Move Down Front

We all know the story of Rosa Parks and her refusal to move her tired feet one more step to the back of the bus. So I’m not going to repeat it here. But what I will do is take a moment to acknowledge how easy it is to grow accustomed to being in the back that when opportunities to hit the front arise, they’re missed.

Usually I sit at the back or on the sides of large gatherings for many reasons but mainly – kids and bathroom. I have my children with me probably 85% of most things that I do so I’m constantly wrangling, shushing and entertaining while trying to glean experiences (church, meetings, dinner, etc). As for the bathroom, well I have two kids, and my moms out there you already know what carrying babies in your body does to one’s bladder, so there’s that.

Last week I attended a leadership and entrepreneurs’ conference. I didn’t have my kids with me; I’d avoided having a lot to drink for the morning so I decided to move up in the room. Not to the front but certainly closer than my usual perch. One of the other attendees looked at me and said, “I’m going to the front. Come on.” I was hesitant, but really there was nothing holding me back except fear, fear of being seen; fear of being held responsible for the view and things that I learned there down front.

Mind you, I’ve always been a bit skeptical of people that show up places late demanding a seat in the front. I’m thinking what makes you so special to head down there late, but maybe I should be asking the other way, why are there still open seats in the front? Shouldn’t we all want to be closer to the flames? Don’t we all deserve an opportunity and access? What does it say about us when we don’t move down front?

On that day, moving down front was just the start of moving outside of my comfort zone. As a result of taking multiple steps different than my normal path, I was rewarded at a greater level than I’d ever experienced. So today I want to you to make a decision to move down front. Is there an area of life where you’ve been sitting in the back for far too long? Drop a comment below. It’s time to move down front in 2018.

Just 10 Minutes to Improve Your Mood Daily

10 Minutes to Improve Your Mood Daily

With holiday commitments, it’s easy to over look self for the “care” of others. But in all actuality, we often end up more burnt out than before. Taking 10 minutes to improve yourself each day is a wonderful gift that you (and those that have to deal with you) will appreciate greatly. Here are the things that fill my 10 minutes:

1.       Pray/Affirm positive things for yourself.

2.       Intentionally choose peace & joy as your companions.

3.       Write down one thing/one sentence that you are grateful for each day.

4.       Read something that has nothing to do with work (or politics, or parenting, or anything stressful).

5.       Watch/listen to something funny and allow yourself to laugh.

6.       Wear something that makes you feel GREAT.

7.       Move your body (walk, stretch, dance, whatever).

Do these things EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. You’ll be thankful you did.

Thankful for Me

A couple of months ago I heard a radio host ask what is the best thing about ourselves. I realized in that moment that it can become entirely too easy to focus on the things that aren’t so great. And those are the things that we spend our time, money and energy on. We pray “God fix this… Help me with…”.  We invest in courses, read books and join groups to help us fix what’s wrong. Now I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with becoming a better version of yourself or strengthening areas of weakness. But what would happen if we temporarily exchanged our “fix-it” mentality for a “thankful for it” outlook?

This month is when our focus is on Thanksgiving. Many of us gather with family and friends and list off the things we are grateful for: life, family, food, clothes, housing, etc. How many times have you just had a moment of gratitude for who and how you are? Have you ever dared to thank your creator for all of the good things about yourself? Even further, have you ever been bold enough to offer the good parts of yourself back to Him for His use? Changing your prayer from “Lord, this is broken, fix it soon. Amen” to “Lord I am grateful for the gift of a beautiful smile. May you be pleased with use of my smile as I encounter people today.”

I know it seems almost too simple, but imagine hearing all of the good things you’ve done listed off. To a creator, seeing your hard work is a great reward.  We’ve talked about Bliss Lists in relationships, but what about a Gratitude List for self and all of the things that make you wonderful.

Take some time today and list out ALL of the things that make you amazing. What are the things about yourself that you’re grateful for? Maybe you’re resilient, creative and kind. Perhaps you have a keen business sense, mathematical mind or a knack for organizing chaos. Take that list and create a Prayer of Thanksgiving for all of the things that make you, YOU.

Mommy Balance: 5 Tips to Mom Better

Being a Mom is hard. There, I said it.  Not only is it hard but it literally influences everything you do.  Every decision that you make is filtered through the lens of motherhood (even if unintentionally). Don’t believe me? Let’s see.  If you’re a mom I’d bet you have had one, if not all, of these thoughts at some point:

·         Can’t be too loud having sex, it’ll wake the baby.

·         How far is the daycare/kids’ school in relation to this job?

·         If I go out late with friends tonight, how early will I have to be up early with kids tomorrow?

·         I wish that I could wear that outfit, but I can’t since I’ll have the baby with me.

·         Such and such would be great for dinner but I’d still have to make something different for the kids to enjoy.

I could probably go on or ask you to join it adding to the list. But I won’t instead, I’ll chat a bit about the mom balance. I’ve maintained that when it comes to life, there’s really no such thing as balance. It’s all a mash-up and whatever is pressing most at any given time is what gets the attention. (For example, even if we are at work and get a call from the school, our body is present at work but our minds automatically shift to what’s happening with the child.) It’s been a few months since I left “corporate” and that puts me in a place of regularly being hyper focused on the children. Therefore, I have had to take a more intentional and active role in not letting the mom side of things consistently dominate every aspect of my life. And to be honest, I think I’m better for it.

Here are 5 things that I do to maintain my mojo as a mommy:

1.       Be strategic about the activities that the children participate in (ultimately, I’m the one that’s going to have to drive them there).

2.       Carve out individual time with both of my children.

3.       Connect with other moms with children of similar ages.

4.       Play!

5.       Ask for help and take breaks.

Maintaining Me: A Checklist for Self-Care

The last few weeks have been overwhelming to say the least. I’ve found myself rocking in anxiety both due to internal and external factors. As I began to get my bearings together I have been reminded of the necessity of maintaining me. There are certain things that I must do to ensure my well-being prior to juggling all of the other things that I am responsible for.

Yesterday, I heard someone saying that we as individuals must make sure that we are getting our regular maintenance, like cars. And I began to think about what that maintenance would look like for me. Ironically enough when I opened my planner to grab today’s post topic, it was on Maintaining Me. Maybe not so ironic as it is divine. 😊 

The end of the year is rapidly approaching so the time for maintenance

Here’s my 10-point maintenance checklist:

·         What is my general mood and disposition lately?

·         When was the last time I had scheduled, uninterrupted me time?

·         When was the last time I did a personal Bible study?

·         When was the last time I connected with hubby without the kids?

·         When was the last time I connected with family and friends, outside of the context of obligations?

·         What was the last thing I did for self-improvement and the pursuit of higher knowledge?

·         How long has it been since I unplugged from social media and connected with real people?

·         What was the last hobby or personal interest I’ve pursued?

·         When was my most recent physical activity?

·         Where have I been outside my daily travel route?

When I have a hard time remembering or there has been a long time has passed, I know that that particular area likely needs maintenance. It may in fact already be broken. What is your maintenance routine? What would you add to this checklist?