Thursday, September 8, 2011

Overbearing, Overwhelmed, Out of Control. OH NO!

Action Magazine Article http://www.actionmagazine.org/

By: Sherrie Gearheart
Director of Live Out Loud Charity
http://www.liveoutloudcharity.org/
info@liveoutloudcharity.org

Overbearing, Overwhelmed, Out of Control. OH NO! Ten years ago everything seemed to be moving at a slower pace. Jobs were fairly steady, food was usually on the table, and college students found it easier to attend school full time. Today, according to CBS News, “About 6.2 million Americans, 45.1 percent of all unemployed workers in this country, have been jobless for more than six months – a higher percentage than during the Great Depression.” The enrollment in government aid programs such as Food stamps has skyrocketed because people can’t afford the high priced foods. Those pursuing their education are finding it near impossible to pay their way and did we mention gas prices? With all of the hardships we face today it is safe to say that the hurdles we are trying to jump nowadays are far greater than that of ten years ago. Suicide is on an all time high and still ranks as the 3rd cause of death among youth in the United States of America. That age range is 15 to 25 years of age. Depression is extremely relevant as it is the leading cause of suicide. What can we do to beat the blues, pave the way for success, and stay focused on the blessings around us? Below Live Out Loud Charity compiled a list of must have practices you should do everyday when stress becomes too much to handle.

If it feels overbearing you should:

-Put things into perspective. Try to see the big picture and not get caught up in the details that can drive us crazy or depress us. Take a look around you, the overbearing feeling is just an emotion that is fleeting. It isn’t the big picture. It only becomes the big picture if you allow it to win. Stay in control by putting things into perspective.

-Take time out for prayer. Focusing your mind on giving thanks is extremely helpful and coincides with the big picture. There is always someone or something out there that will help you, especially God. If you don’t believe in a higher power now is the time to start researching a religion or you can …..

-Meditate. Meditation has been shown to reduce stress. According to ScienceDaily, a team of researchers from China and the University of Oregon found that meditation improves a person’s attention span and response to stress. In turn this helps your level of performance.

What can you do when things seem to be overwhelming? Take time out by doing one or more of the following:-Use color therapy to brighten your mood. YES! It has been proven that colors can help soothe your mind, brighten your mood, energize you and more! A great website to visit is http://www.lightandcolour.net/colour/how.html

-Go for a walk outside. Breathing fresh air will truly clear your mind. Let each step you take release a burden you were feeling.

-Focus on the task at hand. Forget about the disappointments from the past of what could have been and the what if I did this or I should have done that. The past is the past and needs to be left there. Release the fears of the future and live in the present world.

Special Note: My favorite quote which I use in almost all my seminars is, “If you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you would not fail, how big would you dream?” This quote is anonymous which makes it all the more special. What this quote is saying is that we tend to let our fears over ride us. What is fear? Fear stands for F: False E: Experiences A: Appearing R: Real. Therefore, we make up stories in our mind everyday about why we can’t do something. We let fear take over. I challenge you to face your fears and make your dream a reality. Remember every down has an up. After this recession is over it can only get better. If it were to greatly improve in one year, will your hard work have paid off? Let go of fear and live fully in the present moment.
What should you do if you feel out of control? It is important to know there is help for you. If you feel like things are out of control then I encourage you to use of the resources provided below. It helps so much to know there is someone to walk alongside us during our troubles.

- Counseling is so important when facing troubles. You can call 274. Hope Line and they will find you affordable and free counseling services in your area. They will also counsel you on the phone, 100 % free, 24 hours a day, for any reason at all. They are here to help. They are completely confidential.

- TruthMedia Mentoring is an online mentoring source where you can receive an email mentor that writes you back to keep you on track to success. You can be facing any type of hardship or simply want to grow closer to God. They have a mentor for every type of situation. To sign up go to http://powertochange.com/discover/talk-to-a-mentor/

-Reference Point Therapy is another healing modality that allows an individual to truly let go of traumas. Have you ever felt like you went through something traumatic and you still suffer from it even though it’s been months or years? It could be a bad break up, a broken heart, the loss of a loved one, verbal or physical abuse, etc. Reference Point Therapy has the answer for you. To learn more go to http://liveoutloudcharity.org/reference-point-therapy

Suicide is never the answer. Anger, anxiety, and stress only make things worse. I encourage you to use one or more of the tips provided above and you can guarantee you will see a brighter day.
To hear a Live Out Loud Charity seminar book your tickets to our upcoming annual charity event. Tickets available at www.tiaramag.net/fashion-show/