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No, this is not a push to buy, buy, BUY! If you follow my teachings you know that I’m not about buying any more than is necessary and practical, plus a little extra here and there! However, if you’re going to buy gifts for the holidays, which you know you are, then start early, plan it out and enjoy the process!

I just talked to my friend Jean in Florida, she’s already done buying her 43 Christmas gifts – for children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, plus a few friends! She loves it and it works just fine for her. It’s never too early to start thinking about holiday giving – one of the tips in my ebook Holiday Stress BE GONE!

Use this keys to keep your holiday focus enjoyable and less stressful:

1. Plan: Who are you shopping for and for what?

2. Ask: Ask them what they want, don’t guess.

3. Sales: Take advantage of sales with your plan and requested list of ideas.

4. Shop to Give Smart: Keep receipts and ask for GIFT RECEIPTS to include in the gift if they need or want to return. Know the return policy of the store so that a gift can actually be returned after Christmas, or they’ll be stuck with it!

5. Enjoy!: If you find yourself complaining, griping and stressing, it’s time to  stop, breathe and ask yourself why. This is your “choice” to shop and to give the way that you do. Take charge of your  shopping and giving experience, it should always be fun.

Think “zip it!” while you get ahead of possible chaos, drama and stress over gift buying, giving AND receiving!

GIFT RECEIVING 

People can sometimes be unconscious when receiving gifts. You know those moments, “Oh, I have ten of these already!” Or, “I don’t like this kind of ______.” Or, “You got me this? Why?”

When we give and receive gifts I think it’s very important (if we want to enjoy our experience and love others) that we organize our thoughts and emotions before the gift is opened, before our mouths engage, to avoid blurting out something tacky, rude, unfeeling, negating, embarrassing and hurtful.

Re-set and sharpen up your “attitude of gratitude”, compassion, care, unconditional love, acceptance and humility for every gift receiving event.

GIFT GIVING

It’s important too that when you’re giving a gift not to negate your giving. Don’t put yourself or your gift down, “Oh, I couldn’t afford the better one, I hope this one works.” Give with an open heart and with love, for yourself and the receiver. Very seldom can we know exactly what another wants or likes, even after we’ve asked them to tell us! At the very least, have the GIFT RECEIPT included in the gift box for them to return and/or exchange as they like.

Here’s a list that may be of help to review before the holidays.

Seven Things You Shouldn’t Say About a Christmas Gift You’ve Given

7. I just know this belongs in your house! Here, I’ll show you where.
6. It was on sale!
5. Not very many people like these, but I thought you would.
4. I had three of these, I thought you might like one.
3. Oh, I just picked it up at the last minute.
2. I made it, but it’s not that great.
1. You’re probably not going to like it.

GIFT RECEIVING
Here are some gems to delete from your holiday gift receiving vocabulary.

Seven Things You Probably Shouldn’t Say About a Christmas Gift You Don’t Like

7. Hey! There’s a gift!
6. Oh, look at this. I’ve heard about this on the news.
5. This is perfect for wearing around the basement.
4. Oh, you didn’t have to! Really, you didn’t have to.
3. I love it — I’ll put it away so it doesn’t get ruined.
2. Oh!? I’ve seen these before but didn’t know what they were! What are they?
1. This is great. I know somebody who’d really like this!

Assume… that all gifts are given with care, love, friendship or just plain old kindness, so accept them with kindness, surprise and joy. If they were given for any other reason, accept them with kindness, surprise and joy anyway. Period.

TIP: If you don’t want gifts, let all your friends and family know months ahead of time, or tell them exactly what you like. Tthink “perishable gifts” like food, restaurant gifts certificates, movie or theatre tickets, concerts tickets, etc. or give them the address of your favorite charity and let them donate the money they would have spent on your gift to charity. Bottom-line, make gift-giving easy, kind and fun!

Holiday shopping is in the news, stores and advertisements already of course. Enjoy the roll down the hill into Happy Holidays! Do what it takes to make them better this year!

For extra help, I suggest my ebook Holiday Stress BE GONE!, it’s packed with tips, ideas, guides and lists to help you out! Click here to find out more and order.

Get Holiday Stress Be Gone!

The Complete Self-Help Guide
on How to Change Your Holiday Experiences for GOOD!  

Stop Your Holiday Stress and Simplify in these 44 pages packed with mind and life altering tips for re-deciding for choice and balance. Great for use all year round. (Original title: Simplify Your Holidays)

Overflowing with check lists, to dos, ideas, tips and even assignments to help you enjoy your holidays more. Get waaaaaaaaaay ahead of them now!!

Click here to find out more and to order yours today.

“Kim, this book was just like being in one of your programs. The “BOC” breaks in your book are so fun and cute! HA! Great idea! I LOVE THE PICTURES, and suggesting the use of crayons instead of a pen on the worksheets was terrific. It really lightened me up!!”
~ Paula, School Teacher, Flint, MI

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND, AMERICA!

Freedom! …. Food!… Fat. Frustration. Fatigue. . .

Don’t let fatigue ruin your holiday weekend. Mental and physical fatigue are different than ordinary tiredness . Fatigue is disruptive and can be chronic, interfering with all aspects of daily living. About 10 million doctor visits each year are attributed to fatigue, and many of those are tied to arthritis-related conditions.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, 98% of rheumatoid arthritis patients and 50% of people with lupus or Sjogren’s syndrome report fatigue. The percentage escalates with obesity and depression, and complications of secondary conditions such as fibromyalgia, lung conditions, and cardiovascular problems.

WHAT DOES FATIGUE FEEL LIKE?

Patients often feel fatigue is inadequately addressed during doctor visits, likely because there is no quick fix. The impact of fatigue is significant. Many patients describe its effect on their lives as greater than that of pain.

Fatigue is

·         extreme weariness

·         overwhelming exhaustion

·         a feeling of being “wiped-out” and having no energy — even after a night’s sleep.

·         Fatigue affects a patient’s ability to think

·         and its unrelenting presence can cause emotions to change quickly.

Here are 10 Ways to Fight Fatigue on a daily basis to enjoy every day as much as possible. I’m going to start with the basics that even the healthiest of people can do. 

1.       Eat for Health First at Every Meal and In Between

- Breakfast Every Day

To “break” your “fast” is exactly what “breakfast” means! You are eating – breaking the fast from not eating all night long.  So, when you first wake up, your blood sugar is low. Eating a proper breakfast can serve as an energy booster. Skipping breakfast drains your energy, contributing to the fatigue problem. It’s important to eat nutritiously at every meal, but focus on breakfast to start your day off right. Balanced your meal with protein to get your blood sugar back up and balanced.

Eat a well-balanced morning meal with complex carbs, protein and healthy fats. The following dietary guidelines are very helpful in balancing your mood, brain and body chemistry.

-          Eat 5-6 smaller meals a day keeping your blood sugar up and even.

-          Drink less or no caffeinated drinks

-          Eat less or no carbohydrates, gluten, wheat, etc.

-          Eat less or no sugar

-          Read labels: stay away from high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners like aspartame, soda pop

-          Eat less or no prepackaged, boxed or canned foods.

-          Drink less or almost no alcohol, alcohol is a depressant

2.       Drink a Sufficient Amount of Water

Dehydration can cause a person to feel very tired or fatigued. Drinking 8 glasses of water each day should become part of your routine. It seems like such a simple thing, but hydration must be taken seriously.

3.       Exercise Regularly

Moderate and consistent sessions of aerobic exercise, 3 or 4 times a week for 30 to 45 minutes, will help increase your energy level. Even 15 minutes a day will rejuvenate your body and mind.  Though it may seem counterintuitive, exercising regularly actually boosts energy levels rather than depleting them, particularly when you incorporate low-impact workouts that involve stretching, such as Yoga, Pilates, or Tai Chi. Exercise also reduces stress, which is a serious cause of fatigue. Higher-intensity exercise and cardio also reduce stress, providing an outlet for frustrations and releasing happy hormones called endorphins—which also fights off fatigue.  

4.   Lose extra body weight.
      Being overweight can make you feel sluggish. Break the cycle and drop those pounds by eating right and getting plenty of exercise. 

5.       Develop Good Sleep Habits

Get 7-8 hours of (undisturbed) sleep a night. Take charge of your sleep pattern – go to bed at the same time each night, get up at the same time each day, establish a ritual so that your body will recognize it’s time to sleep.  Sugar, caffeine and low nutrient foods can cause sleep pattern disturbances.

6.      Learn How to Control Stress
        Choose your battles, let more things slide off you like water off a duck’s back, don’t react to anything “it too shall pass.” When a person is under excessive stress, creating fear and anxiety, breathing becomes more shallow limiting oxygen that’s available to the body. Start breathing deeply to consciously ward off the effects of stress. Take 5 or 10 deep breaths when you feel stressed and fatigued. Breathing exercises and meditation are techniques you can practice any time; practicing them will arm you with the tools you need to react to stress and fatigue.

7.       Don’t Be a Victim or Martyr to Others

Being the “caregiver” or the one “everyone always depends on” gets no rewards. Take care of yourself FIRST so that you’re humming at 100% to be and attend, assist, care and love others too.

8.       Be Responsible with Your Medications and Be Aware of Medication Side Effects

First, take your mediation “as directed.” Forgetting to take your meds, double dosing, etc. is very confusing and abusive to your body, to your self.

Be Aware of Medication Side Effects: For example, while it is necessary for most arthritis patients to take medications to treat pain and other symptoms, drowsiness is a common side effect of many of these drugs. Some medications list drowsiness as a known side effect. If the medications are part of a daily regimen, drowsiness may add to already-present fatigue.

9.       Get With Other People

Plenty of studies show that when we are more sociable and are in relationships with family and friends, we are happier. People who are happier are less stressed and fatigued, they have friends and buddies to share and vent with as needed, to laugh and cry with too.

10.   Have fun!

What brings you fun? What makes you laugh and brings you joy. . . stories you like to share over and over again? Do something you enjoy every day and make socializing with friends a priority.

  Know we’ll look at a few specific health issues that are fatigue prone.

Chronic pain alone can cause fatigue. Pain also can lead to depression and mood changes that can worsen fatigue. To control fatigue, it’s important to have pain well-managed.

11.   Thyroid Problems

Thyroid symptoms include depression, lack of sleep and fatigue. Taking care of your thyroid health is imperative so that it doesn’t become worse and move into autoimmune diseases. See my list of health care practitioners who are educated in thyroid health (not all doctors are.) If you have a thyroid problem you will find great help in Get Your Life Back! Thyroid Reset Manual (a diet plan good for everyone, even without a thyroid problem.)

12.   Treat Arthritis Pain and Other Symptoms

Higher-than-normal levels of cytokines — chemical messengers involved in inflammation — have been found in the blood of patients suffering from fatigue. It’s important to control inflammation and monitor active inflammation.

Inflammation is also caused by sugar, toxins and chemicals in your diet.  (See #1)

13.   Be Tested for Anemia

Referred to as “anemia of inflammation” a condition where the size and number of red blood cells is affected. Consequently, there is too little iron to bind to oxygen in the red blood cell causing a decrease in energy production.

14.   Protect Your Joints

Joint protection can reduce stress on arthritic joints and decrease pain. There are several joint protection principles which, if followed, will help to conserve energy. Use adaptive equipment to protect joints too. Good body mechanics can also help decrease fatigue.

And, here are a few more good things to do for yourself to ward off fatigue. 

15.   Let Nature Heal You

Get some fresh air and sunshine on your face. If you’re stuck inside all day at work, especially if you have no windows, be sure to step outside a couple of times a day for an energizing dose of fresh air and sunlight. Take a walk outside to maximize the energy boost.

16.   Challenge Yourself to Make Positive Changes in Your Life

Break unhealthy habits like smoking and eating fried foods. Let go of grudges and resentment towards others – those feelings are exhausting. Organize your home or office and get rid of energy-zapping clutter. Pick up a new hobby or sport. Enjoy living.

17.   Mix It Up a Little!

Change your surroundings to emulate brighter colors, use aromatherapy to stimulate the senses, look into natural supplements, or drink teas that are of lower caffeine content with other great health benefits.

18.   Pace, Plan, Prioritize and Organize

It’s important to balance fatigue and rest, but what about those times when you must be doing something? Devise a plan for how to accomplish certain tasks. Plan for all that needs to be done. Prioritize the list and what needs to be done first. Pace yourself as you go through your prioritized list. The trick is to be organized and deal with tasks in manageable chunks.

20.   Time For You

Don’t forget to schedule time for yourself. Time for something you enjoy is the only criteria. Take just a half hour or hour a day for yourself and reap the benefits.

For some people, it seems like they’re tired all the time. Fatigue is a byproduct of so many factors in our lives. Use this list to be more mindful and conscious of all areas of your life that you have control over and can take charge of right now, and for a great Holiday Weekend!

So, what causes your fatigue? Remember that if you understand what causes your fatigue, that you will be in a better position to fight it—and it doesn’t have to require a chemical fix.

Happy Labor Day weekend, America! 

Have you ever ruined a perfectly good weekend or holiday by having expectations that just would not, could not and didn’t get met? These expectations are of ourselves and others. We do it all the time.

So, let’s not do that anymore, okay?

1. Decide what you truly want out of the weekend.

2. Resist making an exhaustive wish list, instead, pinpoint one or two things you’re really after.

PROJECT

a. Be realistic and accept that not every project can be finished by sundown the last day before work or school resumes.

b. If you have a project to do and really want it done by the end of the weekend, plan it out ahead of time. Get everything you’ll need to accomplish the task. Plan your time. Remind or ask others if you want help.

c. Schedule uninterrupted time.

d. Stick to your plan.

ACTIVITIES and EVENTS

a. Again, be realistic.

b. Not everyone wants to do what you may want, or can’t. Plan ahead and invite, ask and tell others the plan and see if it works for them.

c. Is there drive time? Plan it in!

d. Is money involved? Plan it in.

NOTHING

a. Planning to do “nothing” still needs a plan! Plan out your schedule, food, phone or computer time, etc. so that you don’t waste minutes and hours of time and days by doing what you’d normally do, or futsing around feeling guilty!

b. Write it out! What does “nothing” look like to you? Identify it and then do it!

Whatever you plan to do this weekend or any weekend or holiday, get ahead of it and really enjoy it. No regrets next week!!

Labor Day weekend is coming up fast! Sadly, many people along the eastern coast of US and other countries will be on survival mode due to Hurricane Irene. Hopefully electricity, water and food will be back to normal soon.

But, for millions of others who can plan to enjoy Labor Day Weekend, make sure that you get out your thinking caps and plan ahead so that you don’t miss it! It happens all the time.

I found some great ideas at The Wilderness Society site. Pick and choose, just don’t “not plan” and lose!

Thank you, Laura Bailey for these great ideas! Laura is a Colorado native with a passion for travel and culture.

Get off the beaten path and onto the wild lands that we all cherish and work to protect. Whether you plan to spend Labor Day weekend at home or away, there are so many ways to get out into wilderness and enjoy a last slice of summer. Enjoy!

#1 Leave the Labor Day weekend crowds behind - check out these less populated recreation areas for a lovely slice of tranquility is good for the soul. Nearby recreation areas and National Parks are crawling with visitors on Labor Day weekend, so save the popular places for another day, and focus on finding Labor Day activities in more tranquil spots.

#2 Enjoy a sunset picnic - If you’re staying at home Labor Day weekend, a sunset picnic will allow you a quick outing to the wild. This may be one of the last sunsets you’ll be able to soak up without a sweater!

#3 Uncover American history – Amazing relics of our nation’s past (from dinosaur fossils and ancient petroglyphs to historic battlefields) can be found in national monuments and other public lands throughout the 50 states. Visiting such historic places will give you a feel for another component of why designating land protections, such as national monument status, is so important

#4 See the wild at night – One of the best things about summer is the warm nighttime temperatures with the stars above.

#5 Visit a wildlife refuge - They’re not just for the birds!  National Fish and Wildlife Refuges can be found in all 50 states, and most of them are less than an hour’s drive from a major American city. Bird watching is always great, but wildlife refuges also welcome hiking, picnicking, fishing, hunting and photography. Many allow canoeing or small boats.

#6 Record a child in nature – Your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews are always growing, and so are the ways in which they interpret nature. They will never be 2, 4, 8 or even 12 again, so don’t miss the opportunity to document their unique reactions to being in wilderness. The cute things a five year old says about wildlife will be totally different by this time next year.

#7 Send The Wilderness Society your Labor Day weekend photos! – Make a handmade sign with six words about why you love wilderness.  Bring the sign with you to any of your favorite wild areas and take a photo of yourself with the sign. Send it to: action@tws.org  They’ll use it for a photo montage of the their wilderness community.

#8 Play in the sand dunes - Because nothing beats a giant sandbox.

# 9 Hike a portion of a legendary trail – Because you’ve been itching to hike one of America’s great long distance trails but taking six months off is not an option.

#10 Sleep under the stars - Nightime. Stars. Frogs croaking. Crickets chirping. Need we say more?

#11 Play nature photographer - Photographing nature is a relaxing activity that allows you to be outdoors with out the pressure of a schedule. The only pressure is finding the next great photograph.

#12 Go fishing! - Labor Day weekend can be a tricky time for fishing because of the crowds. Increased boat traffic sometimes makes for shy fish, but this is still one of your last opportunities to get out while the weather is still great.

Do these with family and friends and everyone gets good out of it!

So, whatever you do this Labor Day weekend have fun and don’t forget to respect the wild by minimizing your footprint. Stick to designated trails, pack out your trash and keep your animals on a leash.

The Wilderness Society site is a great place to visit too! Click on the link and see the full write ups.

Find out about Laura here. 

Tomorrow we can celebrate another New Year… the Chinese New Year. February 3rd is the beginning of the lunar year. It will be the Year of the Rabbit!

The Chinese mark the occasion with parades and parties and a long list of traditions intended to bring fortune in the months ahead.

To bring your own luck into the Year of the Rabbit and months ahead, here are a few customs to observe:

 1. Sweep for success.  Clean your house from top to bottom to expel the dust and disappointments of the past year and usher in a bright future. (I think we should do this every month!)

2. Decorate with plants or flowers. These are symbolic of rebirth.

3. Dress for the occasion. Buy new clothes to wear on New Year’s Day; they represent new beginnings. Even better, get something red – it’s considered a lucky color.

4. Add luck to your menu. Have dinner tonight, on Chinese New Year’s Eve with your family, consuming fortune-boosting foods like nian gao (sweet sticky rice cakes), dumplings, and a whole fish, symbolic of progress, togetherness, and abundance. For these recipes and other traditions, visit Parade.com!  

But remember, all work  in #1 and #2 must be done by midnight tonight to usher in the New Year! So, hop to it!!

I think in terms of the day’s resolutions, not the year’s. 
~ Henry Moore

Get out your colored pens and pencils and make your first or your fiftieth end-of-year gratitude list!

Never done one before? Great time to start!

It’s just too easy to let another year slide by and forget all of the good that has come into our lives, and all the good that we’ve done. Making daily gratitude lists are a good place to review and find the nuggets that you want to include.

This is a great exercise in remembering all the good in life, in your life, and even better, to take this good feeling into your new next year!

Make the time to sit and reflect over 2011 and be grateful, thankful, appreciative and kindhearted to yourself and your life experiences.

The good you get out of this will also be very helpful as you decide who you want to be for the next 365 days!

It doesn’t take much to make me happy (I keep telling men that!!)… When it comes to holiday decorations, I’m a minimalist. I also like just using what I already have around the house.

A friend was decluttering a few years ago and gave me the two  2 1/2 ft. trees, one with lights, that you see in the photos. I hadn’t used them yet and didn’t even know if the lights worked.. I saw them in my storage area last week and said, “Doggone it, enjoy them!”

In less than 5 minutes!… I put them in my hallway just outside my office door. The green plug-in from the tree runs right under my bathroom door too, so no unsightly wiring and wall plug to look at.

A lovely after-sundown-glow in the hall into the nighttime hours before bed. I love it!

 The quaint wood cabin nestled under the evergreen branches is a bank, the advertisement and coin slot in on the roof on the side under the tree. I took it from its usual place in the livingroom. Add a flat rock (which normally sits in the corner, it’s heart shaped), a pine cone, some miscellaneous crystals to look like winter ice and vwala! Instant decorations for $0 and weeks of winter to come filled with the warmth of the holiday glow.  

I’ll leave them up until spring too, I’m in Colorado after all! Well, okay, check with me later, I might just leave them up all year long!

Happy “Simple” Holidays!

For more simple ideas for stopping holiday overload and stress, get a copy of my ebook – Holiday Stress BE GONE! The Complete Self-Help Guide on How to Change Your Holiday Experiences for GOOD! It’s been a life saver for people around the world!

Ahhh, the holidaze!

Jewish families have already begun celebrating Hanukkah, and before long, Christmas family gatherings will begin.  Can’t you just see it? Feel it? A beautiful Hallmark-Card-TV-Special-Normal-Rockwell-Painting!

No?

If you’re already downing antacids and complaining – to yourself and to others – about the next few weeks, I want to remind you of a few things that may help you experience your holiday family time with more joy and less stress.

Families Are A Collection Of People You Didn’t Necessarily Choose 

First, remember that families are just a collection of people . . . who you may have never known if they were not your “family.”

I use the following question hundreds of times a year in my presentations and workshops, see if it helps you immediately:

“If your family wasn’t your family, would they be your friends?”

“No?”

The answer is usually “no!” Not for all of them, but for some for sure.

Families come together through generations and circumstances that are out of our control. Even if you “choose” to marry someone and you become a “family,” it doesn’t mean you are good friends and that there is a positive flow in your relationship. Add to this that we choose, or draw to us, relationships who match the patterns of past family experiences we have had and we keep getting the same kind of people in our lives over and over again.

The people that make up our “families” are a collection and variety of diverse individual personalities. Some you like, some you adore, some you wish you’d never see again!

Because most of humanity is pretty unconscious, most of your family members have no idea that their behavior is inappropriate, irritating, mean-spirited, unkind or ungracious. We all react to our learned insecurities and fears, some more than others. Some know exactly how to push your buttons and do it intentionally.

Different likes and dislikes are one thing–cycle racing vs. ballet; stuffed bears with closets of their own “cute” clothes vs. bear hunting trophies–but when people are downright rude, cruel and manipulative, you need to be prepared and emotionally ready so that their undertow doesn’t ruin your celebration “one more time.”

Strengthen Your Boundaries and Plan Exit Strategies

When you know you’re going into a crazy-making situation with family, or even friend’s families, it’s best to be prepared to take care of yourself first, even if you plan to leave early.

Some things you can do:

1. Smile and buffer your hearing around loud-mouths and Debbie/Donnie Downers. Literally just don’t listen or hear what they are saying, because it doesn’t matter to you anyway.

2. Plan your way out when you’re ready to go. This may mean the whole shebang or just that moment with that one person. Whether you have to “stage right” for the bathroom, “help” in the kitchen, or “go out and check” something, you can get away from the frustrating situation for good or for a while.

3.  Change the subject. Feel free to change the subject mid-sentence into their 3 hour agonizing story!

4. Cell phone distractions. Today’s “phone in a pocket” works great for a quick stop-and-segue. “Oh, my phone is vibrating… hello? Oh, excuse me, I have to take this… in a another room!”

NOTE: Cell phone use and texting can be really rude! So, don’t be the one checking-out this year using your phone as a buffer to actually having fun in the moment with your real family.

5. Have ready-to-use canned phrases to get yourself, or even as a rescue attempt to get another family member out of their pinch. 

6. Tell the truth! Yikes! This one is really hard, but sometimes we really do need to stop the madness and just say, “I’d like to change topics to . . . “, or “I’m not comfortable talking about Aunt Sally one more time, can we talk about something else?” Waking people up is a very good thing for the planet!

7. Breathe and think your own good thoughts, no matter what is happening. If you’re with these people for days, and you can’t leave, take short breaks, breathe and focus your mind on your best thoughts for your world. It doesn’t last forever and you don’t want negative stuff stuck on you for days and weeks and years to come.

8. Don’t take it seriously. I know people who are still talking about “the Christmas of ’89″ and how much their family made them nuts! Let it go! Nothing in life is serious in the big picture. It only gets overwhelming when we take it seriously and personally and let our picture of it and life get too small. Enjoy the people and parts of your family celebration that you can and let go of the rest.

More great tips for sanity are in my ebook, Holiday Stress BE GONE! The Complete Self-Help Guide on How to Change Your Holiday Experiences for GOOD! This book is filled with checklist and pre-planning ideas to take care of you all year long.

Happy Holidays!

Kim