Happy New Year! We made it! I’m so excited about all of the things that 2015 can hold for all of us. I’m almost done with my vision boards. I think I went a little overboard with three. But, I needed to organize my thoughts a little better  . 

As a caregiver, I tend to think so much about my mom and sister; that I’m all over the place when it comes to goal setting for myself. Does anyone else ever feel that way? I’m blessed that I was able to do a lot in 2014. But, I know that if I want to do extraordinary things in 2015. I have to be willing to do something I’ve never done before. So, that means I need to put some “vision” to my goals.

Now believe me, I don’t want to add anything extra to your plate or mine. Our plates are “super full”. But, having something to focus on is motivating. It may even be that one thing that can lift you up when times get hard.

I hope you’ve been enjoying the holidays. It’s always good to have time with our family and friends. So many memories are being made, and so many are being discussed. 2014 was an amazing year! I feel so blessed to have had the opportunities I’ve been blessed with. They have made me ” hungry” to set my sites on new goals for 2015.

How are your “vision boards” coming? I’m almost done, and can’t wait to show them to you. I’ve never done them before. But, I believe in order to do something extraordinary, you have to be willing to do something outside of the ordinary to get there. So, it’s time to take a new approach to life.

Well, we’ve almost made it. It’s almost 2015. Are you feeling balanced and fulfilled yet? Don’t laugh, I know it’s not that easy. I wish we could read posts and magically have it all together . But, I know it takes a little more work than that. I just hope I’ve given you a little help along the way. I truly believe that when I encourage someone else, I’m encouraging myself. So, know this is not a one sided conversation. With that said, let’s dive into one area that I always need help with, preparation and planning.

Do you ever look for moments where the world stops spinning? Of course, I don’t mean literally. But, those moments where it doesn’t seem like there are a million demands on your time. Where you can just sit in one spot, close your eyes, and hear nothing. Those moments of peace and stillness that seems to quiet a part of your soul that has been longing for this moment. Can you feel it? I can, and I was just giving you a verbal picture of what stillness means to me. It’s such an elusive thing for most of us, especially caregivers. But, it’s one moment that we need to tap into more. It’s a critical part of the journey to balance and fulfillment in 2015. There is peace in stillness.

Hello everyone! I hope your week is starting off great. I apologize about the “pause in posts”. But, things got hectic with work, family, and the holidays. I just got my Christmas cards to give out tonight (no judgments, please). So, I had to handle “some things” before I came back. But, I’m ready. So, let’s talk about the next step on the journey to balance and fulfillment in 2015, having a cheerful heart.

When I say having a “cheerful heart”, what do you think I mean? Cheerfulness means different things to different people. Many think it’s having a noticeably happy and optimistic approach to life. Or, it can be defined as having the ability to cause happiness through your appearance or nature for others. But, I define it in a totally different way. I think it’s the ability to invoke a feeling of happiness and/or contentment in yourself that allows you to be able to adjust to all situations around you.

A “cheerful heart” can help you overcome challenges, when life seems overwhelming. It’s one of the key factors that have helped me on the caregiving journey. When I first started out, my heart was definitely not cheerful. I was grieving the loss of my father, and trying to change my life to accommodate my mom. I felt trapped and angry all the time. I was looking for an out.