By
JanetEisenbise on Monday, December 21st, 2009 |
No CommentsThe holiday countdown is on,
and for many, so is the pressure and stress of getting the preparations
complete. I am hearing clients talking
about their worries of getting everything done and meeting the social
obligations that they have. In addition
to what often turns out to be stressful family interactions.
I suppose most of us have
some mixture of the ideal holiday that we carry around in our head. Depending on age and life experience, some
mixture of Walton’s Mountain or the Cleavers or Huxtables, mixed with Martha
Stewart’s tips for decorating, mixed with ads for Xbox or iPhones.
The to-do list is lengthy,
and it doesn’t help that we have to deal with the limitations of our budgets
and time. Then the forces of nature have
recently dashed the plans for the last weekend before Christmas, at least in my
neck of the woods.
So what’s a person to
do? How to keep a grip on sanity? How can this be a meaningful time with all
this earthly preoccupation?
- Write down what you intend to do. Putting it on paper provides an
opportunity to be specific and concrete so that your “have to’s” aren’t
whirling around in your mind.
- Go through the list and really look at the
things that are meaningful to you.
Which are items that you feel obligated to do but don’t enjoy? Which are activities that you have done
for years but have lost their enjoyment?
- Are there things on the list that are too
expensive either in terms of time and money? Eliminate them to avoid a hangover of
regret and resentment. It’s a lousy
way to start the new year!
- Are there opportunities to spend time connecting
with people that you love? If
not, figure out a way to do that.
If we can clarify for
ourselves what really matters most in this season, we will be better equipped
to eliminate what is stressful and demanding.
And even more importantly, we can focus our attention and energies on
what brings meaning, light and love into our lives.
By
JanetEisenbise on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 |
No CommentsCheck this video out — From service dog to SURFice dog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGODurRfVv4
By
JanetEisenbise on Monday, December 14th, 2009 |
No CommentsAs the holidays approach, most of us are preoccupied with plans and preparations for observing whatever traditions we value. Gift giving is usually a big part of our concerns.
Sometimes this is a stressful part of the season. Buying gifts can add some stress to an already strained budget. And thinking of the right gift for people that you care about can also be difficult.
Have you noticed that some people have a real knack for this? Think about gifts you have received that really “hit the mark” and pleased you. I’m guessing that the amount of money spent likely wasn’t what made the difference between a ho-hum inner response and one that ignited a spark.
Gifts at their best are a sign of recognition. The giver recognizes something personal about you. A quality, an interest or a memory of something that is important to you. It is a sure sign that the giver is paying attention.
Who wouldn’t be pleased by that?
Gifts can honor and deepen a relationship. They can also be an expression of what is most important by strengthening the bond of love and affection. It’s a way of saying, “You matter to me,” or “I appreciate you,” and “I know who you are.”
A family member told me about a recent interaction with a relative of his who asked what he would like for Christmas. When he provided an answer, she said, “Well that’s boring! I don’t want to give you that!” He understandably felt exasperated and wondered why she had asked.
Read the rest of this entry »
By
JanetEisenbise on Thursday, December 10th, 2009 |
No Comments
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
~Arthur Ashe,Jr.~
As we come to the end of the year, how was it for you? Did you do the exercise suggested in the last post? Did you write down a description of your life as you imagine and desire it, and then write the details of your present reality
If you are disappointed you are not alone. This year has presented many difficulties to people all over the world. You may not have accomplished what you hoped and may have had some unexpected big challenges.
Being a recovering perfectionist, I can easily get into self blame when I fall short of my own expectations. That is a slippery
slope into helplessness and hopelessness and getting completely stuck.
While the reality check is essential to getting back on track, sometimes a shift in focus also helps. Seeing a balance between our strengths and accomplishments as well as our flaws and shortcomings is a big help as we make plans to move ahead.
What was the best thing you did over the past year?
What was one accomplishment that you feel proud of?
One of the things that I did was to take a couple of concrete baby steps to building an online business. I began writing
articles to promote affiliate products that I use and like, and I started this blog. It is a beginning. And taking note of beginnings is encouraging
and hopeful.
What small progress have you made toward a life change? How can you build on that? What specific steps can you make now to gain momentum? If you have lapsed into inaction, commit to a specific time (as soon as possible…like today) to do something.
No doubt the biggest excuse that I hear from people who are explaining about not doing what they said they were going to do is that they don’t have time. Busy-ness is a great excuse.
But it’s just that…an excuse. If you are using that excuse, break down the steps into micro-mini steps. We all have 15 minutes a day. Use it to walk around the block. Or add a vegetable to your menu for the day. Or sit down, breathe deeply in the silence and relax. Or use it to phone someone you need to make contact with. You get the drift.
Small, consistent action counts. In fact it is the only way that real change occurs. Take heart. Your reality check can lead to great things, one tiny step at a time.
By
JanetEisenbise on Saturday, December 5th, 2009 |
No CommentsSometimes Reality Bites http://bit.ly/77k0IO
By
JanetEisenbise on Friday, December 4th, 2009 |
No Comments
"Nothing is so fatiguing as the hanging on of an
uncompleted task." ~Henry James~
The end of the year is
coming on like a downhill freight train.
For those of you who set goals for the year or made New Years
resolutions, it might be occurring to you that time is running out. At least if you intended to meet those goals
by the end of the year, it is.
Perhaps you started out of
the gate with a bang, and then got distracted or discouraged and your
resolution fizzled out.
Or maybe you were
overwhelmed with trying to figure it out or get organized and the project never
got off the ground.
Or you could have
procrastinated and never took the first step.
Read the rest of this entry »
