Outer Stress: Inner Peace

1. Outer Stress: Inner Peace Wellness through Stress Mastery

2. What is your stress number in this moment? 0----------------------------------------------10 no tension panic attack/ or anxiety nervous breakdown

3. Check-In How do I feel right now? (overall) What am I feeling in my body? What is my mind focused on? How am I feeling (emotionally)? What is surrounding me and how is it affecting me? Do I feel spiritually connected?

4. Overview • Stress: What it is and what the acute and chronic effects of stress are on the body. • Causes of stress. • Stress Mastery vs. Stress Management. • The 3 Powers of Stress Mastery. • What resiliency is and how to create it.

5. The Ravages of Stress • Up to 90% of all disease, pain, drug and alcohol abuse, injury and emotional and mental breakdowns are linked to stress. • 80% of workers feel stress on the job and it is the #1 issue they seek help with addressing. • 95% of these stress-related problems can be reduced and prevented.

6. The High Price of Stress Absenteeism Lost productivity Burn-out High rate of turnover Rising healthcare costs The estimated annual cost: $150-300 billion.

7. The Fight or Flight Response The body’s innate survival response to an actual or perceived threat.

8. The Fight or Flight Response

9. Physiological Response Activation of AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM Release of adrenaline and cortisol.

10. Hypothalamus, Pituitary Gland sharp thinking pupils dilate blood pressure, heart rate, breathing blood shunted to muscles increased tension decreased sensitivity to pain increase blood sugar for energy blood clotting stomach acid digestion blood cholesterol & fatty acids for energy

11. Stress Symptoms Headache Stomach pain Anxiety Sleeplessness Teeth-grinding Emotional eating Difficulty concentrating Lethargy Crying spells • Neck aches • Heartburn • Anger • Loss of appetite • Negative attitude • Cold hands • Irritability • Increased smoking or drinking

12. “If your teeth are clenched and your fists are clenched, your lifespan is probably clenched.” - AdabellaRadici

13. Stress-Related Diseases Hypertension Heart Disease Diabetes Obesity Frequent Colds Depression Allergies Fibromyalgia Premature Aging • Insomnia • Digestive Tract Disorders • Infertility • Chronic Pain • Migraine Headaches • PTSD • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome • IBS/Colitis

14. The Fight or Flight Response

15. Stressors • Physical • Trauma/injury • Infections • Heavy exercise • Sugar, food additives, caffeine, alcohol • Psychological • Anxiety • Cognitive distortions • Anticipation • New situations

16. What are three main stressors in your life?

17. The #1 Source of Stress You!

18. How do you create your own stress? • Thoughts • Feelings • Beliefs • Choices Reactions

19. Cognitive Distortions Awfulizing Catastrophizing Negative thinking All or Nothing thinking Jumping to Conclusions Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda Personalization

20. through Stress Mastery Inner Peace

21. Is All Stress Bad? Performance Optimal performance “At the top of your game” fatigue exhaustion breakdown burnout dis-ease -energized -focused -work with ease -improved mood & memory uninterested bored CALM EUSTRESS DISTRESS Level of Stress

22. Homeostasis: Balance An “ideal state” in which a constant internal environment promotes optimal functioning; a condition of internal equilibrium. Recovery time is imperative to guard against stress’ negative effects on the body. Stress tends to be cumulative. There is a declining capacity to return to balance with age.

23. Management vs Mastery • Overeating • Overspending • Dependence on painkillers and sleeping pills • Addiction to gambling, internet, gaming, watching TV • Smoking • Drinking Management oftentimes = Unhealthy coping

24. The Powers of Stress Mastery • Self-Awareness-becoming conscious of your body, thoughts, reactions, and choices. • Self-Care- taking steps toward developing practices and skills for stress reduction and resiliency. • Self-Regulation- regularly monitoring where you are in the process in order to make adjustments.

25. Multi-Dimensional “Self”

26. The 3 Powers in Action

27. Deep Breathing • Increases effectiveness of oxygen circulation. • Increases oxygen to the brain for clearer thinking. • Releases physical and emotional tension and stress. • Activates the immune system by pumping lymphatic fluid. • Enhances immunity by improving elimination of toxins from the body. • Shifts the body from the fight or flight response to the relaxation response.

28. Developing Resiliency Resiliency is the ability to adapt to stressful situations and crises in your life. It is not something that you do or do not have; it exists in varying degrees in everyone. Some of us “roll with the punches” in life better than others. Factors influencing your ability to adapt and demonstrate flexibility when faced with challenges are: age, gender, exposure to trauma, as well as, your level of developed coping skills.

29. Creating Resiliency • Sense of control • Optimistic outlook • Strong support system • Healthy body • Ability to adapt to change • Ability to handle unpleasant emotions and situations • Belief in a higher power • Self-confidence and self-esteem

30. In Summary • We pay a high price for the stress in our lives on many levels, but the good news is that we have the power to change the havoc it wreaks on our lives. • There are many stressors in our life, but the biggest stressor is our reaction to stress through our thoughts, feelings and beliefs. • Key to the process of stress mastery are the 3 Powers: self-awareness, self-care and self-regulation. • Reducing stress and building resiliency are critical to our long-term health and happiness.

31. “Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast…you also miss the sense of where you’re going and why.” - Eddie Canter