Joyfull Living

Hello Friday!  The work week is fading away and the weekend is almost here. It is so easy to look forward to the weekend as often we are hoping to forget the struggles of the week. But Friday is also a great time to look back over the week and look for some of the bright spots.  Here are a few highlights from this week: Rainy mornings may start off dreary, but there is always a brighter day coming. My roses are in full bloom and just beautiful!  They brought a bright spot in the midst of the rain.  This week, I pulled out the weights and a training plan.  For a few days, I 'hurt so good', but that soreness that means your doing good for your body! (Didn't realize the weights looked so bad!) Of course that weight training was needed after indulging in a birthday party at the office! These ladies inspire and encourage me daily. Truly every day with them is worth celebrating.  Being a major list maker and post it reminder type, this habit ...

Have you ever had one of those days (or hours) that brought much productivity?  Usually it begins as a spontaneous event, a task that was started but continued on and on until a great amount of accomplishment came forth.  Wouldn't it be great to have that momentum in our daily routine?  Here are some tips to implement that will move us  toward being more productive.  1. Pick Your Clothes Out the Night Before A key asset to begin the day is mental energy. It drives thought, clarity, focus and so much more. The problem, of course, is that life gets in the way of your mental energy, and if you’re not careful, the thousands of decisions you make in everyday life will suck up your focus, thinking and clarity before you know it. Little decisions being made the night before save that needed mental energy! 2. Follow a Morning Ritual Great leaders and successful people typically do the same thing at the start of each day. They can vary, but from pre-...

Being one who loves order, a planner is a very important tool.  But, did you know that it's not enough to desire order, but you have to pursue it? I formulate in my mind many great plans, but follow up seems to be my slacking point.  Things like spending a day writing my weekly plans, but never opening the planner up!  I need a planner I can use...daily!  Every year, a new one is purchased and I"m always looking for that right one.  In the beginning of this year, I purchased one that promised to help me fulfill my goals, by setting them and marking the steps to move toward the goal.  Sounded great, but is too complicated!  I'm a day to day conqueror! An email came recently offering the opportunity to review a planner from Anchor Press Planners.  I quickly jumped at the opportunity, expressed my interest and went along the way, mainly forgetting about it! A package arrived in the sweetest box stamped "packaged with prayer" along with...

Have you ever walked into a particular room or area of the house and wonder..."how did this get in this condition?"  Over time clutter and disorganization seem to multiply and then one day they just explode!  I've found this to be the case in areas such as my linen closet, bedroom closets, file cabinets, kitchen pantry etc.  It can be a bit overwhelming to find yourself staring at disarray everywhere you look... I know, because I've been there!  Instead of running away, panicking or deciding it is just too much to tackle, a great way to make progress is bit by bit.  A small drawer here, a few file folders there, a shelf of the closet etc.  Often times just beginning one of these tasks will get you inspired enough to complete the job.  Just by portioning one assignment a day or week, these huge tasks can help you regain control of the home.  I subscribe to a newsletter filled with tips and ideas for organization called ...

Although my home is usually clean and tidy, the issue of clutter was always lurking close by!!  This summer a little bit by little bit, I've worked to clean out the clutter.  Even if everything is neat and in piles, if there is too much stuff - it is CLUTTER!! Now de-cluttering can be a painful process!  Memories are attached to much of our stuff and then there is always the "what if I need this again" thought that haunts us.  Here are a few tips before you begin to help eliminated and deal with clutter: 1.  Do you have more than one of some utility item? Keep your favorite or best one and toss the rest. Many people keep four potato peelers, three strainers and five 9x13 pans. If this is you, do you often prepare meals for 50 or more people? No? Toss it! 2.  Food stuff:   Although the $.10 a can was a great deal, if food won't be used, it becomes clutter.  If you have more items than your family can eat in a year, use them before you buy more ...

A Back to School routine is always something I look forward as it follows the days of summer which usually have no schedule or routine.  Of course I love the lazy days of summer fun, but there is a time when my family needs a little more organization and structure.   I found a few tips to help us get into the swing of a new school year: Avoid Overcommitment September is an incredibly busy time. This is usually the month that other commitments in our lives, like sports or church activities, begin in addition to the start of a new school year. To help everyone in your family get the rest they need during this busy month, keep extra-curricular activities to a minimum whenever possible. Instead, help your kids concentrate on the routines they need to establish for a successful school year, including finishing homework, completing chores, and regular times for going to bed and getting up in the morning. The focus on these routines will help keep your kids from feeling o...

It has only been in the last few years that I have gotten serious about home organization.  Now, our home is not total chaos or always dirty(!), but when it was time to find important papers, or that special pair of soccer socks on the way to practice, etc., I would flounder and get frustrated because I could not remember where they were.  It became apparent that some home organization was in order. Slowly and bit by bit, we are implementing organization that works in our home.  It was not an easy job, but it was and still is an ongoing process.  I came across an article talking about the high cost of disorganization and it brought up some great points of why it is so important to get a handle on important things. Money Good place to start!!  We all want to save money.  Being disorganized can be costly through daily habits. Things like:  Bills that are tossed into a pile and go unpaid until after their due date will acquire a late payment. Keepi...