Step 6: Take Charge Of Your Thinking
All of our stress begins with our thinking habits and self-talk about the events in our lives. The events, themselves, do not cause our stress. For example, if the market drops several hundred points, that event does not cause your stress. Your stress is only caused by negative, self-defeating thinking and self-talk about that event. (“Great, now my most difficult clients will be on the phone demanding to speak to me.”)
I have written much about breaking free of automatic thinking and stress-producing self-talk (see “The Financial Advisor’s Ultimate Stress Mastery Guide.”) Suffice it to say that all of these stress-producing habits are learned and anything that is learned can be un-learned with practice.
Step 7: Laugh As Often As Your Can
Humor and laughing provides a potent psychological boost, releases healthy endorphins and has been linked with resiliency building, warding off illnesses and even extending life. If you make sure that you take the time to watch funny sitcoms and movies, read humorous articles, hang around with funny people, etc., you are really boosting your stress resilience. Other findings of the power of laughter include:
- reduced anxiety and stress
- lifted depression
- improved cognitive functioning
- decreased cortisol (stress hormone)
- increases in natural cancer killing cells in the body
- longer life
Dr. Jack Singer is a professional psychologist, speaker and a Stress Mastery Mentor for smart financial advisors, like YOU. He is the author of “The Financial Advisor’s Ultimate Stress Mastery Guide,” which can be ordered in the FA Mag Bookstore, using this link: /book--ultimate-stress-mastery-guide. To learn more about Dr. Jack’s keynote speaking, his exclusive consulting services for financial advisors and his unique, referral-generating program for your next Client Event, contact Jack at [email protected], call him at 1-800-497-9880 for a FREE consultation and read more at http://www.advisingtheadvisors.com