How To Beat The Holiday Blues And Seasonal Stress
The holidays can be both a source of joy and a source of tension. If Seasons' tidings usually make you grumpy and glum rather than glad, here are some tips to reduce your tension and beat the holiday blues:
Take care of your physical health. Get plenty of sleep and exercise. Don't load up on sweets and other holiday high fat, high sugar and zero nutritional value food. This will help decrease the likelihood of unwanted weight gain and associated feelings of guilt.
Don't overindulge in holiday "spirits." Try to keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum. If you're already feel down, alcohol will only exacerbate your blue mood because it's a central nervous system depressant.
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Posted at 9:33 AM, December 09, 2009 by My Virtual Shrink | Category: Taking Charge | 2 Comments
How to Handle Conflict
Conflict is a natural and necessary part of relationships that can help individuals grow. However, many of us have a hard time dealing with it productively. Some people blow their stack, while others avoid conflict altogether. Here are some suggestions for how to handle conflict in any relationship in a constructive manner.
If the other person is shouting, lower your voice. Speak more slowly and look them in the eyes. This typically helps to calm and refocus the other person, as they have to stop shouting in order to hear you.
Adopt open and non-defensive body language. During conflict, some people adopt a closed-off, defensive stance (arms folded, shoulders hunched) or puff themselves up (chest out, shoulders back, chin up) and loom close. Instead, take a deep slow breath, relax your posture, arms down, hands open or at least unclenched, maintain an appropriate physical space, keep breathing slowly and sit or stand at the other person's eye level so that neither of you is in a one up-one down position. This should help the other person to feel less threatened or defensive and they may begin to calm down.
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Posted at 9:23 AM, December 09, 2009 by My Virtual Shrink | Category: Being Your Best | 2 Comments
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Dr. Roger Gould
Author & Psychiatrist
Assoc. Prof. UCLA
Creator of MVS
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