I can tell by our nifty statcounter software that many of you are faithfully checking back with us for any news or comments to our blog and for that we thank you tremendously.
Jenn has been busy with school and studying hard and putting ALOT of effort into her assignments and learning so much about homeopathic medicine, that she truly deserves a cyber round of applause.
After a calculated job search for something that would strike a better balance for my family and I and settling nicely into a great part time job. A job of a lifetime fell into my lap. After more soul searching and planning and making contacts. I accepted and the ensuing chaos of settling in to a more demanding job has been my life for the past few months, and just when I thought I had it under control in August...school started and that has demanded my attention for the last few weeks.
However, having said that I think things are coming together and I will have more time to devote to this blog and to the QUEST at hand. A Balanced Lifestyle.
Just because I feel like I have more time in no way means I have A Balanced Lifestyle so I look forward to pushing forward with the rest of you on this quest. I need solutions for laundry, cleaning, cooking, writer's block since I blog here, here and here now.
What topics, concerns, issues are you experiencing on your quest?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Update
time to update, wouldn't you say. It's been a while and to say we have been busy is an understatement.
I have a new job and am again trying to find that balance of all my interests.
jenn is back in school, and working so hard!
For today, let's just try to work on ONE thing that will be a positive change in our life. For me, today I am going to drink an extra glass of water, it's going to be warm, I'm going to be busy and I know i will need it and benefit from it.
Cheers,
Whose having an extra glass of water today?
I have a new job and am again trying to find that balance of all my interests.
jenn is back in school, and working so hard!
For today, let's just try to work on ONE thing that will be a positive change in our life. For me, today I am going to drink an extra glass of water, it's going to be warm, I'm going to be busy and I know i will need it and benefit from it.
Cheers,
Whose having an extra glass of water today?
Monday, January 17, 2011
One Thing to Create Balance
What would you do if you received a surprise bill for $5,000? Would you crap a load, like me?
How about $4,000, $3,000, $2,000, $1,000, $750, $500, $250???
What is your pinch point? Which one of these numbers made you uncomfortable?
I believe one of the most effective ways to reduce stress is to have an "Emergency Account".
For alot of people that is a line of credit. Which works when you have nothing else to go on.
HOWEVER, imagine for a moment if you had an account that had $5,000. No transaction fee, no interest to pay for borrowing the money. Heck if your lucky you might even be making 1-2% on the money. As much as it would be painful to write that cheque. You could do it knowing you are in no way effecting your daily living expenses.
It was one thing that my hubby and I took a serious look at. We looked for a No Fee Savings account and then decided on an High interest Investment Account and started an automatic transfer to that account. We were surprised how quickly the amount adds up. You will be surprised how much burden and worry is lifted off your shoulders. Every month as the amount was deducted I felt a pinch. But the day we unexpectedly had to replace two tires on our vehicle and could pay for it out of that account...I heard the choir singing Hallelujah!
Never before in our life had we been able to handle an emergency expense by just writing a cheque and being done with it. Let me tell you....it felt so good...I felt happy. No credit card, no line of credit, no paying interest for a few months till we could pay it off. Just write a cheque and its done. Pure awesomeness!
For us it was one step that brought us closer to balance.
What would you do if you got a surprise bill for $5,000?
How about $4,000, $3,000, $2,000, $1,000, $750, $500, $250???
What is your pinch point? Which one of these numbers made you uncomfortable?
I believe one of the most effective ways to reduce stress is to have an "Emergency Account".
For alot of people that is a line of credit. Which works when you have nothing else to go on.
HOWEVER, imagine for a moment if you had an account that had $5,000. No transaction fee, no interest to pay for borrowing the money. Heck if your lucky you might even be making 1-2% on the money. As much as it would be painful to write that cheque. You could do it knowing you are in no way effecting your daily living expenses.
It was one thing that my hubby and I took a serious look at. We looked for a No Fee Savings account and then decided on an High interest Investment Account and started an automatic transfer to that account. We were surprised how quickly the amount adds up. You will be surprised how much burden and worry is lifted off your shoulders. Every month as the amount was deducted I felt a pinch. But the day we unexpectedly had to replace two tires on our vehicle and could pay for it out of that account...I heard the choir singing Hallelujah!
Never before in our life had we been able to handle an emergency expense by just writing a cheque and being done with it. Let me tell you....it felt so good...I felt happy. No credit card, no line of credit, no paying interest for a few months till we could pay it off. Just write a cheque and its done. Pure awesomeness!
For us it was one step that brought us closer to balance.
What would you do if you got a surprise bill for $5,000?
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Long time....oh the balancing act
Life has been good, sometimes crazy, sometimes not good, but you know me... I always bounce back!
School is busy but fantastic! I love Homeopathy! I
'm still growing my business still too! Yes I'm still loving reflexology! I'm also still at the gym! About 4 to 5 days a week I'm getting there and yes I am seeing some results!
We talk about balance all the time. Lately things have been out of balance, but I'm back on track. Life is good.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
New, New, New
So how is everyone doing.
It's been interesting here. On top of recovering from this baby. We had to make some pretty big decisions. Should I go back to my job or not?
Now like most families we are not in a position for me NOT to work...but do I really need to work full time??
As soon as I was on Mat Leave we sat down and had a close look at our finances and make a plan to make our spending and saving work on my Mat Leave income. If we could do this and found it sustainable for 6 months I would start looking for another job that did not require as many hours or that allowed me more flexibility in my hours.
Now finding this kind of job was not going to be easy and was going to take some time...right?
I would have the year to finish up my Life Coaching Certification and to pass a course towards my Financial Planning Certification. It wouldn't be easy but once the two older kids were in school full time I would get an hour here and there while the baby napped right?
6 weeks after the baby was born a classified ad JUMPED out at me! 9-3 a 1/2 day on Friday. Are you kidding me? I would be crazy if I didn't go for it? Could I do this? pull my act together to interview and get the job.
Thankfully they hired someone else, even though I was really, really disappointed, I took it as a sign that fate new I needed time to recover. blah blah blah.
So I was very surprised, shocked when months later I received an email, asking if I would come back in to talk to them. I had settled into a nice routine of baby time, study time and was starting to enjoy getting my household back in order. Maternity Leave budget was working smoothly and everyone was settling nicely into routines. Hell I was even starting to prepare for Christmas before Thanksgiving.
I almost didn't want to go. But the voice inside my head (oh so practical) said "what have you got to lose" "your crazy if you don't go check it out"
Long story short.
I am in the middle of a week 2 of training, 2 weeks that I offered to work for free as incentive for them to hire me.
I have given notice to my previous employer (of 15 YEARS) that I am not coming back and that I am starting a new job next week. I am leaving the security of a larger paycheck, full benefits and pension for a job that will suit my family needs for the next few years. I am hoping our transition to individual health benefits goes smoothly and fairly inexpensively. I hope we can afford this change. I think so...we crunched the numbers every which way. This position just has so much future potential to it. Sometimes you have to go with your gut and your head and not worry about the attack your heart is having.
I will miss my co-workers dearly. This was a tough, tough decision due to various factors.
I am looking forward to New routines, New challenges, a New future!
What's new for you in 2011.
shann
It's been interesting here. On top of recovering from this baby. We had to make some pretty big decisions. Should I go back to my job or not?
Now like most families we are not in a position for me NOT to work...but do I really need to work full time??
As soon as I was on Mat Leave we sat down and had a close look at our finances and make a plan to make our spending and saving work on my Mat Leave income. If we could do this and found it sustainable for 6 months I would start looking for another job that did not require as many hours or that allowed me more flexibility in my hours.
Now finding this kind of job was not going to be easy and was going to take some time...right?
I would have the year to finish up my Life Coaching Certification and to pass a course towards my Financial Planning Certification. It wouldn't be easy but once the two older kids were in school full time I would get an hour here and there while the baby napped right?
6 weeks after the baby was born a classified ad JUMPED out at me! 9-3 a 1/2 day on Friday. Are you kidding me? I would be crazy if I didn't go for it? Could I do this? pull my act together to interview and get the job.
Thankfully they hired someone else, even though I was really, really disappointed, I took it as a sign that fate new I needed time to recover. blah blah blah.
So I was very surprised, shocked when months later I received an email, asking if I would come back in to talk to them. I had settled into a nice routine of baby time, study time and was starting to enjoy getting my household back in order. Maternity Leave budget was working smoothly and everyone was settling nicely into routines. Hell I was even starting to prepare for Christmas before Thanksgiving.
I almost didn't want to go. But the voice inside my head (oh so practical) said "what have you got to lose" "your crazy if you don't go check it out"
Long story short.
I am in the middle of a week 2 of training, 2 weeks that I offered to work for free as incentive for them to hire me.
I have given notice to my previous employer (of 15 YEARS) that I am not coming back and that I am starting a new job next week. I am leaving the security of a larger paycheck, full benefits and pension for a job that will suit my family needs for the next few years. I am hoping our transition to individual health benefits goes smoothly and fairly inexpensively. I hope we can afford this change. I think so...we crunched the numbers every which way. This position just has so much future potential to it. Sometimes you have to go with your gut and your head and not worry about the attack your heart is having.
I will miss my co-workers dearly. This was a tough, tough decision due to various factors.
I am looking forward to New routines, New challenges, a New future!
What's new for you in 2011.
shann
Sunday, January 9, 2011
WHOA!
Alrighty then...
Well we all know I had a baby, and to tell you the truth this was a really hard one for me. maybe because I was so psyched to bounce back right away and keep on moving. I had plans, I had lots of things to do. But having this baby kicked me in the ass and told me to just take a breather and sit. (because that is basically all have been able to do for the past 6 months.
It was only in the month of December that I felt like I could take on more, do more, push myself a little. I knew the second I had taken on too much and had to back down right away or risk having to go back to square one.
It's funny how our bodies and minds can pull us up short when they need too.
I had no time or energy for anything extra. I wasn't even reading other blogs (gasp!). I wasn't even turning the computer on!! (double gasp). I didn't do any scrapbooking except to fill in the baby book I had pre-made before the baby was born. (thank goodness I did that)
It was a struggle just to get through the day not to mention the night (which I was up for most of the time) due to the fact that the baby did not like to sleep through the night. He is still not sleeping through the night consistently.
I am thankful that my body and my mind demanded that I slow down and focus on only the necessities. I really needed that time to be with my baby and to process and let my body and mind recover. I now feel strong in both my mind and my body and feel ready and willing to take on the challenges that my plans for the future will bring. But that is another blog post.....
Here's to beginning again.
I'm back Y'all!
Cheers to 2011!
Well we all know I had a baby, and to tell you the truth this was a really hard one for me. maybe because I was so psyched to bounce back right away and keep on moving. I had plans, I had lots of things to do. But having this baby kicked me in the ass and told me to just take a breather and sit. (because that is basically all have been able to do for the past 6 months.
It was only in the month of December that I felt like I could take on more, do more, push myself a little. I knew the second I had taken on too much and had to back down right away or risk having to go back to square one.
It's funny how our bodies and minds can pull us up short when they need too.
I had no time or energy for anything extra. I wasn't even reading other blogs (gasp!). I wasn't even turning the computer on!! (double gasp). I didn't do any scrapbooking except to fill in the baby book I had pre-made before the baby was born. (thank goodness I did that)
It was a struggle just to get through the day not to mention the night (which I was up for most of the time) due to the fact that the baby did not like to sleep through the night. He is still not sleeping through the night consistently.
I am thankful that my body and my mind demanded that I slow down and focus on only the necessities. I really needed that time to be with my baby and to process and let my body and mind recover. I now feel strong in both my mind and my body and feel ready and willing to take on the challenges that my plans for the future will bring. But that is another blog post.....
Here's to beginning again.
I'm back Y'all!
Cheers to 2011!
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