Brian Luke Seaward

How much money do you have in your savings account these days? Perhaps the question is, DO you have a savings account these days? Several stories on NPR this week have held a spotlight to the topic of “fiscal fragility”. The bottom line is that we are not out of the woods YET regarding this economic meltdown. Recently, two economists (Harvard and Princeton) conducted a study to determine how many Americans had a minimum of $2,000 in a savings account (not credit cards, but actual cash), for emergencies (e.g., car problems, health issues, etc.). The answer was less than promising. While it’s true that Americans are saving more today than two years ago, apparently not enough. Not enough people are being fiscally responsible, meaning that they are still living outside their means. The term “fiscal fragility” is another expression of stress, and there seems to be a lot of it out there.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Take an inventory of how you spend your money by looking at your checking account register. Where are you spending your money? Where are you hemmorraging money? Where can you cut back?Financial advisors suggest tat you see your savings account payments as a weekly or monthly expense, not a luxory. even if you only have pocket change… deposit it into a savings account. Remember, debit cards are handy, but not if you don’t record your transactions in your checkbook register. Just cutting back on lattes at Starbucks each day for a year amounts to over $1,000. Little things add up. Make and effort each day (without becoming stressed about it) to move from financial fragility to financial responsibility.

• Links Worth Noting:
As if we all need more bad news about the economy, there is even more bad fiscal news on the horizon. NPR’s Fresh Air host, Terry Gross interviewed Josh Kosman (author of the book, The Buyout of America). He predicts that the next bubble to burst is the collapse of many companies bought then sold by private equity firms. The link below highlights his interview.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120391729&ps=cprs

• Photo of the Day:
In making up a series of photos for the powerpoints for my college textbook, I tried to capture some ideas suggested by financial advisors.
1. Cut up and all unnecessary credit cards
2. Place your credit cards in a glass of water and the freeze it.. so you will only use it for emergencies.

• Quote for the Day:
“The best way to save your money is to fold it half and put it back in your wallet or purse.”— Anonymous

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Since I was a little boy, I found reading biographies and autobiographies to be very inspiring. One of THE most inspiring books I have ever read was written by a women named Nien Cheng. Her autobiography, Life and Death in Shanghai, is a book I recommend nearly everywhere I speak. While many people saw her book as an expose about the politics of Mao’s Communist regime, I saw a story about the incredible health of the human spirit; someone who went through hell and kept going… Briefly, her is her story: At the age of 56 Nien was placed in solitary confinement in the No 1 Detention House in Shanghai for 6 1/2 years, accused of being a spy: Her crime; she spoke English. She was released when President Nixon arrived in China, as a token gesture for human rights. You can read more about her life in her best selling book, Life and Death in Shanghai. I first heard Nien speak at a lecture in Washington D.C. in 1990 where I was teaching on the faculty of The American University. I was forever moved. I invited her to come to my stress management class that semester and speak to my students about her horrible ordeal… and she accepted. “In China, we have no word for stress,” she said. “We call it opportunity.” Nien and I became immediate friends, so much so, that years later she even bought me a wedding present. Over the years we called, wrote and emailed hundreds of times, and I visited her every time I went to D.C. Nien Cheng was a remarkable soul and my life is all the richer for our friendship. I will miss her greatly. I have told her story (and stories of our get-togethers) in my books and wherever I go, and now with her passing, at the age of 94, I feel compelled to pay tribute once again to a beautiful soul. Without a doubt, Nien Cheng is the epitome of grace under pressure.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Do yourself a favor and read Nien Cheng’s book, Life and Death in Shanghai. It will make any stressful event in your life (or all of them) look like a bed a roses. I often say that Nien’s book is the female version of Victor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search For Meaning.

• Links Worth Noting:
Here is a link to the TIME magazine obituary paying tribute to her as well as a release from the Washington Post:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1938744,00.html
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091115/LIFE/911150337/-1/NEWSMAP

• Photo of the Day:
Not long ago, Nien sent me this photograph to use for my textbook (Managing Stress) and slide shows (Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward). She said to me as she gave me this photo, “I don’t know why I have lived so long. I think it’s because I practice t’ai chi.” I smiled, but I knew it was much more than that.

• Quote for the Day:
One of Nien Cheng’s favorite quotes:
“Human Beings are like tea bags. You don’t know your strength until you’re put in hot water.” — Often attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

One definition of stress goes like this: “Stress is a perceived disconnection from our divine source.” Some call this a “bad hair day” while others (with more stress) call it “The day from hell.” Indeed, in times of stress we can feel like we have been abandoned, even punished by God (even by those who claim not to believe in one). Prayer is not only the recognition that we are part of something much bigger out there (whatever you choose to call it), but a desire to be in alignment with this divine source. Prayers come in many styles (e.g., requests, gratitude, call for help, etc.) and today there is much research on the topic. In the words of Carl Jung, “Called or not, the gods are here.” The wisdom keepers the world over, remind us that we are NEVER alone. Spiritual assistance is only a thought and a prayer away. However to this we must add, when your prayers aren’t answered, it wasn’t that they weren’t heard… it’s just that the answer was NO! And one must also be reminded of this sage advice: Be careful what you ask for… you just might get it! First and foremost, prayer is an intention. As children we learn to recite prayers but prayers are more than just words, they are words with emotion. Prayer is considered by many to be a very effective coping technique for stress.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Author Sophy Burnham (A Book of Angels) suggests that prayer, to be most effective, be done in much the same way that mental imagery be done: Speak in the present tense, speak from a positive perspective, join your intentions with a feeling of love (not fear), detatch from the outcome and end with a word of gratitude.

• Books Worth Noting:
There are many books on prayer today, but my favorite is the classic work, Healing Words by Larry Dossey. As a side note, Herbert Benson and colleagues’ study on the efficacy (or lack thereof) of prayer may have gained lots of attention (even a cover story in Newsweek or Time) but the study was so fatally flawed it is considered a travesty by researchers.

• Photo of the Day:
There is an expression that says when you sing, you pray twice. I don’t sing when I see mountains like these, but I am filled with awe and silent praise, a whole other kind of prayer. The Tetons are amazing and this photo was taken last summer on an early morning walk. Enjoy!

• Quote for the Day:
“In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net
© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

First, you should know that there are over 600 modalities of complementary (alternative) medicine; everything from acupuncture to zero balancing, and a whole lot in between. Second, the purpose of these healing modalities is quite simple; to bring your body back to homeostasis. By no coincidence, there are hundreds of effective coping and relaxation techniques to manage one’s stress, and each of these has the same purpose: to bring one back to homeostasis (also known in the trade as“ inner peace”). It’s a safe assumption that nearly every technique for effective stress management falls in the family of complementary medicine. One should also know that there is no one technique that is effective for everyone with regards to reducing stress, nor is there one modality of complementary medicine that works for everyone either. Currently, there is much scrutiny about funding (not to mention efficacy) for various aspects of “healing,” with an emphasis placed on outcomes. Due to the nature of the mind-body-spirit dynamics, measuring the “mechanism” of complementary healing is akin to eating soup with a fork (we will revisit this topic again soon). The paths to inner peace may be countless, it only matter that you progress on the path you take.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Have you ever had a massage? Have you ever been treated with acupuncture? Do you do Hatha yoga or Tai Chi, mental imagery, biofeedback, music therapy, herbal therapy, guided imagery, humor therapy, physical exercise (yes, physical exercise is indeed, in the family of complementary healing)? The best way to see if a modality works is to actually try it (sometimes it may take more than one exposure, too!) Sometimes it helps (particularly with a chronic condition) to combine several modalities What do YOU do (on a daily basis) to bring your mind-body-spirit to homeostasis? It matters not which modality you use, but that you do return to homeostasis regularly!

• Links Worth Noting:
To learn more about this topic here are a few websites of interest
http://nccam.nih.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_medicine

• Photo of the Day:
There are two kinds of acupuncture: Classical (5-element) and Traditional (TCM). I am a big fan of Classical Acupuncture (which addresses all aspects of wellness: mind, body, spirit and emotions.) This is a photo taken during a session of 5-element acupuncture.

• Quote for the Day:
“Treatment originates outside you; healing comes from within.”
— Andrew Weil, M.D.”

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

As we begin the season of colds and flues, with hand sanitizers being as common as Starbucks these days, I thought it was important to remind people that not all bacteria is bad! In fact, you cannot live without the good kind of bacteria; the kind that lives in your gastro-intestinal tract and helps digest your food. Nutritionists call this “intestinal flora,” the most common being acidopholus, and they recommend you take good care of it. Sadly, most people don’t. Heavy use of antibiotics can kill the good bacteria, as well as the bad, something most doctors won’t tell you when they hand you the prescription. When the good bacteria is destroyed and not replenished (this can be replaced with supplements, probiotics, even yogurt) the yeast infection, Candida, is known to occur. Candida seems to thrive on sugar and nutritionists often say that sugar cravings are the result of an imbalance (stress) to the intestinal flora. Some suggest that Candida is quite possibly linked to several other chronic diseases. Unbeknownced to many people, several foods (specifically meats, such as chicken and red meats are loaded with antibiotics, which are then consumed, causing havoc on the GI track).

• Stress Tip for the Day:
How healthy is your intestinal flora? If you are not sure, consider providing some balance by adding some probiotics to your diet. While natural sources are considered the best, there are a few small food companies that make good products and these can be found near the dairy section of your grocery store. You can also Google “probiotic products” and see what shows up. And you can always reach for a container of yogurt (without sugar) as well. Also consider organic free range meats! To your health!

• Links Worth Noting:
A friend (thanks Wendy) sent me this link and I liked it so much I thought it was worth sharing as well. To be honest, it has absolutely nothing to do with intestinal flora, but on a much bigger scale, perhaps it does, for, it too, speaks about an imbalance and stress to the planet.

http://media.causes.com/510213?p_id=50571412

• Photo of the Day:
Well, OK! This isn’t a photo of yogurt, or even a carton of “GoodBelly” probiotics, but it was the best I could do on a Monday morning. And it does look healthy! Enjoy!

• Quote for the Day:
“Don’t eat anything your great-great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food. There are a great many food-like items in the supermarket your ancestors wouldn’t recognize as food (Go-Gurt? Breakfast-cereal bars? Nondairy creamer?); stay away from these.” -Michael Pollan, best selling author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net
© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

A friend and colleague of mine is a massage therapist in the Midwest. She begins each massage therapy session by touching the shoulder of her client and asking a statement: Name your joy! When she asked me this the first time, I must have gone for about 10 minutes citing all of my favorite things… until she told me to shut up (smile). Then she paused and said, “You know, when I ask people to name their joy, by and large, most people can’t. If you cannot name your joy (those things that bring happiness in your life) how can you possibly live your joy?” We both agreed that it appears the vast majority of people are NOT living their joy these days. And this can only be a bad thing! So…what brings you joy and happiness? Can you name your joy? If so, are you living your joy? Stress tends to act like blinders in that it obscures people from seeing the big picture. Instead stress creates a myopic view where it tends to magnifies itself. Naming your joy is a concept to bring some emotional levity to your day. It’s a way to find emotional and spiritual balance. Naming our joy, then living it is one of the first steps to enhancing the health of the human spirit.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Today, consider making a “stress management first aid kit” (I call these “Relaxation kits”). Start collecting things that allow you to relax through the five senses (a vile of lavender—smell, chocolate—taste, a Mozart CD-sound, bubble wrap-touch, a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon book—humor, a collection of funny jokes). Gather two items for each of the five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch and smell—don’t forget your sense of humor!), plus anything else you wish. Place these in a tote bag, a lunch box, or any container that will contain all of these items. You might even consider having one at home and one at the office. These are also great to make together as a family project. When you are feeling stressed, grab the kit and sooth one or more of the fives senses until you are headed toward homeostasis, possibly joy!

• Links Worth Noting:
If you are suffering from depression (and current estimates suggest that over 25% of Americans are), joy may be the last thing you are thinking about. This link came my way as I was writing this and took the hint to include it here. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023163346.htm
Why Antidepressants Don’t Work For So Many
Science Daily (Oct. 27, 2009) More than half the people who take antidepressants for depression never get relief.

• Photo of the Day:
Coffee milk shakes on a hot summer day, downhill skiing at Copper Mt, potluck dinners with friends and live music, walking my dog, Logan at sunrise. . The list is quite long, but a few years ago I added one more thing to my list: Surfing. This photo was taken the day learned to surf, a few hours after my first lesson. The waves on the north shore of Oahu were really high and all the hotshots were out in style… which made for some great photography.

• Quote for the Day:
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” —Abraham Lincoln

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Here is a fact that you may not be aware of: While the heart is the pump for the circulatory system, the lymphatic system has no pump to circulate the family of white blood cells around the body to search and destroy pathogens (including cancer cells). Rhythmic cardiovascular exercise is the best way (perhaps the only way) to increase the circulation of the lymphatic system. One of my colleagues, Donna Eden, shared with me that, as a healer, she has noted that women who wear wired bras tend to have very poor circulation of their lymphatic system, particularly the lymphatic ducts around the breast area. Hence, she noted, that they are more likely as candidates for breast cancer. She recommends that women NOT wear wired bras, if they might be prone for breast cancer. Another friend and colleague of mine, Christine Bonoli, shared with me that she uses wired bras BUT removes the wire, telling me that the extra-reinforced sewing still gives more support than not wired bras. Something to consider! Breast cancer is a HUGE problem in this country; one not with stress, and while there are many factors involved, this is one aspect you have control over. November is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (yeah!), but why wait till November to become aware?

• Stress Tip for the Day:
First: If you are a woman who wears a wired bra, consider your options, including removing the wire and still using the bra. Sports bras, I am told, also offer extra support.
Second: One cannot underscore the importance of regular rhythmic cardiovascular exercise; even walking, as this helps promote the circulation of the lymphatic system.
Third: Consider a regular lymphatic massage to help cleanse the lymphatic ducts around the breast area.

• Links Worth Noting:
Let there be no doubt, there is great stress involved with breast cancer. Many women I talk to find it awkward to talk about, not to mention a self-breast exam (and… did you know that more men find lumps in women’s breasts than women?) And guys, did you know that men can get breast cancer too? In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this is posted for women and men to visit: http://www.nbcam.org/

• Photo of the Day:
This photo is a poster for a play in the Denver area called Girls Only, “celebrating the feminine with humor, truth and honor.”

• Quote for the Day:
I got a postcard from my gynecologist. It said, “Did you know it’s time for your annual check-up?” No, but now my mailman does. ~Cathy Ladman

“ There are far too few pairs of beautiful breasts in the world.” — Westly to Princess Buttercup in The Princess Bride

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net
© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Why is laughter thought to be healing? Glad you asked! Research studies have revealed that laughter tends to decrease resting heart rate, resting blood pressure and muscle tension (muscle tension is THE # symptom of stress!) And let us not forget all the great neuropeptides (e.g., the beta endorphin) that are released from the brain to make us feel better, if only momentarily! Experts have noted that children laugh as many as 300 times per day. Adults (we are so sophisticated) have narrowed it down to 15, and hospital patients (are you ready for this?) zero! Emotional wellbeing is perhaps best defined as “the ability to feel and express the entire range of human emotions (from anger to love) and to control them, not be controlled by them! ”Anger and fear (the two stress emotions) permeate our culture today. If stress is a toxin, then humor is the antidote! Freud said that humor was a great coping technique because it not only decreased pain, but increased pleasure… AT THE SAME TIME! The antidote beings with a smile!

• Stress Tip for the Day:
The suggested quota for laughs per day is 15. There are three in this blog (Photo, joke and quote), which means you’re on your own for the other 12, so get going. But here is a start! Today’s Joke: The Conversation

God is sitting in Heaven when a scientist says to Him,
“Lord, we don’t need you anymore. Science has finally figured out a way to create life out of nothing. In other words, we can now do what you did in the beginning.”

“Is that so? Tell me about it,” replies God.

“Well, “ says the scientist, “we can take dirt and form it into the likeness of You and breathe life into it, thus creating man.”

“Well, that’s interesting. Show Me.”

So the scientist bends down to the earth and starts to mold the soil.

“No, no, no…” interrupts God, “Get your own dirt.”

Movies Worth Noting:
There is a famous quote from Chaucer that says, “Many a truth be told in jest,” and there is much truth to this quote! Film maker, Michael Moore, is considered by some to be a jester and his sense of humor is not without its critics. Personally I find him funny, and after seeing his latest movie, Capitalism: A Love Story, I think everyone should see this movie, particularly in light of yesterday’s news about the ridiculous bonuses being given from the TARP money (your tax dollars!) You owe it to yourselves to be informed (and catch a few laughs while you’re at it!)

• Photo of the Day:
This photo was sent to me to be added in my tickler notebook. Enjoy!

• Quote for the Day:
“Sincerity is everything. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made” —George Bernard Shaw

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Water is called the “essential nutrient” because we cannot live without it very long (some say a matter of days). Dehydration is a stress to the body. So is contaminated water that we drink out of the kitchen sink. Rain, rivers, lakes, underground aquifers; one might think that water is a God-given right, but these days our water supply is in dire straights. One might even say, “stressed.” During the last administration, the federal government had ignored The Clean Water Act, hence ignoring thousands of companies who have been dumping toxic waste into rivers and streams that find its way into your drinking water. Agricultural runoff (herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and synthetic petrochemical fertilizers, antibiotics and synthetic hormones) also finds its way into your drinking water as well. Its no exaggeration to say that we have a problem here.City drinking water cannot possibly remove all of these contaminants. The bottom line is that this is a major stress to your body’s physiology. Ideally, water acts to clear your body’ of contaminants. Poor water quality greatly compromises one’s health!

• Stress Tip for the Day:
First: Stay hydrated. If you are thirsty, most likely you are already dehydrated. Caffeine (found in coffee, teas and soft drinks) is a diuretic, drawing water out of your body through urination. Consider cutting back on your caffeine intake for better homeostasis, and at restaurants, order water as your first choice of beverage.
Second, if you don’t have a water filter system in your kitchen (to remove chlorine-based compounds that some say are carcinogenic) this would be a good time to install one (google water filters and do your homework. If you do have one, remember to replace the filter REGULARLY!
Third, get active in your local politics about the quality of your drinking water. When it comes down to it, water is a local issue.

Links Worth Noting:
NPR’s Fresh Air hosted by Terry Gross held a special interview the other night with a writer for the New York Times who has written an informative series of stories about the state of water in our country. Here is a link to the transcript.
http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=113927993

• Photo of the Day:
Water was not is short supply at the Skoggafoss waterfall when I was in Iceland last year, but climate experts have noticed that glaciers in Iceland, Greenland, Peru, Africa (Mt Kilimanjaro) and many other parts of the world are certainly diminishing in size, which ultimately will affect water supplies for the people who rely on these melting waters to sustain their lives.

• Quote for the Day:
“Water has become a highly precious resource. There are some places where a barrel of water costs more than a barrel of oil.”— Lloyd Axworthy, Foreign Minister of Canada (1999 – News Conference)

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

I had the pleasure of attending a dinner party at the house of a friend over the weekend and met some really neat people. Topics of conversation included everything from the latest movies to the start of the ski season and the Nobel Peace Prize. Given my travel schedule in the past few months, people were all ears to hear about Greenland, Peru, Sitka Alaska, the Virgin Islands and St. Lucia. One guest commented that he could never travel because his job (he was self-employed) wouldn’t allow him time off (even a week’s vacation). As he talked, it occurred to me that it wasn’t his job. Rather it was his own limitations that were so constrictive. He’s not alone in this regard. As the expression goes, “Argue for your limitations and sure enough, their yours.” My first thought after hearing him say this was a lack of healthy boundaries. Healthy boundaries require a strong sense of assertiveness; to claim what is truly yours (in this case, vacation time). Assertiveness is one pillar in the structure of healthy stress management skills. Make a habit to use your assertiveness skills to give balance to your life.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Take inventory of your life today. Are there areas that you need to be more assertive? Where are the areas that you need to pull in the reins? Where are there aspects that you need to lighten up? There is a big difference between being assertive and being aggressive. Avoid the later. At the end of the day, it’s all about balance. As you review your day, your week or your life, remind yourself this simple phrase: “Healthy Boundaries.” Repeat it to yourself. Repeat it aloud. Repeat it to friends or colleagues who ask one to many favors or infringe on your personal time too often. Make your mantra today: “I have healthy boundaries.”

• Books Worth Noting:
Of the many topics of conversation that night at dinner, we discussed good books to read. Several people had read the book, The Cosmic Serpent, by Jeremy Narby, a story about a trip the Amazon rainforest and the quest for knowledge through shaman experiences… all of which leads the author to an amazing search to understand our DNA better. We all gave it a 5-star recommendation.

• Photo of the Day:
Speaking of vacations… this photo was taken of the Napali coast last winter while visiting Kauai. Enjoy!

• Quote for the Day:
“There cannot be a stressful crisis next week… My schedule is already full.” —Henry Kissinger

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

With all the news about Swine Flu these days it’s a good time to revisit the concept of stress and the immune system because not only are we approaching the flu season, we are approaching the holiday season and there is a definite correlation! Experts suggest that as much as 50% of Americans are walking around with a suppressed immune system (stress, poor nutrition and insomnia are the contributing factors). The metaphor of falling domino works well here. Domino # 1: There is a whole cascade of biochemicals that are produced and secreted under stress. First, the nervous system reacts to a “Threat” by releasing epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. This is followed by (Domino # 2) the release of many hormones, all of which prepare the body for fight or flight. These include but are not limited to: Cortisol, aldosterone, vaspressin, and thyroxine. When one engages in fight or flight these hormones are used for their proper duties. When one sits in front of a computer terminal all day (or other sedentary means) then these chemicals become a toxic hormone cocktail in the body. When cortisol lingers in the body (and we don’t know why) destroys white blood cells (Domino # 3). That’s right, prolonged stress, in terms of lingering Cortisol, suppresses the immune system.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Good eating habits tend to disappear in stressful times. We tend to eat comfort foods which are high in refined sugar. Refined sugar also suppresses the immune system. Consider reaching for a piece of organic fruit or trail mix when the hunger pangs strike and try to minimize your intake of refined (table) sugar.

• Books Worth Noting:
Speaking of nutrition, Michael Pollan’s most recent book, In Defense of Food, is an excellent resource to add to your library. As a sequel to his best selling book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, he highlights a clear path to healthy eating. I highly recommend this book.

• Photo of the Day:
Sometimes seeing a picture of the stress and immune system brings home the point better than words. I had this image created for my college textbook, Managing Stress.

• Quote for the Day:
“The bottom line is that refined sugar upsets the body chemistry and suppresses the immune system. The stronger the immune system the easier it is for the body to fight infectious and degenerative diseases.” —Professor Nancy Appleton, Ph.D., Nutritionist

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

In time of stress, laughter can help balance one’s scale of emotions, if only temporarily. Today I have opted to cut to the chase, dispensing with theory and going straight for the application. Hope you get a few laughs today’s edition of Stressfully Speaking. Enjoy!

Every year, English teachers from across the country can submit their collections of actual analogies and metaphors found in high school essays. These excerpts are published each year to the amusement of teachers across the country. Here are last year’s winners…..
1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.
8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife’s infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.
10. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you’re on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m.
11. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
12. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field
toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
13. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan’s teeth.
14. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
15. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.
16. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
17. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
18. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
19. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
20. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
21. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
22. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
23. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.

• Photo of the Day:
The 10th Annual Mountain Retreat, held this year at Vail’s incredible Sonnenalp Resort may be over, but the memories will last a lifetime for all those who attended. Here is a photo from last night’s concert featuring Christine Bonoli and guitar virtuoso, Zach Bergen. A great time was had by all and we hope YOU can join us next year… Mark your calendar for Columbus Day weekend 2010!

• Quote for the Day:
”Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”
— Victor Borge

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

We have all heard of the concept of positive thinking and the story of Pollyanna. There is MUCH merit to the power of positive thoughts. Lance Armstrong didn’t win the Tour de France repeatedly by having a bad mindset. Research suggests that a pessimistic view of life is a contributing factor to a suppressed immune system. Positive thoughts are essential to a happy and healthy life. However, the secret to positive affirmations (a word or phrase you repeat to yourself for mental and emotional stability) is to combine the conscious and unconscious minds for the best effect. Reminding yourself of your positive attributes is good, but words alone are not enough. The unconscious mind speaks in symbols, images and metaphors, not words. The unconscious mind also sees things as the present moment so your affirmation statement is best if it begins with the words I am (e.g., I am calm and relaxed).

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Given the amount of negativity today, a little Pollyanna goes a long way! Consider creating a word or phrase combined with an image (e.g., a calm body or water, a humming bird perched on a branch, a rainbow) with your positive affirmation statement. Rehearse it when you are relaxed (e.g. meditating) and then practice it throughout the day; in traffic, long lines at he grocery store or staff meetings. Postive affirmations are a mantra of sorts, they act as a compass to guide you around the potholes of

• Links Worth Noting:
Here is a link with some more information on Positive Affirmations: Enjoy.

http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_00000a.htm

• Photo of the Day:
I took this photo while down in the Virgin Islands last week. My publisher (Jones and Bartlett) wanted me to capture some ideas for another book cover. It’s hard not to be positive in the Virgin Islands (smile).

• Quote for the Day:
“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” — Norman Vincent Peale

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Have you noticed how impatient people seem today? Everything is rush, rush, rush. I just returned from a trip to the Caribbean (doing some last filming for my documentary on the healing power of nature). In case you forgot, let me remind you; airports are a GREAT place to study stress and human behavior. It wasn’t long ago that cross-country travel, not to mention international travel, would have taken weeks, if not months (how quickly we forget?) There are lots of impatient people in the skies these days. Impatience is a precursor to rudeness. It’s not just airports where patience is a lost art; its grocery stores, post offices, and least we forget, traffic intersections. Impatience is a form of anger, and anger is one half of the fight or flight response. Impatience is the ego’s way of saying, “I am more important than you, let me through.” Patience is indeed a virtue, particularly in times of stress.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Observe your behavior today. Are you caught in a rut of impatience? What’s the hurry? Step outside yourself and take an honest look at your behavior. Is the world really going to end if you don’t make it through that next yellow traffic light? Engaging in the act of patience is a muscle we all need to exercise regularly. Make a practice to step back, take a deep breath, and wait a moment.

• Books Worth Noting:
While on board a flight to the Caribbean, I started and finished Dan Brown’s new book, The Lost Symbol. I was really pleased to see how he wove in some of the concepts of higher consciousness through his exposure to the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Aside from being a great story, in his own way, Brown does a great job to elevate consciousness as well. It’s a good read, and should make for a great movie (fingers crossed on that one).

• Photo of the Day:
This photo is of an Irish farmer and his little daughter, near the Dingle Peninsula, Ireland. Ireland is a magical country filled with stunning beauty, great music and mystical Celtic ruins.
Inspiration Unlimited has a trip to Ireland scheduled next June (summer solstice) to experience it all. We have 8 spots (out of 20) left. The first deadline to sign up is Nov 5th. Below is a link with all of the information. Please direct all questions to MaryJo at (303) 439.0948. If you have ever wanted to visit Ireland and the old country… this is the perfect chance.

http://brianlukeseaward.net/Seminars/Ireland.html •

Quote for the Day:
“Patience is the companion of wisdom.” —St. Augustine

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

The definition I like best for the term “wellness” is this: The integration, balance and harmony of mind, body, spirit, and emotions where the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts. The aspect of spiritual well-being often gets neglected or ignored (for a great many reasons), but one aspect of spiritual wellbeing invites us to accept that there are things in the world that we are never going to fully understand or explain; such as spontaneous remissions of cancerous tumors, divine synchronicities… and perhaps even crop circles. Over the past several centuries, science has stepped in to explain what reality is; yet even science does not have all the answers. Some say that science has become its own religion. For sure, stressful situations can force us to be myopic about life’s problems, yet it behooves us to take these blinders off and see the BIG picture… and at the same time… enjoy the mystery of life itself. An appreciation of life

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Have you ever had an experience that defies rational explanation? Have you ever had a synchronistic moment that defies all odds? Most likely you have, even if you are embarrassed to mention it to anyone. Take time each day to enjoy the mystery of life. Perspective takes the edge off a bad day. Embrace the mystery!

• Links Worth Noting:
A friend sent this link to me. I have had an active interest in Crop Circles ever since I first heard about them. Despite the fact that two guys (Doug and Dave) claim to be making all of these (after a few beers I might add), crop circles made by humans don’t match the intricacies made by “other” forces. While there is much speculation, currently there is no proven answer to how these form, sometimes in less than 3-5 seconds.
http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/inter2009/worldrumours2009.html

• Photo of the Day:
For thousands of years Stonehenge (outside of London, England) has been a mystery to those who gazed upon this structure. How did people transport these monolithic rocks? Why did they build it? What purpose did it serve? I was lucky enough to visit Stonehenge a few years ago during the summer when there were barely any people there. It was a magnificent experience and mystical too. The moon was a real bonus. Enjoy!

• Quote for the Day:
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” —Albert Einstein

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

One cannot address the issue of stress without acknowledging the unconscious mind. After all, the unconscious mind comprises a great percentage of the total mind. One person who devoted his career to the study of the mind was Carl Gustav Jung. A protégé of Sigmund Freud, Jung eventually went his own way and developed a body of knowledge that has worked its way beautifully into the American vernacular: introvert, extrovert, synchronicity and archetypes are just a few of the terms the Jung coined in his study of the mind. Jung was a strong proponent of the message of dream symbols, and spent the majority of his career studying the dreams of his patients, as well as his own. He used the term “psychic equilibrium” to describe a process of learning the languages of the unconscious mind, in this case, the language of dream symbols, to ease one’s level of anxiety. Given the amount of stress people exhibit today, it’s a good practice to follow.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Many people, if they can remember their dreams, think they make no sense. From a conscious perspective, this may seem to be true, but from a perspective of the whole mind, nothing could be further from the truth. So…take note of your dreams. Pay attention to the fragments of dream images each morning (perhaps even write them down) and then take the time to decode the message of these symbolic images. The unconscious mind speaks in colors, symbols, myths and stories, rather than words and sentences. Take the time to find and master your psychic equilibrium!

• Links Worth Noting:
This link (below) will take you to a recent online article about a book (the Red Book) that Carl Jung worked on throughout his whole life. In it contains many illustrations of his own dream images and personal reflections. He asked that it not be opened for study until 100 years after his death. He died in 1961, yet many now are hoping to take a peek inside to see what it has to offer on one of the greatest minds of the 20th century.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/magazine/20jung-t.html?_r=1

• Photo of the Day:
A photo (from his renowned book, Man and his Symbols) of Carl G. Jung in his study of his home in Switzerland.
• Quote for the Day:
“Man rejects that which he does not understand.” — Carl G. Jung
Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net
© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

In times of trouble, we often seek help to alleviate our stress. This ageless coping technique goes by a name: Information Seeking and the self-help book industry had made a fortune off of this technique! Whether its turning to self-help books, asking questions of friends, family or mentors or Googling a specific topic, culling information to make sense out of a difficult situation is one of the best known coping techniques to reduce stress. A smart person, however, knows that one source of information never contains the whole picture, nor all the answers. Patients are suggested to get a second opinion from other doctors, news reporters are required to back up their first source with second and third sources of information for accuracy. In times of stress, we should do the same. The Internet is great, but it is not the Akashic Hall of Records. Don’t limit your search simply to Google.com. Remember…there is a good reason why elders are often called “wisdom keepers.”

• Stress Tip for the Day:
If you find yourself looking for help make it habit to shop around for information that will lead you back to homeostasis. Look for consistency among answers. Don’t stop with the first piece of information you track down. Back it up with a second source. Know the difference between information and wisdom. Wisdom is perhaps best described as “information and experience… accrued over time.”

• Link Worth Noting:
My friend sent this link which I thought was worth sharing as well; its a video clip of a man and a dolphin. Enjoy!
http://www.deanandjojostory.com/gallery.htm

• Photo of the Day:
Some predict that the day of books is over, with the Internet as a dominant force in our lives. I hope not! I chose to use a photo of books from my library in the hopes that books will never go out of style (and I am not just saying that because I am an author!). By the way, The Prophet by K. Gibran is a great book.

• Quote for the Day:
“Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” —James Joyce

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

There is great comfort in facts and figures. There is uncertainty in the unknown, which often elicits apprehension. In stress management circles this is also known as “the fear of the unknown.” But facts change (e.g., the world is flat, the world is round, there is global warming, there isn’t global warming). And people can use facts to their advantage…even if the facts are wrong! Taking refuge in hard and fast structures, rules and dogma may be good at times and in fact, even necessary. However, at some point life calls us to move forward. Life cannot be lived under a bushel. In times of stress people often head for facts, figures and dogma because these offer security. They also act as blinders to the bigger picture of life. As the expression goes, “Ships are safe in port, but that’s not what ships are built for.”

• Stress Tip for the Day:
It may seem like a tall order to keep an open mind in times of stress, but an open mind is what often leads you out of a corner that you paint yourself in. Step outside yourself and take a look at things from a different perspective. Quite often there is more than one right answer to a problem, yet you will never find that second (or third) right answer if you don’t step outside yourself (also known as detatching from the ego) to see the bigger picture. Learn to get comfortable with a little gray in between the black and white.

• Links Worth Noting:
Jayne Poynter spent two years in Biosphere 2. This lecture highlights her experiences and it make for some fascinating viewing. Enjoy!
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/573=

• Photo of the Day:
This photo was taken an hour after sunset in the arctic circle of Ilulissat, Greenland during the month of early August this year. It never really got much darker than this all night long.

• Quote for the Day:
“Ships are safe in port but that’s not what ships are made for.”
—often attributed to William Shedd

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

The words “stress” and “change” are often used synonymously, because by and large, people don’t like change. One definition of stress (and there are several) suggests that “Stress is any change that you encounter in your life.” We are living in times of tremendous change! As a rule, people don’t like change because it tends to disrupt their comfort zones—even if they don’t like what is in their comfort zones! This is the reason so many battered wives stay in toxic relationships: Fear of the Unknown! (Without getting too political, this is also the reason for such resistance to changes in health care reform). Quite often these fears are groundless and unjustified, yet people drag their feet, kicking and screaming about change! Yet change has always been part of the human landscape, so we must learn to adapt to change and in doing so, adapt to stress. Adaptation is another word for change! When we can learn to adapt to change, its empowering. When we dig in our heels we are doing nothing less than claiming victimization. As the saying goes, “Once a victim, twice a volunteer!”

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Take inventory of your emotions today. Observe when you find yourself getting anxious, upset, or frustrated. Ask yourself why do you feel this way. Did the winds of change blow across your face (without your permission!). Ask yourself what can you do to positively adapt to the changes in your life so that you are not tossed aimlessly around by these winds of change. Anchoring down isn’t the answer. Going with the flow is!

• Links Worth Noting:
I came across this link while doing a search for humming birds in Peru (Just got back). If you scroll down this page you will see video footage of a hummingbird with a very long tail in a mating dance. Peru, I am told, has over 60 different kinds of hummingbirds, one of which is completely purple and the size of a robin (and I saw this one in the Peruvian rain forest! Unreal!)

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.kolibriexpeditions.com/birdingperu/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/img_86411.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.kolibriexpeditions.com/birdingperu/blog/index.php/11-must-see-birds-in-peru-for-everyone/&usg=__2iveexfnRWZ4O-

• Photo of the Day:
I just returned from a trip to Peru where I hiked the Inca Trail and arrived at Machu Picchu the way the Incas did several hundred years ago. This is the sight I arrived at daybreak on Sept 4th, a few days after my birthday (and I am happy to say that the film footage of the mist rolling over the ancient city at dawn will be in the Earth Songs movie as well.) Machu Picchu is a most remarkable and mystical place for sure. Enjoy!

• Quote for the Day:
“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
—Mark Twain

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Stress has always been part of the human landscape, but it appears that the rate of change today is fast and furious making stress a greater presence in everyone’s lives. A catalyst for stress is the ego’s attachments to expectations and ideals of how things are SUPPOSED to be. Spiritual traditions from several Eastern cultures remind us of how to “walk in balance” gracefully in times of stress. They use words such as “detach,” “release” and “cleanse;” all means to keep the ego in check when under pressure. A popular expression attributed to a great many spiritual luminaries reminds us “To be in this world, but not of it.” From a stress management perspective, this is a reminder to live our lives in balance, not tension. It is a reminder to let go of thoughts, perceptions and attitudes that hijack our emotions leaving us in a perpectual state of frustration and anxiety. To be in the world but not of it, means to acknowledge unmet expectations, but not give our power over to them. To be in the world but not of it means to take the high road when we encounter stress by letting go of petty annoyances. To be in this world but not of it also means to appreciate material possessions, yet not be consumed by them; an addiction all unto itself. All of this may seem like a tall order, but with practice, it becomes easier.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Take inventory of your life today by stepping back (particularly in situations of stress) and observer your life from a new perspective: To be in the world but not of it. Detachment doesn’t mean apathy or indolence, rather it means living a consciously with an open heart. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are so much more than your ego!

• Links Worth Noting:
Not long ago I was up in Greenland to film (Earth Songs) the icebergs in the town of Ilulissat, a UNESCO world heritage site. It is impossible to be up there and not hear the buzz of global warming. Below is a link to some research being done in the area, some of which I was able to see myself. I thought this link was worth sharing….

http://www.extremeicesurvey.org/

• Photo of the Day:
I have been on the road for the past several weeks (Greenland, Hawaii and Peru…non of which were vacations, but just so you know, Hawaii was entirely all work and no play… smile) Today’s photograph is one of my favorites from Greenland. Enjoy!
By the way…Plans are underway for a Mountain Retreat workshop next summer in Ireland. For more information/itineray, etc. please call MaryJo Camaren (Sundrenched Vacations) at 303. 439.0948.

• Quote for the Day:
“Pain in inevitable, Suffering is optional.” —Anonymous

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Brian Luke Seaward is away on vacation and will return after Labor Day (Sept 8th) to continue the Stressfully Speaking Blog. Enjoy the rest of summer and see you upon my return.
Peace and Best wishes,
BLS

Nutrition plays a HUGE role in our health and the connection between what we eat in times of stress cannot be ignored. A news item highlighted on NPR’s morning edition this morning drew attention to the availability of various nutrients in one’s typical eating process. The word “bioavailability” means the assimilation of food nutrients that have been digested in the stomach and small intestine and carried into the blood stream for various metabolic processes. It was noted today that for fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E &K), to be bioavailable, one must ingest fat with the meal otherwise they are basically excreted. Fiber is not bioavailable (which is why it is recommend to eat so that it cleans out the gastro-intestinal tract). It is suggested that people who don’t consume much fiber per day (the average American eats about 8 grams per day, whereas the World Health Organization suggests about 40 grams per day.) Many people also miss out on what they think is a healthy consumption of vitamins and minerals but end up never ingesting them due to the way they cook the food (Intense heat kills vitamins, cooking veggies in water often leaches water soluble vitamins and minerals out of the foods and gets thrown down the kitchen sink. Some raw foods that are not chewed well also end up passing through the GI tract offering little to one’s health. AND STRESS can also impede the bioavailabilty of food nutrients.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Take time to prepare a good meal each day. Spend time actually tasting and chewing your food BEFORE swallowing it (some people call this “mindfulness eating”). If your busy lifestyle prevents you from preparing all three meals at home, consider preparing and eating at least one (1) meal a day for your immune system (organic foods with no herbicides, fungicides, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics and petro-chemicals).

• Links Worth Noting:
Did someone say comic relief? If you are looking for a good laugh each day (and perhaps a window in the world of “What were they thinking?” you will see no shortage of candidates for the coveted Darwin Awards (and other acts of stupidity) all of which are chronicled at this website: www.failblog.org (please view at your own risk and don’t try ANY of this stuff at home!)

• Photo of the Day:
Did you know that humming birds stick their tongues out when sitting still? I am not sure why, but after filming many different species for my Earth Songs documentary, I am convinced this is a common occurrence. This still photo was taken from a scene from Earth Songs. It is a Purple-Throated Caribe humming bird filmed on the island of Dominica, West Indies. Enjoy!

• Quote for the Day:

Audrey Hepburn’s Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.”
— Sam Levenson

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Once again research has proved what we have known intuitively all along. A now famous study by David Spiegel regarding support groups and breast cancer patients revealed that those people who had friends to turn to in times of crisis fared better than those who did not. Other studies have backed this up as well. As John Donne so famously said, “No man is an island.” Personal support groups consist of family, friends, colleagues, even pets these days. In essence, people whom we can turn to when we need a shoulder to cry on, or someone to simply share a meal, a laugh or an extraordinary event. Sociologists predicted years ago that as we immerse ourselves in to the lair of technology, the existence of support groups will weaken as people spend more time on the computer than in face to face interactions (many people don’t even know the names of their next door neighbors!). Technology has tried to answer this concern with a variety of social networking sites (e.g., MySpace, FaceBook, etc.) yet jpgs, one sentence emails and 140 character tweets, as great as they may be, are no substitute for human interaction. Real Friends, in real time, are true friends indeed!
• Stress Tip for the Day:
Take stock of your personal support group and take time to cultivate these relationships, IN PERSON! Friends (even family), come and go as we get older, which means we need to cultivate new relationships to maintain a critical mass of our support groups. Consider inviting someone new in your life to lunch or for a short walk in the nearest park. Take time to cultivate your social support groups. Quality of life is what support groups are all about!

• Link Worth Noting:
www.Sharingwellnessinfo.com is a website that offers LOTS of information and current news stories about hundreds of wellness topics. The site was created by two colleagues of mine who have a passion about helping people on their wellness journeys.

Here is a link to their most recent newsletter
http://sharingwellnessinfocom.cmail1.com/t/y/u/klkhtr/ijchhth/

• Photo of the Day:
Dolphins know the importance of social support networks (rarely, if ever do you see a dolphin swimming by itself). This photo was taken of a pod of spinner dolphins off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii. They get their name because when they jump up out of water, they spin (rotate) a few times before they enter back into the water.

• Quote for the Day:
“Rarely do members of the same family grow up under the same roof.”
— Richard Bach, author of the book, Illusions

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Joseph Campbell’s body of work into the field of mythology is very relevant to the topic of stress. Through stories, fables and myths in all cultures, Campbell noted a trend in the storyline; a concept he called “the hero’s journey,” also known as the spiritual journey. The hero, he said, 1) departs: going from the known to the unknown (facing fear all the way), 2) accomplishing a task (also known as the initiation stage or baptism by fire… also producing fear)… and 3) returns home upon accomplishing the task as “the master of two worlds.” One time while explaining this concept in a keynote speech, a fellow in the front row murmured under his breath (I embark on the hero’s journey every time I get on the L.A. Freeway!). His point was funny, yet true. Our lives are a series of hero’s journeys where upon we encounter stress on a regular basis and are invited to overcome it. There are two ways to meet stress, however. The first is as a victim (also known is psychological terms as “victim consciousness.” —as the saying goes, “Once a victim, twice a volunteer”). The second way is as the victor. The choice is ours. Campbell said when the hero is on the right track, the journey is blissful. Take his advice and follow your bliss!

(Note: I will be away at a wellness conference and resume this blog on Thursday July 23rd. Thanks!

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Take an honest look at your life today and observe which path you have made a habit of taking; the victim or the victor. The path of the victim tends to be one where we hear constant bitching, moaning and whining about how “bad” things are. Victims are complainers and often add a touch of sarcasm, pessimism and typically see the glass half empty, if not broken. Complaining is easy. But, as the expression goes, “pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.” The path of the hero is the high road. It takes work to hike the high road, but the views are incredible!

• Link Worth Noting:
I found two links of Joseph Campbell that may be of interest. Better yet, consider investing the PBS 6 part series where Bill Moyers interviews Campbell. Although this was filmed in 1987, the content is ageless and as relevant today as it was when it was filmed.
I might also put a plug in for the latest Harry Potter movie I saw yesterday: Harry Potter, like so many great stories IS the Hero’s journey. As Campbell said, we gravitate toward these stories to find our way back home.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joseph-Campbell/53067252909

http://www.dynamictube.com/youtube/joseph-campbell.html

• Photo of the Day:
A photo of the Edith Clavell Glacier near Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies (which by the way is melting at an alarming rate). I selected this photo as a symbolic picture of the hero’s journey. Many of our biggest stressors appear to be roadblocks on life’s journey. But we are never given a problem that we are not able to handle… when we put our minds and hearts into it.
• Quote for the Day:

“Follow your bliss.” — Joseph Campbell

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.