Mental Overdrive

What is stress?
Helpguide.org

We all face different challenges and obstacles, and sometimes the pressure is hard to handle. When we feel overwhelmed, under the gun, or unsure how to meet the demands placed on us, we experience stress. In small doses, stress can be a good thing. It can give you the push you need, motivating you to do your best and to stay focused and alert. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work or drives you to study for your midterm when you'd rather be watching TV. But when the going gets too tough and life's demands exceed your ability to cope, stress becomes a threat to both your physical and emotional well-being.

To get a handle on stress, you first need to learn how to recognize it in yourself. Stress affects the mind, body, and behavior in many ways— all directly tied to the physiological changes of the fight-or-flight response. The specific signs and symptoms of stress vary widely from person to person. Some people primarily experience physical symptoms, such as low back pain, stomach problems, and skin outbreaks. In others, the stress pattern centers around emotional symptoms, such as crying jags or hypersensitivity. For still others, changes in the way they think or behave predominates.

Signs and symptoms of stress

The following table lists some of the common warning signs and symptoms of stress. Use it to identify the symptoms you typically experience when you’re under stress. If you know your red flags, you can take early steps to deal with the stressful situation before it—or your emotions—spiral out of control.

Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms
Cognitive Symptoms	Emotional Symptoms
Memory problems Indecisiveness Inability to concentrate Trouble thinking clearly Poor judgment Seeing only the negative Anxious or racing thoughts Constant worrying Loss of objectivity Fearful anticipation	Moodiness Agitation Restlessness Short temper Irritability, impatience Inability to relax Feeling tense and “on edge” Feeling overwhelmed Sense of loneliness and isolation Depression or general unhappiness
Physical Symptoms	Behavioral Symptoms
Headaches or backaches Muscle tension and stiffness Diarrhea or constipation Nausea, dizziness Insomnia Chest pain, rapid heartbeat Weight gain or loss Skin breakouts (hives, eczema) Loss of sex drive Frequent colds	Eating more or less Sleeping too much or too little Isolating yourself from others Procrastination, neglecting responsibilities Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing) Teeth grinding or jaw clenching Overdoing activities (e.g. exercising, shopping) Overreacting to unexpected problems Picking fights with others

Top Ten Stressful Life Events

1. Spouse’s death
2. Divorce
3. Marriage separation
4. Jail term
5. Death of a close relative
6. Injury or illness
7. Marriage
   
8. Fired from job
9. Marriage reconciliation
10. Retirement

Take a closer look at the top ten stressful life event that destructively break down a normal person. Retrenchment is ranked eighth in the top ten chart. Top three stress factor revolves around family and marriage. Retrenchment usually causes ripples effect on the family problems. Financial security is usually the root of all problem- the ability to sustain the lifestyle or simply put the duty to put bread on the table. In life there is "up" and
there is also "down". After the age of 35, usually an average person will see more "down" than up. The situation of "down" happen so frequently that there is actually a term called -Mid-Life Crisis. There is a common question the blue collar always ask, "when can can fit in your boss shoes?" Is there really a chance that an average person will be able to replace their boss? Since not many can take over their superior and boss, then why are we working so hard? Overtime after overtime. Day after day. Do we really need to sacrfice family time for that extra bucks from overtime ?

Greysteppenwolf Singapore Mental Health, Kelvin Ng
* In 1990 there were 88,000 such cases. This figure escalated to 147,000 in 1998.
* In 1990 only 8.4 percent of Singaporeans suffered from neurotic disorders such as anxiety and depression. In 1998 16.6 percent succumbed to these disorders. (This problem continues into the present with a newspaper report highlighting that more people are being diagnosed with mental disorders due to financial woes.)
* In 1997, psychiatrists noted a sharp increase in the number of teenagers attempting suicide and attributed the phenomenon to the youths being alienated from their parents. The main reason cited is the stressful lifestyle and high cost of living.
* In 1999, a consumer health survey found that among the various Asian societies, Singaporeans are most likely to have suffered depression, stress, and fatigue. In addition, job-related stresses continue to be the biggest problems for working Singaporeans.
* In 2003, a study found that Singaporeans aged between 20 and 49 years made up 70 percent of suicide cases from 1997 to 2001. They also constitute the main bulk of cases of attempted suicides.
* Between 1994 and 1998 the number of divorces shot up from 3,772 to 5,651 cases. Social workers attribute this occurrence to intense stress experienced by workers who have households, children and aging parents to take care.
* National figures compiled by the Registry of Births and Deaths show that on average, 1 person takes his/her own life in Singapore every day.

A Beautiful Mind (Click Here)
At 30 years of age, John Nash had schizophrenia - a condition from which most afflicted people never recover. (Based on a True Story)

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Chicken or Egg
Which one came first?

The first is a Platonic argument based on philosophical constructs. The chicken is an actual chicken, while the egg is a potential chicken. Since actuality always proceeds potentiality, we can deduce that the chicken probably have come first. Some argue that chicken itself could be a by product of a mutation process of another biological breed of animals. Other claims the first bird that evolved into a modern chicken had to have been a chicken embryo first. The philosopher said people were mistaken to think the ‘parents’ of the first chicken egg had to be a genetically bona-fide chicken in order to lay a chicken egg.

What do you think?

In the context of Leadership, do you think that a person will only develop leadership skills when he have enough follower? Or should he develop leadership qualities before he can attract any follower? Fact is leaders are like magnet, it have to be magnetized before anything can happen. Else it is just an ordinary piece of iron.

Successful Leaders understand the need to recharge their magnetism from time to time. When we say recharge, we simply means to acquire new or upgrade current knowledge, soft-skills, fresh ideas, through continuous learning and positive attitude. If you are a leader, it is not difficult for you to detect another leader.
You can pin point a leader by observing the posture, selection of words, eyes contact, and most importantly attitude. Leaders maintain positive attitude regardless of changes in circumstances or event. Leaders surface during critical moment with calmness and logical mindset to resolve or neutralize negative situation.

Ordinary people define the word "impossible" as not possible to achieve. Leader read the same word as " I-m-possible". Do you see the different? The different between a good leader and a great leader is measure by their humbility. All leaders attracts follower. A team is made up of leaders and followers. The majority of a Great team is made up of players that is of high ethics, respect, selfless and professionalism.

In today market, consumer prefer low quantity with high value rather than large quantity with low value.

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There is no retreat. Fight or die attitude. True leaders understand the principal of failing honorably. Leaders never bring regret to their grave. Lead by example and produce result.

There is nothing more convincing than result. Is leadership a skill that is born with or can leadership skill be cultivated?
You can answer :
"Yes" it can be trained or you can choose to reply
"No" people are not born with leadership skill.

Both answer carry the same meaning.
Now, do you think a 'Yes' or a 'No' sound more positive?

Leadership starts with a positive mindset. The ability to think big, look far (long term) and have a strong wanting will! If you have a strong desire to cultivate or discover your leadership, please do not hesitate to contact us at eaglesvisions@gmail.com

Freedom exists because of country. Country is forged by wars and battles. In the past Warrior (leader in battlefield) traded their life for their families 's freedom. Today you can trade your financial freedom not with your life but with skills and knowledge!

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Expiry Date

Before exams, some student burn months and months of midnight oil just to research and study for the big day. Few weeks before the exam panic bells strike, during that period of time it is not easy to get hold of the divine Past Years Papers. You can notice the fleet of photocopy machines in the campus running at full capacity with tons of A4 size paper and black ink toner parking beside the copier.

Everyone seems to be rushing somewhere, there is simply no time for anyone to stop in their paths to say "hi". The most congested part of the campus is no doubt the library. It is not difficult to detect a few panic faces at the librarian main counter. Last minute preparatory usually run into common problem like insufficient research material. Vital References books is probably in a book-in-advance circulation list. Projects rooms in the library is packed and hog by student whom simply cannot afford to have the time to sleep.

There is some kind of unspeakable tension in the air. Faint whisper of exam tips came from a group of girls seating at the far end of the discussion room. Some was crush by mental exhaustion, laying flat between the bookshelves. As the date to exam marches nearer, you may be able to detect a few group of student that seldom visit the library. These innovative groups started to make notes and label, amazingly they are able to fit the entire Quantum Theory into a small piece of paper. I will think that it is a very smart idea, that piece of paper will probably come in handy in the battle field. Lecturer and professor always stress to study smart. I bet these guys are trying their best.

Well, the day have come and gone. Before you realize, the piece of achievement is in your hand. What are you going to do about it? Frame it up? Rest it in your resume file? Whatever your decision is, you probably did not realize that there is a invisible count down timer that is tagged to your certificate. If you are sharp, you must have understood that the certificate is printed "Best Before dd/mm/yyyy with an invisible ink!"

The material that was used to trained student was derived from industrial standard at the time of education. After graduation, you may have notice the standard and requirement had changed. A professional certificate will not be able to last more than ten years. Where will you be ten years from now? Probably a senior manager, married with two kids. How old do you think you will be by then? You will realise that the very qualification that you worked so hard for, had expired. What are you going to do about it? Go for another degree or Master course to stay relevant?

Do you think you are able to handle education better in part time basis with a full time job in the day? Even if you got yourself re-qualify with the new achievement, are you prepare (time and finance)to renew your qualification every five years or so? Assuming examination grade is not a variable, do you think potential employers will go for younger cheaper fresh graduate?

We were once like you. We foreseen this coming. We did what we must because we are not getting younger everyday.

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Hammer and Nail

Have you come across the story of hammer and nail? When you were a student, the teachers is always right. You were trained to follow instructions. Those whom used alternative methods to solve mathematical problem sums (even when you attain the correct answer) will be awarded a big cross. In the eyes of teachers, students whom cannot follow instruction is like a nail sticking out. You will be hammer until you fall in place like the rest.

Each time you try something new, you will be hammer upon. This is how our education system kill the creativity in young developing minds. You probably had tried to resist in the beginning but each time the hammer came down harder and harder until you starts to feel the shame of your actions. In no time, the "teaching" have blend your action and ideas with the rest of the nails. Some fortunate students, in this context nails, was plucked by the other end of the hammer head. This fortunate few was "plucked" and remove from our formal education system. Ever encounter real life stories whereby school dropout running own business earning more than five-figures income per months? Ring any bell?


Boy on the left, drop out from Harvard University in 1975. If you are one of his teachers or lecturer during that time, from the look of this boy, you probably would not want him in your class. Find out more about this boy at the end of this article.


In some cases, PhD graduates exchanges their time and services for a paychecks from these companies owned by school dropout. What does this means to you? Does it challenge the facts that good qualification equal good solid paychecks? Absolutely not! Paper qualification means nothing, it is just a key that helps you open only the first few doors in your profession. Don't mistaken it for a lifetime meal ticket! Sadly formal education system not only hammered and sap away creativity but also our dreams.

Few years in the work force, you will come to realize that the hammer and nail culture seems to be everywhere. Your management now take over the role of hammer in your working life. They decide what time you wake up (indirectly), what time you eat your lunch, which day you receive your pay and most importantly how long you wear the company uniform. We are talking about a system. A social system whereby intelligent human being are treated like an object. Flip the old dusty dictionary on your shelf. What is the definition of a hammer? A hammer is a tool meant to deliver an impact to an object. Sometime the impact is so massive (leave a cracks in the skull) that it disabled our natural ability to use our creativity and hidden skills that our sub-conscious possess.

It is not hard to imagine, if you are not productive or efficient in your job position today what will your management do? Yes bulls eyes! They will hammer you with more work load! They will back stab, spit, pass comment behind your back until your emotion and ego bruised. Before the week is out you probably have threw in your resignation letter. By then, you may wonder why should I stuck in this hammer and nail culture? As you pack your stuff on your table into the paper box, you may have a flashback on the day when you receive your first examination report card. You might wonder the tears from those students whom did not made it academically, could that be tears of joy? Some "bad" student simply have feathers too bright to be kept in the cage of hammer and nail system.

These early school dropouts may have temporarily lost their confidence in life but they get to retain the undamaged brain cell for creativity and the survival instinct in the real world. There was a saying, if you cannot create the future you want, you must endure the future you get.

About 30 years later, the same boy from the picture above turned out to be one of the World's Third richest person (as of 2008). Founder of Microsoft having a Net Worth of 58 Billion. Mr Bill Gates. Do you think it makes a different to the world that he failed to complete his education at Harvard? Do you think if he did what he was taught in school, look for a good company with a good pay enable him to achieve what he have today? Do you now suspect that formal hammer and nail education system have had hinder you from your natural true potential to achieve higher goals in life?

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How to build Your Personal Noah's Ark?

The following content is meant for those who had read the original version of Noah's Ark. Please read the original version here.











From the pictures above (left) is an artist impression on Noah's Ark.
(Right) Wyatt Archaeological Research, purported the ark is located at Dogubayazit, Turkey

Imagine in today world, you are told that the same disaster will strike. (Let's change the features a little). Only ships and boats made from timber will survive this calamity. You are require to build a fleet of 100 Arks, each have to be 10 times bigger than the size of Noah's Ark with food storage and on board hydroponic system, so that survivors can harvest food that can last not forty days but four calender years. (requirement increase as technology advanced). President, CEO, directors and world leaders will leave their immediate post to station in the arks.

Look at your challenge at hand. How are you going to source for material? Let us assume you have all the require material, what kind of manpower you are looking at to put those pieces together?

The easiest way to go is to approach investors and volunteer whom have strong belief in God. You may have already guess what the outcome is going to be. Mind you, there was no mental hospital during Noah's time. Either way, you are going to face countless rejection, running into brick wall after brick wall.

Who is going to stop you? People of your own kind? Yourself? Lacking of faith?

The scenario above illustrate that life itself, has lined up all the necessary challenges for us to face. Life will keep teaching us the same lesson until we learn. Each time the lesson become harder and more painful until we change our course of action. Today economic turbulence is much more fearful and deadly than natural disaster. A small change in oil prices, inflation index, legislative laws, tax laws affect you and your loves one.

By now the picture is clear, you are already threading water. You are right in the midst of an economic turbulence! The moment you stop threading water what will happen to you? The instance you lost your job what will happen to you and your family? At this point of time you probably don't have the resource and time to build an ark.

If you think there is nothing you can do about it, read no further. Stop here!

Since you still have the wanting will to find out how to survive through this economic turbulence, we will not disappoint you. If you are willing to let go whatever you have had learned in schools, we will be able to guide you on how to build an Noah's Ark not for the world but just for your family and you. The best part is, we are building your ark with you!

Please contact the person whom have referred you to this web site or you can contact us directly (stating your country of origin) via eaglesvisions@gmail.com





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Noah's Ark

by Linda Sue Pochodzay Edwards
Genesis 6:5 - 9:17

At the beginning of time, when God first created the world and all that was in it, everything was perfect. God looked at His work and called it all very good.

All that changed when Adam and Eve sinned. Of course, God was a loving God and forgave them, so they could continue to live on the earth and enjoy the blessings of God, but that didn't erase sin. People became more and more wicked. God looked down at the world and was sorry about all the evil things people were doing. In fact, He was sorry that He had even created man!

However, there was ONE man that loved God and was righteous. His name was Noah.

God talked to Noah and told him what He was going to do. He told Noah to talk to everyone he could and warn them that He was going to destroy the earth and everything in it. He also told Noah to start building an ark, which is another name for a big boat. This ark was going to be so big that there would be room for two of every kind of animal in the WHOLE WORLD and seven of certain types of animals.

Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, began building. They had to chop down trees and make smooth boards. They had to put the boards together piece by piece, according to the instructions which God had given them. They had to make pitch to coat the ark so that it would be waterproof.

The whole time they were working, Noah was also preaching to the people. He warned them to turn back to God or they would ALL be destroyed. He told them it was going to start raining and would continue to rain for FORTY days..

................but no one believe him!

Instead of turning back to God, they started making fun of Noah. They thought he was crazy for building such a big ark. Besides that, the people had never seen rain, because, up until that time, the earth was watered by dew that rested on the ground during the evening. They LAUGHED and LAUGHED at Noah because of his strange talk. They just didn't believe anything was going to happen to them. They continued being sinful.

Just after Noah and his sons had pounded in the last nail and made sure the ark was sealed and waterproofed properly, the Lord spoke to Noah.

"Take seven of every kind of clean animal and two of every kind of unclean animal into the ark. Then take your wife, your sons, and their wives into the ark."

So that is JUST what Noah did.

Into the ark went seven cows, seven sheep, seven goats, seven chickens, seven ducks, seven turkeys, two lions, two bears, two elephants, two giraffes, two zebras, two dogs, two cats, two lizards, two spiders, two tiny ladybugs, and.... Well, I think you get the idea!

The people outside were looking on in amazement. "That old Noah must be CRAZY!" someone exclaimed. "He SURE IS! I just can't understand why he would want to live in that big boat with all those STINKY animals!" someone else remarked.

Noah looked at the people sadly. He knew there was nothing he could do to make them believe that God meant what He said, but he kindly invited anyone who wanted, to join his family in the ark so they would be safe. As he suspected, they STILL didn't believe, and they laughed and snickered LOUDER.

Noah and his family and all the animals spent their first night in the ark. When they awoke the next morning, they heard the people outside making fun of them. "Hey, Noah! I thought you said it was going to rain," they sneered. "Well, it DIDN'T! You were just WRONG!"

They awoke the second day . . .

The people outside were taunting and yelling even LOUDER. But Noah remained calm and continued to invite them inside the ark so they would be safe.

The fifth day and the sixth day were NO different; there was no rain, and the jeering of the crowd didn't stop, but Noah continued to warn the people and invite them into the ark.

The seventh day started out the same as all the others, but, then, SLAM! God shut the door of the ark. Noah heard someone exclaim, "HEY! What was THAT? I thought I felt a drop of water!" Then someone else felt it, and another, and another . . . and it continued raining . . . and raining . . . and raining . . .

The water was getting higher and higher, and it wasn't long before the ark started floating.

10 days . . .11 days . . .12 days . . .

Poor Mrs. Noah! She was thankful that God had protected them throughout this whole ordeal, and she didn't want to complain, but she just didn't think she could take ONE MORE DAY of this! The camels were beginning to REALLY STINK! The elephant enjoyed sticking its head out the window, then spraying everybody with water! The cats were shedding hair all over the place, and the monkeys were getting into EVERYTHING! "Only two more days," she thought.

On the fortieth day, just as God had said, the rain (pause here for emphasis) STOPPED. Everyone was so happy to be able to look out the window and not see rain! But they couldn't leave the ark just yet. As far as they could see, water covered EVERYTHING. Even the mountaintops were covered with water and could not be seen.

Slowly, the water began to go down and rivers and lakes started to appear all over the place. They looked out the window one day and were able to see the tip of a mountain. B......UUUUUMP! "What was that?" They noticed that the ark had stopped floating.

"We must have landed!" they decided. They HAD landed. Right on top of Mount Ararat.

Noah wanted to see if was time to come out of the ark, so he opened a window and let one of the ravens fly out. He watched as the raven flew around. Then he sent out a dove. He watched as the dove tried to find a place to rest. Since it couldn't find a good spot to build a nest, it flew back to the ark and Noah knew that there was still too much water on the ground.

After a week had gone by, Noah sent the dove out again. This time he watched as the dove flew and then returned with an olive branch. Noah knew that the waters had gone down and plants were beginning to grow.

He waited one more week, opened the window, and let the dove go out once more. This time the dove flew away and did not return. Noah removed the top of the ark and looked out at the dry land. What a wonderful sight!

God assured Noah that it was safe for his family and all the animals to leave the ark. HOW EXCITED everyone was to be able to walk on dry land!

The first thing Noah did was to build an altar and worship God. He was so thankful that the Lord had protected him and his family. He looked up into the sky and saw a beautiful rainbow and heard the voice of God speaking to him. God told Noah that the rainbow was a promise that He would NEVER AGAIN destroy the whole earth with a flood.

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