AUTHORS BIO Dr. Ken Nedd Stress Expert | Medical Doctor | Keynote Speaker | Bestselling Author ‘My goal is to help as many people as possible decrease stress and increase their happiness.” - KENFORD NEDD. M.D. Dr. Nedd is a practicing medical doctor, international keynote speaker, bestselling authorand highly sought after expert on stress and happiness. © Leading expert on transforming stress into happiness ® Medical Practitioner in Stress, Anxiety and Behavioral Medicine © Avid researcher on the impacts of happiness and stress on performance in the workplace © |nternational speaker named one of the Top 10 Speakers in America by the American Society of Association Executives © Author of the bestsellers Power Over Stress and The Time To Be Happy Is Now Dr. Nedd is a practicing Medical Doctor who treats stress related disorders in both one-to-one clinical as well as corporate settings. As President of the Intemational Stress Control Centre, Dr. Nedd spends a great deal of time researching the physiological impact of happiness and stress. He treats patients from far and wide for anxiety, headache, pain, and stress disorders.Dr. Nedd is a member of the Canadian Medical Association, the American Headache Society, the International Headache Society, the National Headache Foundation, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. In addition to medicine, Dr. Nedd shares his care, compassion, and inspiring messages with audiences worldwide as a corporate keynote speaker. He began public speaking at age 16 and throughout his career has engaged audiences across North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. He has received rave reviews from organizations such as the American Hospital Association, American Airlines, Barclay’s Bank, Alcan, Telus, AT&T, Shoppers Drug Mart, Insurance Bureau of Canada, and many more. Dr. Nedd has also been called upon to present to Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, and Mayors of the United States. Audience participants often describe Dr. Nedd and his keynote presentations as dynamic, energetic, passionate, inspiring, and spiritually engaging and repeatedly rate them higher than 10/10 in their evaluations. Dr. Nedd is the bestselling author of Power Over Stress - which is used as a textbook at New York University — and The Time to be Happy is Now. He has hosted the television show, Changes, and has been a regular local and national contributor to CBC Television. His daily television program, One Minute with Dr. Ken Nedd, has aired on Canada’s CTV and other networks. Over 500 episodes of his radio show have been syndicated in several countries. Dr. Nedd delivers captivating and inspirational corporate programs — both in-person and through self-directed video, audio, and text curriculums. They are delivered with humor and focus on creative alertness; how to engineer the body and brain for peak performance; how to use your brain in new ways; and how to become happier andmore motivated in stressful times. Throughout all his content, Dr. Nedd leverages a solid understanding of the human psycho-physiological system along with a wide array of scientific knowledge from which he has developed specific practical techniques that are continuing to change the lives of many people every Sample seminar topics include “The Essence of Creative and Innovative Leadership,” “How to Be Happy and Motivated in Stressful Times.” “Building Happier Relationships with Clients and Customers,” “Happiness: The Antidote to Stress,” “How to Stand Out in a Crowded Competitive Marketplace,” “Prescription for Pressure,” and “How to Win Against Stress.” Find out more about Dr. Ken Nedd and his programs at http:/www.dmedd.comINTRODUCTION | have put together 23 chapters that will change the way you live and improve your bodyand mind if you practice them. These pieces are short but they are packed with inspiration and designed to motivate you and give you something positive to improve your life in 23 days. 1- YOU ARE THE MASTER OF YOUR EMOTIONS You are a powerful being. Within you lies the capacity to master your emotions and generate the feelings that you want There is a corresponding chemistry that matches the emotion you are feeling. When you change your emotions, you change your chemistry. The way you react to life's events has a profound effect on the rest of your body: your sleep pattern, your metabolism, and even your immune system. Actors find various ways of accessing authentic emotions to bolster their performances. They might feel sad, but when they have to play the role of a joyful person, they can create joy and actually feel happy and elated in that moment. Likewise, you can learn how to generate feelings of happiness in tough times. You can think uplifting thoughts in the middle of your storm. Say to yourself: “lam a being full of light and joy. The clouds of life cannot obscure my sun forever” By choosing joy whenever you can, you strengthen your body's functions. 2- STRESS IS THE RESPONSE What is stress? Stress is not the loss of a job, a quarrelsome spouse, or a demanding boss. These are difficult situations, and such things are inevitable. Life is really just one darn thing after another, but stress is the way you choose to respond to the hardships that confront you. | repeat: stress is not the situation. Stress is your response to that situation. =aJust because you are having a rough time right now doesn’t mean you have to suffer from stress. You can respond to the hardships by balancing your body, breathing deeply and evenly through your nese, and saying with conviction, “Things are tough, but! can handle it” Think great thoughts, especially in rough times, and you will tum stress into SUCCESS. 3- CIRCULATION Let me tell you something about circulation. What happens when you are upset, stressed or tense? What happens when you allow something or someone to irritate you? Blood moves away from your hands and feet. They become cold—thence the phrase, “cold feet. “When you find yourself getting upset. reorganize your circulation by deliberately increasing the flow of blood into your arms and your legs. It's simple: all you do is inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. As you breathe out, visualize the blood flowing towards your fingers, and relaxation will come pouring into your body. So, in times of stress when you are so busy, breathe deeply and let your arms and legs become heavy, warm and relaxed. 4- SELF-ESTEEM Do you ever wonder if you have low self-esteem? You see, self-esteem is the belief that you are worthy of happiness. Self-esteem is the bone-deep conviction that you ARE enough, and that you CAN handle whatever life throws at you. The person who is a bully, or brags incessantly, or tramples on other people—that person usually suffers from low self-esteem and is terrible in relationships. The more self-esteem you have, the more clearly you will see the grandeur in yourself and in others, and the better you will be in handling relationships. Here is one thing you can do to raise your self-esteem. Begin to raise the level of attention and awareness that you bring to your life. As Nathaniel Branden would say, “Live consciously.” Know who you are. Raise your awareness and you'll raise your self-esteem. Sa5- PRESENCE IS POWERFUL One way to relieve your own stress is to use the gift of empathy and compassion. If you are so tense and nervous that you cannot continue, think of someone less fortunate whom you visit and this act of focusing on the pain of others will block the pain of your own stress. Call it love if you will, but it works. Someone may be hurting deeply after a serious diagnosis or a devastating event. Don't close yourself in. Even if you are inundated with problems yourself, you are your brother's or sister's keeper and you have more to offer than you think. Often the problem is that you want to help, but you don t know what to say, so you stay away and nurse your own infirmities. Even when you are under stress, learn to act in the interest of others. This is a great way to relieve your own stress. “ Whatever you do for the highest good of others, will always work out to your own highest good” Santayana Many people use soothing words to try and cheer up the distressed person, but to no avail When someone needs you, you don't have to say anything—simply be there. Once, there was.a man who lost his family and all his possessions in a Hurricane. He was so devastated that he could not speak. Many people tred, but they could not get him to say a word. One day a wise and stressed out pastor went to see him. He just sat there with him for a whole day without uttering a word. and the man started to speak. You don't have to say anything—just a loving caring attitude is enough. Presence is powerful and when you use your presence to lift the burden of others, your own stress will diminish. 6- HAPPINESS: THE KEY TO LONGEVITY The single most important factor that will determine how long and how well you will liveis not genetics, exercise or diet. itis how happy you decide to be. Men and women who labor joylessly die of heart disease. Happy patients recover from sickness and surgery much more rapidly. So if you are serious about good health, happiness should be a big part of your armamentarium. —_ qqActually, if you have been diagnosed with a disease, one of the best things you can do is to become a happier person. But where do you find happiness? Happiness does not come from riches, or praise, or promotion. Happiness Is internal. Happiness is where you are. So look inwards and catch a glimpse of the grandeur that is in you. That is where the treasure lies and by relating to your inner self you will increase you confidence and innerfortitude to handle the hardships that come your way. When you are surrounded by stressful events and situations don't despair, don't dismiss happiness, look inwards, appreciate the greatness that is in you and rejoice. Dance, smile, laugh, actias if you are having a ball. Induce happy feeling at the first sign of stress because Happiness is the antidote to stress. 7- DIFFERENTIAL RELAXATION Here is a technique that will help you master the stress in your life. Itis called Differential Relaxation. Differential relaxation means relaxing all the muscles you are not using. Going through your day this way—using only the muscles that you need—tleaves you with more energy. For instance, if you are running, relax your face. If you are sitting, relax your back. If you are typing, you can tense your fingers, hut relax your neck. shoulders and abdomen. Remember to breathe with awareness as you work. Here's an exercise to help you. Make a tight fist with your right hand. At the same time, relax your left hand and all the other muscles in your body. Practice this while watching TV or reading. My point is that you should practice to contract only the muscles that you have to as you go through your day. —8- CHOOSE HAPPINESS King Solomon once said that there is nothing better for human beings, while they live, than to be happy and enjoy their work. So, for those of us who believe that we are too stressed or too busy to include happiness in our plans, | would like to suggest the following. Happiness is relevant. Actually, happiness is pivotal. Did you know that 100 bouts of laughter confer similar benefits to exercising for 10 -15 minutes on a stationary bike? Today, choose to be a happier person by adopting positive thoughts, attitudes and behaviors. In this way, you will activate the powerful forces that the immune system usesto fight viruses and cancer. Happiness is crucial to your survival. So, choose happiness and leave stress behind. 9- DONT FIGHT In order to master stress you must conserve your energy. Don't ever fight unless you have to. Fighting takes energy. Learn to back away from conflict. Even if you know you would win a fight, you're going to be left weaker. A great general is not one who wins a lot of battles. No—a great general is one who Is sostrong, powerful, self contained and confident that he does not have to fight 50, learn to spot conflict before it happens. Then back away. If your enemy taunts you, back away. If your wife provokes you, back away. If you feel the urge to attack others, practice restraint. Recognize that you are a person with great internal fortitude. Dont fight. The poet Samuel Butler wrote: In all the trade of war, no featls nobler than a brave retreat. 10- TOP 5 TIPS FOR GREAT ACHIEVEMENT Tip #5: Fill your heart with positive emotions: joy, optimism, love, and a deep belief in yourself and your mission. =aTip #4: Monitor your energy. Take breaks, and renew your strength. Stay uplifted. After working for 90 minutes, do something to renew your mental and physical energy — something pleasurable that you enjoy. Tip #3: Associate with winners. Seek them out. Ask questions and do what they do. Look at how you spend your time and drop the people who dont allow you to help them but constantly drain your energy. Tip #2: Value your time. Prioritize your activities. Do first things first and stay healthy so you don't have to take time out for sickness. And the number-one tip for great achievement: Develop a clear picture of what you want to achieve. Write it down as a goal, and break that goal down into a list of smaller, actionable steps. Look at this list every day. These 5 tips will not only help you to prospers, but they will enhance your health, energyand happiness. 11- | AM RESPONSIBLE People who habitually suffer from stress blame others and fail to take responsibility for their own predicament. It is so easy to point the finger of blame at someone else when we feel stressed and anxious. Today | would like you to banish blame and adopt three very important words. Repeat these three words throughout the day. Use them whenever you are disappointed, or when you fail. Use them whenever you re in a love relationship where things aren't going well. Use them when you get bad news. These three words will empower you and help you succeed in all areas of your life. The three words are: “| am responsible.” Not, “] am to blame.” | am responsible. When things go wrong, when you lose a sale or a job, when there is no money in the bank, step up to the plate and take responsibility. Blame points to the past: responsibilitypoints to the future. =Today, when you have a problem, banish blame. Say, “l am responsible,” and move towards your success, 12- FACING FEAR What is causing your fear night now? What are you afraid of? Look atthe situation square in the face and focus on what is real, not on what may or may not happen. Analyze the situation and find the real reasons for your fear. What makes you afraid to go to the doctor? Are you afraid of discovering that you may have cancer? Find the hidden cause of your fear. Then, make your thoughts positive and self-empowering. Say, “| can handle that.” Induce physiological harmony in your body by breathing deeply and slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Face thesituation, feel your fear. . .and do what you know you should do anyway. This is what courage is. 13- RENEW YOURSELF The French philosopher Henri Bergson once said: “To exist is to change, to change Is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.” This is an exciting part of life; we can continue to change and renew ourselves for as long as we live. Thus, this program is not so much about knowledge, since knowledge alone keeps no fresher than fish. This is about Wisdom—specifically, the wisdom to change. Happiness is growth: we are happiest when we are growing and changing. So, don't leave yourself to chance. Take an exalted view of whom you are. Become an architect of your life, and design it as you wish. Work hardest on yourself, because the real treasure lies within you. 14- SETTING AND REACHING GOALS One of the marks of a successful person is goal orientation. Successful people have goals. SaWhatever you pursue, develop a goal. Visualize the outcome that you want. ['m going to sell two new policies today. | am going to contact five new customers. / am going to make my boss happy today. I'm going to get two interviews today. I'm going to cook a great meal today. Whatever your job is, don't just work. Put it in the form of a goal and be clear about the outcome you want. Clarity is key. As you move through your day, monitor your thoughts and actions. Control your time and do the things that are likeliest to move you quickly toward your goal. Finally, remember that success depends on your ability to ignore things that may be tempting but not relevant to what you want to achieve. 15- LOSING WEIGHT The secret to losing weight and keeping it off is not really about what you put in your mouth. The secret lies in what you keep in your fridge, your kitchen, and your house. lf you don't have junk food around, chances are you wont eat it. If you are serious aboutlosing weight. diets are not the answer. You know just as well as any doctor what you need to avoid. Just know the foods that harm your health and increase weight, and keep them out of reach. You don't gain weight because you collide with starchy and fried foods. They will never chase you down; you have to go after them. So, all | am saying Is this: if you don't take junk food home with you, they can't break your heart 16- HAVE YOU FORGIVEN? John divorced Melissa, cleaned oout their bank account, ran away to Paris with a younger woman, and married her. Melissa came to see me with severe abdominal pain, daily headaches, a bad flu she couldn't shake, and a heart full of revenge and anger. She confessed that she could Sinever, on God's green earth, bring herself to forgive John for what he did to her—even after 12 years. John was enjoying himself in Paris with his new love, but Melissa was releasing an excessof cortisol and adrenaline, which can precipitate cancer, diabetes, heart attacks, and other diseases. In short, Melissa was hastening her own demise. True, forgiveness is not easy. The act of letting go and moving on is tough. And when youare suffering aS a result of their actions and they are enjoying undeserved happiness, therevenge increases. But not forgiving can be lethal to your health. Therefore, forgiveness is not so much about the other person. It's about you. 17- AWARENESS Awareness is the greatest gift we have. The study of history is really the study of awareness. But just like we are prone to take the awesome force of gravity for granted, so we take the power of awareness for granted and miss out on its marvelous benefits. Humans are the only creatures endowed with the amazing capacity to focus awareness inward and outward, at the same time. We just about always focus our awareness outwards leaving our inner self, starving for meaningful attention. Today make a resolution to turn up the beam of your awareness and focus it inwards and see how you really are. Biofeedback has shown that if you can focus your attention on your circulation or your heart, you can change their function. When we neglect to focus our awareness inward we become more susceptible to stress and disease. Increase the level of your health today by focusing your awareness inwards and listen to your body. Listen ardently, listen earnestly, listen and establish control over your physiology by focusing your attention inward. Visit your liver. Notice your abdomen. Focus on your lungs as you breathe deeply, in and out. Become more aware of your body. =iThis is how you improve your health. 18- THREE INGREDIENTS OF STRESS (AND 3 WAYS TO COMBAT THEM) Here are three ingredients of stress: 1. You need difficult events and troublesome situations in your life. You don't have to go looking for them: they mostly come on two feet and talk back to you. 2. You need to think that the hardships you face are beyond your ability to cope. 3. You need to respond in your body, in unhealthy ways. However, you also have ways at hand to defeat stress. 1. Learn to deal with difficult people with patience and grace. 2. In the face of hardship, say, “| can handle that.” 3. Respond by balancing your body. Relax your shoulders, breathe deeply and slowly, and think happy thoughts. Say to yourself, “No situation can dim my light for very long. It will come back, like the sun out of the clouds.” 19- DREAM BIG | love the idea of dreaming big, don't you? Life is awesome, and we are all so wonderfully created! Dream about what you truly want to be, have or do. Then, make some goals and write them down. Some people think, “I know what my goals are. They're in my head!” However, goals that are unwritten are weak and powerless. You are unique and your own person. Write down your own goals—the ones that work for you, not for others. People who write down goals are much richer and more successful than people who stumble through life merely thinking they know what they want Knowing clearly what you want and taking the time to write it down are the keys to great success. So come on, let me inspire you today to think clearly about what you want to with your life. Write it down! Seta deadline. After you do these, you'll be on the road to success! 20- EGO Getting your ego out of the way is crucial to your success. Your ego is the tyrant of a tiny =iisland. It wants to control everything around it including circumstances and other people. It does not realize that in reality, we control so little. An egotistical attitude is ugly; if left unchecked, it will destroy your relationships. Do you know that prideful feeling that prompts you to show the world that you are better than others? When someone corrects you, do you have the urge to lash out, or do you ignore that urge? It’s a natural tendency in all of us to place ourselves on pedestals, but you have to keep that feeling under control Don't try to convince others that you are better than you really are. People respond much better to authenticity—when you have an honest view of both your strengths and weaknesses. Whenever you are tempted to demonstrate that you are important, take a deep breath and remember that you are person of value. You don't have to prove anything. When you let go of your ego and quietly recognize who you are, you will discover real strength. 21- REPAIR THE BREACH Do you have an important relationship that is not going well? it may be with your parent, sibling, or significant other. | am going to ask you today to repair that breach. Take the initiative. Swallow your pride. Make that call. Be honest and forthright. Tell the person that you really love them, deep down. Tell them you want the relationship to work. Life is too short to spend any of it nursing animosity, registering wrongs and plotting revenge. Free yourself today, and step up to the plate. It's very uncomfortable to ignore your own discomfort as you reach out with compassion, but the reward is oh so wonderful. Have that conversation today. 22- QUESTIONS 10 ASK YOURSELF Here are a few questions that we should all ask ourselves from time to time: + What one skill if! developed it well, would have the greatest positive impact on my income or career? + How am | wired? —© What are my unique gifts and special talents? © What is my real purpose in going to work? © Why do | do what! do? © What activities would give me the best results? © What is the best use of my time right now? What had habit is standing in the way of my success? © Am | happy? Remember to ask yourself these questions. They will help to keep you focused on your highest priorities and decrease your stress. 23- THE POWER OF SILENCE Do you want to be outstanding? Spend time in silence. Get to know your unique gifts and special qualities. Write them down. Five minutes a day of silence will work wonders for your life. Silence is the factory in which greatness is manufactured. When you go to this place of silence, this about the principles and values that move your life. Learn to recognize the inner signals of your soul, and you will accentuate your own uniqueness. It is in silence that you will find confidence and inner strength. So, turn off the TV or computer. Take time away from the radio. Move away from the madding crowd and spend some time in silence. You cannot become great if you refuse to spend time alone. The person who spends some time in solitude is on the path to greatness, because he or she is developing the ability to listen to the soul 24- THE CELL MEMBRANE The cell membrane filters out damaging chemicals and prevents them from entering the cell As whole beings, each one of us is a congregation of about fifty trillion cells and we should learn to filter out anything that will be injurious to our health and happiness. <=We do not protect our physiology enough. In the course of our day we open the door to our hearts and minds to let in anger. worry and hostility and a host of negative and dangerous emotions. They enter right in and do serious damage to our physiology. If someone cuts you off in traffic in a rude and defiant manner, if your boss criticizes you,or your girlfriend or boyfriend ignores you, let it go. Don’t let anger, depression, hostility or tension invade your body, Filter them out. They can make you sick. Instead, focus on healthy feelings like appreciation, gratitude, joy, hope, empathy and love—tight in the midst of battle. That way, you won't give any fuel to negative feelings In challenging situations fill your brain with wonderful positive thoughts and negative emotions will fade away. 25- ACCEPT YOUR GREATNESS From today adopt the creed that you can handle anything that life throws at you. If you really internalize and practice this, you will stop stress dead in its tracks. Remember that you are God's most awesome creation. You can handle the impediments, disappointments and hardships of everyday life. Don't live your life as a wilted rose. Wake up and live your life in full bloom. Step up to the line and affirm your greatness as a human being. Claim your gift as the most powerful being on the planet and the size of your problems will shrink. In case you don’t believe that you are great, contemplate your physiology for a moment. Try to fathom the grandeur that is within you. Accept that YOU are indeed wonderfully made. Then, begin to see the same greatness in others. Great people tend to see greatness all around them. Do the same. As you rush past the janitor, look him or her right in the eyes and know that you are in the presence of a great being. Appreciate their role in keeping the building running and in great shape. Treat everyone with sensitivity and ceremony. As Dr. Melanie Brown says, “Behave with the greatness of others in mind.” —_y—CONCLUSION | hope you have internalized and practiced these ideas and techniques. They will continue to enrich your life and protect from poverty and disease. For more information about my free webinars and blogs please check www.dmedd.com and www.poweroverstress.com