Search Results for: blog finding ways to mark the passing time

Finding Ways to Mark the Passing Time

Kids grow up. There doesn’t seem to be much we can do about that, or maybe we do so much about that process of “growing up” as parents that it just seems so normal and obvious. I do think in our culture, however, we’ve lost sight of the importance of taking time out to acknowledge developmental and maturity leaps and to mark that passing of time and phases with any sort of ritual. I think we need to find ways of acknowledging and celebrating milestones and changes. Now, I should probably admit to you that my kids tease me, saying … Continue reading →

Bad Things Happen When You Stop Going to the Gym

Remember when you first got your gym membership? Everything was new and exciting; you were determined to drop excess weight, get fit, and look great for your high school reunion, pool party, 40th birthday, etc. You used that adrenaline to fuel regular gym visits for the first month or so, then you discovered how easy it was to skip the gym one day, then the next day and the day after that. If this scenario sounds familiar to you, I have bad news: A new University of Missouri study found that the negative effects of skipping exercise can occur in … Continue reading →

Answering “What do You Do?”

When you have a title on your door or desk and a cubicle in an office to go to everyday, not to mention a job description typed out and filed away—it can make it easier to tell people what you “do” when you are faced with that constant social question. Working from home can be a little more challenging to explain for some of us—especially those of us who may be doing a few different types of jobs… I love the diversity of the work I do since it hasn’t always been that way. It suits my personality well and … Continue reading →

Keeping a Parenting Journal

As a writer, I have boxes and drawers of journals. I’ve been scribbling in notebooks and journals for four decades and it tends to be how I organize my work, keep track of my life, and vent about all sorts of things going on. I would like to suggest that even if you aren’t a writer, and even if you’re handy with a camera or a video recorder—keeping a parenting journal can be a very worthwhile activity. When all three of my children were small, I kept a special journal just for “parenting” stuff—it is full of accounts of our … Continue reading →

Autumn and “Nesting”

I usually hear “nesting” as a term that applies just to pregnant, expecting moms—“nesting” used to explain that urge many expectant women feel to clean, organize and decorate their homes. I think, however, that we families (moms, dads, and kids too) feel compelled to nest at different times—not just while waiting for the birth of a baby. If spring is considered the time of year when we clean things up and air things out to move our lives outside, then I think that autumn is the time of year we snuggle in, snuggle up and nest… I am not as … Continue reading →

Asking for Referrals

One of the best ways to grow your business and increase your marketing efforts is through recommendations and referrals from your current clients and customers. Sometimes, this happens spontaneously without much effort from you, but often gathering referrals takes some effort. Are you interested in finding out better ways to ask for referrals? Here are some suggestions… Make it easy for current customers to give you referrals or make recommendations about your work. You can do this by providing materials that they can pass on to their friends and families or offering incentives for passing the word along. Some businesses … Continue reading →