Profanity as pain relief or “stress-induced analgesia”

Researchers at Keele University, UK found that moderate use of swear words can deliver short term pain relief, however over use of swear words in everyday life lessened their effect when it mattered.

See the article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8925588/Swearing-can-beat-pain-research.html

Strong outburst have long been used to focus the mind and body, you may have heard participants at a Karate class Kiai or listened to the Haka of the All blacks Rugby union team.

The important bit……

Limited outburst’s of vocal energy can release tension, provide pain relief and focus the mind.  

Many people are too noisy and disperse their energy, while others don’t let go enough and build up too much tension.   If the former is you try some quiet time, if you are one of the quiet ones then go on….make some @#*%!$^ noise!

Then strike a pose……

Chris Shaw's embrace posture. A Posture to enhance energy and power.

“a person can, by assuming two simple 1-min poses, embody power and instantly become more powerful has real-world, actionable implications”

Power Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk Tolerance

Dana R. Carney1, Amy J.C. Cuddy2 and Andy J. Yap1

Power postures or  Zhan zhuang has been used in China for thousands of years to develop physical power and a calm mind.  Why not try it your self?

Here is martial arts master Wang Shu Jin practicing ‘stand like a tree’ posture….

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, feet parallel, soften behind knees and sit as if on a high stall.  Now imagine lifting up from the top of your head and maintain a straight back.  Bring your hands up to below your shoulders and soften your eyes.  All you have to do now is breathe and imagine you are gently squeezing and releasing, hugging a big tree.

He is aware that the harbour is only a small part of the great ocean;  and knows the harm the pollution could do to the harbour if allowed in.

He lets the polluting ship pass and the great ocean dissolve its contents.

The Harbourmaster is clear of his role.

Harbwr 17/12/10

O.K. so we don’t like pressure, do we?    Or shall we look at this question slightly differently…..

Do we enjoy the satisfaction of overcoming obstacles, realising potential and strengths we didn’t realise we had?

That’s pressure, or rather benefiting from pressure.

Pressure dealt with effectively is beneficial,  pressure dealt with ineffectively makes us feel ‘under stress’ and can have serious impact on us.

Let’s think physically for a minute: Carrying a heavy weight

If a weight is loaded onto our backs appropriately and our posture is correct, we can become stronger by carrying the weight. We become psychologically stronger through completing a difficult task and physically stronger by strengthening our body. If our posture is poor or the weight is too much for us we will buckle under the pressure and may be harmed from the experience and less likely to take risk a pressurised situation in future.

The weight we load onto our backs can increase over time, as we become stronger we can handle more weight

Ultimately it is our responsibility how much pressure we take on, how we increase the pressure over time and how we benefit from it.   Refusing to take on a highly pressurised task if you are not up to it is part of dealing with the pressure, if it is to your benefit as a whole then take on the task, if it will weaken you and make you less able in future then ditch it. We should look out for our colleagues in pressurised situations, is their load appropriate for them at this time; is their posture correct and are they fit enough for the situation.

Pressure is inevitable; our bodies are already under about a tonne of atmospheric pressure (NASA). We all have to deal with pressure, how we deal with it is the important stressfactor.

Stress is tension
Tension is opposition

What is it that I am opposing?