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The End of Stress: Four Steps to Rewire Your Brain
With this simple, straightforward solution, you can switch your brain’s autopilot from habitual stress and anxiety to a mindset that is calm and wired for success.
Stress debilitates and even damages the brain, inhibiting you from living life to the fullest. From your career to your family to your golf score, everything depends on higher brain networks functioning at optimum. That’s why alleviating stress is the key to success—and why changing your brain is the first step to sustaining more joy, peace, and fulfillment at every level of life.
In The End of Stress, Don Joseph Goewey offers an easy, four-step method that will increase your brainpower and end anxiety. Drawing on the latest research in neuroscience and neuroplasticity, Goewey’s cutting-edge approach has been tested through webinars and seminars in high-stress environments and proven effective from chief executives, managers, and engineers to blue-collar construction workers.
You have the power to reach your highest potential—but it all starts with the brain. The End of Stress gives you the tools you need to transcend stress and make every day your best day.
Stress debilitates and even damages the brain, inhibiting you from living life to the fullest. From your career to your family to your golf score, everything depends on higher brain networks functioning at optimum. That’s why alleviating stress is the key to success—and why changing your brain is the first step to sustaining more joy, peace, and fulfillment at every level of life.
In The End of Stress, Don Joseph Goewey offers an easy, four-step method that will increase your brainpower and end anxiety. Drawing on the latest research in neuroscience and neuroplasticity, Goewey’s cutting-edge approach has been tested through webinars and seminars in high-stress environments and proven effective from chief executives, managers, and engineers to blue-collar construction workers.
You have the power to reach your highest potential—but it all starts with the brain. The End of Stress gives you the tools you need to transcend stress and make every day your best day.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2014
87 people are currently reading
1126 people want to read
About the author
Don Joseph Goewey
10 books6 followersFor forty-years, Don Joseph Goewey has focused on the innate potential in human beings to transform their lives. He has worked with some of the best in the field in developing approaches to shift the most stressful situations any of us will ever face, from people diagnosed with life threatening illness, to parents who have lost children, to refugees of war who have lost everything. Don has studied and consulted with Carl R. Rogers, Ph.D., the founder of humanistic psychology. He is internationally known for his work with Gerald Jampolsky, M.D. and the staff at the Center for Attitudinal Healing in establishing a model for psychological support based on attitude.
Don is currently president of ProAttitude, a human performance firm dedicated to transforming the workplace through a unique and powerful approach to ending stress.
Previously, he served as executive director of the International Center for Attitudinal Healing for twelve years, directed an AIDS agency at the height of the epidemic in the Bay Area, and was the lead executive at Stanford University Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry.
Don is uniquely qualified to translate recent breakthroughs in the neuroplasticity of attitude into a practical approach for personal transformation.
Don is currently president of ProAttitude, a human performance firm dedicated to transforming the workplace through a unique and powerful approach to ending stress.
Previously, he served as executive director of the International Center for Attitudinal Healing for twelve years, directed an AIDS agency at the height of the epidemic in the Bay Area, and was the lead executive at Stanford University Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry.
Don is uniquely qualified to translate recent breakthroughs in the neuroplasticity of attitude into a practical approach for personal transformation.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 5, 2018
Not groundbreaking, certainly. Still quite readable and even quite informative. Not sure what was lacking. Maybe I didn't give this book enough serious attention.
Therefore, it's 4 stars.
Q:
Ellen Langer’s research proves that what William James asserted more than a hundred years ago is true. She’s shown that mind over matter is real. In this book, you’ve learned that a positive change of mind changes your brain, not only to end stress, but also to expand higher-brain function. Langer has found that we can even use our minds to trick our bodies into turning back the clock. As you read the following accounts of how people stretched their capacity, think back to the quote from William James and reassert your belief that you can attain and sustain a stress-free life.In 1979, Langer conducted perhaps her most famous experiment, with men in their late seventies and early eighties, who were languishing in nursing homes.8 She took the men on a one-week retreat during which they pretended it was 1959. It was as if they were in a play. They wore clothes that were fashionable in 1959, ate the food they ate then, carried photo IDs of how they looked in that year, and were encouraged to behave as they had twenty years before. They were even given newspapers and magazines from 1959 to read and shown films and television programs from 1959.
The results were astonishing. Compared to the control group, which went on an ordinary retreat, the time travelers showed greater improvements in joint flexibility and manual dexterity. Their arthritis began to retreat, and their IQs improved.
I related this study to my friend Kay, whose ninety-one-year-old mother lives with her. That night, Kay offered her mother a piece of dark chocolate. Her mother asked how much it had cost. “Only about two dollars,” Kay said. Her mother was shocked at the amount. “Two dollars!” she said. “I can’t believe a bar of chocolate costs that much.” (c)
Q:
Recently an eighty-year-old friend of mine told her doctor she was having trouble retrieving words. The issue sometimes meant that she couldn’t complete a thought in conversing with someone. Her doctor said it was normal for someone her age, but she didn’t settle for that. She insisted on a referral and went to a neuropsychologist, who put her into an aggressive program to strengthen her memory. She’s making real progress, and it’s helped her confidence and self-esteem. All too often, seniors are treated as “over the hill” without any understanding that treating them this way is what creates the condition. (c)
Q:
Langer also conducted a study with hotel workers who clean rooms.9 These workers are typically assigned fifteen rooms a day and spend half an hour cleaning each room, an effort that exceeds the level of daily exercise the surgeon general prescribes. But the workers thought their job didn’t qualify as exercise, and since they were too tired at the end of their shift to go to the gym, they believed they weren’t getting any exercise. Dr. Langer divided the hotel workers into two groups. In one group, she reinforced the mind-set that the physical exertion in their job achieved the recommended level of physical fitness. The second group was not given this information. After four weeks, without any change in diet or activity, people in the first group lost weight. Their body fat dropped, and even their blood pressure improved. The only thing that had changed was the group’s mind-set. There was no improvement in the second group.
It may be hard to believe that a change in mind-set could actually improve eyesight as bad as 20/70 or even 20/160, yet it did.10 It makes one wonder if we’re all wearing mental blinders. The evidence shows that we are! This can change; it’s a matter of respecting the latent power of our thoughts. In his memoir, Thomas Merton wrote what I believe gets to the heart of the problem: “Perhaps I am stronger than I think. Perhaps I am even afraid of my strength and turn it against myself, thus making myself weak.” (c)
Q:
The Shaping Reality Tool
Here’s what you do: Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes. Select a current goal you wish to achieve. Imagine as clearly as you can this outcome as you want it to happen. Pretend that it has already come to pass, and see your life as it would exist at that moment. Let go of all restraints on your thinking and involve the sensory parts of your brain. Hear the sounds that are present when the outcome is realized. Smell the air and feel the temperature in the environment. Visualize what you will see. Broaden that with colors, people, and anything else that’s meaningful to you. Feel the feelings you imagine will overcome you when this outcome is realized. Make these desired feelings as strong as you can. If you are happy, allow them to place a smile on your face or make you laugh out loud. If you are relieved, let the relief lift your spirits. Let the emotions become real. Sustain these desired emotions for as long as you can, but for no more than a minute. As you conclude the exercise, let everything go. Have faith that you have now locked your internal guidance system on your desired outcome. (c)
Q:
• Integrate your To-Be List with your to-do list, making peace your primary goal. (c)
Q:
Watch the wind blow or the sun shine or the rain fall. (c)
Q:
The head of a public relations firm once told me that it took him twenty years to finally realize that what people want most is health, wealth, and love. (c)
Therefore, it's 4 stars.
Q:
Ellen Langer’s research proves that what William James asserted more than a hundred years ago is true. She’s shown that mind over matter is real. In this book, you’ve learned that a positive change of mind changes your brain, not only to end stress, but also to expand higher-brain function. Langer has found that we can even use our minds to trick our bodies into turning back the clock. As you read the following accounts of how people stretched their capacity, think back to the quote from William James and reassert your belief that you can attain and sustain a stress-free life.In 1979, Langer conducted perhaps her most famous experiment, with men in their late seventies and early eighties, who were languishing in nursing homes.8 She took the men on a one-week retreat during which they pretended it was 1959. It was as if they were in a play. They wore clothes that were fashionable in 1959, ate the food they ate then, carried photo IDs of how they looked in that year, and were encouraged to behave as they had twenty years before. They were even given newspapers and magazines from 1959 to read and shown films and television programs from 1959.
The results were astonishing. Compared to the control group, which went on an ordinary retreat, the time travelers showed greater improvements in joint flexibility and manual dexterity. Their arthritis began to retreat, and their IQs improved.
I related this study to my friend Kay, whose ninety-one-year-old mother lives with her. That night, Kay offered her mother a piece of dark chocolate. Her mother asked how much it had cost. “Only about two dollars,” Kay said. Her mother was shocked at the amount. “Two dollars!” she said. “I can’t believe a bar of chocolate costs that much.” (c)
Q:
Recently an eighty-year-old friend of mine told her doctor she was having trouble retrieving words. The issue sometimes meant that she couldn’t complete a thought in conversing with someone. Her doctor said it was normal for someone her age, but she didn’t settle for that. She insisted on a referral and went to a neuropsychologist, who put her into an aggressive program to strengthen her memory. She’s making real progress, and it’s helped her confidence and self-esteem. All too often, seniors are treated as “over the hill” without any understanding that treating them this way is what creates the condition. (c)
Q:
Langer also conducted a study with hotel workers who clean rooms.9 These workers are typically assigned fifteen rooms a day and spend half an hour cleaning each room, an effort that exceeds the level of daily exercise the surgeon general prescribes. But the workers thought their job didn’t qualify as exercise, and since they were too tired at the end of their shift to go to the gym, they believed they weren’t getting any exercise. Dr. Langer divided the hotel workers into two groups. In one group, she reinforced the mind-set that the physical exertion in their job achieved the recommended level of physical fitness. The second group was not given this information. After four weeks, without any change in diet or activity, people in the first group lost weight. Their body fat dropped, and even their blood pressure improved. The only thing that had changed was the group’s mind-set. There was no improvement in the second group.
It may be hard to believe that a change in mind-set could actually improve eyesight as bad as 20/70 or even 20/160, yet it did.10 It makes one wonder if we’re all wearing mental blinders. The evidence shows that we are! This can change; it’s a matter of respecting the latent power of our thoughts. In his memoir, Thomas Merton wrote what I believe gets to the heart of the problem: “Perhaps I am stronger than I think. Perhaps I am even afraid of my strength and turn it against myself, thus making myself weak.” (c)
Q:
The Shaping Reality Tool
Here’s what you do: Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes. Select a current goal you wish to achieve. Imagine as clearly as you can this outcome as you want it to happen. Pretend that it has already come to pass, and see your life as it would exist at that moment. Let go of all restraints on your thinking and involve the sensory parts of your brain. Hear the sounds that are present when the outcome is realized. Smell the air and feel the temperature in the environment. Visualize what you will see. Broaden that with colors, people, and anything else that’s meaningful to you. Feel the feelings you imagine will overcome you when this outcome is realized. Make these desired feelings as strong as you can. If you are happy, allow them to place a smile on your face or make you laugh out loud. If you are relieved, let the relief lift your spirits. Let the emotions become real. Sustain these desired emotions for as long as you can, but for no more than a minute. As you conclude the exercise, let everything go. Have faith that you have now locked your internal guidance system on your desired outcome. (c)
Q:
• Integrate your To-Be List with your to-do list, making peace your primary goal. (c)
Q:
Watch the wind blow or the sun shine or the rain fall. (c)
Q:
The head of a public relations firm once told me that it took him twenty years to finally realize that what people want most is health, wealth, and love. (c)
June 9, 2016
I'm greatly conflicted with this book. On one hand, I completely agree that self control and a choosing a good attitude are essential to overcoming stress. However, it was so disappointing to see someone so intelligent describe so vividly the God of the Universe and refuse to acknowledge this fact. Goewey states that humans are designed for peace and yet claims this design comes from some unknown force or evolution. Evolution evolves, it doesn't create. And we know the force that created the universe by name: God. It seems to me to take more faith to believe attaining peace purely by our own efforts will bring fulfillment without knowing its source, why we exist, or what our purpose is than to believe in a God above ourselves who created us with this intelligent design, loving us so much as to create us for a purpose higher than our own invention and as a result, giving us peace that transcends all understanding. This does not negate the scientific observations and understanding of this book, but rather makes sense of it all.
We are designed for peace; disregarding the true source of this peace and the One who created us for peace does not give us greater ability for peace or more control over our personal peace. If anything, it gives us a false sense of control that at some point will leave us once again feeling empty. The brain and its design is beautiful, but that doesn't mean we are to function purely within ourselves and that there can be no external impact from God Himself on our peace.
The methods for stress relief in this book are, in my opinion, solid scientific understandings of the human brain and finding ways to remove unnecessary harmful effects that stress can cause by eliminating stress as much as possible. At one point early in the book, Goewey uses a Christian prayer as an example of something to help bring peace. But instead of praying this prayer to God, he recommends simple saying it to ourselves and remove God from the picture. Saying a prayer to myself will make me feel better, but it won't give room for God to aide my progression toward peace. Praying to God will bring more strength, peace, and understanding to the situation. Praying to myself might give me warm fuzzies and relieve some stress in the short term, but it won't give me any more strength than I had before. Relying completely on myself to attain what is described in this book seems to be an attempt to simplify life and give myself complete control but it won't change the reality of the fact that the true source of peace is outside myself. And if I want to attain full, true, and lasting peace, these tactics will aide the process, but they won't bring it to completion. We are not merely designed for peace, we are designed for a relationship with God which in and of itself will result in peace.
This book does not contradict Christianity, although many might claim that to be the case. If anything, it compliments it. Goewey claims that it could be evolution or the universe or whatever else we might call it that created us. But he doesn't describe evolution scientifically, nor does he describe a random force of power. Whether he knows it or not, this book is a description of the God of the bible as our intelligent designer. Science is not at odds with God, it observes and describes His known creation as we understand it. Just because we can't use science to define, understand, or observe God in the traditional sense does not mean we have disproved Him. It simply means that we can't fully know Him with our current means. Allowing this fear of the unknown to hinder our journey toward peace only makes things more difficult for ourselves. This book was enlightening in the ways of dealing with stress, but at the same time is unable to complete the picture out of a desire to remain in a false sense of total control of our peace. The author portrays his findings as 100% science and unbiased observation while still incorporating enough personal beliefs that I would say this book is about 90% science in reality. It's up to the reader to determine where the 10% of personal beliefs are hidden. If you're up for the challenge, this will be a great book for you.
We are designed for peace; disregarding the true source of this peace and the One who created us for peace does not give us greater ability for peace or more control over our personal peace. If anything, it gives us a false sense of control that at some point will leave us once again feeling empty. The brain and its design is beautiful, but that doesn't mean we are to function purely within ourselves and that there can be no external impact from God Himself on our peace.
The methods for stress relief in this book are, in my opinion, solid scientific understandings of the human brain and finding ways to remove unnecessary harmful effects that stress can cause by eliminating stress as much as possible. At one point early in the book, Goewey uses a Christian prayer as an example of something to help bring peace. But instead of praying this prayer to God, he recommends simple saying it to ourselves and remove God from the picture. Saying a prayer to myself will make me feel better, but it won't give room for God to aide my progression toward peace. Praying to God will bring more strength, peace, and understanding to the situation. Praying to myself might give me warm fuzzies and relieve some stress in the short term, but it won't give me any more strength than I had before. Relying completely on myself to attain what is described in this book seems to be an attempt to simplify life and give myself complete control but it won't change the reality of the fact that the true source of peace is outside myself. And if I want to attain full, true, and lasting peace, these tactics will aide the process, but they won't bring it to completion. We are not merely designed for peace, we are designed for a relationship with God which in and of itself will result in peace.
This book does not contradict Christianity, although many might claim that to be the case. If anything, it compliments it. Goewey claims that it could be evolution or the universe or whatever else we might call it that created us. But he doesn't describe evolution scientifically, nor does he describe a random force of power. Whether he knows it or not, this book is a description of the God of the bible as our intelligent designer. Science is not at odds with God, it observes and describes His known creation as we understand it. Just because we can't use science to define, understand, or observe God in the traditional sense does not mean we have disproved Him. It simply means that we can't fully know Him with our current means. Allowing this fear of the unknown to hinder our journey toward peace only makes things more difficult for ourselves. This book was enlightening in the ways of dealing with stress, but at the same time is unable to complete the picture out of a desire to remain in a false sense of total control of our peace. The author portrays his findings as 100% science and unbiased observation while still incorporating enough personal beliefs that I would say this book is about 90% science in reality. It's up to the reader to determine where the 10% of personal beliefs are hidden. If you're up for the challenge, this will be a great book for you.
October 9, 2020
This book is effective, clear and powerful medicine. It’s not a book to be read, but a handbook with exercise and tools to be followed and implemented. The combined power of the tools over time was staggering to experience. The book is built on a strong, scientific foundation and is aligned with the leading research findings in studies in the field of secular Mindfulness while still presenting concepts in a novel way and providing insights and tools I have not seen elsewhere. This book is blessing to all of us who have been too stressed.
January 5, 2015
stress is a silent killer. One's that way more lethal than I imagined.
I take from this book to constantly manage my stress levels, and remind myself that everything's good lol. Life's awesome.
Seriously though, you must realize what a big role stress has on your health, so you won't take things to heart :)
I take from this book to constantly manage my stress levels, and remind myself that everything's good lol. Life's awesome.
Seriously though, you must realize what a big role stress has on your health, so you won't take things to heart :)
June 7, 2018
It was a nice balance of scientific reasons behind stress with the emotional side (which, btw, HOW HAVE I NOT LEARNED ALL THIS BEFORE??? The stress chemical in your brain literally shrinks your receptors so that you can't make decisions).
It offers some practical steps to retrain your brain. I haven't taken them as I am not stressed, but I am glad that I read this.
It offers some practical steps to retrain your brain. I haven't taken them as I am not stressed, but I am glad that I read this.
May 9, 2017
Locus of control!
Read
February 7, 2018كتاب جميل جدا ، بعد قراءته ستتعامل مع عقلك وكأنك تبسطه على كفك وتراه كيف يقوم بعمله ، سترحمه كثيرا كما ترحم جوارحك التي تراها بعينك اذا رأيتها تعاني ،
January 2, 2022
Excellent book! I needed this one. I am shocked by the rating being lower than a 4.
Don't skip the introduction. There is info in there that spoke to me and reminded me that stress is very serious and we should always be trying to reduce and eliminate it.
I loved the layout of the book too. It is structured so that you are given an exercise to do daily for a week and then the next week, you add another daily exercise and so on. There are discussion and examples for each exercise too that helped me understand when, why and how to use each exercise, so don't skip the discussions. Trust me, it is all good stuff in here. The exercises sound like they will really work.
The writing is at the perfect level of readability. It is easy to follow and is not overloaded with medical jargon and unnecessary complex sentences and words you never heard of. And it is only 220 pages or so.
I've begun the exercises for the new year. I'm on week one, so just the Quiet Start exercise so far, bit I'm already feeling better!
Don't skip the introduction. There is info in there that spoke to me and reminded me that stress is very serious and we should always be trying to reduce and eliminate it.
I loved the layout of the book too. It is structured so that you are given an exercise to do daily for a week and then the next week, you add another daily exercise and so on. There are discussion and examples for each exercise too that helped me understand when, why and how to use each exercise, so don't skip the discussions. Trust me, it is all good stuff in here. The exercises sound like they will really work.
The writing is at the perfect level of readability. It is easy to follow and is not overloaded with medical jargon and unnecessary complex sentences and words you never heard of. And it is only 220 pages or so.
I've begun the exercises for the new year. I'm on week one, so just the Quiet Start exercise so far, bit I'm already feeling better!
January 18, 2022
Stress is bad mmmk?
I've heard this idea before. Stress is only bad if you handle it poorly. Reframing stress from being negative to exciting changes it from harmful to beneficial.
Acceptance rather pushing against the problem. You can't control everything.
Take more time. Take the long line in the supermarket as a way to practice taking time. Everything doesn't have to done right now. Unlike for sharks, for us everything doesn't need to be moving forward all the time.
Look back at your mistakes, do they really matter? Probably not.
To reduce stress, imagine a happy time in life. Easy.
I've heard this idea before. Stress is only bad if you handle it poorly. Reframing stress from being negative to exciting changes it from harmful to beneficial.
Acceptance rather pushing against the problem. You can't control everything.
Take more time. Take the long line in the supermarket as a way to practice taking time. Everything doesn't have to done right now. Unlike for sharks, for us everything doesn't need to be moving forward all the time.
Look back at your mistakes, do they really matter? Probably not.
To reduce stress, imagine a happy time in life. Easy.
December 9, 2021
Sress is merely a cause of fear of imaganinary upcoming events. Honestly, we only live in the present, and ourself is the only thing we have full control of. So next time, when you encounter stress, don't be afraid, try to find out what's behind the cause, and treat it as it is in stead of paint it with our imagination. And if you cannot change the origin that causes the stress, there is always a way around to alter your attitude towards it. Carpe diem.
December 21, 2021
For some odd reason I was biased against this book before I started reading it. I figured it was probably full of more theories and thoughts and broad generalities of how to live with less stress. I was wrong. It is full of practical, concise ideas to rid one self of stress. Glad I gave it a chance.
October 26, 2020
Take quiet time in the morning and 4X 30 second breaks during the day to think peacefully.
Neuroscience sez brain changes by intent and attitude.
Has webpage with meditations.
Not terrible as a solution to stress, but not better than television and twinkies.
Neuroscience sez brain changes by intent and attitude.
Has webpage with meditations.
Not terrible as a solution to stress, but not better than television and twinkies.
September 12, 2021
Great information, easy to read
The information in this book is helpful and broken down into small steps that are easy to implement. The exercises and tools are helpful in reducing daily stress and changing one’s mindset.
The information in this book is helpful and broken down into small steps that are easy to implement. The exercises and tools are helpful in reducing daily stress and changing one’s mindset.
November 17, 2018
Should be titled: "Escaping from Stress"
November 13, 2021
Libro utile a tutti, se si ha l'umilta' di provare gli esercizi e se lo si legge con calma.
July 1, 2022
I listened to the audiobook short and would recommend the full book. Stress can cripple you if you lose control!
August 14, 2022
The interesting facts about how you can effect with your attitude to the stress. Some New Tools and I had myself also used similar methods, but did not know that they are scientifically proved.
December 11, 2023
Typically the American lifestyle.
محاولة بائسة لتخفيف نتائج جشع ولا إنسانية النظام الرأسمالي
الفنكوش الأمريكي
محاولة بائسة لتخفيف نتائج جشع ولا إنسانية النظام الرأسمالي
الفنكوش الأمريكي
April 6, 2015
This book reveals some of the great physical toll of stress and offers many simple and effective tools for leaving stress behind. There are many links for apps to add in the quest for “The End of Stress.”
My copy came through Goodreads First Reads.
My copy came through Goodreads First Reads.
September 16, 2014
Its about how stress debilitates and erodes the electrodes in your brain, how to repair damage caused by stress and stimulate growth, make new connections within the higher brain and expand the brains capacity to fully function again.
July 29, 2016
It was good. A rehash of a lot of the neuroplasticity research. Had a number of tools or excercises in a workbook style which was nice. Not a lot of "new" things though after reading the Hansen book.
April 18, 2017
About 15 years ago I made some big changes in my life in how I deal with stress. I've been pretty good about it in my own opinion, however there were always instances that came up where I felt unable to deal with some situations without having the ability to control my handling of it. After reading this book, I can actually see clearly why I succeeded or failed in various issues that have come up in the past (and present). Now realizing EXACTLY what I did that made me able to not be overwhelmed, beyond just a basic perception change or simple avoidance, I feel I can better handle other situations that I thought I couldn't control as well.
In the end I was pretty surprised by the material when I thought back on my own personal situations... but there is nothing new in covering what stress can do physically to us. If you already are in agreement with the author that stress can kill, you can skip over quite a few pages and get to the important thoughts on how to handle stress.
In the end I was pretty surprised by the material when I thought back on my own personal situations... but there is nothing new in covering what stress can do physically to us. If you already are in agreement with the author that stress can kill, you can skip over quite a few pages and get to the important thoughts on how to handle stress.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews