Moving Forward…

Our new business, Renew…Enriching Lives In Body, Mind, and Spirit, is moving forward! Most of our posts will move to the Renew blog so go there now and subscribe. We’d love for all of you to come along with us on our new adventure! We’ll still be blogging and encouraging you in mind and spirit. But now we’ve added “body products”.We will market these products in home parties and will be looking for consultants.

On August 10th we will have an INTRODUCTORY PARTY to introduce you to our Renew mind, body, and spirit products. In addition we will give you tips on relaxing, renewing, and enriching your lives. Put it on your calendar and plan on joining us! More information will be forthcoming so stay tuned!

 

Sandy

A NEW BUSINESS…

Whatever you do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it. Goethe

 

It has been quite a while since we’ve posted as we’ve been working on a project that is turning into something a LOT BIGGER than

we anticipated when we started. We’re starting a new business called, Renew. For a brief introduction to our new adventure go to Renew. We’ll be sharing bits and pieces as we move forward.

Hope you’re enjoying your summer!  Thanks for stopping by!

Sandy

GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY

Have you ever heard the phrase “she’s her  own worst enemy”? This can be said of ALL OF US. Why?

Consider the following…

God created a MASTERPIECE IN YOU! He created you IN HIS IMAGE. He gave you PURPOSE . He gave you special ABILITIES AND TALENTS to fullfill your purpose.He gave you an AMAZING MIND from which you can  think and create your life.  He gave you a WONDERFULLY MADE BODY in which to experience the world.He created you with DESIRES that FULLFILL YOUR NEEDS. He gave you a FREE WILL so you can be totally free to love Him back. He sacrificed for you because HE LOVES YOU so much. He created a BEAUTIFUL WORLD full of wonder, adventure, and abundance  in which you may thrive, grow, create, learn, live, enjoy, love, give, and hope. He created the PLANTS AND ANIMALS  to look after, care for, and enjoy. He set everything in PERFECT ORDER and created a RHYTHM to the universe with: DAYS to ENJOY YOUR WORK and NIGHTS to REST; WEEKS with one full day to REST and RELAX; SEASONS to create  times of sowing and reaping; FAMILIES in which to give you a sense of belonging; MOTHERS AND FATHERS to care for you, teach and train you, and model for you how to live this life.He gave you HIS SON to die in your place so you can have a RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND ENJOY HIM FOREVER.He gave you HIS SPIRIT to comfort and guide you in this life. He gave you EVERTHING YOU NEED TO LIVE THIS LIFE WITH JOYFULL ABUNDANCE!

BUT…WE GET IN OUR OWN WAY…

We focus on what we DON”T HAVE.  We want it “OUR WAY”, We get envious of what others have. We compare ourselves to others. We can be critical and judgemental. We’re impatient. We worry instead of trust. We grumble and complain when things don’t go our way. I could go on and on but we’ve heard THIS  all before. And anyway, no one likes to be reminded of their BAD ATTITUDES. But I also realize that many circumstances that happen to us in life are not of our own making. We are affected by the sins of others. We live in a sinful world. Life isn’t fair. And yet… we can STILL CHOOSE  OUR ATTITUDE in all circumstances. We can focus on what WE’VE BEEN GIVEN instead of what we don’t have. And on top of THAT, God can turn even the WORST of our circumstances into GOOD, if we’ll let Him. He even FORGIVES us when we mess up if we ask Him! He’s taken CARE OF EVERYTHING if we’ll just get out of our own way!

So this week CELEBRATE AND FOCUS ON WHAT YOU HAVE, WHO YOU ARE, AND WHOSE YOU ARE! EMBRACE ALL THAT HE HAS DONE!  ENJOY THE GIFTS YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN! If you’re still alive, God isn’t finished with you yet so GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY! There’s work to be done IN you and BY you!

CHANGE IS CONSTANT

The oldest man that had been living in the U.S. has passed away. Walter Breuning was 114 years old at his death. When asked   previously what were the secrets to his long life, one of the things he said is, “Embrace change, even when change slaps you in the face. ” Good advice. Change is inevitable so why not accept it? I’m talking about the kind of change over which we have no control.

Change is everywhere. The tides continue to ebb and flow, we  grow older every day, seasons change, weather changes,  our bodies change, we grow new skin continuously, babies are born every day, people die every day. In fact  everything that is living is changing! To attempt to fight against change is a kind of “insanity” because there is really nothing you can do about it.

But some people  don’t like change. They RESIST CHANGE. They want things to stay the same. Change makes them feel uncomfortable. People are sometimes unwilling to change even when a change could make their lives BETTER.

So here are 7 ways to think about the world you live in to help you accept change:

1) Think of life as an ADVENTURE.    If life is an adventure, it is easier to accept change.

2) Begin NOTICING AND APPRECIATING THE BEAUTY of change in the things that you see every day  in nature. ( the sun sets and rises, seasons change, seeds grow into plants)

3) See change as a  NATURAL part of life’s ebb and flow.

4) Don’t get too “COMFORTABLE” .

5) EMBRACE change.

6) With change, boredom is never a problem. Life is full of excitement.

7) Ask God for the SERENITY to accept the things you cannot change.

If you can see change in the ways described above it will be easier to accept change. You’ll be a more joyful person because of it as well and who knows, maybe you’ll live to be 114!

RELAAAAX!

Are you stressed out or anxious? Are you a worrier? Do you have a difficult time relaxing? Just go to the BEACH!

OK, I know we can’t  just head to the beach to reduce our stress levels. But as I write this I’m vacationing on the beach with the scenery much like the photo here. I left the stress back home. It is SOOOOOO relaxing! But I’ll be going home soon and the scenery, while still beautiful, won’t be quite as relaxing and of course I’ll be much busier and NOT on vacation. So how can I keep this feeling of relaxation and well being with less stress and worry when I’m back home?

RELAAAAAAAX!

Here’s how I’M going to do it and YOU CAN TOO! YOU CAN overcome the negative feelings of stress, anxiety, and worry and FINALLY feel a sense of calm coming over you, feel more relaxed, and end constant worrying. And no, you don’t have to go to the BEACH to feel like this. (Though it DOES help ) Sound good?

I’ll be sharing  here 6 strategies to begin helping you overcome the battle of your thoughts. Yes, it DOES begin in your thought life because your FEELINGS come from your THOUGHTS. And yes it may feel like a battle. But you CAN OVERCOME!

Now I’m not going to pretend that this will happen for you overnight. But as you start practicing these simple exercises on a regular basis you will begin to change your  THINKING so  that it will lead to more of the FEELINGS YOU WANT…PEACE, CALM, AND RELAXATION.

Did you know that we human beings have a minimum of 30,000 thoughts per day? Most of these thoughts we are not even aware of as they come and go through our minds. Some people refer to these thoughts as “self talk”. When I was working with juvenile offenders I found that their  self talk was of thoughts such as, ”  I’m never going to make it”, “I’m  going to mess up just like my Dad”, “Nobody cares whether I live or die”, etc. Their thoughts were of failure, hopelessness, despair, and self-hatred. They  were  ”programming”  their minds unknowingly for failure and their feelings and lives were reflecting those thoughts.

As I began to speak hope and belief of a different kind of thinking into their lives, they started to think and act differently. Not that they changed overnight of course but I saw the “power of thought” that began to help them make a shift in  their thinking and how they viewed themselves. They began to see the truth of themselves as having value and for the first time in their lives could envision a life that, with God’s help, could change for the better.

It was this  increased awareness  of the power of our thoughts that caused me to think about what was going on in MY thought life. Are my thoughts always backed up by the TRUTH  or do they also contain a hint of wrong thinking? Might my THOUGHTS be  leading me to worry, stress, and anxiety? I began looking more closely into my own self talk and found that my thoughts didn’t always reflect the peace and serenity that God told us we could have. So I began to work at changing my OWN thinking by using these skills that I had been teaching to help young offenders.

If you’d like to experience more peace and calm in YOUR life, begin by following these 6 simple strategies  to begin changing your self talk. If it can help extreme thoughts like “criminal thinking”, it can also help you with YOUR thinking. So let’s get started..

SIX STEPS TO CALMING SELF TALK

1) Think about what you’re thinking about.

Start to become aware of your OWN self talk. Are your thoughts those of what is TRUE or do you have “old tapes” of worry and anxiety floating through your mind? Begin to BECOME AWARE of your own thoughts.

2) Recognize the negative self talk. What are you saying to yourself?

Get a notebook and write down the negative thoughts under one column.

3) Replace the negative self talk with the truth and write it down in your notebook.

For example, if your self talk says, “This is too hard and I can’t do it”, remind yourself that you “can do all things through Christ who gives you the strength” and write that down in your notebook opposite the false negative thought. Whenever the negative false thought comes to mind, look in your notebook to remind yourself of the truth and opposite thought.

4) Make a list of sayings or verses ( or it could even be one word ) that will help you focus your thoughts on calming, restful, relaxing thoughts  of truth and memorize them, reminding yourself  of them on a daily basis until they become your ” normal self talk”.

I have the word, “DREAM” in my bedroom, the serenity prayer, and other verses that speak to me  and encourage me.

5) Practice stopping the flow of “streaming negative thoughts” by focusing your mind in the present moment.

Periodically, draw your attention from the thoughts in your mind to focus  ALL YOUR ATTENTION AND THOUGHTS on what is present RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. Pick out an object near you and become aware of everything about it. Notice the colors, shapes, lines, spaces, and design of the object, seeing as an artist sees, bringing your full attention to the object and into the present moment.

6) Think of a place that brings “relaxation” to mind and put your full attention on it to reduce stress.

It  may be a place where you vacation or a comfy spot in a special corner of a room in your home. Envision this place in your thoughts as you daydream about this place, the sounds, smells, the touch, beautiful serene surroundings. Whenever you need a “stress reliever” bring up this image in your mind and recreate the images in your mind, including the smells, sounds, etc.

These are only 6 strategies that will help you use your “thought life” to  find a more calming response to the stresses of life. There are many more ways that we’ll be covering in the future so keep following us here and tell your friends also.

Remember that you can also subscribe to our blog and our newest posts will come directly to your e-mail. That way you’ll never miss a post!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sandy

RELAX! EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT!     JUDE  1:1

 

 

Spring Cleaning – 3 Projects to Lift Your Spirits This Spring

Spring is officially here! This is a big deal in Minnesota. As the sun begins to melt the snow and warm the earth – so it begins to warm our hearts. The gentle rains come and wash away the old and dirty and bring freshness and newness. As the earth renews outside, this season gets me motivated to do some spring cleaning inside.

Over the winter, stuff can accumulate and bog me down. We all have stuff, don’t we? Too much stuff! Occasionally, too much stuff can become overwhelming. When that happens, it’s time to take ACTION!

Chances are, one of the following projects is one that you need to tackle. Pick one that you can most identify with and jump in. By completing just one of these, or any other cleaning project of your choice, I guarantee that you will feel better. It will lift your spirits this spring. Make the most of the opportunity at hand.

A messy space can feel overwhelming!

1. CLUTTERED DESK
Do you have a desk or table overflowing with clutter? It’s time to take action. Grab a bag for trash and a box or two in which to place stuff you need to keep. Without even looking through items yet, stack similar items together for now. Stack of all your bills and other envelopes. Then sort papers, magazines, and books into separate piles. Throw away any obvious trash. Put office supplies back in your desk where they belong. Take cups to the kitchen, and transport any other random stuff back to where it belongs. Now take a look – you’ve already made some progress! Wipe clean the surface with a damp cloth. If you have more time right now, sit down and begin to go through the piles you have made, one item at a time. Place important, time sensitive items you need to deal with in one of your boxes (such as bills, invitations). Place stuff you simply want to save for later in another. The new organized space will empower you!

2. JAM-PACKED CLOSET
Maybe you have a hall closet brimming with miscellaneous stuff. Or maybe it’s your clothes closet in the bedroom that is bogging you down. Either way, tackling this job can not only lift your spirits, but can benefit others in need. Dedicate some time for the task at hand. Maybe put on some upbeat music. Then dig in. You will need some space to pull out everything. When empty, sweep or vacuum the floor, and wipe down any shelves. Now designate space or containers labeled SAVE, THROW, GIVE AWAY. If it’s clothing, get over the notion that “maybe someday I’ll wear it again.” If you haven’t worn it in years, let it go! It can be donated to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. Someone else will appreciate it more than you do. Sort and stack or hang like items together. I like the general tip I heard once: Whenever something new comes into the house, something old should go out! Creating some space again in your closet will make you feel wonderful!

3. OLD STUFF IN REFRIGERATOR
Ok. Even the most conscientious homemaker occasionally needs to do a thorough cleaning of the refrigerator. Depending on how many people store their food in there, random containers of food who-knows-how-old can begin to take over. This project requires diligence to complete in a timely fashion, since the food should not be out of the refrigerator too long. Remove everything, including drawers. With a damp cloth, wipe down each surface. Now, check expiration dates on items such as salad dressings and dairy products, and toss as your common sense dictates. Certainly clean out old leftovers that no longer have appeal. Sort items by category. One tip I find helpful is to use a plastic container in which to keep sandwich meats and cheeses. This can be pulled out as needed to make a quick sandwich. Cleaning out the refrigerator allows you to see just how healthy your food choices are. Do you have a drawer full of fresh fruits and vegetables? If not, you now have some room to stock up on food that is good for you and your family!

If you complete a spring cleaning project, let us know about it. We’d love to hear about how it lifted your spirits this spring and how you made the most of the opportunity.

Sherrie

10 THINGS TO DO TO GET OUT OF THAT RUT

Hi, Everyone!

Sherrie and I have been busy planning seminars, workshops, e-books, and other products just for you!  Look forward to these in the near future.

We also have a new website we’re working on entitled, “Empowering Midlife Women”. We’ll let you know when it is up and running and we hope you join us!

In the meantime we want to share some ideas  or thoughts with you each week here on our blog that come from an e-book we put together. You can get copies of the e-book by e-mailing us at lesacookman@charter.net and requesting it.

LIVING CREATIVELY!

Do you ever get in a rut where you feel like you’re just going through the motions, getting through the day, you’re on automatic pilot and life seems mundane and ho-hum? Especially during the long winter months when you’re just waiting for the first signs of spring.

Yeah, I’ve been there. During these times my mind is usually not in the “present moment”. My  mind is often “daydreaming” about the upcoming warmer weather, sunny days, spring break, tulips. And even though it’s nice thinking of these lovely thoughts for inspiration, there are more things I could do to break out of the rut I can get myself into and actually get MOVING!

Life was not meant to be ho-hum and routine, but active and lively living with purpose and passion. Just doing things in a NEW way can help move your mind out of a rut and open to new possibilities. Moving your body helps blood flow to the brain. Planning and organizing helps create order to make room for new ideas. Noticing the beauty around you brings inspiration. All these things increase your creativity.

So here are some SIMPLE THINGS  that  you can  do to help you LIVE CREATIVELY and keep your mind, body, and spirit out of that rut and living an INSPIRED LIFE:

1) Take a short nature walk observing the beauty in the many colors, shapes, and movements of all the natural elements you see: the birds, trees, new sprouts of flowers peeking through, just observing and appreciating nature.

2) Do some simple stretching exercises every morning to move your joints and muscles.

3) Listen to upbeat music by Mozart.

4) Go to a nearby garden center and plan your spring garden or choose what potted plants you will grow.

5) Organize one closet this week to begin creating more order in your home.

6) Choose to practice non-judgement for a week… and then keep doing it.

7) Encourage at least one person a day this week.

8) Find a different route home each day you are out.

9) Notice the beauty around you throughout your day.

10) Practice “being in the moment” by paying attention to and then “letting go” of the chatter in your thoughts .

I hope this week you’ll try these  tips to get out of that rut and get REALLY INSPIRED about life and LIVING CREATIVELY. Then let us know through comments how it worked for you!

We’d also like your feedback on YOUR OWN TIPS that “up your creative spirit” in getting out of the rut and routine of life.

Sandy

Until next week….

LIVE CREATIVELY, FRIENDS!    Galations 6:1 THE MESSAGE

We’re Still Alive and Kicking!

Time sure has a way of sneaking by, doesn’t it? Life gets full, and something has to give. Unfortunately, Sandy and I have neglected blogging on our Blooming Boomers site recently…and I apologize for that!

But don’t let it fool you into thinking that we are ending our love for working with Boomer women. In fact, something new is a-brewin’ and we are excited at the prospect of it. Look for more information coming soon on our new business, Empowering Midlife Women.

For right now, I invite you to sign up for my upcoming Community Ed class, “Live Life by Design, Not by Default.” It will be on Wednesday, April 13, at 6:30 pm, Northrop Center, Rochester, MN. Here is the web address to register:

http://www.rochester.k12.mn.us

Sherrie

Delights of December

Here is a cardinal at our bird feeder.

It has been a long time since Sandy or I have posted on this blog. A lot is going on! I just wanted to take this opportunity to share a bit of nature from my backyard. Each season has its own beauty and my husband and I have been delighting particularly with the cardinals and deer that are making appearances near a pine tree out our back window.

We have had lots of snow this December – and will probably set new records for total inches. It is beautiful, and helps to make the Christmas season seem more Christmasy, don’t you think?

MERRY CHRISTMAS
and HAPPY NEW YEAR
to each of you and your families!

Sherrie

Check out this video I just made. I just let the song play, which seemed fitting for the Christmasy nature scene.

GIVING AND SERVING GOALS

I hope you’re setting small goals in each area we’ve covered so far! Small goals in each area of your life when done together can make significant changes in your life as a whole! You’ll be surprised what a difference they can make in your life!

This week we’re setting goals in the area of our “serving and giving”. Now I’m sure you are already a giving and serving person so I’m not trying to add ONE MORE THING for you to do or to add  even more to your giving. But what I WANT you to do is to think about  being more intentional in your giving and serving by setting goals in this area.

But sometimes what keeps us from giving and serving others is the thought that we don’t have anything to give. We live in a world of abundance and yet sometimes we just feel the LACK of abundance. Often we just need to change our perceptions of things to see the abundant resources around us. The secret to seeing abundance that you NOW have is gratitude. Make a list of things for which you are grateful and sit and spend a few moments feeling the abundance in your life. And remember that abundance does not have to be about things that cost a lot of  money. Oftentimes when I’m making my gratitude list it is being grateful for family, friends, the beautiful day,the beauty of creation,enjoying a cup of hot coffee on a chilly morning, and everyday, simple things. When you realize you have been given much, you will be better able to see how to share that abundance with others. For example, if you are grateful for having friends and family who love you, you have “love to go around” and you can share your love with others who might not have family and friends to talk to. Just calling someone who doesn’t have a lot of friends or family around to see how they’re doing and having a friendly chat is a part of GIVING AND SERVING in your life.

Do you have more time than money?  Give away your “time”. Do you have clothes you don’t wear anymore? Take them to Goodwill or The Salvation Army to share with others. Do you have magazines you’re done with? Take them to the local Library for others to enjoy. Do you have flowers in your yard? Share a flower with someone. Have you cooked a meal for yourself? Invite someone in to share it with you. Offer smiles, hugs, encouragement, JOY,  to those around you.

The hope is to make “giving and serving” so much a part of your life, that you don’t even have to think about it. But because we are  setting goals this week, pick two things that you are going to set as a goal in your giving and serving. Maybe there is a neighbor down the street that needs a friend and your goal is to do something for her at least once a week. Could you volunteer your time somewhere on a regular basis? If you love to cook, could you set a goal to invite someone in for a meal once a week? Or share some baked treat with others on a regular basis? There are more ways to give and serve than I can list here. And remember it doesn’t have to cost ANYTHING but maybe your time. Get your creative juices flowing and come up with your own ideas.

We’d love to have you share your ideas with us!

Sandy