PRAISE FOR STRESS LESS. ACHIEVE MORE. “ Aimee has a way of thinking that brings new insight into what seems like every day events, but is really the essence of a modern life. Her book on bringing positive energy into living is worth a wide audience.” —Peter Block, consultant and author of Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self- Interest “ This illuminating book takes a holistic approach to dealing with pres- sure and stress at both the individual and organizational levels. Sharing personal experiences and great stories as well as practice exercises and reflective questions, Aimee prepares us to befriend the pressures in our lives with conscious presence and skillful embodied action. I learned a lot personally and look forward to continuing the personal practices I discovered here.” —Juanita Brown, Ph.D., Co- founder, The World Café “ Stress Less. Achieve More. by Aimee Bernstein offers a rich blend of in- spiring stories, principles, and profoundly practical skills that affirm our capacity to live and work with greater ease, strength, wisdom, vi- tality, and peace of mind. The world needs leaders equipped with such revolutionary wisdom!” —Joel and Michelle Levey, Founders, Wisdom at Work, and authors of Living in Balance: A Mindful Guide for Thriving in a Complex World American Management Association • www.amanet.org “ There’s all that other stuff out there and there is this. If I had not expe- rienced this wise advice personally, I would not believe it. In this world of spin, it is refreshing to read such powerful and genuine words that can drive major positive change in your busy and stressful life. Aimee’s holistic view is the key to the effectiveness of the approach. My only regret is that I didn’t read this decades ago. . . .” —Peter McHale, Sr. V.P. Research & Development/ Quality Control, World- class Beauty Company “ Aimee is one of a small group of new thinkers who are making them- selves known to those open to ancient wisdom. She provides a map to reunite oneself with universal energy. [She] demonstrates that this re- connection can bring harmony, reduce stress, and help eliminate con- flict in our lives. Her work is both progressive and practical.” —James W. Jordan, Pennsylvania Regional Director, National Association of Mental Illness “ That ‘big- heart’ manifestation of Aimee’s being transcends throughout this book, which will shine like a light in the darkness for many who seek psychological explanations and solutions for managing stress trig- gers. My personal take from her book is that the journey of change be- gins with the ‘self,’ and the better one increases awareness of one’s weaknesses with an aim to improvement from mediocrity to signifi- cance, the better one will navigate the materialistic world. Ultimately, one can be a ‘master of self’ when one consciously and consistently sub- mits to the greater good and with humility.” —FongTze Wong, Group Chief Corporate Communications Officer, National Healthcare Group, Singapore American Management Association • www.amanet.org “ If you are looking for a way to live and work in an energetically posi- tive way, then Stress Less. Achieve More. is the book for you. It is full of ideas and practical exercises to flip your life from stressful to success- ful.” —Diana Whitney, Ph.D., Founder, Taos Institute, and author of Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Drive Winning Performance and Build a Thriving Organization “ In Stress Less. Achieve More., Aimee Bernstein has provided just what the doctor should have ordered for our busy and often overwhelmed lives. This book goes beyond the standard recommendations of eating well, meditating, and getting enough sleep and looks at how to trans- form our underlying consciousness and body awareness. If you apply the practical actions and allow yourself to be inspired by Bernstein’s stories, you will find yourself easily and gracefully standing on your leading edge.” —Judi Neal, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO, Edgewalkers International, and author of Edgewalkers: People and Organizations That Take Risks, Build Bridges, and Break New Ground “ Research has (surprisingly) shown that too LITTLE pressure in our lives can actually lead to poor performance. Pressure is not always a bad thing. In fact, in this well- crafted book, Aimee Bernstein teaches you how to actually maximize on pressure you may be feeling— how to turn anxiety into an ally, using time- honored techniques. Let this book completely transform how you handle pressure!” —Brian O. Underhill, Ph.D., Executive coach and CEO, CoachSource, and author of Executive Coaching for Results American Management Association • www.amanet.org “ Aimee Bernstein is the foremost expert on how to use p ressure— the energy of change— to empower you and upgrade your performance. This book demonstrates in simple terms how to deal with stressful pressures in your professional and personal life by letting go of your resistance and opening and aligning to pressure. Become the person you’ve always wanted to be— more energetic, powerful, and dynamic!” —Nancy Zentis, Ph.D., CEO, Institute for Organization Development American Management Association • www.amanet.org STRESS LESS. ACHIEVE MORE. American Management Association • www.amanet.org This page intentionally left blank American Management Association • www.amanet.org STRESS ACHIEVE LESS MORE . . SIMPLE WAYS TO TURN PRESSURE INTO A POSITIVE FORCE IN YOUR LIFE Aimee Bernstein AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION New York • Atlanta • Brussels • Chicago • Mexico City San Francisco • Shanghai • Tokyo • Toronto • Washington, D.C. American Management Association • www.amanet.org Bulk discounts available. For details visit: www.amacombooks.org/go/specialsales Or contact special sales: Phone: 800-250-5308 Email: [email protected] View all the AMACOM titles at: www.amacombooks.org American Management Association: www.amanet.org This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data Bernstein, Aimee. Stress less. Achieve more. : Simple ways to turn pressure into a positive force in your life / Aimee Bernstein. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0- 8144-3383-6 (pbk. : alk. paper)— ISBN 0-8144-3383-9 (pbk. : alk. paper)— ISBN 978-0- 8144-3384-3 (ebook) 1. Stress management. 2. Self- actualization (Psychology) I. AMACOM. II. Title. RA785.B4845 2014 155.9'042— dc23 2014036401 © 2015 Aimee Bernstein All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. The scanning, uploading, or distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the express permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions of this work and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials, electronically or otherwise. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. About AMA American Management Association (www.amanet.org) is a world leader in talent development, advancing the skills of individuals to drive business success. Our mission is to support the goals of individuals and organizations through a complete range of products and services, including classroom and virtual seminars, webcasts, webinars, podcasts, conferences, corporate and government solutions, business books, and research. AMA’s approach to improving performance combines experiential learning— learning through doing— with opportunities for ongoing professional growth at every step of one’s career journey. Illustrations by Raul Bonano of Crystal Clear Art Printing number 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 American Management Association • www.amanet.org To my beloved parents, Sally and Walter Bernstein With deepest gratitude for your gifts of love, kindness, and courage. Wish you were here. To my dearest sensei and friend, Robert Nadeau For masterfully guiding me through an energy world that simplified and enhanced my life. American Management Association • www.amanet.org
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