Newsletter January, 2009
Happy New Year!
This is the month that we usually make our resolutions and think about
changes we would like to make in our lives.
And that can be good! Making thoughtful changes to try to improve our health
and the quality of our life can be a good thing.
However, it's not all about losing weight and starting a new exercise program. (Though, these have their place!)
An important component in improving our health and well-being, is stress management.
When we ignore the signals our body is sending us, and choose to continue letting stress overwhelm us, we set ourselves up for serious problems.
Stress has some very real physical effects. As the body responds to stress with a series of physiological changes, immune responses can be suppressed, blood pressure and cholesterol levels can rise, and then you are in serious trouble. Symptoms you may notice before the more serious issues make themselves known are:
- fatigue
- chronic headaches
- changes in appetite (For most people, this means weight gain)
- memory loss
- withdrawal from others
- teeth grinding
- shallow breathing, imsomnia
- gastrointestinal disorders, and on and on...
Stress creates an excellent breeding ground for all sorts of illnesses.
I am not trying to bum you out--I am trying to show you that you may want to view your changes for the New Year in a different way.
Little changes can make a big difference!
This month, I will talk about how ORGANIZING can lower your stress levels. I will share some tips from a Very Organized Person, and I will hold a teleclass later this month with a Professional Organizer. (Information below)
Minimizing your stress in small ways throughout your day, can have amazing results!
Here's to your Health -- Let's Get Organized!
Organizing
"Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up."
-- A.A. Milne
This issue is all about Reducing Stress by getting more Organized.
Yes, it's true. By taking the time to plan and organize, you will find yourself more relaxed, more able to cope with all life's little surprises, and you will be healthier!
How great is that?
Today, I am going to share ideas from a wonderful woman I met in Michigan.
Last October, after I spoke at the Birch Run Women's Expo, I had the pleasure of meeting Lora Nortley, who had been in the audience. Lora is Very Organized Woman, and she kindly agreed to share what she has learned, about being organized and living a less stressful life. Lora sees a definite connection.
I find it very interesting that while Lora refers to herself as a perfectionist, she has still been able to let some things go. I was fascinated by these seemingly contradictory ideas working together to help her feel more serene. For example, as a perfectionist, she wants a "place for everything, and everything in its place." While that seems to be something that could make you more stressed, it actually makes sense. Think of how stressful it is when you have to look for your keys, your cell phone, your whatever, every morning!
As Weston and I pointed out in our book, Creating Space, "Starting the day in a calm fashion can set the tone for a great day."
Lora told me that she reached a point in her life that she finally realized that some of the things she stressed about weren't really very important.
She asked herself, "Will this matter ten years from now?" She was staying up late, skimping on sleep, in order to get things done, and she was stressing about it. She realized that "folding my dish towels was never going to matter! Not next week, not next year, not 10 years from now!" She decided to think about her priorities--her family, a good book, and let unimportant things go! (By the way, she doesn't fold the towels--she puts the clean ones in a container under the sink, ready to go. Minutes saved, stress reduced!)
Some other tricks Lora uses around the house.
- When she folds her pillowcases, she folds the two matching ones together. No time spent searching and stressing! Priceless!
- Lora uses leftover gift ribbon or string, to match top and bottom sheets
together, and groups the sheet sizes together in her linen closet. (Time
saved and think of the feeling of order when she opens her closet!)
- Lora also keep files, but not just for bills and receipts. She likes
to tear out magazine articles to read later. She also likes to keep pictures
of furniture, accessories, and decorating ideas for her house. She keeps
articles filed for reading when she has time, and knows right where they
are. When it is time to buy something new for the house, she can go back,
grab her files, and refresh her memory about colors, style and even the
stores that carry the items. She saves time and energy trying to remember
what she liked, etc. Let's face it. Decision-making can be stress-inducing.
Why make decisions twice?
Lora keeps that stack of magazines from getting out of hand, and gets to enjoy the feeling of organized living.
- She also keeps a notebook handy for jotting things down. If someone mentions something they like, she takes note. When it is time for gift giving, voila! She knows what to buy (less stress, less time) and gives the perfect gift!
I love her ideas, and we don't have room to share them all, but one thing Lora mentioned has stuck with me. She noticed that the more she lets things go that are unimportant in her home life (not ironing shirts that will be worn around the house for work, for example), the more she seems to be able to let things go in the outside world.
She finds herself letting people go ahead of her in traffic, and feels a sense of calm when she does this. And you know that the person she lets in, is feeling better about their day too!
So, as we let things go that are unimportant, we can help other people reduce their stress too. Win, win! Thanks Lora!
FREE Events in January
Women's Wellness Day
New Year, New You! Event
(For those of you in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area)
Greensburg YMCA
101 South Maple Avenue
Greensburg, PA 15601
Saturday, January 10th
10:00am - 2:00pm
FREE & Open to the Public!
Pamper Yourself, Ladies!
Booths: Mary Kay, Avon,Pampered Chef, Silpada, Lia Sohpia Jewelry, B & E Boutique, The Crop Shop, Vitamin World, and a bunch more!
Nutrition and Wellness information, Free Samples, Healthy Snacks, Raffles, Free Babysitting, and much, much more!
And, Keynote Speaker: Yours Truly! Diana Fletcher! I will
be speaking at noon on
"Secrets to Reducing Stress for Women."
I promise some wonderful, out-of-the-box ideas,
so please join me for lots of fun!
Free Teleclass:
"With Order, Comes Peace of Mind"
Reducing Stress by Getting Organized for the New Year
Wednesday, January 21st
Presented by Diana Fletcher, TotalHealth
Coach
and Leslie McKee, Certified Professional Organizer
Join Diana Fletcher, TotalHealth Coach and Leslie
McKee, of McKee Organizing Services Inc, as they discuss ways to
simplify and organize your world.
The Coaches will discuss:
- How getting organized reduces stress
- Goal setting and results
- Paper management and Clutter Control
- Basic and Important principles of Organization
Start 2009 Fired Up, De-Cluttered, and De-Stressed!
Date and Time: January 21st, 1:00-1:45pm EST
FYI: A teleclass is a class over the telephone.
Coaching News
"Shed the Stress, Shed the Pounds!"
Want to lose weight and reduce stress? Call me!
I know I have a coaching program that can work for you!
I specialize in working with woman to de-stress and lose weight!
Testimonials
(I am postponing my Body Listening Method(TM) Classes for
right now,
but I still offer private coaching.)
I only have two openings right now. Don't wait!
I can help you stop dieting, lose weight, reduce stress
and
Get Healthy once and for all!
Book News
Click
Here to Purchase Books from
our Outstanding Life Series
Special Recommendation:
Don't Stop Now! 25 Strategies to help You build Momentum and keep It Going
Diana Fletcher
Diana Fletcher Life Coaching