It’s an experience like no other, but what all hard-working MOMS deserve!!
Take the Peace Challenge
July 15, 2011 By
“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal.†– Martin Luther King Jr.
Sometimes I think my daily struggle to attain five minutes of peace is futile. The kids, the phone, the never ending laundry…Repeated interruptions, unexpected delays and devastating news tug away at my heart leaving me feeling unsettled. The chaotic pace of life adds to the frustration making it impossible to complete my quest for peace.
But I’ve realized that peace is not the destination, it’s the mode of travel. And I’ve discovered that there are small but powerful actions I can take every day to contribute to a more peaceful heart, a calmer environment and a happier home.  Some of them seem effortless but the results are dramatic. If you’re struggling with clutter, chaos and angst, take the Peace Challenge by implementing one or more of my personal tips.
Theresa’s Top 10 Ways to Create a Peaceful Journey
- Turn off your cell phone, email and internet browser during specific times of the day – especially when you are working or having a conversation or meal with someone. If you can’t turn them off, set the alerts to silent (not vibrate!).
- Silence all background noise – including the television, radio or anything that you are not actively listening to at the moment.  You may not realize that the negative messages coming from the news reports while you are making breakfast are robbing you of a peace-filled morning.
- Go to bed by 9 pm once a week. This is a tough one for me because I am often just tucking my kids in bed at this hour and I feel like I finally have time to myself. But getting to bed early is a treat, so I try to do it once a week.
- Make your bed every day. I know it sounds crazy, but this small act of creating order is just what I need to start my day feeling somewhat “in control.â€
- Throw away junk mail before you walk in the door – take it directly from the mailbox to the trash can (unless you need to shred it).
- Refuse to engage in or listen to gossip of any kind. The same thing holds true for complaints – make a commitment to yourself to be complaint-free for one week and ask a friend to hold you accountable.
- Spend at least one hour a day outside — walking, running, sitting, bird-watching, gardening or doing something that allows you to appreciate the beauty of nature. Breathe fresh air!
- Forgive someone – maybe yourself.
- Smile. It’s contagious.
- Put a journal or notebook by your bed, in your car, in your purse or anywhere you might get a ‘brilliant idea’ and need to capture it before you forget!
Not everyone has the same definition of peace. The music I perceive to be distracting noise may create a state of peace for my nephew. So the trick is to recognize the activities and environmental factors that cause discomfort in your heart and avoid them.
What would you do to create your own personal Peace Challenge? Share your tips with me!
Child-Like Point of View…Where Did It Go?
March 24, 2011 By
Children have neither past nor future; they enjoy the present, which very few of us do. ~Jean de la Bruyere~
Childlike-Like or befitting a child, as in innocence, trustfulness, or candor.
Remember the days when life was simple. The biggest decisions of the day were; shall I skip to my friend’s house, or walk? Or shall I dig for worms or catch fireflies? Now, as adults, we tend to worry about the future or regret our past decisions. We tend to have a hard time focusing on the moment.
One of the biggest rewards of spending time with children, is it allows you to see the world through their eyes. To go back to a time of innocence, and viewing the world as a new discovery. We can still have this, it just takes practice. It takes patience to step back, slow down, and look around. Stress Release Reminder’s stress management program reminds you to do this and maybe a helpful tool in this practice.
When you allow yourself to slow down you will discover new things. Life does not have to be so busy, you create your mind-set.
Your schedule can still include the activities you want out of life, but looking at the environment, enjoying the surroundings, and observing nature helps you to slow down.
Childlike qualities are endless, but the ones that I wish to emulate are:
- being present in the moment
- letting go of worries I have no control of
- not focusing on other people opinions of me
- exploring my imagination and creativity
- be more playful and allow myself to be silly and laugh
- and live without judgment
So, like a forgotten fire, a childhood can always flare up again within us. ~Gaston Bachelard~
Skipping, blowing bubbles, swinging on a park swing, making a snow angel, watching the clouds go by, picking clovers to make a necklace, playing a sport, watching a bird make its nest, digging for worms, catching fireflies, are all great past times. Try stepping out of your adult shoes, go barefoot and relive these cherished memories.
Mom Works Hard and Deserves It
March 3, 2011 By
It’s refreshing to see…
As I’m going out promoting this event and searching for high quality sponsors dedicated to improving the lives of moms, I’ve been privileged in meeting such passionate and supportive women. I am so excited to work alongside them to make this event a HUGE success.
Why do I do this? What keeps me going?
I’m looking at this cover of the OC Family magazine (Feb 2011 issue) and right on the cover it says, “Wellness for Moms…Show them your love by taking care of you”. All too often, we take a lot on because we need to make sure that everything has been taken care of… and if something is lacking… we’ll figure out how to make it right or make it work.
But sometimes all that care-taking of others….just takes a toll on ourselves, which affects our mood, our physical health and vibrant perception on life.
That is why I’m on a mission to offer the motivation and the opportunities for moms to be able to take the time to be pampered, refill their bucket, renew the soul and sometimes just relax… and nothing more.
What a great message to express… Mom works hard and deserves to take care of herself regularly.
Join us in Long Beach on May 20, 2011. We’ll have a great time!
It’s Time… to Take Time.
February 25, 2011 By
Hey Moms!
It’s that time. No, not another birthday to plan nor an annual child-well check-up appointment to make. It’s time to take time for YOU. It’s called Rejuvenating your Self, Renewing your Soul and Relaxing your Mind. The MOST important person you MUST take care of is YOU. Because without us SuperMoms, the world as everyone knows it will hault! To say the least. 
As I speak with mothers everywhere, I see and hear that we as dedicated Moms do not take enough time for ourselves. And this includes me! But this year (2011), I made a pact with myself… to take regular “Me-Times”. And I have found when I take the time to rejuvenate, relax and let loose, I’m a better mother, wife, business woman and friend.
Here are some things that I have done (woot! woot!):
- Gone dinner and dancing with some girlfriends, even though I feel out of place.
- Planned activity days or nights with my family. And I promise that I don’t dare open my laptop (even for a second!).
- Met friends for a few drinks.
- Quite time for at least 5 minutes. Before I actually get out of bed, I spend at least 15 minutes in gratitude about everything around me.
Here are a few other ideas to get you out with your friends:
- Start a mom club (i.e. exercise, book, business, play-dates). It’s an awesome way to connect with other moms in your community.
- Plan a monthly night out. Pick different places or activities each month.
- Schedule a Spa Day with fellow mom friends and neighbors. Ahhhhhh…. so relaxing.
- Sign-up for wellness classes, business seminars and other self-development workshops.
Let’s not push ourselves to the back-burner. Everything turns out for the better when we take the time for ourselves.
What are some of the fun and relaxing activities you and your mom friends have done? Anything out of the ordinary?
