Can Donald Trump become President? And if so, what next?

I’m writing this article while watching the democrat and republican parties in the United States go through all sorts of contortions trying to select the ‘right’ candidate for the US presidential election. It seems to me that neither of the parties is happy with their candidate, but they will have to follow-through and support their candidate to the bitter, and in some cases, very bitter end.

The main issue facing the citizens of the United States following their choice of presidential candidates is ‘change’. The irony of Trump becoming a candidate, and thus an agent for change, anxiety and controversy in the US, is that he has only become the republican candidate because the people want change. They are sick and tired of the status quo, and thus, for them, the anxiety and uncertainty of change is better than another four years of the same old governance. They have brought the change and anxiety on themselves!

Change is difficult for us all. It means things will be different, but in most cases we don’t know what will be different, how it will be different and how it will affect us. So many uncertainties and so much stress!

Some of us can handle change better than others, but we all feel some level of stress and anxiety when faced with change. And in the modern world and modern society we come across change constantly. If it’s not the US election, it’s the EU Referendum, Indyref2 and party leader elections.

So far, I’ve touched-on the political changes affecting us, but if you have a job or children, you will almost certainly be experiencing changes in your workplace, changes in your benefits, changes in your schooling and changes at home when the children move out (the ‘empty nest’ syndrome). All of these changes are very stressful and they affect us in many ways. We become anxious about the future and what it will hold for us.

We get stress when our nervous system is unable to get the special quality of rest it needs to completely recover from everything life throws at us. The main symptoms of stress are:

Low energy
Headaches
Upset stomach, including diarrhoea, constipation and nausea
Aches, pains, and tense muscles
Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
Insomnia
Frequent colds and infections
Loss of sexual desire and/or ability

If you have some or all of these symptoms you may be suffering from stress.

We all cope with stress differently. Some of us thrive on it; some of us cope with it; and some of us struggle with it!

Before I explain the best ways of dealing with stress, it’s worth-while mentioning that not all change is ‘bad’. It is only through change that we get many of our ‘improvements’, such as better: medicines, treatments, products, schools, services, homes, etc.

You can reduce stress by:

Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine
Doing more in physical activity
Getting more sleep
Trying relaxation techniques, (see below)
Talking to someone
Taking control of your life
Time management
Taking a break
Meditation
Mindfulness

I provide Reflexology and Indian Head Massage to relieve stress. In Reflexology, the reflex points in your feet are massaged. These reflex points are connected to every other part of your body, so the massage stimulates and helps every part of your body, it is also very relaxing and puts your body and mind back into ‘balance’. Indian Head Massage involves massaging the back, neck, shoulders, face and head, to relieve stress and accumulated tension, stimulate circulation and restore joint movement.

If you’re struggling to cope with your new job, the new school year, or the ‘blizzard’ of changes in politics and services, try some of my suggestions above. And if that fails, why not make an appointment for Reflexology or an Indian Head Massage.

Catherine Harper is a Complementary Therapist at Tranquil Haven and if you would like to find out more about how complementary therapies can help improve your health, check out www.tranquilhaven.co.uk or telephone Catherine Harper on 07962 975 124, or e-mail catherine@tranquilhaven.co.uk