how can i deal with stress – Page 2

Just add Fun.

The Best Books on Self Help will teach you how to get happy. One way to do this quickly is to add fun!

I was volunteering at my daughters school the other day and in gym class the kids were doing skipping. I was immediately taken back to the asphalt of my elementary school and I vividly remembered skipping my lunch hours and recesses away. The challenges of learning to skip double dutch and doing double- and triple- unders while singing silly rhyming songs had me reminiscing and giggling to myself. And I found myself wanting more of it!

As we age, the pressures of work and family and home life leave little time for fun. But fun is what keeps us going. Fun is what motivates us to hop out of bed in the morning. Creating fun in our lives inspires us, makes us smile, and helps us learn in a positive way. Fun is what it’s all about.

Think back to your days as a child and think about an activity that you really enjoyed, like skipping, softball, hockey or dancing. Remember the fun you had. And start creating some of that fun energy in your life right now!

My birthday is coming soon, and this year I am asking for 2 long skipping ropes and a couple of friends willing to take turns skipping double dutch. I am already imagining the conversations that we can have, and the laughter that will ensue from an afternoon of skipping on a chilly spring day.

Add some fun to your life today. Namaste.

Success Laws: Keep your cool.

It is important to remember that your successes in life are dependent upon your interactions with other people. We cannot do things on our own. We need others to help us, guide us, and give us what we need. Oh, there are times when I wish this was not the case! But it is a reality.

There will be times when it seems like other people are on a mission to destroy you. They seem to thwart all of your efforts and have you thinking that you are just an interruption and annoyance in their day. Unfortunately, you need them. Even though you will feel like you want to scream, swear and cry to get what you want, you need to approach these situations differently. It all comes down to proper communication and persuasion. And it all hinges on your own perception of the person and the situation.

When someone appears to be pulling attitude with you, or just generally not doing what you need or want them to do, remember that it is rarely about you. It is not personal. Everyone has their own issues, and often the reactions that you get from people are a result of their own insecurities or background, which you know nothing about. And you may not need, or want to know that information!

All you need to do is keep your cool. Remember what the goal is… get what you need out of that person. Time to turn on your charm. Let them know that you understand where they are coming from and that you appreciate everything they are doing for you (even if they are blatantly NOT doing a thing for you), and then help them to understand where you are coming from. People are innately selfish, so focus on what they are going to get out of a successful transaction with you. Maintain your assertive position, but keep your emotions in check.

And if you need to lighten it up, just keep thinking to yourself “how sweet can I be to the B*#tch*s I encounter in my life?” (you may also insert an appropriate male gender specific title when the need arises).

Keep your communications light and sweet… do whatever it takes to make yourself smile even when you’re having a particularly difficult negotiation. Do not get discouraged if one conversation ends in you not getting what you wanted. It’s not personal. The important thing is to keep trying and keep smiling. Namaste.

Dream Big and Plan for Reality.

Having dreams and then chasing them is the ultimate feeling. Dreaming big keeps you motivated and forces you to keep going. Visualizing your success is a huge part of getting you there. You have got to see it to believe it and then achieve it.

Until you achieve all your wildest dreams, you do need to plan for what you have right now, and also plan for what you will need in the future. This means having a budget in place to keep you on track. Do you know how much your monthly income is in relation to your monthly expenses? Do you plan to save portions of your money in order to pay for upcoming dreams, like vacations or vehicles? Are you falling short every month and not sure why?

The only way you will be able to realistically achieve your goals is to know what you are starting off with, and then plan for what you need. Implement a personal monthly budget, and then be sure to stick to it. You have got to hold yourself accountable to your budget in order to see the results. Check out the Personal Budget Worksheet available on my website to assist you with this process. Reassess your budget monthly to ensure that you stay on track.

There are always ways to increase income or reduce expenses in order to achieve what you need. Plan for what you want, and then try to be a little patient while the Universe shifts things around to accommodate your wishes. (Patience is something I am still trying to wrap my head around. I want it all and I want it now!)

Make real plans today to achieve your dreams. Reduce stress and build confidence by managing your cash flow. Happy budgeting!

How can I become a millionaire? Get going!

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going!”

-Joseph P. Kennedy, Father of President John F. Kennedy

When things get tough in your life, you need to get going and start creating change. You must be strong to conquer everything life is going to throw at you, and you need to take each challenge on as an opportunity to create better things in your life. Your faith in the Universe may dwindle in tough times, and you may want to give up all your efforts. Take the high road instead and start increasing your efforts. Take the first steps toward making things better, and reset your path in your own mind. Do not just keep doing things that are not working.

You are powerful, strong and amazing. You have the power to create everything you could every want in your life. So when the going gets tough, dig deep down inside and get the strength to amp up your efforts. Don’t let a little bump in the road get your down… regain control and fuel your fire with new and different efforts. Namaste!

Have you read “Be That Girl” yet? It is one of the best books on self help, designed to help you get everything you could want out of life, whatever that is for you. Get your copy online now!

Use the Universe.

Always seek out Books on Motivation to help you with stress. There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed, and you may wonder how you are possibly going to accomplish everything that you want to accomplish in your life, or even in your day. When you feel this way, you need to know that you are not alone in achieving your dreams. The Universe is waiting to help you, but it needs you to provide guidance. You need to be true to yourself about your dreams, and about the results you want to see in your life. Keep a journal and consistently write things down. This is one way to connect with the Universe about your desires and feelings. Writing things down solidifies them in your own mind, and gets you working on things at a subconscious level. It’s like taking action in your sleep! You will be amazed at what the Universe will do for you when you are willing to put yourself out there. Opportunities will start showing up from every angle, and you will find yourself spending time assessing these opportunities instead of worrying about how you are going to get it all done.

And when opportunities are presented to you, be sure to say thank you to the Universe in whatever way feels good to you. Giving thanks, and appreciating the small things that happen, will ensure that more is sent your way. So chase all your dreams, even if they seem scary and unachievable. You don’t have to do it alone. Namaste.

The Best Books on Self Help went Global!

The Best Books on Self Help, Be That Girl, went Global!

Yesterday, I appeared as a guest on the Morning Show at Global TV Calgary to talk about my book, Be That Girl. Check it out!

Today is my daughter Trinity’s 8th Birthday. Everyone always talks about how quickly time passes, especially when you have children. But when I look back on everything that has happened in 8 years, it is apparent that while time may appear to pass quickly in our minds, it is really relative and it passes at the same rate no matter how busy you are. Time is all a matter of perspective. Though we cannot make more time, we can consciously choose to enjoy all of the time that we do have. So, instead of always thinking that time passes too quickly, I am going to keep thinking about how wonderful it is to have so much time in this life. Life is busy, but you can always make time for the things that are important to you. What are you choosing to spend your time on? You are in control of how you spend your time, so make changes if necessary, or just start enjoying all of the little moments that happen amidst the hectic hours in every day. Those are the things that will stick with you, and that you will look back on fondly. Spend some time doing something fun or relaxing today. Namaste.

Home again.

At the end of any vacation, you may feel sad about your return to “real life”. If this is the case, you need to rethink your “real life”!

It’s time to get excited about your everyday by making sure you are doing things you love. Follow your passion every day in everything you do, and let go of the things that bring you stress but do not give you results.

Don’t know what your passions are anymore? Time to think about it for real. in my book, Be That Girl, I walk you through writing a 5 year plan based on what you really want out of life. Can’t wait for your copy of the book? Sign up for my e-newsletter at and receive a free video on changing your life today.

Chase your dreams everyday and soon your dreams will be reality. Namaste.

Love is in the air.

Today is the day that we are supposed to tell the people we love how much we love them. There is an expectation that one will receive flowers, chocolates, jewelery or a beautiful, romantic night out.

I love the idea of Valentine’s Day in that we tell people we care about them and appreciate them. What I do not like are all of the expectations that we have placed on one day. I think we should consider every day to be like Valentine’s Day and not wait for one day to tell our loved ones how we feel. And I also do not think you should feel pressured to spend a lot of money on something to give to your loved ones as a sign of affection.

Making a homemade card with an affectionate saying on it, or writing a love note and giving it to someone can be more powerful than any diamond bracelet. (don’t get me wrong, diamonds are still a girls best friend…)

Don’t wait for Valentine’s Day. Say “I Love You” everyday with your words and with your actions. Getting flowers on a day that is not Valentine’s Day will surprise your sweetheart even more.

Express your love everyday and always try to maintain an element of surprise. Everyone loves a good surprise. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Roatan Time.

Our luggage managed to get to Roatan a day after we did, and we were told that the luggage would be delivered at 2:30pm. 2:30 came and went, and at 5 we decided we should do something. A quick drive to the airport, and there was our luggage sitting in the office. They had intended to deliver it the next morning at 10:30! I guess Roatan time is different than what we are used to. Everything here can happen, manana (tomorrow, or the next day…) The point is, there is no rushing on this island. Where we are from, time is money and there is always a rush to get things done. We rely on things being on time so that we can get everything we need to done. Rush, rush. Stay on time!

It is interesting to have the pace of your life slowed down to the crawl of a hermit crab. Certainly not what we are used to, but it is a change that I could get used to.

Ryan and I are trading off sleep in days on our vacation, and this morning was my turn. I had the best sleep, and I woke up feeling refreshed. The sun was shining when I got up, and the kids were already in the pool. It felt like it was at least 11 am. To my surprise, when I looked at the clock it was 8:00 am! Poor Ryan… the girls were up at 6 am with the sun! But time is all relative, and it is a matter of perspective. It really didn’t matter what time it was, I felt great.

And waking up on a Monday morning without the rush of my usual busy lifestyle feels amazing.

Take some time, even if it is 5 minutes, to refresh yourself and your body. Stop the hustle bustle in your own body by savoring 5 minutes of calm and peace. Rushing all the time in your life causing an increase in adrenaline, which is a fight or flight response. This can make you feel more stressed all the time, even when you’re not! Take a break, breathe, relax and refresh. Namaste!

Why I love Sundays.

Oh Sunday! How do I love you? Let me count the ways.

Once we had children, “sleeping in” or reading a book on the weekend seemed to disappear. But we were missing it! Thankfully, my cousin Julie taught me the value of sharing the weekend days with your spouse in order to garner some time to yourself.

Essentially, you take turns having a “sleep in” day. When it is your sleep in day, you are allowed to stay in your bedroom until 10:30 or 11 without any interruptions to do as you please (sleep, read, do yoga). The following day, it would be your responsibility to get up and take care of your home life. Saturday is now Ryan’s sleep in day, and Sunday is mine.

Find more time for you. You’re worth it.