Americans lead stressful lives.  Jobs, relationships, health, family obligations, community responsibilities—they all take their toll.

In “Stress in America 2012,” an annual survey by the American Psychology Association, 1 in 5 respondents reported an extreme stress level of 8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale.  In that same group 69% of respondents reported physical or non-physical symptoms of stress, including irritability or anger, fatigue, feeling overwhelmed or changes in their sleep.

The top source of stress according to 69% of the respondents is–money.

Coping with money worries is difficult for many people.  You may feel lost or out of control.  You may argue with your spouse.  And ironically, you may go on a shopping spree to try to relieve your stress.

April is National Stress Awareness month and as the April tax day approaches it’s a good time to think about ways to cope with financial stress.

7 Healthy Tips for Coping with Financial Stress

1. Take breaks from the computer when doing bookkeeping and taxes.  Computer work is hard on your neck and shoulders and for many people financial work is the most stressful computer work of all.  All this stress can lead to a sore neck, shoulders and back.

Get up every 45 minutes to walk around and stretch.  Take deep breaths.  Keep your body relaxed so your emotions stay level.
2. Take charge of your finances.  Track your earnings and spending every day for a month.  Be ruthless and write down every penny.

When you have a clear picture of your income and expenses make a reasonable spending plan which keeps them balanced.  Don’t budget on what you hope you’ll make or wish you’ll spend.  Be realistic.  Having a budget will give you control and reduce your financial stress.
3. Plan your splurges.  It’s difficult to stick with a financial plan if you feel like it is overly restrictive and deprives you of what you love.  Budget for reasonable treats.  Plan to spend money on the things that give you the most pleasure.
4. Balance making more with spending less.  Sometimes taking extra shifts at work is smart and sometimes spending less is the best plan.  Make conscious choices about which strategy gives you the most pleasure and the least financial stress.
5. Plan your shopping trips to avoid impulse buys.  Shopping can be stressful when you’re worried about money.  Shop when you are fed, hydrated and relaxed.

Shopping sales seems like a smart idea but if you buy because you’re afraid you will never see such great prices again, they cost you money.  When you shop sales buy only what you planned.  Don’t fall prey to “Sale Fever.”
6. Find support.  Sharing your financial triumphs and frustrations with a friend can be a big help in dealing with your financial stress.  A friendly ear gives you feedback when you’re tempted to blow your budget and accountability when you get lax.
7. Stay Calm.  If you feel panic because you can’t pay your bills, remember to breath.  Think about what your next step should be and resist negative thoughts or making your circumstances huge.  Remember similar times when you managed your problems successfully.

When you worry about money it is especially important to take care of your health. Remember to do your healthy routines.  Exercise, eat well and get enough sleep.
Even though few people celebrate Tax Day, it doesn’t have to be stressful.  Take steps to manage your financial stress.  Call me if you need help relieving your stress symptoms.
And have a Happy Tax Day.

Wei Qi provides an “immune system-like” barrier that protects the body from harmful pathogenic factors that can cause illness and disease. When we are exposed to bad air, germs, and viruses, our first line of defense, according to Chinese medicine is our Wei Qi barrier.

Over time, Wei Qi can become weakened and unbalanced due to many factors: improper diet, emotional stress, grief, sadness, inherited constitution, smoking, and pollution.  When our Wei Qi is down, we become prone to allergies, asthma, colds and even skin problems.  Your health and the strength of your immune system depend upon the quality, quantity and balance of Wei Qi that flows within your meridian channels.

Points Towards Health
Rubbing acupuncture points with your finger for 30 – 60 seconds can stimulate and promote the circulation of Qi within your own body.

Here are two common acupuncture points to support your health in winter. These points are located on both feet.

Kidney 6 – This point is directly below the inside anklebone. It is useful for sore throat, calming the mind, insomnia, frequent urination, irregular menstruation, cramps of feet and hands.

Kidney 7 – This point is located about two inches above the inside ankle bone and on the border of the Achilles tendon. This is a useful point for edema, night sweating, diarrhea, dry mouth, low back pain.

In China, there are many New Year’s traditions during the 15-day Spring Festival. Many people clean their homes to sweep away the past year and usher in the next. Oftentimes family members travel home for a visit.  Children receive red envelopes, called hóngbāo in Mandarin, filled with money from their relatives. People hang red lanterns outside their homes to bring happiness and good luck.  On Chinese New Year’s Eve families gather for a huge meal and enjoy “lucky” foods together.  And, of course, there are fireworks.

The Chinese zodiac has 12 years in its cycle, each one represented by an animal; 2015 is the Year of the Goat.  Astrologers say that people born in the Year of the Goat are gentle mild-mannered, shy, stable, sympathetic with a strong sense of kindheartedness.

They are creative, have perseverance and acquire professional skills very well. They are strong on the inside and with a sense of resilience and defensive instincts.
They are often quiet and reserved and prefer to be in groups rather than being the center of attention. They enjoy spending times in their own thoughts.

Recommit to Your New Year’s Resolutions
The Chinese do not traditionally make New Year’s Resolutions like we do in the west, however this is a good time to reflect on the goals you set a month ago. Are you keeping your New Year’s resolutions?

If you’re having trouble, maybe it’s time to take a lesson from the Goats.  Take a quiet moment and reflect on what is stopping you.  Do you need to get serious?  Do you need additional support?  Are your goals genuine—do you want to do them or do you think you should do them?  Why haven’t you kept your New Year’s Resolutions?

If your resolutions include improving your health in 2015, I can help you with that. Give me a call and we can arrange an appointment for anything from a tune-up to weight control to mood balancing.

If you need to make a deeper commitment to your resolutions, take a moment and think about what you need to do to keep them.  Write down 3 easy action steps.
…and do them.  Now.

Use the Chinese lunar New Year as a do-over.  Commit to your New Year’s resolutions.

Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái.  Happy New Year!