Wolf J. Rinke, PhD, RD, CSP
SAD? ANXIOUS? STRESSED? WORRIED?
This CPE self-directed home study program will change all that!
© 2006 Wolf Rinke. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part
without written permission from the author, except for brief quotations in reviews,
is prohibited.
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CUSTOMER COMMENTS
Pam Berentsen-Maged: "Each morning I got the children off to school and started my positive morning refreshed with Wolf and Marcela. I am trying very hard to keep up my positive attitude."
Cheri Dickerson: "I would like to read the book again and take notecards for reference around my home. There was valuable advise and great ideas. I need all the help I can get."
Janyl Finnerty: "So inspirational! A 'feel good read.' I plan on reading this again and again!"
Carolyn Price: "Interesting and enjoyable."
Gina Conti: "The organized style. The writing style: light and entertaining. Loved the Blues Buster humor breaks.
Lori Ragsdale: "I loved the blues buster breaks. They were great and made the reading more enjoyable."
Sheila Wooden: "Very interesting and insightful. I could not put it down. This course was fun and enjoyable to complete."
Sharvari Desai: "Enjoyed reading and understanding how to manage stress and balance your personal as well as professional life."
Toni Freney: "The whole CPE, hard to put down, I will keep and always refer back."
Marla Lipman: "Loved the relevant stories, reflections and especially the humor breaks. Course gave me a lot of challenges to work on."
C.S Keith: "I found the self study program to be inspiring and motivating. I will use it as a reference and reread sections as needed. I have already begun to share some of the information with my co workers- particularly the parts on having a positive outlook."
Venerine Farrell: "I liked the whole book- It has been very helpful in every aspect of my life, but I mainly like the chapter on making yourself happy."
Amelia Murphy Bell: "The Blues Buster Humor Breaks! Practical suggestions that work. Really made me feel better quickly!"
Donna J McNeill: "Fun to read, in-depth research to document data. Again, I laughed out loud at some of the stories while others made me feel warm and cozy. I learned a lot."
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
Welcome to Beat the Blues, a self-directed accredited learning program.
This program is designed to help you manage stress and balance and improve the quality of your life. It is also designed to help you earn 28 level 2 continuing professional education units (CPEUs).
To get the most out of this self-directed accredited learning program, it is suggested that you adhere to the following four steps:
Step 1: Review the objectives.
Step 2: Read and study the program.
Step 3: Assess what you have learned by answering the self-assessment questions at the end of the program.
Step 3: Compare your answers to the answer key, which you will find at the end of the program. If you scored at least 80% correct, you have completed the program and are ready to transfer your answers to the CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (CPE) REPORTING FORM in front of the program. If you scored less than 80% correct, re-read the appropriate chapters in the program until you score at least 80%.
After you have successfully completed this learning program mail, fax or e-mail
the completed CPE REPORTING FORM to:
Wolf Rinke Associates, Inc.
P. O. Box 350
Clarksville, MD 21029 USA
Fax (410) 531-9282
marcela@WolfRinke.com
Upon receipt of your successfully completed CPE REPORTING FORM, we will send you a certificate of completion for 28 CPEUs.
Enjoy practicing the strategies outlined in this program! They will help you beat the blues once and for all. If you have questions or suggestions, please write or call me.
Enjoy Beating the Blues!
-Wolf J. Rinke
OBJECTIVES
As a result of studying and applying the concepts presented in this self-directed
accredited learning program, you will be better able to:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
A Wake-up Call 1
CHAPTER 1. WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED THE BLUES 5
Blues ... Schmooze ... Gezooze ... What's the Big Deal? 8
What Causes the Blues? 8
Blues and the Mind-body Connection 9
Pills Won't Cure What Ails You 14
Notes 17
CHAPTER 2. TURN YOURSELF ON 19
9/11 20
The 9/11 Aftermath 27
Blues Buster Actions Steps for Difficult Times 31
Do It Tonight 31
Be Grateful 31
Maintain a Routine 31
Help Children Feel Safe 32
Listen 32
Be Kind to Yourself 32
Stay Busy 32
You Are Not a Victim 33
Fake It Till You Make It 35
Be Global 35
Be Internal 35
Be Stable 36
Blues Buster Actions Steps for Developing a Positive Explanatory Style 31
1. Live In Accordance With the Axiom "If It Is To Be, It's Up To Me"
37
2. Say It Positively 38
3. Recognize That Success Comes In a "Can," Not in a "Can't"
38
4. Don't "Try"…Just Do It 39
5. Look for Opportunities in Every Challenge 39
What If You Fake It And Still Don't Make It? 40
Notes 43
CHAPTER 3. CONQUER STRESS 45
How Bad Are Things? 45
Symptoms of Stress 47
Level 1 - Acute Stress 47
Level 2 - Episodic Acute Stress 48
Level 3 - Chronic Stress 48
Level 4 - Traumatic Stress 49
Stress Reduction Techniques 50
1. Change the Changeable 50
2. Remove Yourself from the Unacceptable 50
3. Accept the Unchangeable 50
Blues Buster Action Strategies to Conquer Stress 51
1. Hang Out With Positive People 51
2. Recognize That You Are Not Your Job 51
3. Get Your Life In Balance 52
4. Cut the Electronic Umbilical Cord 52
5. Reduce Your Commuting Time 52
6. Find A Boss Who Knows How To MBA-Manage By Appreciation 52
7. Move Your Body 53
8. Exercise 53
9. Take Breaks 53
10. Get Eight Hours of Sleep A Day 53
11. Manage Priorities 53
12. Get Rid Of Conflict 54
13. Celebrate More Often Than You Think Is Wise 54
14. Reduce Information 54
15. Ask for help 55
Get Rid of Worries 57
Share Your Worry with Others 59
Realize That Certainty Is a Myth 59
Make Worrying a "Snap" 60
Take a Worry Break 60
Disconnect 60
Just Let Go 60
Keep Hope Alive 61
Nicole's Story 62
A Brief Update 64
Take a Pity Break 65
Notes 68
CHAPTER 4. MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY 71
Focus on the Good Stuff 72
Blues Buster Action Steps You Can Take To Focus on the Good Stuff 79
1. Start Each Day with an Attitude of Gratitude 79
2. Master the PIN technique 82
3. Take advantage of every "Moment of Truth" 83
Chase Your Passion-Not Your Pay 86
Laugh Already 94
Give More of What You Want 96
Love Someone 96
Notes 99
CHAPTER 5. BUILD LASTING RELATIONSHIPS 101
How to Destroy a Relationship 102
Germ #1. Belittle Others Because You Feel Superior 102
Germ #2. Look For the Negatives In Others 102
Germ #3. Withdraw From an Argument 102
Germ #4. Escalate an Argument 103
Honor Thy Mate 104
How to Fix a Marriage on the Rocks 105
Get Out of an Abusive Relationship Now 106
How to Maintain Strong Relationships with Family and Friends 107
Reconnect With Loved Ones 108
Nine Blues Buster Actions Steps for Re-Connecting with Friends and Family 110
1. Make The First Move 110
2. Take Ownership 110
3. Meet In Public 110
4. Make Small Talk 110
5. Revisit the Past 111
6. Find Something-Anything-To Agree On 111
7. Don't Seek Perfection 111
8. Keep the Process Moving 111
9. If All Else Fails… 112
Keep Your Net Working 112
How to Build a Powerful Network 113
Notes 121
CHAPTER 6. TAKE REALLY GREAT CARE OF YOUR BODY 123
Get a Physical 124
What to Get Checked, Why, and When 124
Don't Just Sit There-MOVE 126
Exercise-Your Life Depends on It 129
1. Aerobic Fitness 129
2. Muscular Fitness 130
3. Flexibility 130
4. Body Composition 130
YaBut 131
Recreate 132
Eat Right 133
Why do you want to lose weight? 134
Are you a "healthy weight?" 136
Eat less-exercise more 137
Enjoy 139
Eat lots of variety 140
Break a fast 141
Eat more-lose more 141
Snack right 142
Say No to super-sizing 142
Drink Lots 143
Change your relationship with food 144
You can't get good nutrition from a bottle 145
Get old, get fat unless… 145
Sleep Well 146
Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule 147
Wind Down 147
Get out the "Blankie" 147
Create a "quiet" zone 147
Invest in a high quality large mattress 148
Eat as Early as Possible 148
Exercise 148
Don't Fight It 148
Notes 150
CHAPTER 7. KEEP YOUR LIFE IN BALANCE 153
The Paris Story 153
Take Action 155
Balance-the Basics 156
Technology May Be Hurting More Than Helping 158
Manage Your Time 159
The Rubber Band Approach to Time Management 160
How to Get the Most Out of Every 24 Hours 161
Record Your Time 161
Analyze Your Time Expenditures 161
Quit Doing It 163
Chunk It 163
Routinize Crisis 164
Take Advantage of Pareto 165
Set Goals and Priorities 166
Procrastinate no More 166
Cure "Perfectionitis" 167
Make Time 167
Get Into the Zone 168
Practice the Three-Minute Rule 169
Manage the Electronic Dragon 170
Notes 173
CHAPTER 8. ACHIEVE INNER PEACE 175
Principles for Achieving Inner Peace 175
Be Where You Are 175
Master the Art of Relaxation 177
Simplify Your Life 178
Be Honest 179
Think Empowering Thoughts 180
Take Advantage of the Abundance 182
Look Out For #1 183
Create the Reality You Want 184
Let Go Of the Past 184
Kill Your Ego 185
Never Give Up On Your Dreams 186
Notes 189
CHAPTER 9. BEAT THE HOLIDAY BLUES 191
How to Beat the Holiday Blues 192
Manage Expectations 192
Commit Random Acts of Kindness 193
Give the Gift of Unconditional Love 193
Be More Inclusive 194
Do Something That Connects Everyone 194
Change Your Response 195
Hang Out With Positive People 195
Choose to Be Happy 196
Manage Stress 196
Decrease Conflict 197
Have "Plastic Surgery" 197
Give the Gift of Listening 197
Take an Inventory 197
Do It in Moderation 198
Make Yourself Laugh 198
Notes 200
CHAPTER 10. THE BEGINNING 201
SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 203
ANSWER KEY 219
EXPLANATIONS TO SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 221
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 235
ABOUT WOLF RINKE ASSOCIATES, INC. 236
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wolf J. Rinke, PhD, CSP, America's Business Success Coach, is the president and founder of Wolf Rinke Associates, Inc., a human resource development and management consulting company. Since 1988 we have been custom designing and delivering stimulating and informative keynote presentations, interactive problem solving funshops and highly effective consulting, coaching and educational services. We specialize in building high performance organizations; facilitating trust building initiatives; providing one-on-one executive coaching and building high-performance teams. All services are designed to unleash the only resource that has the potential to appreciate-your people, and are guaranteed to exceed identified needs, solve specific problems and achieve dramatic improvements in performance, productivity and profitability.
Dr. Rinke is . . .
o A certified speaking professional (CSP*) who is internationally known for his ability to energize, entertain and empower. (*CSP-a credential earned by fewer than 400 speakers worldwide.)
o A highly effective management consultant and executive coach with over 30 years of hands-on management and leadership experience.
o A widely published author of audio and video programs, numerous publications and best selling books including MAKE It a Winning Life: Success Strategies for Life, Love, and Business, Winning Management: 6 Fail-Safe Strategies for Building High-Performance Organizations and Don't Oil the Squeaky Wheel and 19 Other Contrarian Ways to Improve Your Leadership Effectiveness.
o A media personality who has been featured on CNN and over 300 other TV and radio shows.
o A highly decorated, retired lieutenant colonel of the US Army Medical Specialist Corps.
o A self-made millionaire who started to work full-time on a ship at age 14.
Some of the organizations that have benefited from Dr. Rinke's services include:
ACE USA o ADVO o Aladdin Temp-Rite o Am Assn of Homes for the Aging o Am College
of Health Care Administrators o Am Diabetes Assn o Am Dietetic Assn o Am Hospital
Assn o Am Red Cross o Am School Foodservice Assn o ARAMARK o Baltimore Police
Dept o Baxter o bil-jax o BCE Emergis (Canada) o Boston College o Brandeis Univ
o Bristol-Myers Squibb o Brookings Institution o Centre for Leadership-Ontario
(Canada) o Cigna o Club Managers Assn of Am o Continental/SiLite o Delaware
Div of Aging o Delta Air Lines o Dept of Health & Human Svcs o Dietary Managers
Assn o Direct Marketing Assn o Dole o Duke Power o EAC (Singapore) o George
Washington Univ o Georgia State Univ o Giant TMC (Malaysia) o Grocery Manufacturers
of America o Hospital Purchasing & Materials Mgt Assn o Institute for Management
Studies o Intl Assn for Exposition Mgt o ISS A/S (Denmark) o Johns Hopkins Univ
o Lykes Pasco o Manor Care o Marriott o Maryland Bankers Assn. o MBNA America
Bank o Michelin o Mississippi Power Co o Motorola o NCR o NCI o Natl Assn of
Manufacturers o Natl Dairy Council o Natl Health Corp o Natl Restaurant Assn
o Natl Speakers Assn o NORTEL o Office of Personnel Mgt o Ontario Hospital Assn
(Canada) o Penn State Univ o Perez Companc (Argentina) o Phillips Publishing
o Pierce Leahy o PSI o Sales and Marketing Executives Intl o Sandy Spring National
Bank o SAP America o SAP AG (Germany) o Sargento Foods o Saskatchewan Assn of
Health Organizations (Canada) o Select Service Partner A/S (Denmark) o Seneca
Foods o ServiceMaster o Sinar Mas Group (Indonesia) o Sodexho o Strategic Forum
Expertise (Malaysia) o Sysco o Texas Education Agency oTexas Instruments oThe
Wood Co o Univ of Maryland o Univ of Richmond o US Air Force o US Army o US
Foodservice o US Navy o Veterans Admin o Warner Bros. o Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories
o Yale Univ o plus numerous other companies, organizations and associations
throughout North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim.