4 Tips To avoid Getting Grumpy And Angry When You Quit Smoking

One of the biggest problems associated with quitting smoking is that many people become grumpy or just plain angry. They blame quitting on making them this way and is often used as an excuse for taking up the deadly habit again. The question is how can you avoid this problem?

1. The tip is to simply recognize that nicotine has been one big problem for your brain. You have become a drug user, using nicotine to modify your behavior. You have used this drug to make you easier to get along with. Anytime you felt upset you just stuck a smoke in your mouth and used this drug to change your feelings.
You probably don’t like to think of yourself as a drug user, but that’s the truth. People take drugs to alter their conscious state, often because they can’t manage their lives without it.
If you have been a smoker for a long time you probably don’t even know if you are a grumpy person or not!

2. The next tip is to realize that you have had the luxury of allowing yourself to be a grumpy person and respond to stress in a certain way, knowing that all you need to do is have a cigarette and you will be a sweet person again. Also you have conditioned others to accept this behavior, because maybe you just haven’t had a cigarette yet.
You’re not really a bad person you just need some nicotine.

3. This tip is simple. Get a grip on yourself! It’s not acceptable to be a grumpy person, and if you quit knowing that this will happen and that you will probably start again then you really have to get clear about how you can avoid this problem.

4. Have you ever wondered how non smokers handle stress. Well the fact is many don’t, they just behave badly and let the whole world know how hard their lives are. Do you enjoy being around these people?
Well you need to join the ranks of non smokers who take charge of their emotions. The solution is to purposely choose strategies designed to help relax you.

These include Yoga, Tai Chi and Meditation. I know for a fact that many of my male clients are not going to do these things. But what about stopping for a couple of minutes and just breathe deeply. Go to the gym, get a punching bag and take occasional breaks, just as you did to smoke, but these breaks are to breathe and relax.

I’m sure you are already over smoking, but maybe a bit unsure about what will happen when you quit. just pick up the phone a call me on 1300 203 422 in Australia and I will give you the full story on how you will be able to succeed

 

Stop Being Lumpy, Dumpy and Grumpy - Adjust Your Fitness Attitude

Today we see a backlash from the extreme aerobics & high impact training of the 80s & 90s. The mere thought of a little leotard, leg warmers and sweatband can cause many to cringe. Through the media, society has become imprinted with the association that exercise must be high impact, must make you sweat, and should make you sore. It is the "no pain, no gain" mentality.

This mentality can cause an aversion to exercise, especially for those who are less than fit. We live in a different era now and it is time to embrace a more holistic view of exercise. Exercise is merely intentional activity. It can be high impact, low impact or no impact. With this definition, it is reasonable to say that every person should strive to make "exercise" a regular part of their day.

To create a mind, body, spirit balance one must devote time to physical exertion as well as recovery. Your body needs all kinds of movement to develop harmony. Because people tend to have an aversion to high impact exercise, they discount it all together. To improve quality of life, it is this type of attitude that must be adjusted.

Activity such as chair exercises, stretching, yoga, tai chi, line dancing, walking, and other forms of gentle movement are also "exercise." It is time to start adding these kinds of activity into your daily schedule. Many low or non-impact activities also help to balance the mental pressures of today's hectic lifestyles.
Because of the negative effects of stress, it becomes vital for people to have outlets to relax and decompress. When people are over-stressed they are not receptive to trying new things and this further complicates the issue of negative exercise associations.

If you are barely keeping afloat as it is, you will not want to engage in something you perceive as unpleasant. So first things first, create a new definition of what exercise is. Then begin to address your mental health needs. Determine what you hope to gain from the new behaviors, and make that your focus. As a result of this mental shift, your physical health will become more manageable.

Dr. Daniel Landers is a leading authority on the influence of exercise on mental health. In his paper of the same name, he stated, "We now have evidence to support the claim that exercise is related to positive mental health as indicated by relief in symptoms of depression and anxiety." His sentiments were also echoed by the 1996 U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health.

Studies are finding that balancing mental and physical exertion is a vital part of the wellness equation. Look to create your own personal exercise menu, listing high, low and non-impact activities. Be creative and choose daily activity based on your physical and mental needs for the day. Each day you choose from your menu and schedule it into your day.

Because of the increased use of technology, our need for actual movement has decreased vastly. We are able to do more, but still only have the same number of hours in a day. This increased access to technology often equates to more sedentary time to do all it affords us. People are often physically sluggish, but mentally exhausted.

This "techno-excess syndrome" leaves people feeling stressed under the mounting pressure to do it all. Gone are the days of getting away. Now people are plugged in to a cell phone, or other tech devise at all times. This constant stimulation can create enormous mental stress. When you combine that with the lack of active movement, you get lumpy, dumpy and grumpy. To combat these nasty side effects of techno-excess syndrome, you must:

1) Address the negative programming that causes you to associate exercise with work.
2) Realign your thoughts about activity, considering its multiple forms & benefits.
3) Manage your technology time by setting realistic boundaries.
4) Create a personal exercise menu that you can choose from based on your needs. (List high, low and non-impact activities)
5) Make a commitment to daily exercise in whatever style that suits your needs. Put it into your schedule as a non-negotiable activity.

This regular commitment to stress management and attention to the balancing of your exertion and recovery cycles will leave you feeling more energized and alive. Stay open to all forms of activity and begin to have fun with movement.

"Wellness Matters" Article Series by Lisa Schilling RN, CPT
Speaker, Writer, Wellness Coach & Consultant
Lisa Schilling is the author of "The Get REAL Guide to Health and Fitness-FIVE STEPS to Create Your Own Personal Wellness Plan" She is juggles life as a doting wife and the mother of three boys, who keep her feet firmly planted on the ground!

Lisa is a Registered Nurse, author and recovering pageant queen, who spreads hope with her Get REAL approach to wellness. She empowers women, caregivers and groups to unleash their fullest potential by helping them to see their true beauty and discover their REAL value.

She feels passionate about spreading this message of hope and acceptance to help others be PROactive about their health and not simply REactive. Lisa uses her enthusiasm to inspire people to value and appreciate who they are. She helps people build a bridge from where they are, to where they want to be.

 

How To Avoid Becoming A Grumpy Old Man

In the UK, there is a TV series ‘Grumpy Old Men’ I think it is supposed to be a comedy programme, where middle aged men rant and complain about everything from the price of petrol to the overbearing popularity of American Idol. In a way their complaints are mildly amusing, but, it did get me thinking – Is that how I want to be in 20-30 years – always complaining and being grumpy? Often we see people who, in their early life, have a sympathetic, hopeful and positive mind. But, 30 years later, those positive qualities have slowly been eroded and replaced with a propensity towards being grumpy, miserable and negative. How can we ensure that we avoid the ‘grumpy old man’ syndrome and remain positive throughout our advancing years?

Don’t Get Stuck in A Rut

When we get stuck in a rut, life seems listless and boring. When there is no newness in life we have more time to observe the failings of others, ourselves and the world. If we are always complaining about the same things in life, try to do something different. Unfortunately, it is possible to develop a subtle enjoyment of being negative. The mind gets a certain misplaced pleasure by being grumpy and complaining. But, this kind of happiness is extremely limited. Look for ways to observe life in a new way; remain dynamic and don’t leave yourself time to become overwhelmed with negativity. If necessary, force yourself to try a completely new skill or activity. – Ten Tips to get out of a rut

Don’t Get Exasperated Over Things You Have No Control.

If the price of oil increases, there is not much you can do about it. Just because you incessantly complain about the price of oil, Saudi Arabia is not going to start producing an extra 10 million barrels a day. If you get upset things like this, you will invariably make yourself miserable. To some extent, we have to be accepting of external things beyond our control. For example, Governments always have and always will do things which are popular; we can’t expect this to change. But, what we can do is change our attitude. Rather than getting worked up by these things, we can develop a greater sense of detachment. Don’t allow your life to be dominated by complaints on the outside world.

Have Perspective of Young Child

We never refer to ‘grumpy young children’. True, a child may may have a temporary bad mood; but, they will soon shake it off. To a child the world is simple and a place of wonder. Life is not complicated but something to enjoy. A child does not spend his time criticizing things, he just plays and enjoys life. The problem is that we feel that because we are sophisticated adults we must be much better. But, how is it progress if we move from a positive attitude to a miserable attitude? It doesn’t matter how old we are; what matters is our inner attitude. If we can feel we have a childlike heart it will help considerably in avoiding grumpiness. Even observing the simple smile of a child will help put a smile on our face. – Life Lessons we can learn from children

Leave Criticism To Others

Criticism and grumpiness are intricately linked. If we spend all our time criticising and gossiping about others, we will develop a negative mindset. The problem is that in this world it is easy to find things to criticise. The truth is we could spend all day judging and criticing other people and we would not have even made a start. The world is not going to change just because we sit in a pub criticising others. What happens is that as we criticise the world, it gives us a subconscious feeling of superiority and this motivates us to spend more time criticising. However, if we want real happiness, we have to take a positive attitude; looking for good things to encourage – making a positive contribution. The world does not need more grumpy old men. There are always going to be plenty of people to complain about the level of taxes; what we need is positive people who will help make a difference.

Be Flexible

As we get older, if we are not careful, we can become more inflexible. We want and expect things to be done in a certain way. It becomes more difficult for us to accept change. This demanding attitude can make us very grumpy when things don’t go as we expect. We need to be like a tree; in the wind the branches are flexible and sway in the wind. If they couldn’t bend they would snap. Getting old doesn’t mean we have to become ‘stuck in our ways’; we can be flexible even as we approach old age.

Self Awareness.

It is important to be aware of our own state of mind; grumpiness and a negative attitude is often something that creeps up on us without realising it. Maybe after a while we feel depressed and unhappy, but, we don’t realise it is because of our own negative mental attitude. If we really want to remain cheerful and positive, then we will make it happen. We need to keep evaluating our attitude towards life – if we are becoming a grumpy old man, make a resolution to change.

Positive Attitude

If we want to avoid being miserable. The most effective strategy is to focus on the opposite which is the positive in life. Instead of criticizing people, try to look for good qualities to encourage. Instead of thinking of the things you can’t do, try beginning new activities and initiatives. A positive attitude will also be easier, if we remain busy and dynamic. If we are idle, it is easier for the critical mind to come to the fore.

 

 

How to stop being grumpy…

This morning I woke up grumpy and whingy and that’s not a good start to the day. While doing my morning pages I managed to clear it and thought I would share with the process I went through.

I accepted responsibility for my grumpiness. That is the grumpiness was with me and not the fault of anyone else.

Since I was responsible for the grumpiness it was my choice, now that I was aware of it, whether I remained grumpy and whether I let it go. Just the absurdness of thinking about choosing to remain grumpy brought the first smile.

Then I asked myself was the outside influence that had triggered my grumpiness important? Would I remember it in a month, year or 5 years even? The answer was no.

Why had I become grumpy? Because life wasn’t the way I thought it should be – yes I was trying to fight reality (again!). By trying to fight reality I had actually lost perspective and then closed down all possibility for creating anything new.

If there was a genuine concern (and in one case there was) then could I do something about it? Yes I could and I resolved to take some action.

After that there was actually nothing left to be grumpy about – the stories that I had created had vanished and the reality that was left was simply that – reality. Sometimes when I lose perspective it’s because I get tied up in the story of what I think  is going on rather than the reality of what is.

All the time while I was doing this process I was listening to the theme music from Starman which I love (and I loved the film too).

It may of course be coincidence but after that clearing and feeling so much better I received a phone call about some potential website work

 

Typically this is when you find yourself:

• getting more upset than a situation warrants
• going from zero to pissed off in a few seconds flat
• hanging on to old hurts and feeling them like they just happened

Now before you deny that you have ever experienced this, let me tell you, we’re not buying that. And, before you go beating yourself up about how it has happened, let me just welcome you to the messy and emotional world of the human race.

The “truth” is that we are emotional and feeling creatures with varying copying skills and abilities for handling life’s disappointments. So wherever you are on the bell curve of communication savvy just know that AWARENESS is the first step to change.

So, let’s deal with the grumpiness first! A great way to stop it in its tracks is to ask: “What is this really about?”

I guarantee that if you are feeling “grumpy” that what you think you are upset about is not likely “it.” It may have been the “last straw” or it may have been the “trigger”…but it is unlikely to be “it.”

If you are willing to try that on, then it will allow you a bit of distance and a bit of objectivity in the middle of a grumpy mood that will then open up the door to curiosity.

When you are curious you can ask yourself these wonderful questions:

• What am I afraid of?
• What do I think this means?
• What do I think will happen?
• What do I think this says about me?
• What if…?
• Am I tired, hungry or hormonal? (good to ask yourself that last one, not appreciated if someone else asks – LOL!)

Some Character Codes hang on to anger and hurt feelings longer than others. Some will be quicker to anger and get over it faster. It is helpful to know which one YOU are and the people around you!

More next time on how thoughts create feelings…what fun!