Celebrate Mother’s Day—Make a Fuss Over Yourself!

I love being a Mom. I love Mother’s Day. I love the attention, the meals, and the homemade cards and gifts. However, as a busy Mom, and a busy business owner and speaker, I have learned something very important along my way.

Although it is wonderful to have other people make a fuss over me, it is vitally important for my health and happiness to fuss over myself once in awhile. This is what I want to encourage all of you to do. Fuss over yourself!

So, for all you Moms–and I include everyone who does a “Mom Job” — do try this!

It may sound funny at first, but when you think about it, why not? We are allowed to give ourselves a pat on the back, and tell ourselves we are doing a good job!

So, after May 10th, when your “Special Day” is over, here are some things you can do to celebrate what a great Mom you are:

• Make a lunch or coffee date with a good friend. Don’t rush. Laugh a lot.
• Take a day off. (Don’t tell anyone.) Do whatever you want.
• Schedule a massage or pedicure. Yes, you can.
• Go buy yourself a present. Have it gift wrapped. Smile and carry it happily with you while you decide when you want to open it.
• Go for a long walk– enjoy the outdoors, breathe fresh air, and rejuvenate your soul. Turn off the phone for your walk.
• Give yourself permission to sit and read, or just sit and listen to your own music for an hour or two.

• Turn on some music, and dance. Cut loose and dance as if no one is watching. (Which no one is!)

• Take yourself on a “date” for a movie and a little treat!

Taking time for yourself will make you a happier, healthier woman. We all need to refresh, regroup, and rethink about our lives, and our desires and hopes. You will return to “real life” recharged!

And ultimately, fussing over yourself will make you an even better mother!

Happy Mother’s Day!

“Wise Words from Pooh”

“Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?”

“Supposing it didn’t?” said Pooh.  After careful thought Piglet was comforted by this. (A.A. Milne)

How many times do we worry about something that is never going to happen?  Or even things that could happen?

Worrying doesn’t change anything.  Worrying is not an active action that can change a situation for the better. Worrying can, however, make us feel worse.  Thinking about something that bothers us and going over and over it just serves to make us feel bad.

I am reminded of those little worry dolls that kids (or adults) can put under their pillows at night.  They actually serve a purpose in that you tell each little figure a worry and tuck it away.  The same thing can be accomplished when you write down your worries, then throw the paper away.

Give the worries a little attention, then put them away. You may be comforted by this.

“Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense.” Gertrude Stein

Wow.  How relevant is that in our lives, in our world right now? We are bombarded with information, news, ideas, opinions–what do we do with it all?

There is now way that we can take it all in, even though, deep down, we think we can.  Deep down, we all think that if we just have the right system, the right “time management program,” the right “organizational system,” that we will actually catch up.

We won’t.  You cannot read everything, listen to everything, and take in everything that you want to.  Nor should you try.  This is our opportunity to really reflect on what is important and what we really want in our lives.  If you cannot listen to everything, what do you truly want to spend your precious time listening to?  If you cannot read everything, what do you really want to spend your time reading?

How do you truly want to spend your time?

Sadness About Shootings

I am so sad thinking about the shootings of the officers in Pittsburgh.  The anger of the man who killed them, his access to guns, the violence we see or hear about so often…

We are all connected, and happenings like this hurt all of us.