Day 28: Work Softer

Day 28: Work Softer- Don't work harder, work softer!  There's no reason to race through your day, gritting your teeth and tensing your muscles.  Believe it or not, you can accomplish more when you move more slowly, thoughtfully.

Conserve your energy for the things that matter most.  Spend as much time planning as doing.  Learn to go with the flow-and to enjoy the journey. 

"When Stress Becomes an Enemy"
"What if your body is constantly revved up?  Your muscles remain tense, your pulse rate nd blood pressure stay high, and elevated levels of cholesterol, fats, sugars, hormones and other chemical linger in the blood.  Prolonged elevated levels of such chemicals-meant for short, intense, and infrequent bursts of activity-eventually damage important body organs. With what consequences?

You may begin experiencing backaches, headaches, muscle spasms of the neck, and muscle tension.  According to doctors, those symptoms are often related to chronic stress.  Ongoing stress can hamper creativity and productivity, as well as erode enthusiasm and damage interpersonal relationships.  It can also lead to irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, and esophageal spasms.  Th consequences of chronic stress may even be more serious.  Stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, cardiovascular problems, and diabetes may be caused by or made worse by prolonged stress." quoted from Awake! journal June 2010

"Because of the secretion of cortisol in long-term stress," writes Van der Merwe, "fat tends to accumulate around the abdomen and back."  Skin disorder, such as eczema and psoriasis, are associated with - or aggravated-stress."

Day 27: Take A Walk- For me going outside in the summer heat in Florida is out of the question, unless absolutely necessary.  So, I do my walking inside my house. I open the doors of each room so I have easy access and walk for up to 10 minutes at a time.  I move my arms slowly up and down and think of a relaxing park filled with flowers and birds and children playing and laughing.

By the time I'm finished I feel relaxed and calmer.  Ready, to continue my day in a more tranquil mood.