Everyone remembers the anticipation of the first day of school-- clean notebooks, fresh pens and pencils, perhaps a new backpack or pair of shoes.  The nervous excitement of new teachers and new classmates. So many opportunities and possibilities – so many choices and yet, so much work! 

 

Each year we say that this year will be different.  While our children promise to pay better attention in class, study harder, and be a better friend; parents have their own promises:  be more patient, stress less, cook more. Then we all wake up and it’s…the second day of school!  There is just too much to do and too little time.  While the school year has just begun, the kids and the parents alike feel overwhelmed and exhausted.   In truth, life’s demands are often overwhelming! The best of intentions, lacking a clear roadmap, will be lost. 

 

But, this year can be different! Imagine how amazing a less chaotic, more balanced household would look, feel, and sound.   This year, you and your children can each be more organized, less stressed and retain more control over your day-to-day choices.  You can create time to enjoy your individual and collective pursuits and to work and live healthfully. Life is not perfectly scripted but with a clear focus, you are able to deal more effectively with the unexpected and continue on your desired path.  By embarking on a series of small, measurable changes, you can realize your vision and your children can too.

 

Call or email me for a free consultation and we can discuss how I can best help you to achieve the balanced and peaceful home that you envision for yourself and for those you love.  Be well.

It’s hard to remember the relatively cold winter that we had this year, nor the beautiful wildflower covered spring. After all, we are now in the midst of the dog days of summer!  After a winter of cold hands and chapped lips, we welcomed spring with open arms.  The spring season served as a beautiful, yet often hectic, precursor to summer.  Summer arrives with the promise of slower days, sunshine and a time to reconnect with family and friends.  Seasons come and seasons go, each with its own identity and promise. 

Welcome to August:  brutal heat and long days.  Time to cram in those last summer activities before school resumes and routines return.  What’s left on your to-do list?  A weekend get-away?  One last pool party or cookout?  Or perhaps, you’re done!  Maybe you crave the return to routine. While the freedom of vacation is a wonderful and necessary time to slow down the pace and recharge, there is something about waking up to your morning alarm, feeding your pets, getting the paper, making the coffee, or whatever defines your personal routine. Why is it that routine can actually feel good? Routines provide structure, familiarity, and a sense of calm.  Routines allow us a better opportunity to plan quiet time, a workout, or an earlier bedtime.  While routines set certain limitations, they also allow for better planning and oftentimes a more productive and fulfilling day.  Perhaps the structure of the rest of the year provides the perfect counter balance to the freedom of summer. 

 As you take in the last couple of weeks of summer sun and begin to anticipate the return to school, football, and yes, traffic, it is a good time to begin to think about your fall routine.  What does my ideal week look like?  What time will I wake up?  What time will I go to sleep? When and how much will I work? When will I exercise, grocery shop, and cook?  When will I enjoy quiet time? Social time? Should I take a class?  Read a book?  As you consider these questions, do so with a focus on “balance.”  For example, while work, family time, and exercise are each important aspects of our lives, too much or too little of any of these create imbalance.  As we all know, when our lives are out of balance we have less energy, we are less productive, and we feel more stressed.  We feel overwhelmed by that which is sucking too much of our time and feel deprived by that which we are missing.  By spending some time examining and perhaps restructuring your routine, you can create a more peaceful, comfortable and balanced life.  Be well.