Monday Morning Wake Up Call

Your Motivation, Inspiration, & Direction for the Week Ahead

Here’s to a Less-Stressful Holiday Season I hope you had a fabulous holiday weekend. Today is the last day of November, which means that the December holiday season is upon us! This is my favorite time of the year: houses decorated with colorful lights, lots of parties, time with friends and family and a time to relax and recover from 2015 as we prepare for the New Year. However, many people find the holidays extremely stressful. They allow the pressures and demands to overshadow the joys of the season. Here are a few tips to keep your stress under control during the holidays: •    Prune the to-do list. Ask, “If I don’t do this, what will happen?” Aim to knock the list of chores down to the rock-bottom necessity. •    Buy, don’t bake. Turn your back on the oven this year. Supermarkets, bakeries and the freezer department are a great source for delicious pre-baked holiday treats. •    Call rather than sending cards. Reach out and touch someone… the easy way. Make a list of whom you will call, and put it in your calendar. You will brighten many days in a very special way! •    Scale back décor. Substitute a simple door wreath for outdoor lighting, a beautiful tree that can be the focal point where you spend the most time relaxing and set out a few holiday serving dishes. Focusing holiday decor on the big three – front door, tree or Menorah and focal point – can bring a festive feel to the house without weeklong decorating sessions. •    Gifts. Do your shopping online this year. Most retailers will even gift wrap your purchases. Amazon offers free shipping for Prime members. As the gifts arrive, place them under the tree, and relax! •    Finger food, not a feast. A smorgasbord of tasty tidbits is easier on the cook than a sit-down dinner. Share the work by allowing everyone to bring a favorite holiday dish. •    Stay home! Cuddling close to the hearth beats holiday travel any day. A holiday         "staycation" allows for evening drives to see the lights, family campouts in front of the Christmas tree and evenings spent with carols and popcorn. Fun! Here’s to the new month ahead. Wishing you the happiest of holiday seasons. If there’s any way I can help, I hope you’ll give me a call! Something to Think About It really doesn’t matter which holiday you celebrate – Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Three Kings Day or Ramadan. Each one gives us a chance to relax and spend time with those we love. Weekly Activity This year, why not do some research on a holiday that you don’t normally celebrate. Join in a local festivity, such as "Feliz Navidad." ​ Words of Wisdom “Going home and spending time with your family and your real friends keeps you grounded.” – Jennifer Ellison “As we get older, we get better at choosing in ways that will make us happy. We do a better job at picking activities that make us happy, and at spending time with people who make us happy. We're also better at letting things go.” – Sheena Iyengar “You hear about quality time a lot, but I really think that quantity time with a person is really what strengthens a relationship. That's when you really get to know somebody. You get to know their strengths and their weaknesses, and that brings you closer. That's what ‘Time Is Love’ is all about.” – Josh Turner “Holidays are about experiences and people and tuning into what you feel like doing at that moment. Enjoy not having to look at a watch.”– Evelyn Glennie “In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln

Monday Morning Wake Up Call:

Your Motivation, Inspiration, & Direction for the Week Ahead BE THANKFUL   I hope that you had a fabulous weekend. Many of us will gather with friends and family this week to give thanks. It's so easy to get caught up in shopping, decorating and deciding what to prepare that we sometimes forget to plan how we will show thanks or remember the things we're grateful for.   Have you given any thought to what you're thankful for? As you reflect on 2015, what were the highlights? What are you most thankful for?   We have a tradition at my house where everyone at the table talks about something they're thankful for: health, jobs, relationships, finances or just life itself is a reason to celebrate. This year we will start a new tradition that a friend of mine told me about: a Blessing Jar. Throughout the year, we all deliberately make note of blessings on a piece of paper and put them in the jar. At Thanksgiving, we will set aside time to read through each piece of paper and take a few moments to say thanks for all the blessings in our lives.   What is a blessing? Anything that encourages you or brightens your day. It could be a card from someone special, an encouraging phone call, an encouraging word from a friend, an answered prayer, a friend who comforts you through a tough time. You name it. These are your blessings. Record them, and place them in your Blessing Jar.   I'm so thankful for your contribution to our industry! If there's anything I can help with, please pick up the phone.   SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT   You don't have to wait until next Thanksgiving to start your Blessing Jar tradition. Start this week, and have everyone put blessings in the jar. You can even have a "Counting of Blessings Celebration" on New Year's Eve.   WEEKLY ACTIVITY   How to start your Blessing Jar:   1. Get a large jar or container. A clear one is nice because you can watch it fill up throughout the year.   2. Place your jar in a visible location, and keep it there all year long.   3. Place a pen and a stack of 3×5 cards or paper next to the jar. Also consider carrying some in your briefcase, bookbag, purse, etc.   4. As soon as possible after you experience a blessing, write it down. As soon as you're near your Blessing Jar, place the paper into the jar. Each blessing is written on its own card or piece of paper.   5. At Thanksgiving, or at the end of the year, set aside an hour or so to read through each blessing.   6. Bonus: On discouraging days throughout the year, read a few of your blessings for instant encouragement. Be sure to put the blessings back in the jar for the end of the year reading.   WORDS OF WISDOM   "Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." - William Arthur Ward   "It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them." -   Ralph Waldo Emerson   "Most of us never stop to consider our blessings; rather, we spend the day only thinking about our problems. But since you have to be alive to have problems, be grateful for the opportunity to have them." - Bernie Siegel   "Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky we are." - Joyce Giraud   "You have been blessed with immeasurable power to make positive changes in your life."   - Steve Maraboli

MONDAY MORNING WAKE UP CALL

STAYING HEALTHY
  I hope you had an amazing weekend. Last week, we talked about how important it is to keep our stress at bay. This week, I want to remind you to also take time to properly care for yourself physically. Here are five things we can all do each day to stay healthy:

  1. Get a good night's rest. Well-rested people not only cope better with stress but also may have better control of their appetites. Research shows that a lack of sleep can knock our "hunger hormones" out of balance - and possibly trigger overeating.
  2. Enjoy regular family meals. This can promote more nutritious eating and sets the stage for lively conversation. Being connected to family and/or friends is a powerful aspect of a healthy life.
  3. Get a pedometer, and let it motivate you to walk, walk, walk. Forget about how many minutes of activity you need; just do everything you can to fit more steps into your day. No matter how you get it, physical activity can help defuse stress, burn calories and boost self-esteem.
  4. Stand up straight. You'll look 5 pounds lighter if you stand tall and tighten your abdominal muscles. Whenever you walk, think "tall and tight" to get the most out of the movement.
  5. Power up the protein. This nutrient is an essential part of your eating plan and can make up anywhere from 10% to 35% of your total calories. Protein lasts a long time in your belly; combine it with high-fiber foods, and you'll feel full on fewer calories. Enjoy small portions of nuts, low-fat dairy, beans, lean meat, poultry or fish.

​Wishing you a great week ahead! If there's anything I can do to help, I'm all ears! Call or text me any time!

  SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
  The #1 New Year's resolution is to lose weight and get in shape. Don't wait until January. Start now, and you can get in shape FOR the New Year.

  WEEKLY CHALLENGE
  Think about what you eat this week and when. Make healthy choices. Try a few new healthy recipes. Take the time to have a family meal or a meal with friends. Turn off the cell phone and enjoy your meals. There's nothing that can't wait for an hour, and you're worth it. Experts also say not to eat within three hours of bedtime. Follow that rule this week.

  WORDS OF WISDOM
  "Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity." - John F. Kennedy

  "Number one, like yourself. Number two, you have to eat healthy. And number three, you've got to squeeze your buns. That's my formula." - Richard Simmons

  "Always remember to take your Vitamins: Take your Vitamin A for ACTION, Vitamin B for Belief, Vitamin C for Confidence, Vitamin D for Discipline, Vitamin E for Enthusiasm!" - Pablo

  "Surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams." - Unknown

  "You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles

  "Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." - Christian D. Larson

MONDAY MORNING WAKE UP CALL

Your Motivation, Inspiration, & Direction for the Week Ahead

Good morning! I hope you had a fabulous weekend. This week we honor one of the truly great speakers of our time: Zig Ziglar. As one of the world's most famous salesmen, he inspired millions with his messages of positivity and personal achievement. He wrote many best-selling books, including See You at the Top and Secrets of Closing the Sale. Here are a few tips from Zig: 1. Keep the motivation up. “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” So true for many things in life. It’s not like you can hit a light switch and be changed for life. The most meaningful and important things need ongoing attention and effort. Here are two quick tips for starting your day with your motivation up:  Spend 3 minutes remembering your successes. If you have low to no motivation in the morning, then it’s easy to focus on your failures and get stuck on inaction. Instead, sit down for three minutes, and remember your successes. Let them wash over you to refuel your inspiration and motivation. Make a list of upsides. Take a few minutes to write down all of the benefits you’ll get from achieving something (e.g., getting into better shape or making more money). Be sure to include personal reasons and benefits (e.g., being able to travel to your dream destination or spend more quality time with your family). Put the list where you will see it every day until you achieve your dream. 2. Failure is not permanent. “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.” It’s easy to start thinking of mistakes or failures as permanent things – like they’re you, and you’re a failure. But these things are just like successes: not permanent. Things go up and down. Don’t identify with failure. Take some time to accept that it happened, but don’t beat yourself up about it or make it bigger than it is. You don’t have to be perfect. 3. Look at your world and the people in it through an open and positive lens. “The way you see people is the way you treat them.” And the way you treat them, they tend to treat you. Now you may not become best friends or get along splendidly with everyone. But with a positive and open attitude toward the world and the people you meet and know, you’ll feel more inclined to listen, get to know them and help out if you can. Things tend to even out over time. You get back what you give. 4. Get the ball rolling today. “If you wait until all the lights are ‘green’ before you leave home, you’ll never get started on your trip to the top.” You can wait for everything to be just perfect before you get started, but that usually results in years passing before getting going – or never going at all. Beginning something can, of course, be scary and uncomfortable as you step into the unknown. But you can make it a lot easier to get started and keep going. Here’s a tip: Take one small step forward. Instead of focusing on everything you have to do to reach your goal, just focus on taking one small and practical step today. Nothing more. But make it a small step that isn’t just reading more about what you want. Make it a step that matters and pulls you forward. Book an appointment or set up a meeting. Create a budget, and see how much you can save each month to go on that trip you dream about. Wishing you a great week! I’m here if you need anything! Something to Think About The statement “You can wait for everything to be just perfect before you get started” is true for so many people. However, waiting also can cause you to miss out on the opportunity altogether. Is there something that you’re “waiting on”? Now is the time to do it! Weekly Challenge Zig was famous for his positive attitude toward everyone he met. Here’s a suggestion from one of his books. It’s a great activity for everyone to put into practice and a great weekly activity: “For more openness and positivity toward others, answer these two questions: What parts of this person can I see in myself? How is he or she like me?” This can help shift your perspective from what’s different – or why you feel the need to judge – to what you have in common. It tears down mental barriers, allowing for more understanding of and appreciation for the other person. Words of Wisdom from Zig Ziglar “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” “If God would have wanted us to live in a permissive society, He would have given us Ten Suggestions and not Ten Commandments.” “You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.” “Look back in forgiveness, forward in hope, down in compassion, and up with gratitude.” “The choice to have a great attitude is something nobody or no circumstance can take from you.”