Money—the lack of it, the fear of losing it, the dread of not having enough—tops the list of concerns of many people these days. That’s because the economy is in bad shape, you may say. But didn’t those fears predate today’s bad news? And even when the economy is flourishing, we are still a debt-ridden nation. What’s going on? Our ability to create sufficient money in our lives is anchored by our financial attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors—what you believe can be true for your life. When these beliefs and values remain unexamined, they can get in the way of a sense of wellbeing and security. Here are a few of the more common attitudes that get in people’s way: I Don’t Like Money; I Don’t Care about Money This attitude is held by people at all income levels. It can have its origin in religious beliefs, political beliefs or guilt at inherited privilege. Pam is a child of the 60’s who says she doesn’t really like money. She never allows herself to have what she truly wants and always buys … Continue reading →

Stress is a natural and normal “by-product” of every family’s life. In fact, family stress can bring out the best of us: as we stretch to meet the challenges we face, we become better parents, our children blossom and our families grow. But too much stress can spiral our families in the other direction. Take this Thriving test to see how your family fares. Set 1 1. There is a lot of bickering in our house. Someone is always angry at someone else. 2. There’s never enough time to sit down together, either to talk or to eat. There’s always too much to do.   3. My spouse and I argue a lot about how to raise the children. 4. It’s like pulling teeth to get the kids to help around the house. 5. Our family has experienced a lot of significant change recently (divorce, death, blending family, job loss, illness, other trauma). 6. Money is very tight. My partner and I have constant conflicts about how to spend it. 7. My child has been having behavioral problems at school. … Continue reading →

Often the things we say to ourselves we wouldn’t even think of saying to another person. We blame, shame, call names of the meanest sort, nag, belittle and bully ourselves through self-talk. What if, instead, we were gentler with ourselves, asked ourselves questions and listened to the responses. What if we treated ourselves as we treat a best friend, someone we love dearly? Here’s a Top Ten list of loving things to say to yourself: 1. What do you feel? Asking ourselves what we feel can help put names to, and identify emotions. Listening for the response and being honest with ourselves is like taking our emotional temperature. 2. What do you need? A need is different from a want. Whereas a want states a desire, a need is usually a statement about nurturing. Pay attention to your needs, they’re about caring for yourself. 3. Good job Congratulate yourself on a job well done whether it’s mowing the lawn, writing a poem or cleaning the bathroom. Give yourself a verbal pat on the back. 4. I apologize Saying “I’m sorry” … Continue reading →

The saying, “Words are cheap, action speaks,” is never more true than when applied to “I love you.” Whether spoken to a romantic partner, your children or other family members, if the actions aren’t there to back up the loving words, it all means nothing. Below are 10 of the best ways to say “I love you” in your actions. But there are thousands more. Take a look at these, then grab your journal or a notepad and see how creative you can get in coming up with your own ideas. Most importantly, follow through on actually doing them. 1. Greet your loved ones with a big smile, a hug and a kiss. 2. Really listen to what your loved ones are saying; give them your undivided and undistracted attention. 3. Support each other through tough times. 4. Do simple (even random) acts of kindness, such as massaging shoulders or feet, cooking a favorite meal, running a bath. 5. Spend one-on-one time with your loved ones, with no particular agenda. 6. Commit to letting go of judgment of their faults. … Continue reading →

Last month we had a great Group Phone Session on Weight Loss. Sticking to a weight loss plan or ANY GOAL is much easier when your energy has been cleaned up and rebalanced. However, an energy clearing does not mean from here on out everything will be effortless. That’s not the way it works, and besides…that would make life so boring! YOU still get to follow through and take accountability, that way you get the great feeling of accomplishment when you get to the other side of that goal –yay you! Clearing the energy makes it much easier because you no longer have the extra tethers holding you back, and once fresh, positive affirmations are planted, you get to nurture those new seeds as they grow and become your exciting, new way of being. It often helps to set up systems to help with your new goals, because unfortunately, it’s all too easy to weasel out of a commitment after a few weeks (or even days) if there is no “answerability” (hey, it’s a real word, my thesaurus says so). … Continue reading →

The sound may be faint as the stirring of butterfly wings or as loud as a brass band on Fourth of July. Or you may not hear a sound at all, but feel an urging, an inner pull, a sense of excitement and longing that resonates from within. This is the call to create, and it is universal, bidding each of us to bring something new into being. “Creativity is the Self searching for itself,” said George Gamez, Ph.D., author of How to Catch Lightning in a Bottle. We create in order to express our unique visions and perceptions. We create to communicate and to form a bond with our fellow human beings. Creative expression helps us feel connected to the world and builds bridges of understanding. It nourishes us and helps us grow, provides insights and deeper understandings. Creativity is fun, exciting and playful. It relieves stress and releases tension. It provides a way of communication when normal channels may be blocked or are insufficient—when we must speak in colors and textures and shimmering visions and music. Creativity is … Continue reading →

You can find opportunities close at hand by paying attention to the positive things that are working for you and having gratitude for them, rather than finding reasons why things won’t work. They are lying dormant waiting for the observant eye to discover them.

How do you feel right now? Do you feel good? Do you feel bad? What are your current emotions? What is your gut feeling? Would you like to feel better? Then reach for a better feeling or thought.

According to the Law of Attraction, (which is very real), gratitude or appreciation attracts into your life more of the things that you’re grateful for and appreciate. Continue reading →