or a phone is vastly different than walking into that room and many teens have lost the knack or have never even been taught the art of small talk and breaking the ice. Add to that the epidemic of bullying and the fear of others’ opinions or becoming a target of others’ negative attention and many teens today have become paralyzed with [...]

By | 2017-03-07T13:57:37-05:00 August 16th, 2012|

The Importance of a Daily Meditation Practice

Years ago, I read a business book on networking by Harvey Mackay entitled “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty.” It was about making contacts and relationships before you need them so that when you’re actually in the process of building a business, creating a new product, launching a global cause-related initiative, you have the support and resources already in place. Recently, I experienced an entirely different understanding of “digging my well before I’m thirsty” as it relates to prayer and meditation and it came to me in the least likely place of being encased in the tunnel of an MRI machine. I’d been having chronic pain and limited mobility in my shoulder. Although not debilitating, it was prohibiting me from fully participating and enjoying simple things like downward facing dog pose in yoga. Part of me wanted to just “suck it up” and push through it, but the responsible part [...]

By | 2017-03-07T14:09:17-05:00 July 24th, 2011|

Confidence Tip: Just Breathe

Sometimes the simplest tool is the one that is most overlooked and underutilized. Give it a shot... what have you got to lose except all that stress??? Research has shown that 3 cleansing deep breaths turn on the relaxation response and turn off the flight or fight response. So when you're feeling stressed just remember to BREATHE... Inhale 1-2-3... hold... Exhale 1-2-3 and repeat. It's like sending a signal to your brain... it'...s OK... I'm safe and all is well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OECo7254jT8 Here are some of the benefits of deep breathing: Reduces stress Promotes better sleep Increases energy Quiets racing thoughts Relaxes muscles Releases endorphins - the feel good hormone Try to make conscious deep breathing a regular habit. You will become more mindful and present in your own life and you will develop the ability to access inner guidance and intuition while in that heightened relaxed state and that [...]

By | 2017-03-07T14:27:26-05:00 September 13th, 2010|