In part I, which was posted on May 3rd, I discussed how people often engage in problematic behaviors, such as over or under eating, drinking and smoking in response to stress.  In an American Psychological Association survey on stress, people reported lack of willpower as preventing them from making the lifestyle and behavior changes recommended by a health care provider.

In order to improve their willpower, women said they needed to decrease fatigue, increase energy and improve confidence.

Men were more likely to say they need more money, while women were more likely to say they need more time.  Women identified household chores, in particular, as interfering with their willpower to cope with stress in healthy ways.

This post will focus on improving confidence and finding time.

Are you trying to make positive changes in your life?  When we want to do something differently, say, to stop smoking, curb our temper or exercise more frequently, we often start with enthusiasm.  But habits are hard to change. After an initial burst of energy, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns of behavior.

What we too frequently ignore when we try to make changes is what is happening around us that either enhances motivation or encourages us to slip back into the status quo.

When you are trying to make changes, what happens as soon as you act in a particular way has an impact on whether you will stick it out.  Say, for example, you’d like to exercise more often.  We all know the long-term benefits of exercise, but what happens as soon as you make the decision to exercise? 

Life can be full of uncertainty and pressure.  You might face it when you’re in college and are uncertain about such things as who you are, how you fit in, what your future is and how to best prepare yourself for it. Or you might suddenly find yourself uncertain and feeling vulnerable and as though you have no purpose while awaiting difficult news about your health or experiencing changes at work.

Stress, anxiety and depression are often consequences of the combination of uncertainty and pressure.

Today is the first day of spring.  Although there are fluctuations, in many parts of the country, in many areas, the temperatures have been spring-like.

When you work inside, have a long commute or lead a busy lifestyle, you may find that you spend little time outside.  Instead of soaking up the sun’s rays, you may spend your days primarily exposed to artificial lighting, indoor noise pollution and a controlled climate.  And rather than sitting outdoors, we are often consumed by digital media that surrounds us.

The average American spends several hours a day watching television as well as additional time with other digital media.

Are you stressed out? If you are, you’re not alone. According to a 2010 American Psychological Association survey, one-third of American parents are extremely stressed and the majority of Americans are moderately stressed.

Many experience on-going stress from financial need, work demands and the pressures of family life. The challenge of managing stress with healthy habits, such as exercise, less worry, or better eating can leave us worried about the impact stress is having on our health.  However, Howard S. Friedman PhD suggests that when it comes to your health and how long you live, stress is not necessarily all bad.

Have you ever been so angry and stuck in spiteful or resentful thoughts that it seemed to take over your life?

Painful feelings such as anger, are often associated with worries about negative consequences — perhaps that an important goal will be blocked or that you will fail, be criticized, hurt or abandoned.  The intensity of your feelings and worries can leave you stuck in a cycle of angry feelings, with resentment and rage fueled by worry, spiteful thoughts and memories of hurtful experiences.

If you’re stressed by cuts in bonuses, lack of opportunity for career advancement, unrealistic job expectations, long hours and feeling undervalued, you’re not alone.

According to a Summary of the American Psychological Association’s Stress in the Workplace Survey in March, 2011:

“More than one third (36 percent) of workers said they typically feel tense or stressed out during their workday and almost half (49 percent) said low salary is significantly impacting their stress level at work. Twenty percent report that their average daily level of stress from work is an 8, 9, or 10 on a 10-point scale.”

With cuts due to the recession, many employees are experiencing significant stressors at work, such as excessively high workloads, unrealistic expectations, a lack of control over their work day and expectations that they complete work tasks at which they are inexperienced or unqualified.