Self help breathing exercises combined with humor and smiles can energize positive thinking

Self Help Tip #1:

We take approximately 21,800 breaths of air each day, but when we breathe SLOWLY AND DEEPLY, we increase the intake of oxygen, which in turn brings about of natural calm much like a tranquilizer, but without the pharmaceutical side-effects.

Its nature’s way of allowing us to build up an inner peace within ourselves—we feel calm, lighter— more serene, our thinking becomes unscrambled and more focused. Yet, for some unexplainable reason, we ignore nature’s assistance and instead, rush to the pharmacy eager in our need to pop-the-magic-pill, only to find there is no magic pill.

Find out for yourself the power of this weapon

From the first day of your positive thinking strategy and for all time thereafter, whenever you find yourself in a stressed-out situation or feel the negativity virus taking hold, TAKE TIME FOR A PERIOD OF CONSCIOUS CONNECTED DEEP BREATHING.

• If you can, find yourself a quiet place and sit comfortably. (You can do this exercise anywhere and anytime, except for closing the eyes if you’re driving your car)

• Close your eyes and breathe normally for about fifteen seconds.

• Now, take in a long, SLOW breath through your nose and let your stomach go out as far as possible. THINK OF YOUR LUNGS AS A BALLOON; FILL IT WITH PURE, RELAXING AIR.

• Hold your breath for about ten seconds, and then >SLOWLY exhale, letting your stomach return to its normal position.

• Concentrate on your breathing. Feel it—let the calm sweep over you.

• Continue the process for as long as you need.

Learn to use this powerful weapon effectively. Whenever you feel up tight - work it.

Now a couple of fun games – again, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Self Help Tip #2:

I received an Email from a person I had contacted during my research who suggested this idea for fighting the blahs.

Pick a color – yellow,blue or green.

• If you pick yellow, imagine yourself lying in a field among beautiful yellow wild flowers bending slightly because of the comforting, soft breeze. The sun is beating down on you, not too hot, just right and to give you a feeling of safety, no one else is in the field.

• If you pick blue, imagine yourself floating in a boat in some quiet lagoon, with the only sound other than the twittering of tropical birds, is the water lapping at the sides of the boat.

• If you pick green, imagine a sunny springtime and your walking down a country road.

You get the idea. The fact is that a number of people I interviewed offered similar scenarios but added that music was an important addition to their visual decompression time.

Self Help Tip #3:

Here’s another fun motivator – start the day with a smile

Usually the fun things work best. Remember that, because the next suggestion may seem a tad unusual, but as noted previously, lighten up and learn to laugh at yourself. What is the worst thing that can happen? In this case, your partner may think your not rowing with both oars in the water, but heck they most likely have thought that on other occasions anyway.

Ready? Print and post these happy guys on your mirror so you can spot them first thing in the morning.

Every morning, when you get out of bed, look at yourself in the mirror were you have posted these guys.

Now, smile at yourself. No, not just a smirk – a smile – a BIG SMILE. Keep smiling as you tell yourself you’re feeling good – no damn it, you’re feeling great – fantastic. Keep smiling, and hold that some for a good thirty seconds as you keep telling yourself how good you feel and that your world is in its proper orbit.

Foolish? No way - just try it. How can you have the blahs when you’re smiling? You can’t - even a forced smile will eventually cause a positive motivational difference. It just a fun way to train yourself to start the day with a proper attitude.

PS: you might want to post the smiley guys in your car and at your office.

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