Over-stressed, Over-worked, Over-scheduled?
Feel better.
Here's the secret:

You take great care of everybody else.
Who's looking out for you?

You don't have to be a parent, caregiver, health service provider, non-profit employee, middle-manager, solo-preneur, or anything quite so crazy to feel overwhelmed in today's 24/7 society. It happens to nearly everyone! Of course if I have just described you, chances are you've got more on your plate right now than you ever dreamed of juggling. And I'd guess you're taking great care of everyone around you.

You get up with the crickets, gulp a high-octane java, drop one kid at daycare and the other at school, and zoom off to meet the demands of another stress-filled day. You leap when the boss asks "how high," grab a snack from the vending machine, and sprint to the end of the workday.

• Sick kid? You beeline to the doctor's office.
• Mom needs help? You're the go-to.
• Away game for the basketball team? Of course you'll chaperone.
• Overtime at work? Could we keep you away if we tried?

Ok, the workday's over. Now it's a quick cruise through the drive-thru on the way to soccer practice, text the teenager to be home soon, then homework check for the little one before you finally get to...

Ha! Gotcha, didn't I! I'll bet you thought you were going to get an hour curled up on the couch with Fluffy and your favorite reality show. Nope, not tonight! The bathroom's half painted, there's laundry in the hamper, and your youngest needs a Halloween costume by next week. Maybe it's just my imagination, but I think I hear that exercise bike you've been using as a coatrack ever-so-faintly calling your name.

Got a headache, you say? Exhausted? Aching muscles? Overweight and overdrawn? Is it really any surprise?

Funny thing. Even if your kids are grown — or your youngest is actually a Schnauzer, I'll bet most anyone can relate to this lifestyle. If it's not you exactly — then maybe it's your child, the neighbor, or that single mom from church you help out when you can.

If you're a giver, you give. Your schedule's as full as a jar of dill pickles and you're bound and determined to squeeze every darned minute out of the day that you possibly can. Batten down the hatches. You've just gotta take care of it all!

One little question, please.

Who's taking care of you?

Gotcha again, didn't I? If you're like a lot of people I've met over the years, the answer is no one. (But it doesn't have to stay that way!)

Just where did I meet all these stressed-out givers-of-too-much? Easy. I'm a bodyworker. Most of my clients are pain patients. Since 1989, I've been learning and observing how stress manifests in the body.

In that time, I've earned advanced degrees in developmental psychology (how people come to be the way they are) and energy medicine (how the energy of our thoughts and beliefs affects health). Experience teaches best, so I also earned a black belt in karate, trained in transformational breathwork, and studied with one of the country's foremost masters of the art of observing nature. At the moment, I'm trying to get the hang of northern-climate organic vegetable gardening.

You need some credibility, I know. I'd want it, too. So I mention these things simply to let you know that while I've got a good deal of training and experience in holstic health care, I'm also a regular person like you. I've been in your shoes myself. And I work every day with regular folks — people from nearly every walk of life — who lead busy, chaotic lives that they're desperately trying to get a grip on.

My pal Max, napping (the only time he's quiet!)

Many of these people know, as you do, that if they don't get it together soon, they'll be paying the price with their health. Some of them already are. You may be, too. Someone needs to start taking better care of you. The best person for the job is you.

If I had just one bit of wisdom to leave with you today, it would be this: That "little voice in the back of your head" that puts limits on what you can and can't do isn't always honest with you. It operates from fear. It tries to scare you into working harder than you should for everyone else ... and leaving your own self-care for last.

Truth is, if you listen to talk like that, your life isn't going to go well. Ultimately, you'll set the stage for all manner of chronic and degenerative disease conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, back pain, cancer, premature disability, and early death. Your relationships will suffer, and so will your finances.

Would you like to meet that "little voice?" Make friends? Recruit it as an ally? It's easy, once you learn to recognize the fallacies your Inner Saboteur uses in a sincere — but often misguided — attempt to keep you safe and secure.

You'll do it with Word Cures: How to Keep Stupid Excuses From Sabotaging Your Health. From where you stand today, it might be hard to believe how much better you can feel in just a short time. Fortunately, you don't have to. All it takes from you right now is the willingness to open your mind to a new possibility.

The possibility of feeling great!

Also in Word Cures:

Can't quite seem to get what you really want in life? (Not even sure what that is?) 21 "everyday" fallacies explain why. Check 'em out.

How did that happen? You said something and it materialized. Understand how and why the language of your thoughts creates the physical world around you.

It seems like you're doing everything "right," but you still end up frustrated and worn out. Identify 5 hidden motivations that can undermine even your best intentions for success.

No matter how you've tried to forgive, past hurts still haunt you. Re-frame the events of your life so creatively that forgiveness becomes a non-issue.

When this guy comes calling, your Saboteur can finally catch a few Z's. Who is he? Your empowered Inner Warrior. Befriend him fast.

"I've always been a fan of words. People talk themselves out of the lives they say they want every day. Word Cures offers a fresh and direct approach for people who are ready to transform their beliefs about health."

— Robert G. Allen, bestselling author of The One-Minute Millionaire

"Elizabeth's book brought me up short when I realized the excuses that hold me back from success. Then it showed clear steps I can take to get that success."

— Sharon Spaedy, CHTP

"My mom sent me your book which I am completely enjoying. It's easy to read and, of course, we can all relate to it ourselves or notice patterns that are identifiable in others. The book is a valuable tool as I study health behavior change. I enjoy being able to apply the practical examples you give..."

— Lyndsi Johnson, Arizona State University Exercise and Wellness Master's Student

Manage Your Energy (Let time take care of itself)

Word Cures takes on the 21 top reasons why people say they sometimes skimp on health-promoting behavior. Why they don't take care of themselves as well as they know they could.

Can you guess what the #1 reason is? A full 79% of the people I surveyed in preparation for writing Word Cures listed this as a top reason they don't do as much for themselves as they know they could.

No time!

Time isn't really the problem, of course. No one else has any more than you do. However I'll agree it can certainly seem that way!

To honor the universal nature of this concern, I've recorded a special audio just on this topic. Audio, so those of you who are truly rushed can listen from your computer or portable .mp3 player. While you're commuting, perhaps. (Please drive safely!)

In Manage Your Energy (Let time take care of itself), you'll explore:

The main reason time management strategies fail. Time management experts may hate me for revealing this... You're gonna love it!

Become a wise and discerning giver. You'll learn what it takes to enjoy contributing to others and still have energy left for yourself.

What's missing from your self-care program? What could it be costing you — in your health, energy, relationships, and even your finances? Tick off our checklist and find out fast.

Energized or drained? Two letters make the difference. Short and sweet. Find out what they are and when to use them.

Does your self-esteem rock? It will when you learn the four ways you teach people how to treat you — every single day.

Six Wellness Opportunities: and the clues you leave behind that tell you where to place your attention first.

Order Word Cures Here:

You'll get immediate access to the 40-minute Manage Your Energy (Let Time Take Care of Itself) .mp3 recording and transcript when you order Word Cures right here:

Soft Cover; 335 pages; $16.95
Spirit and Structure Press, 2004
ISBN 0-9753780-0-7

Order Word Cures Now

Get Manage Your Energy (Let time take care of itself) as a free bonus.
You'll also get a 5-session email series Creating Your World from the Inside Out.