When You Need a Timeout

By Barbara Mitchell

The Impact of Stress On Your Life:

Feeling irritable, fatigued and overwhelmed lately? Is juggling the dual roles of work and homemaker or caregiver causing mood swings that drain your strength? Make you impatient, angry and short tempered? These are signs of your body under stress.

Research shows that chronic stress wreaks havoc on your immune system. The detrimental effects on your health - high blood pressure, compulsive eating, insomnia, depression - are well documented. If you do nothing you will burn out.

Imagine Life Without Debilitating Stress:

When you Need a Timeout shows you how to reduce the stress in your life with proven stress-busting and relaxation techniques designed to undo years of damage. Daily energizing routines, affirmations and visualizations that fit a busy lifestyle. Motivational examples, diet and spa tips inspired by women who have been where you are. And chose to put their health and well-being first.

You will learn to:

. Release frustration and anger on-the-spot with simple breath exercises
. Manage overwhelm, find your voice and get to "no" through journaling.
. Resolve problems that cause dis-stress with an easy-to-do meditation.
. Dispel anxiety and fears of failure with a step-by-step reframing exercise.
. Forgive yourself and others and find peace of mind knowing your are doing your best.
. Uncover your "keys to happiness", passion and gratitude for what is important in life.
. View relaxation breaks as a vital part of your emotional and physical fitness.

You Have a Choice:

Make your health and well-being a priority today. Before stress leads to burnout, breakdown, illness and disease. Right now you are just a breath away from a re-energized, rejuvenated, more relaxed life. You can BAM VP - Be A More Vibrant Person. When You Need a Timeout.

Finalist "Women's Issues" 2010 National Indie Excellence Book Awards and 2011 Global eBook Awards.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barbara Mitchell
• Release date: Sep 9, 2009
• ISBN: 9780982020913

Barbara Mitchell

Barbara Mitchell is an author, speaker, and human resources consultant. She is the coauthor of The Big Book of HR, The Essential Workplace Conflict Handbook, The Conflict Resolution Phrase Book, and The Essential HR Handbook. Most of her HR career was spent with Marriott International. Barbara is managing partner of The Mitchell Group and an innovative career transition coach.

Book preview

when you need a timeout

Create the Ultimate Stress-Free Getaway One Relaxing Day at a Time

by

Dr. Barbara Mitchell, DCH

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

Dr. Barbara Mitchell, DCH, on Smashwords

When You Need a Timeout

Copyright © 2008-2009 by Barbara Mitchell

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

Visit Visit Dr. Barbara’s website at: http://www.thecalmingbreath.com

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When You Need a Timeout Reviews

This book is a gem and your girlfriends will love you if you buy them a copy. When You Need a Timeout is the busy girl’s guide to stress relief! ---Marcia Freespirit CEO, JimSaminc.com

Barbara writes with such a soothing voice, that it reminds me of other meditations that I have done and it immediately puts me into that relaxed frame of mind. Aaaahhhhh. --Patricia Pokorchak DTE Lady, Toronto, On Canada

In the Start Living Your Dream Section I have 5 things written on my Wish List page and I actually accomplished one of them so far. What a great way to stay on track! --Kim Ford, CreativeSpaEscapes.com, Forks PA

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Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

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PART ONE Take a Deep Breath

Chapter One Stressssed.....

Chapter Two Let’s Talk About Stress…

Can You Handle That?

Chapter Three Waiting to Exhale

Take a Deep Breath…

Chapter Four Start Living Your Dream Today

First Find Your Passion

Chapter Five Excite Your Senses

Sit Back, Relax and Enjoy the Show

Capture Your Joy

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PART TWO This Time Is For You: Mind, Body and Spirit

Chapter Six Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Quiet Joy Every Morning

The Keys to Happiness

Chapter Seven Twenty-Four Little Hours: It’s Go Time

The Night Before: Me Time

Free Your Mind and the Best Will Follow

Free Your Mind/Body/Spirit

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

Chapter Eight Body Flow: Nourish Your Body

Food Talk

Chapter Nine Create a Spa Experience at Home-Soothe Your Spirit

The Spa Bath

Progressive Relaxation

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PART THREE Creative Escapes: The Art of Relaxation

Chapter Ten Living the Life You Love

Be in the Moment

Positive Thoughts

Have A Great Day From Morning Till Night!

Breathe In Energy

Chapter Eleven If You Want My Body……

Soothing Spa Treatments

Chapter Twelve Let’s Get Physical

Popular Alternative Therapies

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PART FOUR What a Difference a Day Makes

Chapter Thirteen It’s Time to Call It a Day

Chapter Fourteen Self-Discovery— There’s Joy in Being Me

Life Is What You Make It

Chapter Fifteen There’s Always Something

I’ve Got a New Attitude

Chapter Sixteen Live Your Life

A New Way of Being

Be Good to Yourself—You Deserve It

About The Author

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Acknowledgments

Thank you Fred, my super spouse, for supporting my vision for this book, encouraging me through bouts of writer’s block with your insightful suggestions and patiently reading and re-reading my drafts.

Thank you too, Kim, my delightful daughter, for always reminding me that the best way to convey my vision to the reader is to assume nothing and explain everything.

I love you both, always.

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Introduction

Haven’t you sometimes felt so overwhelmed, so tired of it all that you fantasized, What would it feel like to just walk away from my responsibilities, worries, stress—just for a little while? Yes. Let the spouse, children, parents, siblings, relationships, job, etc., fend for themselves for once. I need a break!

According to the American Psychological Association, one-third of Americans are living with extreme stress. You may be one of those who have not even realized the mental and physical toll that day-to-day stress is taking. However, the detrimental effects on your health are well documented. The irritability, depression, heart palpitations, fatigue, compulsive eating, unexplained anxiety, insomnia and body aches and pains you sometimes feel are all signs of a body and mind under stress.

When You Need a Timeout will show you how a one-day getaway, twenty-four hours of carefree, worry-free, tension-free time away—just for you—can make a big difference in reducing the stress in your life. This is an action plan with self-reflective exercises that address the emotional, physical and planning needs that must be satisfied before you can get away without feeling guilty. These self-help exercises will help you take charge of your life.

This how-to guide is chock-full of tips and techniques that demonstrate how to really relieve your stress, guilt, fears and any other emotional baggage you bring to the table. It shows you how to absolve yourself from past wrongs through compassionate forgiveness and provides techniques to recapture the excitement of your childhood dreams and help you relive your happiest memories.

Finally, When You Need a Timeout shows you how to manage your day-to-day stress by introducing you to the art of relaxation. You’ll learn how to pamper and nurture yourself on a daily basis…even when