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How to Follow Your Own Advice

October 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

advice

I am the first one to admit that I don’t always follow my own advice. I badger my boys to floss their teeth every night and then I plop into bed too tired to floss my own teeth. I encourage clients to say no to requests that are not in alignment with their goals and values, yet I find myself caving in to pressure to take on something I should decline. I don’t always practice what I preach. Does that make me a fraud? I don’t think so. I suspect it makes me human. A little incongruent, yes, but not a failure. And certainly not a lost cause.

The world is full of nicotine-addicted doctors, overweight personal trainers and broke financial counselors. That’s because it’s easier to give great advice than it is to follow it. In fact, most of the time, it’s not the “knowing what to do” that causes the problem, it’s the actual “doing it.” Dave Ramsey says financial success is 20 percent knowledge and 80 percent behavior. Behavior. Just doing what we know we need to do.

No matter what you’re trying to do (lose weight, get out of debt, raise children or build a business), knowledge only plays a minor role in your success. Most of us can go by the rulebook for a short while, but eventually we stray from the plan, whatever that is. The motivation to “just do it,” wears thin. So how do we shift ourselves back into a pattern of following our own advice?

Having traveled this road before, in business and personal matters, I have some experience with narrowing the gap between what I say and what I do. Here are a few of the tips that work well for me.

Five Steps to Practicing What You Preach

1. Make it a Mantra. Let’s assume the advice you are spouting is actually good advice. If you know it to be worthwhile and effective at reaching a goal, then dig deep and get to the truth of your wisdom. When you understand why you need to change a behavior, it’s easier to stay on track. And when you summarize your idea in a memorable sentence, it becomes easier to embrace. For example, Lysa TerKeurst knows that spending quiet time in scripture first thing in the morning makes her a better person. So her mantra on the subject is to “exchange whispers with God before I exchange shouts with the world.”

2. Write it Down. I’m an avid journal writer and lover of visual reminders. So it’s not unusual for me to have sticky notes, photos, vision boards, index cards and other written declarations of my intentions. If I’m having trouble following my own advice, I go back to basics and write it down. Sometimes I find a scripture quote to support it, or a funny photo that illustrates the point. But I write it down and make it real. If I am really serious about it, I sign my name, as if I’m entering a contract with myself. You would be amazed at how eager you are to stick with something after you’ve signed your name on the dotted line!

3. Identify your Distractions, Rationalizations and Excuses. You’re probably not new at this game, so take a few minutes to identify the things that have prevented you from staying on track in the past. What are the thoughts and feelings you have when you decide NOT to follow your own advice? Write them down. And then write down a rebuttal for each one. For example, if you are trying to get out of debt and you know you’ll try to rationalize buying too many toys for Christmas, write down a statement that will remind you of your goal and the future happiness and security of your family. When you find yourself ready to hit the “buy now” button on Amazon, take out the rebuttal and read it aloud.

4. Find Someone to Hold You Accountable. Let’s face it – we all need help achieving our goals. So why do we keep them a secret? Are we hoping to surprise everyone we love when out of nowhere we’ve lost 30 pounds, completed a marathon, built a million dollar business and written a book? The surprise will be on us – when we realize we’re not getting anywhere on our goals because we don’t have the support we need to succeed. That’s why it’s important to find someone you trust who will gently, but firmly, hold the space for you to become who you want to become. Schedule deadlines and check-ins with this friend so you have some structure to your relationship and you both understand the expectations.

5. Give Yourself Grace. It takes time and patience to make behavior changes and create new habits. Know that it’s ok if you slip up a few times. It’s even ok to change direction and set new goals. If you recognize that you need to grow, and you take steps to make improvements, that’s all God asks of you. He doesn’t expect perfection. He expects persistence. So keep looking for opportunities to grow into the person He created you to be. And keep setting goals and working toward them. But know that He loves you unconditionally. And know that every day is a new chance to glorify Him. God believes in “do-overs,” so you should allow yourself the grace to start again.

Do you have any tips to make it easier to practice what you preach? Share them with us here so we can support one another!

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What Your Baby Learns During Pregnancy

July 5, 2012 By

Guest post by authors and real pregnancy experts, Tracy Wilson Peters and Lauren Wilson. Authors of Amazon’s best selling book “The Greatest Pregnancy Ever“, which teaches expectant mothers how to transform their pregnancy through thought, awareness, and consciousness.

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Relax when you're pregnant
You are your child’s first teacher. From the moment of conception, your babies are enrolled in the university of life. Every experience you have during pregnancy is designed to teach your baby about the world he will soon encounter. All of the information your baby receives from you in the womb serves as a special lesson plan for adapting to his new world. You are teaching your baby about your world throughout pregnancy, because your baby is eavesdropping on your emotions all the time. This emotional connection between you and your baby is the basis for the prenatal bond and is the beginning of the school of life.

Contrary to popular belief, the bond between you and your baby begins well before birth. This bond starts early in pregnancy and is made possible because your placenta acts as a highly advanced communication device between you and your baby. When you experience emotions, messenger molecules pulse through your body. For example, if you feel anxiety, your heart rate increases, your adrenaline spikes and you move into a state of fight or flight. Your body begins producing cortisol, the stress hormone. When you’re stressed, your baby is stressed. The March of Dimes reports that chronic stress in pregnancy can lead to health problems, such as preterm delivery and high blood pressure. Chronic stress in pregnancy can also lead to a baby who cries more, sleeps less, and is anxious. The good news is that while you cannot avoid stress altogether, you can learn tools to manage and reduce stress. Additionally, when you experience loving and compassionate emotions, you are creating a healthier womb environment. Less stress leads to healthier development for your baby.

This unique communication between you and your baby is how your baby’s emotional intelligence is formed. When you have a loving thought, your baby experiences love. When you feel joyful, he encounters joy. When you are angry, he perceives anger. It is an amazing process designed to give your baby the opportunity to develop a healthy emotional life that matches the emotional tone of your family.

The realization that you are your child’s first teacher can empower you to make better choices. These choices can include practicing stress reduction techniques, developing healthier relationships, eating healthy foods and practicing conscious decision-making. You have the power to change the world when you choose to teach your baby lessons of love during pregnancy.

Simple ways to reduce stress:

  1. Smile. Schedule time to do activities that increase your joy with people who make you feel good.
  2. Meditate or Pray. Participate in activities that help you to feel calm and centered, like walking in nature, gardening or swimming.
  3. Move Your Body. Movement is one of the best ways to remove stress from your body. Take a walk. Go swimming. Try prenatal yoga.
  4. Practice Deep Breathing Techniques. Slow your breathing. Try and count to four while you inhale and count to 8 as you exhale. Do this for several minutes when you feel stressed.
  5. Take a Daily Nap. Napping for just 15 minutes a day has direct health benefits and reduces stress levels immensely!

You and your baby deserve to have the greatest pregnancy ever. For more information, visit www.thegreatestpregnancyever.com.

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Tracy Wilson Peters and Laurel WilsonGuest post by authors and real pregnancy experts, Tracy Wilson Peters, CCCE, CLE,CLD and Lauren Wilson, IBCLC, CLE, CCCE, CLD. They have written the Amazon’s best selling book,”The Greatest Pregnancy Ever” which teaches expectant mothers how to transform their pregnancy through thought, awareness, and consciousness.

The Greatest Pregnancy Ever bookExpectant families will find insights and tips for addressing fears and anxieties, managing stress, increasing comfort during pregnancy, making important decisions, and encouraging the mother-baby bond. The book gives mothers-to-be the perfect recipe for falling in love with their babies, starting with the most basic ingredient, the mother-baby bond. Providing keys to create a peaceful, joyful, and healthy pregnancy, this book offers an opportunity to create a way of life that will transform mothers, babies, and ultimately, the world.

More information on their website: www.thegreatestpregnancyever.com

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Staying Sane Through the Holiday Rush

December 9, 2011 By

The holidays always seem to fly by. We’re so busy planning parties, decorating our homes, attending school concerts and church programs, preparing meals and goodies, going to family gathering after family gathering, purchasing last minute gifts (the list goes on and on…). Sometimes we, especially moms, forget to take time for ourselves. And without that time to relax, reflect, and just breathe, we may miss the significance of special moments that make wonderful holiday memories.

So, even as you selflessly work to make the holidays spectacular for everyone else, remember that the holidays are for you to enjoy too. Here are a few tips to follow to make sure that, even during the busiest times of the year, you are keeping your life in balance and taking care of yourself:

  1. Define your priorities. Decide what is most important for you and your family, and don’t let others tell you differently. Once you know what’s important in your life, it’s easier to know when to say yes and when to say no. There’s only so much time in the day…remember that saying “yes” to one activity is saying “no” to another.
  2. Know when you’re at your best. Morning people should schedule important tasks in the morning, while those who take a while to wake up and get going should use afternoons for their most demanding projects. When your energy is low, do things that don’t demand as much brainpower…fold laundry, scrub the bathroom, wrap gifts, address Christmas cards.
  3. Take a break. When you feel overworked and overloaded, refresh yourself with a 10 or 15-minute walk, devotion, or relaxing moment of complete silence.
  4. Assign household tasks to other family members. Kids can do laundry, dust, vacuum, set the table, take care of pets, and pick up after themselves, so enlist their help!
  5. Schedule time for yourself. Don’t feel guilty about taking time to do the things you love. This might seem a bit selfish, but the truth is, when you don’t take care of yourself, you burn out and everyone suffers. Give yourself permission to take a bubble bath, get a pedicure, go out to supper with friends, or see a movie in the middle of the afternoon.
  6. Make your health and happiness a priority. Even when life gets busy, commit to doing the daily things that make you feel your best. They might include activities like praying, reading a devotion, exercising, doing yoga, having a non-interrupted 15-minute conversation with your spouse, or snuggling with your kids at bedtime. Whatever those things are in your life, do them daily, without exception.

Get more tips on balancing all of your work and family responsibilities by reading “Work – Life Balance…Can you REALLY have it?” and “Are You Worn Out and Stressed?” If you already realize that you’ve got too much on your plate, check out “When Your Overcommitted” for some helpful advice.

Come To Order wishes you and your family a peaceful and enjoyable holiday season full of blessings. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Strategies to Neutralize Arguments with your Kids

November 29, 2011 By

Mom and son

Kids seem to be extremely adept at luring their parents into no-win arguments. They are determined and persistent when it comes to things they want (or don’t want) to have or buy or do. The more they carry on and push to get their way, the more we as adults feel like we have to dig in our heels and take a stand. We are the parents after all!

Well, as you’re surely aware, arguing leads to more arguing which leads to more arguing, and before you know it, you’re in a full blown yelling match, complete with ultimatums, tears, tantrums, and hurt feelings.

There’s a better solution, an approach that can help defuse the frustration and anger, and maybe, just maybe, leave your kids speechless!

Ok, maybe that’s too much to ask for, but with a few simple strategies, you can turn a potential argument into a civilized conversation that will result in calm, not chaos.

  1. First and foremost, stop! Before you lose control of your emotions, stop yourself from talking. If you aren’t talking then you can’t be yelling, threatening or losing control!
  2. Now, breathe & tell yourself and your child “no problem”. Take a deep breath! Then neutralize the anger you might be feeling by saying “no problem” out loud. It is the trigger to yourself that there is no need to allow this to escalate. It is also the trigger to your child that they have pushed too far and that there will be consequences for their poor decision.
  3. Give yourself permission to decide on a consequence later. So many parenting philosophies today suggest that a consequence or punishment must come immediately after the infraction – as if our children are not smart enough to link the two if time passes. Charles Fay of the Love & Logic Institute suggests that this is simply not true.
  4. Go dumb until you can think clearly of the appropriate consequence. I recommend this Love and Logic phrase, “I care about you too much to argue with you.” Even if your child continues to push buttons (“you don’t love me”, “my friends don’t have to do that”, “that is unfair”) you simply restate what you are willing to do…”I love you too much to argue with you”. When you kid sees that their strategy isn’t work they will eventually give up.

This strategy helps you keep (or regain) your composure and accept that you cannot control what others do. You can only control your own actions. Your child may continue to argue, cry, yell, and throw a fit, but by walking away to keep your cool, you’ve modeled a healthy way to handle conflict.

©2011, Kathy Jenkins, Come To Order

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Encourage Fitness – Do As I Say and As I DO

October 28, 2011 By

It’s never too late to start a healthy habit, especially with kids.

Parents influence kids every day with words and actions, and when mom and dad regularly encourage kids to be active, they help kids to appreciate fitness and have fun along the way.

Teaching practical life skills is one of the many roles that parents have. Things like how to brush teeth, how to tell time, how to tie shoes, and research now suggests that another one to add to the list is how to be healthy and active.

It’s never too late to start a healthy habit, especially with kids. Kids like to move, and though it is highly unlikely that a child goes from couch potato to Olympian, there are several ways parents can influence their children to exercise.

While verbal encouragement or logistical support, such as driving kids to soccer practice, is important, parents’ attitudes about health and fitness and their own patterns of physical activity are equally as important, since kids often follow by example.

Being active together has shown to have a significant impact on how kids view exercise, but it often goes down as a child’s age goes up. Younger children are more likely to want to spend time being active with their parents than teenagers, so there may be a window of opportunity to use it before losing it when it comes to co-activity.

And even though the sphere of influence on kids can be far and wide from friends to teachers to Sponge Bob, few are as direct and important as parents .

Children are well known for their contrary nature. Tell them to do something, and quite often they will do the opposite. So trying to force children to exercise may not be the best strategy.

Every parent has his or her way of approaching life lessons, but the idea with fitness is to get children to appreciate being active, and have a little fun along the way. “Because I said so” may work for putting the dishes away, but encouragement, celebrating small victories, and doing things together can be effective ways to motivate kids to get fit and stay active. And no child wants their brain to turn to mush because of too much television.

Whether is it sports, riding bikes, a martial arts class, or walking the dog every night, it is important to consistently present each opportunity in a positive light. It may take a bit of time and patience, but when children find the fun in being active, fitness can become a part of everyday life.

When kids are active at a young age, the habit can last throughout their lifetime, and influencing kids to be active at an early age is no different than teaching them the golden rule or respecting their elders. So it’s time to put fitness right up there with teaching children how to ride a bike and that there’s no hiding a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.

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Doing Everything Right Isn’t Getting Me Results

June 19, 2011 By

woman-on-weight-scale
Several months ago one of my clients made the above statement in a fit of disgust. She actually felt that all of her efforts to lose weight weren’t working. When she told me what was going on I soon realized that she thought she was doing everything “right” but in reality she’d forgotten several of the basic things I’d shown her. What were those things? I’ll get to that in a minute.  First, let me paint the picture of this woman for you.

She’s a Mom Entrepreneur with a significant amount of stress in her life. She originally came to me to lose weight but after I heard her talk about her life and schedule I soon realized that there were some things that were contributing to why she was having a hard time losing weight. It was clear that she had a stressful and busy life.  A fairly optimistic person she was feeling beaten by the fact that she couldn’t lose the weight and reclaim her appearance.  She was embarrassed about her looks, not wanting anyone to see her body in pictures she’d only get pictures of her from the shoulder up.   Over the years, the once ten pounds she’d gain and lose turned into thirty-five and at age 41 her every other year diet program wasn’t working anymore. She counted points, added the fiber, drank the water but NO LUCK. She came to me telling me she wanted to try something new.

Our work began the usual way with her trying to make all of the recommended changes I’d suggested.  Within a week she’d emailed me to tell me that there was a shift in energy and optimism.  A month went by and the weight shifted for the better. She was thrilled! But then another month went by and my once happy, weight losing client hit a wall. Not just a wall in her weight but one in her life. She hit a plateau and began to panic and when we had our next session that’s when I realized what she’d forgotten. You see my theory is that the pace of our lives and the stress that we endure on a regular basis directly relates to our weight.  As soon as life gets too busy or stressful the time to devote to planning meals, cooking them and chewing what you eat occurs less often. You start making excuses to get exercise in, not drinking water or to go to bed at a regular time. Life gets in the way, the overwhelm of life disrupts the routine you were just establishing and the weight stops coming off. My client came to me feeling that her great efforts were slipping away. Although we’d covered it all before, I spent the entire next three sessions reminding her of the basic things to do to get her routine and life back in balance.  In doing the work I do I’ve come to realize that it’s got to be a whole life approach. You can’t just change one area (such as eating better) you often need to work on several at the same time. I often need to remind my clients that it’s about choices, not necessarily in what you’re eating but in what you are doing that is causing your overwhelm.

The great news for my client was once we got her back on the right path she reversed the minor weight gain and six months later she lost all thirty-five pounds.  The even better news is that she feels like she’s got a grip on her life again and to me I think you can deal with anything once you have optimism in your life again.

Have you ever hit a plateau and wondered if it could be more than just the food you were eating that was causing the plateau?

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What Does Lack of Self-Care Cost?

June 12, 2011 By

massage

As a young professional woman it never crossed my mind that one day not taking care of myself would become a problem. Hey, I figured I’m young I can sort of eat well, sort of sleep well (catch up on lost sleep on the weekends) and have a few drinks here and there. I was naive but who isn’t when they’re young?

Time passed, a stressful corporate job, two kids and trying to find perfection in all I was doing somehow I lost sight that maybe I should take better care of myself. With various responsibilities at work and home it was easy to put my needs last on the list. I’ve always been an amazing caretaker particularly of everyone else but me.

There was a time in my life that I never stopped. I didn’t sit down except when I was driving or working and even while working I was never relaxed.  As a busy working professional woman with the pressures of deadlines, financially contributing to my family and being a caretaker I stopped doing all the necessary things to take care of myself.

It happens to the best of us, working women who are high life and career achievers. We just want it all. On the path to getting it we often find it tough to balance everything that’s coming at us. What tends to go is our personal self care. First the exercise, then the food, then the clothing, then the makeup, then the organization (or lack there of) and then the routine check-ups and doctors appointments. How do I know? It happened to me. I became less of a priority even though my health and well-being was essential for my financial future and role in my family.

It’s easy to let things slide especially when you’re busy. If you’re at the point where you’re teetering on the edge of not taking care of yourself well and it’s beginning to surface then now is a good time to put yourself back in charge of your self-care. Simple steps with inner motivation will get you where you need to be. If you’re a little further than that then I encourage you to get help. Lack of self care can cost you your health, finances, family and friends.

Do you really want to jeopardize any or all of them?

Don’t use you’re too busy as an excuse, find a way to start taking action today. Build self-care into your day regularly and you’ll be able to handle more of what life throws at you.

What prevents you from being able to put your self- care first?

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Motivation Tips To Keep You Moving

May 31, 2011 By

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What motivates you?

What makes you want to succeed? It is different for everyone, but once you find what pushes you to be your best, you need to use it every day, so it will get you through those difficult days when you want to skip a workout or cheat when you shouldn’t.

Here are the things that motivate me.  Some days it is all of them, and some days it may be just one.

1. Visualization

There are many tricks for visualizing your success. When I was training for my body building competition, I would visualize myself on stage going through all my poses. Then I would visualize myself taking the first place trophy!

Some need to actually see it in a photo, so they cut out a picture of someone they admire or want to look like. You can even take your head off of one photo and paste it to the body of someone whose physique you want. Just make sure that if you are a Tyra Banks, you don’t visualize looking like a Kelly Ripa.

2. Competition

Many people have that competitive spirit.  I definitely do. This can work to your benefit no matter what kind of exercise program you follow.

Beating someone or achieving victory is a great feeling even if you don’t think of yourself as super competitive. On the flip side, losing and seeing others “win” drives people too.

Another way to compete is to compete against yourself. Whatever you did last week, you can try to beat this week.  This can come in the form of a faster mile, adding 5 pounds to your bench press, doing an extra push up, staying on the treadmill for an additional 10 minutes, etc.

3. Role Models

Most athletes, whether basketball players, tennis players, or bodybuilders have a person that they look up to and want to emulate.

So if there is anyone out there that has done what you want to do, they can inspire you and motivate you to achieve your goals. It doesn’t have to be someone famous, either. Maybe your mom or neighbor has achieved something that you want to achieve.

4. Positive vs. Negative

Both types of re-enforcement can motivate, and it is just a matter of what works for you. A big generalization, but men often do okay with negative re-enforcement, where as women are more drawn to positive re-enforcement.

When we were living in South Korea, we took a Tae Kwon Do class with two other women teachers.  Koreans take their Tae Kwon Do very seriously, and our “teacher” was very serious.  He didn’t speak any English, and we barely spoke Korean, but we could tell by his tone and his facial expressions of disappointment that we were not doing things right.  Almost every class had one of us girls crying by the time we left.  My husband never even flinched.  He didn’t even understand what we were talking about when we tried to describe how the “teacher” made us feel.

If you are one of those people that needs to be comfortable and positive to achieve your best, then make sure you are surrounded by coaches and people who offer that type of encouragement.

On the flip side if you respond better to proving the haters wrong, or showing your coach you are not a weak piece of poo (or whatever), then you know the type of coach or training partner to look for. You are not wrong for either tactic pushing you.

Whether it is any of these strategies or something else completely, as long as it is something that motivates you and makes you more confident in your abilities, then use it to your advantage to reach all of your goals.

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What Do You Do When Life’s A Blur?

May 27, 2011 By

blur

Recently my son and I were having a conversation and afterward all I could think was how great it was to be totally in tune to what he was saying.  Not only did I hear what he said but we sat together and actually worked on a solution to a problem that needed resolution. Do you know what was great about it? The fact that I was completely present and he knew it. Now I have to admit that there have been times as a working mom that I wasn’t always listening. Maybe I was pretending to but I truly wasn’t listening like I should have been.

My life was a blur. A complete out of control and downward spiral of a blur. The worst part about it was that I didn’t know how to make it stop. Instead of figuring out how to manage my hectic life and schedule I just kept adding more and more on. I didn’t say no to anything in my life and I suffered for it with a significant amount of stress.  I didn’t think my kids noticed or maybe I just didn’t want them to but kids are so observant. They could sense my stress level and they could see right through my fake smiles but I unfortunately for a while I don’t think I smiled or laughed as often as I should have.

That’s all changed for a variety of reasons. I now place a very high value on my relationships and health. My kids are teens now and in a few years they will be in college and then on their own. When I realized that I didn’t want my life with them to be a blur I began to change. Little by little I made much better choices in all aspects of my life. I chose a job that had a shorter commute so that I could be with them more. I was able to work in a job with flexibility so that it would allow me to be at their sports games and school events. But most importantly as a family we made sure that no matter what we always had dinner together. Dinner is a time for us to catch up, relax and enjoy our time together. There’s no t.v., no telephones and no heavy topics. Most importantly it’s a time for us to be together.

If you’re feeling like life has been a blur lately it could be time to that you look at how you can slow down. To learn where to start grab my free “Live Smarter Lifestyle Kit” at www.jeanniespiro.com and start living and enjoying your life because it’s worth it!

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The Secret to Successful Solitude

May 26, 2011 By

I confess: I’m an introvert. I know it’s hard to believe since I babble and blab my life story all over the Internet. But when it comes to how I spend my day and the surroundings that fill me with energy, I need a good bit of solitude. Guess that’s what makes me suitable for the home office environment! And it’s what led me to create a practice of journal writing, yoga, running (solo!), reading and prayer.

Yes, I love to spend time alone. I thrive on it! Maybe it’s because I have three young children and I’m constantly reacting and responding to the needs of others. Or maybe it’s because I’m not very good at shutting out distractions and I need quiet to hear the conversations taking place in my head. Whatever the reason, the benefits of some “me time” in my day are extraordinary!

When I start my day with an hour of solitude (by journaling, running or some other solo-practice):

  • I’m happier and more fun to be around!
  • My body has more energy to help me lead a productive day!
  • I’m more patient with my kids.
  • My mind is overflowing with creativity.
  • I feel connected to God and comforted by his presence.

Could you use a little alone time in your day? If so, I’ll let you in on some of my secrets to successful solitude. What I’ve discovered is that there are three key ingredients (Three P’s) to practicing daily solitude:

  1. Permission: Give yourself permission to be fully present and embrace the quiet. That means letting go of the thoughts that wander through your mind about where you “should” be right now, and what you “should” be accomplishing and who you “should” be spending time with. Just accept the gift of silence and solitude and let it seep in through your pores and fill your spirit.
  2. Priority: If you’re a busy mom, then solitude does not naturally occur. You have to schedule it into your day. Physically enter it into your calendar. Sure, there may be windows of opportunity when the kids are not home and you can sit down with a cup of tea, but are you actually going to do that? I won’t. Unless it’s on the calendar!
  3. Proclaim: Sometimes it’s necessary to set expectations so that your loved ones know what you are doing and why it’s so important. A friend of mine once told me she woke up every morning at 5 am just so she could have an hour alone before her kids stumbled out of bed. One day her daughter set her alarm so she could join mom for some “girl time.” Very sweet. But it took away mom’s only hour of quiet during the day! So be clear when you set your schedule and let your family (and possibly friends and colleagues) know that you need this time alone because it fills your spirit and makes you a better person!

Want to really experience the benefits of solitude? Take the Solitude Challenge and travel solo. Go on a quiet retreat in the mountains, rent a beach cottage in the off-season or visit a charming little town you’ve always wanted to explore. Take a journal with you and write or doodle your way through the adventure.

Be sure to let me know what you discover!

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