Today's Learning: Want to be a good support to someone else? Don't just give what you are good at, get out of yourself and ask: What do you need? And then do your darnedest to give that.
Grab Bag
10 Steps for Getting Out Of Overwhelm
It can be triggered by the seemingly simple task of picking out what clothes to wear or bigger challenges like decluttering your space, doing your taxes, finding a job, or planning a wedding.
Whether from circumstances that are forced upon you or – as is often the case – from saying ‘yes’ to too many things, being in overwhelm feels like drowning in the ocean. In fact the official test for overwhelm is to take a deep breath. If you swallow water, you’re in it. ...continue reading
Annie’s 50/50 Awesome Adventure
Dear Reader,
In case you've been wondering why I haven't posted lately here's what's going on. Without going into detail, this year has had a few too many setbacks, sadnesses and life stresses. Not all bad of course but just a lot crammed into a short period of time.
Now I am big on living life with purpose but I found that trying to keep it all together was not working. So I went the other route and let a lot of it go.
Fortunately, this has made room for me to create my latest, greatest adventure... ...continue reading
I Can or I Can’t – Which One Are You?
If you think you can or you think you can't, you're probably right. ~ Henry Ford
The 'I Can't' mindset is something I come across often. Sometimes it's from my children when I asked them to get up for school or my husband when he doesn't find time to exercise. Sometimes it's from a discouraged client who can't get behind his or her own goals. And sometimes it's from my own mind focusing on all the problems, all the reasons why not, all the barriers to success.
When I was considering going back to grad school at age 38, there were plenty of reasons why that was a bad idea. I'm too old. The kids are too young. It will be too hard. I don't have the money. Fortunately I worked through those obstacles because had I let them guide me, I would not have gotten that degree. And I would not be doing the work I love today. ...continue reading
Go The F@#k To Sleep – Book Review
Go The Fuck To Sleep is a new book written by Adam Mansbach about a tired parent's frustration at his child's inability to go to sleep. Written like a children's book - but definitely not one - it mimics the rhyming cuplet style of the sleepytime genre only with a twist.
The story highlights much of the 11th hour drama that parents with young kids can relate to. Negotiating the number of books read, glasses of water drunk, and, not surprisingly, just how many trips to the bathroom need to be taken, it offers two sweet lines of text, followed by two exacerbated lines finishing with the book's catchy signature phrase.
The book appears to be doing well and the author is making the rounds to media outlets. But there's something about a book that jokes about being SO frustrated with your child that you would repeatly tell them to 'Go the fuck to sleep' - if only in your head - that has me going against the 'this book had me ROTFLMAO' crowd and give it a thumbs down. ...continue reading
Weeding Dandelions
Living down wind from a park, my yard is especially prone to dandelions. By late spring our house is completely surrounded by a sea of yellow blooms. Actually if that's how dandelions stayed, I wouldn't consider it too much of a bother. I don't mind adding a little color to my lawn especially given the fact that I'm not known for my green thumb.
But soon enough all the wishes have blown away and what's left are just stark ugly, bare stems. These I don't like. So every year, when my lawn becomes highlighted by those determined little intruders, I get to work. I dig out my trusted weed puller and head out for a battle - “en garde."
One day, as I sat tolling away, my next-door neighbor called over from his side of the fence, "Working hard?" ...continue reading