OPD - is it sucking the life out of you??

Other People's Drama

So I was reading a weekly E-zine that I subscribe to and this weeks article was about how much time we allow to be taken up by Other People's Drama (OPD). If we were to keep track and if we only spent 1 hour a day on OPD at the end of a year we would have spent a full 3 weeks - 24hrs a day watching, engaged and distracted by OPD.

Now I must admit I almost didn't get my son out the door to school on time today because I was reading the latest on Sandra Bullock. Crazy I know... I love the woman and knew her return to public life would be classy and I have been checking daily to see when that was going to happen.

Imagine almost forgetting to pack lunch for my kid, because I want to find out how someone I have never met is going to handle her public divorce. hmmmmm.

And I consider myself to be a person who has their celebrity watching in check, meaning I don't waste countless hours on the internet or watching TV shows. I tend to check a few websites, read the new articles and click off to more important issues in my life.

Now, let's look at the next level of OPD, people you know... how many people hear about drama in someone's life and each time they visit with someone new. Friend of a friend divorcing, neighbour's sister going into rehab, the business downtown is declaring bankruptcy.

More time...

Next Level of OPD our own family and friends, how often do we get unneccesarily caught up in the drama of our family and friends. In a recent situation in our family I had to take a step back and make a specific offer of support - what I was willing and able to do vs. daily, weekly hour or hours long phone calls rehashing information with no clear solutions being worked on. At this point in my life as much as I want to be supportive I just don't have the time and energy to talk endlessly on the phone and go no where but in cirlcles. I'm all for talking...but you can't be the only person to support someone.

Back to time being spent... the article focused mainly on celebrity watching, which I'm sure I spend at least 30 mins doing, but now if you add in the other 2 levels I talked about, do you see how much of YOUR time is being consumed?

Again, I believe support of family and friends is a responsibility, but take care to guard HOW that support is given and taken. Very rarely does a situation require carte blanche to take over all your time and energy.

The article continued to talk about the things you could be focusing on instead....YOU. If you dedicated 30 mins to an hour a day focussing on something that would be good for you or moving yourself forward, what results would that produce.

if you could spend 3 weeks, 24hours a day working on a business plan or idea or marketing plan, what kind of wonderful, creative and solid plans would come of it?????

hhmmmmm

A big one for alot of people...If you spent 30-60 mins a day walking, what would you feel like, look like and think like at the end of the year.

hmmmmmmm

If you spent 30-60 mins a day sorting, tossing and putting away the clutter in your basement, living room, bedroom. What would your house look like, feel like???

hmmmmmm

If you spent 30-60 mins a day dealing with bills, banking, budgeting, menu planning, grocery lists and investing information. What would your financial situaton look like, feel like.????

hmmmmmmm

If you spent 30-60 mins a day thinking, being, doing and showing your spouse how much you value them and your marriage. What would your marriage look like, feel like.

hmmmmmmm


Lots to think about. What do you think? What could you be spending 30 mins a day doing??

shannon

easy rice and chicken

Back to food!!! This recipe is so simple and I made extra rice use another day too!

Brown rice ( I did up enough for four servings to have lots of extra)

chicken strips - cooked

apple

few almonds

table spoon of shredded cheese ( just enough to taste with the apples)

chopped chives (or green onions)

balsamic vinegar (couple of splashes)

I cooked the rice earlier in the day when I had time so at supper time it was just put together and enjoy. There is no reason you couldn't cook the rice a day or two ahead and store in the fridge!

Cook the chicken. (I used quick strips from our local polutry place, so they have been pre cooked, just had to heat in the microwave)

Cut apple into thin slices

Combine all the ingredients!

(I had mine with cold rice)

Enjoy!

Quick, simple and tastes good!

Happy Earth Day

April 22nd is Earth Day!!!

What are you doing today???

Do you have two mins? Pop on over to HeartMath and check out this amazing video! Just click here!

Do something good for yourself and the earth today!

Happy Earth Day friends!jenn and shannsource

slow food part one

When I say slow food what comes to your mind? Lazy weekend bbq's? Roast beef dinners? The truth is the slow movements are so much more then that. It is about cooking from scratch in a simple way, using real ingredients and sitting around the table!

These days we are so "busy" on the run, no time to spend with family that we seem to eat in the fast lane. Processed foods or fast food that are easy and convenient! We are guilty of that in this house hold as well! I am not saying we are perfect!!! Just the other day we ran out of time so we grabbed a ready made frozen meal.

I always hear oh we don't have time, I don't like to cook, it is cheaper to eat this stuff rather then fresh.

Well might be true, but after studying nutrition and anatomy in my school course (and I've just start the tip of the ice burg so to speak in those courses) I have realized how important it is to have real food. Wholesome food. Part of what makes it healthy for us is the love that is put in it to prepare it for you and your family. (Yes that is my holistic nutrient course speaking there!)

Lets face the facts. We are all busy. Life is choices. You can make the effort to eat a bit better and more times around the table or not bother and cruise through the fast lane and take the consequences that will eventually come with that.

What are they?

Heart disease

High blood pressure

Cholesterol

Diabetes type II

Obesity

Slow Digestive systems (which lead to another entire set of issues)

Those are just a few of the things that our food intake effects.

Jamie Oliver is trying to lead a charge on this in the United States. You can here and check and sign (yes Canucks can now sign) on Jamie's Food Revolution! He is trying to get people to cook simple foods to keep them away from the processed food and fast food!

You can also check out some "Slow food movements" such as:

Toronto

Canada

International

check out those sites. They have some great ideas!

Over the next few days Shann and I will be back with some simple recipes that are fast and easy to make!

Happy Saturday and hope you take the time to cook this weekend!

jenn

Searching...

While searching for a blog topic I tweeted to a friend and say hey what should we chat about on here? Her tweet back, "do what you like because that makes you happy. When you are happy you are in balance"! Sound advice that umm I'm sure I've heard before! ;) Thanks friend!

So lets talk about happiness! Are you happy right now. Are you loving the moments, living in the moment. Learning to just enjoy?


Really happiness is so easy to find, funny thing is I had a friend tag me on my personal blog of what 10 things are making me happy right now!


10 things that make me happy...


1. my morning coffee
2. the sound of my kids getting along!
3. hockey. Yeah you guys know it!
4. traveling!!! NYC is less then a month a way for me!
5. Scrapbooking
6. reading... I love reading
7. date night
8. flowers (yes I still get friday flowers most weeks... you rock Tim.. love u)
9. my business and school
10. just spending time with Tim and the kids!


When you are happy or able to find a weee bit of happiness your life starts to go back in balance.

What are you happy about? Small things, big things, anything?

Tell us, what is making you happy right now!

Happy Thursday!
j

quote

Gratitude itself is a form of abundance!

- Jack Canfield

Opinions

Why do we let other people's opinions of us effect us so much?

I was faced with this question just the other night from some people I barely know. I know them through the great wide web and I tweeted (as in twitter) something on my personal page. I actually uploaded a picture and they had a RUDE comment that they sent and you know I let it get to me. Then one of them went on to attack me via tweeting on his own page that everyone seems to be a "self-hep" guru these days.

It hurt.

Crazy.

1) I know better then to let that get to me

2) I don't know these people in REAL LIFE

3) Why associate with people who obviously do not respect me?

4) They are really energy vampires, sucking me dry... move on.

After talking to a few friends about it I decided to shift my focus and read. It always helps shift my attitude, because it is all attitude!!! BUT it is hard when you feel someone is taking a personal punch at you. Learning to let go, walk away is really what we need to do.

That said yeah I'm still a little bit annoyed, but for the most part I am over it. These things happen, but when it did this time it really made me sit back and think.

Why do we get worked up when people do this? What is the right way to handle it? I decided that walking away, not commenting back and just "un-following them" on the twitter was enough. I do not need people like that in my life. I have fantastic friends both in real life and on the web. Including the readers of this blog!

Happy Monday and remember when someone has an opinion about you that you do not care for, just ignore them because I guarantee they are the minority!

Crunch Time

WOW! I can't believe how long it has been since I did a blog post. Thanks Jenn for picking ALL the slack around here.

We are getting down to it around here. My Maternity Leave replacement starts on MONDAY! can you believe it!....No me neither. I am very lucky to be able to work 2 full time weeks to train and 2 part time weeks to finish up a project involving moving files and setting up a new system. Then I will hopefully have a moment or two to myself around here to relax before this new family member arrives.

I have been madly washing and preparing baby clothes, baby blankets, baby diapers, baby's dresser, baby carseat, baby, baby, baby. I am so thankful to all my friends who have pitched in to track down gently used baby gear for me. (since I had already given all my stuff away)

I have my hospital bag packed and actually in the car. Possibly too much, but I am prepared.

Everyone is excited, I'm just getting anxious. you know...the whole birth process, it's not like i forgot or anything, but i'm trying to keep perspective.

Well it's a beautiful day and I am hanging laundry on the washline today...I just love the smell of laundry from the line.

Have a great day!
shann

dentist

I have this thing about the dentist. I dislike going there in a big way. However, today I decided to go with a different attitude and you know what? It wasn't that bad.

I've had a love/hate relationship with the dentist for years. You name it, I've had it done to my teeth. I remember getting braces in grade 4 and the rest of my friends would get them on and off all through my senior public days and I had them on till the END of grade 8. Then entered the world of retainers, both types, removable and permanent. FINALLY in 2007 I got the last retainer removed. Why? Because I switched to a new dentist! :)

Today when I went in I decided to do some affirmation work on the way in. I kept repeating to myself.

I am calm and this is easy.
I have perfect teeth.

You know what??? It wasn't that bad. She told me I had perfect teeth. Which I giggled at because I really don't floss and I could brush longer then I do!

Repeating to myself that it was okay and I am calm was the best thing I could do! Made the hour fly by and everything was fine.

blog changes

Just switching up the blog!

Affirmations

Those of you that know me fairly well know that I'm a big fan of affirmations. Some people think they are lame, but I think any time you can concentrate on good/positive especially on yourself it is never a bad thing.

I remember when I first heard of the following affirmation.

I love and approve of myself.

That one is from Louise Hay. She is truly an inspirational woman.

I could say I love, but could not remember the rest of it to save my life. Why? Probably because at the time I really did not approve of myself. It is funny how we spend so much time working on things yet working on ourselves is something we feel guilty about. I know as a Christian, I felt bad, it seem "selfish" to work on saying I love and approve of myself. BUT its not. We need to do these things.

A few other of my fav affirmations are:


I love and approve of myself.


I have plenty of time.


I am calm and safe.


Life is good. Life is good.


I actually have lots of different ones and I give some out to my clients when they need them, my children, my friends, who ever! So what do you do with the affirmation??? You repeat it. You just simply keep saying it. Eventually you will believe it! Strange things happen once we do love ourselves. Don't believe me? Try it.

In front of the mirror I want you to stand there and say "I love and approve of myself" start there. Do it at least 5 times to start. How do you feel? Awkward? Happy? Sad? Thinking about all your faults??? That is pretty typical when you first start. Keep going at it. Every day, add a few more reps. You will be surprised to see what happens!!!


If you like the idea of affirmations check out Louise's site. She posts a daily affirmation here.
My theory is one can never have too much positivity coming at them ;) Another spot to check for affirmations is on twitter. Especially on The Bold Life's page. This is my friend Tess. You can also check out her blog here.

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter weekend!