Edmund Benson, co-founder of ARISE, celebrates his 80th birthday by contributing over 100 life management skills curricula to the international nonprofit community.

Edmund Benson, former at-risk kid and founder of ARISE Foundation, is celebrating his 80th birthday by giving a gift to the international nonprofit community: the creative licenses for all of the 100 ARISE life-skills curricula materials. Benson will allow the materials to be translated free of charge into any language (except Spanish, which has been done), for use in life-skills training programs around the world.

Benson and his wife Susan created the nonprofit ARISE Foundation in 1986. The foundation has since trained and certified over five thousand group facilitators who have taught over four million documented hours of ARISE life-skills lessons in Florida alone. ARISE programs are also used throughout the US, in Canada, Jamaica, England, Australia, the Bahamas, Bermuda, New Zealand, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bosnia, Botswana and Kazakhstan.

ARISE life-skills lessons are designed to engage at-risk populations with interactive, entertaining, easy-to-understand lessons about important topics such as anger management, self-esteem, peer pressure, gang avoidance, drug and alcohol prevention, the power of networking, interviewing and keeping a job, domestic abuse, etiquette and manners, conflict resolution, bullying and violence prevention, health and hygiene, stress management, stranger safety and much more.

ARISE lessons have a memorable impact on troubled youth because, for the most part, they are conducted by ARISE-trained group facilitators who carry out guided group discussions with exciting activities that are easily understood and put into practice. ARISE group facilitators inspire conversation, involvement and interest. The ARISE life-skills lessons are not sequential. Each stands on its own, making them ideal for transient populations. Everyone starts fresh with each new learning experience.

ARISE life-management skills curricula are used in public, alternative and charter schools, juvenile justice facilities, residential treatment centers, faith-based organizations, Salvation Army, Boys and Girls Clubs, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s After School All-Stars program and organizations that educate orphans and other troubled youth around the world. The programs are written for underachieving pre-k, elementary, and middle school children, teens, and young adults with limited reading and writing capabilities. The ARISE life-management skills program succeeds with youth who have behavior issues and special needs. Those non-profit organizations interested in the ARISE free creative licensing program can communicate directly with Edmund Benson by calling 561-630-2021 (overseas); in the US, call (toll-free)888-680-6100 or visit the ARISE website at http://www.ariselife-skills.org to download the creative license kit and get more information. #####

Smile! The many benefits of a big grin, brought to you by ARISE Life Skills

 

“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered alonglife’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.”  - Joseph Addison

Has this ever happened to you? You’re having a terrible day. Everything is going wrong. It seems as if the universe has pitted itself against you. You walk into a coffee shop, or your dry cleaners, or a gas station. You go up to the person at the cash register and encounter a dazzling smile.  The smile is so warm, so inviting and so sincere that you can’t help but smile back.  All the negative thoughts that crowded your mind dissolve, even if just for a moment. You smile unconsciously and hold open the door for someone coming in. That person sees your happy grin and is compelled to smile in return. And so, one smile creates a chain of good will.  Just a simple upturn of the lips and crinkle of the eyes—that’s all it takes.

Beyond the good cheer a smile can bring to those around you, a smile has numerous health benefits. Being optimistic can help you live longer! Here are just a few examples:

1. Smiling helps you fight off disease.   “The research is very clear,” says Christopher Peterson, Ph.D, a University of Michigan professor, “There is a link between optimistic attitudes and good health. It has been measured in a variety of ways. Overall, we have found that optimistic people are healthier. Their biological makeup is different. They have a more robust immune system.”
2. Smiling helps you live longer.  According to a study published in the November 2004 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, elderly optimistic people, those who expected good things to happen (rather than bad things), were less likely to die than pessimists. In fact, among the 65- to 85-year-old study participants, those who were most optimistic were 55 percent less likely to die from all causes than the most pessimistic people. What’s more, after researchers adjusted the results for age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity and other measures of health, the optimists were 71 percent less likely to die than the pessimists.
3. Smiling is better than chocolate.  Acording to The British Dental Health Foundation, a smile gives the same level of stimulation as eating 2,000 chocolate bars. Eating chocolate is said to give you the same feeling as being in love. So the conclusion could be drawn that smiling gives you the same rush you get from being madly in love. Who wouldn’t want that?*

Having a hard time finding that elusive grin? Try visualizing things that make you happy. Listen to your favorite music.  Take a break and walk barefoot on the beach. Share a hot fudge sundae with a friend. Make a child laugh. Remember that everyone gets the same 24 hours in a day. It’s your choice to spend that time in a good mood or wallowing in unhappiness.

SMILE!

The ARISE Choices: Drop It At The Door program is designed specifically to teach participants how to choose their emotions and leave stress and negativity “at the door.” For more information, visit the ARISE website.

*special thanks to sixwise.com for providing info on the research study about smiling.

10 Quotes about Choices, brought to you by ARISE Life Skills

Choice. It defines what it means to be human. Having an unpleasant thought? You can choose to make that thought disappear. In a bad mood? Choose to be happy. Yes, it’s THAT simple. Our choices tip the scales toward misery or bliss. The decisions we make each day either propel us forward or hold us back. Chosing to constantly harbor negativity, cling to a grudge and react with anger prevents you from living a peaceful life and poisons the people around you.  If you knew you had a choice, would you chose to live that way? Probably not. The good news is, you DO have a choice.

To inspire you on your path to making healthier choices, here are 10 quotes about that spectacular human ability:

1. Choices are the hinges of destiny. -Edwin Markham
2. You’ve got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you’re not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice. -Steven D. Woodhull
3. The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn. -David Russell
4. Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change and and every part of your life in an instant. -Anthony Robbins
5. Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciouly. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of you life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself. – Robert F. Bennett
6. Good decisions come from experience, and experience comes from bad decisions -Author Unknown
7. It’s our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.                    – J.K. Rowling
8. When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that is in itself a choice. -William James
9. It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. -Roy Disney
10. There are two primary choices in life: to accept as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” -Denis Waitley

Still can’t seem to make the right choices? Our CHOICES: Drop It At The Door Workshop might be just what you need. Originally designed for people who work in the high-stress juvenile justice field, CHOICES can teach anyone how to change their life by changing their choices and abandoning stress, negative emotions and harbored anger.  Sign up for a training using the link above or by calling (888)680-6100.

Tallahassee Airport Guest Service Desk Employee Gets “Noticed,” brought to you by ARISE Life Skills

It was another day on the job for Mary, assisting frazzled travelers and pointing people toward their flights at Tallahassee Regional Airport’s Guest Service desk. She got up from her post to stretch her legs. When she returned, she found a little orange card lying atop a newspaper she’d left on her desk.

It said, “You’ve Been Noticed Doing Something Good.”

Mary was flattered that someone had taken the time to acknolwedge her kindness and hard work. The little tangerine card was like a spot of sunshine to start her day. Mary picked the card up and turned it over. On the back was ARISE Foundation’s phone number and web address. On a whim, Mary called the number.

Susan Benson, ARISE co-founder, picked up the phone. Mary told her about finding the card and how great it made her feel. Susan realized that they had given a “You’ve Been Noticed” card to a police officer a few weeks earlier at the same airport, after he had graciously helped the Bensons  find a place for dinner.  ARISE conducts training workshops in Tallahassee several times a year. The Bensons give the “You’ve Been Noticed” cards to people to acknowledge them for a job well done, an especially kind word or a helpful gesture.  Susan told Mary that it was probably one of their trainees, fresh off a CHOICES or a Life Skills workshop, that passed the little card on to her.

So often, people only acknowledge each other when they find faults. The “You’ve Been Noticed” cards are a simple way to let someone know that you appreciate them and that their actions made a difference, however small.

Susan got Mary’s address and mailed her a handful of additional cards, so she too could reward those around her for their kindness.

Click here to order “You’ve Been Noticed” cards in packs of 50 and send a little sunshine someone’s way.

Dealing with Stress and Anxiety at Work, Brought to you by ARISE Life Skills & Training

43 percent of U.S. adults suffer adverse health effects from stress, according to an American Psychological Association (APA) study.

Stress and anxiety are not just in your mind. They weaken your immune system, making you vulnerable to illnesses and putting you at an increased risk of allergies, autoimmune diseases and heart disease, according to the APA. Stress can trigger or worsen diabetes. Your body releases stress hormones that automatically release extra sugar into your bloodstream.

Stress can also accelerate aging. According to a 2006 studyof the APA, people with chronic stress are more likely to suffer from age-related diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, major depression, mental decline, osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome.

Stress can even impact your weight. According to the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, the greater the stress in a woman’s life, the greater her weight.

The #1 Cause of Stress

According to The American Institute of Stress (AIS), “Job stress is far and away the major source of stress for American adults … and it has escalated progressively over the past few decades.”

Consider the following statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health:

• 40% of workers say their job is very or extremely stressful
• 25% view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives
• 75% of employees believe the worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago
• 29% of workers say they feel “quite a bit or extremely stressed at work”

Problems at work are more strongly associated with health problems than any other life stressor, including financial or family problems

Job stress can result from any number of things, but often it has to do with fears of getting laid off, unrealistic expectations, an emotionally hazardous work environment or a physically hazardous one.

Stress in the workplace is clearly becoming a public health issue. Following are even more startling findings from a 2000 Integra Survey:

• 65% of workers said that workplace stress had caused them difficulties (and 10% said the difficulties had major effects).
• 62% routinely had work-related neck pain at the end of the day.
• 44% reported stressed-out eyes.
• 38% had pain in their hands.
• 34% reported difficulty sleeping because of work-related stress.
• Nearly one in four workers has cried over workplace stress, and 19% have quit a job because of it.
• Over half of workers say the frequently skip lunch because of job demands.
• 29% have yelled at co-workers because of job stress
• 42% say that yelling and verbal abuse are common
• 2% have actually struck someone at work.

The flailing economy and its sky-high unemployment and job-loss statistics have only put more pressure on the American work force. The fear of job loss through lay-offs, outsourcing or company closures is a very real and very stressful reality.

If you are one of the millions of people feeling anxiety, stress and pressure, what can you do? First off, make sure you are getting enough sleep, exercising, talking about things with a trusted friend and eating right. Once you are living a healthier life, the next step is to take control of your emotions. ARISE has the perfect workshop to help you do just that.

ARISE has a fantastic program called CHOICES: Drop It At The Door, which is proven to help reduce stress, diffuse conflict and help you manage anger, especially in the workplace. CHOICES teaches participants that negative energy, stress and anger are all emotions you choose to take part in. By actively choosing to stay calm and release your fears, you steer your life in the direction YOU want it to go.

It works.

For more information or to schedule a training session, call ARISE at 1-888-680-6100 or visit http://www.ariselife-skills.org. 

* special thanks to sixwise.com for the statistics about stress.

10 Quotes for Success, Part 4, brought to you by ARISE Life Skills & Training

Sometimes we all need a little inspiration when life gets rough. Throughout history, great thinkers have come up with fantastic nuggets of wisdom. The ARISE Get Smart! Series is a virtual Fort Knox of these golden pieces of advice. Enjoy!

ARISE Life Quotes for Success, Part 4

1. “One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.” – Elbert Hubbard
2. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle
3. “Nothing on Earth can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goals; nothing on Earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson
4. “What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to a human soul.” – Joseph Addison
5. “If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin

25 Tips for controlling stress, brought to you by ARISE Life Skills & Training

It’s a stressful world out there. Work, family relationships, traffic, economic worries, environmental concerns… it all adds up to life in a pressure cooker. What can you do when your heart is racing and you feel close to losing control?

Relax. ARISE to the rescue! Here are 25 helpful tips to bring a little peace to your life and help you handle the strains of everyday life.

If you like what you see, please visit the online store at http://www.ariselife-skills.org for more of our fantastic life skills materials.

25 TIPS TO CONTROL STRESS:

1. Confront problems, don’t ignore them.
2. Don’t be stressed when others tease or criticize you; they may just be envious of you.
3. Identify stressful situations in advance and keep a positive outlook.
4. Reach out to a new person in the neighborhood. Be aware of his feelings and invite him to join in the activities.
5. Ask others for support and guidance when faced with stressful situations.
6. Choose your own behavior. You CAN make a difference.
7. “There are thousands of causes for stress. One antidote to stress is self expression. That’s what happens to me every day. My thoughts get off my chest, down my sleeves and onto my pad.” – Elia Kazan
8. Don’t get stressed out over things that are out of your control. Life is too short to worry about things you can’t change.
9. Take deep breaths.
10. Work to eliminate the problems that you CAN change.

ARISE Life Skills Founder Edmund Benson Celebrates 79th Birthday with an International Gift

ARISE Foundation

824 US Highway 1 Suite #240                                      

North Palm Beach, FL 33408

Phone: (561) 630-2021

Fax: (561) 630-2790

 

 

CONTACT: EDMUND BENSON

Office: (561) 630-2021

Cell: (305) 582-1460

 

                                                               

                                                                               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

EDMUND BENSON, CO-FOUNDER OF THE ARISE FOUNDATION, CELEBRATES HIS 79^TH BIRTHDAY BY CONTRIBUTING OVER 100 LIFE MANAGEMENT BOOKS TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

 

North Palm Beach – Edmund Benson, former at-risk kid and founder of the ARISE Foundation, is celebrating his birthday by giving a gift to the international nonprofit community: the creative licenses of all of the 100 ARISE Life Skills Training materials. Benson will allow the materials to be translated into any language except for Spanish, free of charge for use in life skills training programs around the world.

 

Life Skills Lesson of the Day: 20 Tips for Dealing with Depression

The first and best way to handle depression is to see a doctor. If you feel like you have a serious problem, do not hesitate to contact a mental health professional. Don’t be afraid to seek help.

Here are 20 Tips for Dealing with Depression, brought to you by the ARISE Foundation’s team of Life Skills Training experts:

1. Have a good cry and release the tension buildup. 
2. Recognize that stress is a normal part of life. Everyone feels bummed at one time or another.

If you keep doing what you’ve always done…

You’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten.

ARISE Foundation Life Skills Training courses are dynamic, interactive, complete lessons that teach vital life skills. Over 1.5 million at-risk people have benefited from our unique curiculums over our 20 year history. Some of the programs we offer:

• How to manage anger & stress at work and in the home
• How to make a choice to let go of anger & stress
• How to avoid gangs, drugs, guns, violence and teen pregnancy
• How to maintain a healthy body
• Environmental Stewardship & Awareness
• AND MUCH MORE!

visit the website for more information: http://www.ariselife-skills.org or visit us on Facebook.