Energy Drains Create Stress; Try This Instead

Stressed woman pulling her hair — Are you out of energy and stressed?

All of us are subject to various energy drains from time to time. Review the list below to determine which eare sapping your vitality and positive outlook. The good news is you can change your behavior and your actions to support yourself and your energy.

• Negative people. You are the result of the 5 people you spend the most time with. They impact your energy levels. Avoid complainers, Debbie Downers and bad news mongers.

• Incompletions. Projects you have left 1/2 finished, books half read, newspapers and magazines opened but not finished. All of those are sapping your energy. Here’s what to do about it: https://firedupnow.com/could-your-incompletions-be-stressing-you-out/

• Lack of sleep. You need 7 hours a night or you are at a cognitive disadvantage.

• Sugar Check the research out yourself- sugar is terrible for you and contributes to cancer, diabetes, weight gain and so much more. That candy bar you eat at 2:00 will crash you at 3:00. Avoid it and boost your energy.

• Dehydration– 40% of North Americans are dehydrated. Drink 10-12 glasses
of pure water a day, more if you drink soda, coffee or tea. A 5% drop in hydration means a 25% drop in energy.

• Sitting and lethargy Many people are now sitting for over 9 hours a day.
(Which is why I am writing this from my stand up desk!) Get up every hour and move around, Get exercise every day. Walk frequently, take the stairs.
For more on sitting, go here: https://firedupnow.com/why-sitting-is-so-bad-for-you/

You make the choices as to who to spend time with, what to put in your body and how much to move. You can be energetic and Fired Up! starting now.

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Your Worst Enemy Could Be You!

“Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they’re yours.”
Richard Bach

75-85% of those most of our daily thoughts are negative. We judge ourselves severely, we think we should do it better, we compare ourselves to others and find fault with ourselves. Oprah said, “Comparison is violence against oneself.” Powerful!
In her book, Your Body Believes Every Word You Say, Barbara Levine shows that a simple statement like “so and so is a pain in the neck” can create shoulder and neck pain quickly. Pay attention to your self-talk and make it positive.

How to Handle Negative Self-Talk

• Awareness is key Ask this question and write down all the answers that show up: “I can’t be totally successful right now because…” Don’t censor yourself. Write down everything that shows up, no matter how silly. Now go back and examine each one of those reasons. Most of them have no basis in reality. None of your reasons are good enough to stop you. Now
draw an X through them right now. Say to yourself “These are not true.”
And when you find yourself thinking them, say “STOP” and put in a positive statement in place instead. You can retrain your brain. Do it.

• Make a strengths inventory. Several great books help you discover your strengths, including Strengths Finder. (And several free surveys on the Internet.) Find out what your unique talents and gifts are and work on developing those. Gallup’s research on millions of professionals shows that those people who develop their strengths and not their weaknesses become the most successful.

• Feed your mind with positive nutrition. Read uplifting books, magazines like Success Magazine, listen to audios, watch inspiring videos on youtube. Ignore the negativity out there; good things happen every day. Change the channel when something disturbs you. Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want.

You are far more powerful, talented and wise than you think you are.

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Feed Your Brain Right

A Healthy Brain Impacts Everything

Believe it or not, your brain is key to everything you do. Your body couldn’t function without your brain, your decisions, communication and life choices couldn’t happen without your brain. You can’t be truly happy or Fired Up! without a healthy brain. And your brain has everything to do with stress. Worry, anxiety, fear, sleeplessness- all related to our brains. We take our brain for granted and Dr. Daniel Amen, brain specialist, says that’s a big mistake. Here’s some food for thought:

• the more you weigh, the smaller and less effective your brain– yikes!

• damage to the front of your brain hurts decision-making for the rest of your life, so that’s why helmets for skiers, bikers, etc are so critical for both adults and children

• less than 7 hours of sleep means low blood flow to the brain: you can’t think right. Get at least 7 hours!

Stress Tip: Feed Your Brain the Right Activities & Food

You already know that ice cream, processed foods, sugary white foods are bad for you,
on so many levels. They impact the way you handle stress, they impact your energy and blood sugar levels. You can’t be motivated and happy with a poor diet. Brain food is a healthy diet:

• lots of raw fruits and vegetables
• small protein meals throughout the day
• nuts and protein snacks at afternoon meetings to improve mental clarity.

Low blood sugar = poor decision-making.

Exercise is important, but include weight training twice a week. The stronger you are as you age, the healthier your mind. And do coordination exercises each week- ping pond, tennis, dancing are all great.

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Sugar is my Nemesis- How about you?

I can’t be trusted around sugar. I know this about myself. Because I eat it. Even though I know better. So I never have it in the house. If it’s there, I eat it.

There are so many reasons why sugar is bad for you. Try reading Sugar Blues, which I did decades ago when I switched to stevia and stopped eating double-stuffed oreos.® (Sigh…I miss them.)

According to a recent article in Prevention, people with heavy sugar intake have a 58% higher risk of depression. Sugar weakens your skin and causes wrinkles, damages your kidneys, creates inflammation and can make arthritis much worse. Not to mention how it contributes to obesity and disease.

I had been doing so well for several weeks (after Christmas) and then I decided to throw a surprise birthday party for one of my best friends. This, of course, meant I had to bake her a cake, and I did. Not one but two cakes, since she told me she loved banana cake as well as chocolate. (Look it up- very similar to banana bread with icing.)

And that was my downfall. Because when I iced the cakes, some icing got on my fingers. And when we sang happy birthday and she blew out her candles, I cut the cake. I had to have some myself just to be polite. (LOL) They were good- wayyyyyy too good. So this morning I sent most of the chocolate cake off to work with my husband, where I thought he might give it away (although I knew better. He has the same addiction I do.)

I kept one piece for me to enjoy and savor. I threw the excess icing in the trash so I could not get to it. And after being out on the road all day, seeing clients, preparing for a speech, coaching a great lady, I came home to that piece of cake. And I savored it.

And tomorrow as I look at my swollen stomach, which has now pooched out in front by several inches, I will no longer eat the sugar. I will return to my normally healthy eating habits of organic food, fruits and veggies and protein. What can I say…I’m only human and I’m working on it. I forgive myself and move on. What about you? What are your guilty secrets?

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Get Happy in the Dirt

Gardening Increases Your Happiness

We’ve long known that being outside in nature lifts your spirits. But a study from the University of Bristol, England, shows that actually getting your hands in the soil, gardening and breathing the dirt may be another way to lift your spirits. A bacteria commonly found in soil produces effects similar to antidepressant drugs.

The harmless bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, helps release serotonin in the brain. Serotonin deficiencies cause depression.

Gardeners Are Among the Happiest with their Work

Interestingly, in a related study, more than 80% of florists and gardeners feel their work is useful and worthwhile, and they feel appreciated for what they do. They are among those happiest with their careers, according to a survey by City and Guilds.

So plant some bulbs, remove some weeds, and spend a little time in your garden, and you feel happier. Who knew?

If you would like to learn more ways to be happy, check out my free webinar Sept 24
Find Your Happiness and Grow Your Profits https://firedupnow.com/happyclass/

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Asking For Help is Smart

Don’t Deny Others the Chance to Assist

Recently, I heard from a friend in the hospital who is critically ill. She had been there for 5 days and was calling to let me know. I was so grateful to know what was going on, to be able to pray for her and check on her. I only wish she had let me know sooner. Another dear friend recently learned he has cancer, but reached out to me weeks after the diagnosis. Those are weeks I could have been there for him, helping him sort through solutions, fear and pain.

Most of us have a tendency to put others first, and to not ask for help. And that’s a mistake. Martyring ourselves by saying we don’t want to bother others or trouble them denies us the gifts of love and support. We also deserve help, especially in difficult times.

Some people prefer to go off and isolate themselves while they figure things out,
and I respect that. However, isolation can lead to depression and negative thinking, at a time when loved ones could provide compassion and understanding. Scientists have shown that reaching out to other people during a stressful event is an effective way to improve your outlook. So your perspective could improve dramatically.

You never know- you might get some great solutions to problems you are having, connecting you with valuable resources you never knew existed. Share your life, share with your loved ones, and allow yourself to be supported. You are worthy of it.

To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, please go to: https://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html

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The Absolute Best Stress Reliever

The #1 Stress Reliever: Fun Exercise

We all know exercise is important, and truly all the research points to exercise as the best panacea for relieving stress, extending life, removing toxins from your body and preventing serious diseases like obesity and diabetes. The key to sticking with exercise is to make it FUN and find a way to squeeze it into your day.

For my husband and me, the big three are salsa dancing, bicycling, andyoga. And when we don’t have time for anything else, walking for 15 minutes will do.

How to Fit Exercise Into Your Busy Day

I recently started a short-term consulting project that takes most of my day, and it means my healthy habits have been pushed aside for meetings, etc. I’ve been trying to incorporate more exercise into these busy days and here’s what I have learned so far:

– take the stairs whenever possible

– park far away from the entrance to increase your walking

– get up every hour from sitting (sitting too long is sooooo bad for you)

– go to bed earlier and do an exercise video before work; often it is 20 min of yoga

– take a long walk at lunch time

– find an exercise class at lunch or early morning.

(And if I plan ahead and take a healthy lunch to work, I am less likely to eat the wrong things.)

What do you do to sneak exercise into your life? Love to hear from you – please share any suggestions you may have. Email them to me at orders@firedupnow.com and with your permission, I will share them in future posts.

To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, go to: https://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html

Eat Walnuts and Eggs to Prevent Depression

Stop Depression Naturally Through The Right Foods

The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, depression will be second only to heart disease as a worldwide health issue. 38% of women who experience depression have low folic acid. Eggs “contain the highest-quality food protein known to mankind….egg protein is often the standard by which all other proteins are judged,” says dietitian Carolyn Snyder of the Cleveland Clinic.

Harvard Science Review published a study by McClean Behavioral Genetics Laboratory citing that walnuts are powerful antidepressants. (Molasses and beets also work.) So increase your intake of both eggs and walnuts to boost your mood and improve your stress. (Always consult your doctor first.)

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Two Things That Shorten Your Life

Stop Sitting So Much & Cut Down on TV

According to an article in US Today, if you spent less than 3 hours a day sitting, it would add 2 years to your life. And if you reduced your TV watching to less than to 2 hours a day, you could add another 1.4 years to your life. Sitting is linked to diabetes, heart disease and stroke. About half of the US reports sitting for 6 or more hours a day and 65% spend more than 2 hours a day watching TV.

New research presented at the American Institute for Cancer Research Conference reported that sedentary behavior is linked to breast and colon cancer. Being sedentary (sitting) for long periods of time without moving increases inflammation (a leading cause of disease.)

The solution: set a timer for every hour. Get up, move, walk around, look at nature, drink 8 ounces of clean water and connect with another human being. It could make a huge difference to your health.

More Vacation Days = Better Productivity

More Time Off Means Better, Happier, Healthier Workers

Did you know that if women aged 45-64 took two weeks of vacation a year, they would cut the incidence of heart attacks in half! That’s right, the simple act of going on vacation can save your life. (Boston College study)

According to Expedia, 34% of employed Americans return from vacation feeling better about their jobs and are even more productive. 53% say they come back feeling rested and rejuvenated.

At Red Frog, the CEO gives his employees unlimited time off. That’s right- unlimited time off. And it’s never abused or taken for granted. Because more time off means greater productivity. You have time to recharge and renew; creativity abounds and you return to work with a good attitude, ready to take on challenges.

In 2011, 70% did not take all their allotted vacation time. Managers: take note- this is not a good idea. Encourage your people to take all their time off, and consider giving them more. You may just find you have even greater success and better results.

 ©2012 Snowden McFall All Rights Reserved. No duplication 
or reprinting without permission and author reference

To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, go to: https://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html