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Bt Erika Fehrenbach Prell  There is no denying it…the holidays are upon us.
Does that immediately send you into a spiral of to-do lists filled with everything you need to do? Decorating, shopping, wrapping, baking, holiday parties, concerts, holiday movies…just to name a few things. Whoa…there’s no wonder holidays are full of stress and a common theme is holiday survival tips or ways to decrease holiday stress. While these lists of self-care or stress reducing ideas are great, we like to cut through the noise here at SoulShine and get to the heart of it. There’s really only one holiday survival tip you need…just one, that’s it. Ready? Just Be. Two simple words but a deep concept. This puts the important thing into focus…just being present. Present in the moment. Present in the joy. Present in the fun. Present in the memory making that is going on around you. You see…all those tasks you want to get done only matter if you enjoy and participate in them. Getting caught up in the holiday to-do list turns these special moments into tasks to check off the list rather than beautiful moments to enjoy. Put simply, if you forget the part to stop and enjoy them, it would be better to just skip them. You might be saying to yourself, that sounds easier said than done. We disagree! While the holiday sparkle brings the distractions to a whole different level, all you need is a sprinkling of intention to just be. To help, here is a simple strategy to Just Be in the Holiday Moment:
All those other holiday self-care tips are great…we love any reason to boost self-care. But, the only holiday survival tip you need is to just be. Just Be…your holiday mantra to thrive, not survive, during this holiday season and beyond. Shine On!
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By Jackie White  You wake up one cold morning realizing it snowed and you would have to hurry up and get outside to shovel before work. It’s not a scene most of us want to wake up to. But on this particular day, you step outside only to realize someone had already shoveled you out. You are thinking this is the most wonderful gift ever, but who did it? Why would they do it? And, man are you glad they did! On another day, you are frantically trying to find a parking space so you can get to your appointment on time. You are getting panicked when a spot opens up, but just as the spot opens up, another car wants the same spot. You hesitate and are trying to decide who is going to pop into that spot before the other and that’s when you realize the other driver is waving you into the spot. You think what? Why? And then you think that is the nicest thing ever and that random person just saved you from missing your appointment. You wave and mouth a thank you to the driver and then park your car. Hmmm, let’s take a look at all this kindness business. What exactly is going on? Fact #1: Are these acts of kindness we just highlighted, unusual and unexpected events? Unexpected, yes. Unusual, no. You see, random acts of kindness are committed every day. In fact, 83% of people surveyed report they do something kind for another at least once a week. Whoa, this means there are a whole lot of kind and thoughtful people out there. Uh, how can that be? I thought everyone was out for themselves… Fact #2: Sadly, the media give the average person a bad rap. To make news, newsworthy, hyper-focusing on the bad grabs people’s attention, so that’s what we are hearing. Now, feeding our brains that sort of information on the daily is not a great idea. You see, we all have primitive brain structures that are looking for the negative because first and foremost, our brains are looking to keep us safe from harm. The combination is not a good formula for happiness. So, what does this have to do with random acts of kindness? I am so glad you asked… Fact #3: Committing acts of kindness, random or otherwise does a body good. You see being kind actually reduces stress, increases self-esteem, boosts happiness levels by pumping more serotonin through your system, reduces aches and pains, increases your lifespan, and gosh darn it makes you feel good! So, yes, what I am telling you is that you have a tool here for your Best Life Tool Box and it costs you nothing but extending kindness to others. What if just for today, you held the door for someone, or told them you liked their hair? What if you stopped at the local nursing home and visited with a few of the residents? What if brought in your neighbor’s trash cans? How much effort would any of that take? How much goodness would fill your heart? Ya, lots. I Want you to Think: When was a time someone did something nice for you, unexpectedly or randomly? How did it make you feel? Fabulous? Grateful? Happy? Amazed? Inspired? Shoot, all good things, right? So why aren’t you joining the ranks? The Ranks of The Nice People: I like to call these peeps who commit all this kindness, Undercover Angels because what they do is spread love, joy, and happiness to others. In fact, most of these Undercover Angels don’t realize the impact they have on others. They just do nice stuff. Maybe it’s that “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” concept? Maybe it’s karma. Maybe it’s just someone who is just gall-darn nice. Whatever it is, I am inviting you to join the ranks of the Undercover Angels and help make this world a better place. Shine On! By Erika Fehrenbach Prell  “I just need to get through the holidays.”
This might be one of the most common phrases uttered during the holiday season. And, I get why it is said. We are already busy with our day-to-day lives, then, the holidays show up with all the extra - decorating, Christmas cards, get-togethers, cooking, shopping - so many extra things pulling on our time, energy, and finances. If left unchecked, you could find yourself stressed and burned out, unable to enjoy the holiday you are working so hard to create. Here’s the truth. The holidays should be joyful and enjoyable, not something you need to muscle through like the flu. I’m here to tell you that it isn’t as hard as you think to make this year’s holiday season the best yet. The key to calm the holiday chaos is setting boundaries in a few key areas and making a commitment to yourself to stick with them. DreamChaser, now is the ideal time to set them…before the holidays take off. Without further ado, here are your 5 Must-Have Holiday Boundaries: 1. Know What You Want Awareness is the place to start. You need to know what your ideal holiday is before you can implement any boundaries to protect them. Take a few minutes and think about what you want from this season. What are your favorite things to do? What do you dread doing? What do you want more of? What could go? Pay attention to your limits…a key to an enjoyable holiday season is to not over do it! 2. Make an Effort to Stick to Routines Those things you do that make you feel better like exercise, meditation, journaling, adequate sleep, water, nutritious foods…these have a tendency to go to the wayside during the chaotic holiday season. You can’t be your best if you aren’t taking care of yourself, especially in times of higher stress. Do your best to stick to your routines. They may be inconsistent during the holiday season, but making an effort will boost your confidence and make it easier to slip back into these routines once this holiday season is over. You are worth putting yourself first, DreamChaser! 3. Say Your Best Yes More than any other season, the holidays pull you in so many directions. So many people want your time, energy, and attention. Then, add in a flare of F.O.M.O…you know, Fear Of Missing Out. There you are, scrolling through Facebook and see this friend at the ice castles and that friend at the zoo lights and another on a horse drawn carriage ride…suddenly, your cozy, Hallmark-watching, cocoa-sipping Friday night seems lame. Stop. Right now. Here’s the truth…you can’t do everything. You only have so much time and energy to give. You need to choose where and with whom you spend it. Save your holiday “yes” for your Best Yes - the ones that bring you joy, fill your cup, and add value to your holiday experience and life. The rest? Say NO and let it go! (And…when the F.O.M.O. flares up, the best prescription is a social media break!). 4. Budgets are Your New Holiday Wingman (or Wing-woman) There are two budgets to consider during the holidays…time and finances. I can’t stress it enough…not over-doing or over-committing is the key to a joyful, enjoyable, and stress-free holiday. It’s better to say a few more Nos to achieve this. Knowing how much time you have and are willing to spend is an area worth evaluating…make a list of your holiday have-to’s and want-to’s, then schedule them into your calendar. As we said in #3, say no and let it go to everything else. Similarly, having a financial budget is crucial for the holidays. It’s very easy to overspend during this time. Make a list of who you plan to shop for. Look at your finances and set a reasonable budget. Then, commit to sticking to this plan…you will thank me later! 5. Drop the Guilt This is the ultimate boundary…one on your feelings and emotions. Where to start? Stop shoulding on yourself! You know…I should have done this…I should have done that…I should, should, should. Switch the should with could…that flips it from a place of guilt to one of choice. Then, go decide if the could is a Best Yes or not…if not, then you know what to do! Say “No” and let it go! And, with letting it go, let go of any guilt or other negative vibes along with it. It is okay to say no to things, even good things, in order to say yes to the best! This is the time to put these boundaries in place, DreamChaser, before the holidays get rolling. If this is your first go at boundary setting, especially during the holidays, it will be a little weird at first. You might even experience push back. Guess what that means? The boundary was definitely needed! Speak up for what YOU want this holiday season…it’s YOUR holiday, too. I mean, it’s only your one Best Life we are talking about here! Shine On! By Erika Fehrenbach Prell  Since becoming a parent, I have realized one of the biggest blessings is that I have tiny, truth-telling, life coaches. (Although, in true transparency, the unfiltered truth sometimes is a bit hard to take…do not ask if you do not want blatant honesty!). For me, the sweet spot for my tiny gurus seems to be 3 ½ until they start kindergarten…you know, before the big kid attitude kicks in. Lucy is my current life coach, and she hit me with a doozy recently that stopped me in my tracks.
She had just gotten up from her nap and was coloring. We had plans to go to her big brother's first high school homecoming parade later in the afternoon. I noticed it had started raining. I said to almost 4 year-old Lucy, "Oh no, Lucy! It's going to rain on our parade." Without skipping a beat or a pause in her coloring, she responded, "It can rain on my parade…I'll just take an umbrella." She gave the rain absolutely no consideration as she didn't even look up from her coloring. It made absolutely no difference to her that it was raining…she was going to a p-a-r-a-d-e regardless. Well-said, little lady, well-said. The phrase "don't rain on my parade" means to "spoil someone's pleasure or fun". As in, I don't mean to rain on your parade but…insert something that's a total bummer. Wha…wha…wha…what a downer! Without even realizing it, Lucy found joy in the potential bust of a good time. Rain? Cool! The parade will still happen, candy will still be thrown, but now there will be an excuse to use the purple raincoat, bust out the ducky umbrella, and slip on the light-up rain boots for puddle splashing. When put that way, rain on a parade just amps up the fun factor! But, only if you make the intentional choice to find joy and fun with the curveball that life threw at you. Guess what? That intentional choice is in your control. Remember there are really only 3 things in your control - your thoughts, your beliefs, and your actions. That's it. You can choose to see rain on your parade as a buzzkill…or as a twist that brings a different experience. Dang. Kids are so smart. So, DreamChaser…what are YOU choosing? I'm choosing the umbrella, every time! Shine On! P.S. For another one of my favorite lessons from Liam when he was 4, check out this throwback blog → https://www.findyoursoulshine.com/blog/mindfulness-and-the-tee-ball-trophy By Jackie White  Did you ever stop to think about how life is like the changing seasons? Each season brings about different aspects that provide us with different perspectives. Me and my hard head have learned to embrace the seasons as they help me to better understand this thing we call life.
Let’s begin with the fall season. Fall is a time to assess and prepare for change. Take a look at your life and what is it you need to do to thrive over the upcoming winter months. Squirrels gather nuts, you can gather your thoughts and contemplate change. I also see the fall season providing opportunities to get all the last-minute to-dos done before the first snow flies. For many of us that might include preparing our homes, and changing out our closets from shorts and t-shirts to warm sweaters and socks. Burning that cinnamon candle and sipping on pumpkin spice sounds deliciously cozy. Importantly, get out into nature and watch how it embraces change. You cannot deny that brilliant fall leaf colors aren’t proof that change can be beautiful! Winter historically has been a tough season for me. I am the person who wears the sweatshirt that says “Yes, I’m Cold” and I usually am. However, I am learning to embrace winter, and to do that I now call it “The Season of White”. A friend introduced me to this new nomenclature and concept. This is a season for rest, retreat, and re-set. Winter or The Season of White, is about re-tooling goals, learning something new, and preparing for any opportunities that may come knocking. The key to this season is to stick with it and stay engaged. Put on a warm layer and take advantage of the time to prepare. Many of us are excited about the new year that comes in winter, but soon that excitement fades. So, commit yourself to a winter timeframe to keep your momentum going. Spring is all about hope and the future. When your calendar turns to the spring season you can find yourself opening the windows to let in the fresh air and spring clean the house. I might also suggest you clear any clutter in your mind and refresh yourself. This may include reviewing goals and taking action to really move the needle forward in your efforts. Just as you are breathing in the fresh spring air, breathe new life into your routines and habits. Life wouldn’t be complete without summer. Summer is a great season for play and adventure. We can get outside with ease and take in the warm sunshine. We also tend to make more time for friends and family. Revel in these connections and work to create memories that will last a lifetime. As with the prior seasons utilize this timeframe to capitalize on the opportunities it allows. In summer, indulge in play and joyful activities, take that vacation and try new adventures! And when summer begins to fade, prepare again for the next season of opportunity. It’s all about perspective. I am thankful for the seasons as they help usher me into a new phase of thinking, planning, and doing. As well, they help us be mindful of the days and the seasons of our lives. Shine On! By Jackie White  Self-care seems to be a popular buzzword these days. Women’s magazine covers seemingly can’t be published without some reference to self-care. Blogs, podcasts, and health and wellness gurus all talk about self-care. I think it’s become a word and a concept we are numb to.
I am not saying that we aren’t interested in it because for sure we are! In fact, 80% of women said they would feel relaxed and refreshed if they spent taking time for themselves. Doing something as simple as taking a bubble bath would feel like a spot of heaven! Yet, fewer than ⅓ of women spend less than 30 minutes on themselves a day! Herein lies the problem, we talk a lot about self-care, we hear about self-care, but still, we don’t take the time for self-care. Let’s take a moment to get aware of why it is not such a good idea to disregard the importance of self-care. The Importance of Self-Care Self-care is about caring for yourself whether it is physically, mentally, or soulfully. It is about jumping off the busyness of life for a spot of respite. It is easy to see why we should all do it, but the truth of the matter is that it is many times the first thing to go when life gets hectic aaaand life is hectic! Making time for self-care is critically important in your overall health and wellness. Oh and by the way, your health and wellness should be one of your top priorities. It's sort of like car maintenance - something that you have to do or the car will not run properly. Without the maintenance, the car might get out of alignment or it might just need some fuel for the car to keep going. It’s the same for you to keep going, you have to fill your tank (with love, care, joy, peace, or calm) and ensure that you are living in alignment with your priorities in life. We have all had seasons of burning the candle at both ends and sure that happens and we get through it, but to persistently function at that level you may start experiencing significant consequences, such as depression, anxiety, resentment, overwhelm, and overall burnout. So, you see you just can’t function like that indefinitely. But, here’s some good news: these negative implications can be mitigated with a little self-care! How to Mini-Retreat A great way to kick off a self-care routine is to take part in your very own mini retreat. I love this idea because first of all, you have made yourself a priority! Yay, You!! And second, this is time set aside for you to soak in the things that bring you joy and respite. Where: Ideally, you can actually go somewhere away from your usual routines, like a bed and breakfast, a tent in the woods, or even a friend’s house that will do the retreat with you! How fun would that be? If you cannot go to another destination, that is totally fine. Instead, commit to yourself that for the day or half-day, you are not going to engage in anything other than self-care. Set Some Rules:
Set Up a Schedule: I love this because you are structuring your time around things you love. A sample schedule might look like this: 8:00 - get up, make a nice breakfast or go out for breakfast 9:00 - go for a walk outside (getting sun in your eyes is beneficial for your brain, hormones, and total body wellness, who knew?!) 10:00 - schedule an activity you enjoy (knitting, dancing, drawing, visiting with a friend) 12:00 - make a healthy lunch or go out for a healthy lunch 1:30 - take time to meditate/quiet your mind. Journal your experience when you are done. 2:00 - schedule another activity or perhaps a short nap (not a long nap, you’ll get too tired) 3:00 - stretch your body, do yoga or take a walk. It’s important to move. 4:00 - read something stimulating for your brain. Engaging your mind is a great stimulator for inspiration and motivation. Final Notes: Remember this is a time for you. Personalize the time around what makes you happy and what takes care of you! This season, start taking time to put yourself back on the list and make it a practice that you engage in often! Shine On! By Jackie White  We have all been there once or twice or like every day…where did I put my keys? Where did I put the hammer? Darn it, where is that bill I was supposed to pay this week? We all get unorganized at some point in all the busyness life brings. I am the first to admit this! But how do we turn this chaos around and get it together?
First, we begin with awareness and admittance. It’s sort of like an AA meeting for us, unorganized people. I, (fill in with your name), am unorganized. That’s it, now let’s move on. We can all move from being unorganized to actually being organized and you know what happens then? We begin to start enjoying life just a little bit more and the reason why is that we are not frantically looking, searching, buying another or being late because we couldn’t get it together on time! Just the thought of that is refreshing, isn’t it? So, let’s get to some fundamental things that need to be put into place to bring you over into the Land of I Know Where Things Are. Information Central: Organizing information is really half the battle! Set up a system to track your/your family’s activities, appointments, and commitments. You know if you are the mom in your family, you are keeping track of everyone, so color-code your system to manage all the peeps properly. Keep this primary organizational tool easy to use, and updated, and make sure people are using it (which is the other half of the battle, right?!) Calendar: A family calendar online or posted on the fridge, so all can see. A personal calendar/planner is also helpful to manage yourself. I like a paper planner, but if digital works for you, then use that. The trick here is keeping it updated and keeping yourself updated but looking at it every day so you know what’s happening. Scheduling: Here we really have to get honest with ourselves. Be overly conservative with the time you have. Part of the problem with being unorganized is we overestimate what we can get done in a day. Remember when running errands, attending appointments, picking up kids, there is travel time (we always forget that it seems!). Realize no matter how much you want to get 82 things done in a day, it will likely be a lot less, so be realistic! Bulletin Board: A bulletin board can be really helpful to hold school notices, invitations, field trip slips or other action-needed items. The beauty of this is that you can see it and it’s easy to slap up a paper that might otherwise get lost if not managed right away. Important Paper Binder: In this keep birth certificates, social security cards, bank info, marriage license, will, or any other important legal documents you need to access. Keep this in an inconspicuous place in your home. Communication/Office Bin: This bin holds things like envelopes, stamps, pens, paperclips, pencils, checkbooks, printer ink and thank you notes. Bills: There are many ways you can organize your bills but I found paying online as a great way to streamline payments. You can opt in to an auto-pay where it comes directly out of your account and you don’t have to do anything or your can choose to pay online but you have to execute the transaction. Either way, you must keep a running tab of what is coming in and going out as well as when you need to pay so that your bills are not late. This may sound rudimentary, but you would be surprised how fouled up this can get if you don’t stay on top of it. Menu Planning: Make a plan for a few days and I stress, only a few days to ensure you are utilizing the foods you are purchasing. I have tried to do the month long planning only to throw out so much unused food. If this could potentially be your scenario, menu plan for only 2-3 days at a time and use what you buy. It can’t hurt to have a back up freezer option if you can’t get back to the store on time. Get Off the Phone: Yikes! The biggest time suck of them all can be the dang phone/social media. Watch yourself here because it tends to take up so much more time than we ever realized! Stay Aware: Pay attention to how you are doing once you have put some of these strategies in place. Is it working for you? What can be better? What can you tweak? Continuous improvement will be your focus here so that eventually you get a system in place that is keeping you organized like a well-oiled machine! For more help getting organized, join SoulShine for the FREE Squeeze the Day Life Organization Challenge starting September 27 - September 30, 2022! Sign up here → https://soulshinelifeconnections.podia.com/squeeze-the-day-challenge Shine On! By Erika Fehrenbach Prell  Are you as excited about this as me?!?
You should be, DreamChaser! That heart of yours…it's the engine that powers everything you do and want to do. Just like you maintain your car's engine with oil changes and scheduled maintenance, you gotta do the same for your heart! It's so dang important there's a day dedicated today to remind you and the whole month of February! Taking care of that ticker isn't hard…and it can be fun! Fun is our middle name…we believe firmly that having fun is a key part of life. Without further ado, here are 7 Fun Ways to Celebrate World Heart Day…and the bonus is you will boost your heart health along the way! 1. Get Moving! Regular exercise and physical activity is one of the best ways to show your heart some love! Exercise not only strengthens your heart muscle and your overall heart/lung function, it also helps reduce stress and boosts your mood, among other heart-healthy things. Try something fun…like dancing! Go get your move, or groove, on! 2. Cuddle Your Pet We sure love those furry family members, don't we? (Well, our pet is a turtle but he's still the best!) The joy pets bring to your life has been shown to boost your heart health by decreasing blood pressure and lowering your cholesterol and triglycerides. Boost it further by enjoying a walk with your furry friend! 3. Chocolate, Anyone? Did this one catch your attention? Studies have shown that chocolate contains several heart-healthy nutrients that can reduce inflammation and increase your HDL, or good cholesterol, levels. This is an area to use moderation…lol…but, you're welcome! 4. Have a Laugh Talk about a fun way to boost your heart health and overall wellness. Laughing increases your heart rate and causes you to take deeper breaths. Combined, this allows highly oxygenated blood to circulate through your system, causing your blood pressure to lower. Laughing also helps lower your body's stress response, which is always a good thing! Let those giggles go…laughter really is the best medicine! 5. Start with Breakfast Eating a nutrient-packed breakfast helps kick-start your metabolism to burn calories and helps decrease the chance of overeating later in the day. Studies have shown that people who eat a nutrient-packed breakfast have significantly less heart disease and stroke compared to breakfast skippers. Yum! 6. Get Your ZZZ'S During sleep, your blood pressure decreases. Having poor sleep patterns means your blood pressure stays higher longer, which contributes to heart disease such as hypertension and stroke. Simply put, the better your night's sleep, the better your heart health….so get those ZZZ's! 7. Relax With a Hot Bath Ahhh…this sounds nice, but how? Hot water allows your arteries and veins to dilate, or get bigger, making it easier for your heart to pump. The double whammy? When you are relaxed, you breathe deeper, therefore, you circulate highly oxygenated blood during your bath. Get your soak on! See, DreamChaser, taking care of your heart can be easy and fun! On this World Heart Day, celebrate your own heart health with one of these fun ideas. Here's to a happy heart, one day at a time! Shine On! By Erika Fehrenbach Prell  An interesting thing happened to me the other day…let’s just call it a huge dose of perspective. A quick recap, DreamChaser. At SoulShine Life Connections, we are fueled by helping you on your Best Life journey. At the heart of this is your goals, and one of the best ways to achieve those big, bold, audacious goals is to chunk them into bite-sized pieces and focus on doing the little things daily to push your needle in the right direction. Doing this consistently combined with good ole time and a heavy dose of patience and grit will inevitably lead to success.
But, let's be real, it can be a grind. During the process of baby steps, while effective, can seem like you aren't making progress. The truth is, you are making progress but, in your process of becoming what you have set out to achieve, you might not notice the changes. You might not notice…but others do! Here's where the huge perspective came into my life recently thanks to my oldest son, Ethan. Last year, this baseball-obsessed young man threw out a huge goal. He decided to try out for a local baseball travel team. This team has 3 skill-based teams with the best team having just taken third place in the 13U Babe Ruth World Series. Ethan declared he would make the highest team and would be in the 14U World Series in summer 2022. Whoa…big goals, buddy, but go for it. Ethan made the 2nd team but was not deterred. He put in the extra work daily with practice, hitting and pitching lessons, stretch training and speed, and focused mindset work. In May, he was moved up to the highest team, which was a huge accomplishment since it was a well-established team, with the warning he would need to earn playing time. He continued to show up, even when his confidence was low. Fast forward to the Regional Championship, he was put in suddenly as a pinch hitter, resulting in a single that scored the go-ahead run! Off to the World Series!! It was at the World Series that his hot bat continued, moving him from batting 9th to batting 2nd for the last 3 games. He did exactly what he said he was going to do. From the highlight reel view, it looked like this kid came out of nowhere. The truth? He consistently showed up with his best effort and attitude, despite it being hard or even when he didn't want to. He had times of embarrassment when former teammates teased him when they saw he wasn't playing. He dealt with frustration when it didn't seem he was being recognized for his effort. He kept his eye on his goal, put his head down, and kept going. And, it was worth it! It was glorious to see, and an amazing demonstration that those small, everyday actions both make a difference and pay off. While there were many lessons that Ethan demonstrated on his goal-getting journey, here are the top 5 that I will carry with me…and, I encourage you to do the same: 1. Be specific on your goals. The clearer your goals, the easier it is to see the actions you need to take to get there. Also, rarely will you exceed what you set out to do so aim high! You are more capable than you give yourself credit for, DreamChaser. 2. Stumbles might hurt but won’t crush you - if you don't let them! Any goal worth achieving will have stumbles and obstacles along the way. Embrace the suck. Find the blessing in the stressing…look for the positives and find the lessons. Lean into working on a positive mindset. 3. Don't quit before payday. Those goals get harder right before the triumph. You are tired, frustrated, just want to get there already. Focus on your areas of control - your thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Keep pushing through…it will be worth it! 4. You have done the work - you are ready! A special kind of negative, limiting belief often sets in right before your triumph, often called Fear of Success. Thoughts that you might not be able to pull this off or keep it going or aren't deserving…so many ways for that negativity to creep in. Here's the truth. You've done the work. You have changed to be the person who can pull this off. Your time is now so step into that greatness. 5. Enjoy the view! You've made it to the top of the mountain. Time to stop and enjoy the view! The funny thing about reaching the top of one mountaintop is suddenly more are uncovered, ones that were hidden until now. Listen to me…they can wait. They aren't going anywhere. Take time to sit in and enjoy your triumph. Celebrate all you have done to get here! It can be easier to see the progress in others, especially as you are in the middle of your own journey. Use this inspiration from others to fuel your own journey. Don't forget this part…you might be inspiring someone else. Be the evidence…embrace the process…and enjoy the ride! Shine On! By Jackie White  Time is a little like trying to hold onto jello, it just keeps slipping through your fingers no matter how hard you try to manage it. The problem seems to be that we are all just too busy, right? Well, not really. There are many reasons why we find ourselves in this vicious time-lacking life and all of the reasons are really good but have a warped sense of what is reasonable. Let me explain.
According to a 2020 Gallup poll, in America, women make up almost half of the workforce, and yet they still are managing most of the household duties like laundry, cleaning and cooking as well as caring for children on a daily basis. Doh! Right there, many of us can identify why we don’t have any time. On top of that let's expand on kid management. Depending on your child’s age, you could be chauffeuring them all around town, attending sporting events, volunteering to manage a scout troop, attending band concerts, helping with homework, running out to get pants when they suddenly have grown 5 inches, delivering them to the dentist, ortho and doctor appointments, hosting birthday parties and sleepovers…Whew! It’s a job in itself to raise the kids, right?! Now, let’s add in aging parents. The sandwich generation tends to fall on the shoulders of the daughters who are trying to raise their own children but need to help their own parents financially, physically, or emotionally. Dealing with medical, self-care, or housing issues for aging parents can be difficult to navigate practically and emotionally. It’s tough to see parents needing aid in some way or form. It can be downright exhausting. When you think that is too much, don’t forget that some of you have a spouse or partner who might need some attention too. That partnership needs nurturing as well. Psst, when was the last time you got out of those sweatpants and got yourself gussied up for a night on the town? Ya, I know, that’s exhausting too! By this time you might be saying, the question shouldn’t be “why don’t I have any time for myself?”, instead, it should be “How could I possibly have time for myself?”. That’s the question we are here to answer for you. Let me step onto my soapbox now. Please feel me when I say, the remedy to all of this craziness is getting ORGANIZED, PRIORITIZED, and BAPTIZED into a new religion of self-love! C’mon Girl, get pumped up! Raise your hands to the sky and say “Hallelujah!” The reinforcements are here to help! SoulShine has you on this! We are offering a FREE Squeeze the Day Time Organization Challenge. We want you to Squeeze Each Day (see what we did there? That’s “seize the day” for those of you who aren’t getting my drift). Seizing each day with a plan of organization will help you manage your load. We are also helping you decide what the important stuff is that has to get on the schedule. Stuff like caring for yourself. You know being organized is a form of self-care! We will do all this with fun and a few laughs and I am thinking right about now, that you may need just that! Please join us September 27-30 for a fun, free week of getting organized! Click the link below to get yourself back on the list! https://soulshinelifeconnections.podia.com/squeeze-the-day-challenge Shine On! |
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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