Wednesday, February 22, 2017

// the gift of laughter //

When we are down and out, laughter is about the most painful noise to our ears.  It becomes almost a mockery - as if everyone is laughing at us!  Here I am over here trying to retreat to an area to sulk and mope in my pain and can hear this faint giggling in the background!  How can people be so relaxed?  Do they have no respect for all of us over here suffering?

Sounds silly doesn't it.  It wasn't until I had a child that I realized how sad it is to deprive yourself of laughter.  It only took my daughter being upset about something one time and me trying to make her laugh, and watching how angry it made her!  It has really nothing to do with not laughing, and everything to do with the self-pity and anger.  I was working to cheer her up and could see her denying herself the simplest of pleasures - laughter!

We talked about it and I told her that she really had to stop taking herself so seriously.  Self-pity and ego-feeding are not virtues that anyone respects.  It is time to lighten up!  When we learn to laugh at ourselves, we are admitting that there are some things that we cannot control, but it won't take away from our happiness.  No person, thing, event, or circumstance can steal our joy.

Today, I invite you to practice laughing even when it hurts.  Stop taking yourself so seriously.  Stop punishing those around you that want to be happy.  Enjoy this life.

xoxo







"For the despondent, every day brings trouble; but for the happy heart, life is a continual feast."
Proverbs 15:15

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

// be more intentional and purposeful with family //

Do you ever get so busy that you can slowly see your world around you unraveling? I do!

My tribe (husband, child, dogs) apparently use me as their beacon for all things. For instance, November was SUPER busy for me!  I did TWO holiday markets and was drowning in packing and fulfilling orders. Bailey came home from school and in one week alone, got her card pulled three times, my dogs pooped all over the house while I was away, and my husband had NOTHING to wear to work!

During times like those, I find that I get so deep into the tailspin that I can't even recover.  Sometimes, I just have to ride out the storm and clean up the mess when it is over.  I don't think that there is anything particularly "wrong" with being busy, but when I am not, I try to utilize that time a little better.

These are three tried and true tips for how to be more intentional with your days with your family, and they are EASY!

1.  Dig Deep. I mean, spending all day working with the energy of a Olympic runner and then trying to be equally as energetic at home at night is hard.  But, remember the old adage, "Energy produces energy." When we spend time with our family, it is meaningful and doing things that are meaningful draw an entirely new type of energy.  Merely crashing at night means that you are floating through life uninspired.  Take the time every day to be still and enjoy a couple minutes of silence with your loved ones.

2.  Be Present.  Think of time with your kids like a date night.  You wouldn't sit on your phone across the table from your date, and you surely shouldn't with your kids.  Unplug.  When I commit to just sitting with Bailey and doing an activity with her, I get lost in it!  I recently came across a study that said that the average working mom spent only 13 minutes a day giving her children one-on-one attention.  Better yet, stay at home moms only gave 15!  Being with your kids while folding laundry is not the same as being with your kids and playing Candyland - that time is not focused, the latter is. It is the best feeling to be completely connected and the more you do it, the more you will keep going back. The water that springs from that well is the best.

3.  Put on your mask first.  I once read an article where a mom was describing the need for women, especially mothers, to fill their own cup first.  She described parenting like being on an airplane with your kids and the cabin loses pressure.  Whose mask do you put on first?  Instincts tell you to take care of your kids first, but if you don't care for yourself first, you can't take care of your kids.  It's in the safety manual people!  So, sometimes we need to go fill our own cup so we can be better parents, wives, friends, and co-workers.,. and that is ok.


xoxo








This was Bailey when she was just 2 months old.
Looking back at old pictures is a good reminder to enjoy this time. (tear)