My good friend in the UK, Stuart Morris,  performed an interesting experiment to demonstrate the power of our intentions and state of mind using two jars of plain white rice. The concept may sound a bit out-there, but the results he achieved are amazing. Check it out for yourself on Stuarts website:

http://push-pictures.com/clients/www.wonderfullyrelaxed.com/www/jars.asp

I also recommend you take a look at “The Gift,” a beautiful theraputic Video/CD Rom created by Stuart, who is a practicing Holistic Therapist in the Birmingham, England area. You can also listen for free to a sample from the CD Rom on his site. Stuart sent me a copy a while back and I have to say, it is remarkable. Find out more about ”The Gift” at this address:

http://push-pictures.com/clients/www.wonderfullyrelaxed.com/www/jars.asp

Until next time, be well. And remember that our thoughts and intentions DO have power. The power to cause anxiety and other troubles, or the power to heal and comfort. Guard your thoughts carefully

Wishing you peace,
Jon
www.easycalm.com

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Have you ever watched the news and found yourself terrified of some new, hidden health threat or similar that could possibly be the end of you? I know I have. It seems that almost every day there’s a new threat out there; it’s often something hidden in your food or your genes, or our neighborhood, and it it’s almost always lethal. But wait…then the commercial break comes on, and there it is; the pill or shot or company that will make it all better. 

 Shannon Brownlee, author of the book “Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine Is Making Us Sicker and Poorer”, calls the medical and pharmaceutical companies “The anxiety industry.” She talks about how these industries in combination with the media is constantly telling us to keep a lookout for illnesses and how this is causing real anxiety and possibly a lot of unnecessary medical costs.   

Why are we so obsessed with illness and death? And why are the people that are supposed to look after our health seemingly more concerned with prescribing expensive tests and medications than they are with inexpensive prevention and taking care of our overall health? No wonder we are scared; everywhere we look we are told to be careful and to take caution.  

The primary commodity of the news media is fear; George Gerbner, one of our time’s most important media researches put it this way:  

“People think of television as programs, but television is more than that; television is a mythology - highly organically connected, repeated every day so that the themes that run through all programming and news have the effect of cultivating conceptions of reality.[…] The programming reinforces the worst fears and apprehensions and paranoia of people.” 

Is it possible that the extremely high levels of anxiety we are collectively experiencing as a society has to do with what we are watching? Lewis Lapham, correspondent for Harper’s Magazine said this about it:

“First they give you the vision of hell, which is what scares the person, the audience and the viewer. This is what sets up the good news, which is the advertising, which is the way the game is played. So the idea that the media as a whole does bad news is just not true at all. It’s part of the pitch. It’s the freak show in order to sell the snow cones.” 

The next time you are watching TV, try to pay attention to the absurdity of it all; commercials tell us to ask our doctor about asthma medicines that could help us…or lead to an increased risk of asthma related death. A morning show will tell you how important it is for your health to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and then the evening new will tell you to tune in at seven to “See what’s in your fruit and veg that could possibly kill you…”                                                                               

Instead of focusing on all the things that could possibly kill you, put your attention to what is actually hurting your life and causing you anxiety: your television.  Tonight, try turning off the evening news and going for a walk instead; you might find that your neighborhood isn’t so bad after all. 

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What’s On Your Radar?

I recently read “The Four-Hour Work Week,” by Tim Ferris. It’s a good read, and full of tips how to better manage your time. One point that Ferris makes many times in the book is the need to strictly limit the amount (and type) of information you allow “on your radar” in your day-to-day life. He calls this the “low-information diet,” and it’s great to improve your efficiency, saving you both time and money.

But as I read the book, I realized that I’ve already been doing this for quite a few years for a very different reason.  A little over 3 years ago I began strictly limiting the info I was exposed to: TV, books,  conversations, etc, because I discovered the importance of  “not focusing on what you don’t want in your life.”

Even today, as a life coach I make it a point to not spend my days focusing on problems–mine or anyone else’s. The reasoning behind this is incredibly simple: What you “study” is what you get.

 Most of us are bombarded with information on a daily basis–and most of it is either unimportant, or unactionable. This information glut is at the root of many anxiety problems. And when it comes to information overload, there are two categories that are most likely to increase general anxiety, and should be avoided whenever possible:

1. Unactionable information
2. Unresolved conflict

Unactionable information is just what is says; information you cannot act on. The television news provides LOTS of this.For example, political upheaval on the other side of the planet is unfortunate, but in all likelihood, there is absolutely no action you can take on this information one way or the other.

 Unactionable info simply clutters our state of mind, and doesn’t add anything of value to our day.

Unresolved conflict is the other big problem.  Unresolved conflict is another word for “drama,” and many of us are (often unknowingly)  “addicted to drama.” When we “carry” around lots of unresolved conflict, we are practically guaranteed anxiety issues in our life. Tuning out the drama and going on the low-info diet can actually improve our physical health, as well as our state of mind.

 As someone who has used this technique a long time now, I guarantee it produces results. True, it does take time to change your old habits, but you can begin today–even right now: walk over to the TV and unplug it from the wall. Leave it unplugged a while, maybe even a week, and then notice how you feel.

You may just be surprised how quickly and effectively the low-information diet takes effect.

This low-info philosophy is discussed in much more detail in the The Easycalm Video Series, because it’s such a huge part of reorganizing your life to be free of panic attacks and anxiety. Check it out.

Until next time, be well,
Jon

Jon Mercer, MA
Personal Development Coach
http://www.easycalm.com/
http://www.attractanything.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/socialskills.81169853
Managing Director, Youniverse LLC

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I used to almost enjoy dentist appointments. Weird, huh? It helped that I had a great dentist (I say “had” because sadly, he moved away earlier this year). Lately though, I’ve been struggling to keep a positive attitude about my dental visits.

To begin with, I’ve had two root-canal procedures in the past year; the most recent had complications that caused an ”ongoing discomfort situation,” which is evidently dentist-speak for chronic pain.  To pile on a bit more fun :-)  the first root canal brought on an annoying case of TMJ, which is a problem with the jaw joint that causes ringing in the ears, face-aches and a host of other weird and annoying symptoms.

And as much as I ramble on and on about keeping a positive mental attitude (my partner Liz is a saint for putting up with it), I must admit, I’ve had more days than usual lately when this proved tough to do.

I’m not sure what the actual point of this post is,  so forgive me if I ramble a bit. I think maybe it’s about persistence in the face of the little hardships life throws our way now and then. Or maybe it’s about understanding that we all deal with these ups and downs, no matter how positive our outlook may be, and how dedicated we are to walking on the sunny side of the street.

 But either way, one thing is clear: I am absolutely convinced that my recent distress would have been much worse had I not tried my best to maintain a positive attitude, even when it was hard to do, and even when I failed.

The simple act of just trying to stay positively focused is important, and it does help, even if you’re struggling, and even if you fall off the path completely now and then. Tomorrow is always a new day–and we only have to get up and try again. I know it’s a cliche, but that doesn’t make it any less true: it is only by quitting that we ever really fail. As long as you don’t give up, you’re still in the game.

As for me, I’ve already decided the outcome: final score,  Jon: 1, Root Canal: 0.

Game over.

Wishing You Peace,

Jon Mercer, MA
www.easycalm.com 

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 First, allow me to answer my own question: I do.

Some people are surprised when I tell them I have a life coach and have had for several years. The conversation usually goes something like this: “yeah, but you are a life coach Jon! Why would you need a coach of your own?”

It’s true that I’ve been a Certified Personal Development Coach for years, and that I’ve successfully coached hundreds of people. But that is exactly why I have a coach too: I have seen first hand how valuable it is to have a dedicated professional coach in your corner.

No self-respecting athlete would try to train themselves, and neither should you and I! We make much more progress overcoming our limitations and achieving our goals when we work with an experienced pro. The truth is, trying to “go it alone” makes things harder than they have to be, and you don’t make half as much progress–no matter what you are trying to achieve.

I’m sometimes asked which areas of life a coach can help with. I can honestly say that having a good coach has helped EVERY area of my life: my state of mind, emotional health, relationships, family and financial well-being. My coach helps me get more of what I want in life, and less of what I don’t. And that’s kind of the point, right?

Working with a coach has also helped me to become a better coach over the years, learning to quickly identify limitations and strengths. And one of the greatest parts of my job is helping clients to use undeveloped resources they already have to break free of old limitations, the past and childhood problems and move forward into the person they are capable of being today.

I’m often surprised (as are the clients themselves) at the positive transformations that occur in clients after we’ve cleared away some of the “cobwebs” that have been holding them back

If you’d like to move forward in your life–whether you’re in need of a complete “life makeover” or just solid guidance to help you stay the course, a good coaching program can take you there.

As for my own coaching program, I do not coach more than five clients at any one time. This protects me from “burn out” and helps ensure that every client gets the personal attention and dedication they deserve.

But because I limit my roster to only five clients at a time, I am not able to accept everyone that applies for coaching, so I must work to select the best “candidates” at any given time.

In order to decide whether I can take on a client, I request that all potential new clients email first and briefly explain their situation and also specify which coaching option they would prefer:

Coaching Option 1: Standard coaching requires a one month commitment and includes a one-hour phone consultation every week, plus up to two priority email consultations per week (note: the initial phone consultation may be longer to get sufficient background info). The normal rate for standard coaching is $495 per month, but subscribers to the easycalm newsletter get $100 off, so your actual rate is only $395 per month (note: don’t forget to to mention you are a newsletter subscriber when you email!)

Coaching Option 2: “Intensive” coaching is the best option for those who want to see major changes in the shortest amount of time. Intensive coaching also requires a minimum one month commitment and includes (2) hour-long phone consultations every week PLUS priority email support up to 3X weekly. The normal rate for Intensive coaching is $795 per month, but again, subscribers to the easycalm newsletter get a big discount–the total cost for subscribers is only $595 per month.

Important points to consider before applying for the coaching program:

1. If you are considering intensive coaching, be sure that you are ready to make a serious commitment to follow through. This program will require more of you in the form of challenging your limiting beliefs and “homework” assignments. You will need to dedicate both time and energy to making this transformation, because that’s exactly what I will be expecting.

2. Please understand that if you are not accepted at this time, it’s not personal, and it does not imply anything about you or the nature of your situation. Often, it is simply because my roster is full or because I feel that I’m not able to fully assist you with the situation you are dealing with at this time. Bottom line: If I’m not sure I can help you, I won’t coach you.

For coaching enquiries, please email coaching@easycalm.com and be sure to include the following info:

A. Describe your situation (briefly), your basic goals, and other relevent information.
B. Indicate which coaching program you are interested in (Standard or Intense Coaching).
C. Don’t forget to let me know you are a subscriber (saves you money!)

I look forward to hearing from you,

Jon Mercer, MA
Personal Development Trainer
Coaching info: coaching@easycalm.com

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“Anxiety and Panic Attack sufferers tend to live lives of quiet desperation.”

As a personal development trainer specializing in anxiety issues, and a former sufferer of extreme anxiety and panic attacks, I can assure you the above statement is true–I’ve been there. I spent years of my life searching in desperation for an anxiety cure that was effective and would last.

Like many people, I tried the medical route: I was prescribed anti-anxiety medications that doctors assured me would provide a “real” anxiety cure with no severe side-effects…at least that’s what I was told…

Fast forward two years: I had gained 50 pounds, had chronic heartburn, fatigue, memory loss (my friends began calling me “Mr Short-Term Memory”) and sexual “dysfunction” (don’t even ask!). My relationship was in ruins and I was barely able to function at my job.

And the worst part? My anxiety and panic attacks were still there!

Here’s what the medical community and drug manufacturers don’t really want you to know: anti-anxiety medications are completely ineffective for most people as an anxiety cure. The best anti-anxiety medications available have success rates that are only slightly higher than a placebo–and when you factor in the severe, soul-destroying side effects, it’s easy to see how dangerous and harmful these medications usually are.

 I’m not saying there’s a conspiracy going on (exactly), but I am saying that there is a ton of money to be made by keeping this information quiet. And that’s exactly what the big corporations do. Which is great news if you are a stock holder, but terrible news if you are desperately seeking an anxiety cure, as I was for so many years.

 So if medication is not the answer, what is?

A “real” anxiety cure must be sustainable, not a quick fix that makes your life progressively worse over time, creating a type of addiction that keeps sufferers feeling like helpless victims. A “real” anxiety cure is all about empowerment–taking back control over your life.

The method  I used to cure my anxiety problems has been well-documented both online and off: The EasyCalm System for Anxiety and Panic Attacks.

The EasyCalm System is the only proven anxiety cure presented in video format, for a one-on-one training experience, and it’s all natural–no weight gain, memory loss, or other weird side effects. And best of all–no more feeling like a helpless “victim,” watching your life slip away from you, and feeling powerless to do anything about it.

The cure for anxiety is not to be found in a pill. A real and lasting anxiety cure can only come from proper training and and the knowledge of what is causing your anxiety situation in the first place. Watch the free EasyCalm introduction video (27 minutes) and find out for yourself. And then take YOUR life back.

Don’t believe the hype folks–There IS a real, drug-free anxiety cure. I cured my anxiety and panic attacks years ago by following this method. I truly hope YOU won’t you wait years to get this information. The sooner you take action–the sooner you take back control of your life.

 Jon Mercer, MA,
Personal Development Trainer
www.easycalm.com

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