The Markets have gone MAD. Money Anxiety Disorder: That's what some are calling the latest American epidemic. While the market plunges, free-floating anxiety is rising. According to a survey in October by the American Psychological Association, 80 percent of us find the recent financial crisis a significant cause of stress—up from 66 percent last April—and women are bearing the brunt of the worry. Women are reporting greater concern over job stability, health problems, and financial concerns affecting their families. Many people have been careful about their finances. They have seen money as a safety net. Now that safety net appears to be unraveling right before their eyes.
While financial experts tell us not to panic, it is hard not to, when the reality is, people are afraid. Fear and stress take a serious toll on health, putting people at higher risk for a host of ailments from high blood pressure to heart disease. Most people know that research has shown that exercise and meditation are two of the most effective ways to reduce stress—but many feel too pressured to try either. So I asked a few experts for other strategies you might not have considered.
1. Sooth yourself. To lower financial stress, set a budget for each day and reward yourself with something soothing for staying on it. Alvin Hall, a financial commentator on BBC TV and radio and author of You and Your Money: Mastering the Emotions Behind the Numbers says, "Ask yourself: 'What is the one thing I can do that will give me the longest-lasting uplift for the least amount of money?'" During the economic downturn of 1987, Hall's treat was blackberry pie. "I'd think about it all day, and if I came in under my budget," he says, "I'd go order a slice. When I couldn't afford that, I'd visit the museum and look at Van Gogh paintings." What might feel soothing to you? A long bath, a walk, listening to music. Find ways to comfort and sooth yourself.
2. Nurture one another. Women, we are basic nurturers at our core. This is a time when we need to give one another manicures or pedicures. Or consider exchanging massages with your partner and friends. According to Robert Sapolsky, PhD, professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University, who has studied wild baboons for 30 years, primates groom each other to reduce stress—and the effect seems to be more powerful for the one who is doing the primping. Think about it. Instead of giving up services like this, that are so nurturing, give them as loving gifts to one another. What a lovely way to intimately contribute to the life of another. Touch is very bonding. When times are tough we need to bond more than ever.
3. Take up knitting. According to research at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, the repetitive motion and focus of needlework can elicit what's known as the relaxation response—a calming meditation-like state that slows heart rate and causes blood pressure to drop. In addition, a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests that knitting is associated with a lower risk of dementia for those 65 and older.
4. Visit the GOD CAN. Yes, there is a GOD CAN. The Heart Link Network, an international women's networking organization, and its online community for women called The Heart Alliance, have created a stress management gift for women everywhere. It costs nothing and is a comforting a lovely experience. You just go to the GOD CAN, write down any anxieties, concerns, or fears and press "I am done with this" and the note folds up and floats up and the lid of The GOD CAN opens for the note and then closes. Dawn L. Billings, the creator of the GOD CAN, was a family counselor for over 15 years and author of over 15 books. "What I found with my patients is that if you could give them a tangible way to release the stress in their lives, they felt real relief. I used to use balloons filled with helium, but now the GOD CAN works even better and it is as easy a click of a button on your computer. We are thrilled to offer than and many other services for women on our "no cost" online women's networking community."
5. Recreate community. Recreate deep and meaningful relationships in your life. Don't live isolated. During the Great Depression, historian David M. Kennedy, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929–1945, father experienced "what they called a nervous breakdown." Nervous breakdowns are about anxiety and stress reaching astronomical levels. During this very frightening time, we must force ourselves to connect more. It is the strong, healthy relational bonds in our lives that keep us sane. The broader our community of people we trust is, the stronger and more fortified we feel. This is a time to reach out and link arms and hearts with those around you.
6. Give more. It is true that giving is better than receiving. It not only makes a difference to the person receiving the gift, but it makes an enormous difference in the life of the person giving the gift. Find people you can help in small ways. Dawn Billings, CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Network and Link to Success Business Networking says, "We must be committed to sharing more random acts of kindness. It might not plug all the holes in the dam that we feel might be crumbling in front of us, but kindness always makes the water warmer."
Dawn L. Billings was selected by Oprah Magazine and The White House Project as one of the nation's 80 emerging women leaders for her socially dynamic programs created to benefit the lives of women and children. Dawn was also chosen by the YWCA in GA as one of 15 "Women of Achievement" in 2008.
Showing posts with label "Dawn Billings". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "Dawn Billings". Show all posts
Monday, February 23, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
5 Ways Women's Brains are different than Men's
Excerpted from a new book called Leadership and the Sexes written by Michael Gurian, co-founder of the Gurian
Institute which conducts brain-based research and provides education and training on gender issues and co-author
Barbara Annis, CEO of Barbara Annis & Associates, a company devoted to gender diversity research.
1. Women's brains are always "on."
There is more neural activity in the female brain at any given time than in the male brain.
This is probably why we as women are so much better at multi-tasking than men. Have you ever really thought about all of the things we keep track of at one time? Between kids, husbands, household's, our jobs, our friends, our charities, our churches - Wow, my brain hurts. : )
2. Men just want the facts.
Men usually ask fewer questions to stimulate conversation in their work relationships and often end conversations
more abruptly than women.
Women want the "who, what, when, where and why" behind the facts. Meaning matters to women. We love interrogative pronouns. Like journalists, we want the story, not simply the facts.
3. Women focus on friendship first.
Women tend to build relationships when they sell. They don’t tend to go into a transaction focused on the final
outcome but wanting to build rapport and learn more about the client first.
Women love to create relationships. We don't see one another as a "sale" we see one another as "people" who it would be fun to share our businesses, products and services with. That's why when men attempt to tell us its a numbers came, we know the only game we want to play is with people.
4. Men take it one task at a time.
Men tend to like to focus on one task at a time, whereas women’s brains are more geared to multitask.
Think of what the world would be like if we couldn't multi-task? Yikes. That would be frightening.
5. Women remember the little details.
Females can generally remember more physical and relational details than men.
That is why we relate to a women's face, the light in her eyes, and we want the story. We don't want boring statistics, we want meaning.
Because of the differences in our brains, we need different networking environments. That is why Dawn Billings, created The Heart Link Network, an international women's networking organization with over 120 locations across the US, Canada and Australia. The Heart Link Network was designed especially for the minds and hearts of women. Check out a location near you and experience the difference. Also Dawn created an online women's networking community for women around the world called The Heart Alliance
Institute which conducts brain-based research and provides education and training on gender issues and co-author
Barbara Annis, CEO of Barbara Annis & Associates, a company devoted to gender diversity research.
1. Women's brains are always "on."
There is more neural activity in the female brain at any given time than in the male brain.
This is probably why we as women are so much better at multi-tasking than men. Have you ever really thought about all of the things we keep track of at one time? Between kids, husbands, household's, our jobs, our friends, our charities, our churches - Wow, my brain hurts. : )
2. Men just want the facts.
Men usually ask fewer questions to stimulate conversation in their work relationships and often end conversations
more abruptly than women.
Women want the "who, what, when, where and why" behind the facts. Meaning matters to women. We love interrogative pronouns. Like journalists, we want the story, not simply the facts.
3. Women focus on friendship first.
Women tend to build relationships when they sell. They don’t tend to go into a transaction focused on the final
outcome but wanting to build rapport and learn more about the client first.
Women love to create relationships. We don't see one another as a "sale" we see one another as "people" who it would be fun to share our businesses, products and services with. That's why when men attempt to tell us its a numbers came, we know the only game we want to play is with people.
4. Men take it one task at a time.
Men tend to like to focus on one task at a time, whereas women’s brains are more geared to multitask.
Think of what the world would be like if we couldn't multi-task? Yikes. That would be frightening.
5. Women remember the little details.
Females can generally remember more physical and relational details than men.
That is why we relate to a women's face, the light in her eyes, and we want the story. We don't want boring statistics, we want meaning.
Because of the differences in our brains, we need different networking environments. That is why Dawn Billings, created The Heart Link Network, an international women's networking organization with over 120 locations across the US, Canada and Australia. The Heart Link Network was designed especially for the minds and hearts of women. Check out a location near you and experience the difference. Also Dawn created an online women's networking community for women around the world called The Heart Alliance
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