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	<title>The American Institute of Stress &#187; Daily Life Blog</title>
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	<link>http://www.stress.org</link>
	<description>AIS imparts information on stress reduction, stress in the workplace, effects of stress and various other stress related topics.</description>
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		<title>Got Theme? Part 2: 10 Ideas for Brainstorming a Theme to Inspire Your Year</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/got-theme-part-2-10-ideas-for-brainstorming-a-theme-to-inspire-your-year/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stress.org/got-theme-part-2-10-ideas-for-brainstorming-a-theme-to-inspire-your-year/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:56:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Life Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5992</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Can’t settle on a theme to inspire you this year? No worries! Here are 10 ideas clients and I have tossed around while brainstorming–maybe they will spark your own inspiring words: 1.One of my favorites is “White Space“…. Just saying that out loud has made it easier to see what decisions to make and actions to take to create room in my schedule, in my house, and between my ears to think, create, connect, and be. I feel lighter when I say it and even lighter when I act on it. Do I get as much work done with that in mind?…..Yes, probably more. 2.“What If?“…. Also a favorite of mine- repeating this inspires more curiosity, research inquiry, perspective shifts, creativity, opening up to new ways of thinking and acting. 3.“Pause to Perform“.… Peak performers strategically creating pauses throughout the day to allow brains to assimilate, integrate, create, reboot, and work more efficiently. (Some clients even set timers on their phones or computers to look up, breathe, stretch, refresh the RAM between their ears.) 4.“Connect“…. How can this word direct your thoughts and actions to end your year more connected to family, or purpose, or whatever you need more of in your life? 5.“Listen First“…. Many clients find working on listening skills has disproportionate reward in leadership effectiveness and stress management. A mantra to listen first develops this skill over time. 6.“Nourish“…. What a big word this is! What do you need to add more of to nourish your energy, your vitality, your performance, your happiness. What a better focus than “diet!” 7.“Check Inside First“…. Focus on developing self-awareness, even somatic awareness to know when your gut, heart, and head are aligned with your values and purpose. This can develop greater awareness in many realms–awareness that drives insight and fuels intrinsic motivation. 8.“Intend“…. This theme can help shift more behaviors from reactive to proactive, aligned with purpose. A focus on intention can support less management, more leadership. 9.“Financial health“…. or ______health- whatever form of health you seek from physical to mental, emotional, spiritual–a reminder to chose thoughts and behaviors to move you toward a specific way of being. 10.“Balance“…. A commitment to build awareness of the balance of energies in your life with a goal of ending chronic deficits- either overall energy or specifically physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. Still stuck?….brainstorm a list of 20 words or phrases that represent the qualities of your ideal way of being in life, in leadership, in community. Let them percolate until one seems to really resonate and fuel your energy for this year. Contributed by AIS Fellow and Chairman of the Workplace Stress Board, Cynthia Ackrill, M.D. Visit Dr. Ackril’s website: www.wellspark.com for more practical stress managment information. Tweet &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>The Power of a Theme</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/the-power-of-a-theme/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stress.org/the-power-of-a-theme/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:42:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Life Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5914</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[How can you use a “theme” to support your growth and performance? By repeating it over and over and over and over&#8211;upon starting your day, in response to the demands of the day, upon ending your day, and when evaluating each and every move of your day. Tape it to the mirror; sticky note it to your laptop; use it as the screensaver on your phone. It becomes a mantra that repeatedly brings your attention to your intention. Repeated attention to intention builds connections between the neurons that support that intention. Minute to minute, your thoughts, feelings and actions create connections between brain cells. Our brains are constantly remolding themselves. Focusing on a theme is a way of directing that constant building and pruning to create pathways that support the habits, beliefs, thought patterns, behavior choices, and ways of being that align with our intention. Neuroplasticity in action! This is far more powerful than stating a goal and relying on willpower to undo the habits that sabotage that goal. Willpower wears thin with any challenge. With repeated attention to intention we build greater awareness, shift perspectives, change our beliefs, strengthen our skills, and build habits of thought and behavior supported by strong neural pathways. We begin to see more opportunities to make choices in line with that theme, and we gradually shift our identity toward a more intentional way of being.  What’s your theme for your unfolding year? Please share…… &#160;Contributed by AIS Fellow and Chairman of the Workplace Stress Board, Cynthia Ackrill, M.D. Visit Dr. Ackril’s website: www.wellspark.com for more practical stress managment information. Tweet &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>&#8216;I Am Adam Lanza&#8217;s Mother&#8217;: A Mom&#8217;s Perspective On The Mental Illness Conversation In America</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother-a-moms-perspective-on-the-mental-illness-conversation-in-america/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stress.org/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother-a-moms-perspective-on-the-mental-illness-conversation-in-america/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:55:35 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5794</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Written by Lisa Long, Republished from Huffington Post. Friday’s horrific national tragedy &#8212; the murder of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut &#8212; has ignited a new discussion on violence in America. In kitchens and coffee shops across the country, we tearfully debate the many faces of violence in America: gun culture, media violence, lack of mental health services, overt and covert wars abroad, religion, politics and the way we raise our children. Liza Long, a writer based in Boise, says it’s easy to talk about guns. But it’s time to talk about mental illness. While every family&#8217;s story of mental illness is different, and we may never know the whole of the Lanzas&#8217; story, tales like this one need to be heard &#8212; and families who live them deserve our help. Three days before 20 year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother, then opened fire on a classroom full of Connecticut kindergartners, my 13-year old son Michael (name changed) missed his bus because he was wearing the wrong color pants. “I can wear these pants,” he said, his tone increasingly belligerent, the black-hole pupils of his eyes swallowing the blue irises. “They are navy blue,” I told him. “Your school’s dress code says black or khaki pants only.” “They told me I could wear these,” he insisted. “You’re a stupid bitch. I can wear whatever pants I want to. This is America. I have rights!” “You can’t wear whatever pants you want to,” I said, my tone affable, reasonable. “And you definitely cannot call me a stupid bitch. You’re grounded from electronics for the rest of the day. Now get in the car, and I will take you to school.” I live with a son who is mentally ill. I love my son. But he terrifies me. A few weeks ago, Michael pulled a knife and threatened to kill me and then himself after I asked him to return his overdue library books. His 7 and 9 year old siblings knew the safety plan &#8212; they ran to the car and locked the doors before I even asked them to. I managed to get the knife from Michael, then methodically collected all the sharp objects in the house into a single Tupperware container that now travels with me. Through it all, he continued to scream insults at me and threaten to kill or hurt me. That conflict ended with three burly police officers and a paramedic wrestling my son onto a gurney for an expensive ambulance ride to the local emergency room. The mental hospital didn’t have any beds that day, and Michael calmed down nicely in the ER, so they sent us home with a prescription for Zyprexa and a follow-up visit with a local pediatric psychiatrist. We still don’t know what’s wrong with Michael. Autism spectrum, ADHD, Oppositional Defiant or Intermittent Explosive Disorder have all been tossed around at various meetings with probation officers and social workers and counselors and teachers...]]></description>
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		<title>Are you a Stress Addict?</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/are-you-a-stress-addict/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:57:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Life Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5718</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Contributed By: AIS Fellow Dr. Heidi Hanna.  Dr. Hanna serves on the AIS Daily Life Stress Board and as the Associate Editor for AIS&#8217;s Contentment magazine.  For more information on how stress impacts the brain and how to train relaxation, check out her book, SHARP: Simple Strategies to Boost Your Brainpower, or visit her Brain Gym at www.synergyprograms.com/braingym. •Do you thrive on tight deadlines? •Do you often leave things until the last minute? •Do you have a difficult time doing nothing at all? •Does it take you a few days off to feel like you’re on vacation? •Do you spend much of your vacation time thinking about work? •Do you constantly worry about what you might be missing? •Do you feel stressed when you’re disconnected to your cell phone or computer? •Do you find it difficult to turn your brain off at night to sleep? •Do you feel as though there is never enough time to get things done? •Do you ever feel as though your work for the day is not enough? •Do you lack time to see your friends or participate in hobbies you used to enjoy? •Do you feel as though you’re constantly running from one thing to the next? •Do you find yourself finishing, or wanting to finish, other peoples’ statements? •Do you wish I’d stop asking questions so you can get on with the blog already? Who cares? We all have stress and it’s not going anywhere, so we might as well accept it. I even had a client tell me once, “I love my stress and I don’t want to manage it.” The truth is we thrive on stress. It makes us feel driven to succeed, boosts energy, and gives meaning to our life. In fact conversations often seem to revolve around competition of who’s more stressed. “How are you?” “Stressed.” “Me too.” And then each party goes on to explain why they’re so stressed, with the worst off winning in our backwards way of thinking. The problem is not that you can’t manage your stress. Most likely you’re doing a fabulous job getting the things done that need to be done, meeting deadlines, and even attending a social event every once in a while (especially if it’s business related). But what is your experience of your life? Are you taking time to appreciate what you’re working so hard to accomplish or are you just speeding through in order to tackle the next item on your to-do list? Perhaps more importantly, are you aware of the impact that this stress-filled life has on you long term? Most likely you are not. Or maybe like most addicts you know the consequences of your behavior but you’re so hooked on it that coming down from stress feels uncomfortable and with such a busy schedule it’s just easier to stay amped up than deal with the detox of letting go. Remember the advertisement “this is your brain on drugs”? It certainly made a lasting impression. Unfortunately, it’s...]]></description>
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		<title>6 Thought Habits of the Stressed: No. 6 &#8220;Should-ing&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-habits-of-the-stressed-no-6-should-ing/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:18:17 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5622</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I should have…. [said…done…]” “You should have….” “He should have….” “It should have….” How many times a day do you use the word “should” out loud or silently in the 60,000 thoughts generated between your ears daily? For most high achievers “should” is one of the most over-used words in internal dialogues. After all we did what we “should” to get where we are! And there is nothing wrong with achievement orientation–there are definitely “shoulds” and hurdles to any life of accomplishment. But somewhere along the way the “should” driver gets out of control, constantly pointing out the gap–the distance between where you are and where you should be… if only you were better or did better, had more self-discipline, more stamina, or more of that highly-overrated brain commodity, willpower. The “should” driver surveys the world measuring and comparing. And it quickly feeds your inner critic’s argument that you are not good enough as you are. Should can also challenge one of our main intrinsic motivators, autonomy. Should feels like it is not really your choice. And in the process should can generate resentment or some feeling of “ugh” that triggers the stress response and drains your precious energy. (And to add irony, this stress further depletes your willpower!) How different is it to do something because you want to than because you should? Sometimes subtle, sometimes massive! Neuromarketing capitalizes on the want/should conflict and many of us wear ourselves out creating conflict between these 2 perspectives. Just notice how often you use the word and ask yourself if a reframe might save some energy, reduce your stress. &#160; Thoughts? Ideas? Insights? Please share…… Contributed by AIS Fellow and Chairman of the Workplace Stress Board, Cynthia Ackrill, M.D. Visit Dr. Ackril’s website: www.wellspark.com for more practical stress managment information. Tweet &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>6 Thought Habits of the Stressed: No. 5 Resentment</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-habits-of-the-stressed-no-5-resentment/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-habits-of-the-stressed-no-5-resentment/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:46:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Life Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5609</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here, instead of predicting mayhem in the future by catastrophizing, we lose energy replaying the past, still wanting to rewrite history. In grand and subtle ways we do this more often than we would like to admit. Occasionally we even allow our masterful inner critics to resent our own previous life maneuvers. So why do our brains sometimes stick on this stress-inducing path? Because we didn’t like the outcome and we can’t let it go. *want it to be fair. *want it to be easier. *want it to be our idea. …We want to be right! This “stuck-ness” is even more likely if the situation was emotionally charged, or triggered some other subconscious agenda. And I don’t know about you, but it sure seems much easier to dwell in “shoulds” in the dark of night. It is impressive how resentment can carry subtly into our attitudes with certain people or tasks, long after we are conscious of what originally bothered us. The result–a subconsciously triggered stress response and precious energy wasted! What could you do with that energy creating a future instead of trying to rework the past? Thoughts? Ideas? Insights? Please share…… Contributed by AIS Fellow and Chairman of the Workplace Stress Board, Cynthia Ackrill, M.D. Visit Dr. Ackril’s website: www.wellspark.com for more practical stress managment information. Tweet]]></description>
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		<title>6 Thought Patterns of the Stressed: No. 4 Globalizing</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-patterns-of-the-stressed-no-4-globalizing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-patterns-of-the-stressed-no-4-globalizing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:23:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Life Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5604</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Think Globally? This is a fabulous concept in business development–extending, intensifying, speeding up for larger impact and greater good. But as an inner thought habit that spreads negative perceptions and emotions to unrelated areas, it can be downright dangerous. And we all do it! Probably the most common example is allowing a small failure in one supposedly isolated arena of life to spread self-doubt into other domains. This happens on many scales, from spilling coffee on a fresh shirt and deciding it’s going to be a bad meeting, to having some minor event trigger our deepest fears, profoundly affecting our ability to respond appropriately. This insidious process often occurs under the radar of our full consciousness and each time it takes a toll on our brainpower, inappropriately assigning too much emotional energy to an event or stimulus. Our perspective becomes contracted; our ability to see solutions is diminished. And it is far more stressful to take any action in the face of diminished self-confidence. Act Locally! A lot of stress can be avoided by cleaning up the boundaries of attitudes and emotions we assign to particular thoughts and perceptions. It takes just a moment to check our perception lens before we act. Next time you feel a sigh or an ugh coming on, ask yourself? Is my reaction to another event coloring my attitude? What is really true? How can I clean up my thoughts and emotions to more efficiently and effectively deal with the situation at hand? It often creates far less stress, takes far less energy to deal with the “real” situation. On the other hand….Feeling positive? Let that go global! Let positivity expand your brainpower! Thoughts? Ideas? Insights? Please share…… Contributed by AIS Fellow and Chairman of the Workplace Stress Board, Cynthia Ackrill, M.D. Visit Dr. Ackril’s website: www.wellspark.com for more practical stress managment information. Tweet]]></description>
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		<title>6 Thought Patterns of the Stressed: No. 3 Catastrophizing</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-patterns-of-the-stressed-no-3-catastrophizing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-patterns-of-the-stressed-no-3-catastrophizing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:18:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Life Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5449</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ever find your mouth saying, “No problem!” while your brain is silently chanting some personal version of “Lions, and tigers, and bears…….OH MY!”? Our ability to forecast the worst possible scenario has helped us avoid demise for millennia. But like many thought patterns, when advanced to the automatic habit status, it interferes with our well-being. Since out thoughts have the power to drive our physiology, repeatedly sending our imaginations to the dark side repeatedly rings the stress system alarm. This compromises our health, our energy, and our access to the creativity and brilliance we need to formulate and actualize positive outcomes. Many professions reward the ability to scan for risks or possible catastrophies. As a physician I was trained to “rule-out” the worst possibility first. “What could kill this patient?” How’s that for motivation to play out every possible disaster! We want our personal doctors, lawyers, accountants, and investment managers to have robust risk detection powers. But overuse of this power can lead to the negativity bias that contributes to the high rates of burnout, substance abuse, and suicide in these professions. Everyday life presents countless opportunities to catastrophize, to make the proverbial “mountains out of molehills”. How clearly I remember discovering the vitamins my sweet daughter supposedly swallowed all that week in the guest room trash. That morning, in my harried state, I immediately envisioned her life of crime, baking her cakes with files as I visited her in the state pen. How did I feel after that little thought exercise? Not like an energized parent! Not only does catastrophizing drain our energy by adding inappropriate stress, we are more prone to this habit when tired or under stress. Next time you find yourself adding the theme of Jaws to your situation, ask yourself, “Is this an appropriate time to play out the worst case scenario or is an automatic thought pattern at play?” If the latter is true, take a deep breath, muster up a positive emotion, and tap into your less-stressed creative side. Insights? Ideas? Please share!! Contributed by AIS Fellow and Chairman of the Workplace Stress Board, Cynthia Ackrill, M.D. Visit Dr. Ackril’s website: www.wellspark.com for more practical stress managment information.   Tweet]]></description>
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		<title>6 Thought Habits of the Stressed- No. 2  What is your ratio?</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-habits-of-the-stressed-no-2-what-is-your-ratio/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:15:58 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5421</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[DO NOT THINK ABOUT ELEPHANTS! &#160; &#160; Whatever you do….do NOT think about elephants! &#160; &#160; How’s that working for you?…. &#160; &#160; &#160; Trying not to think something is just about as easy as prying a toy from a screaming, tenacious toddler! So if automatic negative thoughts are the first of the 6 thought habits of the stressed, how do we stop them? …About the same way we learn to take the toy from the toddler–we have to offer our brains another choice. The fascinating field of Positive Psychology is providing overwhelming evidence of the power of our thoughts to affect not only our perception of stress, but also our success. This brings us to a really interesting rule and the basis for thought habits of the stressed number two: 2. Unpracticed Positive Thoughts- Not only do people who feel stress tend to have more automatic negative thoughts, they also tend not to practice positive thoughts, positive feelings. Negativity is a strong set point, so developing positivity takes lots of practice, practice that will head off stress. Think of the automatic negative thought pathways as well-worn ruts in the neural pathway; we have to travel the new positive pathways over and over to wear a new rut–a new, more effective habit. Dr. Barbara Frederickson’s extensive research reveals that we need three positive thoughts to balance the power of one negative thought. Exceeding this 3:1 ratio is key to happiness, productivity, and effectiveness, even in group and corporate interactions.  3:1 In fact, a meta-analysis of 300 studies involving 275,000 people, reveals that real positivity (no, not fake smiles and denial) produces success as well as reflects success in many arenas–relationship, finances, and health. But positivity is like a muscle that needs practice to strengthen. According to Dr. Frederickson this practice broadens and builds the mind, creating a mind that sees less stress and is more resilient in the face of stress. What’s your ratio? www.positivityratio.com  What can you do today to strengthen your positivity muscle?  What if you started with your inner dialogue about yourself? Insights? Ideas? Please share…… Want more inspiration? (or that repeated attention to intention that helps us learn!) Read or listen to these- the research really is impressive and the stories inspiring. Learned Optimism, Martin Seligman, Ph.D. Positivity, Barbara Frederickson, Ph.D. The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor &#160; Contributed by AIS Fellow and Chairman of the Workplace Stress Board, Cynthia Ackrill, M.D. Visit Dr. Ackril’s website: www.wellspark.com for more practical stress managment information. Next up……Habit No. 3 Catastrophizing &#160; Tweet &#160;]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>6 Thought Habits of the Stressed</title>
		<link>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-habits-of-the-stressed/</link>
		<comments>http://www.stress.org/6-thought-habits-of-the-stressed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:28:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily Life Blog]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.stress.org/?p=5406</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Let’s take a deeper dive into our power to reframe our perception to reduce our stress and reclaim our energy by looking at 6 thought habits that we all know too well. Thought habits create the thought worms that feed our stress and drain our energy. Automatic thinking costs less energy in the short run–it follows energy-efficient pathways, well-worn ruts, in the brain’s neural network. But like many apparent bargains, it can cost us far more in the long run–energy, creativity, brilliance, health, and happiness. Learning to identify our habitual patterns gives us the opportunity to mindfully choose the thoughts that will more effectively serve our purpose and save our energy. “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability  to choose one thought over another.” -William James &#160; 1. Automatic Negative Thoughts- In Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, I love how Daniel Amen, MD refers to these as “ANTs” you don’t want to invite to the picnic in your brain. In fact, evolution has hardwired our brains to scan for negative possibilities and threats–this has saved our “you know whats”! Many of us even have careers that reward our ability to find the problem, the possible threat. But… most of us have over-practiced this skill to the point we don’t realize how often and how globally our internal dialogue is stuck in the negative zone. We may recognize the curmudgeonly “The problem with that is…” member of the group, but we don’t notice how frequently we are running our own negative track–especially about ourselves. These automatic negative thought streams are like leaky washers in our energy system, constantly draining our energy, brilliance and happiness. When we are tired, they really kick in to conserve our energy. And even many “glass-half-full” optimists still have subjects or situations that trigger their cynical, gloomy tracks. Can we be Pollyanna across the board? No!! Fake positivity and denial are just as dangerous as negativity, but we can begin to observe if our go-to thoughts might be cheating us out of less stressful, more generative perspectives. &#160; What areas of life, what circumstances trigger your ANTs?  What if you chose a new inner dialogue? Contributed by AIS Fellow and Chairman of the Workplace Stress Board, Cynthia Ackrill, M.D. Visit Dr. Ackril&#8217;s website: www.wellspark.com for more practical stress managment information. Tweet]]></description>
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