Join me! 
We'll cover:

• The effects of stress on the body and mind.
• What biofeedback is and how you can benefit.
• Introduction to a couple of relaxation techniques you can use to lessen your stress response.

Here's a remake of my December 2013 blog post: 

Even Santa, like so many of us in the Western world, can reach a point at which something has to give.  For months on end, he works long hours, planning for a big event, laboring over endless details, managing a work crew, getting along with coworkers who often have an agenda of their own, feeding and caring for the little ones under his care, not to mention his four-legged friends.  Work, limited time for sleep and play, along with trying to assume responsibility for the happiness of every person on the planet, can put anyone in fight/flight mode.  It can become a habit, stuffing more and more responsibilities in your bag with the goal of delivering the goods.  After all, if you don't do it, who will?  And did I mention the thinking, fretting and worry that can accompany all this?  It's enough to keep anyone awake at night.  

Staying in this pattern for an extended period of time can take its toll on the body, mind and spirit.  Grabbing a quick sugar fix or a caffeinated drink can keep you going for awhile, but eventually something's got to give.  That's when your body starts talking to you.  Headaches, body aches, muscle tension, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tired adrenal glands and immune system, inflammation, cold hands, shallow breathing, tightness in the chest, insomnia, forgetfulness and more.  And it's not just the body talking...there's also those endless thoughts swirling through your head.  Feelings of irritability and resentment can creep in.  

"I'll do it differently next year", Santa says, as he begins making a list...
       New Year's Resolutions

1. Take time to quiet my body and mind.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. Take time to play (and pet the reindeer). 
4. Eat and drink mindfully.
5. Cookies and caffeine in moderation.  
6. Get more sleep.
7. Breathe lower and slower. Click here for diaphragmatic breathing instructions.
8. Find balance.  Check out the website Mrs. Claus sent me for exploring balance.  Read blog post below...

If you listen to the news, life can look pretty grim at times.  Most of us have encountered and moved through our own grim circumstance.  At the time, you may feel as though it's all you can do to get through your day (or a sleepless night). With time, the stress or pain associated with the difficult situation will likely ease, only to resurface when triggered by a thought, memory or event.  Strength and personal growth are a probable consequence.  Down the road, it may even be possible to find some gratitude in some aspect of it.  We now have a term for this process.  Keep reading.

You've likely heard of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but do you know about posttraumatic growth (PTG)?  I heard this term for the first time when attending a recent presentation featuring Scarlett Lewis whose 6 year-old son, Jessie, was murdered in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

PTG is a positive change experienced as a result of the struggle with a traumatic event or a major life crisis.  Ever had one of those?  

The term, PTG, was coined in 1995 by Dr. Richard Tedeschi, a psychology professor at the University of North Carolina and co-author of the handbook Post Traumatic Growth.  If you care to take a "Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory", click here. 

Individuals with PTG tend to experience change in 5 general areas:

• New opportunities and possibilities emerge.
• New relationships develop; or current relationships change, often becoming closer.
• One's sense of personal strength increases.
• Appreciation for life is enhanced.
• A deeper spiritual connection is found and/or a change in one's belief system.

Despite the circumstances, there is always something to be grateful for.
I challenge you to:

• Pause briefly each day (at least once). 
• Inhale as you say to yourself: "I am thankful". 
• Slowly exhale as you say to yourself "Grateful for ___________". 
• Use your next breath to breathe in that sense of gratitude. 
• Allow it to fill your heart space. 
• Then exhale slowly, letting it spread throughout your body.
• Do it again as you remind yourself to drop your shoulders and jaw.