How Do you Not Internalize Stress?

[CHAPLYN61]

[
There was one thing that has clicked me with a little; "Just for today"

I try to finish this sentence with what is really bothering me the most that day and I repeat; Just for today, I will not let _______ take control of me, etc.[/QUOTE]

Love this.

[lorajc]

thanks for all of the advice.

I think it sounds easier here than it actually will be for me to follow any of these techniques....but I must start somewhere and try!

To the poster regarding Callanetics and back pain. Please tell me how it helped you and specifically what you did and for how long? I'm intrigued.

I have a back injury and my massotherapist has asked me to lay off weight lifting for a while. I'm wondering of callanetics can be the answer to toning without weights?

[beyond.omega]

Originally Posted by lorajc

thanks for all of the advice.

I think it sounds easier here than it actually will be for me to follow any of these techniques....but I must start somewhere and try!

To the poster regarding Callanetics and back pain. Please tell me how it helped you and specifically what you did and for how long? I'm intrigued.

I have a back injury and my massotherapist has asked me to lay off weight lifting for a while. I'm wondering of callanetics can be the answer to toning without weights?

Hi Lorajc,

Callanetics was THE answer to toning for me. But I started my exercise program with 6 days/week of 30 min cardio (elliptical) in particular for the mental health benefits - which were tremendous (they should bottle that stuff .) Then, I tried doing Callanetics on my own with the original video, but at first it kept aggravating me. I live in an area near a Callanetics Master Instructor, so I saw her for few private sessions. She taught me modifications to the new Callanetics Evolution exercises that I would do, until I was able to do the full exercise (which I usually can now, with a few exceptions.) The most important lesson I got from her is to work within my limits - of the muscle, as well as my own fitness level, even if at first it meant doing a very low count (for some of the exercises, it meant a count a low as 5 the first time.) If I worked within my limits, and stopping when the muscle was fatigued or I started recruiting other muscles (like my lower back) what I found was that I progressed quite quickly...instead of causing pain, and then not being able to work out for a week or two. I started going to her class once a week, and then after a few months, I added in doing it at home once or twice a week. I am now usually in the 50-75 count range now on the exercises that are more difficult for me (and the full range for the easier ones.)

I've heard around VF that the original Bar Method videos have the best instruction. If you can find one of those (they are out of print) that might be a good way to get introduced to the method. Otherwise, I strongly recommend the Callanetics Evolution video. It also has a whole section about pelvic floor activation, and how to do it right, and with the exercises.

Sorry for the long post, but I hope this helps. Just remember to take care of yourself, and work with your body, whatever you decide to do.

[spotted zebra]

(and not take on other energy you don't want)... By learning how to balance and strengthen your body's subtle energies. Donna Eden has programs to show you how. Her Energy Medicine Kit includes many techniques that are helpful for combatting stress.

[lorajc]

now I'm confused is Callanetics the same thing as Bar Method? I have Bar Methods (all of them). Can I use these instead of Callanetics? or are they different?

[beyond.omega]

Originally Posted by lorajc

now I'm confused is Callanetics the same thing as Bar Method? I have Bar Methods (all of them). Can I use these instead of Callanetics? or are they different?

Yes! Supposedly both Callan and Burr studied and taught under Lotte Berk, both modified the method for injuries, and left Lotte Berk.

[Pippadog]

Hi

I love chaplyn61's recommendation. I've been trying to use that one all day today. 'Just for today...' I also suffer with stress. So bad I've got a stash of medication from my psychiatrist for it and other stuff for OCD and depression. I've just started a new job in sales and the pressure to sell is getting to me. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. If I'm peed off people can generally tell unfortunately. I've recently been using Ravianna's dvds and I love them. I really love their new Beginners Meditation dvd. I can highly recommend it. Also any exercise in general seems to help.

I think some of us are made that way and all we can do is try and retrain our thinking by affirmations and positive thinking.

Thanks again chaplyn61 I will repeat 'Just for today..' continuously at work tonight.

Laura
x

[Terry]

I haven't read all the posts yet so this might have been mentioned already: Mindfulness Practice.

I don't do Mindfulness; I do the stress instead. I knock the stress back down with running (though not lately due to feet problems) and hot soaks in the tub. I think if I'd practice Mindfulness along with Yoga, it would be a good thing.

Mindfulness means to not focus on the past or the future. I don't tend to "live" in the past but I do think I'm "living" in the future way too often rather than focusing on NOW. Stressing about what is coming towards me, what I have not done, etc. is the number one source of my stress. I suppose a serious effort to remain Mindful/focused on NOW would reduce that worry a great deal.

There is a thing that worked wonders for me once in the past. I did dreamwork that included an effort to remember and write down my dreams. I did not expect a stress reduction, and had not read that a stress reduction was to be expected, but the dreamwork I did was a better stress reducer than anything I ever did except almost drown in the Rio Grande (Lots of peace comes when you are out of oxygen.)

[devadiva]

I live in high stress mode st all times EXERCISE is my savior! It also chases away the flip side depression which is why I guess I exercise SOOO much!

[Denise]

I've recently learned the power of "Decidedly" Depending on what I need I'm Decidedly Relaxed, Decidedly Happy, Decidedly Focused, Decidedly Productive, Decidedly Worry Free. It has made a difference for me.