Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Info Kesehatan..

Ayurveda merupakan sistem kesehatan dan penyembuhan tradisional yang dipakai sejak ribuan tahun silam di India. Dewasa ini, tak jarang yang memanfaatkan terapi ini untuk diet sehat.

Seperti dikutip dari Times of India, berikut sejumlah rempah yang dianjurkan dalam terapi Ayurveda untuk meraih berat badan ideal.

Kunyit

Campuran kunyit dan asam Jawa dikonsumsi sebagai jamu untuk perawatan tubuh. Asupan secara teratur dapat membantu mengurangi kadar kolesterol jahat, menstabilkan tekanan darah tinggi, meningkatkan sirkulasi darah, mencegah penggumpalan darah, dan mengurangi risiko serangan jantung.

Kunyit umumnya dipakai untuk bumbu kari, gulai, masakan ikan, daging unggas dan sebagainya. Beberapa resep masakan Thailand, Arab, dan Mediteranian juga menggunakan rempah kunyit.

Cabai

Pedas dalam cabe merah memiliki kemampuan merangsang sistem saraf pusat untuk menghasilkan panas dalam tubuh. Kondisi tersebut bisa membuat tubuh membakar kalori dan lemak lebih cepat. Selain itu, menurut studi, The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet, pedasnya cabe merah juga dapat bertindak sebagai penekan nafsu makan.

Studi lain yang diterbitkan 'Journal of Obesitas' juga menemukan, bumbu satu ini mampu meningkat oksidasi lemak dan membantu tubuh untuk mengurangi kelebihan berat badan. Jika tidak suka pedas, jangan khawatir. Menurut penelitian, kemampuan cabe untuk mengurangi nafsu makan sama efektifnya jika bahan itu dicerna dalam bentuk makanan atau kapsul.


Bawang Putih

Bawang putih dapat menurunkan kadar kolesterol serta mengurangi terjadinya pembekuan darah di dalam pembuluh nadi jantung yang menyempit. Ekstrak bawang putih mengandung antioksidan yang bermanfaat untuk melawan oksidasi dari serum lemak.

Madu

Madu sangat dianjurkan bagi mereka yang tengah menjalani program diet pelangsingan tubuh. Tambahkan madu dan lemon dalam segelas air hangat untuk menu sarapan. Madu berperan sebagai pasokan energi tanpa menimbun lemak di tubuh. Rasa manis dari madu bisa menjadi pengganti gula untuk meningkatkan energi.

Daun kari

Berupa tanaman perdu. Daunnya memiliki aroma khas menyengat. Cocok untuk masakan gule dan kari. Memasukkan 8-10 lembar daun ini ke masalan sehari-hari, cukup membantu meluruhkan lemak dan racun dalam tubuh. Daun ini juga bermanfaat mengurangi kadar kolesterol jahat.

Minyak mustard

Banyak dimanfaatkan di India untuk memasak dan pengobatan. Minyak dengan kandungan rendah lemak jenuh ini memiliki efek membersihkan dan meningkatkan sirkulasi darah. Minyak ini juga mengandung antioksidan dan vitamin essensial yang baik bagi kesehatan jantung.


Keep Simple and Impacting The World

My Facebook Group : Manado Community Kingdom of God

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Personal Empowerment in Relationships

Personal empowerment often plays a big role in the quality of your relationships because of the beliefs and behaviors you express in your interactions with others.

If you've ever expected a relationship to somehow "complete" you or make you feel strong or whole, you probably experienced disappointment and frustration as it seemed to cause bigger problems in your life.

There are several reasons why personal empowerment is important in relationships:

1) Other people sense the way you feel about yourself and treat you accordingly.

Have you ever noticed that other people seem to pick up on subtle cues and reflect your own beliefs back to you? For example, if you lack confidence, you'll often find yourself encountering aggressive or intimidating people who seem to exacerbate those feelings. If you don't have a healthy level of respect for yourself, you'll probably encounter plenty of people who don't respect you either.

This is no accident! People tend to sense your inner beliefs based on your demeanor and body language, and gear their behavior to match.

When you're empowered and strong, you communicate that essence to others, and others will treat you as such, resulting in healthier relationships.

2) You'll notice in others the things you dislike about yourself.

Have you ever heard of "projecting"your own perceptions and beliefs onto others? A lack of self-love within yourself will often cause you to believe that others don't love you either. A lack of confidence in yourself will attract people that you struggle to place your confidence in also!

When you are empowered and confident, you'll end up attracting others who both see you that way and embody the same qualities themselves.

3) You'll constantly look to others for reassurance and validation.

When you don't feel empowered or confident, you'll constantly seek reassurance and validation from the people around you. Rather than feeling self-assured, you’ll appear to be needy and insecure, which will place a drain on your relationship and push others away from you.

Remember that empowerment is an inside job! You need to give yourself love, respect and confidence first if you want to also receive it from others.

Fulfilling and satisfying relationships require that both partners are empowered and balanced before entering into them. When you empower yourself from within, you bring a stronger element of genuine love, respect and intimacy to your relationships and stop seeking validation from outside sources. Ultimately, this ensures that your connections with others will be deeper, richer and more meaningful.

© 2007 Maureen Oliver
www.affirmations-for-success.com

Monday, April 13, 2009

Relationship Problem

Whether a relationship is new or has been in existence for many years, things will be constantly changing. Even the strongest of relationships will encounter difficulties now and then, or what may be termed “rocky patches”

It is very important to deal with problems as soon as they occur, leaving them to fester can make things a lot worse.

Couples can find it hard to take responsibility for problems, with each party blaming the other. External factors such as money, employment, and interference from other parties can start to have a negative impact on the relationship. Personal prejudices and deep rooted psychological issues can also be destructive influences.

An unhappy relationship can be brought down further still if one party is unfortunate enough to lose their job or become ill.

If one person becomes involved in substance abuse their change in behavior will create further stress in the relationship. When couples stop talking to each other underlying sexual issues can bring the relationship to breaking point. If neither party is willing to deal with the problems it can lead to infidelity, or even physical abuse towards the other person.

Having to cope with money issues and looking after children can mean there is little time left for a stressed couple to sit down and talk to each other. Sometimes difficult areas are avoided for fear of causing greater tensions. It may seem easier to just carry on with day to day living and ignore the underlying issues.

If you have your suspicions that your relationship is no longer working you are probably right. But if the relationship is still important to you, and especially if there are children involved, you may want to find ways of remedying the situation.

Once you have acknowledged you have a problem you can start to take some action to rectify it. Having acknowledged you have a problem you can seek help and start to move forward.

Whatever problems you are facing it can be a great help to know that someone else has already been through a similar situation. Talking to other people who have gone through their own relationship crises can give you the strength to carry on until you reach a solution.

From : http://www.relationshiphelp.com.au

Sunday, April 12, 2009

50 Universal Truths About Men

  1. Why should I remind you that “I love you?” I already told you once.

  2. I’ll do anything for sex; even commit to you for life.

  3. I Hate arquing with you. I’d much rather find a compromise.

  4. I love long hair. Sorry, but I do.

  5. When you speak softly, I can’t help but listen.

  6. I need to be told “no” sometimes. Not a lot, but every now and again reminds me that you are expensive.

  7. Please don’t ask me how you look unless you’re willing to trust my answer.

  8. My eyes notice other women a lot more when you are upset with me.

  9. When you’re happy with me I can’t help but want to please you.

  10. If I don’t feel I can make you happy, it makes me feel less than a man.

  11. I expect you to be ready when I pick you up.

  12. Cigarettes make any woman look cheap and easy.

  13. I'm scared if I let a woman inside my heart, she'll take advantage of me.

  14. If you can’t stand up to me when I’m a brat, you’re too weak for me to open up to when I’m upset.

  15. Sitting quietly next to me after you’ve made me a meal is your get-out-of-the-doghouse-free ticket. You’ll be surprised how quickly I can forgive.

  16. You did something hurtful. If I never bring it up, I’m considering leaving you.

  17. I don’t read minds. Remember, I’m not a woman.

  18. You may know fashion, but I wish you’d dress to please me, not other women.

  19. If I’m losing my hair, it’s not funny. Would you like me to joke about your weight?

  20. When I talk to you about golf and you act bored, it would be nice for you to remember all the times I’ve listened to you talk about what is important to you.

  21. The woman I love is easy to please. She appreciates the effort I put into making her happy, even if I get the details wrong.

  22. You look hot in a dress.

  23. I hate being told what to do when I don't ask for help. It makes me feel like you're my mother.

  24. If you sleep over, I might eventually marry you, but I'm less motivated.

  25. During sex my ears are as sensitive to your words as your skin is to my touch.
  26. I need some type of signal or cue to walk across the room and approach you. What if you’re married!?

  27. It makes me feel like you trust me when you ask for my advice.

  28. It feels competitive when you insist on being in charge.

  29. Being Respected is more important to me that being loved.

  30. I want every man to envy me when we arrive as a couple. Please don’t let yourself go.

  31. When I’m upset I am very tone sensitive. How you say it is more important than what you say.

  32. I hate it when you minimize, ignore or tell me I don’t mean my compliments. It makes me want to stop giving them.

  33. I’m more insecure than you think. Why do you think I need your respect so much?

  34. I don’t always know how I feel. That’s why I don’t tell you.

  35. I don’t need you to do things for me. What I crave is being able to please you.

  36. If I do one thing and say something contradictory – go with my actions – that will always tell you what’s in my heart.

  37. I find myself wanting to please you when you simply smile at me without asking for something (like a favor).

  38. I really don’t want to hear about any of your ex-boyfriends, regardless of the point.

  39. If I don’t share what I’m thinking, it’s because I don’t think you will listen without interrupting.

  40. I don’t like to argue and I don’t like to guess what’s wrong. Just tell me so I can fix it.

  41. I love it when you put your hair in a pony tail. Yes, it’s a Freudian thing.

  42. Don’t ask me, “Are you going to wear that?” when I’m already dressed.

  43. A gentleman should always be respected by his lady in public, even if she is disagreeing with him.

  44. If you don’t believe you’re pretty, you won’t believe me when I tell you, no matter how many times I say it.

  45. It isn’t how much you weigh, it’s that your body is proportionate, which is so attractive.

  46. Sometimes I have weird, strange or very sexual thoughts. I don’t take them seriously and I don’t want to share them with you (or anyone).

  47. Sometimes you really don’t want to know what I’m thinking. See above.

  48. If you cheat on me, it is nearly impossible for me to get over it.

  49. I don’t remember everything about our relationship but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you.

  50. I need some time to myself to calm down when I’m upset so that I don’t say something I will regret.

From : http://www.relationshipheadquarters.com

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

3 Proven Strategies To A Healthy And Happy Relationship

By Cucan Pemo

Is creating a healthy, happy relationship with the love of your life a dream for you? Not at all, if you would learn some fundamental principles to keeping and maintaining a happy relationship. The principles discussed here can also be applied to all your human relationships - whether it's with your child, your friends, your co-worker, or even your boss!

Acceptence And Forgiveness

Don’t try to change someone. This is a must. If a person really wants to change, that person will need to be motivated and take action. Period. And if you seriously desire and hope to see the changes you like to see in you partner. Here's the secret. Do not make your desire to change him/her looks like your desire to change him/her!

Also regarding acceptance, accept limitations. He is not Superman; you are not Wonder woman. No one is perfect; so do not expect perfection. Accept the little flaws that come with each person. You accept theirs; they accept yours.

If and when things get out of hand and it is your fault, apologize and ask forgiveness and move on. Similarly, be acceptable to apologies and grant forgiveness, too. Life is too short to stay focused on the negative too long. No need to deny it; face it, deal with it and move on past it to improve and strengthen your relationships. And learn to forgive and forget. That’s life!

Bonding And Communication


Bonding with another person generally does take time. Learn the art of good communication. Talk, listen, share the good and the bad, ask questions, compliment instead of nag or insult.

In short be a friend; make a friend. Your partner has been your friend, and today he is still your best friend. Things happen from time to time and cancellations are a part of life. The best of friends expect nothing from the other person. There is only love. Check judgmental attitudes at the door. That is healthy. Always remember this, if you go into a relationship to change another person and demanding your mate communicate and bond with you the way you want it, you are heading for touble, and your relationship will go downhill. Period.

If this bonding is lacking, it may mean professional help is needed (like a counselor or therapist) or it may be time to learn to draw in your true love.

Expectations And Human Nature

Movies, romance novels and television shows often portray life, especially human relationships, very differently than it is in the real world – this is no secret. How many people really always look like movie stars, have zero health ailments, endless income without hardly ever going to work, fabulous cars and homes, friends and family who totally adore them and come to their beckon call, no long-term problems because they all end so quickly, etc.? And who can battle serious issues like one person having an affair with someone else, and wrap the whole storyline up in two hours?

Get real. Expect a little less than the media portray and learn more about humans by joining the real world scenario. Learn all you can about human nature and human relationship if you have the change. This course of study is a fasinating subject. You'll learn more about your-self and your partner in ways you have never known before.

The bottomline is, always remember that whatever you need is already here, within you, within your reach. You do not have to search for your power from other people. If you shift your center onto another person and expect him or her to hold your core structure for you, you are bound to have a failing relationship and suffer from a broken heart.

Source : http://www.1lovespirit.com

Management of energy in love relationships

Auras of couples

(1) Aura of couple in love

There is a soft rose-colored glow surrounding the couple. Notice the Chakra cord alignment (in faint blue).

Source

- Light Emerging, Barbara Brennan

(2) Aura of couple having a fight

Source

- Light Emerging, Barbara Brennan


His Needs, Her Needs

Dr. Willard Harley has distilled the following needs for both men and women, for a satisfying marriage. It does not come as a surprise that the needs of men are quite different from those of women. Isn’t that what makes the world such an interesting place? The intent of this article is never, ever to critique your spouse for not fulfilling your needs, but rather to take the initiative and do your part in fulfilling your spouse’s needs.

Her Needs

1) Affection

To most women affection symbolizes security, protection, comfort, and approval. When a husband shows his wife affection, he sends the following messages: (1) I'll take care of you and protect you; (2) I'm concerned about the problems you face, and I am with you; (3) I think you've done a good job, and I'm so proud of you.

Men need to understand how strongly women need these affirmations. For the typical wife, there can hardly be enough of them. A hug can communicate all of the affirmations of the previous paragraph. But, affection can be shown in many ways such as: kisses, cards, flowers, dinners out, opening the car door, holding hands, walks after dinner, back rubs, phone calls--there are a thousand ways to say "I love you." From a woman's point of view, affection is the essential cement of her relationship with a man.

2) Conversation

Wives need their husbands to talk to them and to listen to them; they need lots of two-way conversation. In their dating life prior to marriage, most couples spent timetime showing each other affection and talking. This shouldn't be dropped after the wedding. When two people get married, each partner has a right to expect the same loving care and attention that prevailed during courtship to continue after the wedding. The man who takes time to talk to a woman will have an inside track to her heart.

3) Honesty and Openness

A wife needs to trust her husband totally. A sense of security is the common thread woven through all of a woman's five basic needs. If a husband does not keep up honest and open communication with his wife, he undermines her trust and eventually destroys her security. To feel secure, a wife must trust her husband to give her accurate information about his past, the present, and the future. If she can't trust the signals he sends, she has no foundation on which to build a solid relationship. Instead of adjusting to him, she always feels off balance; instead of growing toward him, she grows away from him.

4) Financial Commitment

Financial commitment is a fourth need a wife experiences. She needs enough money to live comfortably: she needs financial support. No matter how successful a career a woman might have, she usually wants her husband to earn enough money to allow her to feel supported and to feel cared for.

5) Family Commitment

A wife needs her husband to be a good father and have a family commitment. The vast majority of women who get married have a powerful instinct to create a home and have children. Above all, wives want their husbands to take a leadership role in the family and to commit themselves to the moral and educational development of their children.

His Needs

1) Sexual fulfillment

The typical wife doesn't understand her husband's deep need for sex anymore than the typical husband understands his wife's deep need for affection. But these two ingredients can work very closely together in a happy, fulfilled marriage. Sex can come naturally and often, if there is enough affection.

2) Recreational companionship

He needs her to be his playmate. It is not uncommon for women, when they are single, to join men in pursuing their interests. They find themselves hunting, fishing, playing football, and watching sports and movies they would never have chosen on their own.

After marriage wives often try to interest their husbands in activities more to their own liking. If their attempts fail, they may encourage their husbands to continue their recreational activities without them. But this option is very dangerous to a marriage, because men place surprising importance on having their wives as recreational companions. Among the five basic male needs, spending recreational time with his wife is second only to sex for the typical husband.

3) An attractive spouse

A man needs a wife who looks good to him. Dr. Harley states that in sexual relationships most men find it nearly impossible to appreciate a woman for her inner qualities alone--there must be more. A man's need for physical attractiveness in a mate is profound.

4) Domestic support

He needs peace and quiet. So deep is a husband's need for domestic support from his wife that he often fantasizes about how she will greet him lovingly and pleasantly at the door, about well-behaved children who likewise act glad to see him and welcome him to the comfort of a well-maintained home.

The fantasy continues as his wife urges him to sit down and relax before taking part in a tasty dinner. Later the family goes out for an evening stroll, and he returns to put the children to bed with no hassle or fuss. Then he and his wife relax, talk together, and perhaps watch a little television until they retire at a reasonable hour to love each other. Wives may chuckle at this scenario, but this vision is quite common in the fantasy lives of many men. The male need for his wife to "take care of things"--especially him--is widespread, persistent, and deep.

5) Admiration

He needs her to be proud of him. Wives need to learn how to express the admiration they already feel for their husbands instead of pressuring them to greater achievements. Honest admiration is a great motivator for men. When a woman tells a man she thinks he's wonderful, that inspires him to achieve more. He sees himself capable of handling new responsibilities and perfecting skills far above those of his present level.

If any of a spouse's five basic needs go unmet, that person becomes vulnerable to the temptation of an affair. Therefore, the best way to prevent adultery is to meet the needs of your spouse and make your marriage strong.

Credit:
His Needs, Her Needs, Williard Harley

Love Busters

I've found that the most common Love Busters in marriage fall into five categories:

  • Selfish Demands

  • Disrespectful Judgments

  • Angry Outbursts

  • Annoying Habits

  • Independent Behavior

  • Dishonesty

The first three of these Love Busters are instinctive, yet thoughtless, ways to try to get what you want from each other. When a request doesn't work, a spouse will often revert to a demand ("I don't care how you feel -- do it or else!"). If that doesn't get the job done, a spouse will try disrespectful judgments ("If you had any sense, and were not so lazy and selfish, you would do it"). And then, when all of that fails, an angry outburst often represents the last ditch effort ("I'll see to it that you regret not having done it").

Of course, demands, disrespect and anger don't really get the job done. You generally don't do things for your spouse because of these Love Busters, you do them out of care and consideration. If your spouse is demanding, disrespectful and angry, you tend to be less caring and considerate, leading you to do less for your spouse. Instead of giving your spouse what he or she needs, demands, disrespect and anger cause you to resist. I want you to have what you need in your marriage, but demands, disrespect and anger will not get it for you. They will prevent you from having what you want if you revert to these destructive instincts.

But when you indulge in these three Love Busters, you do more than fail to get what you need -- you also destroy the love your spouse has for you. All of these instincts, and the habits they help create, cause your spouse to be unhappy, and that causes Love Bank withdrawals.

The fourth Love Buster, Annoying Habits, is behavior that is repeated without much thought that bothers your spouse. Marriage is a partnership of incredibly close quarters, where just about anything you or your spouse does is almost sure to affect the other. If you want to stay in love with each other, your habits, even the innocent ones, should make Love Bank deposits, not withdrawals.

The fifth Love Buster is Independent Behavior, the conduct of one spouse that ignores the feelings and interests of the other spouse. If your decisions are made as if your spouse doesn't even exist, you will find yourself running roughshod over your spouse's feelings and your Love Bank account. Since it's usually scheduled and requires some thought to execute, the simplest way to overcome it is to take it off your schedule. And if you follow the Policy of Joint Agreement, Independent Behavior will never find itself on your schedule in the first place.

Finally, the sixth Love Buster, Dishonesty, causes massive Love Bank withdrawals whenever it's discovered. And spouses usually discover each other's dishonesty because of their emotional closeness to each other. If you or your spouse have a tendency to lie or distort the truth, chase that bad habit out of your marriage before it ruins everything.

Credit:
- (c) Dr. Willard Harley in his book His Needs, Her Needs and the Buster

Source : http://www.1lovespirit.com

Managing Relationship Stress (a Tool that Works when Relationship Tips Fail)

Authored by Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. with Jaelline Jaffe, Ph.D;

Managing Stress in Relationship

Relationship stress triggers knee-jerk fight or flight responses that make us feel like running or fighting –but not much of anything else. When this happens, and it commonly does, our emotions and the emotions of others can seem threatening and overwhelming. Some of us to get angry and do or say things we regret. Others shut down, withdraw, and refuse to participate. Either way, our inability to listen and speak intelligently in the face of relationship stress just makes things worse.

By learning emotional intelligence skills, you can learn how to stay calm and focused in the moment, and to communicate clearly and powerfully even in tense situations.

These people want tips for managing relationship stress

Our stress responses can paralyze us emotionally and undermine even the strongest love or work relationship. These people are looking for tips to help with stress challenges in their relationships.

Irene’s new boss is giving her a hard time. She’s not sleeping well, so she is cranky and in no mood to listen to Alex talk about his day. No matter how hard she tries, she can’t stay focused. Alex feels hurt and goes out for the evening by himself.

Norm’s roommateis creating a lot of stress in their relationship. He doesn’t want to break his date with Kristy. While Norm usually enjoys Kristy’s playful kidding, tonight it infuriates him and he explodes.

Corina and her best friend Sally had such a heated argument that she heads to the mall to cool off. There, she loses track of time and doesn’t show up for her dinner date with Sam.

Terri is so overwrought by tensions with her mother that she just goes through the motions at work, and accomplishes nothing—a fact that infuriates her boss.

Stephanie is so jumpy and agitated after fighting with her husband that coworkers don’t want to be near her. She thinks her colleagues dislike her, but they are just trying to avoid the waves of negative energy that radiate from her cubicle.

As shown in the examples above, stress cripples your ability to accurately see and hear your partner; be self-aware and in touch with your own deep-rooted needs; and to communicate your needs clearly.

These people want tips to help them respond better. But, in a stressful relationship your mind can’t think clearly enough to remember the tips and use the appropriate tip to orchestrate your response.

To understand how Emotional Intelligence gives you skills you need for managing relationship stress lets explore what happens in a stressful situation.

How we react and respond to stress

Thinking won’t work when stress hits our nervous system

Out of control stress triggers knee jerk fight or flight responses that make us feel like running or fighting –but not much of anything else. When this happens, and it commonly does, our emotions and the emotions of others can seem threatening and overwhelming. Stress shows itself differently in different people:

The most common ways of responding to stress:

  • Angry or agitated - a heated angry, in-your-face response where the person is agitated, and can’t sit still...
  • Shutdown, depressed or spaced-out – the person exhibits little energy or emotion.
  • Frozen or traumatized – the person is tense and still, can’t get going and can’t accomplish anything. Some people have had frightening overwhelming experiences that wire their nervous systems to “freeze” when challenged by stress. Their stress responses are especially complex and contradictory. They may look paralyzed but are racing within.

The skill you need most to manage relationship stress

We need to remain calm and focused under stress

How can you stay calm and alert during stress? Many of us spend so much time in a stressed state, we have forgotten what it feels like to be fully relaxed and alert. You can see that “just right” inner balance in the smile of a happy baby—a face so full of joy it reminds adults of the balanced emotional state that most of us have misplaced. In adulthood, being balanced means maintaining a calm state of energy, alertness, and focus. Calmness is more than just feeling relaxed; being alert is an equally important aspect of finding the balance needed to withstand stress.

Stress busting: functioning well in the heat of the moment

Learning your personal stress-busting technique gives you a skill to help you reduce your stress level by rapidly bringing you back into a state of equilibrium. No time here for a long, soothing bath or meditation. A stress-buster detective is one who seeks out the right kind of sensory input to soothe, comfort and invigorate in the moment!

Each person responds differently to sensory input. For example, certain kinds of music may relax one person but irritate another. The smell of incense can lift one person’s distress, but another may benefit most from candle light.

Knowing the right kind of sensory input is essential to:

  • Speed up, if you are a person who is spaced out or distressed
  • Slow down, if you are a person who is angry or agitated
  • Help get unstuck, if you are a person who is frozen with anxiety

Being a “stress-buster detective” will help you take actions that help calm and focus you at home and at work. You can learn to create sensory-rich environments everywhere, in your car, in your office – wherever you spend time.

You may already be familiar with stress reduction techniques like yoga or meditation, but in relationships, you need to defuse stress in the moment. You need personal stress reduction techniques that:

  • Both relax and energize you— helps you feel both calm and alert
  • Have immediate impact bring quick, positive responses
  • Are enjoyable — you feel good while using the technique
  • Are dependable — consistently work for you
  • Are available— are at hand or easily accessible

The following exercise helps you be a “Stress buster detective” and find what works best for you

Sensory awareness exercise: learn what works best for you

To Prepare

Prepare for the sensory awareness exercise, by releasing any tension you may be holding in your body. You do this by tensing, tightening or squeezing parts of your body for 5 seconds and then release those muscles. As you release, surrender any tension or discomfort in that part of your body.

  • Begin by squeezing your toes and feet for 5 seconds …and let go…
  • Next focus on your calves and thighs squeezing them for 5 seconds …and release. Take a moment to experience the sensations in the skin, muscles and bones of your legs.
  • Now focus on your pelvis and lower back …squeezing these parts for five seconds… and let go.
  • Now direct your attention to the muscles in your stomach and middle back, tightening and holding them for five seconds ... and release.
  • Now squeeze and hold your chest and upper back … and release. Take a moment to focus on the sensations in the upper part of your body.
  • Now tighten your neck and shoulders for five more seconds … and release. Do you feel more relaxed in your neck and shoulders?
  • Finally, squeeze and hold the many muscles in your face including those around your jaw ,eyes, mouth and nose for five seconds ….and let go allowing all of these muscles to go slack.

Take a moment to experience the sensations throughout your body.

Imaginary visualization

Clear your mind of all unrelated thoughts, soften your eyes and take several slow deep breaths.

  • Imagine a forest of trees, a breathtaking arrangement of flowers, or a spectacular beautiful garden.
  • See, feel and experience a water scene that is both cool and invigorating.
  • Visualize and experience a person or animal you love.

Take a moment to draw in this experience. Note images that instantly make you feel relaxed

Sensation of Sounds

  • Recall some of the sounds of nature: possibly bird calls, flowing water, or the sound of the wind rustling leaves.
  • Recall some melodies, musical instruments or voices that you enjoy.

Take a moment to draw in the sensation of one of these experiences. Do any of these both sooth and invigorate you?

Sensation of Scents and Smells

  • Imaginebreathing in thescent of lemons, ripe strawberries,lavender or mint.
  • Imaginesmelling warm chocolate, gardenia, musk or your favorite perfume.

Allow one of the delightful sensations to linger in your nostrils.

Sensation of Touch

  • Recall the feel of a baby’s skin or the softness of a puppy or kitten.
  • Imagine the sensation of a soothing touch on your arm or leg.
  • Recall having your face or hair stroked.

Take a moment to revel in these sensual delights noting any sensations that both relax and invigorate you.

Movement Sensations

Now take a moment to stretch. Pay attention to your body sensations while trying the following:

  • Move your feet like you are running in place.
  • Tap your head lightly with your fingertips or roll your head in circles.
  • Move your body pretending you are dancing in place to imaginary music.

When you’re done, take a deep breath, fully exhale and take in the experience. What sensations do you feel?

Reflecting on the exercise

Did you experience colors, sights, scents or movements that are not part of your memory bank but might be worth exploring—if so, practice until you can recall these sensation whenever you choose.

Tips for integrating this skill into your life

Learning the Emotional Intelligence skill, the elastic, is a little like learning to drive or to play golf. You don’t master the skill in one lesson -- you have to practice until it becomes second nature

Pleasurable images can include whole scenes of sensual delights—playing with a beloved pet or baby, thrilling to a game of tennis or basketball – a day at the seashore swimming in clear blue water.

Remember, images must be sensory rich for the visualization process to successfully calm, sooth and energize. Sensory experience is grounding and will enable you to remain in control in difficult situations.

Continue to explore sensory possibilities, both real and imaginary, until you’re confident in having some kind of sensory stimulation at your finger tips to use whenever you need to be more relaxed and alert.

For example:

Irene’s new boss continues to create stress at the office, but now when she comes home, Irene goes immediately into her peaceful beautiful garden and literally “smells the roses”... By the time her husband, Alex, gets home, she is much calmer and able to enjoy her conversation with Alex about his work.

Norm has learned take a pleasant memory break during his stressful relationship with his roommate. An avid golfer, Norm takes a moment to recall the great shots he makes on the course and gets a confidence boost that helps him handle the challenges of his roommate and look forward to kidding around with his playful girlfriend Kristy’.

Corina has learned that when she gets angry, she needs to calm down before she does something she might regret. Her solution has been to think about how much fun she has playing with her dog Skip who loves to lick her face and neck.

Terri has found that she is stressed out she can become much more calm and focused if she spends a few minutes looking at the family photos on her desk and recalling great family vacations. She has become much more productive and her boss just gave her a raise.

Stephanie has learned that she can avoid tension by starting her day listening to uplifting music, rather than the news, on the way to work. She has also begun to keep a bowl of fresh flowers and a scented candle on her desk –which helps her preserve her good mood. Her colleagues now enjoy hanging around her cubicle.

Source : http://www.helpguide.org