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By Jackie White  The end of year is inevitably a time when we look back on how and what we did over the past 12 months. Sometimes it’s easy to rattle off a few accomplishments and other times you wonder were you even present during your past year of life? Life does march on whether you are paying attention or not. The question then becomes, how can you live your life in a way that in a year from now, you will feel accomplished and proud of who you were in 2022?
It all begins with intention and I don’t mean that you have an intention to want to achieve X,Y or Z. For example words of good intention go something like this: I wish I desire Someday I want to Hopefully I can On occasion I am intentional Words of intentional living take on a different meaning. Essentially these words are the actions you are going to take persistently and continually throughout the year. Action Purpose Today, I will My strategy to achieve X,Y Z is… I will definitely do… Discipline Persistence When you live intentionally you are present and mindful of what your end goals are. So for example, if you wanted to save money to purchase a new boat, you would have to take action everyday to consciously put money away in savings. If you want this next year to feel like you made a difference, you might want to consider volunteering in some capacity. Doing one act of charitable work is helpful, but for it to be meaningful to you over time, you will want to be purposeful in volunteering each month. Looking to be intentional over an entire year’s time can feel like a lot, but you can do it in 5 easy steps:
SoulShine wants you to succeed. Living intentionally is most people’s intention, but many times they fall short in motivation, persistence and inspiration to keep going. Sometimes they need more tools or support and because of this, SoulShine is launching a new private Facebook group to assist you in your commitment to living intentionally. To join this free group click here: We look forward to walking with you on your intentional journey through life! Shine On!
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By Erika Fehrenbach Prell  Have you seen the accurate holiday memes circulating depicting the moms role in the holidays? One I have seen several times has a Dad’s Holiday shopping list, containing Mom, and Mom’s Holiday shopping list, containing a myriad of people from kids to relatives to teachers to the mailman to literally ending with everyone. Talking to the women in my life this season and season’s past, we all agree that our husbands seem to think Christmas is this season that magically happens while we lament that we are the little elves working to make the magic happen.
We all laugh at this, mostly because it’s true. All the extras that happen during the holiday season falls on mom’s shoulders. Right now, many of you are in the frenzy, trying to pull it all together. Before holiday burn-out hits, take these 3 important holiday reminders to heart (and, perhaps action): 1. Stop Being a Martyr Yup, I just said that. From one mother and woman to another, give this role up. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Sure, you might wrap better…you might clean more thoroughly…you might do all the things to a higher level. Give that crap up and share the load. Pick the things only you can do (or, better yet, really love to do), and delegate out to the rest of the house. Need errands run or things shipped at the post office? Send the hubs. Need the toilet scrubbed or floor swept? Kids to the rescue! I mean, seriously, leverage the “Santa is watching” threat to the max, Mom! Pro Tip: Match the appropriate task with the appropriate person. Give clear expectations and directions, especially regarding when it should be completed. Most importantly, once it is delegated, let it go; even if it isn’t done exactly how you would have done it, it’s done and off your plate! 2. It’s Your Holiday, Too Okay, this is a slight extension of #1. It’s everyone’s holiday so everyone can share in the work as well as the fun. (Spoiler, putting in the work makes you appreciate the pay-off…it’s never too early, or late, to learn this lesson!) Remember this uber important piece…this is YOUR holiday, too! You get to enjoy the season, guilt and stress free, too. Share the work to share the joy. Take time to sit and enjoy your efforts. Pro Tip: All enjoyment is guilt-free. This is non-negotiable! 3. Your Efforts Are Noticed Kids (and husbands…sorry, not sorry) are not always the best at expressing thanks for all that is being done for them by you. Even by sharing the workload, mom still typically has more on her plate (I mean, just coordinating all that is happening is a full time job, amirite?!?). The thanks might not be plentiful but your efforts are noticed. As a reformed ungrateful child, I can tell you I look back fondly at all the amazing things my mom did to make our holiday season special and memorable. I recognize, appreciate, and am deeply grateful for the energy and effort put as I look fondly back at my childhood and recreate some of those very same things with my children now. They may not say it now, in fact, it might not hit them until they have their own family. But, those you love, especially your children, are impressionable and do notice what you are doing; someday, they will look back fondly and with gratitude at all you are doing. Have a joyful holiday season! Shine On! By Jackie White  Question for you: How different would your life look if you just believed in yourself? What if you could look at your reflection in the mirror and with confidence could say:
I can do it! I have faith in myself! I am worthy! I love you! What would happen if you just decided to go for it? Casting all fear aside and deciding that you want more out of life. Deciding that you no longer want to watch from the sidelines. Take a moment and imagine a life that wasn't dictated by fear, resistance or any other excuse. What would you be doing? What would be different? Are you tired of living the same ol’ same ol' mediocre routine? Are you wondering iof there is more? The answer is YES and the way you dare to live a life bigger than you might be able to possibly imagine right now is to start believing in yourself today, not tomorrow, next week or someday. Does that seem daunting? It doesn’t have to be. It all begins with getting to know the most important person in your life and that is yourself. You might be thinking that sounds weird and too involved, but it can be very straightforward and dare I say enjoyable with employing one easy habit you can do each day. Mel Robbins the author of The High Five Habit has discovered a very simple way to become your own biggest fan and through that develop a relationship with that person you see in the mirror and it all begins with a simple high-five. Mel suggests that you start each day in the bathroom looking at yourself in the mirror and giving yourself a high-five. Corny? Yes. Simple? Also yes. Effective? Immensely. In this exchange with yourself, really take a moment to really see yourself. Do not default to the critical comments like I look like I have bags under my eyes, instead give yourself a smile and a high five and cheer yourself on! You do it for others and now it’s time to do it for you: You go Girl! You can do this! You are awesome! I love you! Mel explains that research backs up the effectiveness of a high five. Sports teams that high five a lot are the most winning teams. It turns out that the most successful school kids are those who are encouraged with a high five because they feel they are an important part of a team and feel supported. The connection and exchange of energy is the magic. When you connect with yourself in that mirror with a high five you are really seeing yourself. You are connecting with your innermost self and establishing that you are worthy and loved. When you make this a habit of high-fiving yourself daily, you start each day on a positive note and that is extremely powerful. It will change your mindset to look at things in a positive way and in doing so, it will build your confidence and belief in yourself. The most important relationship you will ever have in life is the one with yourself. It will dictate most everything else in life. When you are kind to yourself and treat yourself with respect, support and love, you will see that you are worthy of happiness and living out your life fully. When you do this for yourself, you are so much better equipped to support and cheer on others. So, what do you have to lose? Giving yourself a high-five costs nothing but the payback is priceless. For more information, check out The High Five Habit by Mel Robbins. Shine On! By Erika Fehrenbach Prell  Have you ever heard of the word of the year? The idea is to pick a word that will serve as your mantra for the next calendar year. This word will help you bring focus and clarity in what you create in your life. It will serve as a guide for your daily actions and help you become a better version of yourself. It’s a simple but powerful strategy to help you on your goal-getting journey, and it really does work!
I have used the Word of the Year for several years with awesome success. I found it to be such a simple yet powerful way to keep my goals in mind; this is definitely a Best Life Tool for your Best Life Toolbox, DreamChaser! As I was getting my 2022 goal-setting going, I had an idea to make this strategy even more powerful. Instead of a Word of the Year, select a Core Value of the Year! Why would this be even better, you ask? Core Values are central to your purpose and why. They are the guiding principles of your life that everything you believe and, therefore, can achieve is based on. Aligning your core values with your goals is a crucial step to not only living your Best Life but also finding your purpose. Selecting a core value for your Word of the Year might just be the difference maker! Here are a 5 easy steps to selecting your Core Value of the Year: Step 1: Take a moment to reflect on the past year Consider questions such as:
Step 2: Narrow down your core values This is an important activity to do to live your very Best Life. If you have already done this, pull out your top 5 core values. If you have not, grab the SoulShine Life Connections DreamChaser Core Values List here → https://www.findyoursoulshine.com/uploads/3/1/5/4/31546327/core_values_list.pdf Go through this list until you have 3-5 core values remaining. Step 3: Visualize Think about your reflections and what you would like to accomplish for the upcoming year. Meditation can be helpful in this process. Consider your 3-5 core values. Which one pops out as aligning with what you want from this year? Which one elicits strong emotions from you? That’s your Core Value of the Year! Step 4: Commit to your word…and the process Like affirmations, the Core Value of the Year is not magic. It is a strategy to help keep you focused on what you want to accomplish. You still need to take the actions necessary to bring this Core Value to life. So, are you committed to the process? Or just curious? There’s a BIG difference when you commit! Step 5: Post your Core Value everywhere Display your Core Value of the Year everywhere…on your mirror, by your alarm clock, on your phone, your computer screen saver. The more you see it, the more your Core Value of the Year can work to keep your goals in mind. Let’s make 2022 the Best Year yet! You’ve got this, DreamChaser! |
AuthorsJackie White has been writing about life and its ups and downs for many years. With a degree in Industrial Psychology and a life-long student of personal development she is intrigued by how each individual chooses to live their life. Jackie feels strongly that truly living your best life is imperative to attaining peace and fulfillment. SoulShine was borne of her desire to inspire and teach others to live their best life. This is her mission and her dream. Archives
October 2022
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