Crankiness and Its Antidotes

Ted Coine remarked that he felt cranky the other day, so he grabbed a bite to eat. Somehow that remark about crankiness aroused my curiosity about the topic. What makes us cranky anyway, and what can we do about it? If you ever awaken feeling so cranky that you're ready to take off somebody's head, why not share what you do to overcome it.

Causes of Crankiness:

Self Control: People on diets are known to be irritable and quick to anger, researchers David Gal and Wendy Liu find. They just don't welcome messages that nag them to control their behavior. "People who attempt to practice more self-control are attracted to aggressive art and public policy appeals, according to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Sleepless Night: If we pull an all-nighter or experience a sleepless night we might be very cranky and moody next day. The sleep-deprived brain will swing to extremes of euphoria or crankiness, neither of which is good for decision-making. Sleep deprivation shuts down the brain's key planning and decision-making regions, Matthew Walker and his UC, Berkeley research team found.

Shift Work: Though shift workers may get 4-5 hours of sleep a night, they build up an increasing sleep debt. As time progresses, fatigue increases. Trouble is they become more irritable, and then it's easy for anger to flare as they take out frustrations on family, and fellow workers. Check tips from the Healthy Shift Worker and the Mayo Clinic for better sleep

Nasty Role Models People around you greatly influence your actions, Nancy Grant Halvorson notes in her review of Robert Sutton's, Good Boss, Bad Boss. Here is why...

Throughout Good Boss, Bad Boss, Sutton emphasizes the enormous power of social influence. We emulate the people around us, often unconsciously. And as he writes, "emotions are remarkably contagious." Anxiety, cynicism, selfishness, and negativity rub off. So if you are surrounded by cranky jerks, you just might begin to behave that way yourself without realizing it.

Mirror neurons in your brain are equipped to mimic other people’s feelings or reactions, either for well-being or toxins.

Chores An overload of mundane or housekeeping chores can be overwhelming and frustrating, leading to irritability and crankiness. This can be especially true if the whole load lands on one person after a work day or on the weekend. Every time we send a message to our brain about how much we hate doing chores, the stronger the aversion to chores becomes.

Stress "Symptoms such as headaches, irritability and depression can actually be signs that your stress levels are too high," Beth Rifkin says. When people habitually react to challenges poorly they keep wiring for more of the same. Cortisol is released in the brain, causing people to be indecisive, poorly organized and cranky. Over time, cortisol can literally shrink your brain. It may be impossible to resolve issues or embrace growth, but it doesn't have to be that way, if you begin acting in the opposite direction.

Genes The reality is that genes can make women cranky, though I am wondering if a comparable study was done with men. "Genetic variations that deal with the body's mood management chemistry are linked with anger, aggression and hostility in women," according to a University of Pittsburgh study. "The results counter some common beliefs that women are to blame for their hostility. And genetic tests for anger could help predict a woman's likelihood of other anger-related diseases." Women who had greater tendency toward aggressive and angry behaviors had lower levels of serotonin in their system.

The only way to get past something that leads to crankiness, is to begin to work against it. And, believe it or not, your actions can even change genetic make-up. It will take some focus and work on your part. So here goes...

Antidotes for Crankiness

Find rewarding activities Most people enjoy relaxing, playing a game or listening to music. If you intentionally include activities we enjoy during the day, you are less likely to revert back to moodiness or aggressive responses, even if you are on a diet. Preferred rewards might include something other than food, for that "feel good" sensation. By diverting attention from diet or things you "can't have" focus your thoughts instead on actions you can enjoy.

Pay Back Sleep Debts "Tacking on an extra hour or two of sleep a night is the way to catch up," says Lawrence J. Epstein, medical director of Harvard-affiliated Sleep Health Centers. "For the chronically sleep deprived, take it easy for a few months to get back into a natural sleep pattern."

When banking extra hours, lengthening the hours and intensity of your sleep are critical. Your most refreshing sleep occurs during deep sleep. And when you sleep more hours, you allow your brain to spend more time in this rejuvenating period.

Create a Pleasant Workplace To avoid toxins in a work place find workers who model characteristics you desire to see more of: good listeners, collaborative team player, welcoming to diversity, and caring of others. "Imagine a workplace that builds more on people’s strengths, Dr. Ellen Weber says, "and you’ll be staring down problems that prevent growth." Tap organizational brainpower to energize productivity on the job.

Delegate tasks effectively You can choose to keep on this path or go by a new road map. At work you can avoid "doing it yourself to have it done right," by learning to effectually delegate tasks, according to Gregory P. Smith. Start by determining what you will delegate, clarify the results you want to see, define responsibilities, communicate authority over the delegated task and set a timeline. To prevent problems, plan a series of follow-up meetings. And, to avoid having the whole delegated task dumped back on you, stick to the delegation program.

At home, enlist family help by explaining how you feel. Create a list of chores that need to be done and have the family sign up for the jobs and offer plenty of praise and thanks for jobs well done, followed up by a reward system.

Do the opposite The more you work in an opposite direction to problems and stress, the more you will rewire your brain for the opposite and build new habits that work in your favor. Here are some starters:

• If you wing your days, what if you used daily targets to organize time effectively?
• Rather than vehemently expressing your thoughts, what if you stepped back and replied with honesty, yet very respecting of the other person? Serotonin, the chemical hormone for well being is emitted through respectful tone. Dangerous levels of cortisol come with poor tone.
• Instead of putting challenges aside, what if you were to team with others to solve them?
• Before letting metamessages roll out of your mouth, what if you plan to be welcoming, grateful, and encouraging of others?
• To find an alternative to busyness, what if you schedule some activities you enjoy, while you cut down on others?
• If things distract flow on the job, what if you listen to classical or ambient music as you work?
• When you tense up at work, what if you practice progressive muscle relaxation?
• Rather than sitting too much, what if you begin to exercise in ways you enjoy? Exercise keeps you mentally alert and physically fit.

Choices are yours. Create a "what if" solution to overcome your problem with stressors.

Rewire beliefs and actions We can actually rewire our brain by choosing new beliefs and actions, according to Dr. Bruce H. Lipton, even if we were born with genes that tend toward anger, hostility and aggression. "The new biology reveals that we ‘control’ our genome rather than being controlled by it," Lipton finds. Because of the brain's great capacity for plasticity, we can rewire by practicing activities that bring more serotonin to our lives to experience the calm, and contentment we desire.

Where to from here? The last phase of the MITA's five phases is to reflect so you can adjust what's not working well and change it. Find out what works best as you "play" with several of these to overcome a cranky habit. The brain leaps to novelty, so why not be free to change-up what you do as you work to overcome crankiness?

Thoughts?

Stress - Buster or Builder?

When a friend lost gobs of hair and the only option was to wear a wig during a stressful time, I began to see how much stress can change your well-being. Most of us have no idea what damage stress does to our body. If I were to ask, you could easily tell me what usually throws you into a state of stress. You'll also be surprised at the variety of ways stress affects the human body...

Stress impacts

Heart - increased beating of the heart people experience when in stressful situations is just one part of the body's response to stress, something often known as the "fight-or-flight response". Another component of the fight-or-flight response is the suppression of pain, also known as stress-induced analgesia.

Mental stress puts an added burden on the heart, too.

Immune System - stress makes people more susceptible to illness

Circulation - Negative emotions - depression, anxiety, hostility, anger - cause stress and are linked to atherosclerosis, or thickening of the inside walls of the coronary arteries. Thickening of these walls can slow or block the flow of blood to the heart and brain, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Mental well-being Work stress leads to five major categories of stressors. These include exposure to critical incidents, job dissatisfaction, perceived organizational unfairness, discrimination and lack of cooperation and trust. Both perceived and actual work stress correlates with adverse psychological, physical and behavioral outcomes.

Brain Stress shuts down learning and memory.

Belly Fat Stress can lead you to eat comfort and junk food which lead to belly fat. This build-up of belly fat's dangerous to circulatory system and heart as well as your brain.

Are you running on a business treadmill as Chuck Blakeman describes? Not too surprisingly, the average person deals with at least 22 stressors in a day? More cortisol is excreted into body and brain of folks who take the brunt of stressors and Dr. Ellen Weber shows that often we often work against ourselves if we fail to work against stress daily.

Interestingly, Ellen Weber claims the best stress buster is to find ways to bring more serotonin, to your day.

Several folks on Twitter reported what works best for them to relieve stress. Not too surprisingly, each of these works to bring serotonin. You'll see several of my suggestions, too. Since there are 22 stressors in a day, it makes sense to list 22 stress busters to work against it so that you have a fully packed tool kit to work against it.

22+ Stress Busters:

Pet or play with your cat or dog - The stroking and closeness can bring a feeling of comfort. Canadian Christine says petting her cat always lowers her high blood pressure.

Take a break, go to a quiet place and palm your eyes for 60 seconds. Gina Kay says, "Palming" is a relaxation technique. "Upper part of palm goes on eyes, little finger/ring finger tips touch @ forehead middle."

Take a walk - Ulla Hennig says walking's the first thing she does when she feels stressed. She asks what made her feel stressed and what she might do to avoid it.

Get into Cardio Exercise - Brad Shorr recommends 30-40 minutes on a stationary bike, outdoor biking, swimming (Not all at the same time).

Plan for brainpower boom - Ellen Weber suggests that if we find ways to put brainpower to work to find solutions to things that stress us, we'll work with rather than against our brains.

Pray and meditate - Take time to read scriptures and pray.

Listen to Relaxing or inspiring music - Music can quickly move your brain waves to bring you calm. If you are not in a situation where you can quickly access it, whistle or hum the tune in your mind.

Grow plants Tending plants bring peace and nurture the mind. Try growing some in your office an additional benefit is that they bring more oxygen to your environment, too.

Play a game that's fun Choose a game which does not turn your competitive mode up to high or this, too can stress you. I like to play Quiddler, Set or Scrabble inside or golf every chance I get when it's nice outside. What're your favorites?

Cook something to share Cooking takes your mind off other things as you concentrate on mixing just the right ingredients. Part of the delight is seeing others enjoy the fruits of your labor. Hmm... is that banana nut bread that I smell?

Write in your journal - Pick several different environments over a months time to change your perspective each time you write

Sketch an idea - You prime creativity when you put ideas into pictures [doodles]. In this case why not doodle three stress-busters you have in mind?

Write a haiku - Honor someone you respect at work. They could use the praise and as you put the haiku together, you're concentrating on good qualities you admire.

Run from negativity - Some folks are just more negative than others. Have you noticed that when one negative is expressed, a Niagara Falls flood of them tumbles out? Best way to get yourself out of such situations is to begin to get into groups where people focus on possibilities and solutions than getting mired down in problems only.

Laugh at yourself - Take yourself less seriously and begin to laugh at your foibles, your age, your height or hair. Family of a dear friend of mine wrote me to tell of the news of her death. They mentioned that they laughed at her funeral and that she would have enjoyed that. Fact is, I have never seen anyone who had the capacity she did to laugh in dire circumstances.

Volunteer - I belong to Rotary International so that I can participate in meaningful volunteer projects for the local community and city. In this way I give of my talents to benefit others. It brings you much serotonin when you give to others.

Encourage others - Meaningful words of encouragement go a long way to boost another person's day. They boost your day too, even more than you might realize.

Smile and look others in the eye - As you intentionally smile at another person, it helps lift their spirits. It's also fun to see how many smiles you receive in return.

Ask someone to lunch - If you pick someone you don't know all that well, such as a new neighbor or colleague at work, it gives you an opportunity to get to know them in a casual environment. Try it and you'll benefit.

Read a book - a book can help you concentrate on a variety of characters or historical people in very different settings than your own. In essence, you enter a different world

Work with Financial Planner - Get some new tactics to deal with whatever situation you may find yourself.

List solutions to work problems - Brainstorm these and jot down one word for each in several circles on a paper. Select the ones you think will work best and go to or write email to appropriate manager or supervisor with your nuggets of wisdom. Possibilities are well received by leaders and they will note the leadership you take as well.

Take a role in local theatrical - preparing for a performance can boost your creative skills in unique ways. Invite friends to come and see the final production.

Sing with karaoke - By singing inspiring music such as, "I Have a Dream," your brain picks up this message through several of your intelligences. If you tend to sing off key, do it at home, but if you find you have a great voice, blossom out by having a karaoke party.

Dance to music you like - Whether tap, ballet, clogging, ballroom or line dancing, as you move your body to music you enjoy you build a lot of serotonin through both the music and exercise. If you don't currently do this, take a few lessons!

Give a loved one a hug and say you love him or her - Often we take for granted the people closest to us. Give them a nice surprise by taking just a few seconds to do this. And look them right in the eye as you do. It does much boost your own spirit.

Leave room and run up stairs - If you find yourself in a toxic meeting, excuse yourself and run up and down stairs a few times. This exercise brings oxygen to your brain quickly and gives you enough space to be able to think of a professional approach to handle what is hard to cope with as you return to the meeting.

Do you have a stress-buster tool kit? If you don't what might you suggest to bring more well-being that I might have overlooked?

Christmas Blues? 10 Tips for New Melodies

"I'll have a blue Christmas without you.
I'll be so blue thinking about you.
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Won't be the same, if you're not here with me.

And when those blue snowflakes start fallin'
And when those blue melodies start callin'
You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white,
But I'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas."

Maybe Elvis, Celine or other artists revive lyrics and blues that press a replay button in your mind.... You now focus on events which change the scope of Christmas 2008 at your home. Stop right there!... Consider your focus. The human brain picks up on focus and soon surges with memories or prophetic fantasies you create.

The more you or I listen to Elvis's blues... we're upping the ante to build a blue Christmas. The more we set our sights on negatives, the more the chemical cortisol seeps in and blues take on darker shades. Not too surprisingly, cortisol, a chemical hormone in your brain, pushes against relationships, courage, solutions, and general well being. Want to play a new melody? You can reset your tunes and your celebration.

10 Tips for New Melodies

1. Attend Christmas Eve service This brings your entire focus to the true meaning of Christmas and bolsters your intrapersonal intelligence, too. Chat with others afterward and make new friends.

2. Invite neighbor(s), friend(s) or single parent with kids to spend Christmas with you It's not too late and can bring an unforgettable day for all. Bringing folks into your home and preparing the meal helps overcome loneliness. In the spirit of Christmas, you give yourself to others. No better way to rev up your interpersonal intelligence.

3. Volunteer at food kitchen Attendance spikes at Christmas so you can assist in a variety of tasks. Volunteering is giving a gift of yourself in a fresh new way.

4. Sing with carolers You'll be singing whole new tunes and having fun with others. Replay these tunes in your head as you try new approaches to the season.

5. Adopt a pet Give yourself a trusty, but different friend. Get acquainted on Christmas day!

6. Buy inspirational book to read Reading creates new images to mind and alters focus.

7. Hike, Snow Shoe or Ski Exercise that takes you outside quickly increases blood flow to the brain and connects you to nature in ways that freshen your spirit. At the same time, you fight against seasonal affective disorder caused by low levels of melatonin.

8. Write encouraging letters Reconnect to friends and family with positive encouragement. A personal, handwritten letter sends a treasure. Only you can create this unique gift and it gives back to you as well... many times with surprising results.

9. Volunteer at homeless shelter or hospital Give folks that that hurt right now can your gift of help or inspiring conversation.

10. Choose foods wisely Comfort foods may bring small comfort momentarily, but can eventually erode health. Avoid snack foods, carbs and soft drinks with sugars. "Just say no" to alcohol. Eat small portions which include items from a Mediterranean diet or other wise food choices. Drink plenty of water, too.

Choose what works best for you to bring new focus to potential Christmas blues. Even without the blues, you might find new purpose as you play a new melody for Christmas this year. As we give to others, we bring more serotonin to our lives. Serotonin's a brain chemical that enhances well-being as we reset our iPods with new tunes.

Thanks Joanna Young for bringing an unexpected Christmas greeting this year - a true Joyful, Joyful! Joanna donated money to the Marie Curie Cancer Care Charity which provides free nursing care to cancer patients and others with terminal illnesses and sent to my mailbox. Truly an inspiring melody!

Are you resetting your playlist this year?

Prodding Your Patience?

Ever experience tension as you wait and wish the world would move faster? People today are pushed to accomplish tasks quickly - especially at work. "We are addicted to speed," according to Carl Honore, "to cramming more and more into every minute. Every moment of the day feels like a race against the clock, a dash to a finish line that we never seem to reach." Do you find you have to prod your patience against all this?

Roadrunner days can lead higher cortisol levels in our body and brain. What's the difference if I have higher cortisol? Dr. Ellen Weber explains effects of high cortisol and ways to put on the brakes...

What are you doing to live patiently and how is it working for you?

A Step Away from Stress

Ever consider how quickly a problem can loom before you? Ellen Weber shared a video with me today about throwing your golf club with more finesse. Hmmm... see what you think...



In this vein, yesterday, I attempted to add artistic touches to conference materials. No matter what I tried, the software balked big time! Finally, too much time lapsed and so did my patience. I felt like throwing my computer keyboard, just like that golf club! Ever find yourself in that dilemma?

I knew my brain would not help me at that point... Why? Because... I was stressed and a tad bit angry since progress stalled.

When stress grips, the hormone cortisol floods the human brain and literally shuts down ability to focus and problem solve. Added to this, too much stress, day after day can affect the cardiovascular system. It literally can take years off peoples' lives.

First thing to do is Let It Go! Then how about doing something that takes your mind to a different place? In a way, you are tricking your brain. Here's a few activities that work for me...

Play a game One game that works well is Quiddler, a card game that requires you to put words together, starting with three cards all the way up to 10 cards. The challenge can completely restore my mind and bring more calm.

Take some photos Photography quickly brings calm to me. I often challenge myself by capturing nature through close-ups and unique angles.

Enjoy a cup of tea Somehow tea is simply a relaxer. And by the way, have you ever tried Yogi Egyptian Licorice?

Today, I came back to the project, and, I was able to resolve the issue in less than 10 minutes. Maybe I didn't throw a golf club with finesse as you saw in the video, but I did cut out stress that could eventually spell trouble.

What do you do to knock out stressors that quickly loom in your day?

When Anger Spills Over

No matter which nostril anger snorts from -- venting and rage too often smoke us out. How so?

Anger's not subtle! Expressions of anger appear daily in media - like yesterday's campus shooting. Teens and children hear angry dialogue as they play war-like video games. Bratz dolls reflect pent up anger. How can men and women cope on the job when emotions peak to the top?

What way do you cope when frustration rises to the boiling point?

Hold anger in - Builds pressure that needs to be be expressed - arouses the nervous system.

Vent to express it - Tends to increase intensity of the feeling but does not solve the problem. Often it's a misguided approach to control a situation. But, anger feeds on itself... Aggression leads to irreversible damage to people in the vicinity.

How does anger affect you physically?

Blood pressure rises

Eats away at your cardiovascular system.

Stops your brain's capacity to think clearly

Interestingly anger is one emotion men consider okay to display. However, they often don't respond well when other men show it.

On the other hand, women are generally socialized to conceal anger.

Very often, people simply do not learn to manage anger suitably.

Since anger causes your brain to release cortisol, a chemical that works to increase stress and frustration, it remains with you for about 20 minutes. How can you learn to pull back initially when anger's ugly head steams to use strategies that counteract it? You can counter cortisol by choosing tactics that help your brain release serotonin, a hormone of well being.

Suggestions to pull back and help your brain begin to release serotonin:

1. Take several deep breaths and concentrate on them.

2. Hum a tune that quiets your soul. Music can move your brain waves and help change your focus.

3. Leave the meeting, go to another place and grab a bottle of water, Pepsi or cup of coffee. Go outside and concentrate on something in nature that captures your fancy.

4. Get quick exercise, such as running up stairs, taking a brisk walk or stretching all your muscles.

5. Doodle a picture representing something you enjoy.

Suggestions to manage anger...

1. Write down the cause of your anger on one side of a paper. On the other side, jot three solutions to the problem. Think of how you will discuss with the other party and do it. The only way you'll lose is to do nothing and let frustration fester.

2. Share your feelings with a close associate or friend you can trust. Talking about it often helps you see new solutions. They'll offer suggestions, too.

3. Name the situation that caused your anger, describe your feelings and ask people involved to help bring a solution for you.

4. Let go of things beyond your control. Your anger does not resolve problems and if it's beyond your control, let it go. Letting go isn't easy so each time it comes to mind, mentally see it blow into the air as do dandelion wings.

5. Get professional help if you're continually angry and you can't let it go.

Care to distance yourself from the smoke? What does your best extinguisher look like?

Video Game Boosts Interpersonal Intelligence

If you lack self-confidence or feel edgy in crowds, a newly released video game may help change your perception of social threats. MindHabits Trainer, designed by McGill University researchers helps prepare people to change their perception of social threats. Here's how it works...

In playing the game the mind is trained to focus on friendly rather than threatening people, according to Mark Baldwin and Matthew Mather. The game's simple: choose the one smiling face in a crowd of frowns. In fact the suite of video games trains players in social situations to focus more on positive feedback rather than being distracted and deterred by perceived social slights or criticisms. By repeating this in many video scenarios, people will likely act similarly in crowds and social events. Wonder why?

"We found that stress is a social phenomenon programmed into our brains," Baldwin said. Hmmm... Do you find that interesting as I do? The researchers explain that babies are wired to be drawn to smiling faces and the absence of grins, especially among strangers, can make the world seem more hostile than it is.

"So if you walk into a room and you only focus on the threatening faces it can cause stress." That in turn releases stress-related cortisol into your brain. Playing the game helps build new brain dendrites that work against the stressors, and in fact can reduce them by 17 percent.

"There are many possible applications for this kind of game," said Prof. Baldwin, "from helping people cope with the social anxiety of public speaking or meeting new people, to helping athletes concentrate more on their game rather than worrying about performing poorly."

Ready to give MindHabits a try before your next speaking engagement?

Reduce Stressors, Boost Mind-body Performance

Are you feeling tightness across your shoulders and neck as you work? Stressors can tighten their grip daily and don't go away. Stress actually takes away your ability to focus and pay attention. The hormone cortisol floods your brain and body when you worry, panic, fear, feel anxious or pressured, or run the fast track too long. Here's how stress affects your brain...

Older adults who experience high levels of cortisol, perform poorly on memory tests and their hippocampus, the seat of learning and memory, literally shrinks. For younger adults and teens, an acute increase in cortisol can lead to reversible memory impairments.

"This explains why some older adults show poor brain function while others perform very well," Dr. Sonia Lupien, of the McGill research team conjectures. "Perhaps, through early interventions, we can modify the cortisol levels and enhance brain function of the at-risk individuals."

Good news is that recent research reveals that Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT) works effectively against stress. So how does IBMT work?

The technique avoids struggles to control thought, relying instead on a state of restful alertness, allowing for a high degree of body-mind awareness while receiving instructions from a coach, who provides breath-adjustment guidance and mental imagery while soothing music plays in the background. Thought control is achieved gradually through posture, relaxation, body-mind harmony and balanced breathing. The authors noted in the study that IBMT may be effective during short-term application because of its integrative use of these components.

Interestingly these techniques help shift your brain's focus by using musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial and intrapersonal intelligences. Since it takes very sharp concentration to fix your mind in four areas to do the IBMT exercises, you can use the same technique to change focus immediately when a stressor hits or keeps nagging. Here's how...

Musical... play an uplifting song on your iPod
Bodily-kinesthetic... Get out of your seat and walk down the hall, breathing deeply and concentrating on deep breaths
Spatial... Picture in your mind your very favorite vacation spot
Intrapersonal... Ask a question of yourself... "What can I do during lunch or even the next break to be good to me?"

Choose any one of these strategies to cut down your stress.

What strategy do you use to quickly move out of stress's tight grip?

Be Good to You!

"When we're young we find comfort with peers," a friend mused. "When we're older we find comfort in food... Go figure!" I laughed at first, but reflected more... Do you find space to be good to you? Comfort activities can make a difference to your well-being...

Comfort Zones... One of my favorite comfort activities is putting on a fuzzy robe, sliding into slippers and settling back in a cozy chair with a good book. Another is a walk along the Erie Canal which is wondrous with every changing season... What's your favorite way to completely relax?

No Time to Relax?... In the midst of harried jobs, pressures at home, and even pressures from great community groups, do you seemingly run on a treadmill 24/7? This kind of lifestyle opens itself to a lot of Cortisol, a brain chemical often referred to as the stress hormone. Why should you care about cortisol? Dr. Ellen Weber reveals prolonged levels will...

1. Lower your immune system so you’ll get sick faster than others
2. Slow down your thinking
3. Create blood sugar imbalances
4. Raise your blood pressure
5. Weaken muscle tissue
6. Decrease bone density
7. Increase fat in the stomach areas

Pretty scary, eh? And often this happens because of the best intentions. People work hard, moms and dads give their all to children, upkeep of home, to parents. But, in the midst of all this they never learn to be good to themselves. They're drained! The only activity left is couch potato, which is not of any value since it causes folks to get further behind or feel guilty.

Being Good To You... Have you ever thought of planning to be good to yourself... to actually schedule it... jot it into your Daily or Weekly Planner? It doesn't need to take a lot of time either. What kind of activity would make your day or your week? Keep in mind variety makes this more fun as well...

Benefits... I never used to plan time in my schedule to be good to me, but do so now, and I feel ever so much less tension in my neck and shoulders. Just anticipating a fun time can release serotonin, a hormone of well-being. And, when we take time for ourselves, we'll actually have more within ourselves to give out at work and to those we love most...

Planning special fun activities, just for ourselves, in the course of busy weeks not only renews well-being, but also jazzes life... What do you have in mind?

How Do You Respond to Silent Treatment?

Ever hear an eternal, silent pause at work when you suggest a great idea to co-workers? Really disconcerting isn't it? When co-workers give you the cold shoulder or silent treatment, they "punish or manipulate," according to Dr. Kipling Williams. And when you get that kind of treatment, you may not fully realize all the implications. For instance silent treatment does its dirty work because people....

1. Grow more distant from extended family.
2. Lack support systems.
3. May not realize others are jealous of their talents.
4. Do not perceive it's a form of bullying.
5. Sometimes respond aggressively when they can't control a situation.

Another reason silence and ostracism do dirty work so effectively is brain related. When you doubt and feel anxious, cortisol, a chemical hormone literally floods your brain and nervous system. And, it throws you into a tizzy so you do not think clearly. Unless you are prepared with a tactic to move your mind from the immediate circumstance, cortisol adds to the effect of the perpetrator's purposes - to take you down. And, it usually takes about 20 minutes to recover without a good tactic. And there's more...

The part of the brain that detects pain, the anterior cingulate cortex is activated. However, the pain subsides, by immediately moving your mind to a new place. Strategies can actually bring calm and peace where storms originally blew on a destructive course. What strategies come to your mind? Here's a few I'd suggest:

1. Try a stategy a close friend advised
2. Take the group or person off-guard with a big smile or pass around some tic-tacs
3. Play music that inspires, such as Man from LaMancha in your mind's boom box
4. See yourself sitting at the best job of your dreams five years from now
5. Make plans to invite a supporting friend to lunch

Tactics such as these can empower you rather than disarm you immediately.

What new game plan would move your leadership forward and bring more serotonin, a brain chemical that brings calm and peace? ...

Belly Fat - Connected to Stress!

How would you describe your shape - are you growing pot above your waist? Belly fat is no laughing matter according to late breaking research... Belly fat's linked to capillary inflammation (leading to heart disease and stroke) and insulin resistance (precursor to diabetes).

Stress, it seems can be a killer with a two-edged sword. Stress according to Pamela Peeke, MD, frequently causes the belly fat. Disagree with your manager - eat some chips and slosh them down with cola. Too much to do in too little time - buy that triple chocolate cake on special. Kids get on your nerves - share pizza with the whole crew.

Too much stress causes the hormone Cortisol to flood your brain. And, unfortunately Cortisol sets off cravings for sugary, fat laden foods. And, like twisting the knife, Cortisol stimulates fat production in the abdomen. Cortisol minimizes your ability to think clearly and remember as well.

How you deal with stress starts with conscious choices. Pamela Peeke, MD pulls no punches...

You make the decision of whether or not you are Fit to Live by how you choose to think, what you put into your mouth, what you do with your body, how you spend your money, and how you exist in the world. You are answering the question, "Am I Fit to Live?" every day, with every choice you make.

For most of us, the answer is no--and we don't even know it.

Why not begin to target the flip side? Here're some starters...

Make New Food Choices

Five Servings of fresh fruits or veggies daily along with...
Nuts
Legumes
Whole Grains
Tuna and Salmon
Poultry
Avocados
Fruit Juices
Water in abundance

Makeover fat with muscle...

Weight lifting
Biking
Golf [no carts]
Moderate to Vigorous Aerobic Exercise
Total Strength Training Workouts

Use Stress Busters...

Listen to soothing or uplifting music
Step out of emotions - learn to react to anger in new ways
Picture times of enjoyment
Go outside and walk briskly
Ask a friend for ideas to bring pizzazz to your life

Be good to you... People are generally hardest on themselves. When you name and reach a milestone, treat yourself to a reward [other than food] :-)

Thoughts...

Try Flow, Bank Serotonin and Meditate to Tap into Creativity and Avoid Braincramp

Danica Radovanovic, a creative information management professional and blogger from Belgrade, tossed three brilliant tactics into the pot to overcome braincramp. She's suggesting that flow, banking serotonin and practicing meditation work to get past times folks encounter blocks that prevent creativity.

Flow In Flow: The Psychologiy of Optimal Experience, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi defines flow as "the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it." He further theorizes that best moments in life occur when the body and mind are stretched to the limit in an effort to accomplish something both difficult and worthwhile. So Danica, your suggestion leads to extraordinary answers. But there's even more...

For optimal experience, Csikszentmihalyi suggests that it's "necessary to work for external goals and to postpone immediate gratification."

Flow experiences have these elements in common: "provides a sense of discovery, a creative feeling of transporting the person into a new reality. It pushes the person to higher levels of performance." Csikszentmihali sums this up as growth of self.

When people stretch themselves to the limit in flow experiences, the working memory of the brain is positioned to throttle high. Eric Jensen, suggests that the brain leaps to solve puzzles and challenges so it's natural that people achieve more when they work in flow.

Danica, your suggestion to tap into flow or, optimal experience, truly helps folks reach levels of creativity they desire.

Bank Serotonin You mention that Dr. Ellen Weber suggests that people bank more serotonin to maintain a state of well-being. Banking serotonin is an amazing way to establish fertile ground for creativity, Danica since folks would benefit from strategies to avoid cortisol build-up in the brain. Cortisol definitely contributes to braincramp since it inhibits focus and can lead to depression.

And, what is there about meditation that might help?

Meditation Danica says that recent research study findings show that high school kids who practiced meditation 15 minutes each day, regularly, had better grades and their blood pressure was normal or dropped down. And the control group who didn't mediatate for six months, had poor academinc results: no concentration and higher blood pressure...

And, there's more good news from neuroscience research about the benefits of meditation... "Meditation alters resting brain patterns, suggesting long lasting brain changes and increased cortical thickness," according to findings by Harvard, Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Massachusetts General Hospital researchers. Additionally, "Structural changes were found in areas of the brain that are important for sensory, cognitive and emotional processing," according to this extensive research.

Danica, thanks for your contributions. Flow, finding ways to increase serotonin and meditation definitely help folks increase focus and cognitive processing. Since brain research supports your ideas, they're just what the doctor ordered to overcome braincramps. Thoughts...?

Stay tuned for more ways to overcome braincramps...I've had great contributions from many folks!

When Braincramp Hits, Brad Shorr Avoids Panic

"I have brain cramps all the time," Brad Shorr reveals. "Over the years I've learned not to panic. It only makes them worse."

Brad, you do yourself a favor by avoiding panic. You see when you panic, your brain fills with cortisol, a brain hormone that leaves you with an inability to concentrate. Some folks' minds tend to go around in circles. McGill University researchers "measured the stress hormone, cortisol, in older adults over a period of three to six years. Their findings showed that individuals who had continuous high levels of cortisol, performed poorly on memory tests and had a notably smaller hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory." You see added dangers over time when folks panic, Brad.

Your approach, "Patience makes perfect," is right on! For folks to overcome braincramp you suggest, "Walk away from your project, let your mind wander. Suddenly an idea will hit you. I've experienced that many, many times."

And Brad's strategy, "Sometimes it's enormously helpful to seek out those people with whom I have creative chemistry," is win/win. He finds, "An hour of conversation with the right person makes my brain cramp disappear." This is brilliant, Brad! And it helps to bring more serotonin, a hormone of well being.

And as a finale, you add, "A beer or two during the conversation can accelerate the recovery process even more."

Brad, thanks for taking time to share your wisdom.

How about it, do others have yet another tactic to relieve braincramp?

One Last Message...Love

According to the Urban Monk, the blogosphere is coming to an end. If I had just one last post, what would it be? What would I want to leave as my legacy?

Love... wide and deep, infinite and all-encompassing.

Paradox of love is that the more I give it to others the more it seems I have received... Even if you give love and it's not returned, your brain fills with serotonin, a hormone of well being. The giving of love brings well being.

Power of love is expressed in actions and not just words. For instance, if I show grace and mercy to an enemy I gain more than I can through revenge. Though another person's intentions toward you may be bad, and causes cortisol to fill your brain, you can begin to turn that around by finding a new solution...a "where to from here" approach as you walk away from it and start afresh. For example, Terry Waite, a journalist held captive in Lebanon forgave his captors for taking away five years of his life. He resumed freedom with new vigor rather than stewing in the juices of wrongs. When cortisol fills the brain, it takes years off your life and leaves you susceptible to disease.

Celebration of love brings people together in ways that spills happiness to all. In events such as the first words, the first steps and smiles to graduation, marriage and career to the way we choose to face our final days to bless others around us demonstrate how powerful love is in our lives. These celebrations fill us with serotonin a hormone of well being.

Love for people in the wider world If you're fearful of people unlike you or if you hear rumors about groups of people, ask what you can do to change your assumptions about others since they're likely not true. Many volunteer to care for the wider community.

For instance, I belong to Rotary, which I joined because I want to give "service beyond self." Many Rotarians help meet needs of people in the inner city. I work on a camp board that provides a camping experience for special needs children. By participating in these activities and others, our fears of others soon vanish and we build new respect for many people in the community. Through gifts of Rotarians, polio has virtually been eradicated across the world. Rotarians "build good will and better friendships."

Love for the Natural World We've inherited a very beautiful world. We demonstrate love the natural world by being a good steward of what we received. In this way, we share that bounty with future generations.

The Message of Love a contemporary rendering of the Bible from the original languages by Eugene H. Peterson, provides the goals I have and they reveal the true nature of love in very majestic language...

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure int the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

To love well takes a whole life's journey and I keep learning more! But be a little easy if I slip up and I'll do the same for you!

Cody McKibbean tagged me as part of the Blog Apocalypse meme. If you want to participate in the Blog Apocalypse meme–Urban Monk will give $500 to charity!! Anyone who wants to participate is welcome–just link to my post here, and link to this page that tells you all about the Blog Apocalypse meme.

STEP ONE
The blogosphere is ending. No more blogs. Blog apocalypse. The Internet is still working, the world is fine. But you can’t write anymore. Write your last post. Make it a good one. What is the reason you blog? What is the last gem of knowledge you want to leave? What do you want to be remembered for? Who are you? What is the meaning of life? Haha…well not exactly but you get the point. Pour your heart into it.

I'm tagging Mike Sansone, Liz Strauss, Rob Watts, Starbucker and Ellen Weber because I'm curious about what they'll develop.

Negative Environments - What Leaders Can Do - Podcast Part II

Ever wonder how brain chemicals affect peoples reactions at work? Anna Farmery, at The Engaging Brand, quizzed me about that in Part II of the Podcasts on Negativity...How does negativity effect peoples' health? What about the physical work space and its effects? How does Seasonal Affective Disorder effect the brain and what can people do about it? These and many other questions are addressed so leaders can learn to work with their brain and others' brains rather than against them....

As I respond to Anna's questions, you'll discover very specific tactics leaders can use to turn negative work cultures around -- tips to prevent negativity from occurring... how to change negatives into positives for you and your teams.

Tune in now...you can now listen on-line or subscribe to the show through Blubrry or iTunes. If you like the show why not leave a review for Anna on your favorite directory site!

Be sure to check out Negativity Part I Podcast...You can access it in the playlist just prior to Part II.

Negativity Halts Forward Progress

Are your gifts and talents truly up and running or is something holding you back? Barriers bust dreams and negativity is one of the grim reapers. Negativity stops many folks, because they're not even aware it's so much a part of their lives. To see where you stand, try this experiment...

Keep track of your conversation with others. Pay really close attention or you won't even be aware how much it directs your focus. See how many negative words you speak to others and how many occur in your self-talk during the course of a day. If you really keep track and write these down, it will absolutely astonish you.

Examples might be...

I'm not smart enough...There's not enough time...They always see what John does and overlook me...I hate...Why can't I be lucky like...If only this were the case...

You get the picture. But where to start change?

With you. If you love to arrange flowers and have spatial talent, for instance, you would feel great pleasure in gardening at home. But if it has been your dream to develop these gifts further and make that a life work, you'd be satisfied to fulfull your dream...While many people develop their gifts, many more do not. And that's a good reason to reflect and determine what holds you back.

Negativity is at the front of destroying dreams, good relationships, and achievement in the business world. To know an enemy is to destroy him.

Negativity can actually take you down physically since it releases cortisol in the brain. Dr. Ellen Weber notes that cortisol "shuts down learning ... and can cause depression." And, there's more...

To ensure you stay away from dangerous levels of cortisol today… run from stress and flee those triggers that inject negative thinking … and you’ve already headed away from cortisol and toward serotonin… for a better day at work. Now think of one thing you enjoy… look forward to or plan to create… and your brain will rewire itself for a far better workday. It’s just how the hormones work for you rather than against you, and you’ll be shocked at the results.

Here's a collection of blogs on negativity and strategies to spark change...

Shocking Twist to Sarcasm's Two-Edged Sword

Tips to Raise Serotonin and Well-Being

The Power of a Stress Free Mind

Stay Positive for Winning Deals!

Why Is It Harder for Some People to Deal with Negativity than Others?

Develop the "Flip-Side to Overcome Negativity at Work

Take a Risk or Sit on the Fence?

Negative People Burn Out Your Brain

Today, Anna Farmery at The Engaging Brand, plans to interview me on negativity for a Podcast she'll soon post. I've listened to her Podcasts and I'm looking forward to this exchange. Stay tuned....

While you might be surrounded by negative people don't let them influence you. Got some plans to get your gifts up and running if you've been stalled by negativity?

React to Annoyance with Frustration?

Your needs jump up like prickly pears when someone ticks you off. So, how do you handle it? John Butler of the Irish Times thought deeply about this and discusses differences he sees in ways Australians handle annoyance compared to the way Irish folks handle it. John describes his brother in Australia...

"...sitting in a sauna with two Spanish guys and an Australian woman...the two Spanish guys were talking to each other loudly and in Spanish...and [the loud talk] was hurting his head.

After a few minutes of him stewing beside them but saying nothing, the Australian woman turned and said, 'Sorry guys, but would you stop talking so loud? It's just that the noise of your voices is really annoying to listen to.' Silence. 'Thanks a lot, guys,' she said, then flashed an uncomplicated smile at them and sat back."

John wonders why the Irish typically act polite, but take on annoyance with frustration so that later "cars prang each other in parking lots or in streets." How do you handle frustration? Have you learned to speak without personally offending others in ways that enhance civility and politeness? Or do you hold annoyances in your gut and stew so that later actions reveal your true feelings?

When you take things in the gut, you allow the hormone cortisol, to flood your brain. Cortisol, according to Wikipedia, "is involved in the response to stress; it increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels, may cause infertility in women, and suppresses the immune system." McGill researchers find that over time high levels of cortisol damage brain functionality.

What's a good way, then, to handle annoyances that potentially frustrate us. Dr. Ellen Weber advocates learning to use tone in communication with others. She provides great strategies to guard against cortisol in communication. Rather than stewing and making mountains out of molehills, we can enhance work on teams, prickly pear situations in offices or even at the movies...first by finding ways to guard against cortisol in our lives.

If you have come across as rude in past or if you take it in the gut, John's example of how the Australian woman handled this provides great strategies we and all begin to use. Here's how to approach annoyance with good tone:

1. Look into the eyes of the person[s] you address
2. Address person[s] politely and with a calm voice [not raised], without judgment.
3. Simply name the annoyance
4. Avoid personal references that show emotions
5. Give the people a chance to change
6. When change is evidenced, make sure to thank the person[s] for their actions

Do you think culture affects the way you handle annoyances. What do you see in John Butler's story to help you bust prickly pear attack or take-it-in-the-gut approaches? Thoughts?

Tips to Raise Serotonin and Well-Being

At times, negatives flood my brain and paralyze my progress. Today, negativity crept up on me as a shadow. To move out of this zone, I reviewed strategies to build more serotonin at Brain Based Business. And this refresher made a great deal of difference that I'll share.

Amazingly, Dr. Ellen Weber posted a blog today with 5 Self Starter Strategies To Jumpstart the Brain. An earlier post, What Is Serotonin and Why Should I Care? added insight.

To start building more serotonin, I fixed a big mug of Chai Holiday tea and lit a candle. And this had immediate effect.

In addition, I researched to find even more. Interestingly, Bryn Mawr research reveals that "From the brain, serotonin neurons extend to virtually all parts of the central nervous system making the branching of the serotonin network the most expansive neurochemical system in the brain." Just consider that each serotonin neuron "influences over as many as 500,000 target neurons." No wonder I felt a dip in well-being.

Ellen's tip to take a brief walk is right on target, since this research affirms that exercise is the best natural way to raise serotonin levels and that more serotonin is produced for several days following exercise.

Here's a few more insights from UCLA resources. The chart below shows some situations which bring cortisol to your brain along with tactics to raise serotonin levels for well-being.



By seeking tactics and doing them today, and moving forward with additional research, I'm on a positive path and I plan to stay there.

Do You Work In-Sync with Your Body Clock?

Why is it that early risers seem to waken automatically and easily get to work on time, while night owls need blaring radios to drag them from an unconscious state? Why are folks’ body clocks so different and where do you fit?

Start with a Psychology Today quiz to determine your body clock. You'll find a great assessment of your results here.

Hormones Activate Waking Interestingly, the hormones, ACTH from the pituitary gland and cortisol from the adrenal gland, send messages to the brain that activate you to awaken. Professor Jan Born in Lubeck, Germany, found that these two hormones increase in the later stages of sleep to precipitate your wakening. Your amazing mind, according to Born, may have some sort of conscious voluntary control that enables a person to wake up on time even if it is an hour earlier. “You will soon adapt to the new system and the ACTH secretes an hour earlier,” Born explains.

Personality Types Added to Born’s findings, "The part of the brain that regulates your ability to think clearly and solve problems is heavily influenced by the body clock," says David Dinges, chief of sleep and chronobiology at the University of Pennsylvania. Your body clock is linked to mood fluctuations, fitness and even personality. “Morning people tend to be introverts, conscientious and driven, whereas night owls are more often impulsive extroverts. The owls also tend to score more highly on intelligence tests and are more likely to be depressed,” Katie Gilbert reveals.

Genetic Effect While much research is written about the advantages of working early in the morning, interestingly, Emmanuel Mignot, sleep researcher at Stanford University School of Medicine discovered that there is a genetic mutation that causes some folks to be owls rather than larks. Mignot discovered a genotype related to the preference for working at night. So your preference to be an early riser or a night owl is found in your genes!

“Do we all have to be early birds?” O Youn-hee, of The Korea Herald, asks. O Youn-hee tells the story of Park Myoung, an office worker, who “gets nervous” when others discuss Saisho’s bestselling book, Let’s Become a Morning Person. Park lamented, “It seems society demands all employees to transform themselves into morning people,” since her colleagues were showing up for work one or two hours earlier to succeed in their very competitive company. Park describes herself as a night person who usually goes to bed at 2 a.m. Park asserts that she just “can’t be an early bird.” If you also see yourself as a night owl, what then?

Body Clock How do you feel when your body clock is out of sync? Recent research at the University of Surrey in England shows that if night people disrupt their circadian clocks and try to be morning people, disadvantages outweigh the benefits. Here’s why. Sleeping patterns are influenced by the "Per3 gene," according to the study. A night person's Per3 gene is much shorter than a morning person’s, and if a night owl is forced to rise early, he or she is apt to experience “foggy” consciousness throughout the day. Additionally, these researchers conclude that a changed sleeping pattern has bad effects on a night owl's life and could take years off his life span. Ouch!

Artists - Hear a Different Drummer "Artists may have to be morning people and night people, with afternoons pretty fully booked as well," according to David McFarlane of the Toronto Globe and Mail. "The reason for this has to do with the average income of a working artist. If you're getting paid at a lower hourly rate than most babysitters, the only way to survive, other than turning to a life of crime, is to find as many working hours in a day as you can. Some people think of this as the work ethic. Some, as chronic exhaustion. Others refer to it as eating," McFarlane says. Artists often pay a huge price to share their creativity with the world.

Future Good news is on the horizon for night owls! Industry might drive a change. As more corporations become global businesses, more workers who can be productive at night will be necessary to match the schedules of workers in other time zones.

In the meantime, both early risers and night owls can benefit from Dr. Ellen Weber's 5 tips to Calm Your Brain for Its Evening Shift.

What will take place in your grandchildren's world? Will they work naturally with their body clocks? Thoughts?