Patience and a QUEST

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?

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?

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?

Long time....oh the balancing act

Its been a long time since I've posted too!

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.

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

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!

Thanksgiving

Today is the Canadian Thanksgiving and it is all about gratitude.

I have so much in my life to be grateful for I don't even know where to start. I am going to list some of things I'm grateful for into my gratitude note book. I challenge you to grab a sheet of paper (if you don't do the gratitude notebook) and write down 20 things your grateful for today. It will make you feel awesome! I promise!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our attitude

I always talk about gratitude, because it so important, but so is our attitude. Sounds simple right? If we can choose our attitude it will adjust our mood, our out look, our life!

Our thoughts really do shape our lives. People scoff at that notion, but is so true.

Think about it.

If you obsess over fear, you only find more fear.

If you dwell on lack of money, you find more financial woes.

If you worry about things, your bring more worry and anxiety to your life.

If you believe that your life will be miserable and bleak that is how you will feel.

If you are thinking that life is unfair all the time, you will see more things around you to prove that thought right!

If you are angry you find more to be angry about!

I'm not saying that we have to be happy 100% of the time because the past few days in my life have been a definite roller-coaster of emotions, but I will come out on top!

Why?

Because ultimately I can choose my attitude and realize that what I pay attention to will grow stronger in my life!

So tonight is the "new moon" and one of my friends said Jenn thats a time for new beginnings. Sounds good to me! Every day is a new beginning, but why not start it tonight :)

Week 3

Well Oh my gosh... this is not going well, i think the hardest part right now is that i have no routine. Let me rephrase that. The baby has no routine so therefore I have no routine. Although I have been pretty good about preparing healthy snacks and meals, it goes well for a few days and then the wheels totally fall off and i go into complete carb survival moded. A bagel here, bowl of cereal there.

A lot tougher then I thought to get exercise as well, by the time hubby gets home and we have dinner and do the evenings with the kids and get them off to bed I certainly don't feel like going for a walk. Add that to baby's cranky time from 8-10pm and i feel guilty leaving him to deal with that.

So I am taking it a day at a time trying to make good choices but the odd day I just totally give in and it is a cookie and/or beer kinda day.

I think I have lost a couple of pounds, I have noticed it a little in my face.

The worst part is that it is SUMMER people, I only have 2 pairs of shorts that fit me right now and I refuse to buy anymore, all my t-shirts are a little tight. AND THAT SUCKS. and we won't even talk about a bathing suit.

you would think that alone would be enough motivation to help me stick to eating properly, but i have to tell you the cravings for carbs and junkie foods is crazy.

What do you do when you are craving things you know you shouldn't have???

shann

Week 2

Last week was an attempt to clean up my eating habits and get some more exercise. The exercise went pretty good, getting in atleast 30 mins a day and a long walk on thursday for over an hour.

The clean eating went well till Thursday and then I lost my mind! A case of poor planning put me in the position of being hungry and craving sugar and carbs. It wasn't a horrible cheat, a few chocolates and some kind of processed fruit snacks I keep for the kids.

However, then came friday and all the rain and the water in our basement and cleaning and going through wet boxes and cleaning out part of the basement and sweating my patooty off and then... I popped the button of my shorts. Well that was it I cracked a cold one! which led to another one. Only two which isn't too bad but then my MIL made homemade pizza for dinner, oye! the smart option 2 pieces and a big salad. My choice 4 pieces of pizza and a few cookies for dessert.

Saturday was not much better and Sunday more of the same poor meal planning and not eating at regular intervals left me starving and shovelling anything and everything in my mouth.

I still lost 2.5 lbs and I think that was due to the 5 days of clean eating before the 3 days of disaster, plus the exercise.

I do see a bit of a difference in my face which is the last place I gain so the first place to lose it.

So it is Monday and we are back on the wagon so to speak. Planning meals and snacks and grocery shopping this afternoon. Portion size and reading labels will be an additional focus this week on top of the clean eating, and exercise. Maybe a few toning exercises.

In the spirit of full disclosure I also decided to purchase and follow the 7 day Jillian Michaels Detox and Cleanse program which I two more days left and I think it has held true to the claim of reducing belly bloat, we'll see when I post a photo on Wednesday.

Here's a great 100 calorie snack 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and 1/2 of blueberries. Yumm

BEFORE

This is one of those uncomfortable moments in a persons life when you just have to grite your teeth and do it, because you know it can only get better from here. Here is my BEFORE photo. I had a baby 8 weeks ago, the swelling and water retention have gone down and this is what I am left with, About 20lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight and if I want to be honest about 30lbs over a comfortable fit weight I can maintain without dieting.

I gained the most weight with this pregnancy almost 40lbs, which is not a huge gain compared to other people, so I have heard, but it was alot of weight for me. Especially since I knew exactly where it came from. this pregnancy I craved sweets and lots of them. To tell you the truth I ate so many sweets I am surprised my pancreas didn't just give up jump out of my body and head for the hills.

It is 4 weeks before my birthday and Friday the 13th in Port Dover. If I had a magic wand I would be back at my pre-pregnancy weight and fitting into my skinny jeans. However, this is the planet earth and my goal is a little more realistic. I am hoping to lose about 10 pounds, tone up my legs and butt and fit into my regular jeans for my birthday. Here's how:

*Toning exercises everyday
*atleast 20-30mins of walking or cardio of somekind everyday
*once a week a long one hour walk in my target heartrate zone
*eating 4-6 servings of fruits and veggies
*paying attention to my servings sizes of protein and carbs
*no alcohol during the week
*more water
*no candy, cookies, desserts (ie pie, cake, etc)
*larger breakfasts, smaller dinners
*reading labels and doing the math to make better choices

I will be posting my thoughts, progress and if I am brave a few more photos.

Please let me know if you have any tips, ideas or comments.

Should be an interesting few weeks

dealing with ignorant people

They are out there and no matter how positive you are to them they are still INCREDIBLY rude towards you. Sometimes for a reason in the past and other times because they just deem you not "good enough" or such. (that attitude just makes me howl, by the way)

This morning I was walking when two women I know came towards me. I said "hello ladies" with a smile. The one smiled and said hello and asked me how I was, the other one looked at the ground and kept in her conversation, not once making eye contact or looking up to acknowledge anything as we walked past each other. In fact I'm sure she tilted her head the other way so she didn't have to look at me! (not kidding)

Now I know most of you are thinking, so what. Well it is a small town and I know both of them well. One through school and other through hockey. The one that didn't acknowledge me well she would fall under this ignorant people category. She often doesn't acknowledge me and trust me I'm no fool. I know not everyone likes me, but most people acknowledge me if I have said hello. (like me or not!)


The reason I'm sharing this here is because as I giggled while walking I thought to myself that behaviour could have ruined someone else day! I remember walking with a friend and something similar happened to us and my friend was pissed off for the rest of the walk!!! Her good mood turned sour all because of one rude person!

So how do we deal with it?

1. I always make a point of saying hello and making eye contact to everyone, even those like that. Kill them with kindness I suppose, but really why should I not. It takes more energy to be nasty then it does to be nice!
2. I send them light after they move on. To me sending pink light or love to them will help them not be so "hard".
   
3. I smile and keep on going.
4. I'm thankful for a handful of really good friends in my life.
   
5. I then put that rude person out of my mind.

Does it work?

It does for me.

We run into people every day in our lives that are rude to us for one reason or another.

Next time you are dealing with someone who is rude to you, try it! You never know your mood might lift and you will walk on happy! ;)

Move it or lose it??? part two

Hop on over to A Balanced Lifestyle Health and Wellness to read the rest .... here

:)

Move it or Lose it??

A while back you will remember I started the X-weighted challenge with my husband. Well times up! How did we do?

We both lost about 10lbs, which isn't bad, but we both gained a new appreciation for move it or your going to lose it. What are you going to lose?? Your body, your health.... your well being.

My dh ended up joining a gym that he works out at about three days a week during lunch. I'm back playing field hockey and this year I was able to run and not completely suck wind! (No seriously last year I thought I might die.)

Today I put back on my pedometer to see how many steps I'll take. I think I'll track it all week because today isn't a typical day. My kids are gone and I was able to go for an early a.m. walk and then I'm golfing 9 holes tonight at supper time. It will be interesting to see how many steps are taken. About 6 years ago the entire family wore these for an article/study for the Kitchener Waterloo Record. Was pretty cool. They claim that you need to take 10,000 steps a day to maintain your current weight. In order to drop you need to up your steps and squish your calories!

Oh yes calories. We'll tackle that subject (and I hate that subject... I do love my wine) another time!

Okay so who is with me? Going to see how many steps you take? You can get a simple pedometer at Shoppers Drug Mart, Winners, Walmart almost any where. Go get one. Most are under 20dollars and its well worth it to really track your steps. You might surprise yourself!

Let us know if your joining in!

jenn

Positive Quotes

As some of you know I email daily positive quotes! Unfortunately I had a hard drive crash and my latest back up was from November of last year. Sooooo if you are not receiving my daily quotes and wish too again, please email me at jenn.metzger@sympatico.ca and tell me :)

thanks

:)

jenn

The oil spill

A very good friend of mine wrote a blog article on the BP Oil spill. Its excellent.

You can check it out entirely over here on her blog "The Bold Life" (just click the name it will take you to that article).

I never thought about some of the points she brings up, yet it so true. I know not to "blame" to send light and love. I know the power of prayer works and having faith that we will find a solution!!!

She lists a bunch of ideas... go check it out. It makes for some excellent thinking!!!

Happy Monday friends.

j

New Blog....

New blog started up! Don't worry we are still blogging here too! We are just branching out! ;)

Check it out here

Happy Father's Day....

Wishing all the dads out there a very wonderful and happy Father's Day.

For some father's day comes with mixed emotions if they have lost their father or didn't have a great relationship with him. BUT we hope you can find a great memory and hang on to it. :) Think about the good times today!!!

If you get to spend today with your dad! Awesome! Enjoy the day :)

Gratitude...

Something annoying happened to me this morning and after talking to my dear friend (thanks Shannon) I realized that out of this situation something good came.

What was that???

GRATITUDE.

Gratitude that I love my job and love my life and my school! I can't imagine NOT doing what I do. I love it. I'm passionate about it, I know it helps people and the fact that I get paid to do something I'm totally LOVING is a serious bonus!!!!

I cannot imagine working in a job that I dread. Or there is those that work and feel a total sense of entitlement. You know. The world owes them or their employer owes them. Owe, smoe... If you don't have passion for what your doing, your not going to be truly happy.

So are you passionate about what you do? Do you love it?

If your not, can you work towards change?

Trust me I know change. I've done lots of change in my life (job wise) and now I'm back in school full time while working and have two kids that are very involved in sports. I make it work. Its a balancing act, but it works. What I'm saying is reach for dreams and do what you love. If that means going back to school, look into it.

Life is too short to not do what we are passionate about!

I know, I know I just don't understand your situation. Your right! I don't. BUT I do know that if you don't love your job, don't stay in it. Don't think that it is the "only" job you can get. With that attitude it might be true!!! Remember .... ATTITUDE IS ALWAYS EVERYTHING. You can do it!!!

Find your passion and be happy at what you do every day, all day ;) We spend more hours with our job then we do with loved ones, so why not love it.

Gratitude. Yep ... I love what I do and I'm thankful I get to do something I love!