The big 2010 question: just how much is the sky falling and stress rising?
According to Paul J. Lavrakas, a research psychologist involved in a recent AP-AOL survey, “10 to 16 million are suffering terribly due to their debts.” Not coincidentally, people who report high debt stress also report the following:
- 44 percent had migraines or other headaches
- 29 percent suffered severe anxiety
- 23 percent had severe depression
- 51 percent had muscle tension, including pain in the lower back
With this in mind, here are some empowering tips on bouncing back from financial stress so you can experience a rise in both your health and bank account.
1. Recognize stress and depression deplete your overall health, and are even considered by doctors to be “whole-body disorders,” having bad side effects on the heart, brain, bones, metabolism—you name it. So be especially conscious of eating healthfully. Add in extra mood-boosting vitamins and supplements—like SAM-e, which is a naturally occurring molecule produced in your body that regulates mood. When stressed, SAM-e gets depleted, increasing moodiness and irritability. Nature Made makes the best SAM-e supplements because they come in super good moisture-protective packaging.
2. Know that if you ask depressing questions, you’ll 100 percent of the time get depressing answers. For example: “Why didn’t I?” “What if?” “Why me?” Would you accept those mean and nasty questions if they came from an outside source? Doubtful! You gotta stop ’em and swap ’em for questions that bounce you upward! “What can I do to move forward?” “How can I grow from this challenge?” “What’s within my control to change?”
3. Shrink negativity into nuggetivity. Limit the amount of time you think negative thoughts to three-minute nuggets, three times a day. Next use your talent at procrastination to your benefit! Whenever negative thoughts enter your head, tell yourself you must delay thinking them until your pre-set Nuggetivity Appointment. Who knows, maybe you won’t even want to think negatively once this time swings around.
4. Whenever you’re tempted to dwell in a bad thought, repeat this single word: “forward.” Brainstorm one positive action step to keep you moving forward to a better future.
