Posts Tagged ‘stress’

You betcha!  ‘Tis the season and particularly for college students!  So, a part of this care package is some quick exercises to support your wellness!

 Don’t have time to put on the sneakers and hit the gym?   I encourage you to try breathing and meditation! 

 It can be a quick exercise to help center oneself back to a place of serenity when feeling overwhelmed. 

 

I encourage you to try the Breathing Exercise and Guided Meditation listed below to support your intention to do well in your classes with a calm and creative brain.  These sites and links are available at your College website @ Second.  Use the QR code at the right for the link.

 

Breathing Exercise:

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r82UgmWReYs

Guided Meditation 10 Minutes:

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8n-XP1zLGI

Additional Web Resources:

          http://marc.ucla.edu/

          http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/common_college_health_issues/mindfulness.php

Phone Apps:

          http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-135/3-Great-Guided-Meditation-iPhone-Apps.html

          http://www.letpanicgo.com/

          http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/simply-being-guided-meditation/id347418999?mt=8

 

Shortly after graduating from college, I was introduced to these practice(s) and found it to be supportive in my life and relationships.  I have also found counseling to be supportive as well and now that is what I do for a living.  Should you ever want to talk to someone during the Holidays to learn about various ways to manage stress and your life filled relationships, please feel free to give me a call.  CenterPoint Counseling can be there for you to help you navigate the trials and tribulations of life.

Peace to you during stressful times,

P. Scott Sweet, LCSW, LCAC, MSW
CenterPoint Counseling
7700 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN  46260
317.252.5518 office
317.259.5718 fax
ssweet@centerpointcounseling.org

Written by:  Dr. David Chaddock

The holiday season has come again.  This is a time of joy and celebration.  It’s a time when we renew our hopes and dreams about our relationships and future.  But too often, the holiday season is also a time of greater stress, loneliness and grief.  Roughly 80% of respondents in a recent poll described this time of year as “mostly” or “very” stressful.  Unfortunately, the stress of the season often makes it difficult to truly celebrate the season or focus on the Love of God, as expressed through the birth of Jesus.

As we begin this holiday season, let us remember these tips so we can pursue the deeper meaning of Christ’s presence in our lives.

 Tips for the Holidays

1. Focus Your Commitments:  Most of us live very busy lives and the holidays can double the number of items on our “To Do” list.  Before the season even starts, try to identify the activities and events you want to complete or attend and make your plans.  With these important items planned, you may feel freer to say “yes” or “no” to other opportunities, based on your commitments.  When you schedule the commitments that are most important to you, the holiday season seems more manageable and meaningful.

2. Keep Things Simple:  The holidays are sometimes described as “too much of a good thing.”  Too often, the holidays become a time when we feel frazzled, stressed and overwhelmed.  We become worn out by trying to do too much.  Whenever possible, try to limit the shopping, parties, cards and gifts and focus on a simpler holiday, with more time for relating to loved ones and reflection. 

3. Don’t Go to Excess:  The holiday season can be a time of excess.  Too often, we eat too much, drink too much and spend too much.  All three of these can lead to problems in the coming year.  The holidays were never intended to be a season resulting in weight gain, memories of embarrassing behaviors or more bills to pay.  Try to limit your excesses and not consume too much this year. 

4. Be Wise with Your Relationships:  The holidays are a time when we think about our relationships.  Sometimes we are concerned about spending time with friends and family, especially when there have been problems in the past.  Sometimes, the holidays cause us to remember those who are no longer in our lives due to death, divorce or distance.  Sometimes we are anxious about simply being out of our normal relational routines.  If you feel there is “too much togetherness” with family and friends, find ways to get some space.  Take a walk, a nap or make a Starbuck’s run.  If you feel like there’s “not enough togetherness”, look for ways to get involved with others.  Volunteer at church, in the community or help out with planning the company party.  When we help others, especially during the holidays, we often discover our own loneliness is relieved.

5. Ask for Help:  You may find the holiday season especially hard this year.  Perhaps it’s been a difficult year because of work, a death or conflict with your family.  Perhaps the holidays just bring up too many painful memories.  Whatever the reason, know that help is available.  Contact the Pastoral Care office at 253-6461 or CenterPoint Counseling at 252-5518, if you want to talk with someone.  The holiday season is a great time to ask for help.

Try to remember that the holidays are a time to renew and deepen our faith in Jesus.  As we remember the coming of the Christ Child, we can celebrate the love of God and experience the joy that comes through this Season of Hope.

by: David Chaddock

Welcome to the Christmas and New Year’s Season!  The Holiday Season can be a time of hope and joy, but for many, the holidays are a time of stress, loneliness and grief.  A recent study found that 80% of respondents described the holidays as “mostly” or “very” stressful.  As we start the Holidays, it may help to follow these tips so we can focus on Christ’s presence in our lives this Season.

How can we manage this Holiday Stress?

• Doing Too Much – As the saying goes, “All things in moderation.”  One problem in the holiday season is that it’s too much of a good thing.  Too much of anything leaves us feeling overwhelmed, frazzled and worn out.  Try to limit the shopping, parties, cards, and gifts and focus on simplicity.
• Eating, Drinking and Spending Too Much – It’s fun to eat, drink, and be merry, but not to “excess”.  The temptation to over eat, drink and spend can lead to weight gain, memories of embarrassing behaviors, and debt.  These problems can linger long beyond this Holiday Season.  Be mindful this year about not consuming too much.
• Too Much Togetherness – The holidays can be a fun time when we gather with extended family.  While this can be a wonderful thing, anything that moves us out of our normal routines adds stress to our lives.  With our families, we sometimes fall back into “old family roles” or just lose some of our privacy which can be stressful.  Try to keep regular routines and schedule time apart, while still enjoying time together.  Take a walk if you need some space from the family gathering.
• Not Enough Togetherness -  Sometimes we can feel really alone and isolated when it seems the rest of the world is gathering for gala events and parties.  Whether we are away from family or have lost a love one, try to find ways to connect with others.  Volunteer at church or in the community.  Helping others will help relieve some of the loneliness we may feel.
• Finding Help When the Stress is Too High – You may find the Holiday Season especially difficult for one reason or another.  Perhaps you are grieving a loved one, or time with your family was upsetting, or this season carries painful memories.  Know that help is available.  Contact the Pastoral Care office at 253-6461or call CenterPoint Counseling at 252-5518 to schedule time with one of our counselors.

Try to stay focused on the Reason for the Season and watch for the coming of the Christ Child in a new way this year.  Calming your mind and meditating on Jesus’ birth may be the best way to add meaning and perspective to your holiday celebrations this year.

If you find that this is your first holiday newly divorced, it is important to recognize that the holidays will not be the same. Even though you may do the same things, someone is missing. It may be an opportunity to create new traditions by celebrating all you can from the old- but in a new way. Another way to help manage the holidays is to break them into time periods in your mind so you don’t deal with them all at once. Take them one day at a time and one holiday at a time.

You may be stressed and sad about the things you will no longer be doing. When you grieve the losses from your divorce, give yourself a set time limit to cry and feel sad, then go on to other things. This may be hard, but you can do it. When the holiday is over, try to dwell on the positive parts of it.

Keep the future in mind. Remind yourself that you will recover and have high hopes about the next year. If you need further support, join a divorce or grief recovery group like New Day or Turning Point.