Month: December 2012

10 of My Favorite Quotes for Inspiration and Motivation

IMG_1071I love quotes!  Anyone who follows my fan page knows how much I love quotes for motivation, inspiration, a good laugh or just some plain common sense.  I feel that as people, we identify with particular quotes during different times in our lives.   Today, I’d like to share some of my favorites.   The first 4 quotes are the ones I keep on my desk at all times to remind me what is important because I don’t want to forget. The remaining quotes, are favorites right now and I hope they give meaning to you.

1.  Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up with more.  If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.   — Oprah Winfrey.  Simply said, we need to be thankful for what we have.  Often, I see people concentrate on the accumulation of stuff, rather than the development of relationships.  Stuff goes away.  Relationships have real meaning.

2. Balance Yourself.   Unknown.  For me, this is a daily reminder to balance work, playtime and family time.   This means not spreading myself too thin and making time for the important people in my life.

3. At the door of the rich man sleeps the contented beggar.  –Tibetan saying.  I believe this means that happiness does not come from acquiring more money, but with being content and living within your means.

4. Winners are losers who got up and gave it one more try.  –Dennis DeYoung.   Don’t quit.   Stay motivated.

Here are some of my other favorite quotes.   I hope you find some inspiration here.

5. Opportunities are never lost; someone will take the one you miss.  –Author Unknown

6. Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most often makes for success.  –Dale Carnegie.

7. You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.  — Malcolm Forbes

8. Without change, there would be no butterflies.  — Anonymous

9. There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.–Zig Ziglar

And, last but not least, one of my most favorite quotes of all times.

10. I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.  I’ve lost more than 300 games.  Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to make the game winning shot – and missed.  I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that is why I succeed.  — Michael Jordan.

What is your favorite motivational quote?  Please share in the comments section.

Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday

As the holidays approach us, I wanted to share a few tips to help everyone take some of the stress out of this time of year.   It’s so easy to get caught up in the gift getting and hustle and bustle of parties, but I think it’s so important to remember that this season is about spending time with family and friends.  Think about how you can simplify this holiday season.

1. Declutter as You Go– While decorating for the season, recycle, toss or donate holiday items you no longer have a use for or no longer love.   Holiday decorations tend to accumulate like mad, so use this time to whittle it down before having to store it all again at the end of the season.
2. Give the Gift of Experiences– Consider giving gift cards or gifts of experience such as tickets to a sporting event, play, concert, or art exhibit, membership to a museum or gym.

3. Learn to Say “No” – Give your permission to say “no” if you do not really want to do something.

4. Practice Giving – During the weeks before the holidays, help your kids (and yourself) declutter by donating items no longer being used or that no longer fit.  This helps to teach little ones about the beauty of giving, and creates space for the upcoming gifts.

5.  Keep it Simple – Enjoy the holiday time and spend your energy on what matters most – time spent with family.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?  Please share it in the comments below!

Image Source: midwestliving.com via Kristyn Holt on Pinterest

Clutter Free Gift Giving

Clutter-Free Gift Giving

I love this time of year – I love the sights and sounds of the season; the parties and extra time with friends; the joy I feel when I share a gift with someone.  In recent years though, as the holidays come around, I feel more and more stressed as I try to accommodate this “gift-buying” season – the added expense, the frustration over getting that perfect gift, and receiving a pile of well-meaning, but not needed items.  I’m not a scrooge – I love to get a gift for someone who will truly love it – rather, I think that gift-giving has become more about “checking someone off the list” and most people end up taking one more trip to Goodwill with the items they collect each season.

This year, give clutter-free gifts a try.  This takes a little creativity – you have to consider those on your list and buy accordingly.  What do they like?  What are their needs?  What are their hobbies or interests? Trust me, your thoughtfulness will be appreciated!

Consider these clutter-free alternatives to giving things that, no matter how thoughtful and well intentioned, the recipients may not need, use, or love, and that may only end up becoming clutter in their homes and lives.

  • Make a charitable donation in the name of the recipient.
  • Buy gifts in the recipient’s name for needy children from The Salvation Army Angel Tree or needy seniors from the Be a Santa to a Senior gift trees.
  • If there are people on your list who truly need things, consider fulfilling their needs, even if they aren’t very glamorous – groceries, gasoline, pay an outstanding bill.
  • Give experiences – tickets to a sporting event, play, concert, or art exhibit, membership to a museum or gym.
  • Gifts of time – take someone out to dinner, make a special lunch, breakfast in bed, assemble a photo album, or babysitting.
  • Gifts of Education – Dance class, music lessons, cooking class, or yoga class.
  • Gift certificates for Itunes or Netflix.
  • Consumable gifts – homemade cookies or brownies, a basket of coffees and teas that you assembled yourself, flowers, beer or wine of the month club membership.

You’ll be giving fun, memories, time, and togetherness: precious (and clutter-free) gifts for sure. And when you look back on all the time, money, and stress you expend buying gifts, wouldn’t you prefer to spend that time and money with the person?

What are your favorite clutter-free gifts to give?  Please share in the comments.

Like this post?  Please share it!

Image Source: michaels.com via Adriana on Pinterest