I have to sincerely apologize to everyone for not posting my Spiritual Sunday’s as I agreed with Arika to do.  My only excuse is that the kids got sick, then I got sick, then my calendar was so full of work and other things that I was just swamped.  I just returned home from an event this weekend and I have shared over at my ministry blog about how God’s Hand At Work.  I hope you’ll come and check it out here.  I’ll be back next week!

Mothers need to learn that saying, “No,” as an adult is not rude. Rather, it is a sign of someone who is in control of her life and her schedule. She knows what she is capable of accomplishing and she is aware of her other commitments.

Here are a few ways to gain back control of your life, simply by learning how to say, “No” :

1. Be selective when choosing to volunteer your time. Being involved in your child’s school IS important but that does not mean you have to serve on every committee. Instead, choose one or two activities or committees that interest you and schedule that time on your planner.

2. Set limits on after-school activities. Sports teams or dance lessons are fun and help improve social skills but that does not mean your children have to be on a different team each season or take multiple lessons a week. Instead, teach your children how to choose activities that are most important to them and keep their focus on their studies.

3. Set boundaries with your clients. Your clients should not run your life. Instead, you should have a clear, working partnership in which each partner knows what is expected.
If you can still give your clients good customer service during set office hours, then do so. Chances are they would not want you calling during their family time so why should they interrupt during your family time?

4. Be honest about your skills. If you are not qualified to complete a particular project, whether it is a paid or volunteer project, be honest with your client and recommend someone with the right qualifications. Passing the job along to someone else who is qualified will show that you are in control of your schedule, you are honest about your skill level and you value the importance of the project by giving it to someone who can complete it properly.

5. Keep your calendar or planner up to date and use it. Schedule everything on one calendar, even exercise and family time, and keep it near the phone for easy reference when someone calls asking for a favor.

Before committing to anything, spend some quiet time with yourself and decide what things you want to be a part of and how much time you have in your days. Sometimes we must compromise so we can successfully balance our family, work and volunteer lives.

Almost didn’t get this to ya’ll in time! 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone and enjoy the following coloring book with the kiddos!

St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Pages (pdf)

We live in such a fast paced world and finding ways to simplify your life can help to create a more relaxed and satisfying life for you and your family.

Simplicity involves freeing your time, money, and energy so that you can pay more attention to what is important to you.

Here are just a few tips on how to simplify your life:

1 - Control your time. Take a good hard look at your dialy schedule and then begin to tweak it so that it is more manageable. You may have to say “no” more often. It is amazing how cutting out just 1 activity a
week can provide more down time for yourself.

2 - Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. I know this is easier said than done, but learning to let things go once in awhile is key. So what if the house goes 1-2 days without getting vacuumed or the laundry is put on hold for an extra day. It is important to elieviate some stress that we put on ourselves to get ALL of those little things done at once.

3 - Get Help. If you get to the point where you are feeling overwhelmed with your personal and faimily obligations please get help. There are many places that offer babysitting swaps, you can hire a teenager to help with small cleaning tasks or go to a friend for support. Delegation of tasks is another way to get help. Be sure to use all of your resources and delegate some tasks out to others.

4 - Clear out the Clutter. I know you have heard this one before but I can’t stress it enough. Clearing out your clutter is a huge step in living a more simplified life. Make the time to go through your home and sell, donate, or throw out items that you no longer use. This is a large task, so don’t try to do it all in one day. Try to set a goal of doing some every week.

5 - Simplify your Meals. Start preparing dishes which will provide several meals. Stews, casseroles, and many other recipes are just as easy to prepare in large portions as they are to prepare in small portions. Meal planning is a money, sanity and time saver - what else could a busy person ask for? Learn how to create a great stree-free meal plan by reading this informative article on Meal Planning.

6 - Take Care of You. During the course of your day be sure to take out time to relax. Carve out at least 30 minutes a day to take a break, stretch or go for a short walk. Be sure that you are getting the proper amount of sleep so that you have the energy that you need to face each day.

Remember that your life is blessed with many different aspects. Keep them all in balance, and they will all be of much greater value to you.

I am seeing an increase in women that are searching for positive ways to manage their stress. Because of this, I decided to write down what I feel are the 1b est ways to deal with unhealthy stress.

These tips can be applied your life and all of your relationships as it pertains to school, work, family, your significant other and friends.

My hope is that you find positive ways to help manage all stress that you are dealing with.

1 - Manage Your Time Effectively: Keep a To Do list or daily planner and make sure to include time for yourself and time for stress reduction activities.

2 - Take a Break: Schedule several short breaks throughout your day to help minimize your stress. Get up and stretch, read a book, go for a walk or simply call a friend.

3 - Minimize Interruptions: When focusing on something important, make sure to block off a period of time when you can work without being disturbed or distracted.

4 - Eat Healthy Foods: Try to avoid foods high in fat, sugar and sodium. Be sure to snack on something healthy and do not skip meals because this will lower your energy levels.

5 - Exercise: Regular physical activity is one of the best ways to deal with stress. It releases endorphins and gives you a natural high. Try walking, bike riding or simply exercising in the comfort of your own home.

6 - Think Positively - Instead of focusing on negative thoughts, focus on the positive things in your life and say to yourself at least one positive thought each day.

7 - Learn to Say NO - Don’t feel guilty when you have to tell others no. Taking on additional projects or work for others when you are busy will only cause you more stress.

8 - Put Stressful Situations in Perspective - Will it matter a month from now? What about a year from now? Is it something that you can control? Ask yourself these questions when you are faced with a stressful situation.

9 - Get Enough Sleep: Studies show that most people need between 6-9 hours of sleep, but most people give up sleep when they are under stress to finish more work. Be sure to get the proper rest so that you can energize your mind, body and spirit.

10 - Find Someone to Talk to: Talking to your friends or family can help because it gives you a chance to express your feelings. However, problems in your social life or family life can be the hardest to talk about. If you feel like you can’t talk to your family or a friend, talk to someone outside the situation. This could be your priest or minister, a therapist, your family doctor or a coach.

Life is so busy and as mothers we spend so much time tending to the needs of others and pampering others that we sometimes neglect to pamper ourselves.

Here are 5 easy and fun ways to pamper yourself and nurture your mind, body and spirit:

1 - Wake up before the others in the house do and flip through a magazine or simply sip on a hot cup of coffee or tea and enjoy a few uninterrupted moments before the day fully begins.

2 - Weather permitting, take a nice walk and just enjoy your surroundings. Take note of all the beauty that is surrounding you.

3 - Take short breaks during your day whether you are a stay at home mom, work at home mom or work outside of the home, try doing something for yourself periodically throughout the day. You can close your eyes and daydream, browse through the paper or simply have a short friendly chat with a friend.

4 - Treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure or even a new hairstyle. We often are so used to treating others that we forget to treat ourselves and forget to let others pamper us.

5 - Take a nice long warm bubble bath. Fill your mind and senses with a nice fragrance and just soak for as long as you can.

It is truly amazing at how pampering yourself will rejuvenate you!