Authors of New Book On Wellness In "the Trump Era" Release Quick Tips to Identify Overwhelm

    AUSTIN, TX, July 02, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- After Donald Trump's election, the American Psychological Association's annual stress survey saw "a statistically significant increase in stress levels in the U.S." for the first time in its 10-year history. Life strategists, activists, and authors Donna Lipman and Kathy Hertz experienced this increase in stress and overwhelm firsthand in themselves and in their communities, and they have written about it in their new book: "Beyond Resistance: Coping with the Stress of the Trump Era – An Essential Guide."

The two are now offering tips from their book to the public to help people identify when they are in a state of overwhelm so they can know without a doubt that it's time to seek the support of much-needed self-care routines to bring themselves back into balance.

"Overwhelm is a message to yourself from yourself," says Donna Lipman, "a call to action, a sign to pay greater attention to your needs and what you can comfortably manage and have the desire to manage."

"True well-being is about you and your relationship with yourself," adds Kathy Hertz. "It can only be achieved by taking the time to check in, get clear, and make choices based on your priorities. Being in or noticing overwhelm is not the problem — not acting or taking responsibility for it is. When overwhelm owns you, you have lost."

Here are Kathy and Donna's overwhelm warning signs:

• Numbing out with food, alcohol, social media, work, etc.
• Sleeping too much or too little.
• Feeling out of control or powerless.
• Forgetting or losing things.
• Experiencing heart palpitations or a general sense of anxiety.
• Retreating from friends, family, or the world.
• Acting reckless or careless.
• Jumping to conclusions.
• Being unable to focus.
• Making excuses, blaming others, or painting yourself as a victim.
• Having a short temper; angering easily.
• Wanting to cry or scream from frustration.
• Lacking follow-through.
• Feeling stuck.
• Not taking care of yourself.
• Being self-centered.

They invite the American public to take the "Overwhelm Quiz" from the "Beyond Resistance" book and, based on how they score, seek appropriate self-care to rebalance their sense of well-being.

The Overwhelm Quiz

Rate each question on a scale from 1 – 5, with 1 being the least true and 5 being the truest.

• My workdays and weekends are jam-packed.
• When spending time with my friends, family, partner, I'm anxious to move on to the next thing — I can never fully enjoy the moment.
• Quiet time for myself seems impossible.
• I use my vacation days to run errands and catch up on chores.
• I manage to stay on top of things, but I don't know how long I can keep up.
• More often than not, I am tired and stressed out.
• My life is certainly not boring, but it's also wearing me down.
• I find myself waking up angry, scared, or upset.
• I tend to say "yes" to every request.
• Even when I have time for myself, I'm not doing anything that nourishes or replenishes my physical, emotional, or spiritual well-being.

"If you scored between 10 and 15, you are doing great!" they write. "If you scored between 16 and 30, you may want to think about ways to take a little more time for yourself or use your time to support your well-being more effectively. If you scored between 30 and 50, take heed and consider your self-care now!"

About Kathy: Kathy Hertz proudly calls herself a card-carrying member of The Resistance. She was recently recognized with the prestigious Point of Light Award from George H.W. Bush's Points of Light Foundation for her work with refugees on Lesvos, Greece and is also a veteran of the Bill Clinton and John Kerry Presidential campaigns. As a certified life coach through The Ford Institute for Transformational Training, Kathy has experienced and witnessed the enormous impact that unchecked negative internal voices and beliefs can have on lives. She now brings her diverse background together with her life-coaching skills to partner with Donna Lipman and create a roadmap for surviving and thriving during these turbulent political times. Their new book is called "Beyond Resistance: Coping with the Stress of the Trump Era – An Essential Guide."

About Donna: Ford Institute executive, master integrative coach, presentation skills trainer, and author Donna Lipman brings together her commitment to The Resistance with her life coaching and presentation abilities to partner with Kathy Hertz in creating a guide to help navigate the stress of these chaotic political times. Their new book "Beyond Resistance: Coping with the Stress of the Trump Era – An Essential Guide" offers self-care solutions and action-oriented exercises to inspire everyone from political observers to advocates and activists.

To learn more, visit www.BeyondResistanceBook.com.

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