Performance Anxiety Linked with Obesity

Dear Readers:

I have been contemplating the link between performance anxiety and obesity. One example of my own personal experience with this issue was my orchestra audition at a prestigious private college in North Western Minnesota. It was my freshman year and I had played poorly, because I was shaking so much with anxiety that I could not perform. I went back to my dorm ordered two large pizzas and ate both of them (they were pepperoni).

At the time I did not realize that I was eating to curb my anxiety.

Performance anxiety occurs in music, sports, theater, presentations, and every other performance medium.

Internal Energy Plus™ and its 12 postural intentions is the best system that I have found in my 30 years of performing to help me become aware of how much and when I was eating to drown my anxiety.

A great side effect I did not anticipate of training in Internal Energy Plus™ was that within 6 months of practice, I had decided to take action to stop drinking alcohol. I realized that I did not need alcohol to treat my anxiety. I could see I had other options.

These options are

1) To eat at the table instead of the TV.

2) To measure out the serving size indicated and only eat that much.

3) To eat one plate of food and wait about 5 minutes usually I would not have a second plate!!

I use these new patterns to stop overeating because of my anxiety.

Performance anxiety gave me a reason to overeat, but Internal Energy Plus gave me choices and the ability to take action instead.

In Consistency,

Thomas

A BRIEF PERSONAL STORY.

Dear Readers:

I am qualified as an INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS Consultant not only because of my belief in it conceptually, or in the abstract. My physical and emotional health have improved substantially as a result of my using IEP practices which had been taught to me. And yes...I have a personal testimonial.

I began painting houses in the summer after ninth grade as a means of supporting my family and myself while I pursued a career in music. It has been financially rewarding, but it is physically demanding.

Four years ago, I began teaching band in a middle school. I would conduct music for 4 to 5 hours per day, and would paint at night and on weekends. I had an increasing and persistent pain in my right arm, radiating down from my shoulder. To complicate matters, I tend to carry my stress in my shoulders.

The pain in my arm and shoulder became so excruciating that I was unable to get a decent night's rest. I was not comfortable with the idea of taking any prescription painkillers or getting a cortisone injection. At the time, although I was studying the Twelve Postures, I had not intellectually or emotionally made the association between my overwhelming stress and my physical pain. While the postures served to relax me, and to reduce the general feeling of tension in my body, I had neither fully focused the healing energy on my arm, or on the actual triggering feelings of stress. In fact, the anticipation of pain only served to increase the stress, just as the onset of stress would start the pain radiating down my arm.

When I was able to see that my mind (through stress) was causing the release of pain-inducing chemicals in my arm, and that my worries about the slightest twinges in my arm were "feeding" this neurochemical reaction, and allowing it to spiral out of control, I understood that I had to break the pattern. One particular variation on a Posture was able to alleviate the pain in my arm if I chose to use it at the first sign of pain. The mere knowledge that I could stop the pain with such a simple action gave me a feeling of control -- this, in turn, led to a generalized reduction in stress. I proactively broke the pain/stress cycle.

I painted seven decks in seven hours (like a marathon) last weekend, and, not surprisingly, my shoulder began to ache. Driving home from the finished job, I invested two minutes in doing this potent Posture. I felt immediate relief.

As I continued to relax, the pain subsided completely. That night, I slept comfortably without any pain. I never could have imagined the possibility of such a "miracle cure" even two years ago.

In Truth,

Thomas C. Kern, Jr.

p.s. INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS works.

INTRODUCTION: THERE IS NO BARRIER WHICH CANNOT BE OVERCOME.

Dear Readers:

I am Thomas C. Kern. Jr., INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS Consultant Group Moderator, musician, artist, and soon-to-be father. Welcome to my blog.

I will be posting on a variety of subjects that have to do with PUSHING THE ENVELOPE -- achieving more than you had ever thought possible. You have virtually unlimited capacity to accomplish any important object which you can envision.

Join me as I discuss ways in which we can realize and enjoy our amazing inherent potential.

In Truth,

Thomas C. Kern, Jr.