Hello Boss "cough cough"...It's me...

Let’s set a familiar scene.  It’s 6:20 am on a Monday.  Your alarm has gone off twice, and you’ve hit snooze both times.  You’re lying in your bed and your head is pounding like someone just hit it with a frying pan.  You have to be at work by 7:30 and all you want to do is cover your head with a pillow, throw the alarm clock across the room and close your eyes to escape the throbbing pain in your frontal lobe.  To do this however, you will have to do the one thing that many people hate doing...you will have to call in sick. 

For some people, calling in sick is no big deal.  Some people hardly ever take a sick day, so their boss understands that if they are calling in, they must really be feeling under the weather.  Many companies have policies that allow you to do so, procedures that will ensure that your position is filled and some managers actually appreciate it when an employee calls in sick, as it likely averts a flu-pandemic in the workplace that can cost tens of thousands of dollars in lost productivity in a single year.   For other people however, well it’s not so cut and dry.  So for those people who find themselves lying in bed trying to decide what to do, below are a few tips that might help you.

#1 – DON’T GET SICK

If you missed my last blog post about the flu shot, now would be a great time to read it.  If you are “one of those” people that refuse to get the flu shot, please do other things that will help keep you healthy.   Eat well, take vitamins, wash your hands and stay away from sick people.  Not getting sick is the best away to avoid having to call in sick.

#2 – GET SOME SLEEP

Calling in sick because you are too tired to wake up is simply unacceptable.  Let’s face it, morning comes at the same time every day.  If you don’t get the proper amount of sleep, or if you go out partying 3 times a week you are not going to be a morning person.  Yet mornings are when most jobs start.  By preparing yourself and living responsibly your immune system will stay strong, you will feel better in the mornings and you will make it to work on time.

#3 – BE RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY

Look, if you call in sick often, or every Super Bowl Monday, or if take a lot of single days off work, only to show up the next day completely recovered from some “nasty 24 hour bug” or a “terrible bout of food poisoning”, your manager will catch onto you very quickly.  If you are often late because “the power went out” or “traffic was awful this morning” you will not be considered a reliable and trustworthy employee.  Therefore every time you call in sick will be scrutinized.  You manager will always have that tone of disapproval and doubt and those days when you REALLY ARE SICK will be met with skepticism.  Remember the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf?

#4 – TRY AND MAKE IT IN

This tip goes out especially to those of you who are reading this that cannot afford to lose your job.  Maybe you don’t have your 90 days in, have a baby on the way and are living at home with your parents.  Maybe this one sick day could be the difference of getting promoted from part time to full time or even making it past that probationary period.  How do you know if you really are too sick to go to work?  Start by jumping in the shower, taking some Dayquil for that stuffy nose or a couple Tylenol or Advil for that headache.  These things really do work.  Many times just because you feel under the weather, doesn’t mean you can’t go to work.  Quite often, just by giving it an honest effort, you will find that a nice hot shower and some over the counter meds can make you feel a whole lot better. 

#5 – GO TO THE DOCTOR AND THEN STAY HOME AND REST

So if you’ve tried your best, but you have a fever of 102 degrees, a nasty sore throat and you are coughing up a lung, you should not be going to work.  Instead you should be on your way to the clinic to have a doctor check you over.  If it’s a simple virus you might need a couple days off work and some R&R, but if you need antibiotics it’s best that you get on them sooner than later.  Bronchitis can turn into pneumonia before you know it, and instead of a couple of days off work, you can find yourself out for a week or more, and if you get paid hourly or are docked pay after so many sick days, you won’t be happy when you find yourself shorted on pay day.

#6 – GET A NOTE

Ultimately, it comes down to this.  If you are a good employee who does their job, can be relied on to be on time and at work every day, calling in sick should never be an issue.  However, there are managers out there who despite all of your hard work and dependability, will still give you that disapproving tone on the phone, or tell you that you are really needed at work and try and force you into coming in sick.  For those managers, ask your doctor to write you a note.  If you really are sick, you can get one easily enough, and even if it costs you a couple of bucks, take it from me, it will quiet even the most difficult of bosses, leaving you with the time you need to get better and get back to work.

So the next time you are lying in bed in the morning trying to decide whether today is the day to call in sick, ask yourself this one question.  Who do I want to be?  If you know deep down that you aren’t really too sick to work, get yourself out of bed, rise above that laziness and get your butt to work.  However, if you can look deep inside of yourself, feel good about your decision and know that today is the day to call in sick, don’t hesitate.  Nobody should have to go to work if they are truly not fit to do so.

The Flu Shot

Everyone has specific memories from their childhood that are guaranteed to put a smile on their face.  One memory that makes me chuckle every time comes courtesy of my grade 7 teacher, Mr. Tisdale.  Mr. Tisdale was the schools coolest teacher, thus making grade 7, one of the best years of school for me.  Mr. Tisdale turned most lessons into some form of a comedy routine, and I recall a certain vocabulary lesson that may seem kind of corny today, but certainly made the 12 year old me laugh.  The word for the day was Influenza.  And the story was about a young boy named Enza, who kept running away from home.  Well one day, Enza's father caught him on the way out the door, grabbed him by his coat, and tossed him back into the house, and...yep, you guessed it...In Flew Enza!

Now as a medic and first aid instructor, I find myself discussing Influenza, or more specifically, flu season and the flu shot every time I teach a class.  Having taught over 250 first aid courses for the Red Cross, with an average of 12-15 students per class, I've gotten around 3500 first hand opinions of what is a very controversial topic.  When it comes to the flu shot, people's opinions range from very much pro-flu shot to very anti-flu shot to those who believe that the flu shot is a governmental conspiracy which contains a tracking device that will tell Big Brother where you are every hour of every day.  For those of you who are reading this and believe this to be the case, you should know I have hijacked your web cam, and am at this very moment using retinal scans to steal your identity. You no doubt have contingency plans in place for just such an emergency.  You should activate them immediately.  To those of you who get the flu shot every year, or find yourself living a lifestyle that is so healthy that your immune system does a great job protecting you from viruses and infections, give yourselves a pat on the back and read on for entertainment purposes only.  For the rest of you, here are my thoughts on the flu shot.

Firstly, it is important to understand that the flu virus can be a very serious illness.  For most of us, symptoms will include a sore throat, coughing, runny nose, high grade fever, fatigue, headaches and muscle aches.  It is important to know however that the flu virus attacks a person's respiratory system and in some cases, usually for the very young or the elderly, the flu virus can be very serious, leading to pneumonia, respiratory failure and sometimes resulting in death.  

The most common rebuttal I find when discussing this issue is that there is a very high percentage of people that believe that the flu shot will give them the flu.  My response to that is that the flu shot does NOT make you sick.  No matter how many times I say this, there are people in the classroom who vehemently disagree with me, and have first hand knowledge and experience to prove it.  It usually sounds something like this.

"I got the flu shot last year and it gave me the flu.  I was sick for 2 weeks."

So firstly, there ARE certain reactions that one can have to the flu shot. These are mild reactions and can include redness or swelling around the injection area and or a low grade fever and body aches. They will last only 1-2 days, and are much less severe than the flu.  For those who really did get the flu after getting the flu shot, the highest probability is that that you had already contracted the flu prior to getting the flu shot. It is flu season after all. And the flu shot does not cure the flu you already have.  Also, it takes about 15 days for the flu shot to take effect.  It is also important to ask yourself, did you really have the flu.  Not all illnesses are the flu virus.  Perhaps it was a common cold or a bacterial infection that you contracted.  Did the doctor prescribe you antibiotics?  Did they make you feel better?  Probably wasn't the flu then.  What is important to understand here, is that there is no way that anyone can be certain that they got sick from the flu shot.  So listen to the experts.  Group studies have been done whereby placebos have been given to half of a test group and the actual flu shot given to the other half.  In all tests, those who received the flu shot spent flu season much healthier than those that did not.  Listen to your doctor or another health care professional.  Doctors and nurses get the flu shot and stay healthy during flu season.

So other than preventing yourself from getting sick, why should we get the flu shot?  Did you know that in Canada, the flu virus is responsible for $1 Billion in lost productivity and health care costs per year.  The average amount of time off work per person is 3-4 days, totaling 1.5 million work days per year.  Of course there are those places of employment where your boss highly discourages sick days, so instead of calling in sick and dealing with the wrath of your manager, you go in anyways.  With offices being more congested due to the high cost of real estate you are likely sitting in a cubicle or working on a line, coughing and sneezing, spreading the virus to your unsuspecting co-workers.  Every door handle you touch, phone you pick up or elevator button you press spreads the virus.  Your co-workers go home, they kiss their spouses and children, who then bring the virus to their workplace or school.  It spreads quickly, and before you know it, you are talking with your neighbor discussing how "something is going around".  Everyone knows someone who came down with the flu.  

So what can you do?  Well first and foremost, go and get the flu shot.  It's safe, it's effective and will do a great job of protecting you and your family during flu season.  Just as importantly, wash your hands several times a day, and use an antibacterial soap or hand sanitizer.  These practices are especially crucial if you yourself are feeling under the weather.  You don't need to call in sick every time you feel a tickle in your throat, but when you are out in the public, don't go around coughing or sneezing on people.  Practice proper hygiene and do your best to avoid getting others sick.  Lastly, don't believe what you hear about the flu shot.  Do you own research.  You will find that vaccines are a highly effective way of preventing the spread of diseases.  Protect yourself and your loved ones and when in doubt, always ask your doctor.  Most of them are truly there to help.

You Look Very Nice Today

“I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel they have not said enough.”

― Mark Twain

Who doesn't love a compliment.  It makes us feel good about ourselves...it makes us feel special, for a brief moment...it gives us confidence, self esteem and puts a little swagger in our step.  Complimenting someone is a great way to spread positive energy.  When someone is down, a well placed word of praise or encouragement can completely turn around someone’s day...However, for some, a compliment is difficult to receive.

“That’s a really beautiful dress.”

“Oh this old thing?  It’s nothing special.”

Many people have difficulty receiving compliments.  In fact, some people downright hate them.  How receptive we are to receiving compliments, in many cases, reflects how we feel about ourselves.  A sense of low self esteem or self worth tends to get in the way of the compliment, because it contradicts the way we feel about ourselves.  For these people, compliments make them feel uncomfortable and confused...This discomfort and confusion often leads people with low self esteem to seek out friends and relationships in which their own views of themselves are supported...relationships in which emotional, verbal and often physical abuse is present.  In many cases being emotionally and verbally chopped down aligns with their own views and feelings of self worth, and although it hurts at the time, it causes less discomfort than being around people who prop you up with compliments and positive energy...More often than not, this stems from a childhood in which this type of abuse was present in the home...Truth is if you are told through your childhood that you are worthless, you will believe it...you will then seek out relationships in your adult life that reinforce these views...

So what can we do about it?  Well first and foremost, for those parents out there reading my blog, please understand that you are on the front lines of your children’s emotional well being.  It all starts with you.  So it is important that you begin by understanding your own sense of self esteem and self worth.  There are cycles in all things in life and our ability to parent is directly related to how we were parented when we were children and will directly impact our children's ability to parent down the road.  Understanding what makes you tick will go a long way to stopping the cycle of low self esteem. 

For example, if you suffer from any form of addiction, whether it be alcohol, drugs, gambling etc, it is important to understand the effect this has on your children’s self esteem.  These effects stem largely from two main behavioral traits associated with addiction.  The first is the fact that your children come to understand very quickly that they take a back seat to your addiction.  Promising a trip to the park and then putting it off because you are on your 6^th beer and have your friends over lets the child know exactly where your priorities lie.  By putting the addiction first, the children question their value and this leads to low self worth.  The second behavioral trait is the mood swings that accompany addictions.  These mood swings are drastic.  One minute, when you are down and awaiting a drink or a fix, you are grumpy, quick to anger, lashing out for what seems like no reason...then suddenly, once your thirst is quenched, you become their best friend, ready to play games with them, telling them how much you love them over and over again...These two extremes confuse the children...they begin to think that your moods are related to them...that your lows are their faults...they crave the highs, but these highs are too extreme and only temporary...These ups and downs, which will be present in virtually every addiction, have a very strong effect on your children’s self esteem and make no mistake about it, are a form of emotional abuse. 

Children with low self esteem are also often the victims of bullying at school.  Whether it is because they don’t take as good of care of their appearance, don’t excel at sports or academics or suffer from depression or anxiety, these children often make the perfect targets, once again creating a life where compliments are few and far between.  It is no wonder they have difficulty receiving them.  Combine the time children spend at school being bullied and at home being abused, and you can quickly understand why they grow up believing they are worthless, and in a great many cases turn to substance abuse themselves, hence continuing the cycle.

Now ask yourself a question.  Are you comfortable with the knowledge that your children’s future, which is in your hands, will be one in which they will feel low self worth? If you aren’t, then it’s time to stop the cycle.  The moment is now.  It is time to begin complimenting your children instead of knocking them down.  It is time to be a part of the solution instead of part of the problem.  If you are in the midst of an addiction, or if you suffer from low self esteem, you need to seek help.  .  There are more than enough resources, programs and therapists out there to help you change your life and the future of your children and grandchildren.  Understand that failing to address the root cause of your own behavior, your self esteem issues and your own substance abuse, will not effect positive change in your life or the lives of your children.  You can't just say, "Hey Jimmy you can be anything you want to be buddy." and then go hit the crack pipe.  

For those currently in abusive relationships, living with someone with substance abuse problems or suffering from your own addictions, whether you are current or future parents, its time to put an end to this cycle.  Its time to protect the children.  Its time to put them first.  Get help now.  Future generations of your blood line are counting on you.

 

Are You Likeable?

Many years ago, when I was in my early 20’s, I remember very well sitting in my dad’s office in Mississauga, where one of the most important conversations of my life took place...I had just started working for my dad, and was having difficulty navigating the corporate landscape...apparently, some people were complaining about me and truth be told, I had no idea what the problem was...

“People just don’t like you Jeff.” Dad advised me.

“Well that’s their problem.  I’m nice to them.  I’m not rude.  I don’t know what their issues are but I don’t care if they like me of not.  They can all go **** themselves for all I care” I replied with the cockiness and arrogance of your typical 23 year old that had just triggered his father in any way you can imagine.  “I mean, what is their problem?” 

 

“The problem is you’re an a**hole.” my dad interjected with his usual subtle approach.

You see, back then, Dad and I had a dicey relationship.  I triggered the hell out of him and he knew just the look or cutting words that would shut me up...but this time, I wasn’t going to just quietly walk away, bruised ego, tail between my legs, to my office where I would sit in that angry hurt place that didn’t accomplish anything...no way, today I wanted to know WHY my dad had just called me an asshole.  So I toughed it out and asked him what he meant.  In the following half hour or so I got some of the best advice I had ever received from my father and it stuck with me.  Here are some of the things my dad said to me that day.

#1 – Try and go a whole day without saying the words “I” or “me”...my first reply was “I can do that” lol...which pretty much meant I was going to struggle with this task.  That day he explained to me that people in general really don’t care about you...I’m not talking about your close friends and family, of course they care and want to know about your day and your life but when it comes to others, like coworkers, acquaintances and people you are meeting for the first time, trust me when I say that the vast majority of them would rather spend all of their time talking about themselves than listening to you do the same.  God gave us 1 mouth and 2 ears...which might mean it would be good to listen twice as much as we talk...and it isn’t enough to just talk less about yourself, it really helps to pay close attention and show general interest in what others have to say...ask questions about them and ask them to elaborate when they tell you something about themselves.  When you show a sincere interest in others, and not spend your time checking your watch or your email or glancing at your phone every 30 seconds, people will appreciate it...make eye contact and maintain it...who knows, you might even learn something...and knowledge is power...especially if you find yourself in any business dealings with that person down the road. 

#2 – No matter how good your story is, never tell one that is better than the other persons.  This was golden...how many times have you seen it happen, or has it happened to you...One person tells a story, for example, about the fish they caught that day, or the party they went to the night before, and then without missing a beat, another person “one up’s” them...What that second person is really saying is that “oh great story and all, but mine is better so I’m gonna tell you right now just how much better and totally kill your vibe”...and that is exactly what it does...it takes the wind out of that first person’s sail...maybe it shouldn’t, maybe in a perfect world, we could just high five each other with sincerity, but in the world we live in, competition is everywhere...and the easiest way to hurt someone’s feelings is  to dismiss their story by telling a better one...Instead, bite your tongue, high five them for a great story, even if to you it isn’t so great, and avoid the temptation to one up them.

#3 – Don’t be disagreeable...Whether or not you agree with someone, it isn’t necessary for you to share it...Especially when the conversation revolves around things of a serious nature such as religion or politics, which by the way are great topics to avoid altogether...sometimes it’s ok to simply nod your head and listen...This doesn’t mean that you have to compromise your morals or ethics, it simply means, pick and choose your battles...does this new person you just met at a party or business or networking function really need to be told they are wrong in their beliefs,  just because you disagree with them?  It also doesn’t mean you have to agree with them.  Instead, gently change the topic to something more positive and less controversial in nature.  If the person doesn’t want to, make an excuse to end the conversation and politely move on to less choppy waters.

#4 – Don’t come on too strong...I’ve been told I have a good sense of humor...I have been told I can brighten up a room and make people laugh...this doesn’t mean I have to do it the second I arrive...it doesn’t mean I have to do it all day and night...sometimes it’s good to give others the spotlight, and just STFU...I’ve learned to STFU over the years, and pick my spots...Sometimes, a half dozen well placed humorous comments are much better than playing the role of the stand up comedian all night...leave them wanting more...and this will also avoid stepping on the toes of the other self professed comedians in the room...now all that being said, sometimes when you are fire, just go with the flow, especially if the other guy isn’t getting the job done! 

These are just 4 of the suggestions that my dad gave me that day...And over the years I have always tried to remember that it is good to be likeable...Likeability opens doors...it makes friends...it means that when people talk about you when you AREN’T around, they will generally be saying nice things...And when you consider the alternatives, well, I am sure you get the point.  Things with my dad by the way have never been better.  We’re BFF’s for sure!  Gone are the days when my dad needs to call me an a**hole...but I suspect that if I ever needed to hear it, he’d be happy to get me pointed back in the right direction!!  And that’s ok with me!

Trusting The Process

There are certain things that we know to be true in life.  For example, we know that if we fill up the ice cube trays and put them in the freezer, we will have ice cubes.  We know this to be true because we have seen it happen time and time again over the course of our lives.  Inherent wisdom has taught us to trust the process of turning water into ice cubes.

The word PROCESS is defined as a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.  In the opening example. the steps and the end are very clear.  Fill the ice cube tray, place it in freezer and wait 1-2 hours and you have ice.  Unfortunately in life, some processes are not so simple.  Some processes require multiple steps, can take much longer than 1-2 hours and results may vary or be more difficult to realize than frozen water.  This is why it is important in these cases to TRUST THE PROCESS.

When I coach business owners or their employees on the art of trusting the process, I always start with determining the desired end result, or what is commonly referred as the goal.  If the goal is to increase sales, I work with the client to implement a plan of action aimed at increasing sales.  Over the course of the following 3-6 months, providing that the client implements the plan and trusts the process, the desired results are achieved.  In this case, the plan of action made sense to the client which made trusting the process relatively easy and the results, with benchmarks that would show almost immediately, were achieved in a short period of time.

What about processes that are not so easy to understand, with results that are not so easy to see and may take months or years to achieve?  Is trusting the process in these cases easy?  What if the goal is simply to be happy, or to raise emotionally healthy and well balanced children?  Could there really be a process to achieve such results?

The answer is yes.  The question is what are you prepared to do to achieve the most important results of your life.  Results that break the cycles of negativity that have plagued you and your family for generations.  Results that will ensure that you don't pass onto to your children or future children the toxic behaviors and reactions to triggers that have caused you to struggle to find happiness in your life.  

Each persons future journey is as unique as the path that has gotten them to this point in their lives. so I cannot begin to describe yours in a blog.  I can however help guide you towards your path.  The first step, just as it was for that business owner who wanted to increase sales, is to find yourself someone to help guide you towards success.  A life coach, a counselor or a therapist are great resources.  They will help you put a plan of action in place that will achieve the desired results.

In many cases the journey will not be easy or short.  If you have a past with physical or psychological trauma or substance abuse in your family, parents who fought every day or who were emotionally absent from your life, the path may be long and filled with obstacles.  There will be truths to realize, secrets to expose and damaged relationships to heal, but once you start down the path, the most important advice I can give you is to TRUST THE PROCESS!!  

Trust that replacing negative thoughts with positive ones will make you happier.  Trust that learning to control your emotions when triggered will improve your health.  Trust that treating others the way you would like to be treated will improve your relationships.  Trust that exploring your past will help brighten your future.  Trust that forgiving those that have done you wrong will lighten the burden on YOUR shoulders.  These are all part of the process.  If you trust it, make baby steps every day, let others help pick you up when you fall, forgive yourself when you aren't perfect and never give up even when the days are darkest, YOU WILL, without a shadow of a doubt, make positive changes in your lives and the lives of those around you.

Positivity Is The Key

Happy New Year everyone, I hope that 2014 brings you everything you dream of and desire...I also hope you continue to read and enjoy my blog...It brings me joy knowing that you accompany me on my journey of continuous improvement and growth, and as long as I see the views continue to rise (up over 1000 now) I will keep writing.

One of the resolutions I made a few years ago, which I am proud to say I continue to follow to this day, is to be aware of the company I keep.  If you've read my blog in the past, you will recognize the term Debbie Downer, and you know that I believe that surrounding yourself with positive people in your life will bring positive results...this is why for the most part, I now limit the exposure I have to people in my life that drag me down...the result has been wonderful, not only due to the absence of drama in my life, but it also created a void, which seemingly filled automatically with the type of people that I want to attract...so in essence, as cut throat as it sounds, I traded up...and it happened without a whole lot of effort.  The law of attraction states that like attracts like...therefore negative energy attracts negative energy and positive energy attracts positive energy.  Simply by limiting my exposure to negative energy, I have seen first hand, the influx of more positivity in my life.

This brings me to a story...During the holidays, I was sitting in the car with my daughter Jordan, when I asked her what her plans were for New Years Eve...the past few years there has been a circle of friends that would gather during special occasions, and I wondered if maybe she would be joining them...she explained to me that she really didn't like hanging out with them anymore.  I asked her why, and her response was that a couple of them were starting to be mean to people, and she didn't like it.  I asked if they were mean to her, and she said no, just that they were being mean to others and she didn't like hanging out with them anymore.  Now I knew this wasn't easy for her, as it kinda meant walking away from the popular crowd, so I asked if she was ok..."Yeah Dad," she replied, "Their loss."

I sat back later that night, thinking about what had happened...For those with daughters reading this blog, I am sure you know just how tough it can be socially as they approach their pre-teen and teenage years. Clicks are formed, friendships are strained and the pressure of growing up is so severe that many of her friends, at the tender age of 12 have turned to self destructive behavior such as cutting themselves and in one case, attempted suicide.  So to hear that my little girl is eliminating the negative people in her life, at the age of 12, makes me prouder than I can put into words.

The next day, I wanted to tell her this...it isn't always easy getting the attention of a 12 year old girl...so I try and pick my spots...I figured I needed about 10 minutes...

"Jo...do you have a minute?"

"Yea Dad, just let me update my Instagram account." she replied.

"What Instagram account?", I asked.

"Oh you should follow me Dad...My profile name is INSPIRING_QUOTES54321...I try to inspire others."

Yea, I thought as I smiled...she's gonna be just fine!!

New Years Resolutions

Sitting in the car Christmas Day with my 12 year old daughter Jordan, having one of our regular hilarious conversations, I swear she is destined for stand up comedy, when she proclaims to me the following...

"Daddy," she says.  "You will be so proud of me.  I have started using the treadmill, and I plan to use to it for an hour every day from now on."

"Sweetheart, that is great news."  I replied, as I went into a not so lengthy diatribe (lengthy ones are typically met with disapproval) about the benefits of physical fitness to the heart, body and mind. 

Sure enough early the next day, I watched as she set her timer, put on the Family Channel, jumped on the treadmill and ran her little heart out to a Good Luck Charlie Christmas Special.  The next day I watched as she again, although with slightly less exuberance, did her hour on the treadmill.  Day three, well that was a little different.

"Did you get your treadmill time in today honey?"  I asked around dinner time.

"No not today Daddy, I was feeling a little sick."

Sensing an opening, I asked a simple question..."An hour every day is a lot isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Now truth me told, it pained me to great lengths that first day to not counsel her at least a little bit about goal setting and biting off more than one can chew etc etc, but I decided that day not to rain on her parade even a little bit.  But now was the right time to help clarify to her what she had learned all on own...a little debrief with my daughter if you will.  She has now decided that her life is far to busy with friends, school, IPhones and IPads, sleeping and eating to find an hour every day to use the treadmill.  30 minutes, 3 times a week however, well she figures she can squeeze that in. 

My point is two fold.  First and foremost, as the New Year passes and we all decide on our resolutions, don't go overboard on it.  Start small.  Something you can keep, and grow if you find that its working for you.  If you go big, you might find yourself stopping before you even get it off the ground.  Second and perhaps most importantly, it's ok to NOT push our kids in what we feel is the right direction EVERY TIME we have a chance to do so.  Inherent wisdom comes from failing and trying again.  Encourage them, and then take the opportunities to help them learn from their own failures.  Simply asking them the right questions can help them find their own way.

Thanks for reading my blog in 2013...Have a safe and happy New Years and I look forward to seeing you all again in 2014!!