Stress Management

A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience; raised a glass of water and asked them all: '
How heavy is this glass of water?' Answers called out ranged anything from around 20g to about 500g.

The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I 
hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold 
it for a day, you'll have to call me an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, 
the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress and the worries we carry around in our head. If we continue 
to carry them around with us all the time, sooner or later the burden of them all simply becomes unbearable 
and we start to feel like we can’t carry on. Helpless and hopeless with nothing but a sense of dread permeating 
our whole being!


But, if we remember the lesson about the glass of water; we’ll have the good sense to lay them all down for a 
while every now and then so that we can recharge our batteries before we’re totally depleted and unable to 
deal with the weight of them all. When we're refreshed, we can pick them up again until such time as we 
eventually get to a place where we can happily discard them for good. 

So, before you return home each night, leave the burden of work in the office where it truly belongs ready 
for you to pick up whenever you have to, and not a second sooner! Don't carry it home! In fact dear friend, 
drop whatever burdens you're carrying around right now for a while. That’s right, set them all down. Personal; 
financial; emotional and mental until such time as you truly feel able to carry their load a little further down the 
path of life. 

What is more, find below so great ways to help you lighten you load as you go about your day:-

Learn to accept that some days you're the windscreen and some days you’re the bug.

Keep your words soft and sweet - just in case you have to eat them at some point.

Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.

If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

Remember to be kind to others. It’s the small things that make the world go round!

Never forget that it doesn’t matter you well you dance, just that you try

It’s the second mouse that gets the cheese; so stop trying to be first all the time.

When everything's coming your way, change lanes!

Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once. Dare to make a few as you go about your day!
Life is like a box of crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have strange 
names and the come in all sixes, shapes and colours. But ultimately they all live in the same box. 
As such, try to get along with the people around you.

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Sent in by www.adelioux.com Thailand

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The 45 Lessons Life Taught Me

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio " To celebrate growing older, 
I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.  It is the most-requested column I've ever written." 
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more: 

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step. 
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone... 
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch. 
5. Pay off your credit cards every month. 
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. 
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone. 
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.. 
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck. 
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. 
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present. 
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry. 
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it. 
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks. 
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind. 
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful. 
18. Whatever doesn't kill you, really does make you stronger. 
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else. 
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer. 
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. 
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow. 
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple. 
24. The most important sex organ is the brain. 
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you. 
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter? 
27. Always choose life. 
28. Forgive everyone, everything. 
29. What other people think of you is none of your business. 
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time. 
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 
33. Believe in miracles. 
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do. 
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now. 
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young. 
37. Your children get only one childhood. 
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved. 
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere. 
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back. 
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. 
42. The best is yet to come. 
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. 
44. Yield. 
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift

Sent in by M Lewis. Wales UK

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"Never feel sorry for yourself....
there are people worse off than you."

Sent in by Robyn Skalberg. USA

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A Life Lesson

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. 
He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." 
There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. 
He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. 
He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. 
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. 

That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. 
The boy recognised his footsteps and asked,
"Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? 
What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." 
I wrote "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it." 
Both signs told people that the boy was blind. 
But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. 
The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. 
Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. 
Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, 
show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile, 
Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. 
Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling...
And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!

Sent in by L Collis  Wales UK

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Count your Blessings

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ENLIGHTENED PERSPECTIVE 

Please read all the way to the bottom. If you will take the time to read these. 
I promise you'll come away with an enlightened perspective. 

I've learned ..... 
That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person. 

I've learned ..... 
That when you're in love, it shows. 

I've learned ..... 
That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day. 

I've learned ..... 
That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world. 

I've learned ...... 
That being kind is more important than being right. 

I've learned ..... 
That you should never say no to a gift from a child. 

I've learned ..... 
That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way. 

I've learned ..... 
That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with. 

I've learned ..... 
That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand. 

I've learned ..... 
That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult. 

I've learned ..... 
That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. 

I've learned ..... 
That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for. 

I've learned ..... 
That money doesn't buy class.

They're written by Andy Rooney - a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words. 

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Anger.

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Childs view on Thunderstorms.

A little girl walked to and from school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were 
forming, she made her daily trek to the primary school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with 
lightning. 

The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school and 
she feared the electrical storm might harm her child. Full of concern the mother quickly got into her car and 
drove along the route to her child's school. As she did, she saw her little girl walking along. 

At each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up, and smile. Another flash of lightning followed quickly and with 
each, the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile.

When the mother's car drew up beside the child, she lowered the window and called to her 'what are you doing?'.
The child answered 'I am trying to look pretty because God keeps taking my picture.'

Sent in by L Stephens. Wales UK.

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A Recipe for Life.

Written by Audrey Hepburn.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.  

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. 

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.  

For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day. 

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. 

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, 

revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. 

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, 

you will find one at the end of each of your arms.  

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; 

one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.

Sent in by M Telford. Wales UK.

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GOD'S THOUGHTS ON LAWNS. 

GOD: 

Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colours by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles. 

St. FRANCIS; 

It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass. 

GOD: 

Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colourful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there? 

ST. FRANCIS: 

Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn. 

GOD: 

The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy. 

ST. FRANCIS: 

Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it - sometimes twice a week. 

GOD: 

They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay? 

ST. FRANCIS: 

Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags. 

GOD: 

They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it? 

ST. FRANCIS: 

No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away. 

GOD: 

Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away? 

ST. FRANCIS: 

Yes, Sir. 

GOD: 

These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work. 

ST. FRANCIS: 

You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it. 

GOD: 

What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life. 

ST, FRANCIS: 

You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away. 

GOD: 

No. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose? 

ST. FRANCIS: 

After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves. 

GOD: 

And where do they get this mulch? 

ST FRANCIS: 

They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch. 

GOD: 

Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight? 

ST. CATHERINE: 

'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about.... 

GOD: 

Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St Francis.

Sent in by Linda Minor Ontario Canada.

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 After about an hour or so,   the man had calmed down ,
and started to think:
Maybe there was something he really needed
to buy with that £25.00 and he didn't ask for money very often.

The man went to the door of
the little boy's room and opened the door.

'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier'
said the man.

'It's been a long day and   I took out my aggravation on you.

Here's the £25 you asked for.

The little boy sat straight up, smiling.

'Oh, thank you daddy!' He yelled.

Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out
some crumpled up bills.

The man saw that the boy already had money,
started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money,
and then looked up at his father.

'Why do you want more money if you already
have some?' the father grumbled.

Because I didn't have enough,
but now I do,' the little boy replied.
'Daddy, I have £50 now.
Can I buy an hour of your time?
Please come home early tomorrow.
I would like to have dinner with you.'

The father was crushed.
He put his arms around his little son,
and he begged for his forgiveness.

It's just a short reminder to all
of you working so hard in life.
We should not let time slip through our fingers
without having spent some time
with those who really matter to us,
those close to our hearts.
Do remember to share that £50 worth of
your time with someone you love.

If we die tomorrow,
the company that we are working for
could easily replace us in a matter of hours.
But the family & friends we leave behind
will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.
Make time for living while you're still breathing.

Can I Borrow £25?

Sent in by Steve Gape.  Wales UK

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The Lessons of Childhood.

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."

My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

My mother taught me IRONY
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION
."Just wait until we get home."

My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?" 

My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me." 

My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up." 

My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father." 

My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?" 

My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand." 

And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!" 

Sent in by Joe Boyle. USA

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Words of Wisdom from Bill Gates.

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1 : 
Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2 : 
The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect
you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3 : 
You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You
won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 : 
If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5 : 
Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your
Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it
opportunity.
Rule 6 : 
If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about
your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: 
Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are
now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and
listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you
save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try
delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8 : 
Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life
HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll
give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't
bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9 : 
Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and
very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on
your own time.
Rule 10 : 
Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually
have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11 : 
Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Sent in by C. Jones-Sullivan. Wales UK.

 

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Sent in by T. Thomas. Wales UK

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Thoughts.....  

Anger is a condition in which 
The tongue works faster than the mind.

You can't change the past, 
but you can ruin the present
By worrying over the future !

Love...and you shall be loved.

God always gives His best to those 
who leave the choice with Him.

All people smile in the same language.

Everyone needs to be loved... 
especially when they do not deserve it. 

The real measure of a man's wealth 
is what he has invested in eternity.

 
Laughter is God's sunshine. 
Everyone has beauty 
but not everyone sees it.

It's important for parents to live 
the same things they teach.

 
Thank God for what you have, 
Trust God for what you need. 

If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday
and the worries of tomorrow, 
you have no today to be thankful for.

 Man looks at outward appearance 
but the Lord looks within.

 
The choice you make today 
will usually affect tomorrow. 

Take time to laugh, for it is 
the music of the soul.

 
Patience is the ability to idle your motor 
when you feel like stripping your gears. 

Love is strengthened by working 
through conflicts together.

 
Harsh words break no bones 
but they do break hearts. 
To get out of a difficulty, 
one usually must go through it.

 We take for granted the things 
that we should be giving thanks for.

 
Love is the only thing that can be 
divided without being diminished. 

Happiness is enhanced by others 
but does not depend upon others.

For every minute you are angry with someone, 
you lose 60 seconds of happiness 
that you can never get back.

 
Do what you can, for who you can, 
with what you have, and where you are. 

Sent in by L Stephens. Wales UK

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