Perfect is not possible - usually What a beautiful Fourth of July…we rode the Can Am and enjoyed the wonderful Colorado Rockies. We stayed away from the crowds and watched the amazing Macy’s fireworks display in NYC - in the comfort of our own sofa. Perfect is not possible – but days like yesterday are close. As a farm wife for 30 years, most Fourth of July holidays were … [Read more...]
Don’t forget yourself as you spring clean
Don’t forget yourself as you spring clean Today, we have a crew installing seamless gutters on the house to prevent water damage around the foundation when the monsoons come. We have a one man crew repairing the concrete foundation on the miners shack in the back yard for the same reason. We ordered a new exterior door because the old one is warped as well as a new threshold to … [Read more...]
A matter of balance
A matter of balance Robert Fulghum, author of All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, wrote: “Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.” Wise advice! Balance affects many subjects: checkbooks; work and family; budgets; scales; tires; meals; investments; we even have shoes called New Balance. … [Read more...]
Teens, Messy Rooms and Parental Frustration
Teens, Messy Rooms and Parental Frustration Third of four articles from the American Counseling Association - Honoring April: Counseling Awareness Month Somewhere, there might actually be a teenager who doesn't have a "messy room." Most parents would doubt that. A teen's messy room continues to be the source for ongoing parent-teen disagreements in many families. While we … [Read more...]
Not being satisfied is okay – even good
Not being satisfied is okay - even good Using a nasty voice, someone once asked me, "Are you ever going to be satisfied?" Without a thought, I snapped back, "I hope not!" That memory is not particularly pleasant, but it does make me smile; I was surprised at my response. Not only did the words come out of my mouth without thought, it was true. It was a good example of how … [Read more...]
Team Up For Success
Team Up For Success Second of four articles from the American Counseling Association - Honoring April: Counseling Awareness Month Yes, it can be hard to try to lose weight, exercise more or make other lifestyle changes for better health. But a recent study out of England has shown that the odds for success increased dramatically when you make changes for a healthier you … [Read more...]
Professional Counselors Offer Help
Professional Counselors Offer Help First of four articles from the American Counseling Association - Honoring April: Counseling Awareness Month Yes, the month of April is more than spring showers and blooming flowers. It's also Counseling Awareness Month. Okay, not that exciting, but still a great time to learn more about professional counselors and the services they … [Read more...]
Normal? What’s that?
Normal? What’s that? According to my Word Thesaurus, synonyms for the word normal include usual, regular, standard, ordinary, typical, customary, common, and average. I don’t think any of those words describe me, and I am glad. Who would want to be typical or average? I want to be unique and individual. It is counterintuitive, because if we are not normal, we must be … [Read more...]
Final thoughts on Fifty Shades
Final thoughts on Fifty Shades As promised - I went to Fifty Shades of Grey. It was a little boring and seemed to drag on in time. I wanted to leave before it was over. The actors, Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, playing Christian and Anastasia were easy to connect and relate with. I enjoyed the book far more than the movie, but the story of a successful man falling in love … [Read more...]
Valentine’s Day – love from the heart
Valentine’s Day -love from the heart Valentine’s Day certainly can be lame, or a headache, and it can be very costly. But, it doesn’t have to be! Let’s make it a LOVING February day of pink and red fun with hearts, flowers, candy and chocolate for our friends, wives, girlfriends and family. The day created to recognize those we love risks turning into a day of pressure, … [Read more...]
When there is loss there is grieving
When there is loss there is grieving Loss is a hurtful condition that occurs when we lose someone or something. Grief is the emotional response to loss. Loss can be personal, such as losing a job, income, or freedom. Loss may also have to do with significant life events such as death of a loved one, divorce, chronic illness, drug addiction, infertility, disasters, or … [Read more...]
Trust – the only true means to success
Trust - the only true means to success Merriam-Webster defines trust as the belief that someone or something (person, product, or organization) is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc. I believe good mental health is more attainable if we are personally trustworthy. It is also unlikely that we will attract trustworthy people if we have opposing traits of inconsistency, … [Read more...]
Celebrate the birth day-not the number
Celebrate the birth day-not the number Like most things in life, family birthdays come in waves. My family had seven during the past two weeks. They ranged from a first birthday to “I ain’t tellin.” None of them were mine, thank goodness, so I enjoyed sitting back and observing the similarities and differences between the birthdays that spanned a full life-cycle. The … [Read more...]
Don’t let failure stop your success
Don't let failure stop your success Thomas J. Watson, Sr., the chairman and CEO of IBM from 1914 until 1956, is attributed with saying, “If you want to succeed, double your failure rate.” When Thomas Edison was asked about how he failed 700 times in making the light bulb, he said,. "I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those … [Read more...]
New Year is an occasion for change
New Year is an occasion for change New Year’s Resolutions are commitments to make changes we feel will improve our lives. We might try to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise, show more patience, live with a budget, clean the garage, start a hobby, open that college account, etc. No matter the resolution, Wikipedia claims only 12% actually achieve their goals. Why do we make … [Read more...]