Monthly Archives: August 2014

2. STRESS SKILLS (1) VISUALIZE SUCCESS Athletes’ success stems from their training and practice, which give them skills to perform their best under stress. However, most athletes struggle with consistency in performance.  Whether or not we are practiced athletes, the … Continue reading →

2. STRESS SKILLS (4) BREATHE DEEP  Feeling stress? Take a deep breath and exhale slowly.  When you do this just 7 or 8 times, the deep breaths will calm your nerves and clear your mind.  Suddenly you are ready to … Continue reading →

2. STRESS SKILLS (3) … AND KNOW WHEN TO RELAX All things change. It has been said that we never step in the same river twice. The current flows with small but continual changes in water, rock, and sand. Remembering … Continue reading →

2. STRESS SKILLS (2) KNOW WHEN TO TAKE ACTION c. TAKING ACTION TAKING ACTION to make it happen is usually fruitless unless we envision success.  But, more than that, it requires putting one foot in front of  the other to step … Continue reading →

2. STRESS SKILLS (2) KNOW WHEN TO TAKE ACTION b. CREATE Creating a vision must be based on reality to result in practical action. It does us no good to consider the use of an umbrella if none is available. … Continue reading →

2. STRESS SKILLS (2) KNOW WHEN TO TAKE ACTION a. ACCEPTING WHAT IS ACCEPTING A REALISTIC ASSESSMENT means we consider all positive resources and negative elements at hand. When do we have that can be brought to bear in this situation? … Continue reading →

2. STRESS SKILLS (2) KNOW WHEN TO TAKE ACTION … A simple example: A young child is ready to cross a busy street alone when that child learns to accept that traffic will ebb and flow to allow for a … Continue reading →

If our goal is to run our first marathon, we will be unable to complete the race without: (1) ACCEPTING A REALISTIC ASSESSMENT of our current physical condition, (2) CREATING A VISION of the physical condition we need to train … Continue reading →

Saying we should “accept what is” does not mean that Emery is proposing a passive acceptance of whatever life throws at us.  Rather, the idea is what we can better tolerate distress by first being aware of, and acknowledging the … Continue reading →

ACCEPT, CREATE AND TAKE ACTION “A basic stress skill uses the acronym ACT:  Accept, Create & Take action !” by Gary Emery, Ph.D., at Center for Cognitive Therapy in Los Angeles, CA, introduced the ACT formula: Accept what is. Create … Continue reading →