I hope you are enjoying the beautiful abundance of nature that is flourishing at this time of year. I am amazed as I look around and see a plethora of hydrangeas in an array of blue, white, purple and pink. The profusion of rose blossoms are rich with color as they continue to multiply and open.  This natural process of growth and expansion is mirrored in daily living.  Sometimes as we speed along on the fast lane of life we forget that it is important to take time to sit back, sip some lemonade and savor the view. These moments of pause and appreciation rejuvenate the mind, body & spirit.

Sometimes it is necessary to hit the pause button! Have you ever felt that way? Last week I “hit” the proverbial wall when I realized that we (our family) was adding in our 8^th hockey tournament this summer. If you are a friend on Facebook (& if you’re not, please come say hi!) you know that we have traveled far and wide for hockey tournaments. Let me first clarify, I love watching my children play their many sporting endeavors and they will tell you that I am an enthusiastic and animated fan! That being said, it is also nice to have some quiet time as a family. Time to sit by the ocean and breath the salty sea air (instead of Freon from an ice rink!) These moments of pause are essential to yours and my well-being!

When I “hit my wall” I admittedly had a “Mommy Meltdown Moment” which led to the decision to take a few days of R & R. I usually honor the sensations that tell me I am doing too much or that I need a break before I get there, but sometimes it can be so easy to get swept along by the strong currents of life and forget that the inner “batteries” need to be recharged!

My husband and I headed north from Boston and spent a romantic weekend on the coast of New Hampshire & Maine.  Sea, sand, salt air and lobster salad helped me to regain by equilibrium and once again breathe deep.

In the quiet moments, when you and I are able to step off the frenetic treadmill we gain clarity, insight and appreciation of the growth and expansion that naturally occurs in our lives. This opens us to a plethora of new possibilities that continuously show up to make our lives rich, colorful and extraordinary. We close down, miss and shut out these opportunities when we are racing through life without hitting pause.  Is it time for you to hit pause?

Honor that part of you that needs to sit back, sip some lemonade and savor the view.

PS… We are opening the doors to the Home in Harmony Master Class Summer Series! This is a FREE virtual event where experts share their secrets on home, health & happiness! Grab your seat now so that you can sit back and be inspired!

Get your FREE ALL ACCESS PASS HERE!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

It is so interesting that there seem to be cycles or themes in life that many people face at the same time.  I have recently noticed with friends, family, clients and mastermind group members that a sense of overwhelm and frustration has bubbled to the surface and become a part of their daily living.  This creates a block to inspired living. Let’s look at ways to navigate gracefully through these feelings with ease and feel more empowered than ever!

I know that I too have recently experienced waves of overwhelm. With the kids home from school during the summer the house seems to constantly need tidying, they need to be driven to various activities or are asking for friends galore to come through our door. As much as I love the bustle of energy, it doesn’t leave much time for designing houses, videos that need to be created, recording interviews or writing blog post and newsletters!  Let me explain how I moved through the overwhelm so that I could ride the waves of life instead of being crushed under the force.

There are ways to meet the challenge of overwhelm that either create more chaos or infinite calm.  Let’s look at two keys that will help you move through this wave of inundation and set you up to surf any future tumultuous seas with ease and grace. Prioritize and delegate. Although they sound simple, they can be tricky to implement, especially when the forceful currents of overwhelm have you submerged.

Prioritizing is a fundamental tool that will help you move through this phase, one step at a time. Realize that this is a phase and you can get through it. Training yourself to move through these simple but effective steps will set you up for success and move you out of ‘stuck’ with effortless momentum:

• Categorize what needs to be accomplished: You will feel relief just by putting pen to paper and creating a plan.
• Prioritize the items so that you have a go-forward plan: This relieves the stress of “What should I do next?”
• Begin to take steps to check items off your list: Every time you check something off your list it will feel like an accomplishment or reward that will motivate you to keep going.
• Stick to the task and don’t allow yourself to get distracted: It is so easy to get distracted by people, the Internet or other items. Stay focused!

Another fundamental element that can help alleviate stress and strain in your life is to delegate. It is amazing how simple this sounds and how difficult it can be to do! As a parent I know how it is soooo much easier to do everything myself and as a CEO my perfectionistic side believed that only I could do it “right”. I also was keenly aware that in either arena no one could do it like me. Often I had a hard time asking for help because I thought that it somehow showed weakness. Have you ever felt that way?  Well, I am here to tell you that it actually demonstrates strength to delegate. “Help” is not a four-letter word of weakness. It takes skill to communicate what you would like done and how to do it.  Begin to practice this skill and the overwhelm will begin to dissipate.

In my business I have been practicing asking for help in areas of online management, marketing, bookkeeping, implementing design ideas (to name a few).  And for those type A people out there, it is a practice! Well, this practice has allowed my company to grow. I finally realized I didn’t have the bandwidth to do it all, or do it all well. When I finally got help in areas that I wasn’t excited about it gave me the opportunity to do more of the things I am passionate about, which creates inspired momentum.

This is true on the home front as well. At home I realized to maintain a Home in Harmony this summer, everyone needs to contribute in some way. This alleviates a few of the household burdens that can be all consuming.  My youngest decided that she wanted to be in charge of all the potted plants inside and outside our home.  She has been diligent with her daily watering and the plants have literally never looked better! This seemingly small task alleviated my need to worry about when I would water the plants or the weighing on my mind that I had once again forgotten to do it! Learning to delegate can be a challenge, especially for those of us who know we do it best… that is, until you find out that someone else can do it better when you make room for them to do it.

When you start to submerge from the tug of life’ currents take a moment to assess what to prioritize and where you can delegate. This opens up the opportunity for you to find your ease, grace and equilibrium in the gentle and tumultuous waves of daily living.

If you would like guidance to begin living your Inspired Life feel free to connect with me for a FREE 20 Minute Home in Harmony Lifestyle Private Call by clicking here!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Are you beginning to feel the heat of summer sizzle along with barbecue grills and s’mores on the bonfire? As the warm winds of summer arrive, traveling to go and see people and distant places increase. You might find yourself as a guest in someone else’s home or the lucky recipient of travelers at your door. Whichever it is, there are ways to be a good guest that is welcomed back or a fantastic host that your visitors will be raving about for years to come! Lets look at the tricks of the trade! In this article we will focus on how to be remembered as an amazing guest… even 16 years later! There is an art to being a great guest and inspired host. These simple tips can have your guests raving instead of running or have you welcomed back with an open door! In this article we are going to focus on being a gracious guest instead of the dreaded unwanted visitor.

Appreciation

As a guest it is important to remember that as much as the host is thrilled to have you join them at their home it does require energy and effort to have you there. Being conscientious of this and demonstrating a willingness to help out and verbalizing your appreciation is the initial step in being a fabulous guest.  The first year we had our summer home we had people join us each weekend to frolic in the Martha’s Vineyard Sound. We enjoyed sharing our time and space with wonderful friends and family. But, by the end of summer I was wiped out. Throughout the summer I was spending the beginning of the week cleaning up from the previous weekend and grocery shopping to restock the barren cabinets. By midweek I was beginning to plan, shop and prepare for the weekend to come and the new guests that would arrive. My time and space designed to recharge my mind, body and spirit after a busy year was beginning to deplete me.

Stick to the Plan

Show up on time! Make a plan and stick to it. Take into account traffic delays or anything else that you might need to factor in. It is rude to leave a host waiting or arriving before you are expected. Obviously things come up that are out of your control, but that being said, you should do whatever is in your power to arrive when you said you would. You never know what a host has planned or on the stove. A timely arrival can set the tone for the rest of your stay.

Bring a Meal

A fabulous way to show your hosts that you are hoping to help make it a successful weekend for all, instead of assuming you are a guest at a bed-and-breakfast, is to bring an assortment of snacks, a meal or both. When I travel to distant places I always bring a basket of goodies. Sometimes I opt to bring a bag of bagels and muffins to take care of breakfast for the morning– this is a great option that travels well no matter the distance. I also had a friend who always came with huge bag loaded with snacks and drinks for the kids. Her conscientiousness was always appreciated. The idea is to alleviate some of the stress for the host.

Give a Gift

Another way to ensure you are welcomed back anytime is to give a gift. It doesn’t matter how big or small, it is just the gesture. I remember inviting friends to join us for a weekend in Vermont when we had little ones. They had brought a fun toy for the kids. The kids enjoyed the activity and the adults got silly trying to figure out how to pack it back up (which was nearly impossible, but we had fits of laughter trying).  The following week we received one on our doorstep with a note that said we needed to master the disassembly process.  The gift AND handwritten note were a beautiful gesture that is remembered 16 years later!  It truly doesn’t matter the size of the gift. It is more the meaningful connection and intention behind the gift.

Tidy Up

It should go without saying, but I will mention that it is important to keep your things neat, out of the way and clean up after yourself. We have had guests that leave their stuff everywhere and ones who make an effort at keeping things neat. Which would you prefer to have in your home and who would you invite back? There are also those courteous guests who make an extra effort at being helpful.  As a host, I am always so thankful when someone is willing to take the sheets off of their bed at the end of their stay and place them in the laundry room. It is just one less thing that I need to do after they leave. This little gesture goes a long way in helping ease the cleanup process of a house full!

These are a few simple solutions on being a gracious guest and ways to avoid becoming the unwanted visitor. I hope your summer is fun, safe and filled with travels to places near and far seeing and spending time with people you enjoy!

If you would like guidance to begin living your Inspired Life feel free to connect with me for a FREE 20 Minute Home in Harmony Lifestyle Private Call by clicking here!

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Photo Credit: community.ally.com