Here at HeadGym we get asked a lot about how to deal with stressful situations.

Of course, there’s not one ‘right’ answer as everyone responds to things in different ways. But the key to trying to tackle stress is to understand why you’re feeling that way in the first place.

More often than not, stress starts as anxiety or worry before an event or experience. Most people will have experienced these emotions before an exam, interview, presentation or their first day at a new job.

The common denominator in these situations (and many more that you could consider stressful) is uncertainty.

Uncertainty leads to worry, worry can lead to anxiety or stress and then if it’s not tackled it can even result in depression.

In a situation where you don’t know what’s going to happen, your mind will look to find ‘certainty’ by going through the potential outcomes.

It runs a ‘film show’ of possible events and outcomes which haven’t yet happened (and often we’ll let our minds go to quite a negative place rather than a positive one when imagining these scenarios).

Having these thoughts over and over means you may have decided something’s going to go badly before you’ve even started it. Physically it can cause effects such as nausea, sweating and headaches.

By this point your head’s spinning and you haven’t even started your stressful day yet.

So it’s clear that to deal with stress, we have to go right back to before the event and put some tactics in place to stop the feelings escalating.

Some of our top stress-busting tips, which you should be putting in place before you even notice worry or anxiety creeping in, are:

• Practice meditation and mindfulness on a regular basis
• Limit the uncertainty where possible
• Exercise
• Eat healthily
• Recognise that feeling an element of stress is normal some stress is good and is there to help you ‘fight or flight’
• Focus on the positive on a daily basis
• Appreciate what you have and are

To really maximise the benefits, make all of the above a habit rather than a one-off. It can also help to have the support of a coach to expand and develop some of these strategies, which is where HeadGym comes in.

Ultimately it’s important to remember nobody makes us feel anything, while stress can be attributed to the actions of somebody else, all of the feelings we have are ours and are created in our own heads. This means we have the power to eradicate them!

To find out more about HeadGym and receive free offers drop us a line. 

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The post Top tips for stress appeared first on Headgym.

HeadGym clients have been using the STOP technique to help in many different ways, from changing language and dealing with negative thoughts to changing behaviours and habits.

This week one person used it as a technique for dealing with pain, while receiving an exploratory medical procedure they found themselves thinking about the treatment over and over and feeling more and more anxious. Realising what they were doing they used the STOP technique to distract themselves and change focus, they told me that once they did this “the time flew by”.

I  have also  been  working with a client on the HeadGym goals process who used the STOP technique and had eliminated the word TRY; many clients have picked this as one of the words they wish to change and found that in doing so they have made some great progress.

My client said “this is just like Yoda from the Empire Strikes Back” I mentioned that I had never seen the film and had no idea what they were talking about (the shame!). I went and looked at the clip and may even watch the film now.

HeadGym helps people help themselves

This is the clip below Luke is trying to raise a ship from the swamp.

Read the previous HeadGym blog and have a go at the STOP technique.

Swap a Try for a Do and see what happens.  Raise your ship!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eExL1VLkQYk

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The most profitable investment is the one you’re making to your own health. Do not miss your chance to get stronger, healthier, self-confident and tons of positive energy! Sign up to the Headgym to build yourself esteem!

The post Look who I met on the yellow brick road appeared first on Headgym.

DON’T LIMIT YOUR CHALLENGES CHALLENGE YOUR LIMITS

Each week HeadGym will be posting a series of tips to help create positive changes and  maintain a healthy mind; they are simple and easy to use I wont be hitting you with psychobabble but I will be providing proven strategies that really work, all you have to do is use them and see what happens. There will be tasks and challenges it is up to you perhaps this could be a “time to change” for you.

Remember:

Do nothing and nothing will happen

Do the same thing you get the same results

Do something different get different results

This week you get two tips in one the first tip is based on words and is really simple to do but you may be surprised at the results, remember the saying; there is no such word as can’t, it was my teachers favorite quote. I thought about that saying and adopted my own strategy loosely based on it and have been using it with clients for the last few years, it has proven to be one of the simplest and most powerful tools you can use.

The key is in the doing! things will start to change if you do the work and keep doing it!

THE CHALLENGE

For one week stop using 3 negative words and replace them with a positive, think of words you use often do this even if you only think the word and don’t say it.

Tip number two use the HeadGym STOP technique get a visual image of the stop sign in your head each time you think or say a word use this to instigate your change, shout the word in your head if it helps! make it vivid and bright you can even use sounds or songs. Here are a few suggestions STOP (Sam Brown), STOP in the name of love (The Supremes), STOP right now (Spice Girls)

Can’t to Can

Don’t to Do

Stressed to Calm

Depressed to Happy

As you complete this exercise notice what happens you might be surprised!

Look out for the next HeadGym post.

 This video may help with the process:

For more information or for a free session contact me below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpomdqrYd9g

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The most profitable investment is the one you’re making to your own health. Do not miss your chance to get stronger, healthier, self-confident and tons of positive energy! Sign up to the Headgym to build yourself esteem!

The post The STOP technique part 1 appeared first on Headgym.