Resolve To Get Organized

Most of us make New Year's resolutions that end up being broken, forgotten, and therefore, unresolved by the end of January.  

This is the time to change that. Start with a simple step ~ get a calendar! Buy one, print one, draw one, download one. Just get one. Once you have a calendar, take just 10 minutes to sit down (perhaps with a phone nearby to call for help) and write down birthdays, appointments, trips, science-fair projects, basketball games, dance recitals ~ whatever it is that you know you have coming up this year. A few minutes of organization now will save time later.

Place your calendar somewhere you will see it everyday. If your calendar is on paper, highlight the birthdays in one color, appointments in another color, and games in another. If you are using a digital form, attach a chime or reminder tone to these important dates. Give yourself some kind of reminder to send a birthday card, make a phone call, or get in your car so you don't miss what's on your schedule.

By taking a few minutes to do this now, you will start the year off feeling (and looking) more organized and focused on what's important in your life. Being organized on paper, or digitally, will help you achieve any other resolutions you make right now or in the future.

Organization

Traditions Old and New

Christmas traditions old and new,

what works for me may not work for you.

The important thing is we work together

to make memories that will last forever.

~ Stacy Coles

Christmas used to be my favorite time of year. Every neighborhood seemed so magical with Christmas lights bringing dark streets to life when the sun went down. Everyone seemed nicer and more willing to help those in need. The anticipation on Christmas Eve of the surprise that would be found under the tree the next morning used to make my heart burst with excitement. So, why do most adults seem to forget this sense of holiday magic?

It's called time! As we get older, we seem to take less time to enjoy the things that used to bring joy to our lives this time of year. Instead, we use all of our time scouring around trying to plan the perfect party, buy the perfect gift, and make everything perfect for everyone around us. And through it all, we forget to take the time to enjoy the holiday movies we grew up with, bake the holiday cookies that our moms used to make, or enjoy the magic that fills the air. 

This Christmas season, make yourself stop for a few minutes and think about three things you remember most about the holidays when you were younger. What made Christmas magic for you? What made you giddy with excitement? Between now and Christmas, make one (or all three) of those memories come alive again ~ for your family, now! Pull out an old recipe from your mom's recipe book (make a few phone calls ~ someone will have it). Send Christmas cards to a few families from your old neighborhood. Think of the joy on their faces when they receive some holiday cheer from you! My favorite Christmas memory was going caroling with our neighbors on a flatbed pick-up truck filled with hay bails to sit on. We drove through the streets, snuggled in blankets, singing carols. Most of us didn't know all the words, and the rest sang off key. After our toes were numb, we would all cram into my mom's humble kitchen and dining room for chili, bread sticks and hot chocolate. Thinking about that now, I honestly don't know how that many people fit into such a cozy area. But the memory is still just as cozy!

I haven't been able to talk my family into continuing this tradition quite yet, but my kids know the holiday classic, "It's A Wonderful Life," within seconds of any scene. Yes, the old black-and-white films are one tradition I insist on so my family can say they've been cultured!

Family traditions might change over time. The important thing is to make memories that will last a lifetime. Incorporate favorites from both your upbringing and those from your spouse's childhood. Use the ones that work for your family and have fun making new ones.

Christmas is still my favorite time of year. Although time seems like a rare commodity these days, taking the time to recognize precious moments and cherish new traditions might allow for time to slow down a little bit this holiday season. You can't find the holiday Spirit if you don't take the time to look for it.

Family Traditions

Christmas Traditions

Thankful Thoughts

This time of year, many of us are preparing menus for Thanksgiving dinner, arranging travel plans to reunite with loved ones, or maybe dreading all of the hustle and bustle the holidays bring. Regardless of where your thoughts are about the upcoming celebrations, take a minute to appreciate all the little things in your life that you would not normally think of as blessings. It's these little things that we don't give much thought to, that we complain about, or we might just completely take for granted, that make our lives comfortable.

***

I Am Thankful For...

The clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.

All the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech.

The lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means I can hear.

The mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

The taxes I pay because it means that I am employed.

My shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine.

The spot I find at the end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking.

The piles of laundry and ironing because it means I have clothes to wear.

Weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been productive.

A lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.

My heating bill because it means I am warm.

The alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I am alive.

~ Author Unknown

***

By changing the way we think about these irritations in our lives, we will be able to see just how blessed we are. Make your own list of things that might be considered annoyances in your life. Then, challenge yourself to find the blessing in each item on your list. You might be surprised at just how much you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

I Am Thankful For

A Little Wiggle Room

Allow some wiggle room in your routine

and the bumps will be straiter than they seem.

~ Stacy Coles

Are you one of those people who are so schedule driven, so task oriented, that you break into a sweat when an unexpected obstacle puts a kink in your day? Do you follow the words of Henry A. Kissinger who said, "There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full,"?

Schedules are wonderful things. Whether we write down appointments in a planner or review a calorie-counter on our favorite electronic device, staying organized helps us stay focused on our goals. Without a plan and a direction, we can easily get distracted or procrastinate and nothing gets accomplished.

However, learning how to give ourselves a little wiggle room can be just as important. By not getting so agitated when we hit obstacles (and we will), our mental and physical health will improve and we might be surprised at what gets done ~ without feeling stressed.

Begin every day (or every project) with the idea that you will do your best. Set out to accomplish the goals on your agenda, but, mentally prepare by telling yourself that life will still go on if you don't check everything off your list. Knowing that we are putting forth our best effort should be enough for us to feel good about what we HAVE accomplished.

Prioritize your goals. Make sure you work on the most important tasks first. This way, your energy is focused where it should be. Don't beat yourself up for the little things that don't get done. Tomorrow is another day. The tasks that don't get accomplished today can be moved to the top of tomorrow's list.

Change can be a good thing. If you try to change your routine at least once a week, just a little, you can train yourself to adjust better to the bigger obstacles that might come down the road. Many of us get into a comfort zone with our daily routine. It's actually hard to plan extras into the day because it's not the norm. Start small. Have something different for breakfast. Try a new restaurant for lunch. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Use a different machine at the gym. Change doesn't have to be so enormous that we are traumatized. Just pick something little and out of the ordinary to start. It might sound like a silly exercise, but it's good training for our brains. It shows us that life will not fall apart by doing something different.

By doing our best, prioritizing our tasks, and training ourselves to be ok with a little change every now and then, we allow ourselves a little wiggle room in our chaotic lives. We can actually help eliminate stress from our day-to-day schedules if learn how to deal with the unexpected obstacles that always appear. Doing this will help us tackle every day with confidence instead of stress.

Wiggle Room

Full Schedule

Falling In Love & Staying In Love

You don't get to choose who you fall in love with; that's why it's called "falling" in love. However, you do get to choose to stay in love. And staying in love takes work on both sides.

Always remember why you fell in love in the first place. Every couple will have their ups and downs. It's part of life. When the downs get in the way, go to your separate corners and take a breather. Let yourselves cool off. And, while you are regaining your composure, think about three things you were attracted to when you first met your significant other. Think about what he/she was wearing, how their eyes sparkled in the light of the room, the chills that went up and down your spine the first time you held hands. These are the little things that can rekindle that fire, no matter how long you've been together.

Recreate the dating spark. Ok, so you've been married for years and it's hard to find time to connect with soccer practices and piano lessons. All of us long for that butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling every time the one you love enters the room. If you haven't felt that way about your significant other for a while, it's time to make it happen again. Think about the days when you quickly stopped kissing when someone entered the room, or when you tried to sneak around the corner into the dark hallway to squeeze in some alone time without being spotted. Remember the adrenaline rush from the thought of being caught? Bring back that same fun by hiding the PDAs from the young, peering eyes under your roof. Just keep the rekindling game clean so that when the kiddies do catch you, they won't be too scarred!

Get your flirt on. Just because you've been together for years doesn't mean the flirting has to stop. Make your significant other know that you only have eyes for them. Let them know how much you love and appreciate them. Leave little love notes on the bathroom mirror or in their briefcase or purse. Tell them how good they look when they get ready for the day. Tell them to remember there will be someone waiting for them when they come home. Make them feel anxious to get back home.

Look your best for your spouse. Guys, put on cologne. Ladies, wear some lipstick. Dress as though you have somewhere to go. And when your significant other asks you what you're dressed up for, tell them it's for him/her. They will feel pretty special knowing you are still trying to impress them. Just because you're married, doesn't mean you should stop trying.

It makes everyone feel good to see a couple still in love after years of togetherness. Time doesn't have to dull romance. Take on life's challenge of rekindling the spark that may be dwindling. Don't let the fire go out. You found the one you want to be with forever, so put in the effort to make your forever great! Falling in love is up to fate. Staying in love is up to you.

Staying In Love

Value Your Values

In a day when compromising values is more and more acceptable, it's all the more important to make sure our values are carefully guarded.

How do we do this? Define what those values are. Take a minute, now while it's on your mind, and think about the top five (or more) most important personality traits or characteristics that make you who you are and that you absolutely don't want compromised. Some examples of this might be:

Integrity

Honesty

Virtue

Faithful to spouse

Hard worker

Optimistic

Goal oriented

Now, write them down. Tape the list to your bathroom mirror; keep a copy in your purse or wallet; save it as part of your wallpaper on your computer or cell phone. Put it in a place where you will see it everyday. Encourage your family members or close friends to do the same. It will force you to really think about the type of person you are, or who you want to be. If there are values you feel you don't currently possess, but have the desire to develop, add them to your list. Be consciously aware of them and work until they become part of you. Then, make sure nothing compromises them.

When magazines, movies, ads, and sometimes friends make compromising our values sound appealing and popular, it can be hard to stand strong, especially when it leaves us feeling like we're standing alone. But, when you find yourself in these situations, pull out your values list. Remember that this list represents who you are and don't let anything or anyone stand in your way to live up to your list.

Never be ashamed to value your values! By standing strong in the midst of a confusing and misleading world, you might be the example that someone else needs to lean on ~ or look up to ~ until their values are strong enough to provide them with a firm foundation.

Don't let the world make you compromise what you cherish most. It's easier to stand up for what you believe in when you know what you believe in. If you know what values you hold dear, the world can't make them disappear.

Values

Practicing What We Preach

* Have you ever found yourself yelling at your child/sibling/friend while you are telling them to keep their voice down?

* Have you ever told your child/sibling/friend to be thankful for the talents they have while you are secretly wishing you could sing, draw, sew, play piano, or play sports as well as your neighbor?

* Have you ever told your child/sibling/friend that they are not alone when you feel overwhelmingly lonely?

Often times we dish out helpful advice to those we know and love with the purest of intentions, not realizing that we are just as guilty of the same fault we are trying to correct in someone else. Sometimes our advice to others can be the most therapeutic when applied to our own lives.

When we are on the outside of the situation looking in, it's easy for us to see options and solutions that otherwise could easily be overlooked. The trick is that once we dish the advice, we need to take the time to reflect on our own words of wisdom. While reflecting, consider applying your insightful advice to your own life. Even if it doesn't relate to a situation in your life now, it might in the future. Write the advice down in a notebook. Then, you will have it and be able to reflect at a later time in life when it might be more applicable.

If we practice what we preach, we will also learn to be less critical of others. We acknowledge our own limitations and realize that we are capable of solving our personal conflicts. It's humbling when we realize the benefits of our own words of wisdom. As we put our advice to practice, we grow, knowing that we, too, have room to improve. Others will be more likely to take our advice if we practice what we preach.

Practice What We Preach