April 11, 2023
Making smart investments is the most important action any business owner can take. I recently had the opportunity to speak about that and more on the Builder Nuggets Podcast. Here’s how they described the episode:
“Cindy Cipriani, who uses her background in psychology and grief counseling to emphasize mental health and well-being in her remodeling company, Cipriani Remodeling Solutions. Shifting business decisions and implementing avenues for employees to grow and evolve can prove how meaningful these team members are to the business.”
Tune into this new episode of the Builder Nuggets Podcast as we hear how investing in the wellness of your team can lead to dividends down the road.
Listen here >>
JULY 5, 2021
THUMBS UP!
The last “C” in “The 5C Solution” is CELEBRATE represented by Thumbs Up!
So often we forget to stop and celebrate our progress! We get so wrapped up in the daily “To Do” list of going for our goals that we don’t realize how much progress we are actually making.
There are two remedies for this:
1. Keep a Journal. Writing down your steps and checking them off as you achieve them, will help you see your momentum. I love looking back through my notebooks and seeing all the check marks – DONE – DONE – DONE!
2. Celebrate along the way. Make a list of fun things to do after certain milestones and plug them into your CREATION OF A PLAN.
I do an exercise with my clients to show their priorities. I have cards with words on them, such as FAMILY, SPIRITUALITY, MONEY, FUN, HEALTH, EXERCISE, etc. I ask them to put them in order of what is most important to them. 98% of the time, people will put FUN last. When I point this out to them, they are surprised to realize that they have forgotten that all these accomplishments are nothing if you aren’t having fun along the way to getting them. In fact, a lot of them can’t even tell me what they think are fun activities that they enjoy doing. We have fun thinking of simple, and often free, activities. Think of things that you liked as a child – coloring, painting, sculpting clay, swinging, swimming, having a tea party, dressing up, laughing with your friends, getting a manicure, watching a sunset. As an adult, you can still do all these things! Having a list and pairing it with the completion of an action step will add quality to your life.
Did you make your list? THUMBS UP TO YOU!!! Celebrate making the list – go do one of your fun wishes!
JULY 4, 2021
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
How independent are you? For a long time in America, everyone wanted to be independent. When I was 18 I couldn’t wait to leave my parents and set out on my own. I wanted my own car, my own house, my own family, my own everything. It seems that it is harder to become independent today than it was back then. (No I’m not saying how long ago it was!)
Today, so many college-educated young adults are still living at home with their parents because it is too expensive to live in their own apartment or buy their own house. It is hard enough just to have a job that pays all the student loans they have racked up over the years.
I noticed that in other cultures it is normal for several generations to live together. The grandparents take care of the children while the parents are at work. This serves two purposes-the grandparents have love and appreciation and a purpose, while the parents save on childcare. Also instead of separate housing, all the expenses are shared. There is a wealth of family togetherness that is lacking in many independent American homes.
I bring this up because when we are trying to achieve our goals, we often set out on the journey alone. Either our family is not supportive or we think they won’t be. Often families spend more time talking about sports and nonsense than about how to help each other achieve success and happiness. What do you know about your loved ones’ dreams? What are they trying to accomplish? Have you shared “The 5 C Solution” with them? Could you form a team, each helping the other out with encouragement and problem-solving?
This month, do a Family Prosperity List. Get Clarity of individual and family goals. Commit to helping each other. Prepare for the Challenges. Create a step-by-step guide. And make a list of fun activities to do together to celebrate along the way!
JUNE 30, 2021
SLOWLY I TURNED….STEP BY STEP….INCH BY INCH
When I was growing up, my dad loved watching The Three Stooges. In one famous episode, Moe, Larry, and Curly act out the famous vaudeville story of “Niagara Falls”. If you don’t remember the show, you really should YouTube it. And if you are too young to know who The Three Stooges are, you definitely should look it up!
The words “Niagara Falls” cue Larry and Moe to pummel Curly. Now I don’t want you to pummel anyone, but I love the famous saying and I use it in STEP FOUR of “The 5C Solution”.“Slowly I turn…Step by Step…Inch by Inch.” That is how plans get implemented. It doesn’t say, “I spun around….Leap by Leap….Mile by Mile.” No, true progress is often in slow, deliberate, small, consistent steps. After you decided what you truly wanted, committed to it, and prepared for the challenges, now you need CREATION OF A PLAN. What exact steps do you need to do?
The easiest way to do this exercise is to start at the end and work backward. Here is an example:
GOAL: I am the top salesperson in my company. (What does that mean?)
Clarity – I am selling $1,000,000 in revenue
(We’ll leave out Commitment and Challenges and skip to Creation of a Plan)
Creation of a Plan:
In order to sell $1,000,000 in revenue, I need to sell 10,000 widgets @ $100 each.
In order to sell 10,000 widgets, I need 20 customers buying 500 widgets each.
I currently have 10 customers buying 500 each. I need to maintain these customers and increase their orders by 200 widgets each.
I need 6 new clients buying 500 widgets each.
I need to call on 50 new leads to obtain 6 new clients.
In order to get 50 new leads, I need to speak to Walt in Marketing; Pam in Sales management and ask my current clients for references.
I will call on 6 new leads per month.
Do you see how specific this plan is? So, as you point forward (using your pointing finger) in this STEP 4 of “The 5C Solution”, you now have a breakdown of the goal into attainable milestones. It also notes who can help you. You can take this information and plug it into your schedule to keep on track. Take a few minutes to do this exercise with all your goals. If you get stuck, ask someone to help walk you through the steps you need to take to get from where you are today to where you want to be.
Or, give me a call and we can walk through it together inch by inch!
JUNE 15, 2021
THE MIDDLE FINGER
Have you ever noticed that the middle finger is the longest finger on your hand? The tool that I teach my clients is to use your hand to remember the steps in “The 5 C Solution”™. Clarity is the pinkie. Commitment is, of course, your ring finger which is right next to the most prominent finger which represents Challenges. Sometimes it seems that just as you get revved up for your goals and become committed, the middle finger of life gets thrown at you. What do you do when something unexpected happens that throws you off course emotionally, physically, or financially? Are these challenges enough to make you stop? Well, how much do you really want what you say you want?
Earlier this year, my husband and I went to our lawyer to do our estate planning. It was a lot harder than we thought it would be because he did what he called a “Fire Drill”. He thought of every scenario that could possibly happen and wanted to know what our wishes were in those circumstances. That is what we do at Clear Path Institute when we prepare for your challenges. We think ahead to every possibility that could happen to throw you off course, and we prepare for it ahead of time, so you know exactly how to handle these distractions. It is sometimes a hard exercise because you have to be brutally honest about your own weaknesses, as well as those around you. Yes, at times our friends and family can be our worst enemies. They may not even realize they are doing it, but how many times have you had someone you love and respect tell you that you will never accomplish what you tell them you want.
Being prepared will safeguard your plans. When challenges raise their ugly heads, you will be able to smile knowing that they will not thwart your course! You are unstoppable!
JUNE 2, 2021
“IF YOU LIKED IT YOU SHOULDA PUT A RING ON IT”
Beyonce sings it right – you can’t fault a girl for moving on if the guy won’t commit. Same is true for your dreams. If you put it out in the universe that you want something, but then don’t commit to it, the universe moves on. I truly believe that. I truly believe that God gives ideas to people who are ready to achieve them. Have you ever seen a new invention or product and said, “Hey, I thought of that years ago!” Well……maybe you were given the idea but ignored it or didn’t pursue it with commitment. So, God gave it to someone else who ran with it and got it done!
Yes, we are still talking about Step Two –Commitment- this month because now it is summer, and you will be faced with all kinds of distractions. In fact, it is wedding season. Why do people have wedding ceremonies? Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows by the couple and exchanging of rings as symbols of their public proclamation of commitment to each other.
To show your commitment to your goal, select a ring and wear it as a reminder on your right hand. Every time you look at it, you will be reminded to make wise choices in the direction of your commitment to yourself. Also, make this fun by inviting friends and family to your Commitment Ceremony. Or select an accountability partner by telling them what you are trying to achieve and have them check in on your progress with encouragement and support.
Only by making a commitment OUT LOUD to the universe (and to another person) can you be held to your commitment. Remember – if you REALLY want what you say you want, then the only person you are letting down if you don’t commit, is YOU.
JUNE 1, 2015
HALF WAYPOINT
Wow – the year is half gone already! Or (if you are an optimist) – Only six months until next year!
Are you still clear on what you want? Have you achieved some of your goals? Is there anything you keep putting off? Why? Do you REALLY want it? Then why haven’t you gotten it yet?
There could be two reasons:
1. You do not believe you deserve it.
2. You do not believe you can do it.
Be totally honest. Listen to your inner voice. You know- the voice inside your head that constantly talks to you. What is it saying when you think about this particular goal? AH – let it talk to you. Do you hear things like, “Why even try – you’ll never be able to do that!” “You aren’t smart enough.” “You don’t know how.” “You failed before, so you’ll fail again.”
Yes, this inner voice is in all of us. The difference between those who succeed and those who do not is simple. Those who succeed get mad at that little voice and tell it to shut up and go away. They override it with another little voice that says, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”
And you can! Reach out for help in whatever area you are unsure of. Find someone who has done what you want to do and ask them for advice or help with the next step. Then follow it with a smile on your face that you are proving your inner enemy wrong.
Next to the goal – write down who you know that can help you. If you don’t know anyone who has done what you want to do, then write down who you can ask if they know someone. When I was writing my first book, I asked several friends who they knew that wrote a book, and I was given several names. These fellow authors were more than happy to help me!
Get your plan for the next six months together – and don’t let anything stop you!
May 15, 2021
YOU SHOULD BE COMMITTED!
How much do you REALLY want what you say you want? You may answer, “A lot! I really want this!” If that is true, why don’t you have it already? What is the one main reason you don’t already have it?
Once you have that answer, you can take steps to rectify what is holding you back. However, you need to be committed to changing whatever that is. For instance, people say they want to lose weight. Or they will make comments while they are eating a hot fudge sundae like, “Yeah, I shouldn’t be eating this, but…….” No wonder they haven’t lost weight – their BUT is too big!! Not the one on their body – the one in their heads! Every time you say, “Yeah….BUT…..” you are excusing yourself from actually doing what you say you want to do. So, you really DON’T WANT IT!!! So STOP saying you do!!! It is depressing to you and everyone around you to say one thing and do another.
“But until a person can say deeply and honestly, "I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday," that person cannot say, "I choose otherwise.”
― Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
People who have attained great success in anything will tell you that they wouldn’t let anything or anyone stop them until they got what they wanted. They were focused, driven and committed. They made choices every day that directed them towards their goals, instead of making choices that kept them from them. Either way, you make choices every day. The difference is commitment. Ponder that. How committed are you to what you say you want?
“The 5C Solution” – STEP TWO – COMMITMENT
April 30, 2021
“THE 5C SOLUTION”
How do you make decisions? How does your mind wade through the sea of choices, especially when your emotions are running high?
In my Retreats, Workshops, and Individual Navigation Sessions, I use my method called “The 5C Solution®” to guide people through life transitions and to take decisive action. Since the first quarter of the year has passed us already, I wanted to see how you are doing with your goals using your method of advancement. Do you have a method? Are you on track? If not, don’t despair – let’s figure out why.
The first step in “The 5C Solution” is CLARITY. You need to be clear on what you want, where you are going and the steps to take before real progress can begin. So many times, I meet with a new client and the first thing they tell me is, “I have no idea what I want.” Upon further conversation, they realize that is not true. They do know what they want but they are either afraid to say it because it seems unattainable, or they mean that they just don’t know how it will ever come true. Both issues can be solved when you get Clarity.
For example, when you are going on vacation, you planned where to go, the dates, how you would get there, how much it will cost, who is going with you, who is watching your pets while you are away and what you need to pack. This takes a lot of thought, and perhaps a travel agent, to put together. Most people plan vacations six months to a year in advance. (And aren’t you glad you can start planning vacations again!!!)
You can use the same theory to attain your goals:
What do I really want?
When do I want it by?
What are the steps I need to do?
Who can help me?
How much will it cost me in time, money, or resources?
Businesses have written business plans for a reason. They work to retain focus on specific goals. You need a Written Life Plan too for the same reason. Once you have it planned, just follow your PGS – Personal Guidance System and it will lead you to success and happiness (if you are committed-we’ll talk about that in my next Blog so check in on May 15!)
It may seem like Groundhog Day – another morning working at home. When our emotions are raw or scattered, it can be hard to focus on work. But this too with end, so what can you do TODAY that will bring you emotional Clarity? Here are three suggestions:
1. Start your pre-pandemic routine. Start waking, exercising, eating, working, and going to bed at the same times each day.
2. Create a shortlist of the three most productive tasks to do today that will help either bring in income or create a connection for future income.
3. Drive around the block 20 times with the windows down and the music blasting!
#emotions #clarity #routine #clearmypath #selfmotivation #the5CSolution
Communication is the key to creating understanding and unification in families. Putting yourself in the shoes of the other person will go a long way toward helping you understand their point of view.
If the other person is abusive or uncooperative, decide what the best way is to deal with this person to maintain your physical and emotional health and well-being.
There is nothing you can do to change that person, so concentrate on remaining the person you want to be when you have to be in their presence. In order words, create a plan of how you will stay calm, act with respect, and communicate with a loving tone.
You can practice your response to words or actions that would normally trigger you into arguments or hurtful comments.”
– The 5C Solution book by Cindy Cipriani
The word Commitment means being dedicated to a cause or activity. Many companies are committed to a standard of quality. They are also committed to the well-being of their team.
The spirit in your team may be shaken right now. What commitment can you make to them to help them through this turbulent time? How will you build their spirits so they can stay committed to their jobs?
Would it help to have a tool that is easily learned, builds a foundation for communication and increases productivity? If so, The 5C Solution is just what you need now.
#CommitmentIsEverything #TeamWorkMakesTheDreamWork #liftspirits #the5Csolution #ClearPathByCindy
On top of all our daily stresses, we are now coping with the disturbing news surrounding the Coronavirus. I have noticed higher levels of anxiety, and I feel it myself due to the constant media attention and the fact that everyone is concerned and talking about it. I wanted to take this time to do two things.
First, to let you know that I am taking the CDC precautions in my office and in my meetings by cleaning and sanitizing doorknobs, restrooms, and surfaces that we all use. I’m not hugging or shaking hands like usual. This makes me sad as I feel clients appreciate and need human contact when they are experiencing life’s difficult moments, as well as when we are celebrating a breakthrough. If you are not sick and miss these normal interactions, please let me know that you feel comfortable engaging in them.
Second, I’d like to quote Taylor Swift and ask that you “just calm down.” That may sound unsympathetic at a time when this virus is spreading, and people are dying. However, I do have the advantage of being older and have seen pandemics before. I have no reason to believe that this one will be any different.
Here is an article on the 2009 Influenza pandemic: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-h1n1-pandemic.html. This was just 11 years ago. It started right after the economy started falling in 2008. At the time it seemed like the world was ending. As someone who had been taught to believe in Armageddon from birth, in 2009 it looked like that prediction was coming true with both the worse recession in my lifetime and then the pandemic. However, the virus was contained in 2010 and continues to circulate as a seasonal flu virus. Over 12,000 people in the US died from this flu, mostly people who were elderly or had compromised immune systems. The media was going crazy with doomsday editorials. There was panic then, but a few months later, everyone calmed down and didn’t think about it anymore.
We need to use caution and take the necessary steps to stay healthy, but I urge you to also take care of your emotional health. Watching the news continuously will elevate your stress level. Instead, notice your breathing. If you are holding your breath, anxiety has taken over. Take three deep breaths. Remind yourself that we live in the best time in history when it comes to our quality of cleanliness and health care. Be sure to balance the worry with laughter and don’t isolate yourself. Use Facetime to keep in touch with friends, family, and workmates if you do become ill. Check with your doctor and remember that this is the time of year that many suffer from colds, the flu, or even seasonal allergies.
It is my mission at Clear Path to help promote mental, emotional, and physical health. If I can help in any way, please know I am here to support you and your families.
Cindy Cipriani
Your children and young adults need to learn how to handle finances. This is a great time to get them involved in finding solutions on how to help tighten the budget.
They know the world is in chaos. They are feeling anxious too. By getting them involved in some problem-solving, you will be giving them some power to do something to help.
You might be surprised at the great suggestions they may come up with! Why not teach them how to cook, bake bread, or make their own snacks? Can you make a menu of meals using the food you have on hand? Not spending money on hobbies, entertainment, restaurants, school supplies, extra gas in running to all the activities, can help you have funds for necessities.
Creating a Plan for the next week or month will give you short-term peace of mind. It will give you the clarity you need to find the help you need. This is an unprecedented time. We will get through this together. Your family may even come out stronger and more frugal!
Take some time today to create a plan with the help of everyone in your family. Let me know how it went or if you need suggestions if you hit a snag!
#quarantinelearning #financialknowledge #createaplan #ClearPathByCindy
Imagine not having an address to program your GPS. You wouldn’t get anywhere. Life is the same way. When things happen that change the course of your life, you can feel stuck and lost.
Would you like a simple tool that helps you figure out what to do and how to navigate these changes? Wouldn’t a Personal Guidance System (PGS) be useful?
The 5C Solution is a system that moves you from chaos to clarity in your life, relationships, and business.
For the past eight years, this system has helped hundreds of people turn their life from confusion and depression to clarity and happiness. The power of The 5C Solution is that it is a simple memory tool that quickly walks you through any challenge or decision. People from 5 to 75 have learned it and discovered a level of self-empowerment that they never had before.
Yes, life changes. We move, graduate, change jobs, find and lose relationships, become parents, become caregivers to our parents, lose loved ones, suffer from sickness, fight addictions, have financial setbacks, etc. However, I am positive that these changes can be easier when you have a formula that becomes your roadmap to who you want to be and what you really want out of your life.
If someone asked me to name one thing that I am positive about, it would be that life never stays the same. When we talk about finding or being our true selves, it is because our life has changed and we are trying to figure out what that means going forward. Actually, until something unexpected and drastic happens, most people rarely take the time to stop and analyze who they are. We are too busy just living.
We grow older. Our circumstances change. We take on different roles in life. All this has to be navigated without a life GPS. How much easier it would be if we knew where we wanted to end up at the end of our life, plug that information in, and be provided with a step-by-step guide to navigating all the decisions that come across our paths day today. It would be even better if the GPS calculated our emotional reaction to change because it is this response that usually trips us up and keeps us from knowing how to move forward.
On top of all that, we all have that nasty little inner voice that validates every doubt, fear, and insecurity that we have. You know that voice. It’s the one that tells you that you aren’t good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, educated enough, or worthy enough. Every time you set out to achieve a goal, whether it is writing a book or finding love, this inner whisper starts shouting and drowns out your confidence. You begin to rationalize that maybe you didn’t really want to do it, it wasn’t that important, maybe it’s not the right time, etc. And each time this happens, your real self grows sad until you stop dreaming, trying, and tuning in to your real self.
Who is that voice? Why do we have it?
Now that you have gotten Clarity on Who you are, who you WANT to be, and WHAT you want, you are probably battling your negative inner voice. Just writing down a goal is an opening for this voice to start listing all the reasons it will never happen. So, what is the next step in defeating this “Frenemy”? (Read my last blog post for Step 1)
Second, you need to disassociate yourself from your negative inner voice. How? Name it. Years ago, I was struggling with self-loathing. After being in a verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive relationship for nearly twenty years, I was broken. So broken that my inner voice was convinced that everyone would be better off if I was no longer alive. After attempting suicide twice, I had a moment of clarity where I became angry at my inner voice and decided to divorce it as well as my spouse.
I took some time to find my foundation, but this voice would constantly prick at me, so I called it “Mr. Prickly”. Every time Mr. Prickly would start his negative rhetoric, I would close my eyes and imagine turning down his volume until I couldn’t hear him. I would talk back using my renewed knowledge of who I am, who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to give him reasons why I could accomplish my goals. Doing this over and overbuilt my self-esteem so that I could take the action required to walk down the path of a new life.
These two steps are vital to your PGS – Personal Guidance System. For the past seven years, this system has helped hundreds of people turn their life from confusion and depression to clarity and happiness. The key is learning
The 5C Solution – a simple memory tool that quickly walks you through any challenge or decision by reminding you of your foundational beliefs. People from 5 to 75 have learned it and discovered a level of self-empowerment that they never had before.
Yes, life changes. We move, graduate, change jobs, find and lose relationships, become parents, become caregivers to our parents, lose loved ones, suffer from sickness, fight addictions, etc. However, I am positive that these changes can be easier when you have a formula that creates your emotional foundation. After all, you are the only one that will ever exist. You deserve all the desires of your real self! Don’t wait another minute, call me today and make an appointment to learn about The 5C Solution! I’m waiting!!!
Last week we acknowledged that all of us have a negative voice that lives inside our minds and is a friend/enemy that constantly swags our emotions and actions.
Who is that voice? Why do we have it? Perhaps we were originally equipped with it to keep us from danger. But now in our modern world, it has become an internal enemy keeping us from becoming all we can be. Did you ever share your ambition with a “friend” just to have them tell you all the reasons not to get too excited because things probably won’t work out? They shoot down your ideas, undermine your confidence and remind you of your limitations. They validate your internal enemy who has already told you the same thing.
The choice then becomes yours – Do I cave and give up? Or do I tell both to shut up and go away? The difference is that you can walk away from the “friend” and stop associating with them, but your inner voice follows you home. It begins replaying the conversation in your head. What is the answer?
At this point you need to do two things:
First, you need to step back and evaluate who you are, who you want to be and what you really, truly want, and why. This knowledge is the foundation on which to build your dreams.
I come from the construction world. Years ago, houses at the beach were built on concrete slabs. It was quick and easy. However, when storms came, the houses were destroyed because they were built on sand with nothing to hold them in place. Now drive through any shore community and you see houses on tall pier footings (called helical piers) that don’t stop at the surface of the ground. The footings go deep into the bedrock so that when the water rises and winds blow, the house is safe. Taking the time to figure out your core values, passions and beliefs create deep-rooted footings on which wise life decisions can be made when life’s changes and storms occur. Take some time to build this firm foundation for yourself.
What is the second step that will turn off your negative voice? You will want to come back next Friday because this simple step is a Game Changer!! In the meantime, write down your core beliefs, what changes you want to make, and what goals you want to achieve.
If someone asked me to name one thing that I am positive about, it would be that life never stays the same. When we talk about finding or being our true selves, it is because our life has changed, and we are trying to figure out what that means going forward. Until something unexpected and drastic happens, most people rarely take the time to stop and analyze who they are. We are too busy just living.
We grow older. Our circumstances change. We take on different roles in life. All this must be navigated without a life GPS. How much easier it would be if we knew where we wanted to end up at the end of our life, plug that information in, and be provided with a step-by-step guide to navigating all the decisions that come across our paths day today. It would be even better if the GPS calculated our emotional reaction to change because it is this response that usually trips us up and keeps us from knowing how to move forward.
On top of all that, we all have that nasty little inner voice that validates every doubt, fear, and insecurity that we have. You know that voice. It’s the one that tells you that you aren’t good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, educated enough, or worthy enough. Every time you set out to achieve a goal, whether it is writing a book or finding love, this inner whisper becomes a shout that drowns out your confidence. You begin to rationalize that maybe you didn’t really want to do it, it wasn’t that important, maybe it’s not the right time, etc. And each time this happens, your real self grows sadder until you stop dreaming, trying, and tuning in to your real self.
How do you keep this from happening? Since life change is inevitable, is there a life GPS that could keep you on your road to the true you? Tune in next week on Friday, and find the answers in my next blog post!
While brief in nature, panic attacks can be extremely troubling. If possible, you want to know the best tips available for panic attacks so that you can help to prevent them. This article will have a wealth of great information for just this purpose. Take a few minutes to read and you will be happy that you did.
To help you get through a panic attack it’s important to work on your breathing technique. Grab a paper bag or cup your hands and then breathe slowly out and in while covering your mouth. This will help you relax and your panic attack should pass and end very quickly.
While it’s difficult to think clearly during a panic attack, there is a simple tactic you can use to lessen the severity and duration of the attack. Your body automatically responds to what is called the “dive reflex.” By splashing your face with cold water, your brain is tricked into thinking that you are going underwater, and it sends messages to the body to slow down your heart rate and restrict blood flow to your extremities, allowing you to breathe easier and feel calmer.
As you start to take over your panic attacks and turn them around, congratulate yourself for the hard work and dedication you’ve shown! The more you realize the changes you’re making, the better they’ll work to help you stay calm. Keep up the good work!
You know that complete avoidance of panic-causing situations is not always possible if you are prone to panic attacks. Try to learn out-of-body techniques to remove yourself from the situation and allow you to view it as if you were watching television. What would you tell yourself to do? How would you provide comfort? Often placing yourself in the role of mentor or guide, trying to help someone else deal with panic issues will get you through the worst situations.
Count how long your panic attack takes to end, and then write the information down. Continue to keep a journal and watch as your panic attacks get shorter and shorter. As you learn to apply specific tips you’ll see that not only do your panic attacks shrink in duration, but also get farther apart.
In conclusion, this article has a few great methods to help prevent troublesome panic attacks from occurring. While the attack itself is scary, you know that it is only temporary and that you will soon recover without any permanent effects. Use this for yourself or help out somebody that you care about.
Lately I have noticed that restaurants are a lot quieter than they used to be. Families, couples and friends sit glued to their phones. Often they aren’t even looking or talking to each other. I see parents on their phones while their child sits and eats in silence. Or couples that are both texting someone else while sitting there together. It’s no wonder so many people feel disengaged and lonely.
Rate your relationships with the people in your life that mean the most to you. Make a list of their names and titles. Beside each name put a number from 0-10 representing the status of your relationship right now.
0 = no relationship 10 = extremely close and loving
Most people have someone in their life (perhaps a parent, sibling, child or spouse) that you wish was closer. That distance may gnaw at you. Even if you think you are “fine” with the relationship being contentious, on some level you may find yourself looking at other similar relationships that are loving and close and wishing you had the same thing.
Be very honest in evaluating your relationships. Once you have that done, write down what you wish the relationships would look like. Do you have a 3 next to your spouse and wish it was an 8? What are you willing to change to get what you really want – a loving, fulfilling relationship?
Yes, there are two enemies that most of us battle on a daily basis! We face them every morning when we wake up, and they follow us around all day. Who are these enemies? Mr. Procrastination and Ms. Avoidance. They live inside your mind and feed you with excuses. Come on – you have heard them saying things like, “You can do that later.” “This is more interesting and fun, let’s do this now.” “You don’t know how to do that, so just put it off.” “This needs to be done but we hate doing that, so let’s do something else!”
Why do we do this? We take the path of least resistance. Like this blog. I know everyone and their brother is supposed to blog at least thirty-thousand times a week. But I hate it. I love to write, but I hate thinking that I have to put some spectacular article together that will go viral when I know that probably everyone stopped reading past the first two sentences already! Oh – you are still here?
Okay then here is The 5C Solution to avoiding avoidance:
1. Clarity – get really clear on what this task will accomplish and why you need to do it
2. Commitment – set a timer for 18 minutes (the amount of time shown to maintain
concentration) and don’t do anything else until it is done. Think of a reward.
3. Challenges – distractions. So turn off the phone, don’t look at email, TV, or talk to anyone
4. Create a Plan – if you need help, call someone who can talk you through it. Just make
sure you stick to the topic. Tell them you have 18 minutes to finish this task and have them
check back.
5. Celebrate – go reward yourself!
Follow these simple steps and you will be Mr. Productivity and/or Ms. Accomplishment! Now, go get that thing you were avoiding by reading this blog done!