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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A coaching client of mine e-mailed me recently and asked an unusual question.  He wanted to know if the principles discussed in the film “The Secret” were applicable to curing anxiety. 

I thought about this question for while, and although it might sound unusual in some ways, I believe that the concept of The Law of Attraction, which is discussed in the film, is very applicable to dealing with anxiety and panic attacks. 

I also don’t believe it is a coincidence that I first hit upon techniques to cure anxiety after reading a the works of Spinoza, Wallace Wattles, Emerson, and other writers who held beliefs very similar (or in some cases exactly the same) to the Law of Attraction (although they did not use that exact term).  Here’s why I think using “The Secret” is extremely beneficial for people with anxiety or panic attack issues: 

The Secret, or the Law of Attraction, holds that whatever it you give your focus and attention to on a regular basis is what you are actually attracting into your life.  We can see many common-sense examples of this all around us, and it explains the old proverb, “the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer,” because people are getting in life exactly what they are focusing the majority of their attention upon. 

So how does this “secret” apply to anxiety?  Think about it; if you give your attention and focus to things related to stress, anxiety, fear and unhappiness, what are you attracting into your life?  That’s right — you are attracting more of these things that you are focusing your attention upon. 

This is also a philosophy known as “assumed responsibility,” and this way of looking at the world, while sometimes difficult to adjust to at first, can improve many areas of your life, including anxiety problems.  When I first began practicing the philosophy of “assumed responsibility,” the first hurdle I had to cross was to accept that I (and I alone) was responsible for my anxiety. 

Up until that point, I had been blaming my anxiety problems on a troubled childhood, family weirdness, or even bad genes.  In fact, I blamed everything and everyone except myself.   But by refusing to accept responsibility for my anxiety I remained in a “victim mentality,” where I felt powerless. 

The moment I began accepting responsibility for the anxiety, and even the vicious panic attacks, the situation began to improve.  And it only got better from there 

So in this sense, I absolutely believe that the Law of Attraction or “The Secret” is beneficial to those who want to overcome their anxiety and move on with their life.  Because just like the Law of Attraction, the secret to curing anxiety is accepting full responsibility for it, and never assuming that you are a victim of genetics, a poor childhood, bad luck or any other misfortune. 

You are not a victim. The secret is that your anxiety is something you create and something you can stop.

JM

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

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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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Everybody likes Surprises, right? Many of you may already be familiar with our sister site, AttractAnything.com. I just wanted to let you know about a huge promotion being offered in the next AttractAnything newsletter (out this Sunday, July 15th).

I’ve arranged an amazing One-Day-Only Deal only for subscribers to the AttractAnything Newsletter.

But here’s the catch: I’m not going to tell you what it is! Not yet anyway, but trust me when I say this is the biggest promotion we’ve ever had. You’ll want to check this out….

If you’re not already a subscriber, make sure you sign up for the free AttractAnything Newsletter ASAP, because this special offer will ONLY be made available to subscribers, and ONLY for one day. The new issue is out this Sunday, so sign up now so you don’t miss out!

Take care,

Jon

 Jon Mercer, MA
Personal Development Coach
www.easycalm.com
www.attractanything.com

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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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Just a quick comment today:

I recently overheard someone discussing a big change in their life, and they described it as “making a choice to move out of the darkness, and get back into the Sun.” I thought, “what a great line,” but also, “what an accurate way of describing a transformation in life.”

We always make a choice. For many years my choice was to feel like a victim, and to focus on anxiety, panic attacks, and fear. When I began making a different choice, I began to see different results in my life. I chose to get back into the Sun (literally–I live in St Augustine, Florida), and my new choice brought new results.

What side of the street are YOU choosing to walk on? The dark side or the sunny side? Even in our toughest times, both sides are still there. You always have a choice.

 Take care,

Jon
www.easycalm.com (The Anxiety Coaching Videos Series)

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It’s been pointed out many times that I speak a lot about “positive thinking, self acceptance and gratitude, but what do these things really have to do with anxiety and/or panic attacks? Some ask, “Isn’t anxiety a physical or medical problem more than an issue of what you think about?”

Actually, anxiety and panic are really based on just one thing: your thoughts.

That’s why what you think is such a big deal. Everything we do in life begins as a thought, a way of looking at the world, a belief or intuition, and it is this habitual way of thinking forms our attitude. Attitudes determine what we focus on and what we ignore (filter out) in our day-to-day lives, and this is the real power we have over anxiety and panic attacks.

As someone once pointed out, “the thought is the ancestor of all action.” This point is so obvious I have never heard anyone try to argue against it. Thought determines your attitude, what you believe, what you fear, what you respect, what you do, what you don’t do, even who you are! It may be a cliché, but it’s still true: attitude really is everything.

A mistake I’ve made about a zillion times* is feeling that it was more important to act than to get my thoughts together (after all, I am male J). But action alone will get you nowhere fast. Your thoughts and attitude MUST be in harmony with your actions to accomplish much in life. That’s why the humble thought gets so much attention in personal development.

That’s also why I spend a ridiculous amount of time (in some people’s eyes) working with individuals on their attitude—their habitual way of thinking. It is the only place to start to achieve anything worthwhile—like freedom from anxiety and panic attacks.

A program or video series (like the EasyCalm Anxiety Coaching Videos: www.easycalm.com) can help you a lot with techniques and exercises, but don’t overlook the power of the humble thought as well. Personally, I read, watch and listen to every “positive thinking” resource I can find and I consider it a very worthwhile investment. From the results I see in my own life, I know how much difference this makes, so I encourage everyone dealing with anxiety and panic attack issues to “delve into” the world of personal development and positive thinking. In my experience, it can only help–and sometimes, much more than you might think.

Talk to you soon,

Jon Mercer

www.easycalm.com

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