Stress Management: Problem Land or Solution Land
In my experience, most of us spend a lot more time living in problem land, griping and complaining, than we do in solution land, working hard and enjoying solving problems. It's almost become a national past time. Just check out a talk show or a self help book. Almost all the time and space is spent describing, giving examples, and complaining about the problem, with, if we're lucky, only a glimpse at possible solutions. Drives me nuts. Having said all that, let's look at some signs and symptoms of problem land and some signs and solutions for solution land. How to Live in Problem Land Complain. A lot. Raise it to an art form. When something goes wrong, immediately look for someone to blame. A cousin to the one above, when something goes wrong, take no responsibility for changing things. Keep a working list of all offenses ever done to you, and bring them up when anything bad happens. Spend 95% of your time focusing on and complaining about the problem, and only 5% on working toward a solution. This my biggest gripe with most self-help books. Make lots of disempowering, self-defeating statements, such as:
"This isn't fair."
"This shouldn't be happening"
"This isn't my fault" Follow this up with disempowering, self-defeating questions, such as:
"Why is the world out to get me?"
"Why doesn't God like me?" Or as Rabbit says in Winnie the Pooh, "Why does this always happen to me? Why, oh why, oh why?" All of above factors keep your focus on the problem instead of the solution. At best, you may be able to get someone to feel sorry for you, and at worst, you stay stuck in the problem. How to Live in Solution Land Number one rule. When problems arise (and they will), look for solutions. In the movie "Rising Sun", actor Sean Connery has this great line, "In America, when something goes wrong, we look for someone to blame. In Japan, when something goes wrong, they look for solutions." Consider this quote from Richard Bach, author of "Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah.": "There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in it's hands. We seek problems because we need their gifts." Ask questions that lead to action, such as:
"How can I make this work for me?"
"What might be the gift for me in this problem?" Spend no more that 5% of your time and energy complaining about the problem, and 95% of your time and energy creatively solving the problem. Consider these solutions oriented questions from motivational expert Tony Robbins: What's not perfect yet? What's good about this problem? If you can't think of anything good, ask "If there was something good about this, what would it be?"
What am I willing to do to solve this problem? What am I willing to no longer do to solve this problem? What actions can I take that will help me solve this problem and enjoy the process? "There is a time in the life of every problem when it is big enough to notice and small enough to solve quickly." Attack problems early and head on, before they have a chance to grow. I'll close with a fantastic quote from W. Mitchell, one to live by: "It's not what happens to us in life that makes the difference. It's what we do about it." In other words, we have the power of choice. Problem land or solution land, which will it be for you? Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.
   
MORE RESOURCES:
Princess Cruises unveils yoga for kidsUSA Today - 7 hours agoStill, yoga for kids? That's the Big New Thing this week at Princess Cruises, which announced it is rolling out what it bills as the industry's first yoga ... |
YMCA yoga class begins at Camp YomechasMiddleboro Gazette, MA - 3 hours agoMIDDLEBORO — The YMCA's Fall I 2008 session of yoga begins Thursday, Sept. 11. A new meditation class will be offered from 6-7 pm, and All Levels Yoga ... |
Yoga classes offered in SalisburyBethany Beach Wave, DE - 3 hours agoThe Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Salisbury is located at 2812 Old Ocean City Rd. A lunchtime yoga class is held Wednesdays at noon at Salisbury ... |
Downward dogsCalgary Herald, Canada - 6 hours agoJessica Beck is her 30-year-old owner and a Calgary-based yoga teacher about to launch a class for dog owners and their dogs with Patricia Kopec, ... |
Share this article:Desert Valley Times, UT - 7 hours agoOngoing basic yoga at 9:45 am Friday. Open to active adults 60 and older. Beginners welcome. Senior Citizens Center, 489 E. 200 South; $2 for those 60 and ... |
Yoga - Google News
|
 |
 |
 |
RELATED ARTICLES
Entertaining Without Stress
Let's face it. If you are stressed, agitated and flitting about, your guests will be uncomfortable and won't be able to relax.
Stress Management: 5 Questions to Get Crisis to Work for You
Q: Someone told me that the Chinese symbol for crisis means danger and opportunity. I just lost my job, and I see nothing but bad stuff in this.
Three Tips for Forgiveness: A Key Factor in Anger Management
Elizabeth, 32, cried during anger management class as she told how one year ago - her 19-month-old girl was permanently brain-damaged as the result of a medical error at the hospital in which she was delivered.Elizabeth had a legitimate grievance toward the hospital and medical staff, and felt that she could never forgive them for
what she saw as their incompetence.
5 Steps to Stress Relief
Take a moment to think about the week that just passed. Are your first thoughts of long hours at work, driving your kids to every kind of practice imaginable, hurrying to make dinner, clean the house, do laundry, vacuum and wash dishes? Is it any wonder that in today's busy world, more and more women suffer from stress-induced anxiety than ever before?If you often find yourself struggling with the effect stress has on your physical and emotional well-being, follow the following 5 steps to stress relief:1.
Rising to the Top: Overcoming Bad Situations
We've all been there, right? We find ourselves living with the weight of our circumstances growing heavier by the day. We agonize over the "what if" questions and wonder just how we'll ever get out from under the burdens we bear.
Stress Relief - A Backyard Hot Tub Is Your Answer
We all know what it's like coming home from a busy day and needing some fast relaxation and stress relief. Many people choose to reach for that quick drink; but why not soak your stresses away? One of the best ways you can sit outside and enjoy the backyard is to install a hot tub and let the water bring relief from stresses and strains of the day.
Through Stress Comes Kindness
In these times when companies are constantly down-sizing and right-sizing there is always a lot of stress. The stress comes first from the rumors that it may happen, then the actual doomsday when it happens, and then the aftermath of finding out how the company is going to operate.
Stress Relief in Minutes
For those who are suffering from stress, just about the hardest thing to find is stress relief. Stress can often continue itself on its own energy and, as it mounts up upon itself, it builds itself into an absolute mental frenzy.
Anger Management Practice: The Gift of Forgiveness
This anger management Practice draws on the dual wisdom of Aikido and scientific research. "The gift of forgiveness" will help you explore how to change long term anger into a wider range of life affirming emotions.
Stress Management--Getting the Better of the Daily Grind
There are many kinds of daily grinds. In the U.
Why Stress Management Programmes Don't Work
Why Stress Management programmes don't work?It seems that every week there's yet another report telling us how serious the problem of Stress is becoming - how many working days are lost (anything between 6.5 million and 90 million days depending on whose report you read), how much it costs industry, what percentage of workers experience Stress, and so on.
Five Steps to Stress Relief
So, you've recognised that you are suffering from stress and you want to do something about it - congratulations, you are now TWO steps ahead of most people and well on the road to recovery from dis-ease. These five easy steps will get you well on your way and give you some momentum to keep going as well as gearing your systems up for the challenge.
Stress Managment and Mastery: Too Much to Do Stress - Write it Down, Break it Down, Knock it Down
"I've got too much to do, I've just got too much to do!"We have all said it and we have all lived it. I call this particular kind of stress Too Much To Do stress, or TMTD stress.
Stress Management: The Power of a Day
I learned a valuable lesson recently. A short while ago, my mentor coach made this powerful request of me.
Stress Tips
26 ways to minimize and manage the unhealthy effects of stress, anxiety and burnout.No doubt about it - we live in an increasingly competitive and stressful world.
The Physiology of Stress
In the body, the stress response is mediated by the hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary axis, or the HPA-axis for short.When the body perceives stress, the HPA axis, along with the sympathetic nervous system, famous for its "fight of flight" response, are activated together.
Five Tips to De-stress Your Life
I recently received this e-mail message about stress management (author unknown)?------------------------A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.
Quiet Mind; A Powerful Tool That Gives You More Time, Creativity, And Productivity And Takes Just 10
The National Center for health statistics reported that in 1997, doctors made two million diagnoses of "Acute reaction to stress" when patients were seen for check-ups or complaints of headaches, stomach problems, immune system disturbances and some heart problems. These were usually a direct result of chronic stress and overwhelm, patients were trying to do it all with no time just for themselves, the resulting complaints were making it harder to get things done and causing lasting health problems.
3 Kinds of Workplace Stress
Workers across America will tell you that stresslevels are increasing. The demand for anti-depressants is up.
Reduce Stress and Increase Energy with Your Point of View!
Defending your point of view can use up a lot of your precious energy. As much as 90% of our available energy can be used in this way.
|