Do You Mindlessly Rush & Stress or Mindfully Relax? 7 Tips to Calm Down

Join the Conversation. Are you a Rusher or Relaxer? And have you ever hurt yourself mindlessly hurrying?
Last Sunday afternoon, mindlessly stressfully and rushing landed me in major trouble—specifically, major physical pain.
Despite my recent efforts to relish nature’s magnificence, appreciate my peaceful surroundings, and slow down my breathing, last week I temporarily forgot my mindful intentions.
Instead, I was was hurrying and scurrying as in an area I don’t know.
There I was, in the Downtown Disney® Marketplace in Orlando, Florida, speedwalking so I’d arrive on time for the opening keynote of the Launch conference, sponsored by intentional-leadership guru Michael Hyatt and motivational speaker Ken Davis.
I was very eager to attend this event, because I’m a huge fan of Michael Hyatt, author of the fabulous book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, a jewel I discovered, thanks to Hay House, publisher of my most recent book, Beyond Sugar Shock).
Anyhow, although I’d been savoring my meandering for about an hour (even finding some sweet-smelling bath salts), I’d simply lost track of time.
Photos 4-11-11 017So as I was rushing to the Launch conference opening talks, a curb came out of nowhere — well, that’s certainly what it felt like! — and I wrenched my knee. Ouch! Aargh! Eeeks!
I could actually feel my kneecap move around into places where it didn’t belong (although I was wearing a very thin protective brace, because I’d harmed this same knee before.)
In short, I hurt myself because I was in a rush, and I wasn’t fully present or consciously alert.
Otherwise, I would have seen that high-level curb and therefore easily avoided it.
For the next four days, while at the great Launch conference, I regularly iced my painful knee. (I chose not to take the hours it would take to find a doctor in Orlando, get X-rays, etc., because I didn’t want to miss the amazing event.)
Yesterday, after returning back home, I realized that I badly needed medical help.
After many desperate calls to orthopedic surgeons—who couldn’t see me until June or July!—I finally pleaded pitifully enough so that one doctor’s assistant kindly squeezed me in to see a top-notch doctor to whom I’d been recommended.
The Doctor’s Verdict
I have a medial collateral ligament strain, grade 2 (meaning that it wasn’t super-awful, but it wasn’t just a minor injury).
Healing Required
I need to wear a big, monstrous brace while walking (see photo above.
Plus, I have to see a physical therapist a couple of times a week.
And I need to ice 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off.
As for exercise, I can’t do any Zumba or high-intensity spinning or stair-blasting. Okay, I admit, that’s very frustrating!
I also can leisurely walk and in about a week, I may be able to start swimming (not my favorite sport) and I can do slow biking on a stationary bike.
I’ve Also Personalized My Healing Plan
Since I’m a health coach and life coach, I’ve come up with some more healing action steps.
As my awesome tapping consultant, Mary Ayers — who I had to cancel on to see the doctor — reminded me, I need to do lots of EFT on the pain and the feelings associated with my injury.
I also plan to get help from Nick Ortner, author of The Tapping Solution.
I also need to slow down. (See also my 7 Tips to Calm Down.)
My doctor predits that in about 8 weeks — I hope sooner, my knee should be fine.
I’ve Rushed for Years. What About You?
Contorting and twisting my knee while confronting that darn curb made me realize and admit that for years, I’ve excelled at rushing.
I’m a Rusher Par Excellence!
Apparently, I’ve even sought out places to live and a profession where scurrying is a plus—or, rather a must. Yikes!
Just consider:
Up until two years ago (when I moved across country to be with my then-terminally ill mom, who I later lost), I lived in Manhattan, the city where if you rush, you excel. (Okay, I’m exaggerating, but it often seems that everyone is dashing about and running late in The Big Apple.)
Not only that, but as a trained journalist, I’m used to frequent article deadlines. In fact, my editors often leaned on me, saying, “Connie, where is your story? We need it!” Back in my days as a daily reporter, I had to crank out several articles a day.
Now I”m forced to face that this I may have hurry sickness, which, in turn, has made me accident-prone.
The fact is this isn’t the first time that my stressing and rushing have made me accident-prone and then caused me serious physical pain.
While a daily journalist and pushing to meet constant deadlines, striking computer keys so quickly (I’m super-fast) and so often on an ergonomically unsound work station and not taking enough breaks, led to excruciatingly painful carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, tendonisovitis and dystonia. At the time, I could barely move my hands, but my doctor didn’t recommend surgery. Besides, I was was determined to find another route — thank you, acupuncture and B vitamins. Anyhow, I had to take many weeks off work, and and eventually I just quit my job so I could go freelance to protect my poor ailing wrists.
Another time, while racing to meet a deadline to finish my first book, Sugar Shock, I badly injured my back by sitting too long while on the keyboard and by not getting up to stretch often. My amazing acupuncturist helped me get through this time.
Then, once, while dashing for a cab in New York City, I severely sprained my ankle by stepping in a nasty pothole I hadn’t noticed.
Oh yeah, there was also the time, while rushing to get back to my sailing lesson that I rammed head-first into a glass window and suffered a concussion.
Beyond Sugar Shock Book CoverNow, let’s get to the sugar connection, which date to about 1998. While trying to cope with the ever-pressing deadlines of a journalist, I became addicted to sugar and processed carbs, which I call quickie carbs.
In fact, I relied on unnatural sugar and carb highs to give me a buzz, help me think straight and write quickly. (Ultimately, I beat my sugar and carb addiction while creating many easy-to-master tools, which I shared in my book Beyond Sugar Shock. FYI, my quit-sugar-iversary comes uup Tuesday so stay tuned for my upcoming post, “7 Ways Life Improved by Being Sugar-Free for 16 Years.”
Back to my hurry accident. The Universe — speaking through my aching, throbbing knee — is clearly telling me to Slow Down!
Plus, I need to get a handle on what some experts call “hurry sickness.”
As I’ll ll now I nurse my injured knee back to health, I’m more determined than ever to breathe deeply, mindfully relax, and consciously choose calm. Read on so you can join the No-Rush Challenge.
Of course, most of us know that scurrying and hurrying while under stress is just not healthy.
A plethora of research shows the many benefits of slowing down. When you’re mindful, you’re happier, you live longer, and (no surprise!) you’re less accident-prone.
Plus, when you eat more mindfully, you lose weight.
Will you join me in a campaign to Stop Rushing & Start Relaxing? Here are 7 tips to get you going.
7 Tips to Stop Rushing & Start Relaxing
1) Claim Calm.
Before you even get out of bed in the morning, breathe deep into your belly and then exhale. Do this for three to 7 minutes. As you do this, inwardly repeat, “I claim calm now. I claim calm now. I claim calm now.” (If you can’t last that long, just try 7 or 10 rounds.)
2) Stay Calm Even If You’re On Deadline.
Whenever you feel rushed for one reason or another, claim calm for at least three breaths. You can do this even when you’re working, driving, waiting for your kids, walking or preparing that pressing project.
3) Take Relaxing Time-Outs.
Throughout the day—at least three times a day—claim calm again for seven breaths; notice and enjoy the scenery around you.
4) Calm Down Before a Meal.
Every time you eat, take seven “I claim calm” breaths first. Research ven shows that you can even lose weight by eating mindfully.
5) Add time.
Whenever you have an appointment, give yourself an extra 45 minutes to an hour to get there. That way, you won’t get frazzled if you hit unexpected traffic, get lost or encounter other surprising challenges. (You certainly won’t mess up your knee as I did rushing to get there.)
6) Keep Track of Time.
Enjoy yourself, but if you have an appointment, keep an eye on the clock so you won’t have to rush at the last minute as I did.
7) Be Alert for Street and Sidewalk Ruts & Potholes.
What a no-brainer! Wish I’d taken my own advice here.
Join the Conversation. Do you rush instead of relax? Have you injured yourself (like me) because you were rushing?

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Support my Team in Training 100-Mile Bike Ride for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

In late June, I invited you to make a donation to encourage my bold biking goal of riding 100 miles to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). As a participant in LLS’s Team In Training program, my goal was to go 100 miles (or at least 60) on my bike in the Seagull Century Race on Oct. 9 in Maryland.
But my training came to an abrupt hatl on July 4, when as I shared on this Sugar Shock Blog, I accidentally slammed head first into glass and when plagued by dizziness and headaches, I soon discovered that I was suffering from post-concussive syndrome.
Concussion cartoon The doctor’s orders were explicit: Drop out of the Team in Training program. In fact, he even insisted that I stop working out. (Yikes, was I bummed out.) To be honest, I haven’t followed his advice all the time. In fact, at the end of July, on my birthday, I went on a rigorous bike ride, only to experience a major setback, with the headaches and vertigo returning.
Anyhow, I’m now feeling a lot better, and I’m back to gently, carefully working out, and I hope to soon to re-enter the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s respected Team in Training program.
Now, even though I’m not back to my rigorous workout schedule, I invite you to an exciting Gab with the Gurus Radio Show on Sept. 8 at 2 pm Eastern with two Team in Training representatives.
All the while, my fundraising page is still staying up, and I still invite you to support me by making a contribution to this worthwhile organization.
Despite my head injury, I’m excited that I found a way to do one of my favorite things — biking — and to do good at the same time by raising money for an important cause.
Team-in-Training1-Schwinn Although I’m uncertain as to when I can start training again and wha date I’ll ride, but I still invite you to please use this link to donate online quickly and securely. You’ll receive a confirmation of your donation by email, and I will be notified as soon as you make your donation. Of course, I’ll keep you up to date on my efforts, too.
Each donation — which you can make here — helps accelerate finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
More than 823,000 Americans are battling these blood cancers. I hope that my participation in Team In Training will help bring them hope and support.
On behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, thank you very much for your support. I greatly appreciate your generosity.
Signature 6a00d834520ed269e2010535f793c1970c-800wi
P.S. I’d be grateful if you could forward this blog post this email to as many people as you can to encourage them to donate as well.
P.P.S. Would you be kind enough to visit my fundraising page now and donate to this worthwhile cause? All your contributions go straight to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Please make your contribution now.
And please join us on the Gab with the Gurus Radio Show on Sept. 8 at 2 pm Eastern so you can learn more about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program.
To get directly to my fundraising page, just go here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/seagull10/cbennetbqu

Support my Team in Training Bike Ride for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: 100 Miles (Gulp!)

On Friday, I finally signed up to start working out with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s respected Team in Training program.
My goal is rather bold: Go 100 miles (or at least 60) on my bike in the Seagull Century Race on Oct. 9 in Maryland!
To be frank, the idea of riding 100 miles sort of scares me. The most I’ve ever done is about 35 or 40 miles. (And that was when I was in better shape — pre-Lyme disease hit me.)
But I’m excited that I found a way to do two of my favorite things — biking — and do good at the same time by raising money for a worthwhile cause.
Would you be kind enough to donate to this worthwhile cause? All your contributions go straight to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Anyone who contributes will be invited to a special teleseminar with health experts. More details later.
Please make your contribution below.

Do You Have Passion? I’m Passionate About Bicycling. What About You?

Often, people write to me and tell me that sugar or refined carbs is their “big love.” .
Or, they might mention how eating sugary foods is what they most look forward to.
In other words, they put sweets on a pedestal. And, “treating” themselves with sugary foods or drinks is of utmost importance to their happiness.
Language like that makes me sad.
Because to get sweetness in your life — which is what having a sugar addiction is about, in my opinion — should have nothing to do with the sweets that you eat.
So, I’m off to get sweetness today — and it has nothing to do with sugar.
I’m off shortly to ride my bike, and tomorrow, I’ll both bike and play tennis. These are two of my big passions, and both these sports, exercise and working out are mong the many things that bring lots of sweetness and joy into my life.
What are you passionate about — other than a person? (Although, of course, it’s important to be passionate about a significant other.)
Share with us what activitities bring you passion.
By the way, the photo above is when The Reverend Canon Thomas P. Miller, S.T.M. blessed my bike last month during the Blessing of the Bikes ceremony at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine by The Rverend Canon Thomas P. Miller, S.T.M,
Although I’m a nice Jewish girl, as I mentioned to Rev. Miller, this Blessing of the Bikes event was so much fun and uplifting.
What activities bring you pleasure and make you passionate?

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