Let's Take Time for Ourselves!

As this busy holiday season gets under way, it's all too easy to find ourselves getting lost in the shuffle. We rush from one thing to another, never stopping to take a most-needed time out! Before we know it, we're feeling used-up. Like Mr. Grinch, we're ready to say Bah! Humbug! In order to prevent this from happening, we need to act like we did when we were babies and pay close attention to our own internal signals. When we're tired, we absolutely must rest. When we're hungry, we need to stop and eat. When we need comfort, we need to open our mouths and ask for it. Let's make this holiday season one that replenishes our spirits, minds, and bodies.

Intention for Today - Coach!

COACH

The dictionary tells us that to 'coach' is to instruct and supervise.  When we get in the practice of being a 'coach' to ourselves, we take on a new attitude.  A good coach supports, teaches, oversees, and leads by example.  Let's intend to give ourselves these gifts for today.  We can be keen observers of our own behaviors, support ourselves in making adjustments when things aren't working just right, and use encouragement rather than self-criticism when we find areas for improvement.  When in doubt, let's ask "What would a great coach say about this?"

Intention for Today - Contribute!

CONTRIBUTE

What would the world be like if every day we woke up intending to contribute something of value to the day?  When we intend to make a difference by contributing, we look for ways of offering something to the people in our lives and the world around us. 

 Here are a few ways to get started.

Contribute by . . .

• listening to someone who needs to be heard
  
• volunteering at a local soup kitchen
  
• giving hugs
  
• picking up random litter
  
• writing an article
  
• tutoring a struggling student
  
• paying someone's toll
  
• waiting patiently
  
• holding back on judgments
  
• giving compliments freely
  
• encouraging someone else . . .

What else can you add to the list?

Intention for Today - Luxuriate!

To 'luxuriate', the dictionary tells us, is to indulge with unrestrained delight and freedom. When we create the intention of luxuriating in the many delights that surround us, we fill our days with a multitude of blessings. Whether it's an hour with a great book, a walk in the park, a dinner party with friends, cuddle time with our favorite pet, or the soft fragrance of fresh laundry, we can learn to luxuriate in the sights, smells, sounds, and sensations of our wonderful environment. Each day then becomes another opportunity to replenish ourselves.

Intention for Today - Savor!

SAVOR

The dictionary reminds us that to "savor" is to take delight in. Today, let's intend to savor each and every moment. In order to do so, we have to "show up" and pay attention to the people and things around us, our own bodily sensations, our thoughts, the food we eat, the music we listen to, the smells that surround us, and our delightful sense of touch.

Smile - It doesn't cost a thing.

Do you want an easy way to make yourself feel better and brighten someone else's day at the same time?  It's easy, affordable, and fun.  Just remind yourself to smile as you go through your day.  Be aware of the number of people you come into contact with who seem to place a premium price on their own smiles.  Is it that they are in a bad mood, or is it just that they are unaware of what their faces are doing?  Sometimes we are oblivious to the world around us as we go through our days.  We fail to notice the people passing by, and as a result, we forget to make direct eye contact and smile.  Try it for a day, a week, a month, a year, and see what happens!

Say No More Often!

Do you always find yourself doing things you'd rather not do, just to be NICE?  Are you afraid to disappoint others?  If so, it's time to practice saying "No" a bit more often.  It's hard at first, but with practice you can become an expert.  Start by creating the intention of saying no to requests for your time, help, attention, money, knowledge, skill, etc. a minimum of once per day.  When that feels comfortable, add an extra negative response for good measure.  You'll begin to notice that the sky does not fall down upon you just because you ended up disappointing someone besides yourself for once.  Use the time and energy you gain to indulge yourself.  You deserve it!

When you consider your own needs as much as the needs of others, you begin to set clear limits. You find yourself giving of your time/energy because you want to, instead of from a sense of obligation.  Ultimately, everyone benefits!

Say No More Often!

Save Money in This Tough Economy!

Money is tight in this touch economy, and we are all looking for ways to stretch our budget dollars. Why not take advantage of great internet savings like these:

Great Deals and Freebies at drugstore.com!
It's your Lucky Day! Save 15% with your $40+ order at CurrentCatalog.com. Order by 03-01-09
Save 15% on all orders over $39 at David’s Cookies with coupon code DC1539C. Valid thru April 1, 2009.
Free shipping and tote with your order of $50 or more at Bliss!
Extra 15% Off all GreatSkin products - enter Coupon Code: HW15

Stress Relief Meets Biofeedback!

In our fast-paced society, we are all searching for ways to reduce stress, relax, meditate, and utilize the law of attraction. However, given our limited amount of time, we want quick and easy results. What could be easier and quicker than using computer technology and biofeedback training to induce empowering states of relaxation and meditation? This amazing technology is available to you through a company called Wild Divine. Check out their products and see for yourself. Just click the link below.

Love is an Action Verb!

I love you! These three words mean so much...some of the time. At other times, they can merely be hollow words with nothing evident in sight to back them up.

What they often mean is "I love you as long as I get that warm fuzzy feeling inside when I'm around you or when I think of you. Just don't ask me to demonstrate my love by asking too much of me."

When we equate love with internal feelings of bliss, it becomes dependent on our "loved" ones pleasing us on a consistent basis and asking very little in return. It's easy to feel "love" when it does not make many demands on us or our time.

Too often, we work harder to please relative strangers than those we say we "love." When we feel secure in our relationships, we tend to take them for granted and forget the importance of demonstrating our love on a day-to-day basis.

Love, in the truest sense of the word, is an action verb. We can say "I love you" and truly feel like we mean it, but the proof of our love is in our actions.

To see how our love stacks up in terms of action, we can ask ourselves these questions:

1. How do I demonstrate my love through action?
   
2. How do my loved ones experience my love?
   
3. If I didn't say the words, could they tell by my actions that I love them?
   
4. Do I demonstrate my love even when I don't feel "loving?"
   
5. Do my loved ones have to please me to "feel" wrapped in my love?
   
6. What actions from others do I experience as "loving?"
   
7. Do I only show love when I am "feeling" loved?
   
8. Who in my life demonstrates their love for me through their actions?
   
9. Are there people in my life who say they love me without providing any evidence of this love other than mere words?
   
10. What can I do differently to demonstrate my love?
    
11. Do I show love for myself in my actions - even when I don't "feel" deserving of this love?
    

When we reflect on these questions, we can heighten our awareness of our own ability to put love into action- with others and with ourselves. We can DECIDE to love when we see it as an active force rather than merely a feeling. True love exists when our actions match our words!

Copyright 2009 by Holly Cox

New Beginnings!

January is the perfect "start-over" month. It marks the beginning of a new year, and we are filled with resolutions, hopes, and dreams. We feel like we once did in school when we started the year off with shiny new notebooks. We prepare ourselves to write the next chapter of our lives, and we are determined to make the story line fabulous. All too often, though, our notebooks gets dusty as we ditch our good intentions and lose sight of what we truly want. Then we find ourselves starting over again year after year.

It's time to try something new this year. We can make it the best year ever if we:

1. refuse to make excuses
   
2. stop tolerating the energy drainers in our lives
3. focus on what we do want rather than on what we don't want
4. listen to our hearts
5. become champions for our dreams
   
6. do something each day to move us toward our hearts' desires
7. create habits that become effortless
8. take baby steps
9. keep trying UNTIL we get it right
10. celebrate each small victory