Manage Your Frustration Using These 10 Tricks

Frustration

You Can Avoid Frustration

When you don’t get what you want it can leave you feeling frustrated. You can’t avoid this, but you can manage your frustration. No one enjoys being frustrated but you can actually use it to your benefit. Frustration is a sign that you think you should do better. It’s also a sign that what you’re doing just isn’t working. Here are ten ways to handle frustration properly.

  1. Focus on how far you’ve progressed

You get more frustrated when you look at how far you have left to go. So don’t forget to look at how far you’ve come. The road to success is paved with improving constantly. Focus on the positive to move away from frustration.

Take Time

  1. Give yourself more time

When you’re trying to do something it’s better to take a little longer than you planned to. Don’t be so strict with your deadlines. Start out early and make plans to prepare for the worst. That way if something does go wrong then you’ve got the time you need to catch up.

  1. Stay in the moment

The moment right now is perfect how it is. You only get frustrated when you think about the future or the past. When you don’t get what you want you become frustrated. It’s also easy to be frustrated by what happened in the past.

  1. Understand why you’re frustrated

There are some situations and some people that can leave you pretty frustrated. Write down the things that trigger you and see if it’s possible to avoid them in the future. If not then maybe you can just work around them. Keep your composure even if you can’t work around what triggers you.

  1. Be reasonable with your expectations Be reasonable

Are you expecting too much of other people. You will be frustrated if people don’t fulfill your expectations. You may not be able to perfectly predict how people will act but you can use how they’ve acted before to reasonably assume their future behavior. Don’t expect too much from people and you won’t be frustrated.

  1. Write about what frustrates you

Instead of thinking incessantly about the things that frustrate you take the time to write them down. List everything that frustrates you and read through it while taking deep breaths to relax you. You’ll find you’re feeling better by the time you get to the end.

  1. Remember those past times you felt frustrated

If you think about the things that made you frustrated in the past you’ll see how silly it all seems now. You’re going to feel the same way about what you’re currently going through in the future. Though you can choose to feel better about things now rather than wait a good ten years for it to be funny.

  1. Be responsible

Even though it’s easier to blame other people it’s also a trap. When you give someone else the responsibility then you no longer have the power to make things better. When you accept responsibility for how things have gone you also accept the power to make things better.

Frustration: Ways to Overcome

  1. List down ways to get past your frustration

No one knows what works for you quite like you. So make a list of 25 different ways that you can get rid of frustration, or just make things less frustrating. Think about what is likely to frustrate you throughout the day and think about ways to improve your day.

10. Do something good with your frustration

Frustration doesn’t have to be bad. Take your frustration as a sign you need some stimulation. It’s a good sign that you believe things should be better than they are. When you know things should be better, you can focus on change and come up with ways to get out of that frustration.

Never being frustrated means that you’re not trying. Everyone gets frustrated at some point. Rather than avoiding it you should learn how to manage it and use it. It tells you that you need to approach something differently. Be creative and find a solution. Take a look at the frustration you feel and find a way to deal with it.

You Can Heal the Root Cause of Frustration

You know something is bothering you when you feel discordant or uncomfortable feelings. The cause of everyone’s frustration is different because the wounds are different. The feeling resulting from the wounds may be similar. It doesn’t matter the cause, you can often use simple healing tools taking less than a minute to heal the wound thus dissolving the frustration.

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Learning to Laugh at Yourself

laughing at yourselfLaugh at Yourself and Relax

Would you believe that having a good laugh at yourself can be liberating? Laughing when things go wrong helps you to avoid being frustrated or embarrassed when something goes wrong. It’s also a great releaser of tension.

In addition, seeing the behavior as funny gives you the room you need to grow. You don’t take yourself so seriously. Consider these benefits of laughing at yourself and lightening up overall.

The powerful benefits of learning to laugh at yourself

  1. Promotes healing

Humor can take the sting away from sensitive issues. When you look back at how you used to behave you can create better responses when you are compassionate with yourself rather than judging yourself. Think of scenes you’ve seen in situation comedies. You might not think of laughing at them if they happened to you, but give it a try.

  1. Stress reductionYoga for stress reduction

It’s exhausting and even unhealthy to impress people all the time and live up to impossible expectations. Let go of the tension and relax with a good laugh, even laugh at yourself. Have you heard of laughing yoga? Look it up and discover how to laugh even when you don’t feel like it.

  1. Achieve goals and take risks

Working on challenging goals can expand your skill set and improve your knowledge. You might not succeed the first time but you’re more likely to try again when you stay cheerful about the situation. Have you ever laughed or grinned when an infant is learning to walk? When you’re learning something new think of yourself as learning to walk… and laugh!

  1. Higher energy levels

Laughter is a great way to boost your energy. It gives your body more oxygen and keeps the blood pumping which invigorates you. Let the laughter come.

  1. Improved relationships

Trying to prove that you’re right all the time can damage your interactions and relationships with others. Friends and family will enjoy your company more when you stay flexible. Not being attached to your every point of view, and even admitting when some of them may be funny, releases tension between friends and colleagues.

  1. It’s free entertainment

It can be expensive to go watch a movie and play a video game. Having a laugh at yourself is free and a fun way to spend time. You’ll enjoy yourself more, also.

Give yourself a chance to laughGive yourself a chance to laugh with these opportunities

Here are a few opportunities to assist you in learning to laugh at yourself.

  1. Learning new languages

Studies have shown that communicating using another language will boost your thinking skills. It also gives you some funny stories when you say something wrong by accident such as declaring you’re pregnant when you mean something else entirely.

  1. Get a pet

Pets make everything more fun. They can make you smile just by doing something simple like drinking from a faucet you’re trying to use. Animals are surprisingly good at training humans to smile.

  1. Decorate your space

If you have a dull work space then decorate it a little. Bring in some small toys or great pictures. If at work, hide something funny in your drawer and bring it out when you need to lighten your mood.

  1. Be creatively “fashionable”

You can find whimsy in your clothes too. Find silly underwear and put it on. You’ll be the only one to know what’s really underneath your suit. If you’re a guy, wear a funny tie. Find something light hearted to wear as an accessory.

  1. Visit a thrift store

If you don’t have something fun with you then it’s time to go shopping. Thrift stores have numerous wonderful little trinkets that are bound to put a smile on your face, especially if you actually wear them or use them.

  1. Hang out with younger people

If you want to know if you’re funny spend time with people from another generation. Have fun talking about the days before computers made everything so easy.

  1. Eat messy food

Go ahead and eat something messy like a banana split in public. Sometimes you should forget to be so neat. Just wear the appropriate clothes.

  1. Bring out the picture books

Looking at pictures in your high school yearbook is bound to make you laugh. The hairstyles and fashions of the past are definitely worth another look after all this time.

Baby grinning

  1. Watch videos of infants, children or pets

Google “babies laughing” and watch the videos which come up. I enjoy laughing at videos of animals doing surprising things.

 

Here’s one combing both babies and pets: https://youtu.be/ZAmZucyzyZM

10. Just laugh. I’m not kidding. Just start laughing. You might fake it at first but soon you’ll be laughing. There is a group called Laughing Yoga and that’s what they do. They get together and start laughing. Laughter is contagious… you can catch it from yourself. Just try it!

Summary

Taking yourself less seriously builds confidence and character. Laughing at yourself and at life means you are strong enough to go beyond your comfort zone and get more out of life. You also learn the things you can take less seriously and just flow away from you.

Heal the Blocks to Laughing at Yourself

A major impediment to laughing at yourself is not being able to see the fun in life and the silliness of certain situations. Identify why you may find laughter difficult at times. Think of a situation comedy. Would a particular event be a great episode for a situation comedy?

Heal the wounds which are holding you back from enjoying life by laughing at the star of your show… you!

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Childhood Abuse: How Trauma Is Fixed in the Body

indexHow Trauma Is Fixed in the Body

It isn’t unusual for me to wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to go back to sleep for a while. When that happens I usually pick up a book and read for 30 minutes to an hour. Last night I picked up Peter A Levine, PhD’s book In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. It only took me a very few minutes to realize I had a jewel of the book regarding trauma.

All of us experience trauma at some point. Unfortunately, many people experience the horrendous trauma of rape, incest, physical abuse, war, severe injuries and such. Almost everyone experiences the receiving of tragic news, illness, surgery and similar incidents which occur in life. I want to use the example of childhood abuse, it doesn’t matter what kind, as an example of how PTSD begins.

When you’re confronted with something you are afraid of, your body goes through some natural reactions. We call this the fight or flight response. There’s another aspect of this response known as “freeze,” the deer caught in the headlights  reaction. When the alarming situation is over the body releases the built-up tension. This is when a shivering or shaking takes place. Many people experience their teeth chattering. During this time the heart rate and blood pressure, which had been elevated, decreases. As long as the body is able to release the built-up tension, the trauma is not set in the body. This means there will not be long-term psychological problems due to the incident.

In order for the body to “return to normal,” the individual needs to feel safe. The fight or flight response will continue to be active as long as the individual is in fear.

Let’s look at childhood abuse. If the parent or caregiver grabbed a child and beat him with hands, fist, belt or other objects there is definitely trauma. Often the child has no idea why this is happening. The youngster could be doing something which, in his or her mind, is perfectly innocent, but the parent or caregiver interprets otherwise. If there is not someone available to take care of or comfort the child after the abuse, then there is no return to safety. The terror the young one experienced, as well as the rage and anger of the perpetrator, remains lodged in the body.

As often happens in childhood abuse there is no one there to provide safety. There is the active perpetrator and the passive one. The passive one, usually the mother, may stand there and cry during the incident, but does absolutely nothing to protect the one being abused. Even if she holds and comforts the victim at a later time, there is no return to safety. There is only the belief he or she is alone and no one cares.

The end result is a developing individual filled with anger, defensiveness and the knowledge that he or she must be his or her own protector. This, of course, interferes with all future relationships. If there is a sense of safety, it is fragile and can be easily destroyed.

There is hope and treatment for PTSD. The most successful treatments incorporate somatic,  energetic and spiritual therapies. The key is to release what is now fixed in the body and assist the individual into returning to a place of safety.

The primary techniques I would use our The Body Talk System, PSYCH – K and the use of the Soul Healing Prayer. Body Talk assist in releasing the pent-up energy in the body and releasing the body from its step position in the fight or flight response.

PSYCH-K will remove the limiting beliefs which were implanted during the abuse or trauma, as the situation may be. For example, “The world is not safe,” would be replaced with “I am safe.”

Use of the The Soul Healing Prayer will assist in bringing the spiritual healing necessary from the  abuse.

There is much of this work which can be done on a one-on-one basis via the telephone or Skype.  Please go to my website www.OdysseyToWholeness.com to learn more. You may also email me at Cathy@OdysseyToWholeness.com.

 

The Difference between Disease and Dis-ease

The Difference between Disease and Dis-ease

[one_half]If you are not feeling at ease with something, what do you do? If you’re like most people you will find out what you can do to become more at ease.

What if you have a disease, say arthritis? What do you do? Most people go to their health care provider and get something to take, something outside of themselves, to manage the problem.

When you have dis-ease, even if it has manifested in what people call disease, you look for what you can do to change the situation. That may seem like semantics, but it is crucial.

The allopathic heath care system has trained people to look for something outside of themselves to fix physical problems called disease. It is a disease model.

As explained in the post in part 1 of distance healing, the key to supporting the physical body in healing itself is to change what is happening inside of you… thoughts, feelings, hurts.

That is the dis-ease which is resulting in the disease. You can change that dis-ease and bring your body to greater ease. This is done through healing.

Let me give you an example from years ago when I was teaching Healing Touch. One of the participants in the class came to me at a break to ask if there was anything I could do about his knee. The doctor’s hadn’t been able to give him much relief except through pain medication. The next step was surgery.

I invited him to lay down on the massage table and was going to do some energy balancing with him focusing on his knee. Intuitively, I was guided to have him communicate with his knee. This may [/one_half][one_half-last]seem strange if you’ve never done it before, but once you learn it is a powerful adjunct to your own healing journey.

After asking him a few questions while he was bringing his attention to his knee, he recalled a memory. He was about 12, riding with his friends on bicycles. They were doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing. I didn’t ask what it was because I didn’t need to know more to guide him through the process.

As he and his friends were speeding around a corner, his bike tire hit a rock and he went flying. Now, you tell me what 12-year old boy is going to cry in front of his friends when he falls off a bike? Not many, right? Although he wanted to cry, although he had been scared flying through the air for those brief seconds, he buried his feelings. He buried them there in his knee. His knee held the dis-ease of the event.

Once he got in touch with the feelings trapped in his knee, I guided him through an easy process to release those feelings using his breath. The pain was gone when he got up from the table. He walked with greater ease than he had done in a couple of decades.

I don’t know if his releasing the process healed the knee of all its physical problems. He may have had some physical damage to the knee. Let’s say he was diagnosed with arthritis. The arthritis is the disease. The feelings were the dis-ease. Dis-ease can lead to disease. When you release the dis-ease, you give your body the space it needs to heal. The disease is often on its way to healing.

Musings on Mind-Body Health

Musings on Mind-Body Health

[one_half]Teachers and writers, of which I am both, have this need to share what is on their mind and in their hearts. I’m also a therapist which adds focus to my writing.

I want a place I can share my musings, to put myself out there. There are times I just want to write. This blog serves the purpose of me wanting to write. Sometimes I’ll publish something in which I first wrote as an article for various ezines. Other times I’ll just sit down and write. My plan is to send out notices once a week or so about new blog postings. I plan on writing more often than that.

Mind-body health is a wide ranging field. Everything we think, everything we feel, everything we do affects our body in some way. I suppose that means I can write about anything I want. Of course, it being my blog, I can write about anything I want.

There will be times I write about emotional and mental health. After all, that is what I’m trained in. I’m also trained in energy medicine using various modalities. My primary two are The BodyTalkSystem and PSYCH-K TM. Because I find both of them so powerful, I usually integrate them.

PSYCH-K balances beliefs. You can eliminate the non-supporting beliefs which have been sabotaging your life. You replace them with supportive beliefs. For instance, my step-dad used to say about someone, “He snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.” If you have a tendency to quit or find some way to sabotage yourself when you are close to your goal, you have a limiting belief. It could be fear of success and all the responsibility success has. People say fear of   failure, but I’m [/one_half] [one_half_last] not sure  that’s the right way of saying it. It’s probably fear that you won’t succeed and then you’ll look like a fool. Perhaps a post on this later. I digressed…

Body Talk can balance the mind, body and spirit. It balances on all levels. Sometimes there is a belief in there which prevents your innate wisdom from allowing a particular balance. Let’s go back to the fear of success. Let’s say you have a belief that your family will disown you or not want to be with you because you actually succeed. They may think you are uppity. In some convoluted way you hold onto physical problems so you don’t have to face that possibility. When you balance the belief which holds the fear, innate wisdom then allows for the balancing of the body so you can be healthy. The two modalities are a powerful combination.

Just for fun I’m going to start on a series of articles about distance healing. This is something I do often. In fact, it’s become my favorite way of working with someone. Why? I am better able to focus. I am able to go deeper into myself to connect with all my spiritual helpers. I have the computer in front of me in case I get a link that says “liver, left lobe, more specific.” When I got left lobe, innate brought me to the depth of my knowledge about this liver. If I need to know more I just Google it. (I’ve only Binged a couple of times.)

I have received some amazing comments from people who have had truly healing results. Much fun… and I do love to have fun.

Enjoy reading my musing. I’m glad you’re here.  [/one_half_last]