Jonathan and I couldn't figure out why Fort Worth is more laid back (could be the margaritas at Joe. T. Garcia's) but we both know it has a lot to do with stress and how folks handle it.
Since stress affects everybody, I asked Lauren E. Miller, stress-relief expert and author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Stressing Out! to share some tips with us (and those Type-A folks in Dallas) and she graciously accepted.
Top Three Things to Know Before Stressing Out
Lauren E. Miller
According to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, stress and anxiety are estimated to affect well over 19 million Americans. Believe it or not, your stress flows directly from your thought life. Any time you perceive a situation as a potential threat to your safety or connection with others your stress hormone begins to soar. Your thoughts form your choices, how you respond to the world around you. Your choices form your life.
You walk around missing vital pieces of information that you delete or distort because they do not fit with the structure of reality you have created for yourself throughout your lifetime. The problem comes when these views of reality are real representations of life.
For example, if you've created a structure based on "Nothing ever works out for me!" then know that you will tune into everything that backs up that belief. Your thoughts create what you tune into so choose wisely. You are not a victim in this process unless you choose to be. It is very empowering to know that you can choose how you want to view circumstances in life: as a burden to be endured or an opportunity for learning and growth."
I recommend taking to heart Henry Ford's famous quote: "Whether you think you can, or you can't, you are usually right."
3 Tips to Relieve Stress
1. Practice Perception
Observe statements or responses to life that do not serve your sense of well being and inner peace. Become curious as to what pieces of information you might be deleting -- that if recovered -- would help expand your options. The more options you can create, the less stress you will experience.
2. Remove Universal Quantifiers
They'll keep you stressed out and stuck in a belief system that doesn't flow with the growth of life around you, e.g., nothing ever works out for me; nobody cares; everyone is against me; I never get noticed or appreciated; everyone gets acknowledged over me.
3. Tune into the Positive in Life
Focus on what's working out for you, what is beautiful, good, right and true in this world. You are in charge of your thoughts -- your thoughts are not in charge of you.
About the Author
Lauren E. Miller is author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Stressing Out! and has received national recognition in Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, CNBC, Lifetime and The Discovery Channel. Her book is a treasury of stress relief wisdom and insight and is also an intense story of her own private journey through major crisis. In less than two years, Lauren experienced a divorce, double mastectomy, 16 chemotherapy treatments, an additional year of chemo, 6 weeks of daily radiation, 12 surgeries, third degree burns, skin grafts and a staph infection that spread throughout her body.
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
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