Affirmations are a great way to feel good about what you do. Running a business from home can be a challenge. There isn’t anyone telling you what needs to be done and some family members may not put the importance on your business that you do and that is okay. The main thing is that you stay strong and successful so that you can provide for your family.
Take a breath of fresh air and a quiet moment (if you can find it) and repeat this affirmation. If you are feeling weak, it will give you strength, unsure? it will give you confidence. Most of all believe in your self and do what you know needs to be done.
I have the strength to run a successful business from home while also caring for my children.
I am an amazing person who gets to enjoy the best of both worlds. Not only do I work my dream job, I also have the privilege of spending my days with my children.
Life can get hectic between kids, business, and home concerns, but I am able to balance it all with grace. I devote time to my children, take care of my home, serve my clients, and also take time out for myself.
Balance is the key to my success. I take life one day at a time. I keep an organized schedule to stay on track. Planning schedules is a mountain that I can surmount with ease.
As a parent, I spend quality time making memories with my children. I educate my kids through books, movies, outings, and hands-on experiences. I plan play dates for my children to socialize with other kids while I enjoy the company of my friends.
As a business owner, I separate my business from my home responsibilities. My children come first in everything I do. My clients know and respect that my family is my top priority. My business is booming because I am passionate about what I do.
There is never a dull moment around me. I feel blessed beyond measure, and I know that blessing is to be paid forward.
Today, I enjoy the fullness of my life. I take full advantage of every opportunity by eradicating idleness and I maximize the use of every moment.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. How do I balance home life with business life?
2. Am I willing to ask for help when I feel overwhelmed?
3. What do I love most about my life as a work-at-home parent?
Just a few moments to get your head on squarely is all that most home business owners need to get through a hectic day or week. Take that time for your self and you will find that you will be much more productive and that will leave more time to spend with your family.
Many times we would like to change behaviors in the ones we love that don’t seem to be of any value to us. What we need to realize is that we are all different and that is what makes life interesting. We look different but more importantly we think differently. We need to love and accept people no matter their idiosyncrasies as I am sure you would like others to love and accept you.
Take time out and examine the way you think about your loved ones. Are you accepting of the way they are or would you be tempted to change some things about them. Acceptance is part of being happy so it would be advantageous for you to take some time and repeat this affirmation so that you can get on the road of acceptance.
I can love my family members as they are.
My love is a free gift that I offer to others without any strings attached. There are no pre-requisites to being cherished by me. I love because I choose to love.
When I make the choice to love the members of my family, nothing can get in the way. The manner in which my family members look or dress is irrelevant to me. I embrace my family for who they are, not for how they look.
I relinquish my desire to control the way people behave. On the contrary, I welcome the different ways people carry themselves as a beautiful blend of personalities, like a garden filled with various types of flowers. Each one is as beautiful as any other.
Regardless of whether my family members are shy or loud, uptight or free spirited, wealthy or poor, wise or ignorant, I choose to love them just the way they are. I enjoy being loved the way I am; therefore, I love others without needing to change them first.
At times my family members may lash out in an unloving way towards me. Instead of responding in kind, I rise above the hurt and respond with compassion.
Although I love my family, I know that not all of them are trustworthy. I choose to cherish even the members of my family whom I cannot trust. I am strong enough to humble myself and love people who fall short of my expectations.
Today, I choose to love all of the members of my family with kindness and patience. I cultivate the best in myself as I accept their imperfections and love them no matter what.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. Do I love unconditionally?
2. How can I separate love from trust?
3. Who do I need to show more love to in my family?
Just these three simple questions can make you see if there is some work to do in accepting people the way they are without feeling the need to change them.
The simple act of encouragement will build self confidence in your children. They will be secure in your love when you accept them as they are, find out more about encouragement, CLICK HERE and find out more.
The world is full of stress and we all need an escape from it. Family time is the perfect time to be able to relax and enjoy the people you love and care about the most. Learn to relax and you will come to realize that
Family time is Your treasure.
Find a quiet spot and take some time to repeat to yourself how much you treasure your family time and how you feel energized after being together.
Maybe something like:
Each day, I set aside time to spend with my loved ones. Just as I make time for working, eating, and sleeping, I make time for my family. Jobs come and go, but the moments I spend with my family last forever.
I value any time I spend with my family. Whether I am able to spend long hours or only a few minutes daily, it is always a pleasure to spend it with my family.
By making time for my family, I am building a legacy of love and togetherness to pass on to my children. My actions make it clear to my family that they are important to me. My children have a healthy self-concept because they feel valued.
I feel refreshed after spending time with my family. I make the most of the time we spend together. I look for ways to make everyone laugh aloud and enjoy the time as much as I do.
Family time breaks up the monotony of everyday life. When I allow my loved ones the freedom to speak their hearts and have fun, I also feel free.
I refrain from complaining during family time by focusing on the positive. My uplifting words fall into the hearts of my children and help them feel good about themselves.
Today, I choose to connect and engage with my family in a positive way. I make time for us to be together.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. What is my favorite family activity?
2. How can I increase the amount of time my family enjoys together?
3. How can I improve the quality of my family’s time together?
In these times it really is a privilege to be able to stay at home and raise the children. This is something that Mom’s 50 years ago didn’t even think twice about. Today it is a necessity due to economics to have both parents work outside of the home.
Many times all the working people want to do is be at home with their kids and raise them as they see fit. And then the stay at home parents start to get bored and feel totally un-appreciated would like to go out and get paid for what they do.
It is our duty to raise children that are compatible with society and we would like our own values instilled as well. When we give our children to others to raise we do give up some of ability to oversee what is actually instilled in our children.
If you have the privilege to have a quiet moment, take it and say this affirmation out loud and repeat it if necessary.
I delight in staying home with my children.
My choice to stay at home with my children is something I am proud of. Although draining at times, I am committed to doing the best job I can at raising my children.
My calling as a parent is to nurture my children socially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. For me, staying at home is the best way to fulfill that purpose. My life’s devotion is to foster a healthy home for my whole family.
I am grateful for the blessing that I have to spend my days watching my children flourish before my very eyes. I am present in my children’s lives to witness every new accomplishment. I celebrate their triumphs and help them overcome challenges.
Staying home gives me the opportunity to teach my children about life just the way I want to. I am able to pass on family ideologies and spiritual beliefs to secure their identity.
I appreciate my spouse’s support for my choice to stay home. My spouse works hard for me to have the privilege of staying home. While my spouse works hard outside of the home, I work hard at home to teach our children.
I am accountable for the time I have at home. My time is spent on educational activities and outings with the kids. I refrain from wasting time on idleness. The television, computer, and even household chores, fall second to taking care of my children.
Today, I celebrate my ability to stay home.
I am free from guilt about not having a full time job outside of the home because staying home with the children is a full time job of its own.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. Do I ever feel guilty about staying home?
2. How can I maximize my time at home with my children?
3. Why do I love staying home with my children?
Reflecting on these questions will help you get a handle on where you are at. Many times if we don’t get a handle on it, stay at home parents can start to feel a little resentful. Taking care of kids is a full time job and I don’t believe I have ever heard a toddler tell their Mom or Dad how much they appreciate them, they are much more likely to pay you back for your patience with a tantrum. Click HERE to read about teaching your toddler about calmness.
So many times in our busy world it can feel like you are alone. It is important to feel supported in order to be effective. There are so many places you can go to get that support. Church, community centers, friends and family, neighbors, YMCA, meet ups and many support groups have regular meetings in different locations. If you feel a lack of support you need to get out there and check out what is available to you in your area.
Affirmations can make you feel more confident to get yourself out there so that you can find the support you need. Starting with your own self will also prepare you to be open and receptive to the support. Find a quiet place for reflection and repeat the following words or similar words, if you hear them repeated your mind will start to believe.
I am surrounded by a caring parent support group.
Everywhere I go, I run into people who are eager to offer their help. From the doctor’s office to the nearby playground, I can reap the wisdom of experienced parents. I feel blessed to have such a large selection of resources.
Parenting is challenging regardless of my child’s age. I also realize that every child truly is different. Yet, when I open myself up to other parents, I gain more than just knowledge; I gain friends.
Whenever I find myself facing a challenge, I am quick to speak up in order to find someone who has had a similar challenge. I listen to the advice of experienced parents and draw from their wisdom.
If I feel lonely or just want some company, I know who I can call. There are other parents waiting by the phone, wishing someone would invite them on an outing. I take the initiative to plan gatherings for other parents.
I am surrounded by a community that cares about my children and me. People who offer their advice are simply trying to prevent me from repeating some of their own mistakes. I value the input of others.
Fear and shame are absent from my heart because there are countless parents who have struggles just like mine. The more I search, the more I find that the struggles I experience are very common.
Today, I choose to embrace the caring support group available to me. I welcome others into my life and benefit from what they have to offer.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. What keeps me from reaching out to other parents?
2. Who has helped me in the past that I can I talk to when I need support?
There are all sorts of stop and starts in a childs year, from summer to school, from Christmas Vacation right into a new year, this applies to any sort of break your kids have wether it be a summer break, spring break or Christmas vacation. Taking time out and saying these things to yourself gives you a compass as to where you are in the process of preparing your children for academic excellence.
Take some time out in a quiet place for reflection and say these things to your self:
I am preparing my children for a successful academic year.
My children are ready for school because I take time to prepare them mentally and spiritually. I teach my children to value education by displaying a positive attitude about learning.
I talk to my children about my own memories of school as a child with honesty and transparency. They love hearing me talk about what I enjoyed as a child. Sharing my stories with my children helps them look forward to their own experiences.
My children are prepared to succeed because I am on top of my game. I keep up with the school calendar of events. I attend open house night to learn about the teacher’s expectations so I can begin preparing my children.
It is challenging to readjust to a routine of waking up early to go to school. That is why I begin to practice the new schedule with my kids a few weeks before school starts. By the time school actually begins, my kids’ bodies will be used to the earlier start.
Over their time off, I continue to engage my children in learning by encouraging them to read daily and participate in educational activities. Learning is a fun game, not a chore, in our home.
If one of my children struggles with a subject, I pay extra attention to that subject over our vacation break, so they can master it.
I speak uplifting words to encourage my children, because the better they feel about themselves, the better they perform.
Today, I choose to start the process of preparing for back to school. I cover all my bases and stay on top of my game to set my children up for success.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. How can I prepare my children for academic success?
Many times as Parents we look forward to Summer time, then it only takes about a week with the kids home from school and we realize that maybe it was better when they were occupied every day.
Finding ways to keep them busy during summer and holiday breaks can be a real challenge. Keep the Learning on the forefront and see your children reap the benefits.
This simple affirmation will allow you a moment to assess how things are going with ongoing education and your participation as a parent.
I am fully equipped to educate my children when they are out of school.
When my children are out of school, I am fully capable of continuing to build their knowledge. I am a natural teacher looking for ways to expand their knowledge by seizing teachable moments.
I keep my eyes open for the science lessons found in nature. I ask questions to spark their curiosity and allow them to explore their world for answers.
While it is good to give kids a break to play and relax, it is also necessary to maintain their brains and keep them from becoming idle.
The public library has an unlimited number of resources that I can use to promote learning while the kids are out of school. I am committed to taking my children to the library on a regular basis so they can find books or magazines to read.
There are a number of resources available to parents who want to help their children. I communicate with my children’s teachers, look for workbooks at local stores, and search educational websites for material.
I have what it takes to keep my children entertained while out of school. The time my children spend at home from school is time well spent in reading and continuing to expand their minds.
It is important to me that my children continue to exercise their brains during the summer so that they will be ready to jump back into the swing of things when school starts up again.
Today, I choose to prepare myself to educate my children while they are out of school.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. How do I feel about having the kids at home from school?
2. Where can I find resources to assist me in teaching my children?
3. How can I prepare myself to continue building their education at home?
Just taking a moment to have this conversations with yourself will enable you to have a better grip on your child’s education. Instilling the love of learning in your child is a great way to help them get ahead. Read More about the Love of Learning by Clicking Here
To be able to really relax and enjoy the holidays this simple affirmation has the capability of changing a bad attitude into a festive holiday outlook, so take a deep breath and give it a try.
I respect my relatives and enjoy my holiday time with them.
Sometimes, a lot of people in a small space can cause tension. To stay at peace I take the time to appreciate my relatives. Everyone has differences and I respect the differences between my relatives and me.
Because I appreciate my relatives, we have a good time together. They see that I respect and value them, so they give me respect and value in return. We care for one another and treat one another with kindness. Differences of opinion are interesting, and can provide good and helpful discussions about life and the future.
At every holiday, I enjoy the time with my relatives more and more. They become more valuable to me all the time because I make the effort to get to know them and understand them. I realize the importance of family relationships and I experience a close, intimate connection with my family members.
When I feel stressed or crowded, I take a deep breath and let it roll off my back. My holiday celebrations are filled with relaxation and calmness. The people in my family are worthy of my respect, and they give their respect to me. I look forward to spending holiday time with them. We always have a good time when we get together as a family for the holidays.
Today, I enjoy the time I get to spend with my relatives during the holidays.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. How can I show more respect and love to my relatives?
2. What can I do to make the holidays even better for my loved ones?
3. Are there ways I can learn to appreciate my relatives more than I already do?
By taking the time and going through the steps you can start to have the most amazing holidays every year for the rest of your life.
Although I read many books in preparation for becoming a parent, experience is making me a better parent every day. The book of reality is my greatest teacher. I embrace my life lessons with humility.
Every day, I am gaining knowledge from the mistakes I make. Sometimes, things turn out differently than I hoped. I learn from those moments and apply their lessons to my future behavior.
I am humble enough to apologize to my children when I react in a manner that is inappropriate. My children are discovering that, although I am not perfect, I am someone worth imitating.
As the kids get older, I look back with clarity and see areas that I can strengthen. I offer my advice to younger parents who seek it. Sharing my experiences with others saves them from making the same mistakes I made.
Over time, I am becoming slower to anger and quicker to forgive. I have such a powerful inner sense of peace that I am able to overlook offenses, exercising patience with others.
I am learning that time goes by so fast that I must hold on to every moment I can. I live in the moment and enjoy my children just the way they are.
With experience comes the clarity to distinguish those things that are worth dwelling over and those which are best forgotten. Experience increases my ability to take life in stride without allowing anything to steal my joy.
Today, I choose to embrace the lessons that life teaches me and apply them to my future behavior.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. What lesson have I learned from my children lately?
2. Am I slow to anger and quick to forgive?
3. How can I turn mistakes into powerful lessons?
Being a parent is not an easy job, but it can be fun and rewarding, use your experience to make you a better parent.
Few things are more important in life than the bond you share with your children. If you lack a close relationship with your kids, the bond can be a source of pain and anguish, while a strong connection with your kids can bring incredible joy and happiness.
If you’ve lost the closeness that you crave, you can strengthen the relationship in four practical ways.
Help Them With Homework
Help your children with their homework to show them that you’re interested in their education. This also lets them know that they can rely on you when they need help. The message you send is that they’re more valuable to you than anything else you could be spending your time doing.
Life is hectic and time is short and, one day, the time to develop this bond may be gone. Seize the day by taking the time to help your kids with their homework. If you do this on a regular basis, you may find the conversation wandering away from homework to topics that give you a glimpse into what’s most important to your kids.
Share Their Interests
Join your kids in activities and interests that they choose. Children naturally gravitate toward projects and activities they’re interested in, so ask questions about the activities they choose to engage in! Become curious about what makes them tick, and let them know that you’re curious. Fuel their passion and draw them close to you by sharing in what they love.
Find Common Interests
If you feel like you have nothing in common with your children, try to expose them to something that you really care about. Introduce them to your passions in a kid-friendly way and make the activity as fun for them as possible, while sharing your interests with them.
Often, your enthusiasm and interest in your children will cause them to become interested in the things you like, but be willing to accept that they may not enjoy the same things you do, no matter how hard you try. The closeness you experience when you share something you both enjoy is exhilarating.
Most lifelong passions start at childhood. Many passions are handed down from generation to generation. If you desire a lifelong closeness with your children, introduce them to the things you care about. Involve them and stir their curiosity, while communicating acceptance and love no matter what their interests may be.
If you aren’t sure where to begin, try one of these activities:
• Take your children fishing.
• Take them to your favorite team’s sporting event.
• Take them shopping at their favorite store.
• Try a mommy or daddy date with a meal at your favorite restaurant (or theirs).
• Show them your favorite (age-appropriate) movie.
• Read a favorite book together.
Frequently, the activity itself isn’t what children remember. The time you spend with them creates the memory. Your availability and interest are the two most important factors in creating the close relationship you deserve with your children.
Include Everyone
With one child, it’s fairly easy to incorporate the entire family in activities that strengthen the bond between you. If you have more than one child, however, remember to spread your attention and activities among them as evenly as possible.
A little effort goes a long way. Just make an effort, and your children will see that you really do want a close relationship with them more than anything else. Most importantly, begin today! It’s easier to create bonds with your children that last forever when they’re younger. Make your children a priority, and you’ll be rewarded with a bond that will last a lifetime.
Looking forward to the wonderful adults they will become, the relationship they have with you will be key in their success throughout the years.
Most everyone wants to believe that we are what we eat and that couldn’t be further from the truth, it’s part of the truth but not the whole truth.
We are what we digest. That sounds more like it. We can eat all we want, what is eating?
Digesting, now that’s where the real “stuff” comes into play.
I know you are thinking of food alone here, most people go there because people like to eat, so when we talk about digesting, that’s what we think about.
It’s much much more than that. We digest so much more than food every day, day in and day out.
Have you ever noticed that when we listen to a dialect or accent for a while we will start sounding like that too? That is because we have digested the sound and our bodies let it become a part of us. Even the kids will speak like their parents because they have listened to them so much.
We digest sounds from all over and it actually changes our vibration, our hormone and different chemical levels in our bodies. In some cultures the folk music is written to make people feel a certain way or maybe feel like it is a certain time of the day. Sound is all around, it’s digestions is something that we take for granted.
The sad thing is that sound is the MOST important thing we digest each and every day. Our words form sounds that are digested and words can be the MOST hurtful and difficult things to digest.
People use words with no thoughts to their consequences or any care as to their perception. This destroys relationships with friends and family alike.
About 90% of it comes down to sound because sound is the “Alerter”, 90% of the time we HEAR something that we take note of. Then maybe we see it.
What you look at gets digested from the eye and goes to the brain where the second phase of digestion takes place and it becomes PART of you. It’s hard to see this coming, we actually start to look different.
Come on now, you can see unhappiness written all over a person that is unhappy, they look unhappy, yet when they are happy, they look like a totally different person.
People that have been married for 70 years. Have you ever noticed that yes, they look old but not only that they look more like brother and sister, they actually resemble one another. Honestly look at the photo, they have looked at each other for all those years, the eye was digesting to the brain and they start to look alike.
Even with our food, we are what we digest with the mineral and vitamin absorption that assists our cells to do their jobs. Foods affect our functions too. Food makes our blood thick or thin, tints our skin, changes the color or our feces and urine and so many other things that happen inside we can’t see.
We digest what we smell. You know how when you move away from home and you miss your Mom’s cooking, you dream about it, you can see it………Fast forward…..you come home, as you walk in the door all you can smell is the Lasagna or what ever is in the oven and you instantly salivate…….You know that feeling?
Digestion at work again, you have smelled this before, digested the information, and now you are sending that information to the salivary glands and other systems preparing for digestion because that smell is related with food. Our taste buds do the same thing.
We even digest through the skin, touch is such an important thing to a human being. The tips of the human hand hold more energy than most any other part of the body and they are capable of passing that energy on to another.
Our hearts are more powerful when it comes to energy levels. When one healthy heart comes within about 10 inches or less of another healthy heart, the two hearts will synchronize and beat the same beat.
Our bodies are quite fascinating and every facet of it is interrelated with the rest. It is so important to digest only beautiful and peaceful things. Cut out violence and loud hateful noises, have more loving contact with other humans and pets who give back the same love in return. Keep our thoughts pure and free of negative thinking, take the time to Digest everything that is beautiful in your world.
On any day that you Actually eat, that my friend is an exercise day.
Got it? Eat, exercise. now, I don’t mean that you eat and exercise. You have to plan out your day properly. If you even just PLAN on eating you get your exercise done EARLY as possible. Any one Planning on eating today?
I get this all the time……”I just can’t seem to get it done after work”…..I say get up early and get ‘er done! Before your brain starts to reason with you why you absolutely can’t get it done. You ever heard that voice before? Yea, I know you have!
GET UP EARLIER for crying out loud. If you are lucky you will will be 1/2 way to 3/4 through the work out before your brain wakes up and starts to give you all the reasons you CAN’T work out.
By that time you can slam the door on the negative thoughts and finish up in style!
You know what I found out? It took me years of teaching, being at a gym, talking to the clients. I found out…….
That voice with the reasons why not, get stronger throughout the day. ya ever notice that one?
It takes the will of a super hero to get to the gym on some nights after work. The car wants to head for the barn so you have to fight that AND the voice of reasons why you shouldn’t take time on your self. You get to the gym and you burn say 300 to 500 calories?
Okay, So…..Does anyone have any idea of how many calories equals a pound?
3,500 calories.
That sounds like a lot of calories. I think it is, I consume maybe half of that. Are you aware of what you consume?
We have this little burger joint in Portland. The receipt has calorie information and I was very surprised to see that a meal with 2 burgers, small fries and medium soft drink equaled 75% of a 2,000 calorie diet. What if you did something similar to this 3 times a day? and then you snacked, had an extra pop, had desert after eating….get my drift? Do you think you would exceed the 3,500 calories???
By the way…I have a rule, NEVER eat food that is delivered or can be delivered through a window.……there are exceptions but very few……
So now we talked about calorie input. Understand although I am into fitness and I believe it is very important, 80% of everyone’s health is nutrition.
So we go to the gym, we are literally trying to work our ass off! We tell our self we will do what ever it takes no matter what, even if we don’t like it……
That’s a story for another Blog!
Stay well my friends and stay tuned. Another blog is on it’s way!
Sometimes the best people in our lives are not people. That can be hard to understand unless you have one of these 4 legged people in your life. Sure they are hairy, they shed and sometimes they have dog breath. However they are put in our lives for a reason.
They show us how to love right from the very bottom of their heart, an all encompassing love.
They show us compassion even when we bring something on all by ourselves, they don’t say “I told you so” or berate us in any way. They instead place themselves by our side, and make their head available for a pat or a rub.
The pets in our lives show us a steadfast, never wavering devotion that is incomparable to any other type of devotion you could ever receive.
I have had the pleasure of having several of these types of “people” in my life.
This is the story of Snicklefritz, she was a questionable breed but her heart was never a question. From the moment I laid eyes on her I knew she was “the one”. She wasn’t “the one” for me but for my sister. She was a cute little furry black ball of sweet love right from the very start.
When my Sister showed me the two pups she liked, the other was an Australian Shepherd and something told me she wouldn’t be a fit. When I saw Snicklefritz, she was so silly and cute, and there was a line of people waiting to see her, they wanted to take her home. I pointed that out to my sister, at that point she scooped her up and opened her purse, took out some money to make room and put tiny little “Fritz” in her purse for safe keeping.
Now the homecoming was a little precarious due to the fact that she was un-expected and hubby felt that getting a pup was disrespectful of their older Cocker “Lou”. Eventually the dust settled and the bonding happened.
Amazing things happen when you bring a pup into your home. She seemed to be the missing part of a family jigsaw puzzle the way she fit it. 3 year old May claimed her as her own and made sure she had water, was fed and let out to use the bathroom, May was barely tall enough to reach the door handle to let her out.
Then a funny thing happened, this cute little all black fur ball started sprouting hair….and it wasn’t black hair. She grew a brown beard which was quite un-lady like and then to top it all off she got these whacky long brown eyebrows that she refused to pluck. She liked how they blocked the sun on those bright days in Central Oregon.
This little gal had it going on! She knew what needed to be done, she may not like it but she tolerated what ever that was. She had a knack for knowing when something was wrong or some one was sad, and she just took care of business in her own way.
Fritz was not my pup, she was my “Niece Pup” and she held a special place in my heart. When I was going through a difficult time and was staying at my sisters house, I didn’t want to get up in the mornings but that was hard to do with Fritz around. The first thing she would do in the morning is find me, jump on my “bed” and start digging and “rooting” around, kissing and letting me know her belly needed rubbing. After she got me all rustled around, we would both get up and start our day much happier for the morning greeting and silliness that she exuded.
The sad thing is that these little four legged people really do not live long enough, sometimes we think we will have them in our lives much longer than we actually get to have them.
They are ALWAYS taken from us too soon, before we have shown them all the love we have for them.
Sometimes we ask if they knew how devoted we are to them because they have shown us what it is to truly be devoted.
We want to know that they lived happy, full lives.
They are excellent at communication until it has to do with their pain or illness. Then they become stoic and don’t want us to worry, they suffer in silence.
We have to face the difficult task of making a decision and that is what my Sister had to do 3 weeks ago when she found out that Fritz had stomach cancer. We never want our pets to suffer but still we worry if we waited too long and if they are indeed in pain. The right decision is never an easy one but we know it is the right thing to do.
My sadness comes from being on a trip when we found out that she was terminally ill and that she would be gone before I got home and had a chance to say my goodbyes. Because of this fact, the sadness is staying in my heart a little longer, although I have said my goodbyes a thousand times since, it is not the same as having Fritz on my lap, looking into her eyes and understanding what we have in our hearts for one another. Her not being able to give me one last lick and me not being able to give her soft sweet belly one more loving stroke.
I know we should have had you much longer, but you were called home.
We love you and we miss you, our faithful friend Snicklefritz……
Ode to Fritz:
On the day we brought
our Fritzy home,
We didn’t know how much
she’d grow.
So fuzzy and cute, tiny
and small,
In no time what so ever
she was loved by all.
She came home, to keep
warm, inside my coat,
So snuggly and cute, put a
lump in your throat.
Her legs grew short, her body
grew so long,
She was a mighty midget,
her heart was very strong.
Her nose was black, as
dark as night,
Her tail was straight and
stood up right.
Man, that girl could run
so fast,
Chasing all the bikes
riding past.
A little skittish when around
any guys,
That always created a big
question WHY?
Black Fluffy hair so soft to
the touch,
Never knew we would love
her so much.
Just to see her would make
you say “wow”,
Cute face with a beard and
crazy eye brows.
There will only be one,
no Fritz coming after,
In our life we are closing
one great, big, huge chapter.
She will always be with us,
always be near,
Listen, be quiet and you can
feel her right here. (put your hand on your heart)
That sweet little pup is healthy
"Fare The Well, We will meet again, Love Fritz"
and whole,
Being an angel now is her
God given role.
Thank you for the lessons we have learned from you. We will never forget the way you made us feel. We can only hope that we made you feel as special as you made us feel.
Even now I can feel her, as I sit quietly and I put my hand over my heart. I know that her heart is beating the same beat and that she feels the love I have for her.
We Human’s today evolved from a species that lived in an environment in which food was not abundant. We had to hunt and forage to find sustenance and it wasn’t always guaranteed.
Food that is cheap, abundant, tasty but lacking the correct nutrition that takes absolutely no physical effort to obtain has upset the balance we have within our bodies to be able to know how much of the Right foods to eat. This balance within the body is the very existence of our beings.
In recent decades the population has bloated to a point that lean people are a minority. Scientist are trying to figure out why and about all they have figured out is that there is no easy answer. It is a combination of Biology, physiology, genetics, and environment, they all need to be counted to a certain degree.
In an environment of unprecedented food excess and a steady diet of pizza’s, doughnuts and hamburgers can trigger in some the same cravings as a drug addict. Some people may think that is a lack of willpower or self control, these could be reasons but it is much more complicated than that.
As anyone who has battled obesity realizes, the battle is mental as much as physical. Sadness, disgust, frustration, self-hatred and many other negative emotions accompany obesity. Bad health encourages a bad frame of mind and a bad frame of mind causes illness and disease.
If you already know you want to change your life – Congratulations! Having that realization and committing to do something about it are the first and most important steps to creating any change.
Now, you may want to focus on specific life changes, for example your physical health or your spiritual life. Or you may be looking for an approach that has you diving in and changing everything from the ground up!
However small or large the changes you want to make, though, we’ve found it’s best to start small. Changing our lives involves, among other things, breaking old, unhealthy habits and developing new and healthy ones. And that’s why we’re going to address habits first in this list of 5 easy ways to change your life:
All my life I had a family doctor that was our family doctor. He knew the entire family and our history. He retired about 10 years ago and then I got a true taste of what it’s like to have a doctor that really had no interest in me as a person.
I came to the ugly realization that my “new doctor” was in the “business” of being a physician.
Over the years it has astounded me the lack of caring I have experienced by this “doctor” and his staff.
I didn’t think very much about it until I had a minor medical emergency and my doctor accomplished two things in my visit with him.
1. To scare me to death needlessly with something he couldn’t be sure of.
2. To make me feel even more like a number than I was before and inefficiency with the staff that made me not totally trust what they were telling me.
This led me to a different doctor that I was referred to that was fantastic and it made me realize that I didn’t have to put up with my new doctor and it started me on a search to find a new physician.
My point here is that we need to take charge of our own health.
I know that people talk all the time about how we start looking like our pets or vice-a-versa and then we start to notice and realize that is indeed true. It goes so much deeper than that, it’s about building a healthy legacy.
Families are all similar. Whether they are short, tall, big, small, families, look and act like each other in undeniable ways.
It is really up to the leader of the family to take control and set a healthy example and offer healthy choices for meals and in general. This may be a parent, a grandparent or a care taker but either way they are setting up a lifetime legacy it starts us down the pathway to a healthy legacy or an unhealthy legacy.
So much of the time people don’t have a clue on what is right and that many times is due to the media, just plain old peer pressure, or the pressure from kids wanting to keep up with what everyone has or is doing.
First and foremost is that we are setting an example for the next generation, look at your self and decide if that is the legacy you would like to leave. Is it one of health or disease? Continue reading “Build a Healthy Legacy that Lasts”→
Being from the Pacific Northwest we love our Salmon dishes. We truly believe we have some of the best Salmon in the world.
I can tell you from experience that there is nothing like fresh Salmon pulled right out of the river. There are so many ways to prepare it but I love the simple things in life and this is one of the simplest recipes I know.
Are you a weekend warrior? Training for marathons, playing basketball with friends or just doing wild and crazy things. You won’t be able to do those things if you don’t take care of your body. Your performance can be increased for more fun, less tiredness and more competition. It’s not hard to do and many of the things we do on the weekend can be enhanced in much the same ways.
I’ve worked with a lot of weekend warriors, and there is one thing I tell all of them: you won’t get the best performance out of your body or have the most fun you could have if you limit your exercise to your weekly activity. by only exercising on the weekend you actually increases your chances of injury.
Here are some simple tips that I’ve found work for pretty much everyone. These tips will allow you to improve your performance and stay in the best possible shape for your weekend-warrior adventures.
Stretching.
No matter what sport you’re into, your body will perform better if you continue to have your full range of motion. Supple muscles simply work better. I’ll be happy to give you advice on stretching exercises to enhance your performance at your chosen sport, or else you can look up Yoga stretches online. Just be sure to follow this simple rule: do not continue stretching into pain. Pain means you’re doing damage, and that won’t help your performance at all.
Weight training.
Weight training improves our bodies’ overall performance by making us stronger and increasing our endurance. Even if your sport depends on speed – like competitive running or swimming – you need strong muscles to make that speed happen. Weight training also improves our bone density and keeps our bones strong.
Cardio work.
Cardio work is the ultimate means of improving your performance by increasing your endurance. There are a lot of possible cardio exercises you can try, from dancing to kickboxing. The point here is that you can’t expect your body to perform its best on weekends if you’re not working on your cardio fitness at least one or two times a week in between competitions. Strengthening your heart is a great way to increase your performance.
I know that these tips may sound as though I’m trying to take your weekend fun and turn it into a chore and we don’t like chores. But that’s not the case! Any of these activities that you can do during the week will improve your weekend performance and make your weekend activities more fun for you.
You don’t have to decide to devote your life to fitness to achieve improved performance. Even if you spend a total of three hours a week on some combination of stretching, cardio, and weights, you’re going to see a measurable improvement in your ability to enjoy your weekend activity. You will also feel better and more fit and there is nothing better than that.
Now, if you do want to go all-out – for example, if you want to improve to the point you’re running 10ks instead of 5, or you’ve decided that, just once, you’re going to be able to dunk that basketball – of course you’re going to need to work harder. The more effort you put into anything, the more you’re going to improve.
But if you just want to enjoy what you’re doing on the weekends more and perform a bit better, just scale the exercise tips I’ve given you to a level that will help you meet that goal. You can improve performance and your health with any additional amount of exercise than what you are doing right now. Continuing to exercise during the week can be a challenge with work, family and a million other things that can get in the way.
That your doctor will tell you before you get stiff and can’t touch your toes that you need to keep your flexibility as you age in order to lead a healthy life is a real stretch. If your doctor told you before it was almost too late it would be really helpful.
I taught fitness classes for 25 years of varying nature. I taught from age 2 1/2 all the way to 90 years old and one thing I always did was talk about the importance of flexibility.
Many people would ask my advist after their doctor told them that they need to work on flexibility with different stretches. Many of those students could only reach about mid shin when they reached for the floor.
I saw tremendous improvement in many students after attending Yoga and classes specifically designed for stretching and addressing stiffness that comes with age.
Why is this so important?
You see, we only have 4 types of tissues in our bodies. These tissues are made up of cells with the intelligence to know what they are needed for.
Within each type of tissue there are different uses for instance Epithelium is our skin and it has different functions such as protecting us from the outside world, it absorbs in the stomach and intestinal lining, it filters in the kidneys and it secretes from glands.
So let’s look at Muscle tissue and the different functions it performs.
Muscles are responsible for body movement, muscles move blood, food, and waste through the body’s organs and it is also responsible for mechanical digestion.
If you notice Muscles are responsible for moving blood and blood runs through veins. The walls of your veins have the same type of tissue that your muscles are made up of.
What we all need to understand is that when you have a tissue type in the body that is affected in a negative way all of the tissue that is similar in nature will have a similar problem. If muscles get stiff all of the tissue that has the same make up will be affected.
So if we have the same tissue responsible for our muscles and our veins, what do you suppose will happen to your veins when your muscles get stiff and inflexible?
I think you got that right, your veins become stiff and hard, allowing for the sticky, gunky build up known as plaque and also allows cholesterol to block the veins due to their lack of flexibility. The real danger though is the build up of plaque. This Plaque can break free from the walls of your veins and arteries and actually cause blockage. Depending on where the blockage is it can lead to a heart attack or a stroke.
Do we want to wait until we are all stiff and “stoved” up before we start to work on our flexibility? Certainly not and the reason for that is it can be a long road back to having some semblance of flexibility if you have lost it at an older age.
Chances are you won’t get it back completely but there is definitely a chance of that happening with perseverance and determination and the really important ingredient would be dedication.
Don’t let you muscles get stiff, make sure and stretch morning and evening and you will never be sorry you took the 10 minutes to get it done, it is an investment in your future.
Make sure and join Health Pulse Magazine and they explore stretching and lengthening all of the muscles in the body in their special series, “That’s a Stretch” coming soon.
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Affirmations are a great way to feel good about what you do. Running a business from home can be a challenge. There isn’t anyone telling you what needs to be done and some family members may not put the importance on your business that you do and that is okay. The main thing is that you stay strong and successful so that you can provide for your family.
