Pinning Balance

So, this is what I do when I have 5 extra minutes at work... Pinterest is my addiction of choice.

Okay, the last one doesn't count, but I just wanted to see if you were paying attention :)

Consider it balancing out the good with the bad!

Have a great day...

Week 6

Week 6 is a subject we all know and love... and desperately need:  Balance.  Yes, the fine art of balance is, or at least should be, a top priority for any woman.  It doesn't matter what your life circumstances are, everyone I know is suffering from an imbalance in their lives.

Some work too much.
Some worry too much.
Some eat and drink too much trying to calm the voices in their head.
Some don't sleep.
Some sleep too much.
Everyone struggles in some way, while others struggle in every way.

It's the sad truth we women share, the fact that our lives are spread so thin and we just keep piling it on.  At some point we need to prioritize what is important (um, hello... values!), and make sure that each day is about those choices.  The other stuff, the busy-ness, is just like white noise.  It's always there in the background, annoyingly so, distracting us to a fault.  All this extra stuff takes us farther away from our values and the lives we really want.

No one's life is perfect, but the thing is, everyone can have a perfect life for themselves.  It's about balancing out the good with the bad.  So you don't like work but you need to get a paycheck?  Balance that out with something you love... such as reading or running... something that helps you come back to your self.  Everyone who knows me, knows that I have worked years to help Toby balance out his life (yes, probably to a fault).  I know he hates his job with a capital H, so I let him balance that out with golf.  It's his thing that makes getting through the week better.  I am just now learning to do this for myself and that has taken years.

Y. E. A. R. S.

So this week is all about a little give and take.  I'm not expecting anyone to make any drastic changes, but I do want you to start thinking about your day, your week, as a bank account.  Things you don't like are considered withdraws, while things you love are deposits.  By the end of the week, you want to be in the positive with your personal account.  When you're feeling down and exhausted, you know you're dipping below your balance point, so look for things you love at that point, even if it means waking up early or staying up a little later.  Maybe a spin class :)

Life is short.  We all know that, but it's our responsibility to enjoy the ride while we're here.  You owe it to your self and your family to stay balanced.  Think about your account and whether you're overdrawn and running on empty.  If you are feeling that way, what are you going to do about it?

Make a deposit every day.  Even if it's a small one (little things add up!).  Write them down at the end of the day, the withdraws and deposits, and see how you feel.  By the end of the week, hopefully you'll have more deposits than anything else.  If not, be thankful you know how to fix it.

Have a fabulous week...

Inspiration

I value inspiration.  I like to offer it to people, and I simply love to be inspired by something I see or read.  Or someone I meet.

Of course I value more than this, but my word for the week has been inspiration, and I've lived it for the most part. The trick was writing that word down and committing to it wholeheartedly.  Once that was done, decisions were easier, just like Disney said.

When faced with an hour of free time, I had to choose between going to Target (my absolute favorite time killer), or go to Biggby and write.  I'll have you know that I chose wisely, and have a pretty good handle on Chapter One now.  Inspiration, check.

So what did you choose this week?  Did it help you get through the day and feel better about your choices?  Or perhaps you're still trying on different values.  The beauty of this is, no two people are going to have the exact same values, and even if you did, you'd treat them differently.  In doing research for this post, I stumbled upon a website called Values.com.  It's a gem of inspiration (fitting), and might help you figure out what really moves you.  The picture above, is just one of many billboards they have, each one more inspiring than the last.  Check it out if you have time today.

Okay, that's my rant for the day.  Enjoy the beautiful weather we're having this weekend, and I will check in for week 6 on Monday!

Week 5: Value City

Congratulations!  You are half-way through the 8-weeks, and THIS might be the most important week of all.  I know, I've probably already said that, but this time I really mean it.

I'm calling this week Value City, because it's all about what really matters to you; Your Values.

"Your values are the choices you make about what's most important to you.  Living your life by your values is like establishing true north on a compass.  You may know what your values are.  You may believe your values are your guiding stars.  Bit if you aren't actually living your values - following your true north - chances are you won't ever be really happy, and your journey through life will feel spiritually off track."  ~ Kobi Yomada, 7

So, this week is about finding out what those values are since some of us don't ever think about them.  Is it health you want?  Is it your family you value?  Your career?  Relationships?  What is it that will get you out of bed other than obligations.

For the next couple days, I just want you to take a walk around Value City (It's much prettier than Pity City).  Look in the different shops and see if any of them call you to come inside and take a closer look.  You don't have to pick any yet, but just do a little window shopping.  

Look at the words here and see what moves you, but also feel free to find some of your own.  Basically you need to figure out what you want your life to be about, so you can start getting to the business of living.  

Living your life.  Doesn't that sound good?

BFF's

For me, friendship doesn't get any better than this.  It's almost as if Lucy and Ethel were the couple and the husbands were the sidekicks.  They could do and say anything, get in all sorts of trouble, and there was never any judgement.  It was the first unconditional friendship on TV that I know of, and I vividly remember my mom loving this show.  She knew every episode, and made sure I did too.  

The best part of friends for me is that I can be myself, and I know you'll laugh with me... or cry with me... or get angry too.  We all have our own problems, but sharing them with each other is a safe place.  Our husbands usually try to fix things or blame someone... but you guys?  You just listen, which is what we all want anyways.  I never get irritated with venting because I know I'll get a turn at some point.  We all do.

And then we giggle.  

We prop each other up, give pep talks when needed, or simply just listen.  It's instinctive for us to know what the other one needs.  

So, to all my friends reading this right now...  Thank you.  You have no idea how lonely life would be without you.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Happiness is...

Oh how I long for an evening of poor choices... on a Sunday night.... free shots and getting shushed...and Zac.

Memories are the best!

Find your Favorites

I don't mean find your favorite friends here.  It isn't a competition, although I know it can be through grade, middle, and high school.

I'm glad that's over.

What I mean is find your favorite quotes today about friendship.  Quote Garden is one of my favorites, as is Pinterest.  Good Reads is another site for quotes from books (clouds parting, angels singing).

Okay, so that's not the sappy quote you thought it was going to be, but I bet you giggled :) 

However, this is one of my favorites...

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh?" he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. "I just wanted to be sure of you.”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Have a fabulous day!