How To Avoid Stress By Staying in The Present Moment

The future is nothing but a fantasy or a daydream, also only occurring in our minds. In our minds we can create the most delightful scenes or our greatest nightmares, and reality will never be as we imagined it.

For example: You might have planned a romantic dinner for you and your partner and spent hours preparing and daydreaming about it. You know exactly how it is going to be, your partner is going to be so delighted and happy and greatly reward you for the effort you have made. Oh it's going to be so blissful.

Unfortunately when your partner gets home, there has been a big problem at work. The boss has been giving them a really hard time and they arrive home in a foul mood. They do not even notice how much effort you've gone to, gulp down dinner, and just want to drown out the day by having a drink and watching something mindless on the television.

After all the time you have spent preparing the meal and imagining how the evening is going to be, you feel let down, hurt, disappointed, uncared for and frustrated.

Depending on your way of dealing with your negative feelings, you will either silently resent your partner for ruining your evening. Or you will start an argument, telling them how much trouble you've gone to and how they don't appreciate anything you do.

After the day your partner has had, this is the last thing they want or need, and they will probably feel that you don't understand them or care about, or support them when they really need it.

There are actually a number of things that have led to your stress and unhappiness in the above scenario and a number of laws that can come into play to help you.

Firstly there are the Laws of Expectations and Non-Resistance. You were expecting the night and your partner to be a certain way and felt disappointed when they did not live up to the images in your mind. You could not accept that the night was not going as you wished it too. You were attached to having it be a certain way.

Then there is the Law of Giving and Receiving. You were expecting your partner to appreciate what you had done and what you were giving to them. In return you were expecting something back. You were expecting to receive gratitude, attention and affection.

However with the Law of the Present Moment you could have avoided all those traps. When we are fully in the present moment our minds are focused on what we are doing and not frantically jumping from the past to the future.

When we are focused on the task at hand, we do things for the joy of doing them, and not because we expect anything in return for our action. When we do this, even small and seemingly insignificant things can become acts of joy and beauty.

You do not do things for the end result. You do things for the simple act of doing them. You do not wash the dishes so you will have a clean kitchen. You wash the dishes for the art of washing the dishes. When done in this way, the dishes aren't something to be rushed through so you can go and do something else. It becomes a joyous event in itself. Your whole attitude changes, the dishes are no longer a chore but become a joy.

In our romantic dinner scenario above, if all the preparation had been done fully in the present moment, the day would have been spent joyously and not building up a fantasy of what the evening was going to be like. So when your partner arrived home you would be happy and relaxed and not full of expectations, anticipation and demands that the evening goes just as you planned.

Because you found joy in doing each task, as it needed to be done, and not rushed through them with your mind only on the end result, you will not be devastated when your partner comes in and doesn't notice the effort you have gone to. You will be far less likely to feel hurt and let down, you will still be able to enjoy the meal yourself. Instead of being angry and bitter towards your partner you will be able to be supportive in their time of stress. Your partner will feel that you are there for them when they need you most.

When we live in the world of daydreams, expectations and rushing through things, we tend to think that everything that happens revolves around us. We tend to take everything personally and get upset over things that really have nothing to do with us.

Whereas, if we can just learn to relax and enjoy the moment for what it is, we will naturally become happier and more accepting and less demanding ourselves. We will be able to see the other person's side of things and point of view, and this helps us to be more compassionate and understanding people.

This is an extract from Kerry-Ann Cox's new book "10 spiritual laws for stress reduction." Find out more about this life changing book at http://www.exaltedliving.com/stress.htm and learn great techniques to reduce your stress levels today.

efficient cleaning crew Northbrook ..
In The News:

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.
FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.
New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.
OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.
Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.
New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.
DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.
Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.
Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.
Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.
A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.
South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.
Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALLĀ·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.
Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.
Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.
NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.
Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.
Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Stress Management: Have To Vs. Get To

File this one under the category of "watch your language."The... Read More

Stress Management and Creating Balance

The World Health Organization calls stress "the health epidemic of... Read More

20 Ways to Shift Worry Into Attractive Energy

Worry, big or small blocks positive vibrations from entering your... Read More

Stress & Self Esteem: Raising One by Lowering the Other

In our article about Exercise & Stress, we looked at... Read More

Easy Elimination Of Worry & Stress!

It is very true that, unfortunately, many people look to... Read More

Empathy - Anxiety & Panic

If you are an anxiety and panic sufferer, then you've... Read More

Technology and Stress- How to Prevent Technology From Taking Over Your Life

1. 5-minute rule. How many times do we say, "This... Read More

Managing Your Persistent Fears And Anxieties

Everybody deals with fear and anxiety, however some people have... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: What We Can Learn from 9 Trapped Miners

Think back a few years to the nine coal miners... Read More

Army Ranger Reveals How to Control Corporate Stress

"Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into... Read More

Is Worry Necessary?

Who hasn't experienced "worry" at one time or another? Almost... Read More

Simple Tips to Help Simplify Your Life! - Make it Great!

Quote of the week"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Leonardo da... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: Practicing Perspective

Q. I wonder if you could help me with a... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: Breakdown or Breakthrough?

Q: "My career, though very very stressful, is one that... Read More

Stress Management: Workaholism is a Thief

Let's take a look at some of the more serious... Read More

Human Conditiong, Stress Management and Music

The predominant role human conditioning plays in a stressful environment.... Read More

Stress Management: 4 Steps to Massive Stress Relief by Having Fun

Over the years I've collected scores of comics and cartoons... Read More

Empowerment for Highly Sensitive People: Part 1

Are you a person who has a keen imagination, a... Read More

Stress Management

Have you ever said the words, "This job/my life is... Read More

Emotional Freedom - At YOUR Fingertips!

What would you say if I told you I know... Read More

Stress Tips

26 ways to minimize and manage the unhealthy effects of... Read More

Keeping You Stress Free!

We function at our best when we are free from... Read More

Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Stress at Home

Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Stress at Home1. Create... Read More

Stress Symptoms

Stress relief and managementRecognizing stress symptoms can be a positive... Read More

The Power of Five

Do you ever fret? In today's materialistic age, sometimes fretting... Read More

cleaning lady near Wilmette ..