52 Stress Reducers...PLEASE READ!

Nancy Jones posted these hints/tips for reducing stress on Treasures to Scrap's Forum. I thought these were excellent. There is much more that stress reducer points here...there are suggestions that can help a person improve their daily life! I Am so glad Nancy posted these. They are worth taking a moment to read and ponder.



52 PROVEN STRESS REDUCERS

1. Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful.

2. Prepare for the morning the evening before. Set the breakfast table. Make lunches. Put out the clothes you plan to wear, etc.

3. Don't rely on your memory. Write down appointment times, when to pick up the laundry, when library books are due, etc. ("The palest ink is better than the most retentive memory."- Old Chinese Proverb)

4. Do nothing you have to lie about later.

5. Make copies of all keys. Bury a house key in a secret spot in the garden. Carry a duplicate car key in your wallet, apart from your key ring.

6. Practice preventive maintenance. Your car, appliances, home and relationships will be less likely to break down "at the worst possible moment."

7. Be prepared to wait. A paperback book can make a wait in a post office line almost pleasant.

8. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now.

9. Plan ahead. Don't let the gas tank get below onequarter full, keep a well- stocked "emergency shelf'' of home staples, don't wait until you're down to your last bus token or postage stamp to buy more, etc.

10. Don't put up with something that doesn't work right. If your alarm clock wallet, shoe laces, windshield wipers-whatever-are a constant aggravation, get them fixed or get new ones.11. Allow 15 minutes of extra time to get to appointments. Plan to arrive at an airport one hour before domestic departures.

12. Eliminate (or restrict) the amount of caffeine in your diet.

13. Always set up contingency plans, "just in case." ("If for some reason either of us is delayed, here's what we'll do..." Or, "If we get split up in the shopping center, here's where we'll meet.")14. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn't get mowed this weekend.

15. Pollyanna-Power! For every one thing that goes wrong, there are probably 10 or 50 or 100 blessings. Count 'em!

16. Ask questions. Taking a few moments to repeat back the directions that someone expects of you, etc., can save hours. (The old "the hurrieder I go, the behinder I get" idea.)

17. Say "No!" Saying no to extra projects, social activities and invitations you know you don't have the time or energy for takes practice, self-respect and a belief that everyone, everyday, needs quiet time to relax and to be alone.

18. Unplug your phone. Want to take a long bath, meditate, sleep or read without interruption? Drum up the courage to temporarily disconnect.(The possibility of there being a terrible emergency in the next hour or so is almost nil.)

19. Turn "needs" into preferences. Our basic physical needs translate into food, water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference. Don't get attached to preferences.

20. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

21. Make friends with nonworriers. Chronic worrywarts are contagious.

22. Take many stretch breaks when you sit a lot.

23. If you can't find quiet at home, wear earplugs.

24. Get enough sleep. Set your alarm for bedtime.

25. Organize! A place for everything and everything in its place. Losing things is stressful.

26. Monitor your body for stress signs. If your stomach muscles are knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax your muscles and take some deep, slow breaths.

27. Write your thoughts and feelings down on paper. It can help you clarify and give you a renewed perspective.

28. Do this yoga exercise when you need to relax: Inhale through your nose to the count of eight. Pucker your lips and exhale slowly to the count of 16. Concentrate on the long sighing sound and feel the tension dissolve. Repeat 10 times.

29. Visualize success before any experience you fear. Take time to go over every part of the event in your mind. Imagine how great you will look, and how well you will present yourself.

30. If the stress of deadlines gets in the way of doing a job, use diversion. Take your mind off the task and you will focus better when you're on task.

31. Talk out your problems with a friend. It helps to relieve confusion.

32. Avoid people and places that don't fit your personal needs and desires. If you hate politics, don't spend time with politically excited people.

33. Learn to live one day at a time.

34. Everyday, do something you really enjoy.

35. Add an ounce of love to everything you do.

36. Take a bath or shower to relieve tension.

37. Do a favor for someone every day.

38. Focus on understanding rather than on being under stood, on loving rather than on being loved.

39. Looking good makes you feel better.

40. Take more time between tasks to relax. Schedule a realistic day.

41. Be flexible. Some things are not worth perfection.

42. Stop negative self-talk: "I'm too fat, too old, etc..."

43. Change pace on weekends. If your week was slow, be active. If you felt nothing was accomplished during the week, do a weekend project.

44. "Worry about the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves." Pay attention to the details in front of you.

45. Do one thing at a time. When you are working on one thing, don't think about everything else you have to do.

46. Allow time every day for privacy, quiet and thinking.

47. Do unpleasant tasks early and enjoy the rest of the day.

48. Delegate responsibility to capable people.

49. Take lunch breaks. Get away from your work in body and in mind.

50. Count to 1,000, not 10, before you say something that could make matters worse.

51. Forgive people and events. Accept that we live in an imperfect world.

52. Have an optimistic view of the world. Most people do the best they can

THANK YOU LORD!

For the first time in months.....litterally months. I have the windows open and the wind is blowing nice and soft from the Northwest bringing the coolest most comfortable air I have felt for seriously MONTHS! What a pleasant and welcome evening. The Lord has given me a given better than life itself....OK maybe not life itself, but WOW is this awesome!

Tonight we took a ride on a our boat and for the first time since we owned the place...I WAS COLD! Cuddle up and freezing cold!! I LOVE IT. I LOVE fall. I LOVE winter. I LOVE freezing my ass off :) I cant wait to clerk an auction where I am complaining about being cold........I NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS THOUGHT I WOULD ADMIT THAT!

I did these layouts using some pictures that I swore I would never scrap. These are all pictures I took out of our airplane window before we left Cancun and just shortly after we got into the air. I didn't realize how much I loved the one that is pictured below. So here they are completely scrapped and done. Yeah!!

I did these layouts using some pictures that I swore I would never scrap. These are all pictures I took out of our airplane window before we left Cancun and just shortly after we got into the air. I didn't realize how much I loved the one that is pictured below. So here they are completely scrapped and done. Yeah!!

Doing a layout about myself isn't always easy. I did this layout for one of my CT Assignments. I used my favorite Quote "Life is Team Sport" and wrote just a little bit about me. In a weird sort of way I really like this layout. It turned out better than I thought it would.

Doing a layout about myself isn't always easy. I did this layout for one of my CT Assignments. I used my favorite Quote "Life is Team Sport" and wrote just a little bit about me. In a weird sort of way I really like this layout. It turned out better than I thought it would.

Before I do another SJ post.......

I need to VENT! A couple time a month someone literally drives into our place, (which have a VERY long driveway) and photographs our house. Most of the time, it is someone who use to live here, which is weird cause we are only the third people to live here or it is someone doing an appraisal or something. They eventually come up to the house and talk to me but tonight ....OH HELL NO! They just drive in, take all kinds of pictures and drive out without saying a word......what really ticked me off was when they don't stop when they see me come out. Well I don't give a rats ass who you are that my friend is Trespassing and thanks alot! I sure hope you got some kick ass photos of my house!

MjBee.....because she ROCKS!

Today it is all about Mary...Mjbee! I heard Annie (heartful scraps) rave about Mary but only had "talked" to her a few times on the message board. Forutantely for me Mary sat beside me at the SF crop. OM gosh, what a super super woman! First, has anyone ever taken notice of her beautiful layouts! She is an amazing scrapper, cranking out some gorgeous work. WOW!

What an awesome lady to visit with. Now I know why Annie likes Mary so much....cause there is nothing fake about this woman. So genuine and someone I can't wait to get to know better. Love ya Mary! Your tops in my book. I look forward to many more online chats......you ROCK!

Potti H and Kristin Krapper

OH yeah. I think I am able to do some picture uploads now. For some reason NOTHING would work.....but now I am back :)

I am SLOWLY going to upload and comment on some of my SF photos. I chose this one first, because Patti and I both thought we didn't get any pictures together. Well, SURPRISE here we are :) OK I could tell you about how we ended up a Potti H and Kristin Krapper, but I will leave that to your imagination.

I love this woman! She is a blast. In so many ways we are alike. Her smile....is just amazing. When Patti smiles it lights up her whole face. She is one of the many gems that I met over the weekend at SF. Patti H.....an outstanding woman and probably a new friend!

The most amazing People.......

I have ever had the opportunity to meet happened this weekend when I attended the Texas Scrapfest in Dallas. OM gosh. What an awesome group of gals. I have NEVER met anyone of them in person until now and I wouldn't trade this weekend for anything...not even for meeting Clint Bowyer (ok wait....ummmm NOPE) :)

GREAT STUFF at Treasures to Scrap!

HOW exciting is this???? Treasures to Scrap is having it's DIGITAL store GRAND OPENING on August, 6th. If your a digi scrapper, mark your calendar and visit TTS. They have awesome designers over at TTS! Check it out!

GREAT STUFF at Treasures to Scrap!

HOW exciting is this???? Treasures to Scrap is having it's DIGITAL store GRAND OPENING on August, 6th. If your a digi scrapper, mark your calendar and visit TTS. They have awesome designers over at TTS! Check it out!

I recently created these two layouts using papers and embellishments from Dawn Inskip's Secret Garden kit. This kit is available for purchase at www.kjoistudios.com beside that, site owner Kara Jones and other designers have some awesome stuff in the store. I am having alot of fun being on Kara's Creative Team and have had fun designing with the items available in the K-Joi store.

I also used Corked items from Paula Duncan. Paula's Corked Items as well as all her other kicking kits are available at www.sweetshoppedesigns.com Stop over and visit Paula's Store. I have found endless uses for that cork! I LOVE that stuff! Participated in a Creative Team challenge using the cork and ended up creating 14 different layouts with it!

I did these layouts about my favorite dirt drivers. It seems that some of my favorite layouts are my racing ones. Oh Imagine that :)

I recently created these two layouts using papers and embellishments from Dawn Inskip's Secret Garden kit. This kit is available for purchase at www.kjoistudios.com beside that, site owner Kara Jones and other designers have some awesome stuff in the store. I am having alot of fun being on Kara's Creative Team and have had fun designing with the items available in the K-Joi store.

I also used Corked items from Paula Duncan. Paula's Corked Items as well as all her other kicking kits are available at www.sweetshoppedesigns.com Stop over and visit Paula's Store. I have found endless uses for that cork! I LOVE that stuff! Participated in a Creative Team challenge using the cork and ended up creating 14 different layouts with it!

I did these layouts about my favorite dirt drivers. It seems that some of my favorite layouts are my racing ones. Oh Imagine that :)