Stress and work, worry about your finances, relationships that have gone bad, not living up to your own expectations, the constant bombardment of bad news…the sources of stress anxiety in our lives have never been greater. If we are to keep from being completely paralyzed, we must act now and learn how to manage stress more effectively. 

What's most concerning is the damage that sress can do to your mind and body:

• - Increased risk of heart disease
  - Makes you less likely to eat healthy
  - Stress results in chemical changes in your digestive system
  - Reduces your self-confidence and self-esteem
  - Makes you tired, negative and unable to stay positive
  - Is directly related to unhealthy weight gain
  - Impacts your ability to maintain good relationships

The body of research is still growing each month showing more damage to our lives from stress anxiety. 

In this personal development tips book there are 5 pillars upon which we can have an immediate, positive impact on our life achievement and health - our ability to manage stress is key. 

3 Ways To Manage Stress Now

It's worth stating again, not all stress is bad and ANY stress can be managed - so when you hear someone say that you need to fight stress, what we are really talking about is an ability to recognize how certain situations in our lives impact us and lessen the negative impact erasing the very damaging impact that stress and axiety can have on our lives. 

Follow these 3 stress tips and you will be able to take back control in your life.

1. Use meditation and yoga to accomplish to deal with stress.  Meditation will empower you in two very important ways.  First, you will get a better sense for how stress is impacting your mind and body and you will begin to get a feeling for what a stress-free state of mind actually is.  When you succeed with meditation, you are able to co-exist with all that used to cause you stress without feeling the impact on your mind and body.  In other words, you experience a complete state of bliss or peacefullness from which to analyze the rest of your conscious life.

2. Positive affirmations and guided imagery will help you put your state of mind in a new place…a place where you do have control, where you have already achieved the grand accomplishment of complete stress relief.  Use these positive affirmation techniques to make the most effective use of affirmations and visualization.

3. Leverage the mental and physical power of exercise.  Don't think that you immediately have to become obsessed with exercise, what we are talking about here is moderate exercise but on a consistent basis.  That may mean walking for 45-minutes each day, heading to the gym 3-times a week for 50-minutes, or mixing it up with a swim, jog and exercise class each once a week.  The bottom line is that getting your body moving, your heart pumping, your lungs charged with air are all incredibly powerful methods used to manage stress. 

If you live in a chronic stress state that prevents you from having energy, fun and achievement in your life, then you can bet that the impact on your body and mind is far worse than you may think.  Use these 3 powerful techniques to manage stress over the next 2-3 weeks and you will begin to notice how much anxiety you were really under.

I don't know about you guys, but advice that talks about positive thinking or telling you to 'stay positive' is like telling someone who is sleeping to NOT dream - it's impossible - especially when you need it the most, when things look bleak and you are in pain.

But is there another way?

I've been experimenting ALLOT with positive affirmations lately and have been able to find a system that works for not only myself in almost any mindset, but for many others I help around me. 

Many of us have tried affirmations in the past, most of us for just a few days to 'see what would happen' and some of us for much longer, but many of us have had a hard time seeing any signifjcant difference.

What I did discover is there are many WRONG ways to both write and use positive affirmations when trying to improve your positive thinking and achieve new levels of self-improvement.  

You'll find the 6 key principles of using positive affirmations here  to break through negative thinking - use these methods to craft and apply your own daily affirmations. 

Isn't it the case that when we are seeking happiness, success or trying to escape a painful or negative situation we look to those around us as a starting point for self-improvement?

We may seek self help audios, read self help books or look for positive friends around us to help us through these rough times, but is looking at society the right first step on our way to personal growth?

Unfortunately relying on someone else's view of self development usually ends up backfiring on us, just as fad diets rarely work to keep off weight, seeking short-term solutions to personal growth and development are doomed to fail in the long run.

Personal improvement must begin from within, and can then applied socially - so we must first discover ways to look within ourselves and discover the values, purpose, and underlying objectives that will provide the beacon on our quest for self-improvement.

I hear from many people that when they are low, they also experience very serious period of loneliness - feeling isolated from society who all seem involved in their own selfish pursuits.  Certainly, that experience is not suprising given that when we live in discontinuity with our inner purpose we are putting up a barrier through our sub-conscious and conscious mind that shows in our behavior toward those who would otherwise be our strongest allies. 

So when you are low and begin the process of self-improvement don't be afraid of being alone, instead embrace it and commit to selfgrowth methods that will finally uncover deeply held desires and objectives that will arm you with an entirely new energy and make you much more socially desirable to others who are congruent with your ultimate purpose.

In short, if we live a lie and fool ourselves, we will also fool all of those around us and one day discover that we have alienated the very people that we, deep down, would like to have attracted to us. 

By beginning your personal growth pursuit by looking inward, suddenly you will find that the barrier will come down and you will, rather magically, begin attracting quality people into your life to meaningful friendships and relationships that are congruent with your life's purpose.

We go through this process in detail in this top selling self-improvement manual outlining 5 pillars of Greatness that will help you achieve this inner awareness and begin attracting incredible people, places and things into your life. 

Until now, you may not happy with the people around you - you are not living congruent to what is inside — and you would not be in the minority as MOST people are not even aware of what's inside let alone living in tune with that underlying purpose and values. 

So, how do you find out what's within you without a ton of extra work and study? 

The good news is that it's all there for you to discover and the process of discovery is incredibly empowering, fun and tremendously exciting.

I have found that methods such as meditation and yoga have allowed me to both discover what I truly feel about certain things AND gives me the added self-confidence and self-esteem to live in tune with what I discover.  

It's not just celebrities that practice yoga and meditation, chances are that you know someone in your household, at work or in your social circles that is trying or regularly attends yoga classes or takes some instruction in yoga. 

There are 3 major reasons that people consider, and then move ahead with yoga instruction…

1. Social motivators - many of us begin yoga and meditation because of friends or family, we tag along for an instruction or two and then gain a new interest in what is happening.  Still others may look into prenatal yoga or join yoga after having been isolated from friends or contacts after losing their job or after having a baby desiring the social venue to be active outside of the home.

2. Physical motivators - there are numerous health benefits to practicing yoga including weight loss, blood pressure regulation, heart health, blood sugar stabalization as well as a part of overall healthy lifestyle choices that can also involve exercise and dietary improvements.

3. Mental/Emotional motivators - you've heard the terms 'calming mind' or 'peaceful bliss' which can certainly be experienced by regular practicing of yoga. 

Interesting to me is the fact that most people I know choose beginners yoga because of friends or for the physical benefits but then discover the incredible emotional benefits of being more in tune with your mind and body only AFTER the fact.

Certainly, you ability to succeed in your career, relationships, friendships, and other major goals in your life is heavily influenced by factors directly targeted by yoga and meditation - as is pointed out in the top selling 'Beyond Greatness' where achievement can directly be enhanced using techniques of yoga and meditation.

Specifically, here are 10 benefits you expect to realize from beginners yoga:

1. More positive outlook - suddenly you find yourself a much more positive person

2. Overall healthier attitude - I have found when regularly practicing yoga and meditation I automatically eat healthier, sleep better and find exercise much easier

3. Improve your circle of friends - it's always great to be around like-minded, positive people, you will find your own energy goes up because of this fact alone

4. Improved sleep - if you struggle getting to sleep or staying asleep when you get there, yoga and meditation can be of tremendous help to balancing out irregular sleep patterns

5. Weight loss - Both a direct and indirect impact of yoga instruction is weight loss, if you have tried other methods to no avail, give yoga a try

6. Better relationships - believe it or not you are likely driving away as many people as you are attracting - your behavior is directly influencing the behavior of others.  If you can change your mindset, outlook and by extension, your behavior, you will be amazed to see what great relationships you can attract into your life.

7. Get 'Unstuck' - I know so many people that get stuck in a rut and lose the feeling to want to do better or have more fun, once that feeling is lost it's very hard to get back - yoga and meditation is one of the few techniques that can bring your life back into balance again and get you 'unstuck'

8. Achieve greater things - suddenly I was able to achieve promotions at work, start my own busineses, become a sports coach when I never thought I was capable of these things in the past.  The benefits of yoga and meditation toward overall life achievement is well documented in 'Beyond Greatness'

9. Sense of calmness - are you nervous all the time?  Are there situations, times or people that make you very anxious and you wished that you could be more in control of yourself?  Yoga and meditation can bring that control back into your life.

10. Mental clarity - Yoga training is terrific for helping you to live in the moment instead of having a 'fuzzy' or wandering mind.  Clarity allows you to be sharp, on the ball, witty and attract others to you who like you for being so down to earth.

There are many other benefits of yoga, these are only 10 of the most important we've discovered in our own lives and the lives of those around us.  So, if you have been considering beginners yoga but have not yet taken the leap, consider this long list of benefits as an added incentive for getting started right away. 

Haven't you found that students, our kids, are bombarded with more and more external information and, in some cases, bad habits these days?

Video games, multiple TV's in the home, the internet, more homework, increased organized sports and more stressed-out parents make schools and homes more tense environments than ever.

Kids are increasingly being stressed out - and so the principles we outline in Attracting Greatness - the methods for calming your mind, unleashing your true inner passion, enjoyment and skill - equally apply to their lives. 

I was happy to see a new book launched today by an 18-year veteran of bringing yoga into schools - Gail Bently Walsh - the book is called "Yoga In the Classroom".  As she outlines on her website, the book has been written as a yoga for beginners course with a specific emphasis on helping kids in school

There have been many studies lately showing the advantage of yoga for kids where even a short period of daily yoga exercises can bring out more confidence, peacefulness and reduced stress in our kids.

In fact, if you ever notice your kids all of a sudden staring off into space - they typically do this several times a day - this is their own, built-in way of practicing meditation.  Yoga exercises and yoga postures for kids are just another way to make sure they are getting enough time to relax, introspect and bring out their full potential in spite of a very fast-moving, challenging society we now live in.

Some of the benefits of yoga your kids can experience include:

• higher self-esteem
• more self-confidence
• better able to deal with social and learning pressures at school and at home
• better chance at higher grades
• happier, healthier child
• more creative and imaginitive

As anyone who tries to practice or teach yoga for kids, you will soon realize the difference from adults in the sense that you need to keep it fun, let kids explore and learn through the process - they need to be engaged to get the best results. 

We've been incorporating aspects of yoga and meditation in our two boys for several months now and I have to say the experience has been incredible - both in terms of how close it has brought us AND how much confidence it has given to our kids. 

I highly recommend any family, teacher or coach to explore how they can introduce aspects of yoga into their respective time with kids - the payback will be tremendous.

LIfe moves at a rapid pace, things change extremely quickly - some days are incredibly positive, other days we hit a crisis.  We may have just recieved a negative medical prognosis, we may be grieving, we see half our wealth and savings erased in the stock market, etc…

We can't rely on much these days, but one thing we can definitely rely on is that we will hit rough times, challenging times - we will be hit with challenges when we least expect them.  Those who prepare themselves now for what may come in the future will be the ones that will make it through these times the best.

A good portion of the "Attracting Greatness System" came from personal experiences facing crisis situations and is now available to those who want to better prepare themselves for the fast-paced, stressful and highly dynamic lifestyle we now live in. 

It's more than motivation, personal development and self-improvement - we are talking about a thorough preparation so that we can ride out storms such as the current economic crisis.

Whether you are stuck in a rut, financially challenged by the latest crisis, facing a job you hate or challenges in your own business or personal life you can heed Tony Robbin's latest words in the video below. 

Asked what his advice would be on the latest challenges in the economy Tony has it right when he talks about our ongoing need to prepare ourselves emotionally for anything that comes up because we never know what is around the corner…

Watch here:

Anthony Robbins on The Today Show

Jeff

Having outlined in detail my own experiences of getting incredibly sick with dozens of vague symptoms in my early twenties, I've become acutely aware of the importance of a healthy gut.

There is a daily war happening on our intestines and colon that, when our systems are balanced, keeps the peace very effectively…we know that is the case when we have maximum energy, have a powerful immune system where we can fight off illness, rarely get headaches or do not suffer from digestive problems such as heartburn, acid reflux, bloating or other very common, 'uncomfortable' intestinal conditions these days. 

The challenge is, when our gut's delicate balance of 'good' bacteria is disrupted, then the nastier bugs can take over and the result is a rapid spiral into pain and suffering. 

In our highly respected "Attracting Greatness" blueprint for leading a happier, healthier and exciting life, we spend significant time outlining a plan to return your body and mind to the place where they must be before we can truly be functioning as we were meant to function.  Right now, 95% or more of us are NOT where we could be once we understand the delicate balance that has been disrupted.

WHAT DISRUPTS OUR SYSTEM

Research has now proven that there are a host of disruptors to normal gut health that result on further impact to our nervous system, immune system, lymphatic system, with direct links to such diseases as Fybro Myalsia, Cancer, Heart Disease, Arthritis, and a whole host of other less serious conditions.

Here are just a few things that disrupt our normal ability to keep peace in the war that constantly goes on inside our gut:

 - antibiotic use, even from 20-years ago, will destroy our 'good' bacteria
 - poor eating habits, too many refined and processed foods will lead to an overgrowth of 'bad' bacterias
 - parasites which a large percentage of us have in our gut right now from children, pets, food, and more…
 - negative stress, a recent scientific study has shown proof that stress on our nervous system DOES directly impact the checmical functioning of our gut
 - exposure to chemicals and toxins, we are all exposed to these at some level - eventually these impact our 'good' bacteria and allow the 'bad' to win the war.

As you can see, this is not a third-world problem, not a problem for one race, income level or sex - but is a chronic problem across all of us. 

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT

First, we must realize the link between what happens in our gut and the rest of our body function is direct and very real.

Second, we must accept that our own gut health has been challenged at one time or another and so we must do what we can to help bring it back into balance - the good news is that it's not that hard and the upside benefit is massive.

Third, we must learn to manage stress in our lives.  It doesn't matter how healthy a life you live, if you cannot manage negative stress, your gut will not operate properly and you will find yourself subjected to the same diseases and bad health as a life-long smoker or obese person. 

In 'Achieving Greatness' we tell our story of how we learned about all of this the hard way and how we completely turned around my own health in less than 6-weeks - we also share the blueprint so you can do the same. 

The sooner we act on bringing back a healthy system, the sooner we can improve our enjoyment of life, achieve incredible breakthroughs and fight disease that may already be rearing its ugly head deep inside our bodies.

Have you ever known those people who never seem to get sick?  They can keep a highly productive, consistent schedule and always seem to be up earlier to get their day rolling?  Is there a way to go from a weak immune system to boosting immunity without having to completely change your life?

Flu boosters and vitamins immediately come to mind, and yes, these are multi-billion dollar industries, but the truth is that the better response may be within us right now.

A very big part of getting things done and attracting other high quality, achievement oriented, balanced and happy people into your life is your ability to stay consistently healthy. 

One of the 5 principle pillars for Achieving Greatness  is the #1 missing piece most of us do NOT get…that is the impact that stress has on how happy, healthy and effective we are in life.

All of us are impacted by negative stress…those of us who learn to manage stress at an early age and STILL get what we want done are the ones that will achieve incredible things in their lives.  Stress may manifest itself as outright fear, but more likely it will do you more damage by ensuring you have a weak immune system.

In Achieving Greatness I cover in detail how a stress-induced chemical malfunction in my body nearly led to my total desctruction back when I was in my early twenties…unfortunately this same set of circumstances is playing out over and over again impacting millions of us from the early childhood ages through to older adults. 

It started with symptoms of a weak immune system, where I would pick up colds and flus whenever someone even mentioned the word cold…then the symptoms became more serious until I could no longer function, had lost more than 30-lbs and could barely keep the simplest of foods down. 

After months of tests, doctors, and worsening symptoms, I finally hit a doctor and naturopath combination that figured out that my body and immune system were under severe stress due to a combination of stress and toxicity - overriden with bad bacteria, they put me on the right path, boosting my immune system along the way.

Within weeks I was a completely new person with renewed energy, a new lust for life and happiness and able to get things done for the first time in over a year.  Even better, bringing my body back into balance and learning to manage stress built my immune defences stronger than they had ever been.

The entire experience and methods we used to get out of this very common, unhealthy state and return to achieve some incredible things over the last few years - including the techniques we used to manage stress - are outlined in the Beyond Greatness - Improve Your Life Blueprint.

A recent study completed by Duke University researchers http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080919142642.htm has finally proven there exists a genetic link between our nervous system and our immune system. 

Simply put, they demonstrated a direct link between stress messages in the body overriding chemical balances in our gut causing an imbalance and rather severe impact on our immune system.  Unfortunately, there are other negatives as well…not only will these messages impact the immune system, they will impact digestion, our absorption of food and vitamins, our brain and cognitive functions, our self-confidence, energy and nearly every part of our lives you can imagine.

The message is clear, we MUST learn to manage negative stress in our lives to not only achieve feel better and break free of current limitations, but our very survival will depend on us doing so.

After exploring ways to enhance the learning ability of our two primary school children, we came across a great deal of research dealing with brain health and nutrition - specifically, ways we can use to optimize our brain nutrition by adding more brain food to our diets.

It doesn't matter who you are, there's no debate today that a highly optimized brain is required to process the immense amount of information and stimuli around us…young, middle-age or old, we all need to focus on brain healthy diets and exercises more often.

Brain food choices can help to clear up fuzzy thinking, overcome low energy, times when you just don't feel like you are "on the ball".  Brain nutrition is a very active, well funded field of research resulting in many breakthrough findings.

For instance, the link between vitamin B12 and overall brain nutrition and functioning has been well documented in several studies.  Lately, we've seen more information coming out on the link between Vitamin E and brain health where some studies are showing evidence of slowing the de-generation of the brain improving our lives as we age. 

Inside "Beyond Greatness" there is an entire section dedicated to the connection between toxins in our body as well as nasty bugs including parasites and overgrowth of microbes in our gut being directly linked to poor brain functioning. 

In each case, there is powerful support for the notion that our diet can directly impact our brain health and that choosing smart but tasty brain food can certainly give us some control over how well our brain functions now and into the future.

Here are some of our favorite choices for brain food:

1. Salmon or Tuna contain Omega-3 fatty acids which are thought to help in both keeping the brain healthy, but also has possible benefits in regeneration of damaged portions of the brain.

2. Green vegetables…find one you like from a list of broccoli, spinach, beat greens and asparagus.  Make them a regular part of at least one meal each day. 

3. Eggs…fit eggs into your meals a few times each week; they are great for a super-charge of B vitamins - a great brain food

4. Beans and lentils…the advantages of beans and lentils have been wide; they include not only brain health but also heart and overall ability to improve digestive and immune system function.  Most of us do not eat nearly enough of this food family, look for specific recipes on how to add beans and lentils to some enticing foods

5. Broccoli…we mentioned this super food up under green vegetables, but it really needs to be identified on its own since it is perhaps one of the healthiest foods available to us and in most places, it is quite inexpensive. Broccoli is great for both iron and vitamin B both essential to optimal brain nutrition

6. Nuts…especially almonds. It used to be that almonds and almond butter spreads were out of reach of most consumers due to their high price…recently we've noticed that prices have come down and are within reach of most consumers.  Substituting almond butter for peanut butter a few times a week is a great way to get more healthy fat and vitamin E in your diet - a great brain food

7. Olive oil…you may be used to hearing olive oil prescribed as a healthy heart food, consider this a two-for-one opportunity to also get more vitamin E - a terrific brain supplement

8. Blueberries…especially wild blueberries are a terrific source of phytochemicals, a type of antioxidant for which there is evidence of brain health and regeneration

9. Red wine…in moderation can also help to add more phytochemicals to your diet; in this case the good stuff comes from the antioxidants contained in the skin of red grapes

10. Sunflower seeds…sprinkle these tasty treats over top of your morning oatmeal, mix them in with a salad to add some texture and flavor or add them to a couscous or rice dish - in each case they will help add vitamin E to your diet - a great brain food

The real trick to improving your brain health by using these foods is consistency.  It will be more beneficial for you to include these different foods in your daily and weekly diets over a long period of time rather than binging on them for a week and then heading back into an unhealthy diet. 

I know we were pleasantly surprised to find that brain food doesn't have to be bad tasting or expensive - there are many choices that any of us will find delicious and economical - it's just a matter of creating the habit of including them in our daily meal plans. 

I'm on my third reading of Eckhart Tolle A New Earth, one of a few spiritual personal improvement books I've read over the last couple of years and I have to admit, there are some concepts I have already started to live in my life from this book…stillness, living in the NOW moment and having faith that when you live in the moment that you are tapping into something much bigger than ourselves, or earth - in fact putting ourselves in the hands of the universe.

But…that's where I struggle a little - it seems from reading Eckhart's A New Earth, as opposed to other spiritual awakening authors such as Wayne Dyer or Deepak Chopra - he calls for TOTAL alignment with nothing more than what you are doing right now.

Certainly, eliminating fear, anxiety, and managing stress in our lives is a massive stepping stone to achieving greater things in our lives as was outlined in our newest step-by-step program "Beyond Greatness"

In fact, he argues that there are only 3 states that are congruent to being in-tune with the universe - Acceptance, Enjoyment and Enthusiasm.

I have to 100% agree that when we are in a state of enjoyment or enthusiasm, we are in line with the universe, but there is only one other state and I wonder how any progress is made given that the only other choice we have is acceptance?

Let's say I am struggling in a crappy job that I hate, I can't enjoy it or be enthusiastic about it…so I have to accept it?

Hmmm…that doesn't seem right?

I've listed to different Tolle audio's - the extensive series he did with Oprah which seemed to only raise more questions about this "passive" resistance technique that I just can't see will lead to successful enlightenment.

However, I do see the following advantages of Eckhart Tolle's advice in A New Earth:

• Living in the NOW means you remove a great deal of stress, strain and unhealthy anxiety from your life.  I still strive, but now I've learned to be a little calmer about it and not worry so much
• I do believe there is an energy that operates things at a far higher level than we exist - congruent with the teachings of the Secret and other spiritual books
• His concept of the ego constantly trying to drive you beyond the current moment is earily believable as he touches on this again and again in A New Earth

Overall, I know that the advice and concepts given in Tolle's A New Earth will improve my happiness and ability to reach the next level of awareness - somehow though I have to still understand how that co-exists with progress and the need to improve the situation around ourselves.