Q: When I worry about money, I get really painful headaches. They're happening more and more. What can I do?
A: My weak spot is my lower back. The minute I feel financial stress, the tightness begins. Then knots, then pain, then – wham! – I go into spasm and am bedridden for a week.
We all have areas of weakness that manifeste when we're stressed – physically, emotionally, spiritually. My dad had ulcers and lost his voice. My wife gets migraines.
Think of these symptoms as the canary in the mine – friendly and timely reminders that something isn't right, that something in our attitude or lifestyle needs adjustment.
What are your stressful thoughts about finances? Are they about your self-worth? About being able to take care of your kids? How would you complete the sentence, "I'm afraid…"?
I'm not a doctor, so I can't say anything very intelligent about a headache. But if it were me, I'd do an autogenic relaxation twice a day for three days and see if you get relief. You can download the autogenic session that I recorded, complete with royalty-free new-age music, here.
Please let me know what happens if you try it!
Q: The more stressed I get, the more physically exhausted I feel. What can I do?
A: Stress is literally and actually an energy drain on our bodies. It's not a hunch, it's not a perception, it's REAL. The more money you spend on the military, the less there is available for roads and schools and stadiums. Not a judgment, just a fact.
And the military that goes on high alert at the drop of a hat (or the ping of an email) will cost even more and will exhaust itself, as well as its country. Keep Reading…
Q: I know that coffee and soda and energy drinks can raise our stress levels. But what foods – aside from alcohol – can relax us?
A: Alcohol actually stimulates the nervous system – it's a toxin (as in "intoxicated") and when the body finds alcohol in the bloodstream, it starts pumping harder to clear it out. Keep Reading…
Q: I deliberately stress myself out to motivate myself. These days I'm just stressed 24/7. Right now I have an important exam coming up in 3 weeks, and I'm afraid that I'll fail. I force myself to stay up late and study by thinking about how awful my life will be if I don't pass. I'm trying to tell mself that I will pass, but the other voice is too strong.
A: Stress is definitely a motivator. That's one of its physiological functions – to get us to haul butt when something with sharp teeth and drool is looking at us fondly. Keep Reading…
Q: i get stressed when I look at life situations in the wrong frame of mind. The bible says, "For as a man thinketh, so is he." What habits can I develop to eliminate these faulty thought patterns?
A: My friend Greg Lynn Weaver, spiritual director of the PeaceWeavers, told me of this acronym:
FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real Keep Reading…
Q: I find myself eating too much. I eat when I'm celebrating, and I eat to make myself feel better on bad days. I've gained 20 pounds in two years. Any suggestions?
A: Let's get real about eating for mood alteration. Food addresses a physical need – hunger – produced by your body. Emotional discomfort is not a body need, it's a mind need. So no matter how much you eat, you're not going to find relief from what's ailing you. At best, you'll find distraction. Keep Reading…
The professor who first introduced me to the science of stress (Jay Segal of Temple University) spoke at length about the ABC concept:
A = Activating event
B = mediating Belief
C = your response (I forget why it's a "C" – sorry, Jay!) Keep Reading…