As CEO of Stress Solutions, LLC, here is my 1 best tip to avoid holiday stress and maintain holiday harmony. Given the current political climate in the United States. in the United Kingdom, and in many other countries, here's my number 1 suggestion to avoid holiday stress and conflict: When getting together with family and friends, avoid conversations about national politics. Why? Let us count the ways: - No matter how passionate, persuasive, or logical you are in stating why your beliefs are “the truth”, you will not convince anyone who holds contrary beliefs to change those beliefs. - The current state of political discord makes reasoned civil discussion virtually impossible with too many people who hold strong opinions about our current President or those vying for the Democratic party nomination. - It’s highly probable if conversations gets heated, honest differences and reasoned discussion will be abandoned and replaced by ad hominem attacks on your intelligence, your character, your beliefs, or all of the above. - Depending on who you say positive things about, you risk being labeled a socialist, a communist, a racist, anti-LGBT, etc., etc. etc. - These kinds of conversations introduce an energy of conflict and ill-will into what should be a fun, enjoyable gathering. - Fractured relationships from such strident discussions can be hard or sometimes impossible to mend. How to Handle Political Discussion If you attend family, work, or other social events over the holidays it’s pretty much guaranteed someone will ask you, “So, what do you thing about the situation with Trump?” (in the U.K. it will likely be Brexit) or something similar. From a conflict avoidance (and thus a stress avoidance) perspective, I suggest offering a reply along the lines of: - “Things in Washington are a mess, that’s for sure. I guess we’ll need to wait and see how it all works out.” Or... - “You know I’m so tired of the political noise in Washington, I simply tune out.” Another alternative... - “It’s a mess. Hey, have you been following the (insert team name here, weather event, etc.)? If your conversation mate insists on pursuing a political discussion, you can choose to listen politely. A response of, “interesting” or something similar will work well followed by something like, “Hey, I’m going to get a snack. We’ll talk more later”. Avoid Temptation - You’ll Thank Yourself for Doing So. As tempting as it may be to engage in political discussion, if you want to keep your stress level low and conversations cordial, resist the temptation. Remember, there’s nothing you can say to make other people change their minds. Let go of any need to, “set the record straight” and tell others what’s really going on. As you leave the gathering and on your way home, you’ll thank yourself for being smart. The holidays can be stressful enough without adding heated political conversation to the holiday punch. Be kind to yourself and avoid the drama. To comment, email CarterMethod@gmail.com. To listen to previous episodes and / or to subscribe for free, visit www.MindOverStress.us.

Dissolve Stress With This Simple Calm Breathing Technique. Learn to apply the diaphragmatic based Calm Breathing Technique to let go of stress and create a renewing Relaxation Response for mind and body. Important Note: Please do not listen to this episode while driving or doing other activities requiring your full attention. Always consult a licensed medical doctor or other appropriate medical professional for any issue of concern. By listening to this or any other episode of “Mind Over Stress, you agree to take full, complete, and sole responsibility for your own wellbeing. To Begin: Spend about 30 seconds noticing your breathing. Just notice it. Get a sense of the frequency and intensity of your breathing. Next, recall a recent experience when you felt stress. Bring to mind the memory of that experience and recall the location, any people present, and the circumstances contributing to the stressful situation. Stay with that memory for about 20 to 30 seconds and then notice your breathing again. Compare your post stress memory breathing with the first baseline breathing pattern. What are the differences? Was the baseline breath slower? Were you breathing more rapidly after reliving the stress situation in the theater of your mind? Your Mind - Body Connection: This simple exercise illustrates how connected breathing is with what you see, hear, and experience in the physical world and when you replay stress inducing memories. Your physiology responds to the images, thoughts, and feelings created by brain activity. But what isn’t widely known is the opposite is also true: images, thoughts, and feelings respond to conscious breathing. You can change your mind by changing your breathing pattern. For many clients a stress dissolving method called Calm Breathing Technique, or CBT, has become their go to method for rapid stress relief. By the way, for the therapists reading this post I suggest encouraging your clients to incorporate this breath-based CBT method with the psychological treatment method called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (also called CBT) and other talk and Energy Psychology treatment approaches. 3 Stages of Breath-Based CBT The three stages of breath-based CBT include: * Diaphragmatic Touch and Breathe; * Two Mind Directing Words; * Vagus Nerve Sound Stimulation. Stage two builds on stage one and stage three builds on stage two. Many clients who said they had problems applying traditional meditation methods find this breath-based CBT method easy, effective, and enjoyable. It’s a method they stick with and experience deepening benefits from ongoing practice. How You Benefit by Listening to This Episode: In this episode you’ll learn how to apply Diaphragmatic Touch and Breathe, the foundation practice of the breath-based CBT method. This practice alone will typically lower or eliminate what’s called the Stress Response and encourage what’s called the Relaxation Response, which creates a calmer state of mind and body. I’ll share guidance on how to apply stage two and three in a future post. If you would like to receive the full breath-based CBT guide, email me at CarterMethod@gmail.com and simply enter, “CBT Guide” in the subject line. Diaphragmatic Touch and Breathe: To begin, let’s identify a baseline level of stress. We’ll use the Subject Units of Distress, or SUDs scale for this initial assessment. Close your eyes and ask out loud or in mind, “How stressed am I right now on a zero to 10 scale?”. Zero equals no stress and 10 represents the maximum stress level you can imagine. If using the SUDs scale doesn’t feel comfortable, simply assess your starting stress level on a low, medium, or high scale. Here are the simple Diaphragmatic Touch and Breathe steps: * Begin with a yawn, sight, and stretch. Yawn, stretch, and sigh even if you don’t feel like you need to. * Sit or stand with your head up, ears over shoulders and shoulders over hips. Avoid a military type “attention” posture. Have an upright, but relaxed posture. * Place your dominant hand on the solar plexus area of your lower abdomen and your other hand on the upper chest. Really feel the physical connections. * Consciously allow a loving in-breath. The lower hand should rise first. If the upper hand moves first, you’re engaged in chest breathing rather than diaphragmatic breathing. * Once you are consciously allowing diaphragmatic breathing in and out, you can lower the hand touching the upper chest to your side or lap. * Breathe in through your nose (if you have a nasal blockage breathe through your mouth) for a count of four or five seconds. Hold for a second and then exhale slowly for a count of about eight seconds. Remember to allow the inbreathe rather than “take” the inbreathe. Allow the breathing to be gentle and loving. Really feel the breath as slowly inhale and exhale. * If you can safely close your eyes, go ahead and do so as you allow the rhythmic Diaphragmatic Breathing to continue. If thoughts enter your mind, simply notice those thoughts and let them float away as you return attention to your Diagrammatic Breathing. Continue attending to your breathing as long as you like. I suggest applying Diaphragmatic Breathing.for at least one to two minutes. End your session with another yawn, stretch and sigh. After one to two minutes of Diaphragmatic Breathing, check back into your body and assess your level of stress using the SUDs scale or the, low, medium, or high assessment. In all likelihood, your stress level has decreased dramatically. This foundational step can do wonders to crate a positive Relaxation Response state of mind and body. When you learn the steps for stages two and three of the breath-based CBT method, you’ll experience an even deeper state of felt wellbeing. Get the Breath-Based CBT Guide As a reminder, If you would like to receive the full breath-based CBT guide, email me at CarterMethod@gmail.com and simply enter, “CBT Guide” in the subject line. Until our next visit, may you enjoy blessings in abundance. Stephen Carter CEO, Stress Solutions, LLC | www.EFT-MD.com | Podcast: www.MindOverStress.us | Additional Blog: https://StressMastery.blogspot.com

7 Ways to Celebrate Self-Care Awareness Month Ep 18 Mind Over Stress Show Host Stephen Carter, CEO of Stress Solutions, LLC. With each episode, I share stress mastery methods to help you live a happier, healthier life. Details and previous episodes available at MindOverStress.us. Important temporary note: in suggestion seven, I discuss learning Energy Psychology methods by visiting the FREA website at www.FREA.support. After recording and releasing this episode, there was an issue with the FREA site causing it to go offline temporarily. The site should be back in business in a few days time. Opening Story You’ve boarded the plane and you are settled in your seat. The plane begins to taxi toward the runway in preparation for takeoff. As the plane moves, a flight attendant stands at the front of the aircraft and tells you about the important safety procedures. During the demonstration, you hear: "if there is a change in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop down in front of you. Place your oxygen mask on first before helping others." Why do airlines make a point of providing this guidance? Because in the confusion of midair emergencies you’re likely to try and put the oxygen mask on a child, someone who is infirm, or others who you may see struggling. You’ve had a lifetime of programming that says other peoples’ needs come first. With a moment’s thought, it’s clear how important it is for you to place the oxygen mask on first. If you can’t breathe, you can’t take care of anyone else. Why Taking Care of Yourself First Matters While your day-to-day life may not be a disaster at 30,000 feet, the wear and tear of daily stress exerts a huge emotional and often physical toll on health and wellbeing. It’s so easy to get submerged in an ocean of stress we stop noticing the warning signs. We’re so busy doing for others, we forget how important it is to take care of our own needs first. This doesn’t mean we ignore the needs of family members or professional responsibilities. Quite the opposite. When you take emotional care of yourself, you have far more emotional fuel in your energy tank. You can do a better job helping others when you help yourself first. Self-Care Awareness Month With September being Self-Care Awareness Month, it’s a perfect time to look at ways you can build in self-care activities into your daily life. It’s important for your own wellbeing and the wellbeing of those you care about. 7 Suggestions for Self-Care Here are seven suggestions to begin your self-care program: First and most important, commit to incorporating daily activities for self-care. Commit to self-care for the longterm. It’s a gift to yourself and to your loved ones. Schedule on your calendar three to five minute breaks every hour. Your mental and physical capacity begins to wane after 45 to 55 minutes. A short break every hour recharges you physically and mentally. If you’ve been seated, stand up. Stretch, yawn, and sigh even if you don’t feel like doing so. Take several steps away from your work location and, if possible, look or step outside and connect with Mother Nature. Spend at least a minute breathing deeply as you allow your mind activity to slow down. Make time to do activities you enjoy. Walking in Nature is great, but if you prefer spending time in the hustle and bustle of city streets, go for it! If you love to sing, dance, do yoga, exercise, shop, read, play bridge, or whatever - commit to doing the activity at least weekly. Schedule the time on you calendar and do it. Take vacations to places you want to go rather than places you think you have to go. Visiting family is fine if that brings joy. If not, take trips to other locations you’re excited to visit. Take weekend trips in addition to longer vacations. Explore new ways to relax and release stress. If you’ve tried meditation with little success, try a form of moving meditation such as Tai Chi or labyrinth walking. Lean and apply Energy Psychology methods to release stress and recharge your emotional energy. You’ll find a rich array of calming and emotional first aid Energy Psychology methods on the FREA - short for Finding Recovery From Emotional Abuse - website at www.FREA.support. These methods can be used to calm and release stress anytime. To Recap: * Commit to incorporating activities for self-care; * Schedule three to five minute relaxation activities hourly throughout the day; * Stand up, look or step outside if possible, stretch, yawn, sigh, and move at least once an hour; * Make time for activities you enjoy; * Take vacations and weekend trips to places you WANT to go rather than places you think you have to go; * Explore news ways to relax and release stress; and, * Learn and apply Energy Psychology methods for self-care. Visit www.FREA.support to get started. Self-Care Matters Here’s the bottom line: Self-care matters. It matters for your wellbeing and the wellbeing of those you care for. Please begin today - this day - to show yourself self-love with self-care. You will feel emotionally renewed and you’ll show your loved ones how much you care about them whether you’re at 30,000 feet or right here on Mother Earth. Contact: Stephen Carter: CarterMethod@gmail.com Website: www.MindOverStress.us