Unfortunately, many people use external stimuli to change their physical bodies and states, which is good in the long term. For example, people use junk food, coffee, drugs, alcohol or cigarettes, all of which alter their biochemistry changing how they feel temporarily. (Unfortunately there are long term negative effects of addictive foods and drugs on their physical body)
Some people smoke to change their states, to calm their nerves from stress and anxiety. Why does smoking change your state? The main factor is not only attributed to the chemicals. In fact, by inhaling, you are taking deep slow breaths. This is the reason smokers feel calmer and relaxed after a cigarette break.
A useful and beneficial strategy people use to change their states is exercise. I am sure you have experienced a time when you felt frustrated, depressed or stressed. What happens if you were to go running or play a game of tennis?
You would immediately forget that you were depressed! This is because exercising massively changes our entire physiology, preventing our brain from accessing the depressed state any more.
What happened when you stopped exercising? You gradually got depressed again, didn't you? However, this means that you do have the ability to shift completely out of negative states in an instant. By consciously taking charge of our physiology, we do not require external devices to change our states
Now, unless you change your physiology totally, it is impossible for you to change your state, In other words, if you remain in a physiology of procrastination, it is not possible for you feel motivated!
It is ironic when people say that no matter what they do, they cannot seem to get motivated. It is because they say it (unconsciously) with the most boring physiology and tonality possible. First and foremost, 'Change your physiology! Move faster! Breathe faster! Speak louder, faster and with more enthusiasm!"
The moment you know how to manage your states, it doesn't mean that external events can never affect you anymore. It doesn't mean that you will never get upset or lazy anymore! Most of us have our fair share of lazy states we get into.
The only difference is that by consciously choosing to be in control, shifting ourselves into resourceful states, will we be able to perform at our peak all of the time.
A good amount of stress results in motivation to do your best, motivation to try hard, excitement about a challenge, calling upon resources (such as courage, organization, self-reliance) you didn't know you had, etc. Too much stress results in irritability, anger, depression, rumination, destructive fantasies, poor concentration and memory, insomnia, and other negative effects.
For peak performance, you want enough stress to keep from being bored but not so much that you feel overwhelmed. Here are some tips to keep an optimum level of stress for peak performance.
Tip #1: Check your stress level throughout the day and ask yourself if you need to be more relaxed or more energized. Just being conscious of how your body feels can provide clues on increasing relaxation. Do you need to breathe? Sit down? Stretch? Eat? Sleep?
Tip #2: Learn to view change as positive. Sometimes we cause ourselves stress by resisting change. Life equals change. Resistance is futile. If you learn to make change work for you, you'll see your stress level decrease while seeing your quality of life increase.
Tip #3: Take a deep sigh. Sometimes we don't realize we've stopped breathing when we're anxious. Taking a deep sigh forces you to take in a deep breath of oxygen to feed the cells of the body and to exhale completely all of the carbon dioxide in your lungs.
Tip #4: Ask yourself, "Will I care about this 10 years from now?" If the answer is yes, then go for it. However, too much stress can narrow your focus on situations and make them bigger than they really are. This is what leads to poor decisions. Gaining perspective on a situation can modify its importance and allow you to see options you may not have seen before.
Tip #5: Scan your body by focusing your attention to it. Begin with your head and move down to your feet. If you notice any tension, exhale and release the tension. Consciously releasing tension from your body can give you an immediate feeling of relaxation and rejuvenation.
Tip #6: Stop and experience the moment. We're constantly rushing through life seldom stopping to enjoy the moment. Being present allows you to slow down your mind and your body, appreciate what's going on around you, and become centered and focused.
It's only through awareness that we learn what it takes for each of us to achieve peak performance.
Both Adam Khoo & Sandra Thebaud are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Adam Khoo has sinced written about articles on various topics from Recreation and Sports, Web Development and Computers and The Internet. Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, best-selling author and a self-made millionaire by the age of 26. Discover his supercharged success secrets and claim your FREE bonus report 'Supercharge Your Success!' at. Adam Khoo's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.
Sandra Thebaud has sinced written about articles on various topics from Web Development, Join the Army and Stress Management. I have been helping people reach their personal and professional goals for the past 14 years. There's nothing more satisfying than helping someone reach their potential for success. I would like the opportunity to help you reach your goals. I am a Prof. Sandra Thebaud's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.