Archive for Uncategorized
Thanks to All of You
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Packing Lunches and Easy Snacks
Posted by: | CommentsMy daughter just started her senior year yesterday, so we are back to her packing lunches. She has been packing her own lunch since kindergarten (with some oversight of course.) I have never been impressed with school menus which seem to include a lot of pizza and chicken nuggets.
But, as she doesn’t like sandwiches it’s always a challenge to find something to bring. She usually packs a small bag of nuts, a small bag of crackers with cheese or peanut butter, popcorn, or pretzels, a piece of fruit and/or carrots, a granola or fiber bar and sometimes a cookie or pudding. In winter she’ll substitute yogurt for the crackers and nuts.
Always trying to expand the lunch I found some other lunch ideas:
I love those cute Bento lunches, but neither my daughter or I have the time or the patience. Some of the lunches seem easy enough though, like the one below with yogurt, blueberries, granola and wheat crackers with almond butter.
Eating Well healthy lunch recipes
What are your favorite lunches to pack?
Weekly Simplicity Tips
Posted by: | CommentsWelcome to this week’s issue of Weekly Simplicity Tips.
I had so much fun connecting with old friends and family for our annual Labor Day Weekend campout.
And today I have been doing some Fall prep.
- Reorganize your morning and evening routines for the new season.
- Review your family’s weekly schedule.
- Cook some extra meals for busy fall nights.
- Wash your blankets and comforters.
- Post some easy school/work lunches on the fridge.
- Look within for happiness, not circumstances.
- Go through one box in your basement or attic to declutter.
Solutions
2 Coaching Openings for Fall
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I have clients from Vietnam, Australia, the U.K. and all over the world.
If you are looking to make progress on a lagging project, organize and simplify, or find your most fulfilling life I can be there to encourage, plan and lend you accountability.
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All my courses, programs, calls and groups for one low price
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Sign up for the Declutter Calendar and Weekly Tips Here: http://www.mysimplerlife.com/decluttercalendar.htm
Seasonal Planning
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As we go into the next season, what do you want from the next few months?
I love to plan seasonally instead of quarterly since it is more in tuned to nature. And I can remember to include seasonal things to do.
Some of the things I want to do this autumn:
- Make caramel apples
- Learn to make applesauce
- Go on at least 3 bike rides
- Take up Zumba
- Finish up the retreat kit and time course
- Celebrate my birthday
- Make pumpkin seeds
What are some of the things you want to do this upcoming season?
Weekly Simplicity Tips
Posted by: | CommentsWelcome to this week’s issue of Weekly Simplicity Tips. I was feeling a little more emotionally fragile this week. I am thankful for dear friends. This weekend was so renewing. Lot of outside time, a small connecting road trip with my husband Sunday afternoon, reading, eating peaches and reminding myself of the good in this world.
- Your body likes it when you go to bed at the same time each night.
- Where are you giving away your power? Where do you have more control then you are taking?
- Are you prepared? http://www.ready.gov/
- Back to School Checklist: http://www.mysimplerlife.com/blog/back-to-school-checklist-2
- Shake out your welcome mat.
- Call a friend or relative to keep in touch.
- Take a few minutes to dream about how you would like your life to be like.
Solutions
Can you picture a simplified life in your mind? In this one month course you will: Zap your energy drains ~ Clean up your environment ~ Create satisfying routines ~ Streamline your life ~ Learn how to slow down ~ Create boundaries ~ Carve out time for yourself ~ Simplify your errands ~ Manage your finances ~ Create a simple wardrobe ~ Connect with the people you love ~ Beat procrastination ~ Get a life instead of a lifestyle ~ Eliminate projects and to do’s and more!
The Simplicity eCourse:
http://www.encouragingcoach.com/programs-simplicity.htm
All my courses, programs, calls and groups for one low price
***
Sign up for the Declutter Calendar and Weekly Tips Here: http://www.mysimplerlife.com/decluttercalendar.htm
Weekly Simplicity Tips
Posted by: | CommentsThe weather cooled off this week and we were able to get out for a walk every day. Dragonflies and butterflies followed us.
It was picnic day in my little town, so my daughter and I ate lunch in the picnic benches downtown and chatted with a nice elderly couple.
This weekend, since school is coming up I re-did my daily rhythm which is my routine. I change it quarterly because things change with the seasons. And I can’t stay in a routine longer than that.
P.S. I upgraded my wordpress this week so some of the things on my blog went screwy. Let me know if you find anything out of whack. Thanks!
- Pick on a project that is not moving ahead and work on it 5 min a day.
- Ask yourself if you are keeping busy to stay away from certain feelings.
- Set the timer for 15 minutes and see how many files you can go through.
- Start planning your next vacation, even if just in your head.
- Try something new.
- Declare a small stuff day where you quickly burst through those little nagging tasks.
- Leave 10 minutes early for everything.
Solutions
Can you picture a simplified life in your mind? In this one month course you will: Zap your energy drains ~ Clean up your environment ~ Create satisfying routines ~ Streamline your life ~ Learn how to slow down ~ Create boundaries ~ Carve out time for yourself ~ Simplify your errands ~ Manage your finances ~ Create a simple wardrobe ~ Connect with the people you love ~ Beat procrastination ~ Get a life instead of a lifestyle ~ Eliminate projects and to do’s and more!
The Simplicity eCourse:
http://www.encouragingcoach.com/programs-simplicity.htm
All my courses, programs, calls and groups for one low price
***
Sign up for the Declutter Calendar and Weekly Tips Here: http://www.mysimplerlife.com/decluttercalendar.htm
Self-Compassion
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I’ve been reading a lot on self-compassion lately, from various places. And I’ve been thinking about it with my Declutter Group.
Self-compassion is more important than self-discipline. Picture yourself overeating. Disgusted with yourself you tell yourself you are fat and stupid. Which makes you want to eat. So you do. If only you had more self-discipline. Then you call yourself names and the cycle continues. Yet somehow we think this is the best way to stop ourselves from overeating.
Now picture yourself overeating. Afterwards, you tell yourself everyone overeats sometimes. It’s normal. And you can ask what you want to do now. Or what you have learned from it. Perhaps that you allowed yourself to get too hungry and will do better at spacing meals. You compensate by eating a little less at your next meal without beating yourself up about it.
Same idea with decluttering or cleaning. People tend to think they should have decluttered already and they were just being lazy. Their self talk only makes them have low energy when it is time to declutter. All that guilt from the past of not decluttering sucking the energy from the current decluttering time.
Instead you can be compassionate with yourself. If you could have decluttered before you would have. But, now is now. And you can congratulate yourself for starting to declutter in this moment. Feel how much more energy you have for decluttering with just different self talk.
Where do you need more self-compassion?
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If you like to read more on why self-compassion works, here are a couple articles:
Self-Compassion and Psychological Health
How Self-Compassion Trumps Self-Esteem
Photograph from Wonderlane
Missing You
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One of the hardest parts is when you forget he’s gone, then you are re-shocked as you remember.
Like making way too much spaghetti or seeing his truck and thinking, "Oh good, Jon’s home."
Wondering if I should wake Jon for church Sunday.
On one of the thank you notes I included his signature.
And times of remembering what we have lost. Going to a restaurant and remembering last time we were here we sat on the other side and we were a family of 4. A family of 3 seems so small. And that my sister’s new baby is never going to know her cousin Jonathan. We won’t get to take him to see Kung Fu Panda 2.
Missing you my sweet son!
Thank You
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As I grieve, I see even more clearer how the important things are the people in your life. Not the to do’s you think you must do or the stuff you have.
And I am so grateful for all the support we have had.
Thank you everyone
~ for the lovely facebook posts
~ for the condolence emails
~ for the support on my blog
~ for the calls
~ for the food
~ for the fundraiser
~ for the lovely flowers and cards
~ and for the continuous prayers and love
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Card by Lindsay Dee
Displaying Heirlooms
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As we declutter, I never advocate getting rid of everything with sentimental value. Having a sense of history is important.
But, we don’t show that importance when we fill boxes with stuff, maybe not keeping them very nicely and not looking at them.
I was reading November’s Whole Living Magazine and they shared lovely ways to display your memorabilia.
My favorite was a glass jar they you can fill with things related to a certain person or event. You can lean papers up on the side or photos. The jar can hold physical things like a brooch, shells or buttons. That way your memories are displayed lovingly.
You can also hang up jewelry, photos, newspaper clippings, hats, scarves and many other items.
You can create scrapbooks, but you can also create scrapboxes. Boxes with glass tops can hold memorabilia you can see. You can leave these on tables or if things are fastened down, you can hang them up. You can even make your own scrapbox.
Here are some fantastic ideas I discovered:
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Photo by clif1066
