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The countdown to the New Year has started which means its time to think of ways we can torture ourselves with resolutions we’ll likely not keep. Hmmm…that probably wasn’t the most positive thought considering my New Year’s resolution (that’s right, I only have one this year), is to think more positively. My post on HealthyPlace.com, New Continue reading New Year’s Resolution: Positive Thinking Every year after the gift-opening frenzy dies down and the last gingerbread cookie has been eaten; we are left with the same thing – a few unwanted gifts. Whether the gift giver meant well but missed the mark, or whether there was no thought put in it at all (like the uncle who gave my husband the same George Foreman grill two years in a row), we are stuck contemplating what to do with these leftover gifts. Aside from filling up our landfill with something perfectly usable, here are a few ideas on ways to unload your unwanted Christmas presents: 1. Donate – There are a ton of non-profits and charities that could use that extra toaster you don’t want. Pick your favourite one, drop off that unwanted gift, and feel good afterwards. This year we have three Christmases to go to, which is one of the fringe benefits of having two sets of in-laws. Christmases in my family typically consist of a household of crazy aunts, uncles, and cousins (around 30-40), so a traditional sit-down meal is out of the question. I’ve become skilled at eating from a paper plate loaded with food balanced just so on my lap. While some people love change and prefer to keep things in their life fresh and new, there is always some comfort and value in having family rituals and traditions. Maybe for you Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without your dad breaking out a pair of protective goggles and his cheesy apron while using his over-powered electric Continue reading The Comfort of Family Traditions Lately, gratitude has been on my brain. This is partly due to the holiday season and all its sentimental mushiness, plus the discovery of some horrible news about a little girl I know with a brain tumour which put things in perspective, and maybe just because I am an all-around sap. It was very fitting then, when I received a Gratitude Journal for Christmas from my husband’s step-mom (which I guess would make her my step-mom-in-law?). So you only have a few shopping days left until the big day and you have a long list of people to buy for and no clue what to get them. It might be a bit late in the game now to change things up, but next year, try suggesting one of these alternative gift exchange ideas that will cut down your shopping list, save you money, and hopefully spice up your holiday celebrations. Secret Santa Winter and all its frosty glory is here which means you can either be depressed about the cold weather, or you can survive and thrive. My post on HealthyPlace.com, Keeping Your Spirits Up During Winter, gives a few easy and practical ways to get the most out of the cold season. Here is an excerpt: Keeping Your Spirits Up During Winter Texting, FaceBook messages and phone tag are the remnants of many of my close friendships. It’s not that we don’t want to get together; it’s just that we can’t even get a hold of each other to have a five minute phone call. For instance, I have a friend who works night shifts at the hospital from 7 pm to 7 am. When I try to call her during my lunch break at noon, she’s still sleeping. If she calls me after her shift, I’m busy chasing after my toddler. Unfortunately grown-up stuff like jobs, spouses and kids all take precedent over our friendships with people who once knew our daily schedule intimately. In high school we took for granted all the time we spent with friends – at school, after school, on the weekends. Heck, we even had time to write each other notes everyday on top of it all. It all seemed so easy. Now planning a simple coffee date involves three voicemails and several text messages to organize a one hour rendezvous two weeks from now. This whole WikiLeaks spectacle has piqued my interest about the man behind it all, Julian Assange. Until his recent arrest, the WikiLeaks founder was living life on the move and was pretty darn good at hiding himself. This whole notion of hiding from the world and disappearing without a trace seems like something out of a movie which got me wondering what exactly it takes to erase your footprint in real life. I remember reading an article a few months ago in Reader’s Digest about a privacy expert, Frank Ahearn, who helps people hide and start new lives for a living. His relocation expertise has been highlighted on CNN, BBC World News and a number of print publications. His clients seeking a new life vary from business tycoons, medics, real estate professionals, to men and women desperate to escape a troubled domestic life. His experience working as a ‘skip tracer’ (someone who helps the authorities and private investigators find people who have ‘skipped town’) is now invaluable as he works on the other end – hiding people. Ahearn found Monica Lewinsky when she was hiding from the media by pretending to be a UPS delivery man. When it comes to parenting, the concept of ‘too much’ is sometimes a bad thing; too much freedom, too much money, too much toys. Kids who often ‘have it all’ may in fact be missing a critical characteristic: gratitude. It’s so easy to take things for granted when you are given everything you’ve ever asked Continue reading Raising Appreciative Kids |
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