Sunday, October 26, 2008

Catch your breath


Breath, just breath. Today, find a quiet spot (even if you have to stay up late or lock yourself in the bathroom). Now close your eyes and take a deep breath. Breath in starting with your stomach, filling up every inch until you cannot inhale any more. Then exhale in reverse. Start with the top of your lungs until you get to your stomach. Do this slowly for five or six times.

When you find yourself overwhelmed, in chaos, in constant forward motion, it's a good idea to stop and breath.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

How are you going to reach your business goals?


Write out your goals. Start backwards. Where do you want to be in 5 years? 3 years? 1 year? Now look at your one year goal and determine what it will take to get you there. What will you have to accomplish each month in order to reach your goals? Now the hard part. What daily activities are you going to have to do in order to reach your goal?

Examples: If you want to make $5000 more this year then how much more are you going to have to sell, advertise, write, call, etc.

Write down your plan/map to your goals and read over that month's goal everyday of the month.

Friday, October 17, 2008

What are your financial goals?


Write them down. Are you trying to get out of debt? Do you want to buy a new car? Any car? How about a house? Maybe you just want to stop living paycheck to paycheck. Do you have a 401k or any other retirement plan? What about your kids college (wedding LOL)?

Expert note: Financial guru, Clark Howard, says start your retirement fund before college funds for your kids because kids can get scholarships and grants and loans, no one is going to fund your retirement.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Charting your progress in the relationship department


We've made a few changes in the way we handle relationships. Have you noticed a difference? Are things a little quieter? Maybe more peaceful or at least more relaxed?
Have you eliminated negative people from your life? If not, then maybe you should consider it. Sometimes you have to save yourself from these people.

Have you noticed that your family members are nicer to you? Are your kids being nicer to each other? The trickle down effect is amazing. Change yourself and the world changes with you. At least your immediate world.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

A healthier you


Now that we've discussed the food issue, it's time to discuss hanging our eating habits. This week try to eliminate one soda per day. Replace it with a glass of water. Next try to incorporate 10 minutes of exercise everyday. Even if it's walking, jumping jacks, running in place, leg lifts, etc.

Remember, it's about your health, not your pants size.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Cleaning basics


Now that you've been keeping your sink clean and your bed made, it's time to do a little more. Everyday this week I want you to sweep your hardwood and linoleum floors and vacuum the carpet. Pick a day this week to dust the whole house or dust one room per day. Don't forget to clean the sink and make up your bed. If you have kids, try giving them a dust rag and let them dust the big items. If their old enough, get them to sweep/vacuum their own rooms. Your home is a small community. They are part of the community so they get to help. Don't feel bad asking them to help. You are teaching them valuable life skills.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Creating your categories


Time to work on your Family CEO manual. I hope that you already have your binder
decorated and ready to go. Here are some categories that should be included in your binder.

-Daily Routines
-Weekly Routines
-Meal Plans
-Recipes
-Grocery Shopping List
-Budget
-Cleaning notes
-List of Important Dates (birthday, anniversary, holiday)
-Emergency Numbers
-To Do List
-Calendar with appointments on it
-Goals for family
-Goals for yourself
-Gift List-write out everyone you have to buy for and when you find a gift that fits them (buy it) and write it out beside their name-when their birthday or Christmas rolls around then you're already prepared

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Reconnecting with yourself.


Time to take a break. Find a quiet spot. If you're like me, you may have to wait until the wee hours of the morning or really late at night. No matter when you stop, remember to close your eyes, take a deep breath and think about peace. Find a mantra or motto. Sometimes it helps just to say "Praise God" over and over. Determine what your motto is and repeat it over and over until you feel yourself relax.

During this time give thanks for your blessings. You may have to search long and hard if you are not feeling very blessed at the moment, however, there is always something to be thankful for. Even if it is simply that God loves you.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

What are your business goals?



1)Clarify your dream/vision

What is your dream for your business? What direction do you want it to take and why? Is it for financial freedom? Is it just something you love to do?

Find a notebook and start writing. Why you started this business? (Is it to spend more time at home?)

Also write down what exactly you are offering in your business. (Build a successful catering company that specializes in providing high end wedding food.)

2) Write a mission statement

3)Write out your goals. Where do you want to be in one year? Five years? Ten?

Friday, October 10, 2008

Are you spending more money than is coming in?




You wrote out your budget. How did it go? Is there more money coming in or going out? Or are you breaking even? If there is more money going out then it's time to take action. Time to cut spending until there is more money coming in. Try cutting out some extras on your cable or satellite tv. Perhaps you don't need that Starbucks fix every day, maybe every other day. The easiest place to cut back in on your grocery budget or eating out. The eating out thing is easy, STOP EATING OUT SO MUCH! There, problem solved. (We'll get more detailed later.) Right now take a look at the extras that are obvious that you could cut out with little to no effort.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

How's your relationship with your kids?



Do you spend time with your kids? Really? I'm not talking about transporting them from one place to another, getting ready for school, eating in the car, or even just being in the same room together. Do you play games with your kids? How about eating at the same table together? How much do you know about your kids?

Stop, breath, think. Take a look at your average day/week. How much time do you actually interact with your children? Or for that matter, any of your family? None of us are here forever. Strive to take a few moments today and this week to invest in your family. Give lots of hugs and kisses, read stories, bake together, sit at the table together, whatever needs to be done.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

You are what you eat




Your body is like a car. The better fuel you put in the better it runs. So if you sit and eat junk food all day then your body is going to run like a junkie old car. It will get you from point A to point B but you will have a hard time getting it started, it will sputter and whine the whole way there and you'll be lucky that something doesn't break down before you reach your destination.

If you eat healthy foods then your body will be happy to wake up without an alarm clock. It will not only get you to point B in record time it will have plenty of energy left over for any after work activities that you would like to do. You won't have to worry about making it to your destination or if it will even start when you need it to. Your body will be there for the long haul and it won't cost you a lot in repairs.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Declutter time


Think of one room that you really need to be able to use and you can't because of all the CLUTTER. Now everyday for a week I want you to spend 5-10 minutes decluttering. Set your kitchen timer and move as fast as you can. Come on, you can do it.

If you don't have any clutter-yea you-then pick a room to deep clean. Again use the 5-10 minute rule. Dust one day, clean the windows one day, wipe down the base boards one day, etc.

Now get moving and don't stop til the bell rings!

Monday, October 6, 2008

Building your family CEO manual



Time to put together your life manual. I know you're sitting there like WTH? But this is one of your most important tools for changing your life. Come on. Stereos have manuals. Computers have manuals. TVs, cars and even curling irons have manuals. However. for some reason it's ok to live our lives by the seat of our pants without any direction or guidance.

No more! You'll need: a three-ring binder, notebook paper, pen/pencil, calendar, and dividers. I want you to decorate the outside of the binder however it suits you. Next, you'll have to create the categories for your dividers such as: budget, meals, career, emergency numbers, fitness, and goals. You are not limited to these categories. You can list as many as you can keep up with.

We'll go into these in more detail next week.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Are you in touch with your spiritual side?


How often do you talk to God? Always, sometimes, never? Take a few moments everyday this week to spend with God. Pick a quiet spot and a quiet time. Say a prayer and connect with God. If you want to, read the Bible or some other devotional/inspirational book. Or simply close your eyes, take some deep breaths and talk with God. It doesn't have to be some deep, selfless prayer thing. Sing a praise song, talk about everyday life, do whatever gives you a rested, peaceful feeling and keeps you connected with the spirit that lives within you.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Working from home or working outside of the home?



Now is the time to determine where you want to go with your career. Do you want to work outside of the home or work from home? What type of career do you want?

Here are some questions to ask yourself.

1)Do I like the career I'm in?

2)Where do I want to be in this career in five years?

3)What career would I like to be doing if I don't like this one?

4)What steps do I need to take to further my career or change it?

5)What skills or accomplishments do I need for my career goals?

6)What is my time frame to complete these steps?

7)How will I accomplish these tasks with my current responsibilities?


Write down the answers to these questions somewhere that you can look at them often.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Do you have a budget?



Do you know where your money goes? Can you account for every penny or do you get to the end of the month and wonder what the hell happened to your money? Worse yet, do play beat the bank and float checks hoping that the paycheck comes in before the check you wrote clears the bank?

I am guilty of all of those things at one time or another. Now I have a written record of finances and where the money is suppose to go each month. If you’re as lost as I use to be then here are a few steps to help you out.

Write out all of your fixed expenses. Mortgage, rent, utilities, groceries, gas, etc. Now list your credit cards or loans on there too. If you’re not sure of your grocery or gas expenses then over the next month write down every time you go to the grocery store or stop at the gas station. (If you want a true average then keep track for three months and then find the average)

Now write down your income for the month and subtract your expenses. If your expenses outweigh your income then you need to find ways to cut corners. The best place to start is the grocery bill. Try buying generic brands or planning out your meals.

If you really have to cut out some things try reducing your satellite or cable package. Do this with your phone bill as well. If you can make do with one car then perhaps you could sell one or trade in one for a more economical model.

If your income exceeds your expenses that is wonderful news! Try to put money into an interest building savings account. Pick a percentage to put back every pay period or month. Even $5-$10 a month makes a difference.

Final note, when creating a budget be sure to include amounts for savings, entertainment such as eating out and trips to the movies, medical and dental expenses, fees for sports or school, any other miscellaneous you might think of.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

How's your marriage?


Do you have this wonderful, fairy-tale marriage or are you sitting in the floor wondering what the hell happened to your prince charming? Well after eleven years of marriage I found myself in the latter group. I figured that no one else was going to be able to help me with this so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I decided to change myself and pray that my hubby would follow suit.

This week is your chance to find your patience. No matter what he says or does, try your best not to say anything negative. As a matter-of-fact, let anything he says or does just blow away with the wind. I'm sure this will be hard. I completely understand. Just take it one day at a time. You never know, he may surprise you, especially if you are normally a nagger.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Are you one big squishy mess?


So Wednesdays are the day we focus on ourselves.

This week:
we're going to spend 10 minutes exercising everyday. I want you to drink one more glass of water a day and eliminate one coke per day.
It's time we brushed our hair and our teeth everyday. Make sure you brush your teeth twice a day.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Where to start?



On Tuesdays we will focus on our homes. This week I want you to work on your kitchen and your master bedroom. I chose these two rooms because: in order to make nutritious meals at home you must have a clean kitchen and in order to have some sense of peace in our lives it helps to have our bedrooms be our place of rest and not chaos.

In the kitchen, your assignment is to keep your sink and counters clean. Set your timer for 10-15 minute intervals throughout the day until this area is clean. Try to keep it clean throughout the day by cleaning the dishes instead of just laying them in the sink. If that's not possible, then set aside your 10-15 minutes after each meal to do a quick clean up. Before bed take another 5 minutes to do a quick clean up and wipe down the sink as well.

In your bedroom, make your bed. Yes, it's that simple. Try to do this as soon as you crawl out of bed. If hubby is still in it, or a child or two, then try to have it made up before noon. It's amazing how much better a room looks with a well made bed.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Is This Blog Right For You?

Did you wake up one morning and realize that your life was nothing like you had imagined it would be? Or perhaps you're looking in the mirror wondering who is that person staring back at you. Do you sometimes sit and daydream about what you really want your life to be like?

Is this your reality? Your husband is due home in an hour, you have no idea what's for dinner-so you think about ordering pizza-except you didn't record a few of the debit transactions last week and you're low on cash. While you're standing in the kitchen trying to decide what's for dinner, the kids found the candy stash you had hidden and they've eaten most of it. Now all three (or more) of them are chasing the dog around the house trying to dress it up in your daughter's dress up clothes. "But Mom, Sparky likes to dress up as a princess."

Are you dreaming of a life where there is more than enough money to go around, you almost always know what is for dinner and have already done most of the preparation by the time "dinner time" rolls around, the kids are well behaved and they help out around the house without too much argument, you are able to play with the kids because you are fit and energized and the house is clean and uncluttered so you aren't spending family time cleaning up?

Does that sound like a dream that will never come true? Well you've come to the right place. I have embarked on a journey to help all of those moms that think that it will never get done and that a peaceful life is for other women.

We deserve a wonderful life and our families deserve it also. They deserve a mom who is in touch with who she is and who is able to fully show them love without being constantly worried about day to day life.

Each week I will post one thing about the different areas in a woman's life. These areas include: home, family, finances, health, career, spiritual/self-care, and overall organization.
I am so excited! Join me and feel free to leave me comments.