Easy Stress Solutions: How to Meditate Like a Master, Banish Anxiety and Kick Depression to the Curb

 INTRODUCTION  

“Every day is a new beginning. And each minute of that day is an opportunity to change your world!”

EVERYDAY STRESSES LIKE a rude co-worker, traffic slowdowns, or coffee spilled on your shirt, can cause short-term stress reactions like headaches or an upset stomach. I will show you some simple skills to cope with the regular stresses of life. 

But the stress that comes from trauma can be long-lasting, sometimes for decades. It can limit your daily ability to function. That type of pain can survive deep inside your mind and your psyche. Physical violence often leaves scars, but so does emotional violence. People who have experienced trauma and tremendous pain can also develop tremendous strength and depth. I will show you the simple skills I use to cope with trauma stress! 

Trauma experiences can stay with you, but they do not have to negatively affect your life on an everyday basis. You need positive coping skills that really work. Here is the main goal we are working on in this book: learning to react less to stress and have more peace! How do you do that? By uncovering and unlearning the negatives in our life, and then creating better ways forward
into a brighter future. 

A stressed-out person, affected by repeated emotional and psychological pain truly can become a person filled with peace, happiness and love. I know, because that person is ME. I will show you how I do it. I work on it every day. (The steps I take are easy and free, by the way.) 

Managing stress is a life-long process! You will not wake up one day after reading this book and shout, “Eureka, I’m over it!” Instead, this book is about developing new skills and having the daily determination to live your best life. 

Even now, 30+ years after surviving an assault in college, I still have issues when someone walks up from behind. That heightened awareness of “other” behind me is now a permanent part of my psyche. It is a part of my past. I cannot change the past, neither can you. We can only work on the present. Now I have all sorts of helpful skills to deal with my past, present and future! 

I developed this book to show you how you can create more peace and happiness in your life.
You can change your thoughts, change your focus and retrain your mind. Strength, beauty, and knowledge can come from the worst experiences of life. Some people collapse and some rise. The difference is in the ability to find that little something inside you that refuses to give up, the will to create a positive life no matter what the circumstances. You can take your stress and suffering,
turn it around, and help change your life for the better. 

How can you make those changes? It sounds like a huge challenge, and some days you probably just want to give up. I understand. I have been at the point of giving up, too. I know this sounds hard. But the secret is to take small, easy steps every day. Transformation is worth it! Those small steps lead to less stress and more peace. 

So, we will start small. The goal is to uncover and unlearn the negatives ideas or habits you have. Work on one or two little things first. Then you get to recreate a happier and more fulfilling pathway! Creating success in one area of your life leads to creating success in other areas. 

I have been working on the process of managing stress and healing myself for more than 30 years. I work on myself daily. So please do not think that you are failing because you are struggling, or depressed, or in pain. The fact that you want more peace and happiness shows that you are headed in the right direction. 

You are here, right now with me, reading this book, so I know you have the desire to manage it all, to reduce the stress and live a happier life. It is okay if it feels overwhelming or just too hard. Just know that you CAN do this. When you are ready - and you are because you are reading this right now – just know that you CAN! 

I will share with you the best tips, tools, and techniques I know. Some of the skills in this book absolutely will work for you. Some of them might not. Keep trying until you find the things that do help. Never give up. 

We will start with two of my favorite stress-relieving skills. You can successfully start them today. And
they work IMMEDIATELY! They are simple yet profoundly beneficial. You could read the very first chapter, put the book down, never read another word of it, and that chapter would be enough to help you make your life better right then. 

Of course, I recommend that you keep reading and keep practicing all the new skills you will learn. This will help you get the maximum impact to reduce as much stress as possible, because this little book is loaded with ideas to help you. You will find suggestions to deal with stress from anxiety, panic attacks, depression, sleep issues, negative self-talk, negative people, and much more! 

I am not a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. I am a trauma survivor with some seriously
beneficial skills to share with you. I always recommend that you seek professional guidance when dealing with stress from trauma. If you go see a therapist, take this book with you and show them what you are doing! 

Part of the daily healing process is taking care of both your body and brain. They work together. Your brain is another body part. People will go to the gym and focus on having a strong body and yet never once work on the body parts above the neck! 

I get up and exercise because I know it helps. Do I like it? No, not usually. I am a big girl; I struggle with my weight. So, I know it is good for me. I also take really good supplements, along with eating
healthy food so that I can fuel my body. I practice mindfulness, relaxation and meditation to keep my mind and brain healthy. AND, I believe in keeping kind, uplifting, supportive people around me. That feeds my spirit! Feed your brain, body, mind and spirit with the best that you can. 

You can read this book in any order that you want. You do not have to start with the first chapter. If you find that negative thoughts and anger are creeping up into your mind every day, then start with chapters 14 or 16. If your stress is causing sleep issues, then start with chapters 10 and 11. If you want some quick, easy and fun activities, then start with chapter 15. Chapters 1-5 will give you some detailed information about what I believe is the most important skill you need in the battle against stress. 

There will be chapters in the latter part of the book where you will need to grab a pen and a notebook. A huge part of managing and healing the pain of stress is DOING something about it. So, get a notebook and get ready. Chapters 17, 18 and 19 will take you into the process of transformation. You get the chance to really work on some deep issues. 

As you change old skills by learning new skills, you will find some come easier to you and some are harder. Do not let a difficult section of the book slow you down. Just skip it and come back to it later. Focus instead on the parts of the book that do work for you, that help you feel better, and help you find more peace! 

Just remember that the hard things you face can often teach you the most. In a few weeks come back and read this book again. You just might find something else that brings some relief. And that is exactly what I want for you! To help you keep up with the content in the book, at the end of each chapter there is a list of the ideas and themes for that chapter. It is a little shortcut for you to find the tools, tips, and techniques that will help you. 

As we go through this book together, I will share some stories from my life. Do not waste one single moment of your time feeling sad or bad for me. Those stories are there to inspire you! I want you to know that you can rise up, no matter how badly life stomps you down, no matter what kind of stress you are dealing with, no matter what you have lived through. 

There is only one “rule” I want you to follow as you read this book and as you work through the chapters: BE KIND TO YOURSELF. Be patient about the changes you are making. Transformation does not happen overnight. Take it one day at a time. It is easier for me now and it will get easier for you, too. 

You CAN do this. You are stronger than you can imagine. You have incredible resources down deep
inside that you can access. Life is more manageable when you find and develop that inner strength. So, get ready. Are you? 

Good. Here we go.