Calming Your Mind and Body for Sleep

This is a guest blog post from Good Night's Rest...

You would think that something so essential to health would be as easy to do as breathing—but sleep can be complicated. These days, it always feels like there isn’t enough time to do everything we need to do. Even when you get a free moment, it’s likely spent overthinking. Maybe you're worried about rent this month or anxious about a work presentation tomorrow. If you’re stressed out all the time, it’s probably making you more scatterbrained and ineffective. That’s when the complications start. 

The effects of a cluttered mind cut into the time you should be spending in dreamland. You’ll also often find that it will be hard for you to fall asleep in the first place. Less sleep means less rest and restoration, and that means less alertness and focus when you’re awake. This is a cycle of cause and effect that can quickly turn into a downward spiral if you’re not careful. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try calming your body and mind. Preparing yourself properly is the key to one of the most important bodily functions of all.

Relaxing the Body

Sleeping is an endeavor that requires the cooperation of your entire body, so put your feet up and let yourself unwind. The end goal is to completely relax and loosen up all of your body’s five senses. Some of the suggestions below may feel excessive or overly indulgent; others may strike you as counterintuitive and may be met with skepticism. Think of it this way: We eat to survive, but most of us also enjoy eating. This is how we should approach sleep, too. You should look forward to your bedtime, and the hours leading up to it, as well. 

Tune out and Turn Everything Off

You know what we’re going to say: Turn off your smartphones, tablets, anything else with a digital screen, and other artificial light sources. This is usually the piece of advice that isn’t followed to the letter, and it’s easy to figure out why. Some of us grew up falling asleep with the TV on, or made a habit out of late night social media upkeep. Smartphones also serve multiple functions—alarm clock, music player, sleep tracker, smart home system controller, etc.—that can make them non-negotiable bedtime companions. That’s fine—just keep gadget use down and always use it in night mode with minimum brightness. As for bedroom fixtures like lamps and overheads, try to use red spectrum or incandescent light bulbs; preferably with a dimmer switch, if you insist on keeping them on up until you lie down.

De-Stress with Scents and Sip on Decaf

Pamper yourself! Aromatherapy is a great option, but it’s most popular method of delivery—by burning candles—is not so compatible with falling asleep. Instead, use diffusers or pillow sprays. Popular sleep-promoting and stress-relieving scents include bergamot, chamomile, and lavender; but any scent that you love will likely help you relax. This extends to teas and infusions—you’ll notice that chamomile and lavender are popular ingredients in non-caffeinated sleep teas. A drink is better than eating right before you sleep, and it’s easier to curb that late night snacking habit if you have something more flavorful than water on hand. This is why stocking up on decaf beverage options is a good idea. Resist the temptation to drink something high on caffeine, sugar or both—or worse, something alcoholic—as these will disrupt your sleep.

Cool Your Head and Warm Your Feet

There may be a scientific basis for preferring the cool side of the pillow, after all! Researchers believe that keeping your head at a lower temperature can help slow the metabolism and quiet down the accompanying high levels of brain activity that comes with a racing mind that can’t sleep. Conversely, warming cold feet and hands can help your whole body feel at ease. It causes vasodilation, which helps distribute heat properly throughout the body; which, in turn, triggers sleep. A great way to treat yourself to some me time, while also promoting good sleep hygiene, is to take a luxurious hot bath. Light those candles and bring out those bath bombs! Your muscles will relax, your blood pressure will go down, your body’s core temperature will raise—allowing it to fall more quickly when you finally step out—and that pillow will feel even cooler when you lie down to sleep.

Soothing the Mind

Your body is relaxed, but what about your mind? There are many ways to calm and clear your thoughts, but three general approaches that we’ve found effective are to maintain a good sleeping environment, to create a bedtime routine, and to set aside time to wind down before sleep. Combining these three ideas with specific techniques will improve your sleep health by leaps and bounds.

Keep Your Sleeping Space Sacred

Here’s something any sleep expert or specialist will tell you: Your bed should only be for sleep or sex. Some may rephrase this and say “only for rest or romance”—but you get the point. Keep your personal area, especially your bed, clutter-free and comfortable. Keep it cozy enough for cuddles, but not so cozy that you’ll want to be a couch potato. Do not set up a work area or an entertainment system in the bedroom. Anything that can distract you from sleep that isn’t your significant other, you should keep outside. Instead, invest in a good mattress and other things that can help your body relax, as we’ve already covered earlier: aromatherapy diffusers, heavy drapes, good light fixtures, the works. Why is romantic activity not considered a distraction? For one thing, having someone you love with you not only relaxes you and takes your mind off what stresses you out, but it’s also something to keep you grounded and stable. And should you get physically intimate, it may help alleviate muscle tension.

Make Rest and Restoration a Ritual

Humans are by nature creatures of habit, but we’re also very different from each other. What works for you may not work for someone else, and that’s okay. Creating a bedtime routine that you enjoy and benefit from is important. Put together a series of steps to follow in the hours leading up to your bedtime. The idea is that a ritual will help us associate certain habits with sleep onset, so it can be practically anything. Of course, relaxing actions like some of our previous suggestions—dimming lights, sipping a cup of tea, taking a hot bath—can do double duty, and are preferable. Another popular ritual is writing. If you keep a journal, you probably already have this as a nighttime habit; if not, try writing down what’s on your mind—from hopes and fears, worries big and small, to even a simple to-do list. This will help clear your mind. 

Take the Time to Slip into Sleep

Bedtime is not when you fall asleep, or even when you close your eyes, but when you lie down with the intent to sleep. Cut yourself some slack and don’t think of bedtime as a deadline. If you’re concerned that you may not sleep enough hours if you don’t sleep by a certain hour, adjust your schedule slightly and give yourself enough time to wind down properly. Keep the hour before your bedtime distraction-free as much as possible; and when your head finally hits your pillow and you’re under the covers, guide yourself to sleep by the form of mental relaxation that suits you. Some find comfort in prayer or spiritual reflection; but if you’re not the religious kind, you can just do 10 or more minutes of deep breathing. There are people who can simply focus on their breathing, or choose to meditate; if you’re not one of them, you can try visualization exercises—like picturing a certain object or imagining an ideal landscape. You can also listen to guided meditation, guided relaxation, or guided visualization tracks; as well as nature sounds.

Thanks to Good Night's Rest for contributing this blog post!

May we all sleep well tonight and every night...

Benefits of Relaxation Techniques for Athletes

The world of sports is all about going as hard as you can, as long as you can, in an attempt to get to the top of the scoreboards or the top of your team. Athletes are notorious for pushing not only their bodies to the physical limit, but their minds as well. We don’t often associate athletes with relaxation—the sports world is about intensity and reaching the next level. Learning how to relax might not compute with the “go big or go home” mentality. However, for all their drive and endurance, athletes often find using a few relaxation techniques enhances their overall physical and mental performance instead of getting in the way. 

Managing Anxiety and Doubts
As with anyone else, even the best athletes in the world are prone to having doubts about their abilities. Athletes face huge obstacles in their chosen field which can flood them with anxiety and doubt. These negative thoughts can occur when an athlete faces an injury, new competition, a huge event, or even just routine practice. For athletes, letting doubt creep in can have serious consequences when it comes to their abilities. Learning to overcome these issues with relaxation techniques is an effective strategy. Certain relaxation techniques such as guided imagery and visualization can help athletes learn how to take their anxious feelings and deal with them in a positive and productive manner. 

Increased Endurance
A major part of any sport is a focus on endurance. It plays a pivotal role in nearly every sport around. For a cyclist or marathon runner, it’s all about making it to the finish line. In soccer, it’s about staying sharp despite running up and down the field for hours on end. Basketball requires endurance to maintain energy even in the very last minutes of the game. Relaxation techniques can give athletes an advantage in outlasting their opponents. With breathing exercises combined with techniques such as self-affirming phrases designed to keep you calm and relaxed, you’ll find an edge in the ability to go that extra mile.

Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is one hidden gem that athletes might find extremely beneficial to their daily routines. This technique involves tensing specific muscles for a few seconds, then letting the tension go. It’s a way to pinpoint where your tension is. A majority of individuals, athletes as well, may not even realize that a certain muscle group is tensed. For example, when you unconsciously let your shoulders relax only to realize they were nearly up to your chin—progressive muscle relaxation is designed to help give you a method to control the tension and detect when certain muscles need a little extra attention. 

If you are looking for help with practicing relaxation techniques, I am here as a resource. You can email me at beth@atimeforexpression.com or contact me here.

May you discover how relaxation can enhance your performance and improve your wellbeing.

Relaxation Techniques on the Fly

Discovering the benefits of practicing relaxation techniques can transform the way you feel in your daily life. Finding methods for coping with stress, anxiety, pain, and a variety of other issues can help you handle whatever comes your way. As you build relaxation techniques into your routine, you might begin with a weekly session, work towards practicing daily, and then you can achieve what I consider the ultimate goal of relaxation training—accessing relaxation on the fly, when you need it most. Here is the process I recommend:

Commit to a weekly relaxation time.
If you have trouble remembering or making time to relax, a great way to start is by finding a good time during the week and committing to an hour of relaxation each week at that time. It can be a class, an individual session, or just a time to listen to a guided relaxation recording. It’s important to make it a recurring appointment in your calendar, so other tasks and activities can’t creep into that time slot. If something unavoidable comes up, then make sure to reschedule relaxation training for another time that week. Tell yourself “no matter what happens this week, I know that I will at least have this hour to relax and recharge.” Once you have established this weekly relaxation time successfully, you can work on practicing relaxation techniques on a daily basis.

Develop a daily practice.
How do you move from a weekly relaxation practice to a daily one? I find that if people are able to commit to weekly sessions for an extended period of time, they are much more likely to start fitting in relaxation breaks during each day. On the other hand, people who try to dive right in with daily breaks often struggle to find the time or even remember to do it. It’s like the gradual process of beginning with a weekly practice and then slowly adding in small daily breaks gives the mind and body time to adjust to this new healthy habit. Since they can be as short as 5 or 10 minutes, you can look for times when you have a little space—between meetings or appointments, before bedtime, during a part of your lunch break, waiting in line, riding the bus or train, etc. Once again, treat these breaks as actual appointments in your calendar—writing them in your schedule will help you remember and make them a priority. Then when you find yourself using relaxation techniques each day without struggling to remember, you are ready to enjoy a huge benefit of relaxation training—accessing relaxation when you need it most, aka on the fly!

Use relaxation techniques on the fly.
Whether you are in an argument with someone, taking a test, speaking in front of a group, or some other anxiety-provoking activity, you will greatly benefit from having a set of effective relaxation techniques to access in the moment. Have you ever felt stuck in an argument with no way out of it? Now you can excuse yourself, go into another room (even the bathroom if necessary) use a relaxation technique or two, and return feeling refreshed and perhaps with a new perspective on the situation. Possessing the skills to relax yourself and making it a priority to practice them regularly will make you much more likely to use them when you really need a stress release.

Are you willing to try this process of developing a regular relaxation practice so you can access stress relief on the fly? If you feel some hesitation, I invite you to visualize yourself handling stressful situations with ease and notice how good that feels. It’s worth the time to devote yourself to a relaxation practice—your mind, body, and spirit will thank you!

May you move through your life with more ease and enjoyment…

Relaxing Together

I’ve heard it said that two things are better than one. In the case of relaxation, that might not be too far from the truth. More often than not, the idea of relaxation conjures up images of a solitary person walking in nature, taking deep breaths on a park bench, practicing yoga or some other activity to rebalance your state of mind. Relaxing on your own can be very effective, but have you considered just how beneficial it could be to have someone there practicing the fine art of relaxation beside you? Having a partner in relaxation can provide you with benefits you never knew you lacked when practicing relaxation techniques. Below are a few reasons why you might want to consider making part of your relaxation time a group effort.
 
Discovering New Relaxation Techniques  One of the biggest benefits of inviting someone else to join in on your relaxation time is allowing them to bring something new to the table. Since everyone has their own specific techniques, you might be missing out on one which could open a whole new world of stress relief. In turn, you will be able to share with your new partner the ways in which you find the most peace through relaxation techniques.
 
Focus Assistance  If your personality leans towards always-on-the-go, then you might find it difficult to just sit in one place and focus on relaxation for longer than a few moments. Having someone there to help might be the perfect missing piece. A relaxation partner can help you remain focused when your mind tends to wander towards other things going on in your life. Taking time out of your schedule to make sure your needs are met can be a major challenge for many people. With someone at your side helping you stay on the right track, it can make all the difference.

Guilt Eraser  As we’ve previously discussed on this blog, many people have a difficult time indulging in “me time”, so to speak. Setting aside time to practice relaxation techniques can often lead to feelings of guilt over being too self-indulgent or not productive on projects you need to get finished. Partnering up with a relaxation friend or small group can help it feel less like an indulgence and more like an actual event that is important enough to put on your calendar. Relaxation time is very important, and practicing relaxation techniques together can help you shed the guilty feelings because you see how it benefits each other.

Bonding Experience  By sharing a common experience with another person, you begin to build a bond with them. Through the years as a relaxation coach, I’ve noticed that when people relax together, a peaceful energy occurs that can be a wonderful bonding experience. Whether it’s with a spouse, your children, siblings, coworkers, or even new friends, these bonding experiences can serve to help you reach your optimal level of relaxation as well as ensure a strong connection between you.

As you continue to enjoy individual relaxation, it can be so rewarding to invite others to join you at times. If you ever have questions about relaxation and stress management, feel free to email me at beth@atimeforexpression.com

May you find joy in relaxing together

Starting the New Year with Intention: Building Relaxation Into Your Life

This is the time of year when we see many of our friends and family members announcing their resolutions for the New Year. While resolutions may work for some, I prefer to focus on intentions for how I want to live my life in the new year. Intentions encompass more than just the things you would like to do, but also the ways in which you would like to live your life. Fulfilling your 2017 intentions may involve adapting your routine, mindset or practices to live more in line with your desires and worldview. 

If your intentions involve being more resilient, at peace or focused on the positive things in your life, integrating a regular relaxation practice into your daily life can support these goals. The key to building a sustainable relaxation practice is making sure that it fits with your lifestyle (so that you will be more likely to stick with it). Here are some questions to ask yourself as you build a relaxation practice that will support your intentions in the year to come.

What activities do I find relaxing?
Relaxation comes in many forms. Think through activities that you have done in the past (or currently do) that relax you. These could involve exercise (yoga, stretching, biking, swimming, etc.), reading, watching a movie, listening to music, creative projects (art, cooking, singing), being in a relaxing environment (a museum, spa, or park), or spending time with people who make you feel at ease. Taking a relaxation class or listening to relaxation recordings is another great way to calm your mind and body. Once you’ve identified these activities, schedule in at least one or two per week and allow yourself time to fully enjoy doing them.

When do I have breaks or downtime during my day?
Many of us tend to think that we need to carve out large chunks of time for relaxation. While it can be wonderful to spend multiple hours or an entire day relaxing, this is not realistic for most of us as we move through our daily lives. The good news is that there are plenty of shorter relaxation exercises that can be done during your lunch break or right when you come home from work. One of the most effective ways to relax during the workday is using relaxation techniques such as intentional breathing, muscle relaxation exercises, guided imagery or meditation. Deep breathing allows for more oxygen to enter the body, which can be both relaxing and restorative. Muscle relaxation involves bringing your awareness to various groups of muscles and relaxing them with breathwork, imagery and/or tensing and releasing the muscles until your entire body is relaxed. Guided imagery is a narrative that engages the imagination and senses and guides the mind toward a relaxed, focused state. The loving kindness meditations that I like to use are a way to calm your heart and mind while encouraging peaceful and loving thoughts about those around you. If you only have a little time, you can choose one technique for a 3-5 minute session, or if you are really in a hurry, try my 1-minute relaxation break. When you have more time to relax, you can combine these four techniques into an enjoyable, effective relaxation training session. These relaxation techniques can be practiced with the help of a recording or on your own once you know how to do them.

Where is the best place for me to start? How can I build relaxation into my life in a sustainable way?
Once you’ve thought through your options for relaxation and the times during your day or week when you can relax, decide on a starting point and build from there. This process will be different for everyone. For example, begin by committing to a weekly relaxation hour, whether it’s a yoga or relaxation training class, an individual relaxation session, or even setting aside a time to listen to a guided relaxation recording. Committing to that weekly time and making it a priority cues your mind and body to relax. Once that gets going, then layer in a daily relaxing activity that can vary in length depending on how much time you have that day (see relaxation training for ideas). The next week, try a calming audio book or guided relaxation recording as you settle into bed. The key is to gradually build sustainable relaxation activities into your life. 

Consistent relaxation can help us live a more peaceful and fulfilling life in 2017. If you have any questions about relaxation, coaching or wellness feel free to email me anytime at beth@atimeforexpression.com

Wishing you a refreshing feeling of ease in the New Year!

Relaxation and Creativity

Do you ever find yourself feeling stuck when working on a project? It is something that most of us deal with at different times of our lives. It might be while writing a book, composing a song, painting a new work of art, or some other creative endeavor—we sometimes find ourselves in a rut that can result in frustration or stress. 

Being an artist or creative person, it is so vital to be able to get those creative juices flowing. Learning how to recognize being stuck and how to become “unstuck” is a challenge that every creative has and will face. As strange as it may sound, one of the best things that we can do is to relax. Often when we are stuck, we become more stressed and more frustrated, and it becomes a cycle. However, if you are able to tap into a few of the relaxation techniques below, it can free you and your creativity.

Breathing – Finding a comfortable, quiet place to sit or lie down and pay attention to your breathing is a quick, simple way to refocus. Pay attention to how you are breathing. Do this for several minutes, taking slow, deep breaths and making sure you exhale fully each time. This technique can help reduce fear and pain, and for stuck creatives, it can also help you clear your mind and alleviate the stress of trying to come up with your next project. 

Muscle Relaxation – Focus on tensing and releasing each muscle group. Doing this for a few minutes can help relax your body and open up your mind. While you are focusing on tensing and releasing your muscles, you are no longer stressing or wondering how you will come up with that next idea. This technique is called Progressive Muscle Relaxation, and as its creator Edmund Jacobson said: “An anxious mind cannot exist in a relaxed body.” Once the anxiety is released, your creative thinking has a chance to flourish.

Guided Imagery – Tap into your imagination and visualize yourself somewhere. Maybe it’s one of your favorite destinations for vacation, or possibly it’s a favorite restaurant, gallery or place in nature. You can fully engage each of your senses—touch, sight, taste, scent, and sound—to bring the experience to life. Going somewhere else for a while in your mind can be a wonderful break, and you can return to your project with a fresh perspective.

Meditation – A part of becoming unstuck is to remove barriers or limitations that we might be experiencing. The reasons for these barriers vary, but could be work, relationships, finances or even our own thoughts. By meditating, we are centering our thoughts and focusing on the present. If you enjoy silent meditation, spend a few minutes in quiet reflection. If you struggle with silent meditation, you can try guided meditation to keep your thoughts from wandering to worries and preoccupations. 

Do you have a favorite technique from above? To read more examples of each of these relaxation techniques, see some of my other blog posts such as How Relaxation Techniques Can Help You Focus, 1 Minute Relaxation Break, How Loving Kindness Meditations Can Help You and Guided Imagery: Relaxation via Your Imagination. 

May you find a time to relax and free your creative expression.

How to Find a Time for Relaxation

How often do you find yourself wishing for more hours in the day? If there were a way to magically snap our fingers and find a few extra hours to finish up tasks, most of us may be tempted to make the change. With so many things packed into a single day, it can be difficult to cut loose and find a little time for relaxation. Even the most hectic schedule can be maneuvered with a little planning. If you are the type of person who just can’t seem to find any time to take a deep breath, then check out some tips below on finding time for relaxation.

Must Do and Should Do – Tasks often fall into two categories—must do and should do. Whether they are chores around the house or projects for work, each category comes with its share of weight on your schedule. By stepping back and looking at them objectively, you can help ease your time crunch. Some things can wait until tomorrow.

Putting Yourself First – If you are the type of person who drops everything for everyone while leaving no time for yourself, then chances are you could stand to carve out a little “me” time. Taking care of yourself with regular relaxation breaks will actually increase your ability to do more and feel a whole lot better throughout the day. The best way I’ve found to fit in relaxation breaks is to completely rethink how we create our schedules. Before putting in tasks, meetings and appointments, begin with scheduling some relaxation breaks. I recommend actually assigning a time for each break, so that you can’t schedule something else in that time slot. You can experiment with a combination of a few very short breaks (1-5 minutes) and a couple of longer breaks (15-30) minutes, and treat them as the essential energy boosts that they are.

Make Use of Obstacles – Stuck in traffic or construction? Standing in a long line at the store or DMV? Is your daily bus taking a little longer to arrive? These overlooked blocks of time can be used to recharge with relaxation, if only for a few moments. Changing your perception of how you view these common inconveniences helps. Instead of having a negative notion of delays, start looking at them as opportunities to relax. You can try an intentional deep breathing exercise, do some gentle stretches, tense and release different muscle groups (otherwise known as progressive muscle relaxation), or spend a few moments thinking about one of your favorite places to be. Important tip: turn off your phone and/or computer during these times to prevent interruptions.

My wish for you is to find some space in your life for moments to relax, re-energize and enjoy life. If you have any questions about relaxation or would like to share your experiences, feel free to comment below or email me at beth@atimeforexpression.com

May we all find a time for relaxation and moments of bliss.

The Case for Positive Affirmations

"I love and accept myself."  — Affirmation Kitty

Although some people might think positive affirmations are a little corny, in my coaching work, I find they can be very helpful for anyone who wants to boost confidence and set positive goals. If you’re curious (or even skeptical) about the effectiveness of affirmations, I invite you to read on to see how positive affirmations can impact your life for the better.

Affirmations Can Be Negative or Positive

If you take a moment to think about all of the places your mind goes to in a day, you’ll realize that there are both positive and negative things that you think (and speak) about. This means that affirmations can be either positive or negative. As we move through our lives, we develop thought processes that turn into belief systems. If we think of affirmations as being the same as thoughts, negative affirmations turn into negative belief systems, which can impact the way we perceive ourselves and our places in the world. For example, by repeatedly thinking, “I’m not good at writing,” you ingrain in yourself the belief that you are not (and will never be) good at writing. In doing so, you cut yourself off from opportunities because you’ve decided (through your self-talk) that you aren’t good at it, and you might lose all hope of getting better. Many people suffer from these negative thought patterns that lead them into a downward spiral and block them from reaching their goals or enjoying their lives. One way to counteract these negative beliefs is by consciously changing the way we think. A concrete and effective way of doing this is by thinking and saying positive affirmations. 

How do positive affirmations work? 

Positive affirmations are a powerful way to stop negative thought patterns. When you think or speak a positive affirmation, it signals your subconscious mind that you are making a change and beginning to think about yourself and your life in a different way. Just like any process of change, it takes time and practice for these affirmations to sink in and “stick” as part of your thought pattern. 

The effectiveness of positive affirmations in certain situations is backed up by science. A study recently published in Psychological Science explores the neurophysiological reactions that help explain how positive affirmations help people deal with threats to self-integrity. Another study by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University (published in PLOS ONE) determined that positive affirmations protect individuals against the negative effects of stress on problem-solving abilities. In addition to scientific research, there is a large body of anecdotal evidence that people feel more optimistic about certain aspects of their lives when they use positive affirmations. 

How do I increase the effectiveness of my positive affirmations?

There are several things you can do to increase the effectiveness of positive affirmations. Saying the affirmations out loud gives them weight and signals your subconscious mind to take them seriously. To increase the effectiveness of positive affirmations, make a conscious decision to think positive thoughts throughout the day. Challenging yourself to find one positive thing about each situation also helps. At the end of your day, review everything you did, your conversations with people, your reactions, etc., and think of at least one positive thing that came out of it. These positive thoughts will “prime” your mind to accept the positive affirmations, thus making them more effective. When you dedicate yourself to this process, before long, you’ll notice that you feel better and that you are able to approach life in a more positive and productive way.

What are some examples of positive affirmations to try?

The great thing about positive affirmations is that they can be tailored to your specific goals or general in nature. Here are some general affirmations you can try.

I love and accept myself.
I listen to my inner wisdom.
Wonderful opportunities are out there for me.
I surround myself with loving people.
I sleep soundly and awaken refreshed.
All my problems have a solution.
I am loved.
I am good at ______.
I am valued and respected.

If you’re interested in learning more about positive affirmations, I invite you to listen to my guided relaxation recording that focuses on positivity, Uplifting Guided Relaxation. http://www.atimeforexpression.com/recordings-1/uplifting-guided-relaxation

Other resources:

Kate Britt, “How to Change Your Mind and Your Life by Using Affirmations,” Tiny Buddha, http://tinybuddha.com/blog/how-to-change-your-mind-and-your-life-by-using-affirmations/

J. David Creswell, Janine M. Dutcher, William M. P. Klein, Peter R. Harris, John M. Levine, “Self-Affirmation Improves Problem-Solving under Stress,” PLOS ONE, http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0062593

Lisa Legault, “Self-Affirmation Enhances Performance, Makes Us Receptive to Our Mistakes,” Psychological Science, http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/self-affirmation-enhances-performance-makes-us-receptive-to-our-mistakes.html