SANCTUARY! WHY WE NEED IT AND HOW TO KEEP IT.

I was crabby.Crabby, crabby, crabby. Like not talking crabby and snapping at people (family people) when I did talk. And totally in my head. Yuck.

Why was I crabby? Work. 'Nuff said. Luckily, my husband called me on it. He said, "This isn't work, this is our home and it's supposed to be a sanctuary. This is where we go to leave all the crap behind. This is where people love you." Okay, first he said, "What the hell?" Then he said the cool stuff.

Aaaah, I brought all the crap from work and pretty much placed it on the kitchen table and said, "Here, eat this." Not good.

Now, I'm a pretty happy gal, but when things bother me, they REALLY bother me, yet it so wasn't fair to my family to be bitchy with them when they weren't the fracking problem, plus being crabby and bitchy and unhappy SUCKS. The question was though, how was I going to leave my work drama at work?

So, I've been experimenting with some decompression stuff. Such as:

• Listening to a book on CD during my commute home
• Essential oils*
• Be intentional--before walking through front door: this is my sanctuary, and I will not shit where I eat.
• Think about the day and then set it aside.
• Florence and the Machine, because, Shake It Out.

When I leave work at work and give myself over to being my best me for my family and friends, it's not just better for them it's better for me too. It feels good to not be mired in my head with crap. It feels good to smile and listen and laugh.

*Essential oils are my first choice for most things: colds, bug bites, can't fall asleep, need to wake up, have to speak in front of 50 people...anything. So, it's funny that I didn't think of using them in my car a long time ago. I'm making caromas (did you see what I did there?) hangy doo-dad thingies (I'm working on a name) Here are some pictures:

It's definitely a prototype! but I like that I can pull the corks off the magnates to add more essential oils. Right now we are enjoying the scents of Peppermint and Lemon Young Living Essential Oils. Plus, just looking at it reminds me to leave the crap behind.
How about you, what's you're decompression trick(s)?

HAPPY NEW YEAR! RIGHT?

By: Joan Kennedy

Champagne, Oyster Stew and Resolutions are all synonymous with New Year’s Eve, especially resolutions.  We’ve all made them, and also forgotten them in a matter of days.  Typically it goes something like this:  I want to lose weight, get a better job, make more money, find a great guy!

But have you ever heard of anyone saying, “I just achieved my New Year’s Eve Resolution!"?  I think not. Resolutions fizzle faster than bubbles in an open bottle of champagne.

You need to change resolutions to GOALS.  This part may get a bit dreary for you, but it does change the dynamics.

Once you’ve decided on what you want, there are definite steps to follow.

*The first step is -- right out of the gate -- you need to have a strong desire.  It’s the motivating force within all of us.  Without desire, nothing happens.

*The second step is to put your goal in writing.  The most important part of this step is to be SPECIFIC.  Avoid general statements, such as, “More money.”  More money can be finding $20.00 in the pocket of a pair of old jeans hanging in your closet, or a $10.00 bill in a purse you haven’t used since last summer.

After one of my talks, several years ago, a woman approached me, and told me about a goal she had wanted to achieve.  The goal was to find a man.  Not an ordinary man.  She wanted a man who was handsome, intelligent, humorous, and one who had money.  She found him!  He had all the right attributes. "But," she said, "I forgot one thing, he shouldn’t be married.”  Damn, damn, damn.

*The third step is to refrain from talking about your goals with others.  It’s great when someone says, “You can do it!” It gives you a feeling of confidence.  Yet many people, including your friends, don’t always give you the approval you had hoped for, and that can keep you from moving forward.

*The fourth step is to have a time frame.  A target date will give you a sense of urgency.  Write your goal on a 3x5 card, and keep it by your bed.  Read it first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. Create a definite plan for achieving your goal. Make a commitment to do one thing every day toward achieving your goal.   

*The fifth step is to visualize yourself in the possession of your goal. Your Imagination is that part of the mind that plays a great role in achieving your goal.  First the vision and then the accomplishment

Now, back to New Year’s Eve, and my wishes for you… Good Health, Wealth, Love, and Lots of Fun.  And, If you’d like, you could change my wishes into your goals for the coming year, or not.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Let's hear about your goals, and if you'd like, we'll help you tweak them.