Lee Sumner
Certified Professional Coach

for inspiration, strategies, and results

NOVEMBER 2005

Vol. II - Issue 11

Words of Wisdom

Presented by Lee Sumner and Susie Strauss February 24-26, 2006 Blue Spring Manor B&B Vincent, Alabama Limited to 24 participants Email lee@nolimitscoach.com to reserve your space .

Perception or Deception?

If your eyes follow the movement of the rotating pink dot below, you will only see one color, pink.

If you stare at the the black + in the center, the moving dot turns to green.

Now, concentrate on the black + in the center of the picture. After a short period of time, all the pink dots will slowly disappear, and you will only see a green dot rotating.

If the dots aren't moving here,
please use this link to see them.

It's amazing how our brain works. There really is no green dot, and the pink ones really don't disappear. This should be proof enough that we don't always see what we think we see.

"Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure." ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Seven Mini-Vacations to Ease Stress

1. Imagine pushing or lifting a heavy object. This automatically tenses the muscle groups needed for that activity. Circulation increases, bringing more oxygen to your neurons.

2. Follow the second hand of a clock. Thoughts clogging your mind will fade, and creative thoughts will begin to flow into your consciousness.

3. Close your eyes, then turn your eyeballs upward as if you were looking at the ceiling. This movement automatically activates alpha waves in the brain, which help to hasten feelings of relaxation.

4. Make a mental movie. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Think of a phrase such as "I'm now going on vacation." Breathe calmly and regularly. In your mind, picture any relaxing scene, like a quiet afternoon walk on the beach. During this imagined trip, think of as many sensations as possible -- feel the soft sand between your toes, smell the salty air, hear the surf, enjoy the warmth of the sun on your face.

5. Stretch. Essentially everything we feel shows up somewhere in our body. A lot of us respond to stress with muscle tension. Ideally, we'd prefer to eliminate the cause of the stress, but stretching the muscles at least reduces the sensation of stress -- the muscles relax, we feel less tense.

6. Press on your temples. This acupressure technique works indirectly. Massaging nerves in your temples relaxes muscles elsewhere -- chiefly in your neck.

7. Take a hot soak. When we're tense and anxious, blood flow to our extremities is reduced. Hot water restores circulation, convincing the body it's safe and that it is okay to relax. An office alternative? Running hot water over your hands until you feel tension start to drain away.

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Do you ever wake up thinking, "What do I have to accomplish today? How do I get it all done as quickly as possible?" The surprising answer may be -- switch yourself off!

A little purposeful downtime is vital to optimal performance --- and a healthy life. Research suggests that our bodies benefit most from 20 minutes of active relaxation every one and a half to two hours. If we don't allow ourselves this recovery time, our performance deteriorates and we start to feel worn down. Our body and brain get depleted and this can leave us agitated, aggressive, or feeling as if we've hit the wall.

I hope you'll take one of these mini-vacations today and enjoy the fresh thinking that follows!

Warmly,