The Power of Forgiveness

By: Lara Velez

Forgiveness can be a very difficult way to live. Forgiveness is extremely powerful. It can affect not only the person being forgiven, but the person doing the forgiving.

What does the Bible say about Forgiveness?

Esau forgave Jacob - In Genesis 27 Jacob has stolen his own brothers birthright and blessing! Esau was furious and vowed to kill him as soon as their father died. Jacob spent many years running. Then in Genesis 33:4-15 Esau forgives Jacob.

Most of us have had opportunities, material items, jobs, etc stolen from us. However, I would think that very few of us have experienced our sibling stealing our birthright and blessings (good wishes) from our Father.

Joseph forgave his brothers - In Genesis 37 Jacobs jealous brothers throw him in a pit and then sell him as a slave to a caravan on it’s way to Egypt! He was a slave for years and went to prison before he was blessed with the position of second in command of all Egypt. Then in Genesis 45:3-15 he has an opportunity to really stick it to them. He doesn’t! he forgives them, and even kisses and embraces them!

Can you even imagine? Your own family wanting you dead? Selling you into slavery? It’s unimaginable. However, most of us have family feuds though. One family member angry at another. Siblings. Mother and child. Father and child.

Moses forgave Miriam and Aaron - In Genesis 12:1-10 they slander Moses, and God jumps to His defense and inflicts Miriam with leprosy. In stead of thinking…she got what she deserved…in Genesis 12:13 Moses begs God to heal her.

Has anyone ever wrongly accused you of something? Slandered you? Spoke rudely to you? Have you forgiven them?

Stephen forgave the angry mob - In Acts 7:60 while being stoned to death for being a Christian and speaking the truth he asks God to forgive them with his last breath!

If I was being stoned to death…I don’t think that my last thoughts and words would be anything positive towards the ones stoning me, let alone asking God to forgive them! Maybe your a better person than I am.

Paul forgave his brothers and sisters in the Lord - In II Timothy 4:16 Paul forgives them for abandoning and forsaking him in his time of need.

Have you ever had close friends let you down? Have you forgiven them? or, are you still harboring unforgiveness and anger?

and finally, in Luke 23:34…

While innocently dying on the cross for our sins Jesus asked God to forgive the ones who put Him there! Our Savior was paying the ultimate agonizing price for not only our sins but the ones who killed Him…and He felt only love…He had no ill will…just love and forgiveness.

The examples that we just read show extremely evil wrongs that real people…regular people like you and me who forgave. They walked in forgiveness.

Why is it so hard for us to forgive someone for forgetting our birthday? Or, some other minor offense?
The Cost of Unforgiveness

Unforgiveness hinders our prayers. We are told in the book of Mark to let go of wrongs done to us and forgive before we pray.

Mark 11:25 – And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive them and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in Heaven may also forgive you your own failings and shortcomings and let them drop.

Unforgiveness will cost us more than we realize.

Matthew 6:14-15 – For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses.

These are pretty scary words. You would think this would be enough to make us forgive…

Luke 6:37b – Acquit and forgive and release (give up resentment, let it drop), and you will be acquitted and forgiven and released.

This is classic sewing and reaping. Forgive, and be forgiven. You give, you get.

Ephesians 4:31-32 – Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath and resentment and quarreling and slander be banished from you. And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another readily and freely, as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:13 – Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has freely forgiven you, so you must also forgive.

It is very clear that we must remember…we have been forgiven many sins. It is very clear that we must forgive others who have wronged us in any way. It is very clear that if we do not forgive…we will not be forgiven.

This is a very important thing to keep in mind. We cannot walk around thinking that we will stroll into Heaven when we’ve harbored unforgiveness in our hearts. These are not my words…They are Scripture. They are words from God to you and me. We must let it go. We need to learn to walk in forgiveness. We need to just forgive. It may be hard.

You may be thinking that you have every right to be angry at someone. They may have been completely wrong. It doesn’t matter. You have been forgiven. I have been forgiven. We must forgive. No matter what the person did, and no matter how many times the person has wronged us.

Read Matthew 18:21-35. It is very clear on forgiveness. You may have read or heard it before…but it is definitely worth reading again…frequently…lest we forget.

I urge you to search deep in your heart. Pray. Be sure that you have let go of all wrongs done to you. Let go of all animosity. Let go of all anger and hostility. No matter how big the wrong. No matter how wrong they were. Release it.

I also want to point out that God loves you. He understands that there may be situations that are very difficult for you to let go and walk in forgiveness. God is simply looking for a willing vessel. If we go to Him, and tell Him we are having trouble forgiving, He WILL help us through. I believe this with my whole heart.

I struggle with this in my own life. I still have to take a couple of things to Him on a regular basis. I know that I want to forgive. And, I know that God will help me in His time. I also know that He knows my heart and if my heart is a forgiving one, He will have mercy and grace for me when I struggle with forgiveness.

Your assignment is to do the best you can to walk in forgiveness. Admit to your Daddy in Heaven when you just can’t find the strength, and leave it with Him, and leave it with Him, and leave it with Him until it’s gone.

God Bless You!

Copyright © Lara Velez

About the Author: Lara Velez is a Christian wife and Mother. She is called to minister to women. God has blessed her with two online ministries; Wives of Faith and Moms of Faith.

Note: All Scripture was taken from the Amplified Bible

A Woman’s Wrath

By: Lara Velez

James 3:6 says; And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is a world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body…Whew, those are some strong words…but, wait, that’s not all. Proverbs 18:21 tells us; Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it for death or life. It is scary to think that my mouth has that much power.

I know that in my own life…I do not always choose my words wisely. I get angry and say stupid things. Do you?

Proverbs 29:11 says; A self confident fool utters all of his anger, but a wise man holds it back and stills it. The original Hebrew word for “utters” is ruwach (roo’vakh). It means; a violent exhalation, anger, unsubstantiability, blast, and whirlwind.

That means, when we lose our temper and spew out our anger…it’s like what a hurricane does when it hits land. It destroys everything in its path. I don’t know about you, but I can have some pretty nasty storms come out of my mouth at times.

Ephesians 4:26 says; When angry do not sin; do not let your wrath last until the sun goes down.

This tells me that it’s OK to get angry…it’s normal. We don’t have to walk around holding everything in. We do however, have to express our anger without yelling, cursing, violence, name calling, etc. That is where the anger becomes sin. How do we accomplish getting angry without a violent out burst or verbal whirlwind?

Let’s look at a few of practical examples of a woman’s wrath….how it begins…and how to counteract it.

Example One:

Your child spills a drink for the twentieth time, on the carpet that you just cleaned from the last spill. Grrrr. You explode. You begin a full verbal attack with questions the child is unable to answer, and comments that will leave them in tears. This is selfish anger. It is about you. Who cares about a rug, tablecloth, or broken dish? Are they going with you when you go to Heaven?

In this example you need to stop…bite your tongue…and leave the room. Take a deep breath, and think; “OK, this is my baby. God gave me this child to love and care for. I must show grace…I love this child. I love my child. Thank you Lord, for this wonderful and precious child.”

I know what your thinking. “Yeah, right!” What you need to understand is that you must train yourself to do this…write it down, and keep it near by. Pull it out when you feel the anger building up inside. If you continue to do this over and over again, it will become your natural response…instead of an outburst of anger.

Example Two:

Your friend is chronically late. When plans are made you are already prepared for her to be late. However, there is this event that you really want to attend, and being late would mean a bad seat. So, you tell her that you need to be there on time. She can’t be late. Well, she shows up 20 minutes late. You have spent ever one of the minutes seething. Grrr. When she shows up, you explode. You say things that should have never been said, she leaves, and you miss the event.

Of course, you have every right to be angry. Or, do you? Why did you wait for her? You should have gone without her and told her to meet you there. Or invited another friend who is on time. Another thing that is crucial in a friendship like this is communication. It may not be easy, but you must tell this person how you feel…even if they cannot handle it. Be clear. Make sure that they know you will not be going places with them if they cannot make better efforts at being on time.

Example Three:

Your man comes home from work and flops down in front of the television. He puts on some program that he enjoys (or in my case plays Nintendo). Grrrr. You begin to think: “Doesn’t he care about how I feel?” “I think he loves that stupid video game more than me!” Then the inevitable happens…you blow up. Look out…here comes a category 5 hurricane!

As you can plainly see in this example, you have thought your way right into a melt down. Does any of this sound familiar? I’m sure you can think of some of your own examples.

In a situation like this, it would be a good time to start thinking about how thankful you are to have this man in your life, or how you love his smile, laugh, whatever. ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE!

Any time that we feel rage, for any reason, we need to think about what we’re thinking about. Colossians 3:13 says; Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference, a grievance, or a complaint against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has freely forgiven you, so you must also forgive.

“But, I cant do all this!” you say. Yes, you can! You are a strong woman…even if you can’t see it…speak it. Retrain your mind to think positive, and eventually it will come naturally.

Our minds are the root of most of our fears, low self esteem, some forms of depression, doubt…it all starts in our minds…then we speak it into existence.

When you fail, don’t beat yourself up. Pick yourself up, and press on!

God Bless You!

Here are some Scriptural references to help you study this topic further: II Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 103; Psalm 139; Proverbs 3:5-6; Proverbs 14:1; Proverbs 15:4; Proverbs 16:24; Proverbs 31:26; Isaiah 54:17; Mark 11:24; Romans 8:31-39; Philippians 4:13

Copyright © Lara Velez

Note: All Scripture references were from the Amplified Translation

About the Author: Lara Velez is a Christian homeschooling Mom of two and wife to her soul mate, Rob. She is a published writer, web publisher, and entrepreneur. She runs two online ministries for women; Moms of Faith and Wives of Faith.

Humor for Women – PMS

By: Laura Browne

Once a month, the people around me get really stupid and obnoxious. Some people might think that’s PMS. I just think that I tend to be more observant than normal a few days out of the month. (I’m certainly more aware of how really annoying my husband can be.)

A few of my friends think of PMS as something negative. On the contrary, I see it as a chance to take charge. I’m normally an easy-going person but when I have PMS, I turn into Super PMS Woman. I feel I must right all wrongs, no matter how trivial. I imagine I go into a phone booth like Superman to change into my Super PMS Woman outfit. (No leotards and tights though I’m retaining a lot of water and I feel rather puffy.) Then Im ready to take on the injustices of the world, whether they exist or not. And believe me, when I have PMS, I can find plenty of injustices to complain about.

Normally, a mild-mannered mom, Super PMS Woman gets cranky faster than a speeding bullet, argues with friends and family more powerfully than a locomotive and is able to jump to conclusions in a single bound.

I know that if I wait until that certain week of the month Ill have that extra bit of, lets just say energy, to deal with incompetence. So when I need to fight with my insurance company about their most recent mess-up or when I have to call and complain to the catalog company that they sent the wrong order again, I wait until I have PMS. Why should I only share it with my friends and family?

That’s only one of the many positives of PMS. Really. Think about it, once a month, I have a built in excuse to be crabby. If I feel like eating a whole container of cookie dough ice cream or even raw cookie dough, I can do it without having to answer any questions. If my husband opens his mouth, I just snarl at him and point to the calendar and he gets the hint. As a matter of fact, he sometimes leaves skid marks as he runs out of the room to safety.

And cramps are a great way to get out of doing work. My husband thinks that I can still do housework when I’m running a 102 degree fever but cramps are a mysterious disease that make it impossible for me to do anything. Last month cramps got me out of going to a kids birthday party. Okay, okay, the cramps weren’t that bad but I didn’t want my husband to miss the fun of yet another princess fairy butterfly party.

And then there’s the intense craving for chocolate. Its true, I always have a craving for chocolate, however, it definitely gets worse when I have PMS. I’m prone to throwing open the cupboards while loudly accusing my family members of eating the last bits of candy left over from Valentines Day.

My friends tell me that the craving for chocolate I feel is psychological. It has nothing to do with PMS. And I tell them, Hey, get your grubby hands off my chocolate bar and you wont get hurt

So if you see me in my Super PMS Woman cape, just do what my husband does: give me some chocolate and back away slowly. Don’t worry, Ill change back to my mild-mannered self soon.

Laura Browne is the author of a serious but practical & easy-to-use book for women, Why Cant You Communicate Like Me? How Smart Women Get Results At Work available at Barnes & Noble online, www.bn.com Laura offers free teleconferences on How To Deal With Difficult People At Work. For more information, email her at laura4b@earthlink.net or go to http://www.inyourfaceink.com

When Laura isnt writing, she helps women be more successful through WOMEN Unlimited, a nationally recognized resource for cultivating leadership excellence, http://www.women-unlimited.com

(This article was originally printed in Cranberry Magazine.)

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Laura_Browne

We’ve Come A Long Way Baby – But Not Far Enough!

By: Kirstin Carey

Studies done by Catalyst, Inc., the National Association of Women Business Owners, and the Center for Women’s Business Research are all reporting that women are slowly eking up the corporate ladder. Unfortunately, the increase from one year to the next is barely noticeable and definitely nothing to get excited about.

The organizations above also state that companies with a higher representation of women in positions of leadership did better financially than those with a few or no women in leadership. So, if companies are doing better with women in positions of power, then what is preventing so many women from gracing the corner offices?

The top five reasons are:

1. The corporate structure is too rigid and doesn’t allow for a work life balance.

2. Women are getting lured into deceptive paths to the top.

3. “The Rules” for getting to the top aren’t clearly defined.

4. Women aren’t helping each other climb.

5 Companies aren’t utilizing the strengths of their women.

So, what are some things we can do to improve the situation?

Do Our Own Thing.

As others studies conducted by the earlier mentioned organizations, women are leaving Corporate America in droves and staring their own companies and firms. This approach allows women the opportunity to control their work schedule in line with their personal lives and to many times increase their income. It’s also starting a trend of companies that are not fixated on the standard 9 to 5 mentality. If you can’t join ‘em, beat ‘em!

Do the Homework.

Research how the corporate big shots got to where they are now and find out exactly which path they took to reach the top. Read their biographies and any books they may have written. Find out what significant positions they held and what skills were crucial to their advancement.

Special Note: Top positions require P & L (profit & loss) experience and most corporate paths taken by women do not involve working with P & L.

Seek Out Mentors.

Find other women (or men) who have succeeded in the path you are striving toward and learn from them. Too often women are not proactive in finding a mentor and are simply waiting for one to appear. Though fairytales teach us that our fairy godmother will appear when we need her, corporate mentors aren’t sitting around waiting for managers in need. You have to find them and ask for their help.

Of course, you should also BECOME a mentor. It’s amazing how much we learn when we teach it to someone else.

Support Female Friendly Companies.

Every year, Working Mother Magazine publishes a list of the Top 100 Companies for Working Mothers along with specific reasons each company made the list. If your company won’t make changes to support your work/life balance needs, consider finding a job at one of the companies on the Top 100 list.

If you aren’t in a position to switch jobs, then at least be sure to support these companies and their efforts by buying their products and using their services.

Understand the Specifics.

Find out exactly what you need to do to get to where you want to go. Work with your boss on setting goals and developing specific skills needed to advance. Keep a record of your successes and accomplishments and show how you have impacted the company’s bottom line. Also, keep in mind that studies of performance reviews show that women are usually judged on PERFORMANCE while men are usually graded on POTENTIAL. So, be sure to discuss your past performance as well as your future potential.

The issues of women and Corporate America won’t be solved over night. Women themselves are still trying to define their roles and figure out what and who they want to be, making the situation that much more difficult.

Until companies begin to embrace the importance of the female perspective and qualities, they will not understand the need for a change in the status quo. Therefore, women cannot wait for fairy godmothers to appear and must impact change themselves.

What can you do today to help impact a change?

About the Author: Kirstin Carey is a consultant, award winning speaker, and author of “PowHERful Communications for Women Who Want to be Heard.” As a woman business owner, Kirstin fully understands what is necessary for women to be successful entrepreneurs.

To find out how you too can love your business everyday and live the entrepreneurial life you want, visit http://www.powherful.com

Cellulite Elimination Tips for Women

If you are a woman, there is a good chance you have cellulite somewhere on your body.

Here are some helpful tips for reducing cellulite:

Cellulite is not harmful. However, it can be a VERY annoying and unsightly problem for many women. Cellulite fat cells bulging out through tight, inflexible connective tissue under the skin, and makes the skin look lumpy. Women commonly have it on their butt and thighs.

I am sure you have seen or heard about the countless “miracle” creams and cures for cellulite. Unfortunately, you cannot get rid of cellulite without costly, sometimes unsafe surgery. The good news is that there are several ways to help reduce its appearance.

Focus on your Health. You may not be able to get rid of the cells that cause cellulite without surgery. However, most women can shrink them down by losing weight and building muscle. Even if you only have time to walk a few times a week, any fat burning is a step in the right direction.

Eating raw fruits and vegetables and half your body weight in ounces of water will also get you on the right track.

Cleansing your Body. Having well hydrated cells washes away harmful, cell damaging toxins, and keeps them from building up; so drink plenty of water (as mentioned above).

Cut back on caffeine, additives, preservatives, artificial colorings, unnecessary medications, and avoid adding new toxins to your system as well.

Circulation Matters. In order to give your skin a smoother appearance, you may need to take steps to improve circulation to the problem area. The most effective way to do this is with daily massage. This is also a nice way to relax at the end of a long day.

Aloe Vera Creams and Scrubs. Daily use of Aloe Vera cream combined with exfoliating scrub, can help loosen up the connective tissue and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

While none of these ideas can totally get rid of cellulite in women, with a few healthy changes and a lot of patience, you can have smoother, less bumpy skin.

The Value Of Anti Aging Vitamins

By: Rebecca Prescott

Why Anti Aging Vitamins Are More Effective Than Skin Care Creams

It’s a real treat to indulge in a beautiful pot of skin cream that promises to get rid of fine lines and prevent wrinkles – but sadly, dermatologists agree that all you will achieve is an empty wallet.

Although many of these creams contain vitamins called antioxidants, few have any effect in preventing or reversing damage to the skin caused by free radicals.

WHAT ARE ANTIOXIDANTS AND FREE RADICALS?

Antioxidants counteract the damage that free radicals can do to skin cells. Free radicals are by-products of normal chemical reactions that occur in cells. Cosmetic creams do contain antioxidants – but as a preservative – to prevent the cream from spoiling. The concentrations are very low, don’t absorb well into the skin and only have a short-term effect.

AND NOW THE GOOD NEWS…

New research suggests that improved formulations of two main antioxidants may soon be available in a form that may be effectively delivered via the skin.

SELENIUM

Selenium is a mineral which can help to protect the body from cancers. Recent studies have shown the if selenium is taken orally, it can provide protection against UV exposure. It has also been shown to maintain the elasticity of tissue and to slow down aging. Dermatologists say that the results are promising but more studies on humans are needed.

If you can’t wait that long, selenium is found in whole grain, seafood, garlic and eggs. Or you can take an oral daily supplement.

VITAMIN E

Dermatologists consider Vitamin E the most important antioxidant. It’s known to protect cells and to prevent damage to enzymes associated with cells. Laboratory studies show that Vitamin E can help to make free radicals less able to cause damage to cells. Other studies say that Vitamin E applied to the skin can reduce damage by exposure to UV and may even limit the production of cells that may cause cancer.

Vitamin E cream is extremely cheap to buy. To include more Vitamin E in your diet, eat more vegetables and sunflower oils, grains, oats, nuts and dairy products. Dermatologists advise that taking an oral supplement of 400mg each day is known to reduce damage from UV, to reduce wrinkles and improve the texture of the skin.

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C (otherwise known as ascorbic acid) is the most prevalent antioxidant found in the body. It’s required for effective synthesis of collagen which is responsible for the strength and elasticity of the skin.

The body can’t store Vitamin C and if constant supplies are not ingested, a deficiency quickly occurs. Creating a skin cream containing Vitamin C is difficult because it decreases when exposed to oxygen. Minimal exposure to UV can decrease the body’s Vitamin C content by 30%. The ozone in city pollution can take this up to 50%.

Some medications can also lower the body’s Vitamin C – Omeprazole (a drug to reduce stomach acid) can reduce it by two thirds.

Eating citrus fruit and taking supplements can help to optimize levels of Vitamin C. However, the body will only take what it needs at the time and then excrete the rest. For this reason, Vitamin C can cause diarrhea if taken to excess. Large doses can also cause acid indigestion which can be avoided by taking the supplement with a meal.

STICK TO THE DIET

It would seem that, for the time being, better anti aging can be achieved through the use of Vitamins and minerals in the diet – although you might like to indulge in a very inexpensive pot of Vitamin E cream!

If you’d like to learn more about how to supplement the best skin care programs with an anti aging internal program, click here. Rebecca runs the site, www.VitaminsToHealth.com

5 Secrets to a Stress Free Life

By: Jeannette Marcoaldi

Secret No 1 Do Relaxation Checks

Stress causes us to lose energy through the unnecessary tensing of muscles. Unfortunately whenever we feel pressured or distressed over something this is the first thing we do. The most common ways to carry tension is to clench our jaws or tighten our shoulders. Do a physical check on unnecessary tension in the body throughout the day and purposely relax any tense muscles. This will take an extra effort to begin with, but over time you will find that eventually habit will take over and you will no longer have to give any thought to staying relaxed

Secret No 2 Limit Caffeine Intake

Over stimulating our nervous system with caffeine can make us unnecessarily nervous and tense. I recommend no more than three cups of coffee a day for the average person with a minimum of two hours between each cup. However, I know some people who become agitated if they have even one cup of coffee a day. So regulating caffeine intake needs to be a personal judgment call. Just keep in mind that tea and colas can contribute to caffeine jitters as well.

Secret No 3 Do Weekly Exercise

Exercise is a great mood lifter. It releases tension and fills the body with feel good chemicals. Aerobic exercise where the heart gets pumping is an especially effective in relieving stress. Three, 30-minute exercise sessions a week would be ideal. It would be enough to relieve stress without causing exhaustion and further stress trying to cope with a dwindling energy supply. However, any exercise done even just once a week that is not too exhausting would be helpful.

Secret No 4 Take Slow, Deep Breaths

Taking slow deep breaths when particularly anxious about something is an effective way to calm down. When we are under extreme stress our breathing becomes shallow and rapid. By slowing down and deepening the breath we are forcing ourselves into a more relaxed state. It’s not good for a car to run on high revolutions and nor is it for the human machine. Taking slow, deep breaths during stressful situations forces our physical self to slow down and puts pressure on our mind and emotions to follow suit.

Secret No 5 Deal with Stress Issues

Going through life with personal or relationship issues niggling at us will cause underlying tension. Sometimes we need to have a heart to heart with ourselves and look at what it is in our lives that is causing underlying tension. We may need to take some action to remedy a situation or we may just need to just change our attitude toward it. Either way we need to face anything that is bothering us and stop it from robbing our life and energy any further.

These five secrets to a stress free life take little effort and can be easily incorporated into your day. Remember, you need not be at the mercy of a high-pressured society because living a stress free life is your natural birthright.

For more helpful health news articles go to:
http://top5offers.com/healthnews.html

Instant Relaxation

By: Terry Coyier

Women today work hard and play hard. Their strenuous and demanding lifestyles often leave very little room for rejuvenation. Career women strive to balance stressful jobs with a fulfilling personal life. Stay-at-home moms cope with parenting and running the household while also trying to find time for their husband. Some women, both single and married, actually juggle both professional lives and parenting, stretching themselves thinner yet. At the end of the day, many are lucky to still be standing. Who has the time or energy to devote to themselves?

According to some research, you need to find some time for yourself or you could face burnout, anxiety, depression and a host of physical ailments as well, including cardiovascular disease. So what can you do to help reduce your stress that doesn’t take up a huge amount of time or energy? There are several things, actually. Some are more time consuming than others and some do require more energy, but many can be accomplished in under ten minutes with minimal effort.

Instant Relaxation

1. Take a few deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth, holding your breath in between the inhale and exhale for a count of three seconds, then letting the breath out smoothly and completely. This helps the flow of oxygen to your brain and for a moment puts your focus on something other than the problem at hand.

2. Stop and have a cup of tea. Especially at the end of a long day, a cup of tea can be very relaxing. Herbal teas are often recommended, such as chamomile or ginseng, but honestly, any tea will suffice. Find a favorite, then when you are feeling stressed, stop, take five minutes to make a cup and savor its flavor. Let each sip wash away your worries.

3. Soak your feet. This is a nice treat, especially if you spend any amount of time on your feet. An inexpensive foot bath can be used, some even have built in vibrators to help stimulate the nerve endings. Fill the foot bath with warm water and soak your feet for five to ten minutes. You can sit and enjoy the peace and quiet or take the time to read or watch your favorite television program.

4. Stretch your muscles. Many stretching exercises can be found online and can be completed while sitting at your desk, while waiting for the traffic light to turn green or while at home at the end of the day. Taking a few moments during the day to stop and stretch will give your body a fresh feeling.

5. Take an imaginary vacation. Close your eyes and picture in your mind someplace you love to go that is stress free. Try to imagine every possible detail using all of your senses. See the scenery vividly, smell the air or fragrances, feel the warmth or coolness surrounding you, hear the soothing sounds, taste the delectable food or drink. Make it as real as possible, even it it’s only for five minutes. The more you do this, the easier it becomes to transport yourself to your stress free environment.

6. Play with a pet. Don’t underestimate the value of spending a few quality minutes with your pet. Petting an animal is very relaxing and you can even tell your pet about the stress of the day. They listen attentively and still love you unconditionally.

7. Play a game. Be it a board game with your family or an online video game, play helps relax you. It takes your mind off of your worries and allows you to release some of your built up tension.

8. Practice smiling. Smiling gives us an instant feel good moment. If you don’t feel like smiling, try holding a pen in your teeth (horizontally). This will automatically put your face in a smile. Next, make your eyes smile along with your mouth. Smiling doesn’t just reduce stress, it can give you a more positive attitude in general.

This is just a short list to provide you with a starting point. Beating the stress monster is a difficult task, but with a little practice, these small items, while unable to free you from all the stress you face, can certainly provide you with a few moments of relief, which is often enough to get you through the rest of your day, or prepare you for the day ahead. The trick to remember is to incorporate as many of the items into your life as possible and use them frequently. Not everyone can find thirty minutes to an hour for exercise, but anyone can find five to ten minutes to stretch your muscles, take an imaginary vacation or have a cup of tea. Go ahead, try a couple today and see if you don’t feel better.

About the Author: Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She lives with her son in the Dallas / Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on www.Writing.Com which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.