Relationships – Page 11 – Personal Growth Cafe

October 23, 2017

Balancing Work and Family Time

It’s the age-old struggle: how do you balance your work and family in a way that makes you feel fulfilled and guilt-free. Is it possible?

A typical day could be 8 hours at work and 2 hours commuting, yet family leisure time hasn’t even begun! It seems like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to balance both family and work, but there really are ways to make your life more manageable.

With a few simple tweaks to your schedule and a re-evaluation of your life goals, you can find fulfillment without feeling stretched thin at work or at home.

Evaluate Your Career Path

The best way to start changing how you approach the limited hours in your day is to evaluate your career path.

Ask yourself: “Am I working in a career that I am truly passionate about? Is the trade-off between work and family worth the time I spend at the office?”

Asking yourself these types of questions (at any point in your career) will help you keep your priorities in check. The bottom line question is: am I able to attend to both my work and my family?

If not, what needs to happen to find balance? Perhaps this means a change of career to allow for more quality time, money, or less overall responsibilities and stress.

Evaluate Your Commute and Career-Related Traveling

Start thinking of all the time and expenses incurred relating to your job. It isn’t just the working hours that take away from your spouse or kids.

Commuting could cost you a couple hours a day, while business trips could take away countless hours of valuable time that you could otherwise be spending with your family.

Evaluating these aspects of your job will help you decide whether it’s worth it, and if not, what you could do to change that.

For example, you could ask you employer if they would allow you more freedom with your work hours.

Or you could ask if your boss would allow you to work from home. You just may be surprised with what your boss has to say!

Evaluate Your Career Duties

By evaluating your task schedule, you may be able to re-allocate your time and possibly cut down on late nights or early mornings at the office.

Another important workplace strategy is to delegate tasks to others. If you typically handle everything in your department, it’s time to get help by involving others.

By delegating responsibilities to staff members, you not only empower your staff to have a more active role, but you also allow yourself more time to be home with your family.

Evaluate Your Priorities

Before you are able to adequately balance your work and family life, you have to determine what’s most important to you: money and self-fulfillment or time with your family.

Once you know the answer to this question, you’ll be able to better navigate your way to a happy and balanced life.

You may also want to calculate how much money your family needs to be happy and measure that against how much time you are willing to give to your career.

If your current job will never give you that balance or flexibility you desire, it may mean that you need to consider other career paths.

Or if your current employer won’t allow more vacation time, flexible schedules or remote work, it may be time to consider a new job at a different company.

Few people duck out of the rat race long enough to evaluate the bigger picture, this is why it’s integral to stop now and evaluate what is most important to you and your family.

How much time do you get to spend with your family?

How does your workload and travel allow you to spend enough time with those you love?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Also, as your gift for taking this to heart – and this is profoundly important… to us ALL – go to UnitingPlanetEarth.com/ignition/ and do the Uniting Planet Earth 7-Day Quick-Start Ignition Program… and Allow it to Transform Your Life.

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

October 22, 2017

When I am with my children, my full attention is with them.

Each moment with my children is special and I am fully present when I am with them.

I am a focused parent who is physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually present in every moment with my children.

I offer the gift of my full attention, and I am able to notice subtle changes that happen every day as they learn and grow.

The freckles that appear in larger numbers every day, the hair that is stretching closer and closer to my child’s eyes: these are engraved upon my mind.

I am aware of the smell of their hair when they are fresh from their baths, as well as the outdoor smell they carry when they come in from playing.

There is only one moment with my children – the moment that I am in right now.

I am fully with them in this moment. My body holds them on my lap, my mind is engaged in conversation with them and I listen to their every word. In each moment with my children, my spirit soars.

Today I choose to be present and fully aware of my children. My busy schedule can be put on hold because when I am with my children, I give them my all.

I treasure each moment with them as if it were a gift, because they are truly priceless.

Have you given your attention to your children today?

Have you become fully present in each moment you are with your children?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

October 12, 2017

Stress Tips for Moms

Being a mother will likely be one of the most difficult things you have ever done, but on the other hand, it will be one of the most rewarding jobs of your life.

As a mother, you often forget to take care of yourself because you’re caught up in the madness that is life. It doesn’t matter if you’re a stay at home mom or you work outside the home, being a mother is stressful!

Luckily, there are some great strategies to help you deal with mom stress.

Stress Tips For Every Mother

Get the kids on a schedule.

The best thing that every mother can do for herself is to get her kids on a schedule and keep them on it. When you try to stick to a routine you’ll feel more comfortable handling breakfasts, lunches, naps, and bed times.

When you don’t have a schedule, you may begin to feel scattered or disorganized and your stress levels will increase exponentially!

Things are always unpredictable when kids are involved, but when you have even the simplest structure, your days will be a little more predictable and you’ll save your sanity!

Don’t be afraid to put yourself in time out.

Many mothers feel like they just have to keep pushing forward when they are about to come unglued.

Moms get stressed and often need to take a breather, just like kids! Instead of continuing to push forward when you are about to snap, walk into another room and just breathe deeply for a few minutes.

While you are breathing, picture how you would like to respond to the situation and then remind yourself that it is important for you to follow through in a calm manner.

After all, you’re a role model for your children. A minute or two in “time out” can make for a great day for the whole family!

Eat healthy.

If you ask 100 moms what their diets are like, at least 85 of them will look at you and cringe. Unfortunately, there’s a tendency to just eat what you can, when you can.

Even if you are on the go you need to make a conscious effort to eat well. When you eat nutritious foods, you are providing your body with the energy it needs to keep up with your kids and cope with the stress you encounter every day.

Create a support system.

Teaming up with other moms makes a great support system. Even if you can’t get together every couple weeks, it is nice to know that you have someone you can call who won’t question your abilities but will just listen and empathize.

All mothers feel the stress that comes with the job, so make sure to surround yourself with other moms that will be happy to listen to you when you need a shoulder to lean on; and be sure to return the favor!

Make time for yourself.

As a mom, you may forget that you’re important too! This is why you need to make time for yourself every day.

You may think that there is no time, but there is if you get help or if you sneak in some relaxation after the kids go to bed or before they get up.

Give yourself a manicure or pedicure, drink that cup of tea slowly, read a book, take a long bath, or get a massage.

Your relaxation time doesn’t have to be extravagant, but it needs to be there. Even 15 minutes every day can make all the difference!

What tools can you use to manage stress positively?

How can you alter your life to protect yourself from stressful situations?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

October 11, 2017

Stress Tips for Dads

Many people think that dads have the easy job, but this is not true.

When you look at the job of a dad you’ll see that they are expected to move easily between their professional and family lives, all the while remaining calm, relaxed, productive, and attentive.

If you’re a dad you are likely experiencing stress on a daily or weekly basis.

There are some great stress management tips that you can work into your life so you can continue to be the very best dad you can be, regardless of how old your children are.

Stress Relief Tips Just For Dads

Make sure that you are taking care of yourself.

Not only does your family count on you being well, so does your employer, friends, and others. Eat right, get enough sleep, and make sure you are taking vitamins.

When you combine these things, you help to fight off stress by building up your immune system so you are more likely to be healthy.

Be a member of a team.

Make your family your team. If you try to do everything on your own, you will suffer burnout in short order.

When everyone pitches in around the house, you will find that you have a lot less stress overall and you can be a more attentive and involved father.

Make time management a priority.

When you are a parent you have a lot of different things vying for your time. That’s why you’ll want to manage your time well so you can be where you need to be, when you need to be there.

You can do simple things to make your life and the lives of your family members easier. For example, create a chores schedule, work together with your spouse to prepare meals ahead of time, or create a schedule to pick up the kids.

When you manage your time you will be able to get more done without the headaches.

Create a support network.

When you are stressed out or angry you should be able to talk to someone to vent. Sometimes just being able to say how you are feeling or what is stressing you out can help a lot.

Your support network can consists of your spouse, friends, or even family members.

Communicate with your spouse.

When you have kids it can be difficult to get a full thought out in one breath because of constant interruptions. That’s all the more reason to make a concerted effort to communicate well with your spouse.

This will allow you to work better as a team so the family unit functions well, but it will also help you be attentive to one another’s needs. After all, you need to love and support each other first!

Being a dad is a rewarding experience, but it can also be stressful at times. The strategies mentioned above can be worked into any dad’s schedule so stress is always kept in check.

When you start to incorporate these strategies into your life, everyone will benefit because a relaxed dad is a friendly, interactive, and present dad and that is what every child wants and needs from both of their parents.

The great thing about these stress tips for dads is that they are easy to incorporate into your life, so becoming less stressed doesn’t need to be a stressful experience!

Take action, today, to proactively manage your stress and your entire family will benefit.

How does your family really know that they come first in your life?

How can you invite more peaceful moments into your life?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

October 10, 2017October 10, 2017

I let go of frustrations and enjoy the ability to love unconditionally.

I embrace the ability to love without expectations and conditions. My relationships are important to me, and I keep them strong by accepting my friends and family for who they are.

I let go of unrealistic expectations for my friends and family. They are who they are, I am who I am, and we are who we are together. This is simple and I accept my unconditional love for them and from them.

I am able to love my family and friends without them doing anything special. No one needs to earn my love.

I am able to love my family and friends even if our beliefs differ. No one needs to share my beliefs to have my love.

I am able to love my family and friends no matter what they outwardly portray. No one needs to impress his or her way to my heart.

I fully accept the unconditional love I receive in my relationships. I am loved without earning love. I am loved without sacrificing my beliefs. I am loved even when I am a mess. I fully accept receiving and giving unconditional love.

Today I will let go of obstacles that get in the way of accepting and offering unconditional love. I will enjoy my relationships for what they are, and I will love no matter what.

Have you let frustrations and other obstacles get in the way of loving unconditionally?

Have you held expectations before extending love?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

October 10, 2017

I allow new expressions of love in my heart without hard feelings.

September 8, 2017September 26, 2017

Discover the Most Common Relationship Secrets

Couples routinely keep secrets from each other despite the damage this does to their relationships. These secrets can range from innocent mistakes to more serious lies.

Relationships secrets can vary, but there are some common trends among them.

If you suspect your loved one isn’t being upfront about everything, one of these secrets might be the culprit:

Money secrets. One of the most common secrets in relationships is money and tends to be focused on spending.

Most couples don’t hide their salaries from each other. However, they often hide how much they spend. From an innocent fib about finding something on sale instead of paying full price to more serious lies about thousands in credit card debt, the secrets can differ.

Both men and women try to hide their spending habits.

Food secrets. This secret isn’t always easy to keep in a relationship since you usually share a kitchen. It’s not hard to spot the candy wrappers in the trash can or notice the extra bottles of soda in the fridge.

Couples still manage to keep food secrets from each other. However, they’re usually related to eating out instead of what they eat at home.

Couples sometimes try to hide what they had at a fast food place or a restaurant by sneaking them in the car or at work.

Most of the food secrets happen when one or both partners are supposed to be on a diet. It’s tempting to cheat, and it’s easy to pick up food as you do errands or return from work.

Cheating secrets. Infidelity is a serious issue for many relationships.

Your partner will probably try to hide that he or she is cheating on you. It’s rare for them to blatantly parade another person in front of you or to discuss their affairs while you’re still in a relationship.

Cheating secrets are some of the most damaging to the security and long-term success of a relationship.

Exercise secrets. Some couples will hide how little they exercise, and some will try to hide how much they exercise.

Although it’s more common to keep secrets about not working out, there are cases of people lying about working out more. Some of these are related to eating disorders, and your partner may be keeping the high workouts a secret because they want to burn off too many calories.

Television secrets. This secret may seem unusual, but it’s more common than you think.

Some couples keep their television habits and favorites a secret from each other at home.

In many cases, they have an agreement to watch a show together, but one of them will cheat and watch it alone. Then, they try to keep it a secret and pretend they haven’t seen the latest episode.

In other cases, partners are embarrassed to watch trashy shows or bad comedies. They may keep their TV habits a secret because of shame or guilt.

Secrets about their “ex.” Often, couples will keep meetings or phone calls from a former partner a secret.

Most couples worry about their loved one finding out an ex is back in their lives. They don’t want to sabotage the new relationship, so they hide it.

Secrets can hurt both people in a relationship, and the damage can extend to other members of their families.

Although you know you should be honest with your partner, it’s not always easy, and secrets are sometimes hard to avoid. In most cases, though, honesty is the best policy. Honesty naturally builds trust and strengthens your relationship.

Why do we tend to keep secrets from our partners?

Why is it difficult to tell these secrets from your partner?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

September 6, 2017September 26, 2017

5 Easy Guidelines For Raising Emotionally Healthy Children

Emotionally healthy children do better in school, find more success as adults, and lead happier lives. They can be happy and fulfilled as they grow up.

Follow these strategies to increase your children’s emotional wellbeing:

1. Be open about your feelings.

The world isn’t always positive, and you may have struggles. It helps your children understand your feelings if they see the reality of the world.

* Kids copy their parents, so they’ll mimic your emotions.

* As an emotionally healthy adult, you’ll show your kids that it’s normal to have both positive and negative feelings. If you’re open about them, they’ll be able to learn from you.

* You may be tempted to protect your children from your real emotions. However, you won’t help them this way, and you’ll miss a teaching opportunity.

2. Avoid judging feelings.

Adults sometimes criticize others and their feelings. Your kids are always watching, so they learn to judge others too.

* When you judge and criticize the emotions of others, you show your kids that it’s normal to make fun of or mock other people. They can suffer emotional damage because they learn to criticize others or become scared to show their own feelings.

* It’s also important to avoid labeling feelings as good or bad. Sometimes you may be happy, and sometimes you may be sad, but both are normal. Kids shouldn’t feel ashamed of their feelings.

3. Avoid telling your kids how to feel.

When you try to control a child’s emotions, it leads both of you down a dangerous path.

* You can’t control every aspect of your child’s life. If you try to tell children how to feel, they become scared to show their true emotions. They learn that they can’t be honest about their feelings, so they stifle or hide them. * When you tell your kids they have to be happy, you prevent them from figuring out why they don’t feel this way.

* Parents often feel that their kids are an extension of their personalities and expect them to act and feel the same way. However, each child is a unique individual. You can’t expect them to feel the same way as you.

4. Resolve your emotional wounds.

You’ll find it difficult to teach your kids how to deal with their feelings when you’re struggling with your own. Kids naturally copy their parents, so they may pick up on your traumas.

* Take care to prevent the emotional wounds from your past or present from carrying over to your children.

5. Ask questions.

Kids benefit from opportunities to discuss their emotions. Ask questions and find out how they feel, rather than assuming what they’re feeling.

* When you ask about their feelings, your kids will learn to articulate them. They’ll learn to express their thoughts and emotions.

Emotionally healthy children grow up to be successful and happy adults. They’ll also be able to use these skills when they get older and face challenges.

The ability to be emotionally available and knowledgeable is a powerful tool. Your kids will enjoy great advantages from learning about their feelings.

What do you do when your kids don’t behave as you expected?

What do you plan on doing to help your child react better emotionally?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

September 5, 2017September 26, 2017

Five Ways to Stay Motivated Through Relationship Challenges

Whether you’re struggling with a new relationship or an older one, it helps to find the motivation to keep going.

It’s not always easy to see your love for each other when you’re experiencing serious challenges. However, a healthy, fulfilling relationship is worth striving for.

Try these strategies to keep yourself motivated through challenging times with your partner:

1. Figure out your “why.”

Why are you with your partner? Why are you still together and hanging on? Every relationship has an answer to this question. It’s crucial that you figure out your why and focus on it.

* You may be together because you started off as close friends, because you’re deeply in love and have passion, or because of children or other obligations.

* When you determine your why, it will help you rekindle your romance and figure out unique ways to overcome your challenges.

2. Remember the past.

Sometimes it helps to look back on the past and see why you fell in love in the first place.

* Your relationship will change over time as you evolve. However, remembering the past will help you figure out if it’s worth staying together. You may be able to go back and restore some of the initial emotions. The past can help motivate you in the present.

3. Seek a solution.

When you’re facing any difficulty, it’s easy to fall into despair and see the challenge as impossible to overcome.

* If you avoid viewing your relationship issues as impossible to solve, your mind will naturally start to search for solutions. You may suddenly find the answers around you as you look at other couples, watch TV, or read books.

* The key is to focus on finding a solution, rather than on how difficult and impossible the challenge is.

* Remind yourself that every relationship has a starting point and a middle point. You may be at the middle point with multiple challenges, but you can get past them and stay motivated to resolve your issues.

4. Stay connected to your partner.

One of the worst things you can do during a relationship struggle is to ignore your partner. This will make the issues worse and could destroy your love. Even if you need some space, avoid pushing your partner completely out of the picture.

* Whether it’s a daily meal together or a conversation late at night, it’s crucial that you continue to communicate with each other.

* Your efforts to stay connected may involve talking to your partner, getting outside advice from friends or family members, and getting therapy or couples counseling.

5. Find a reason to stay together.

Sometimes you simply need a reason to keep your relationship going.

* The reasons can include your children, pets, household, career, and other things that you have built together. The reasons can also be more subtle, such as you love seeing your partner smile, or you love the way they compliment your cooking.

* Whatever the reason may be, make it the center of your focus. It doesn’t have to be a monumental or enormous reason. It simply has to matter to you.

Your relationship doesn’t have to end because of challenges. Instead, find a way to overcome the obstacles and restore your love. These strategies can help!

How do you show value to your relationships?

How do you motivate yourself to stay positive in that relationship?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

September 4, 2017September 26, 2017

Category: Relationships

Balancing Work and Family Time

When I am with my children, my full attention is with them.

Stress Tips for Moms

Stress Tips for Dads

I let go of frustrations and enjoy the ability to love unconditionally.

I allow new expressions of love in my heart without hard feelings.

Discover the Most Common Relationship Secrets

5 Easy Guidelines For Raising Emotionally Healthy Children

Five Ways to Stay Motivated Through Relationship Challenges

The way we talk to our children become our inner voice. – Peggy O’Mara