This issue includes...
1) TODAY'S MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE
2) FEATURE ARTICLE: The Power of Gratitude: How to
Overcome Obsessive Thoughts with This Simple Strategy
3) TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!
4) CONTENT FOR YOUR WEB SITE OR E-ZINE
==============================================
Recommended Resource
"Will Power and Self Discipline" Ebook
Want a practical guide to improving your willpower and
inner power? Get advice, explanations, instructions, and
simple, but effective exercises to DEVELOP and STRENGTHEN
your will power simply and easily.
I love the exercises Remez
Sasson provides.
He not only tells
you what to do, he SHOWS you, which is what
I find so
powerful about this ebook. By following his instructions,
I have
already made dramatic improvements in my life!
You receive 17 bonuses with the ebook. Check
it out at:
http://dd1492.powerbooks.hop.clickbank.net
==============================================
1) TODAY'S MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE
==============================================
"Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be
alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.
I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand
my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit
of all beings."
-- The Dalai Lama
============== FEATURE ARTICLE ================
2) The Power of Gratitude: How to Overcome Obsessive
Thoughts with This Simple Strategy
==============================================
Complete this gratitude exercise once a day, or anytime
when anxious and obsessive thoughts start creeping in.
Many people like to do this technique immediately after
they wake up each morning.
Get a blank notebook that you'll use to write down the
things you're thankful for. This is your Gratitude Journal.
Put the journal in a location you see frequently, such as
on a bedside table.
Step 1. Relax. Take a slow, deep breath. Inhale...pause...
then exhale. Do this two more times.
Step 2. Open your Gratitude Journal to a new page,
write the current date, and then write this sentence:
"I am thankful for..." Then write down as many things
as you can think of that you're thankful for.
Be specific. Instead of saying, "I'm thankful for my family
and friends," you might list whom you are thankful for and
why each person is a blessing to you. For example, "I'm
thankful for Kendra. She is such a fun, spontaneous person.
She helps me to enjoy the moment. I'm thankful for my
Dad. He's there to listen whenever I feel down."
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
"I'm thankful for this morning's gorgeous sunrise."
"I'm thankful for the warm Texas weather that lets me
wear shorts year-round."
"I'm thankful for my enthusiasm for life."
"I'm thankful for Jim, my friend, who inspired me with
his encouraging words yesterday."
"I'm thankful for this work deadline because it is a
wonderful opportunity for me to practice asserting
myself with my boss."
I'm thankful for my faith, which inspires me to be
kind to myself and others."
"I'm thankful for that hug from my daughter last night.
Her hugs warm my heart."
"I'm thankful that my car didn't run out of gas even
though I didn't fill up today (and needed to)."
"I'm thankful that I had more than enough money to
pay the phone bill today."
"I'm thankful for my sense of humor, which helps me
enjoy life more."
Tip: Some people find it helpful to set an alarm clock
for ten or fifteen minutes and write until the alarm
clock rings.
Step 3. Read over the things you just wrote down.
You'll be amazed at how many things you come up
with!
Step 4. Acknowledge the things you're thankful for.
Place your right palm on your heart and say out loud:
"Thank you. I am grateful." Say it like you mean it!
Step 5. Wrap-up. Take a slow, deep breath. Inhale...
pause...then exhale. Do this two more times.
Step 6. Notice how much better you feel!
Why Gratitude Works
-- Gratitude brings us into the present. Obsessive
thoughts and anxiety occur when our minds are stuck
in the future. We are afraid that something bad will
happen (e.g. What if I have a panic attack while I'm
driving? If I don't get the job, then no one will respect
me.").
Gratitude, on the other hand, brings you into the present
moment. Gratitude requires living in this moment. Fear
is living in the future. That's why gratitude and fear
cannot coexist. Fill yourself with gratitude, and your
anxious thoughts and fear will fade away.
-- Gratitude takes off the blinders. When we are
stuck in obsessive thoughts, we are in a fight or flight
survival mode. In an effort to protect us from a perceived
threat, our bodies trigger chemical reactions that create
mental blinders. We have a narrowed mental focus
that causes us to accentuate the negative and ignore
the positive side of life.
When you use gratitude, you remove your blinders. You
have a wider, more open mental focus that lets you see
the whole picture instead of only the negative side of
things.
-- Gratitude shows us what's really important.
Gratitude helps us focus on what's working in our lives.
When we shift our mental focus to gratitude, we focus
on what's really important -- our key values, friends,
family, feelings, and goals.
We put the law of attraction into effect -- whatever you
focus on, you attract. Instead of attracting lack and
frustration, we start attracting abundance and
calmness into our lives.
-- Gratitude helps us see options. The act of being
grateful opens us up to seeing things from a new
perspective. It changes our way of looking at life. As a
result of our new perspective, we learn to see options
and alternative ways of dealing with life's challenges.
We are empowered!
-- Gratitude increases our self-esteem. Because
gratitude tones our "love and acceptance" muscle, it
helps us love ourselves more fully. Gratitude helps us to
overcome self-judgment, unrealistic self-expectations,
and feelings of low self-esteem. It brings us out of our
heads and into our hearts.
--------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Deanne Repich is the Director
of the National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, Inc., a
former
anxiety sufferer, and creator of the Conquer Anxiety
Success Program. The course is a "take-action" self-study
program that guides you step by step through over seventy
practical strategies for overcoming anxiety. The course, our
newsletter, and other helpful resources are available at:
http://www.ConquerAnxiety.com
--------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================
Check out Omega supplements to
support your anxiety-free lifestyle at:
http://wellness.conqueranxiety.com
==============================================
3) TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!
==============================================
Newsletter Feedback or Suggestions?
We'd love to hear what you think! Please e-mail us at:
editor@conqueranxiety.com
Got a New E-mail Address?
To update your e-mail address, simply send an e-mail to
editor@conqueranxiety.com with
both your old and new
e-mail addresses.
Please Add Us to Your Friendly E-mail List
If you use SPAM blocking software, please be sure to allow
messages from anxiety@in.optinpro.com
to your
list of
friendly
e-mail addresses. Thanks!
==============================================
4) CONTENT FOR YOUR WEB SITE OR E-ZINE
==============================================
Need some fresh content for your web site or e-zine?
You now have permission to reprint these Anxiety Tips
articles on your web site or in your e-zine as long as:
a) Each article is printed in its full form with no changes.
b) You send a quick e-mail to editor@conqueranxiety.com
to let us know where you'll be publishing.
c) You include the following byline at the end of each article:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Deanne Repich is the Director
of the National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, Inc., a
former
anxiety sufferer, and creator of the Conquer Anxiety
Success Program. The course is a "take-action" self-study
program that guides you step by step through over seventy
practical strategies for overcoming anxiety. The course, our
newsletter, and other helpful resources are available at:
http://www.ConquerAnxiety.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================
Copyright 2001-2005 by the
National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, Inc.
900 E. Pecan St., Ste. 300, PMB 305
Pflugerville, TX 78660
All rights reserved.
Article copyright May 22, 2002, revised July 27, 2005
Disclaimer: All material provided in this newsletter
is provided
for informational or educational purposes
only. No content is
intended to be a substitute for
professional medical advice,
diagnosis, or treatment.
Consult your physician regarding the
applicability of
any opinions or recommendations with respect
to
your symptoms or medical condition.
==============================================
FREE
online Anxiety Relief Kit
