Sooner or later you'll experience
A crisis in your life,
And how you meet it will determine
Your future happiness and success.
Since the beginning of time,
Everyone has been called upon
To meet such a crisis.
A closer look will show you
That most "crisis situations"
Are opportunities to either advance
Or stay where you are.
In fact, most changes in your life
Will take place out of either
"inspiration" or "desperation."
Whatever comes your way,
Give it meaning and transform it
Into something of value.
Your personal growth is the process
Of responding positively to change.
A precious stone cannot be polished without friction,
Nor humanity perfected without trials.

In these times of cut-throat competition when everything moves to a lightning speed, stress has become a monster which keeps terrifying us.
While there are a plethora of products and therapies and pills (and what not) to help you cope with stress, it's not easy to find out which ones are real and which of them are duds. So to save you the stress of doing that research we present the Top 10 scientifically proven stress-killers to help you bid stress goodbye.
10: Kill the Clutter
Even a layman can figure out that remaining surrounded by clutter only adds to the stress. Lesser the clutter in house, workspace etc., lesser the clutter in your mind. So make sure you thrive in clean, hygienic surroundings.
9: A Daily Planner
Once you have got rid of the clutter, it's time to organise and manage the essential stuff. We all harbour a thought in our mind that we'll remember the essential stuff but let's face it, that doesn't really happen. Do not hesitate from using a daily planner. Using a daily planner -- and sticking with it -- will ensure that your time is well-managed and you set your priorities correctly.



8: A Stress-busting Vacation
If the maddening hustle-bustle of the city life is getting on your nerves, it's time to pack your bag and escape. The initial planning may cause some stress but once you'll out of the town, “far from the maddening crowd”, you definitely feel better. The getaway can have a lasting impact as well.
7: Resist Caffeine
Caffeine is the most widely consumed drug in the world. Unfortunately (and obviously), there are side-effects and you have to be careful about them. It may help you in staying awake, but it also makes the heart beat faster, increases blood pressure and elevates the level of stress hormone - cortisol. Drink too much coffee too often, and it could contribute to the development of chronic stress.
6: Listen to Relaxing Music
Music evokes both emotional and physical responses in the listener. While heavy metal may jack you up for a workout, soothing music can help the body and mind unwind. However, some people say that rock and metal help them in combating daily stress and angst in life.

5: Psychologists are your Friends
Get over with your fear of visiting psychologists. These specialists in their domain and know how to deal with the human mind. Psychologist these days are well versed in cognitive behavioral therapies and other psychological relaxation techniques that have been scientifically proven to reduce stress.
4: Mind your Diet
Get those burgers and fries and samosas off your plate. It's time to include healthy stuff in your daily diet. Consider fruits, green leafy vegetables, milk, etc. What you eat is what you become. Junk food can play havoc with your health which would only give you that unwanted stress.
3: Try Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an ancient form of martial art which is often considered as Yoga in motion. While the principles of tai chi lie in ancient Taoist concepts of self-defense, in the modern era, tai chi is often practiced just for its amazing health benefits. Several studies proving that Tai Chi can help kill stress exist.
2: The Weekly Dose of Massage
Evidence exists that massages reduces your heart beat and keeps a check on your cortisol level. While there may not be any long-lasting physiological benefits, the trick is done psychologically as massages reduce the perceived levels of stress.
1: Hit the Bed
We know they show some really good blockbusters after 11 but then life is all about making choices. Staying up late in the night adds greatly to the stress. Stress and sleep have a cyclical relationship. Lack of sleep can cause stress, and stress causes lack of sleep. Getting timely, good, and the right duration of sleep can help eliminate stress to a good extent.

The easiest thing to do when the alarm clock rings would be to roll over and go back to sleep.
Yet if you made that choice every day you would never get anything accomplished.

The easiest thing to do when troubles come your way would be to look for someone else to blame.
Yet even if you find who is to blame, that's not going to remedy the situation.
The easiest thing to do when faced with a challenge would be to run away and hide.
Yet when you do that, the challenge becomes even more difficult the next time
you encounter it, and eventually you'll be unable to avoid it.

Taking the easy way out is never really easy, not in the long run.
Rather than seeking the easiest choice, seek the choice that will fill your life
and your world with the most value.

Rather than avoiding effort, welcome that effort and the progress it will bring.
Instead of being enticed by the empty promises of an easy answer,
enjoy the rich rewards of holding out for the best answer.
When you have the choice, forget what is easiest and go with what is truly best.

1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble,
but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout

2] Do you know why a Car's WINDSHIELD is so large & the Rear view Mirror is so small?
Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. Look Ahead and Move on

3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write
4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever.
If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.

5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond,
don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!

6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says,
"Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!

7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities;
when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.

8] A blind person asked Swami Vivekanand: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?"
He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"

9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and
sometimes,when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrows' TROUBLES, it takes away today's' PEACE

Between work, family obligations and money worries,
it may all feel too overwhelming sometimes.
Of course, there is good stress and bad stress.
The first one can motivate you to become more productive.
The second kind, the type that makes you lose sleep,
can actually be bad for your mental and physical health.
Here's a handy guide to help you assess whether you're stressed,
how serious your stress is, and how to deal with it.

Stress warning signs
Of course, different people deal with stress in different ways,
but here is a list of mental and physical symptoms to help you
understand if you're stressed.

The mental symptoms may involve you being:
•Angry
•Depressed
•Anxious
•Always hungry, or having no appetite
•Crying often
•Have trouble sleeping and feel tired
•Have trouble concentrating

The physical symptoms may involve:
•Chest pains
•Constipation, or diarrhoea
•Cramps, or muscle aches
•Feeling dizzy, or fainting
•Engaging in nervous behavior like biting your nails
•Twitches, or experiencing pins and needles
•Feeling restless
•Having sexual problems, from erectile dysfunction to lowered
sex drive.
•Feeling breathless
•Can't sleep

How stress works
When you are in a stressful situation, your body releases the hormones cortisol,
adrenaline, and noradrenaline, and these go on to cause the physical symptoms of stress.
You may start sweating, and your blood pressure and heart rate may rise.
This, in turn, may undermine your immune system, making you more
susceptible to illness, as well as lead your body to release fat and sugar
into your blood stream, which may lead you to gain weight.

As stress raises your blood pressure, if you are stressed in the long term,
you can develop high blood pressure, which in turn can increase your risk of
having a heart attack or a stroke.
If you feel that you are suffering from stress, see you GP,
but do not accept long term tranquilliser prescriptions.
Ask for help from a psychologist, stress counsellor, relaxation therapist,
qualified hypnotherapist or even alternative therapist.
If these do not work, you must go back to your GP for professional guidance