Stripped!

Got your attention didn’t I? Ok, so maybe I listened to a little too much Christina Aguilera on my drive home from Michigan to Florida.

I found the topic of this album very interesting. In an interview , at the ripe ol’ age of 22, Aguilera explains that this album is about coming in to her own and being unafraid to let the world see who she is.

Sometimes we are pressured to think, act, feel and like the same things as family, friends and co-workers. It can sneak up on you; you don’t even realize that you dislike something because you’ve always done it that way and frankly you don’t want to disappoint anyone.

So what does it mean to come in to your own? According to McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., “to become independent; to be recognized as independent and capable, usually after much effort or time.”

So, how do you get started on trying to find out who you are and what you like or dislike? It begins with transparency. Be honest with yourself and think about what you really like and don’t like.

Take a stand; be You, everywhere (e.g., home, work, with significant other, by yourself, school and etc.). It’s ok; some people will like you and some won’t. It doesn’t matter as long as you are being true to yourself.

Come in to your own hints:

• Love who you are
• Take a good look in the mirror and tell yourself that you’re smart and beautiful. This may sound a little crazy, but you need to tell yourself positive things rather than picking out all the negative things about yourself. Which leads me too…

• Don’t talk smack about yourself
• We seem to always pick out the worst in ourselves and tell the world about it. There is no reason to continue doing this. Respect yourself and realize that you mess up. When you do, learn from it and move on. Don’t beat yourself up.

• Take care of yourself
• Exercise and eat healthy, in moderation. You don’t need to go crazy. This is good practice for your physical body and your mental health.

• Enjoy a hobby or two
• It’s ok, even if you’re raising a family, to take up a hobby. You need to do this for you.  If you don’t have a hobby, find one.  It’s important to do something that you enjoy. It can be as simple as reading a book, riding your bike, cooking or praying.

• Choose your friends wisely
• Make sure your friends are positive and encouraging. Separate yourself from the “depleters” of the world. These people drain every ounce of energy from you. You don’t need that. You need people who are honest with you and who can challenge you and not pull you down. 

It takes time, sometimes a lifetime, to come in to your own. Practice confidence and loving yourself. You can do this; take one step at a time.

I Ate an Egg!

So what’s the big deal? I have disliked eggs all of my life. I mean, I can’t stand them. However, it’s come to the point where there aren’t hardly any healthy breakfast choices unless you include eggs in your diet.

I love veggies, so I cut up a ton of them and added an egg. Just yesterday, I cut up a hard-boiled egg and added it to my tuna salad. It wasn't so bad; I hardly tasted it at all. I realized that I have been making a huge deal about not liking eggs way too long and dodging around and trying to avoid them, when it’s really not so bad. I can do this!

How about you? Is there an egg you are avoiding in your life? Have you been researching and analyzing the egg to death and afraid to tackle because of the what ifs?

Maybe it’s...

v       Changing jobs

v       Beginning a new chapter in your life

v       Moving

v       Starting a blog

v       New diet and exercise routine

Whatever it may be, it’s time to jump in and take control of the situation. You can do it; so what if it fails. It may not. You’ll never know unless you do it! 

Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out. ~Ben Franklin

Family

What thoughts and feelings come to mind about family? Good, bad or indifferent; your family is part of you and you are a part of them. 

Family isn’t always related. I’ve dared to step into another parent’s territory taking in and loving their children as my own. In return, I have deeply appreciated friends who’ve loved me like a sister or daughter when my sister and mother were many miles away.

I had a very enlightening moment last November, when my daughter had her first child; there is nothing like the entire family getting together to support one another in accomplishing a goal. In this case, it was a miracle from God and we couldn’t wait to be introduced to a beautiful baby boy. 

The whole family embraced the pregnancy by:

v       Tagging along to the  doctor visits to see the baby on the sonogram

v       Celebrating together  when we found out the sex of the baby

v       Guessing who the baby would look like

v       Consoling him while rubbing  momma’s belly and talking to him

v       Being  there during labor and  timing contractions

v       Trying to make her comfortable

v       Staying  up all night at the hospital

v       Assisting  with the delivery

v       Preparing meals

v       Feeding  the baby

v       Babysitting

v       Arguing

v       Getting along

v       Having fun

As I reflect (something you do when you start having grandchildren), I find it crazy that I never asked for help when I was raising my children. What was I thinking? Thank goodness I now have a completely different view on how challenging and rewarding it is to raise children, while trying to balance and maintain other relationships.  I’ve decided to make it a point to do my part by being there for my family. It will be an honor and a privilege to be an integral part of their lives. 

Can you find strength and encouragement in your family? If not, maybe you need to be the encourager or the person your family looks up to. There is no greater reward than your family.

It takes a whole village to raise a child.~ African Proverb.

Relax

Are you like me and tend to always be in a hurry and want to cram as much as you can into an entire day? Are you perplexed by people who look relaxed, peaceful and take their time?

My mother-in-law was one of those people. When she lived with us it would frustrate me that she took her time doing everything. She would never hurry, she would saunter, no matter where we were going; eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the table, of all places; and she would hand write a letter twice; draft and final version. When she was working, she'd even go to work an hour ahead of schedule so that she could take her time eating breakfast and read the newspaper, at the local restaurant. Although, I’m pretty sure she came up with some of these tactics for self preservation while she was raising eight children.

Now that I'm feeling overly busy and stressed out, I can appreciate some of her once annoying habits. I’ve made a decision to take it easy, take control of my life and take care of myself.

Here are a few tips that I would like to share to help you take it easy and manage your stress level. They may seem simple but they are very effective.

v       Meditate

o   Pray

o   Read the Word

o   Be thankful

v       Turn off the television

o   Listen to your thoughts and be in the moment

o   Be more productive

o   Distance yourself from negativity

v       Exercise

o   Helps you sleep

o   May alleviate pain and stress

o   Helps maintain a positive mind set

v       Eat healthy

o   Take control of what goes into your body

o   Limit caffeine, sugar and processed foods

o   Try new veggies and fruits

o   Try new recipes

o   Eat at the table

v       Manage your time

o   Think through before committing

o   Just say No

o   Be proactive to avoid procrastination

Slow down and pay attention to yourself; there is only one You and You are the only one who has the power to take care of your mind, body and soul.

Resources: Mariel Hemmingway and Leo Babauta.

Pay It Forward

Do you remember the movie Pay It Forward; where a little boy, Trevor, is challenged and fascinated by an assignment from his teacher to think of something to change the world and put it into action? Trevor’s idea is to pay a favor forward rather than back. His efforts to make good on his idea bring forth a transformation not only in himself, but in the lives of friends and family around him.

My challenge to you; create a transformation in your own life and the lives of others by Paying It Forward. It’s easy:

v       Smile

v       Encourage someone

v       Listen

v       Volunteer

v       Buy a random person coffee/lunch/dinner

v       Donate school supplies to your local school; even if you don’t have any children attending

v       Offer someone a ride

v       Donate food

Help transform our world, one favor at a time.  Please share your Pay It Forward experience by submitting a comment.

Happiness

There’s a lot of talk and hype going on about being happy; like there’s a secret formula. Just yesterday Oprah did a show about, “Happiness”, what makes people happy and are they born that way or is it due to some other factors. They interviewed several people and asked them “what makes you happy.” Guess what?

The answers were both genetics and other factors like:

v       Positive family

v       Peaceful surroundings

v       Exercise

v       Eating right

v       Knowing  your neighbors

v       Talking (networking) with people (face-to-face, not online)

I believe this is true. Happiness comes deep within yourself by dealing with all the junk from your past and present, being thankful for your friends and family and your faith and trust in God. The song, “Oh Happiness” by the David Crowder band, captures the meaning of happiness, “Oh Happiness, there’s grace, enough for us and the whole human race.” We all can have it, it’s free!

Trust me; I didn’t always feel this way. When I was younger I felt the whole world revolved around me and my wants and needs, and when I didn’t get my way I would be angry and depressed. I finally got sick of myself and began to seek help from my church. They offered several different classes that seemed to be just perfect for me. The journey was difficult and a little painful; ok a lot painful. But, it was all worth it. I am very thankful that God put all those people in my life that could help me through my journey.

Now it’s my turn to be there for others.  I enjoy being there for people and hope and pray that I can help them in their journey in search of happiness and a Simple Soul Life.