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Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 308

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 477

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 478

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 479

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 480

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 592

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 593

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 594

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 595

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 609

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 610

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 611

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 612

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 592

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 593

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 594

Warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected the timezone 'UTC' for now, but please set date.timezone to select your timezone. in /home/frank73/public_html/bgolden.com/stress-rss2html.php on line 595
Remove your stress with this helpful information!
Courtesy of FacilitarotGuy at BGolden.com, Columbus Ohio!

Rebuild Your Life!
Posted on 06/01/2014 04:59 AM
Because June is 'Rebuild Your Life Month', there's no better time than now to take a look at your life and the stressors in it, and make some changes!

It's true that much of our experience of stress lies in how we look at things--threat vs. challenge, external vs. internal locus of control, half-empty or half-full. However, if we have to many stressors in our lives--situations that routinely trigger the stress response--it may take constant effort to recover physically and emotionally from the body's stress reaction; it just makes sense to eliminate some of the situations that cause stress (whenever possible), and add restorative habits and regular activities that reduce our stress levels.

Where to begin? If you're experiencing a lot of stress in a certain area of your life, that situation will probably pop right into your mind without much work. However, stress does generalize, meaning, if you're feeling a lot of stress at your job, for example, you'll feel more stressed at home, too; if you're feeling a lot of stress in one of your important relationships, you may be less resilient to stress you face in other relationships or in other areas of your life. Thus, if you're feeling stress in a few areas of life, it may be difficult to know where all the stress is coming from; it may just feel like it's coming from all sides!

If you're not sure where to begin with the changes you can make in your life, the Lifestyle Stress Quiz can help you examine different areas of your life to determine which areas are stressing you the most, and find resources to help.

The following resources can also give you a good start in relieving stress in your lifestyle, and move you along the path of rebuilding your life for the better!

Lifestyle Stress Relief Resources:

• Set Priorities
  If you find yourself too busy and would like to make more time in your schedule for the things that matter the most (including stress relief habits!), here's a resource that will help you know where to pare down.

• Manage Job Stress
  Don't love your job, but can't quit? Here are some ways to make your current job less stressful, more satisfying, and less likely to lead to burnout.

• Deal With Conflict
  Having conflict in your life can damage your health and happiness. Resolving conflict without making things worse is key! Here are some healthy conflict resolution strategies you should know about, which can help you cut down on relationship stress.

• Financial Stress Relief
  With many people in a place of financial crisis, money stress is one of the biggies. Here's how to handle a financial crisis, if you're faced with one.

• Cull Clutter
  Yes, clutter can actually be a stressor! Think about it: being surrounded by clutter can subtly drain you of energy, day in and day out. While it may not be easy to go from slob to neatnik (and, as one for whom neatness does not come naturally, I speak from experience!), there are steps you can take to keep your level of clutter at a point you can live with, or maybe even a little better! Read about clutter and de-cluttering here, and take some steps toward order today.

• Add Healthy Habits
  It's important to take care of yourself--you'll live longer, be happier, and feel less stressed. Simply put, a well-cared-for body is less reactive to stress. Here are some self-care strategies and healthy lifestyle habits you can adopt that will cut down on stress in your life.

• Change Your Attitude!
  What you say to yourself about things that happen in your life has a lot to do with how you experience your life. In other words, your attitude matters--it can create or eliminate stress to a great extent! Learn more about how to change your thinking style to change your stress levels.

What are your biggest stressors? Share your answer in this Reader Response article about causes of stress, or add to the comments section. Also, you can see what healthy lifestyle changes have helped other readers the most!

Rebuild Your Life! originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Sunday, June 1st, 2014 at 04:59:18.

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Trick Yourself Into Feeling Less Stressed
Posted on 06/01/2014 01:25 AM
One of my favorite discoveries from the field of psychology is that behaving a certain way can actually make us feel a certain way. During times of stress, I often think of the fact that putting a smile on your face--even a fake smile--can lead to a better mood and, in turn, a real smile. My friend Elizabeth (yes, a name twin) tends to put on wild and colorful outfits when she's feeling down, and by noon her mood has often begun to match the brightness of her ensemble. (She told me this the other day when I found her wearing head-to-toe turquoise accents.) New research points to another action we can take to relieve stress and improve our mood: posture!

If you find yourself slumping over your desk and wondering if your work is good enough, pay particular attention: researchers from Ohio State University have found that people who were told to sit up straight in their chairs were more likely to believe thoughts that they were writing down about how qualified for a job they were--they had greater confidence in their own thoughts. The results show how our body posture can affect not only how others perceive us, but also how we perceive ourselves, said Richard Petty, co-author of the study and professor of psychology at the University.

"Most of us were taught that sitting up straight gives a good impression to other people," Petty said in a press release. "But it turns out that our posture can also affect how we think about ourselves. If you sit up straight, you end up convincing yourself by the posture you're in."

The study, which appeared in the October issue of the European Journal of Social Psychology, included 71 students who were instructed to either "sit up straight" and "push out [their] chest]" or "sit slouched forward" with their "face looking at [their] knees" while typing at a computer. Students then were told to list either three positive or three negative personal traits relating to future professional performance on the job. After completing this task, the students took a survey in which they rated themselves on how well they would do as a future professional employee.

The end result of this was that when students wrote positive thoughts about themselves, they rated themselves more highly when in the upright than the slouched posture because the upright posture led to confidence in the positive thoughts. However, when students wrote negative thoughts about themselves, they rated themselves more negatively in the upright than the slouched posture because the upright posture led to more confidence in their negative thoughts.

This research speaks to the very real influence of body language on stress levels--sometimes we feel stressed and tend to tense up, slouch, and hunch over, not realizing that this not only leads to more shallow breathing, but to feeling less confident on a job (read: more stressed). It can also impact the effect positive affirmations have on you--do you believe yourself when you write them down, and how is that belief related to the effectiveness of the affirmations and the level of your stress?

As you're reading this, and throughout the day, I'd like you to become more aware of how you're holding your body. Sit up straight if you're slouching. Relax your shoulders if you find them tensed. Breathe from your belly if you realize your breathing is shallow and constricted (try these breathing exercises). And smile!

Does that make a difference?

Related Resources from Elizabeth Scott

• Smile!

• Talk Yourself Out Of Stress

• Positive Affirmations: How They're Done

• Breathing Exercises

• Yoga and Stress Management

Trick Yourself Into Feeling Less Stressed originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Sunday, June 1st, 2014 at 01:25:14.

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30 Random Pianos + Regular People = Happiness?
Posted on 05/31/2014 06:23 PM

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I once saw a very interesting piece from CBS News (embedded above) that tells of a project that one very optimistic and enterprising soul named Colette Hiller decided to take on: scattering 30 pianos in random public places around London. Their puropse? To inspire impromptu public sing-alongs among strangers. The goal? To foster goodwill and social bonding among the people in the city, who may need a pick-me-up because of the recession and other real-world stressors.

It may sound like a lot of work and expense to procure 30 pianos, secure them in various locations, and protect them from the weather, all while complying with city ordinances and filing appropriate paperwork. It was. But the effect seems to be a great success: people around the city, people who otherwise tend to keep to themselves, shared music and goodwill, and found their days becoming a little brighter.

I'm sharing this story with you because it makes me smile, and because we can learn something from this project, even if we don't have real-life access to ransom public pianos:

1. Music really can be a pick-me-up, and can brighten your day. (Read more about the benefits of music.)

2. Feeling connected to others can also brighten your day. It's worth going outside of yourself to connect with others, even if they're strangers. (Read more about the reasons to smile at others.)

3. The 'Random Acts of Kindness' movement is still alive, and still bringing happiness to people. It's worth going through some effort to bring extra happiness to someone's day--that can bring happiness to yours as well! (Read more about the benefits of altruism.)

4. Happiness is contagious. (Read about shortcuts to happiness.)

Obviously, scattering a bunch of free pianos around town is a serious undertaking, and is a rare enough act to make international news. However, kind acts are performed every day, by all types of people, and they count, too. What nice things have you done to help others? What nice things have others done to put a smile on your face? Share your 'Acts of Kindness' stories here in the comments--you'll make many people smile!

_{Like this post? Want to use it to start a discussion with your friends? Pass it on!}

30 Random Pianos + Regular People = Happiness? originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Saturday, May 31st, 2014 at 18:23:39.

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