”The Seven Gifts” – (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll)

Kryon.com, December 15, 2018

This live channelling was given in Miami Florida

Lee Carroll

To help the reader, this channelling has been revisited [by Lee and Kryon] to provide even clearer understanding. Sometime information is even added or condensed. Often what happens live has implied energy within it, which carries a kind of communication that the printed page does not. So enjoy this enhanced message given in Miami.

Greetings, dear ones, I am Kryon of Magnetic Service. This weekend will feature the last channels of the year, with the exception of one to be given on Christmas Day. It's a good way to close 2018.

I give you this information for those listening beyond this day. It's December as I speak to you and it's the beginning, dear ones, of a cultural festival. This festival is one that features giving. Indeed, some have decided it's a festival of buying, however, that is cultural choice.

Did you know that this holiday season isn't just for you in this country? At different times of the year, many different cultures on this planet all do this kind of festival. It's almost like they take a break from life and start to create decorations and lights. It's an honoring of family and a holiday season of giving. Hindus do this well. They have something called Diwali, the Festival of Lights and a time of giving. It sounds a lot like your Christmas, doesn't it? In their culture, they celebrate one another. It's a time to stop for a moment and honor family. In the Hindu tradition, Diwali has separate days for giving to family individuals. There is a day to honor your mother, father, brothers and sisters. Other cultures do similar things in different ways, but there are so many who believe in a time of festive giving.

The Seven Holiday Gifts for You

Dear ones, I wish to do something. I'm going to create seven holiday gifts for you. The difference in these gifts on this holiday season is this: These will be gifts you're going to give to yourself.

In all of the giving in all of the cultures, the focus is about giving to others and, of course, receiving gifts from them. Today, this is going to be more profound than you think and I'm going to make a statement: "If there are any here, or listening to this who actually follow these instructions for these seven gifts, your life is going to change."

There will be revelations and perhaps more. Each gift represents a day where you do something for yourself. Now, not every single day of gift giving for yourself is going to be easy. In fact, of these first three, two of them are often difficult as you're going to see in a moment. The difficulty is that it requires you take a full day off to do it. Now, this is on purpose.

Dear ones, everything you do seems to be more important to you if it takes more time. How many years have you been in school? How many years have you been in your job? All of these long-term experiences give credibility and weight to others who hear it. So you're going to have to want to do it. There are seven. Some may seem easy, but they won't be if you follow the instructions. Many take a day. Some of them require that you do nothing but change your attitude, and some of them take time. How important is it to give gifts to yourself? Don't do these gifts to yourself unless you are ready for change.

Gift One

I'm going to call the first gift, "The ‘I Deserve It' Day", and you don't have to take it off. This is a day where you actually plan the other days. This is needed because you're going to have to explain to your family a little bit of what you're doing. When they hear what you're going to do, they're going to say, "Why?" and that's when you're going to say, "Because I deserve it." All through this day, every time you look in the mirror you will repeat the phrase, "I deserve it. I've worked hard. I'm going to give a gift to myself. It will be a series of seven things. This is the first, and I'm doing this because I deserve it." These are not just words, dear ones, because the teaching of Kryon has always said that you deserve to be here. This is not just esoteric information, but rather practical information. It will affect the way you live your life, because of the way you handle yourself when it comes to drama and when it comes to stress. So, it's time to give yourself gifts.

Gift Two

The second gift requires a day off. It has to be away from everything and only you know where that can be. When I say away from everything, I mean that. Allow no Human interaction of any kind. I'll even give this a name: "No Stress Day". There should be no emails, not even messaging, no media of any kind at all, no electronics. Don't go someplace where someone is going to ask you a question or corner you and talk. This has to be a place of solace. Your choice. A full day is needed in this fashion - a whole day.

Now, you may wonder what this is going to do. You may say, "Well, Kryon, we know it's good not to have stress, so that's nice. I understand." Do you? I suppose you do this often? When you're done with this day, I guarantee something: You're going to realize what really causes you stress that you didn't think about before, because without it you're going to feel so much better! When you realize what the stress is for you, you will have the opportunity to change it. But if you simply repeat the same thing every single day, there's no vacation for you to examine what might actually give you stress in your life, and it may actually surprise you. That's number two. No Stress Day. It has to be completely by yourself and if you have to explain it to anyone, tell them the truth: "I'm giving a gift to myself because I deserve it."

Gift Three

Number three is similar but different. I'm going to call number three "Gaia Day". Gaia is Mother Earth, Pachamama. It is the planet itself, and you're going to have to take another day off. (I told you this might be difficult in the holiday season.) Some say "Impossible!" This schedule is up to you. How much do you think you deserve good things in your life? Your relatives and friends will say, "What, another one?" and you will say, "Yes, because I deserve it. I'm giving myself another gift."

This is a day of complete and total silence from any other Human Being. Go find nature and sit there all day. To a Floridian, it may be the beach. For someone in the middle of the country, it's the forest. You cannot talk to any Human for the duration. You can talk as much as you want to the Planet, however. Ever talk to the waves? Have you ever talked to the trees? Have you ever caught yourself in a conversation with the sky or with the stars? This gift is a rekindling of love for Planet Earth. Of all of the gifts that you give for yourself, you will remember this one the most after you do it. How often do you do this, dear ones? For some of you, the answer is never. For others, it will be, "I do it quite a bit and need it!" There is great power in this, and we have told you that this helps to rekindle the relationship with Gaia, who is your partner in life and consciousness on this planet. You can't ignore Gaia and be a balanced Human Being. The planet is ready to give you this gift!

Now, the next four are a little more esoteric and you don't have to take the day off, but they may be more difficult for some of you.

Gift Four

Gift number four is "Mastery Day". I want to tell you fully about this gift and you're going to have to study a little for it. Dear ones, we have told you that what you have inside you is mastery. However, many things get in the way of it, so you don't often realize your magnificence. Your habits, what your culture is like and many other things keep you from seeing who you are. Also, what you have been taught as basic Human nature tells you that you are less than a master. All of these items conspire together to take you out of the mastery that you are born with.

Fact: You are born magnificent and with free choice. With this you can go any direction you wish. What would a master of today be like - not a master of the past, but a master of today?

As I begin this discussion, there will be those who will say, "Well, this isn't for me; it's for others." You watch and see. What will happen if you change your attitude even for a day? What would happen if when you awaken, you proclaim, "I am magnificent. Everything that happens to me today, I will see with the eyes of my Higher-Self. I will behave like a master would behave. I will look for compassion and God and love in everything I see. And every time I do it, I'm going to get a little younger."

"Kryon, do you get younger by being a master?" No. You become younger by practicing mastery. That's what compassion and love do within the Human body. They start to slow down the aging process in the cells. You've heard doctors talk about it! Those in stress don't live long. Those with love and compassion tend to live a lot longer.

This will start early in the day when you awake. Don't take the day off. Instead, do what you do every day. Example: You're on your way to the store or to your job, and something happens in traffic where somebody yells at you, honking their horn at you and gesturing to you. What is the normal reaction of the Human Being? Suppress that urge and relax into your mastery. I want you to think about that person. I want you to have compassion for that person. They are having a bad day just like you've had bad days. See them in the light of that. A master will have no instant reaction to honk back or become vocal. There is no reaction to feel bad or insulted, because all you feel is the mastery inside you and the compassion for them. You don't know their name, but suddenly they are in a golden light that you've created. Are you starting to get this picture? Mastery Day.

Who irritates you the most at home? Suddenly, you start to experience that differently because of this day. Refuse to be irritated. When it normally occurs, say to yourself, "This will not irritate me because I have mastery. I am magnificent in love." Suddenly, you realize that all of those who would irritate you are just like you. They're doing the best they can with what they have. You may actually irritate them! Did you consider that? Perhaps you cause THEM stress and haven't realized it.

So you take a step backwards and you put a golden light around them and yourself. Don't be surprised if they feel it instantly. Oh, what a gift this would be for you, wouldn't it? If you could change the irritation factor, they might actually soften and start seeing you differently? Why? Because you no longer react as you have in the past.

You begin to look at everything in a compassionate, silent way and many will see it in your eyes. Perhaps your culture says to you in a situation, "This is the time where I shout in anger." Instead, you say to yourself, "I am magnificent and way above what my culture brings. I have mastery inside."

Perhaps you go to the place where you work and there is that person that you cannot stand? They are so irritating! Now you have the opportunity to practice the same thing you did with your family. Yes, they are irritating, but they are going through life the best they can with the best they know. Again, perhaps you irritate them and don't know it! So you begin putting that golden light around both of you. This is mastery.

How about something even more practical? Let's say you go to lunch with friends and, one by one, you start to hear them talk like they always do. They start complaining about the way things are. Then they give opinions on unjust issues and begin to "play" the same tape over and over about the same dysfunctions and people that you have heard about for years at that table. All the time you're at lunch, all you hear is negativity. You remain silent, and it's not like you to remain silent. So, you know what's going to happen next. Eventually your friends will turn and look at you and ask, "How do you feel about this? You are very quiet today." You haven't said anything. They know something's up.

Pay attention, for what I'm going to give you is practical mastery. In this case when you have remained silent, you have an opportunity to change the energy without being critical of who they are. You give them a truth. You tell them, "Something has happened to me. I've discovered something for myself. Dear friends, I realized that when I participated in these discussions, I felt bad. Negative things for me started to upset me. I didn't enjoy my food. Dear friends, everything you've said today is accurate and true for you. Some of these issues need to be corrected, and that's the real subject. However, I've changed how I react. Every time I hear about these unjust or negative things, I visualize them corrected. I visualize solution in everything you've talked about today. None of you are wrong today, and I really enjoy being with you. However, for me, I have discovered that I can digest my food better if I silently start visualizing these things solved. Recently, that's what I've learned about myself."

How can they argue with that? You did not make them wrong in what they did. You simply talked about yourself and what you've learned for you. That's mastery. You don't make the people around you feel bad or criticize them because you're better than they are. Instead, you come from a compassionate heart and give them an invitation into what you have discovered for yourself.

I guarantee you that at the end of the lunch, at least one of them will come to you and say, "Tell me more - I want what you have." And then you can explain even more about the love that you have and the mastery that you've discovered. Mastery Day. I challenge you to do this. Think about situations and how you may react. Meditate before you walk out the door. And make an affirmation. Dear Spirit, this day I am a master. Dear Spirit, bring to me the things that are gifts that I can walk through as a master. That was number four. Are you beginning to see these are not easy?

Gift Five

Number Five is "Healing Day". Dear ones, this is old news to a Kryon follower. Your cells are aware of what you say. This has been proven by the science of epigenetics. Cells are influenced by that which consciousness and environment create. What do you say out loud daily? Who are you really? Are you your own person or a product of what those around you define?

Dear ones, if you look at your society and how it talks to you, your health and your age is all a product of what they tell you. Have you watched your media lately? They will tell you quite clearly that if you're a certain age, here's what is supposed to be wrong with you. Then they will give you the names of the designed chemistry that you need to take for it, and you sit there watching and you simply watch it over and over and it goes right into your subconscious. They're defining you, dear ones! They are telling you what's supposed to be wrong with you at a certain age and your entire society believes it.

What if you took control of all of that? Healing day is about taking control of that. Example: You wake up in the morning and again you say, "I am magnificent. I was born magnificent. Cells, I'm going to talk to you today. I want you to listen." Then you start your list. Make a list in advance, and I want you to go through that list every hour. "Cells, listen up: Here's the list again…" Your list? It will be just for you, but in that list, you will inform (not ask) your cells to stop aging. Remind them that your normal state is being balanced and healthy.

There will be those who will say, "Too late, Kryon, I've already got a disease." Let me ask you something: Is the disease you have, part of your cells? No, it's an invader, isn't it? Then tell your cells to get rid of the invader, because the body knows how. The body knows how! Science may not know how, but the body does. The vast history of homeopathy proves this! Homeopathy is a process that instructs the body to heal. In addition, there have been so many remissions of disease through consciousness, through affirmations, when the Human cognizes the healing completely.

Don't be surprised when often you can feel it immediately. Headaches go away; pain starts to go away; you start to feel healthier. What a gift! That's for you. That's the power of consciousness over biology.

You are in control of your cells. We have told you this for years, but I will tell you this: If you don't believe this fact, nothing will happen. It's because that innate part of your body knows if you're faking or not. It's not about making the list and saying it or reading it. Healing Day is where you finally believe it and give yourself the gift of health. That was number five. If you followed some of the Tibetan numerology, you realize that the number five represents change. Do you see how that might change you?

Gift Six

This requires a day off. I want you to think about what you want to do this day. It could be simple or complex. It's a day to do what you want to do. It's a gift for yourself and something you want. It could be easy. It could be, "Today I want to eat at a restaurant that I like instead of going somewhere because someone else likes it. Today I'm going to enjoy my favorite things. Today I'm going to listen to music that I like, not what others like." This is your practical gift for yourself. What is it that makes you feel good, but that you've been kept from doing because of other things? "I'm going to take time for the things I like all day long."

Again, there will be those who will say, "What is wrong with you?" And you can say, "Nothing. I'm giving myself a gift. I'm doing what I want to do all day long because I deserve it." Perhaps you believe that this is something very simple? Think again. How long has it been since you've done this? Most of you will say, "I can't remember when." Compassionate Lightworkers are designed to think about others and put yourself last. So, many of you constantly give way to other's ideas and suggestions. How long has it been since you've eaten where you want to eat? Do it alone or with others, but do it. You're going to enjoy that meal, dear ones, because it's a gift for yourself. You deserve it.

Gift Seven

This is different. It's not going to take long, yet it may be difficult to explain. I'm going to call it "Angel Day". You better be alone when you do this. I don't want anyone watching you. I've waited till last for this number seven because it represents divinity. I challenge you. When you're alone and no one is there, I want you to go to the middle of the room. Make that room as silent as it can be. The evening would be best, when there is less activity outside.

In that quietness, I want you to raise your arms up high and I want you to say out loud, "Angels in this room, I love you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for being with me all my life. Thank you for laughing with me and crying with me." Then I want you to feel the tingling in your arms as they indicate they heard you, and are saying, "Thank you. We love you." You're going to feel it. You'll know what it is when you feel it. Oh, what a gift for you. This is a good, solid communication with a realm that you cannot see, but who knows who you are and is always with you. Can you do that? What a challenge. You're going to feel this, dear ones, and you're going to come out differently.

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Those are the Seven Gifts. What have I told you in the past about who you are? You have it backwards, dear ones, when you fall on your knees because an angel is present. Those angels are here for you because you deserve it. The Human Being is magnificent on this planet and is changing it in these new times. Your spiritual support group knows it. They're ready to take your hand and assist you through this life. How beautiful is this?

Can you believe this is true? If you do, the implementation of these Seven Gifts will create a life change for you. You might even consider it every year, since it is so balancing and loving.

I tell you the truth this day. Love is increased when you do these things. Compassion is easier to feel when you do these things. Mastery is easier to obtain when you practice it, and you'll know what I mean. This is the holiday. It is a festival of light. Let it shine within you.

And so it is.

KRYON

Teaching awareness at Google: Breathe easy and come into focus

Google Blog, Tuesday, June 04, 2013   

This is the fourth post in a series profiling Googlers who facilitate classes as part of our g2g program, in which Googlers teach, share and learn from each other. Regardless of role, level or location, g2g's community-based approach makes it possible for all Googlers to take advantage of a variety of learning opportunities. - Ed.

Eight years ago, I loaded five boxes into my pickup truck, said goodbye to a career of crunching numbers in hotel management, and started my own massage practice in Washington state.

Soon thereafter, I started at Google as an onsite massage therapist at the Kirkland and Seattle offices, and I was ready for the challenge. But after a few years of massage work, I started to ponder alternatives to massage to further help my fellow Googlers relax and de-stress. Being able to take a moment out of one’s day to relax and decompress is not only beneficial for one’s health, but also may help people be happier and more productive in their day to day lives. So in 2011, I helped launch “MindBody Awareness,” a guided meditation class, as part of the Googler-to-Googler (g2g) program.

It’s no secret that meditation can be an excellent way to relax your body and focus the mind. A plethora of studies have supported that point. That said, one of the hardest parts of meditation is simply giving it a try. For an activity based in calmness and openness, it’s ironic how meditation can, for some, engender feelings of intimidation and even embarrassment at the outset. So we specifically designed “MindBody Awareness” for all levels so anyone can walk through the door and dive right in. Having a friendly, informal meditation class taught onsite by a fellow Googler allows for community building, and immediately relaxes participants whether they’re new to the practice or veterans. 

 

Leading a MindBody Awareness
class at our Kirkland, Wash. office

We begin each 30-minute class by going through a Qigong series that consists of 12 different positions held for 30 seconds each. This is how we begin bringing awareness of one’s body and mind into play, shedding the distractions from the outside and becoming more in tune with one’s self. The second portion of the class is a seated meditation, which incorporates changing hand positions, where chimes go off every minute to signal a change in pose. This integrates the mind and the body instead of just one or the other. The chimes help the mind stay focused, and acts as an anchor helping people return to a quiet mind if they happen to get lost in distraction. An engineer who takes my class told me “being aware of what my physical body needs while my brain is busy coding has helped me significantly reduce stress, not get so worn out, and enjoy my job.” Another Googler noted to me that he feels “having a regular chance to slow down, collect [himself] and connect mind and body contributes to a more mindful, lower stress outlook throughout the week.” 

 

Taking a few minutes a day to sync your mind and body can help
you relax and stay focused throughout the work day

Through g2g, we’ve made MindBody Awareness and other meditation classes available in 16 different cities, providing an alternative method of stress relief for Googlers around the world. To make it even easier for Googlers to access meditation classes, we offer global meditative Google Hangouts. Googlers can video conference into a meditation hangout for 30 or 60 minutes to practice meditation as a group.

Meditation class offered through the g2g program has also fostered a unique way to build a sense of community. The class has brought Googlers from varying departments together to meet new people by taking a break for 30 minutes to re-charge. The ultimate goal of the class is that Googlers get positive energy flowing that they can bring back to their desks—or anywhere for that matter!

Tips and tricks to help you de-stress

1. Focus on your breath. Take a few moments to allow your mind and body to relax even if it's just for one or two long deep breaths—make sure you can physically see your belly and chest rise. Taking just one minute a day can make a significant difference.
2. Think of your favorite things. Positive thoughts can give a way to a more positive attitude and outlook.
3. Try to focus on one thing. See if you can sit back and tackle your tasks one piece at a time, as if you were working on a puzzle piece by piece. Eventually, it will come together in a systematic way!

Posted by Amy Colvin, Massage Therapist

Women who suffer mid-life stress 'twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease'

Daily Mail, By DAILY MAIL REPORTER, 16th August 2010

Troubling: Women who experience stress
during middle age are more likely to suffer
from Alzheimer's disease later in life
(file picture)

Mid-life stress can increase the risk of women developing Alzheimer's disease, a study has shown.

Women who reported repeated episodes of stress and anxiety in middle age were up to twice as likely to develop dementia than those who did not, a team of Swedish scientists found.

The majority of those affected were diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia.

Researchers followed the progress of 1,415 women between 1968 and 2000.

Three surveys in 1968, 1974 and 1980 were carried out to assess levels of psychological stress experienced by the women, who were aged between 38 and 60 at the start of the study.

Stress was defined as a 'sense of irritation, tension, nervousness, anxiety, fear or sleeping problems' lasting a month or more.

During the course of the study, 161 of the women taking part developed dementia, mainly in the form of Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia risk was 65% higher in women who suffered frequent stress in middle age.

The chances of developing dementia increased as women responded to more than one survey by saying they were frequently stressed.

The risk increased by 73% when women reported frequent or constant stress on two occasions, and more than doubled when all three surveys showed they were stressed.

More...

Parkinson's disease linked to immune system gene

Researcher Lena Johansson, from the University of Gothenburg, said: 'This is the first study to show that stress in middle age can lead to dementia in old age, and confirms similar findings from studies of animals.

'Stress has previously been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack and hypertension.

'This study could result in a better understanding of the risk factors for dementia, but our results need to be confirmed by other studies, and further research is needed in the area.

'Most of those who said that they were stressed did not develop dementia, so it's not currently possible to advise people to be less stressed or warn about the dangers of high stress levels due to an increased risk of developing dementia.'

The findings were published in the journal Brain.

Professor Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: 'Not only can stress be unpleasant but this study also suggests that it could have an impact on your health later in life.

'This large study is interesting and builds on recent evidence connecting depression and dementia. We now need to understand why this link exists.

'Anyone worried about their stress levels should try to manage their lifestyle carefully and speak to their GP if they are struggling.

'There also might be long-term benefits for tackling stress as a society.'

Around 750,000 people in the UK have dementia and more than half suffer from Alzheimer's.

Related Article:

Memory loss 'should not be ignored'

Arthritis protein 'guards against Alzheimer's disease'

Together forever: Heartbroken otters who were best friends die within hours of each other

Daily Mail, by MAIL FOREIGN SERVICE, 12:01 PM on 01st April 2010

Two elderly otters who were best friends and lived side-by-side for 15 years have both died of a heart attack within an hour of each other.

It's thought the second heartbroken animal passed away from the stress of watching his mate die.

Daz and Chip – both male – lived and died at Naturelands Zoo in Nelson, New Zealand.

Best friends: Daz, 19, and Chip, 16, died on the same night after living side-by-side for 15 years

Zookeeper John Miller said the Asian otters, who were 19 and 16 years-old, had been best friends for 15 years.

It's thought that having each other for company kept them alive beyond the normal otter life-span of 14 years.

According to handler Gail Sutton, the pair lived to nearly 100 in human years.

'They were a great pair of otters, they were interested in what was happening,' she said.

The pair had been unwell for a couple of weeks but after completing treatment they were returned to their enclosure, only to be discovered dead the next morning.

It is thought the stress of watching his mate die would have killed the second otter

'We were devastated and we couldn't work out quite what had happened with them,' Ms Sutton said.

'It brought a tear to my eye and it's making me well up now.'

'The only consolation from this is that they both went together because if one had gone without the other, the remaining one would have been really lost.'

Staff at the zoo hope to introduce new otters to the park as part of their breeding programme.

Business Books: The human brain in the workplace

Reuters, by Martin Langfield, Thu Nov 5, 2009 9:55am EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The modern workplace is an emotionally charged landscape of constant threats and unconscious fears that can addle or even destroy our brainpower, according to three recent books on neuroscience.

The flow of brain chemicals triggered by common workplace experiences -- feedback session, anyone? -- can erode our ability to think straight, harming productivity and diminishing our capacity to solve problems or work well with others.

Yet when approached with greater regard for how our brain operates, work can also be a deeply rewarding, creative experience. Getting there, though, may require ditching some of our more counterproductive work habits, the authors say.

"One of the things organizations need to do is respect the deeply social nature of the brain. People are not rational, they are social," David Rock, author of "Your Brain at Work" (HarperBusiness), told Reuters in an interview. "The social brain is such that we are really driven to increase social rewards, and we are really driven to minimize social threats."

Rock, the founder of a company that applies the insights of brain science to leadership coaching, lists five areas in which our brain's threat mechanisms are easily triggered at work: status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness and fairness.

When we feel threatened in any of these spheres -- a superior displays power over us, rumors circulate about the future of our job, our work is micro-managed, we are excluded from colleagues' conversations, or our work is unjustly overlooked -- our brains focus our attention on the threat.

In doing so, the brain diverts scarce resources away from the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the area we use to set goals, make plans, control impulses, solve problems, visualize the unknown and think creatively -- in short, the part of our brain we use to do good work.

The PFC is the seat of our conscious thinking. Deprive it of fuel, and we make mistakes, lose our train of thought, forget key information, miss patterns and waste time. Productivity falls, and so does job satisfaction.

How can we work more effectively with the brain? Rock has some suggestions, as do the four authors of "The Brain Advantage" (Prometheus Books), Madeleine Van Hecke, Lisa Callahan, Brad Kolar and Ken Paller, and Charles Jacobs, the author of "Management Rewired" (Portfolio).

-- Become more "mindful" of what our brains are doing:

Whether we are leading teams or taking orders from above, it helps to recognize when our brains, and other people's, are perceiving threats, so we can regulate our reactions.

Acknowledging our emotions -- "I am getting angry/scared/indignant" -- helps us to think before we react rashly. One study shows we generally have 0.2 second to veto an impulse after it emerges from the unconscious.

-- Find the right level of stress:

A little stress is good for most people, but studies show a high level of stress-related chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline can kill existing neurons, and stop the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus, which is important for forming memories. Better emotional self-regulation helps (see above), as do talking things over with friends, and physical activity.

-- Find better ways of giving and receiving feedback:

Offering even constructive feedback, let alone punishment for poor performance, can serve to underline the "alpha" status of the giver, writes Jacobs. Organizations that want people to learn should avoid cookie-cutter, depersonalized approaches to feedback, explore more self-appraisal by individuals and teams, ask questions rather than give answers, and strip as much status-threat as they can from the process.

-- Arrange work around the brain's energy levels:

Studies show doing more than one attention-rich task at a time decreases accuracy and performance, and memory starts to degrade when we hold more than one thing at once in our minds.

Whenever possible, we should carve out blocks of time, away from phones and e-mail, for different kinds of thinking. Wading through e-mails while seeking inspiration is a bad idea.

We can only do a few hours of high-grade, conscious thinking in a day -- we should know when our brain does it, and not fill that time with low-grade tasks that can be done when we are tired or low on energy. Prioritizing is key.

-- Build a virtuous circle. Help colleagues feel safe in those key areas defined by Rock: status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness and fairness.

(Reporting by Martin Langfield; Editing by Eddie Evans)

Related Article:

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Juggling increases brain power

Trading emotionally? Dutch device warns of stress

Reuters, Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:26am EDT

A man wears a device called the EmoBracelet that senses stress and makes an accompanying lighted bowl, or EmoBowl, change color and flicker from yellow to red. (REUTERS/Philips Electronics)

AMSTERDAM, Oct 13 (Reuters) - If emotions are getting the better of you while trading online, The Rationalizer may be just the thing to tell you when it's time to take a break.

The prototype unveiled by Netherlands-based Philips Electronics (PHG.AS) and ABN AMRO [ABNNV.UL] aims at sensing day traders' stress levels so they can "time-out, wind down and re-consider their actions", the companies said on Tuesday.

Users wear a device called the EmoBracelet that senses stress and makes an accompanying lighted bowl, or EmoBowl, change colour and flicker from yellow to red as emotions become more intense.

Researchers at Philips, Europe's biggest consumer electronics maker, say home investors often do not act purely rationally.

"Their behaviour is influenced by emotions, most notably fear and greed, which can compromise their ability to take an objective, factual stance," they said.

Although not in production, Geert Christiaansen, chief of business development at Philips Design, says the prototype is part of a broader effort by Philips to help people cope with stress and the technology could be used in an array of other products. (Reporting by Harro ten Wolde; Editing by David Holmes)

Many suicidal men had problems in childhood: study

Reuters, Mon Apr 6, 2009 5:41pm EDT

A high school student (L) walks towards a group of female students chatting in front of a school in Tokyo November 9, 2006. (REUTERS/Kiyoshi Ota)

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Teenage and young adult men who make serious suicide attempts often had emotional problems at age 8, while most suicidal women succumb to depressions that develop after puberty, Finnish researchers said on Monday.

Nearly four out of five suicidal men tracked in a study in Finland had exhibited problems as 8-year-olds that were evident to their teachers or parents.

"Most males who commit suicide or need hospital care after a suicide attempt have high levels of psychiatric problems at the age of 8 years," wrote Dr. Andre Sourander of Turku University Hospital in Finland and colleagues.

"The main finding of our study is that severe suicidality in adolescence and early adulthood has different childhood trajectories among males and females," they wrote in a report published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

The study tracked 5,302 people born in 1981, of whom 27 men and 27 women made serious suicide attempts by age 24. Of those, 13 men and two women died.

According to the World Health Organization, 877,000 people worldwide kill themselves each year. For every suicide death, anywhere from 10 to 40 attempts are made, the U.N. agency estimates.

Males tended to use "more lethal" methods, while female suicide attempts were mostly by intoxication or poisoning, according to the Finnish study.

In what they termed a "pathway of persistence," 78 percent of the suicidal males had displayed bad conduct at age 8 such as disruptive fits of temper, disobedience, aggression or cruelty toward others, destroying of property, stealing, lying, inattention or hyperactivity.

No such pattern was seen for the girls. Sourander's team said previous research has shown "female suicide attempts are often used to communicate distress or to modify the behavior and reactions of others." Most mood disorders affect girls after puberty, they added.

They urged effective screening to detect and treat childhood disorders, in the hope of reducing suicide rates.

"This focus is particularly important among males with severe conduct problems because, during adolescence, they usually do not seek mental health services," Sourander wrote.

(Reporting by Andrew Stern; Editing by Maggie Fox)

Website offers emotional rescue from economy

Reuters, Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:06am EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Stressed out by the economy? The U.S. government is offering an online emotional rescue kit.

The "Getting Through Tough Economic Times" guide at www.samhsa.gov/economy/ is meant to help people identify any serious health concerns related to financial worries, develop coping skills and find help, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said on Tuesday.

Studies show a serious risk of clinical depression, anxiety and compulsive behaviors such as gambling, overeating and even spending stemming from stress, SAMHSA said.

A trader covers his face as he speaks on the phone during in Moscow, June 18, 2004.(REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin)

"By helping people remain resilient, we can help promote the overall recovery of our nation," SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick said in a statement.

Of particular importance is helping people see the warning signs of depression, suicidal thinking and other serious mental illnesses, SAMHSA said.

These include, according to the website:

• Persistent sadness/crying
  
  
• Excessive anxiety
  
  
• Lack of sleep/constant fatigue
  
  
• Excessive irritability/anger
  
  
• Increased drinking
  
  
• Illicit drug use, including misuse of medications

The site directs people to caregivers and also offers tips on ways to reduce the causes of stress, such as finding a new job and refinancing mortgages.

(Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Jobless yogis follow their bliss to teacher training

By Dorene Internicola, Reuters, Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:00am EDT 

A yoga instructor trains a member of her class in Santa Monica, California, March 13, 2009. REUTERS/Yogaworks/Handout

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - As unemployment soars, some corporate types are swapping their designer suits for drawstring pants and their six-figure salaries for the more spiritual rewards of teaching yoga.

 

Newly minted yoga teacher Veronica Wolkow says leaving her lucrative position in financial services to teach yoga was a journey from "stressed out" to "compassionate" and the best thing she ever did.

 

"I would not return to the stock market for all the money in the world," said Wolkow, who specializes in teaching yoga to children, seniors and people with disabilities.

 

"I got rid of all the suits in my closet. No longer do I have dry cleaning bills. I no longer read the Wall Street Journal or even care about how stocks are doing," she said in an interview from Los Angeles.

 

Although she must rely on savings and temporary jobs to make ends meet, she has no regrets.

 

"Yoga does not provide me with an income stream at this time," she said. "My bank account is smaller, yes. But my world is bigger."

 

California-based Jessica Hinkle, who manages the teacher training program at Yoga Works, a national chain of yoga studios, said many people train with an eye toward changing careers.

 

"Others recently laid off are seeing this as a unique opportunity to do something they never had time for before," she explained.

 

PRECARIOUS INCOME

 

With U.S. unemployment topping eight percent in February, many people are trying to reinvent themselves. But although an estimated 6 million people are practicing yoga regularly, income earned from teaching the 5000-year-old practice can be as precarious as a wobbly triangle pose.

 

Caleb Asch had been teaching yoga for 14 years when he lost his day job as an assistant film editor in October. But teaching his six classes a week are not enough to make ends meet.

 

"Income from yoga isn't nearly enough to survive on," he said from his base in Santa Monica, California. "Ironically it's enough to keep me from collecting unemployment."

 

Although he enjoys teaching, he would return to his old job if he could because "the stress of not having enough to live on is a killer," he said.

 

For James Sklar, of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, turning to teaching yoga after giving up his organic restaurant was the best decision he could have made.

 

"The restaurant was stressful, the money wasn't there, I was always playing catch-up," said Sklar, adding that his portfolio supplements his yoga income.

 

"I'm doing yoga for the love of it," he said "I forgot to pick up my first paycheck because I forgot it was a job."

 

When Jethro Liou worked for a private equity firm he earned "mid-six figures." Today he's pulling in the "high 20's." He also loves the work, but supplements it with consulting jobs.

 

Hard times have also thinned his southern California clientele.

 

"You can definitely see the change since everyone's discretionary income has dropped. The number of students coming to class is less."

 

On top of that, he sees a glut of yoga teachers.

 

"In high population coastal cities there are just as many yoga teachers as there are waiters," he said. "I didn't realize that almost everyone in L.A. is a yoga teacher."