Personal Development

September 2004 - Achieving Balance In Your Life

Dear Reader,

Welcome to my first newsletter. Smell the Coffee and the Cookies too! is a newsletter designed to help you integrate and improve all facets of your life. Before we can be great moms, we have to be the very best we can be to ourselves.

I am a trained personal and professional life coach. I am also a work-from-home mom. My goal with this newsletter is to support stay-at-home and work-from-home moms by sharing ideas based on my expertise and my 20 year long journey of personal growth. If you have questions about anything presented here, or would like to see one of your particular issues addressed in a future issue, please feel free to call me at (630) 236-7142 or e-mail me at lori.radun@sbcglobal.net

If you know of others who may wish to receive this e-newsletter, please direct them to our website at www.true2youlifecoaching.com, where they can subscribe, or feel free to forward the e-newsletter to them.

Enjoy!

Lori

Quote of the Month:

To really love yourself is to care for yourself first; to nurture and listen on all levels to what you desire."

--Renate de Angelo

Achieving Balance

Have you ever watched children walk along a curb, or along the railway ties lining the local playground? They walk with their arms straight out, placing one foot in front of the other, as they teeter from side-to-side. They have to stay focused in order to keep their balance. As busy moms, we also need to focus on balance in our lives or we may end up falling off – not off a curb or a railway tie, but off our path in life.

I know what you are thinking: "Who has time to think about balance? I have enough to think about. I have to feed the baby, clean the house, stay on top of the laundry, and still try to find the time to play with the kids and be a loving and attentive wife before I fall into bed at night." I understand. However, I would like to encourage you to take a few minutes to read this article – and maybe to reflect on what balance would look like for you.

Personally, I need a little from all areas of my life. It is important for me to exercise and watch what I eat, and it is also important for me to have fun and express my creativity. My career as a life coach is my passion, and I am also passionate about spending time with my family. My church nourishes my spirit; spending time with my husband every day nourishes our marriage.

Finding balance in life is different for everyone. Some of us want to slow life down a little and lighten our load. Others may love the fast-paced lifestyle of the "Energizer Bunny," as they go-go-go. It is important for each of us to think about how we want to spend our lives and about what is most important to us as individuals. If you find yourself driven by circumstances and not exercising your power of choice, you are probably living "out of balance." For instance, how often to you hear yourself say, "I can't, I have to, or I need to…?" Are you giving up your right to choose? Do you insist on doing things a certain way without ever asking why or looking for a better way?

Balance in our lives enables us to make choices that are right for us – for the right reasons. We learn to say "no" to things we don't want to do. Or to change our attitude about those things that really must be done. We become willing to look honestly at what is not working in our lives. For some, it may be as simple as handing over household chores to a housekeeper in order to pursue a hobby. Others may find that seeking out a biking partner helps motivate them to exercise. Keeping balance may require saying no to a child's extracurricular activity to make time for a family night. Trying out new ideas one at a time can help each of us achieve the balance and fulfillment that may be missing from our lives.

It is important to remember that balance is a process and is constantly changing, just as our lives are constantly changing. Balance is not some static goal that we achieve and then move on. We achieve balance in the moment, understanding that in the next moment everything may change.

Look at the balance in your life over time. If life seems smooth and fulfilling, you are probably on the right track. If, however, your road through life seems bumpy and you are often unhappy, making changes to add more balance could be the answer for you.

Take Action Assignment

The Wheel of Life represents all areas of your life. This wheel is used to assess your current level of balance and satisfaction. For each area, rate your level of satisfaction on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being totally unsatisfied, and 10 being extremely satisfied. Then, on a piece of paper or in your journal, answer the following questions:

1. Which areas of your life would you like to grow in?
2. For each area you would like to improve, what would it take to move your current rating number up 1 or 2 notches? For example, if you rated your level of satisfaction in Spirituality as a 5, what would need to change in your life for you to rate your satisfaction at a 6 or a 7?
3. What could stand in the way of you making those changes?
4. How would your life be different if you achieved these goals?

Fun Corner

I know it's hard to believe, but summer is coming to an end. The kids will be going back to school and the cooler months will soon set in. Why not plan some time with your children and scrapbook your favorite summer memories? Pick out your favorite summer photos and express your creativity while your children have fun too. A scrapbook photo album is a wonderful way to relive those memories. It also makes a thoughtful gift. Most hobby stores have all the supplies and education you need to get started. For group fun and expert knowledge, attend a local "Creative Memories" scrapbooking workshop.

Resources

Creative Memories Representative:

Lori Doerner

Naperville, IL

(630) 369-5883

www.creativememories.com/loridoerner

Take Time for your Life -- A 7-Step Program for Creating the Life You Want

By Cheryl Richardson

"Take time for your life -- and begin living a life that you love."

www.cherylrichardson.com

Find out more...

If you would like to find out more about life coaching, please visit my website at www.true2youlifecoaching.com. Be sure to participate in my market survey for a chance to win a: $75 Salon/Spa Gift Certificate

I offer a FREE 45 minute telephone coaching session so you can experience the power of coaching for yourself. Please contact me at (630) 236-7142 to set up an appointment.

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