Five Tips for Cultivating a Positive Outlook on Life

There are may tips that you can use to change your outlook on life to a more positive one”

1 – Positive attitude — Changing your attitude and squashing negative thinking is a very important step. This will take time to master but eventually the new outlook and new way of thinking will become second nature.  Decide that from today, you are leaving negative thinking behind, and starting on the way towards positive thinking. It is never too late to start this process and soon you notice things changing for the better.

2 – Taking Care of yourself! — When we fail to take proper care of ourselves and put our minds, bodies and spirits on the back burner, it can cause many physical symptoms such as tense muscles, anxiety, dizziness, and rapid heartbeats.  Taking care of yourself is important, you are important!  Be sure to carve out some time each day to be good to yourself.   By doing this you will feel more refreshed and have a more refreshed outlook upon others and situations:

Examples:
Be sure you are getting enough rest, surround yourself with supportive people, break  bad habits, take short breaks during the work day, exercising, relaxation exercises, prayer/meditation or journaling…etc   

3- Send out Gratitude, appreciation and/or thankfulness –  When you express gratitude, you show your love and appreciation for people, places and things. Everyone needs to feel appreciated and the more you appreciate others the more others appreciate you.  Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life.  It also reminds us constantly of the small blessings that we have. 

4 – Get the Confidence you need to be the best YOU you can be! How you feel about yourself truly does affect your interaction with others, your overall outlook on life in general. 

Examples:
Start off each morning and end each day with a positive statement or thought, make a list of all your positive characteristics and achievements, take what you are good at and enhance it. Let others know about it! Hold you head up high and proud and know you have a special gift inside of you.

Building up self-confidence takes time and commitment but it is well worth it. You will soon find yourself embracing yourself and giving off a very positive energy that will surely come back to you.

5 – Learning now to deal with and react to negativity and stress — You can’t hide from negativity and stress. When you find your blood pressure rising along with your stress level it is then time to stop and think about how you’re reacting to the situation.

Suggested ways to deal with and react to negativity and stress

Write it down – Journal, Express yourself to a mentor, friend, loved one.  Give yourself a break.  Try to reach a healthy balance between what really needs to be done now and what can wait.  Also give yourself permission to ask others for help when you need it. 

If there’s something in your life that’s causing you to worry; seek out things that will help you feel in control.
 
Make Needed Adjustments - Let’s face it, there comes a time when we have to make adjustments in our lives.  Try to identify your stressors and adjust yourself accordingly so that you react differently to them or perhaps totally REMOVE them from your life.
 
It is amazing how our thought process and our words can keep us stuck in an uncomfortable place if we aren’t careful. Life will always be filled with a few curve balls and surprises and I encourage everyone to really work at being more positive (in your thoughts, speech and actions). Work at this daily until it becomes so much of a habit, that you won’t even have to think about it.

Create a Cleaning Routine to Make Housecleaning Easier

Cleaning house is a never-ending job.  There is an endless supply of dishes and clothes to wash, and that pesky dust never stays away for long.  Sometimes it seems that there are just not enough hours in the day to keep the house clean and get everything else done too.

In order to stay on top of housecleaning, it is essential for us to have a routine.  Every situation is different, so the routine that works for your mother, sister, or friend may or may not work for you.  But we can all create our own routines to make housecleaning easier.

* Tackle one room at a time.  Many of us don’t have an entire day to dedicate to house cleaning every week.  Doing one room at a time allows us to break the work up into smaller chunks while still accomplishing something noticeable.  One or two rooms each day should allow us to get the whole house clean in a week’s time.

* Do one task at a time, but do it for the whole house.  This is another effective way to break the work up.  For example, you could dust the entire house from end to end and be done with it.  Then you could move on to sweeping or vacuuming.  Doing things this way will save time by eliminating a lot of the “stop and go” as well.

* Try grouping certain tasks together to multitask.  Chores like doing the laundry do not require constant attention, so we can do other things while we’re waiting for the clothes to be washed and dried.  Associating another task with it that is more labor-intensive, like dusting or cleaning the kitchen, can increase our productivity.  Once the first load is finished, we can fold or iron clothes while waiting for the next load.

* Break larger tasks up into smaller ones if they become too monotonous.  Some of us have rooms that it seems to take forever to clean, or certain chores that we just hate to do.  Breaking them up into smaller, more manageable parts might help us get them done.  For example, if you despise cleaning the bathroom, you could clean the shower and then go work on something more enjoyable for a while.  Then you can come back later and tackle something else, and repeat until the whole bathroom is clean.

* Put on some upbeat music to keep yourself motivated.  Listening to music you love can make any task more pleasant, and something with a good beat will keep you moving.  You might even find yourself dancing as you clean.

Having a routine is a great way to do anything more efficiently.  This is especially true for housecleaning.  You may have to experiment a little at first, but finding a routine that works for you will pay off.  You’ll be able to get your house clean in less time, and you might even start enjoying it more.

A Free Memorial Day Family Fun  ebook for you.  It is our hope that this e-book will help you share some quality time with your family as you take in the weekend. Set aside some time to share with your kids what this day is about.

Memorial Day is upon us, and along with it often comes mixed emotions. On one hand it is a bit sad as we honor those who have lost their lives serving our country. This may be an especially meaningful day for those of you who have lost a family member. On the other hand, it is also often looked upon as the weekend that begins the summer months.

Be sure to download your free Memorial Day Family Fun ebook and gather some great ideas for crafts, recipes and family activities.

Enjoy!

It’s heartbreaking to see your newborn suffering from colic.  You feel so helpless, not to mention tired and worried. The first thing to do if you’re not sure that your baby actually has colic or some other ailment is to see your pediatrician.  He or she will be able to confirm if your baby is indeed suffering from colic and even give you some helpful solutions.

Here are a few things you can do to help soothe your baby’s colic:

Baby Massage – You don’t need any fancy books or classes to do this.  All you need to keep in mind is to be very gentle and look at your baby for any cues of discomfort.  Lay your baby on her back and add a little baby oil to your hands.  Rub your hands together to warm them up before touching baby.  Then lightly massage starting with babies arms, gently massage in long gentle stokes, then move on to babies tummy and massage in gentler circular motions, move on to the legs and finally the feet.

Play Soft Music – Some babies love soft music while others may cry even more. Experiment and see what works for your baby.  You can try very low classical music, be careful not to play it too loud as the tempo can sometimes agitate baby.  Try background or “white” noise such as the dishwasher or dryer.  You can also purchase one of the white noise CDs available at many baby stores.

A Warm Bath – Add a little chamomile lotion or natural lavender oil to your baby’s bath.  Then gently place baby in water and just let her relax.  The water will often relieve the pressure on their tummy and help the colic.

Swaddling – A lot of babies love the feeling of security that comes from being swaddled.  It may be due to the warmness or the fact that he won’t be startled by his own reflexes but swaddling is definitely worth a try to help soothe a colicky baby.
To swaddle your baby lay a blanket on a flat, soft surface and fold one of the corners down a little.  Place baby on his back with his head on the folded section.  Pull one of the corners over one of your baby’s arm and across his body.  Tuck the edge under his back.  Bring the bottom corner up under baby’s chin.  Then bring the last corner over your baby’s right arm and tuck it under the other side.  If your baby doesn’t enjoy this you can try swaddling but leaving his arms free.

Hamsters and Gerbils and Rabbits – Oh My!

Rodents may not be the first species you think about when you start considering a family pet, but they can be a great choice.  Rabbits are easily housetrained and are very social animals.  Gerbils and hamsters are fun and entertaining, but they do have very short lives compared with other household pets.

Hamsters are small (about 6 inches), typically solitary animals.  They are nocturnal by nature, and may be temperamental when handled.  Raising hamsters from babies is the best way to ensure they will be more agreeable, but they can still be biters - and the bites can be very painful.  Most hamsters only live for about 2 to 3 years.

Things to be concerned about when buying a hamster include:

  - Hamsters with runny or sticky eyes, matted fur or runny nose.

  - Pet store employees that cannot guarantee the sex of the hamster (you could end up buying a pregnant female).

  - Cages that are overcrowded and not separated by sex (males should be in one cage and females in another).

Gerbils are even smaller than hamsters (about 4 inches), with long tails.  They are very active and very social animals.  They prefer to be with other gerbils, but putting a male and female together is one way to insure that you will get prolific breeding.  Acquire your littermates when they are young to help them get used to one another.  Gerbils can be quite tame, and a pair would be content in a small home (about 1 ft by 2 ft by 1 ft).  Gerbils also have short lifespans - about 2 to 4 years.

Gerbils are best housed in a terrarium at least 10 inches by 18 inches (and 10 inches high).  Gerbils are hoppers, so keep the top tightly covered with a mesh lid.  They are also burrowers and need about 6 to 8 inches of material on the bottom (preferably a combination of straw and peat, or sawdust or wood shavings). 

There is really only one breed of gerbil sold in stores today - the Mongolian gerbil.  Hybrids of the breed have been developed over the past few years to introduce color variations.  There are some rare, imported species (like the small Egyptian gerbil, the Indian gerbil or the Libyan gerbil or jird) that can occasionally be found in shops today.

Rabbits have traditionally been kept outside, alone, in a hutch.  This is not the best place for such social animals.  Rabbits make ideal indoor pets.  They are friendly, like social interaction, and are typically easy to litter box train.

Both the female (doe) and the male (buck) can exhibit negative habits as they reach maturity.  The does can become territorial and start nipping.  The bucks can begin to spray their urine to try and attract a mate.  The best way to avoid this is to have your rabbit spayed or neutered when it is at the right age.

Rodents like the gerbil, hamster and even the rabbit can make the perfect choice for a first pet.  They are easy to care for and do not require a long-term commitment.  There are plenty of choices when it comes to family pets.  Be sure to pick the one that is best suited to your needs and your home life.

Here is a picture of my grandson Kevin and I taken this morning.  The 1st shot is of me talking to him.  It is amazing how alert her is at just 10 days old!   

Once in awhile I will offer a special on one of my products and here I am with a great special for you.  I know I love it when I run across a good deal and I am sure you do too so; I am offering you a 30% discount on the Journey To Joy package

This special discounted price is only good for 2 weeks.  Don’t forget that your Journey to Joy eBook purchase is protected by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Here’s all you need to do to get your discounted rate.

Simply visit the special discount page that I set up for you here http://www.reallifecoaching.net/jtjspecial.shtml and place your order.  That’s all there is to it.

Immediately after your purchase you will receive the link to download the inspiring 46 page eBook that is filled with clear-cut step-by-step action items to help you claim the happiness that you deserve.  Along with the eBook are links all of your bonus audios, reports and transcripts.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Saving Money on Groceries

There are two ways to save money on your groceries, buy less or pay less.  But it doesn’t end there because there are lots of different ways to do these two things. 

Buying less always sounds like you have to cut down on what you buy but this isn’t always true.  Spending less always sounds like going into the supermarket with a bag full of coupons.  True, these are ways to cut down on your grocery shopping bills but with a little bit of thought you could probably cut down your spending many other ways too.

You may be able to buy less because you are using less or reusing the same things more than once like plastic bags and containers.  You can also buy less by making things last longer like diluting fruit juices.  This will help you save money and calories.

Another way to buy less and save on your grocery shopping is to buy smart and think about all the things that you might be wasting because they’ve gone bad or expired before it gets used.  Large yogurt pots and some fruits and vegetables can cause this problem.

Also think about all the disposable items you might be buying that could be replaced by a one off permanent item, for example permanent coffee filters, plastic food containers instead of disposable bags, razors for shaving, even water filters.  There must be tons of people throwing money away because they buy bottled water instead of using a water filter that dollar for dollar gives you probably ten times the same amount of fresh filtered water.

The most common ways to pay less for items is to buy the items on sale, buy cheaper brands, or buying in bulk.  Often items that are reduced to clear are perfectly suitable to consume it’s just that the store has to sell them quick or face throwing it out.

Also avoid impulsive buying.  Many people buy impulsively because the products are there on the shelf in front of them.  You know what they say, never go grocery shopping when you are feeling hungry or without a list.

You can also shop around different stores to find the bargains and you might be surprised by how much you can save.

Be weary of supermarket tricks.  Things like raising the price of a popular brand for about two weeks then ‘price cutting’ to just below the original price to make it look like it’s on special offer. 

Supermarkets can raise and lower their prices to match the supplier’s situation.  So if a product supplier is struggling to supply apples one week, then the price will go up, and when the apples start flooding back in again, a special offer price will appear.

But don’t make the common mistakes that many people make.  When supermarkets put things on special offer, such as ‘buy one and get one free’ people think this is a great deal.  It often is, but this may make you simply consume more so you really won’t be saving much at all.

The best ‘two for the price of one’ offers are on things that you can only consume at a certain rate like bathroom and cleaning products, such as toothpaste and soap powder. 

The same thing goes for coupons.  Sure coupons are a great way to save money on groceries but if you’re buying things you normally wouldn’t buy or twice as much to get the special sale price then you may actually end up spending more.  Often times the coupon offers are higher priced items than the store brands.

By the same token, be careful of store brand or value products that are cheaper imitations of the real thing.  Buying lower quality can be a money saver if you choose wisely, but if you end up using twice as much and the product lasts half as long, then you might as well enjoy the real thing.
 

Menu Plan Monday ~ May 19th

I am still here in Floriday with my daughter and my new grandson but that hasn’t stopped me from Meal Planning. Actually with a newbon baby in the house, setting up this meal plan already makes the week seem easier.

Nothing fancy this week for us here:

Tonight: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread

Tuesday: Chicken Salad, Cheese Bread

Wednesday: Left Over Spaghetti, salad

Thursday:Whole Roased Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

Friday: Pizza night

Into every life a little stress must fall.  When the stress reaches higher than normal levels on a regular basis, your health can start to be affected.  Moms may look invincible or even think they are invincible but it’s not true.  Stress and good health don’t mix.

Stress is our body’s response to outside stimuli.  Sure that sounds good, but it doesn’t mean very much.  When you come home from a hard day at work and the sink is full of dishes, the laundry room is piled high with clothing, and the sink in the bathroom has been dripping all day, your blood pressure begins to rise.
The first person who says something to you usually gets to hear about your frustration.  Or, they get to see you run bawling to the bedroom and shut the door.  This is stress. 

Moms, we have to protect our health.  If the above scenario is typical of your daily life, watch out.  You need to cease and desist before you end up in bed or the loony bin.  Popping pills is not a long-term solution to the side effects you are experiencing from your stress. Antacids and headache medication is not the answer.

Did you know that too much pain medication can irritate your digestive system?  Your body will fight back with bowel trouble or worse.  There’s a reason that labels tell you not to exceed a specified dose in twenty-four hours.  We’ve go to stop abusing our bodies.

Are you a stress eater – increasing your caloric intake as your stress increases?  I am.  I didn’t know it until I had gained about twenty pounds.  Stress can lead to some unhealthy ways of coping.  My fix was peanut butter cups.  Do you know how many calories are in those things?  I would shield my eyes from the nutritional information.  It’s a wonder I didn’t explode.

Stress can lead to poor eating habits.  Overeating or eating the wrong things can lead to obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.  These illnesses can lead to heart disease and stroke.  Basically, we’re talking about a premature death.  That is not an option for you, mom.

Stress can also cause ulcers, migraine headaches, and depression.  These conditions can be avoided when we take better care of ourselves.  Enlist the aid of your spouse, parents, sisters, brothers, and friends.  You are not the first one to suffer stress and you will not be the last.  Living with it is not an option.

As a mom, your children can even help you.  How can that purple-faced person with jam all over himself help you?  Kiss his jam stained face until all the jam is gone.  Jump on the bed with him.  Snuggle together with some books and let all the day’s worries stay outside that door. 

He may be a reason for some of the stress, but he is also the joy of your life.  You endure because of his angelic face.  Be there for him when he grows up by learning to cope with stress now.