Tag Archives: goals

5 Simple Things You Can Do To Nurture Yourself

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Nurture. As parents, when we think of the term “nurture”, it evokes a great sense of responsibility. We take our role as parents very seriously but, ironically, many of us stop short of nurturing the most important piece of our children’s growth. Ourselves.

For some parents, the question, “How do you nurture yourself?”, evokes feelings of guilt. There seems to be a disconnect in our minds between what it means to be a good parent and what it means to take care of ourselves. The fact is, a parent who takes time to nurture their own well-being not only has more to give, but sets the tone and example for how their children, and the family as a whole, will take care of themselves.

Are you nurturing your own sense of well-being? Or, are you so frazzled you have absolutely no idea where you would begin?

To help you get started, I’ve listed five simple things I do to nurture myself:

1. Schedule An Appointment with Yourself

Exercise is the most important piece of my sanity. The other day I was bemoaning a week’s worth of missed morning runs and yoga classes because of my crazy schedule.  When my husband asked why I didn’t just put a recurring appointment in my calendar, it occurred to me that if I schedule an appointment with myself each day, I would have to justify rescheduling or canceling it. Now when I look at my calendar I can decide where the priority is and, if I need to, I can reschedule my appointment with myself! Either way, that appointment is important and it deserves a place on my daily calendar.

2. Invest in A Really Great Water Bottle

A large percentage of the human body is made up of water, so it only makes sense that drinking water isn’t just good for you, but can make you feel pretty darn good. It might seem silly, but I have found that if I really like a water bottle I am more likely to keep it full and with me throughout the day. When you buy a water bottle consider things like the size, shape, and how the spout works.

3. Buy Fresh Flowers Once A week

I have to admit, my Scottish upbringing made this a hard one for me at first. On the surface, buying fresh cut flowers that will eventually die seems wasteful, but flowers make me smile. People who smile are happier and there is even a study that proves flowers can improve your emotional health. Whenever possible I buy the Star Gazer Lillies, their fragrance is so powerful that I can smell them the minute I walk in the door to my house, and that makes me smile…

4. Make Your Bed

It’s the simple things that impact us the most. No matter how chaotic the day gets, if you make your bed you have at least accomplished something! For whatever reason, I feel a sense of calm when the beds are made. In our house, breakfast is only served to those who have made their bed and have their shoes on.  For some people a clean sink, a clear desktop, or an orderly closet might take the place of a made bed. Whatever works for you, be consistent!

5. Always Have A Goal or Future Plan

Happiness. A sense of purpose. Motivation. Positivity. All of these things are bolstered when you have something to look forward to. Whether it is a fitness goal, a professional goal, or a planned vacation, make sure that you always have something to look forward to.

How do you nurture yourself?

This article was first published as Responsible Parents Model Healthy Self Care on Technorati.com

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Do You Have A Personal Journey?

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goalsThe month of January has come and gone.

The resolutions we ‘so call’ made are a distant memory.

Personally, I am not a fan of resolutions.

However, I do enjoy making goals – you know the type that give you the warm fuzzies inside, the pleasure of endorphins running amuck due to self gratification, a sense of fulfillment that, YES, I did accomplish this myself!

This is what I want to talk about.

This is where I want you involved.

This is our quest throughout the year!

Will you join me?  (if not…too bad, I will hunt you down and pester you like that annoying kid in the back of class that spat spit wads at the back of your head)

Welcome!

I am glad YOU have decided to come aboard the personal journey.

Really, it is simple.

I want to know what is it YOU want to accomplish this year.

Sure, we would all like to lose 10 pounds, get in shape, quit smoking – blah blah those are resolutions that we forget about once we get rid of that New Years Eve hangover.

I want YOU to be unique, creative – seek something deep down that YOU want to fulfill for YOU!

Catch my drift?

It is as easy as this….

Yours truly – this year’s personal journey is to work on my own mental stability.  I want to be more positive, less stressed, back to my easy going lackadaisical self.  You will have more of an understanding of where I am coming from next month as I go into some deep details.

Next up, the Mrs. aka my wife has made it her own personal journey to run in three half marathons this year.  She has never run in a marathon prior, nor is she an avid runner.  Her first half marathon was at the end of January, the PF Changs here in Arizona.  Of course it kicked her butt, but she kicked butt by finishing it and never stopping!  Her next stop will be San Diego!

These are the types of personal journeys I want to know about from YOU!  Will YOU join me?  Leave a comment with a means of contact below with what it is YOU want to accomplish this year.  Once a month I will follow up to see how YOU are coming along.  Yes, I will be your Cheerleader (just without the pompoms and short skirt)!  Remember this is for YOU!

Let’s get active….MomActive!

Peas Out!

~daddy b.

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Goals vs Resolutions

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It’s January again, which means that everyone is talking about making New Year’s resolutions. Some of the most common resolutions are to lose weight, stop smoking, and make more money. While there’s lots of talk about achieving these goals, there’s less talk about how or what’s important about achieving them.

In my opinion, using the term resolution has a negative connotation since many of us abandon our New Year’s resolutions by February anyhow. I refer to my resolutions as goals, but I also take it one step further and redefine what that means.

Redefining Goals: What’s Really Important?
Ask yourself this question: What’s most important? Reaching the finish line or learning something from the journey?

Sometimes we get so caught up in the need to achieve our goals that we lose our focus or even ourselves along the way. Sure, being successful at something or being able to cross a goal off your list feels great, but sometimes what we learn from the process is more valuable. For instance, my goal of shedding those stubborn 15 pounds of leftover baby weight initially became a goal because I wanted to feel good about myself again. But as I’ve been working towards that, I’ve realized that even if I don’t get to that magic number, I’ve still achieved something. Becoming healthier and being a role model for my children, and even my husband, is equally, if not more important than looking great.

How Do We Achieve Our Goals?
The best way to achieve our goals is to start them when we feel motivated…NOW! Don’t wait until a future date to begin working towards something because the more we put something off, the less we feel motivated. And motivation is extremely important because it’s what keeps us focused on our goals. Without motivation, excuses start to creep in and before you know it, you’ve decided that your goals are no longer important.

Another key to achieving goals is to constantly reassess them. When you revisit your goals regularly, you may realize that you need to alter or make them more realistic. There’s nothing wrong with tweaking goals along the way, especially if it will help you achieve them.

You can read more of my thoughts about redefining resolutions on my blog,  The (Un)Experienced Mom.

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