5 posts categorized "Holidays"

July 03, 2011

Happy 4th of July! Creating a Great Memory

IStock_0fireworksmall Most of us love a fun celebration especially when there are good friends, good food and fun times.  This July 4th, remember to keep it fun and be moderate and smart with your celebration.

Things to remember:
1.    Drink responsibly.  There’s nothing like alcohol to throw things into a tail-spin.  Don’t over due a good thing or you risk things going bad fast.  Don’t drink and drive, be moderate with the amount you drink and don’t go out planning to get wasted.
2.    Keep things light.  Celebrations are not the time to have a serious conversation or to talk about serious upsets. Give yourself the day/night to relax, enjoy and have fun. You can always talk about serious issues the next day.
3.    Avoid working.  Be with your family and friends fully. Don’t constantly look at your phone, read your e-mails or check out your computer.  Give yourself and your family a green light to just enjoy—guilt free.
4.    Be positive.  Refuse to make fun of other people or talk about those distant cousins, strange neighbors or messed up friends.  Too many family fights occur after a mean-spirited statement or gossip.  Take the high road and enjoy them--don’t judge them.
5.    Create a positive memory.  Families are so often so busy that they have few opportunities to spend down time together.  Take the holiday weekend to make the time.  Give your children the gift of your time and attention.  Run, play and laugh with them.  Let this holiday be a great memory for them…and you. You and your family deserve it.

The 4th of July is a great time for family barbeques, parties, and gatherings.  Make this year’s celebration be one full of fun not drama.  Keep things light; laugh and enjoy one another and the holiday.

Challenge: Have fun this 4th of July, be safe and create a great memory!

May 08, 2011

A Mother’s Day Thanks

IStock_0motherdaughterll To all the loving mothers in the world,

Thank you for the countless baths, 2 a.m. feedings and seemingly endless diaper changes. Thank you for your loving pats on our backs, strokes of our hair and words of encouragement.  Thank you for holding us, singing to us and rocking us to sleep when we were just too young to do it ourselves.

As we got older, thank you for hanging in there with us when every fiber of your being wanted to give up, lie down or go away.  Thank you for your words of wisdom in the toughest of times and for your patience when we threw those words right back at you. Thank you for loving us enough to go on.  Thank you for the times when you set limits, knowing there would be hell to pay from our reactions.  Thank you for staying true to your values when we seemed to have none. 

Thank you for loving us even when we screamed that we didn’t love you.  Thank you for being wise enough to know we didn’t mean it.  Thank you especially for not saying those words back to us; we were too fragile to hear them.  Thank you for those times when you kept your cool even when we couldn’t keep ours.

Thank you for the endless housework, meals and loads of laundry you’ve done for us throughout our lifetimes.  You’ve taught us tenacity, unconditional love and modeled an inner strength we seldom acknowledged.  Your ability to give to us when it seemed as though all we did was take, was powerful.  We’re sorry for all those thankless moments.

Most of all, thank you for being there in ways few others were.  You are our calm in the storm, our go to person when things get hard and a key person we knew we could always count on.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Happy Mother’s Day!

With much love…



February 14, 2011

Valentine’s Day: A Day to Remember ALL Our Loved Ones

IStock_0feetheartll So often Valentine’s Day gets hyped up as a day for lovers only.  It’s often seen as a day of romance, passion and sparks.  Although romance can be one part of this day, it is certainly not the only part. 

Valentine’s Day is a day to remember our loved ones—not just our romantic partners--all our loved ones.  It’s a day to remind ourselves that we are part of a greater system than just ourselves.  The everyday demands of life too often take us away from remembering what truly matters—love and relationships.  Valentine’s Day is a reminder for us to stop and pay attention to those we care about.

Throughout the day today, stop and remember those people who have touched and continue to touch your life in a significant way.  Think of small ways you can let them know how much they mean to you: 
•    Send an e-mail to your mentor.
•    Call an old friend.
•    Hug your children and tell them how much you love them and what a gift they are in your life.
•    Thank your partner for being there for you through thick and thin.
•    Call a sibling and let them know you care. 

The options are endless.  If someone has touched your life, reach back and touch theirs. 

Continue reading "Valentine’s Day: A Day to Remember ALL Our Loved Ones" »

December 31, 2010

A New Take On An Old Tradition: New Year’s Themes Vs. Resolutions

Enjoy this post from my blog Straight Talk On Relationships http://lmerlobooth.typepad.com/straighttalk/


I first heard about New Year’s Themes, rather than resolutions, from the life coaching world.  A New Year’s theme may be: "Come alive in 2005" or "Go for more in 2004".  All themes don't have to rhyme; they just have to feel right--to you.

A theme will be something you wrap many of your goals around.  For example, for your personal life, your theme for 2011 may be health.  In this case, you would focus on nutrition, doctor appointments, exercise, yoga, etc., throughout the year.  The health theme would help provide a focus for your goals the entire year.  Your theme is the container and the goals are the contents.

In general, I recommend coming up with a theme in three areas of your life:  relationships, work, and personal.  Creating three separate themes further helps with clarity and focus.  The health theme may work great in your personal life however, in your work life it may not be as much of an issue for you.   

In addition to creating a theme, it’s important that you break all goals into small chunks.  One way I do this is to have a specific focus each month.  For example, if your theme for relationships this year is connection, you may want to start by reconnecting with old friends in January.  In February the goal may be to finish thank you cards. In March, the focus may be cultivating new friends.  You continue this throughout the year, breaking down the larger theme of connection into smaller, bite size goals each month.  This helps to avoid overwhelm and is a great tool for keeping your New Year’s goals in mind the entire year.

As for me, my relationship theme for 2011 is self-care.  I want to focus on eating better, exercise, planning some alone time and enjoying my family.  Of course, part of a healthy balance for me is also continuing to push myself in my business so keep an eye out for new happenings at Straighttalk!

What’s your relationship theme for 2011?

Challenge:  This year, if you've already made your New Year's Resolutions, then look them over and see if there's a theme that ties them all together.  If so, write the theme on a blank card and tack it up where you will see it everyday.  Break it down into monthly chunks and stay focused.

If you have not made your resolutions yet, take some time to decide what your relationship, work, and personal themes will be.  Break each theme into monthly chunks.  Place these themes up where you can see them daily and use them as a compass to create a healthy, prosperous year, filled with much love and joy.

November 24, 2010

Put Conflicts Aside For A Day And Give Thanks

IStock_0Thanksgivingll This is a post from my blog Straighttalk On Relationships ...enjoy!

The holidays can often be a time of stress for families.  It seems as though we humans have a tendency to get caught up in the details of things and forget to enjoy the bigger picture. 

Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks.  It’s a time to get off the chaotic, goal driven, performance-based treadmill of life, and take a moment to take a breath, look around, and appreciate everything you have been given in life. 

Stop running, sit still, and appreciate what you have. 

Think about all the loved ones in your life and be thankful they are there.  Ignore, for one day, all the things you are not getting from them, and instead focus on what you are.  Put all business aside for 24 hours and refuse to pick up the phone, or answer e-mails, or make excuses of any kind, to not be present for your family.

Take a moment during the day, perhaps around the Thanksgiving Day table, to express your appreciation for your loved ones.  Let your spouse know all the things you love about him/her.  Tell your children you know they are wonderful human beings whom you love very much.  Express something positive to your parents.  Share whatever form of appreciation that feels genuine to you.  If it’s out of character for you to do this--do it anyway. 

Give your loved ones a gift this Thanksgiving:  be present, warm up, show love, and enjoy one another’s company.  One day out of an entire year, is not a lot to ask for.  Your family deserves it and so do you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Challenge:  Commit to putting work on hold for the entire day and night of Thanksgiving.  Focus on your family; verbally share your appreciation for them, be present—physically and emotionally, and act loving.  

P.S.: Thank you readers, for taking the time to read my blog, share your comments, and push me to grow. 

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