Well here we are, over halfway through the 2nd month of 2012.  And I have been browsing through some of my past blogs, and came across the one I wrote on December 31st on ‘What Will The New Year Bring.”  I realize Resolutions can put a lot of pressure on people, but I don’t think that’s why we should make them.  We all need something to work toward, and I decided a long time ago to look at Resolutions as goals and inspiration, that can be worked on year after year, rather than insane pressure cookers, that make us feel like failures if we slide at all during the year.  Thus the title of the blog.

Two weeks in to the year I wrote a blog asking people how the year was going to date.  Two weeks into Resolution Time is when they start to slide and I was proud that I was doing pretty good.

So I looked back at what my 2012 will bring and where I wanted the journey to take me.  I have done very well with the smoking, even though I fell off the band-wagon once over the holidays.  Let me re-phrase that, I didn’t fall off the band-wagon, I dove off it, head first, with a crash helmet on.  I have since re-grouped.

I also wanted to shed those unwanted ‘stopped smoking’ pounds and so far have managed to take off 10 pounds, eating more plant based food and less animal fat.  (Another one of my goals).  I wanted to educate myself more and to date I have read 2 business books and now I’m reading ‘My Week With Marilyn’ by Colin Clark, a guilty pleasure of a book that I’m reading just for fun.

One of my other goals was to improve my public speaking.  I have had one opportunity to give a speech so far this year, and to be honest, I haven’t been pushing this one hard.  I have to get past the fear, and Just Do It!  (As the t-shirt says)   There have been a few other struggles to date in 2012, but I try to work through them with a smile on my face and not hear the voices of the toxic negative people that are in my head sometimes and other times behind my back.

All in all, I am proud of how my 2012 is going.  Feeling a bit at a crossroads right now, but hey, I’m ready to embrace change if it comes my way.

How is your 2012 coming along?

Darlene

As I was getting ready to leave work yesterday, all everyone could talk about was the impending blizzard today.   And I couldn’t help but smile as I heard many of my colleagues talk about what they were going to do on their snow day.  And I realized, not since we were kids, have we looked forward to a snow day as much.  Unless you’re a teenager, or in your early 20′s, when its near catastrophic to have a snow storm on a Saturday and heaven forbid be stuck inside the house, I realize as we get older it’s a day in heaven!

What a treat to hear parents talk about the fun snow day they were going to have with their kids.  A pajama day that involved movies, popcorn and laughter.  Or those of us with no kids, a day still involving pajamas, but books, movies and maybe a glass of wine.

You see as adults, if there is a snow storm on a weekday, most of us still have to go to work.  And for those with children, when schools and daycare are closed, it involves finding someone to take care of the children.  Let’s face it, a snowstorm on a weekday, can mean an extra headache to a parent.  But a snowstorm on a weekend, can mean a fun-filled day with your family.

And although the ‘blizzard’ was a little disappointing, not a lot of snow, just  a lot of wind.  For those of you that stocked up like the Apocalypse was coming, I hope you enjoy your snow day anyway.  I am still in my pajamas wondering what wonderful concoction I am going to cook up for supper.  Probably something that goes well with wine.

Enjoy

Darlene

I was so moved by this photograph by Mark Stucker, that I had to write a blog on it.  I changed the title many times.  I started with ‘Are We Doing Enough to Feed the Homeless?”  Then I changed it to “Are You Lonely in a Crowded World?”  And then I decided to call it the True Meaning of Companionship.

We recently surpassed  7 Billion people on this planet, and yet, is it possible that more people are lonelier than ever before?   Have you ever watched people speed by each other in the mall or on the street and do you notice few people make eye contact anymore.  If our total communication depends entirely on the Internet (as I sit here writing a blog), is it any wonder so many people are lonely.  I have been blessed with many wonderful friends and a great family, and I encourage everyone to take time with their friends and/or family for some real face to face time.  Talk to each other if you can.  You’ll be making memories, believe me.

And although we have surpassed 7 billion people, study after study show us that there is enough food to feed everyone on the plant.  The World Health Organization says that we produce enough food to feed everyone. World agriculture produces 17 percent more calories per person today than it did 30 years ago.  That’s approximately 2700 calories per person.    The main problem is that many people in the world do not have sufficient land to grow, or income to purchase, enough food.

Back to the photograph.  In my New Year’s blog I wrote that ‘If you want to feel rich, count all the gifts you have that money can’t buy.”   The man in this photograph probably has less money in the bank than you or I, but in so many ways he is richer than most of the people I passed in the mall this afternoon.  Embrace your friends, your family or even your pet and experience the joy of true companionship.

Thank you Mark Stucker for a photograph that I hope, in some small way, will change someone’s world.

Darlene

I was sitting here, about to write a new blog, when bam!  The power went out.  You don’t fully realize how much we depend on this invention.    The first thing that pops into your mind is ‘What to do now’?  So I comprised this list of things you can do during a power outage.   The list is much longer if the power goes out during the day.  The first is the ‘daytime power outage list’.  Hope you get some ideas!

1. Dive head first in a tub of ice-cream.  That’s right, the power is off.  You can’t let the ice cream go to waste.

2.  Clean – It’s not like your house can’t use it.

3.  Go for a Walk – burn calories before you put your butt on the couch in front of the television… again!

4.  Take a nap

5.  Go shopping in an area of town the power is on

6.  Play a Board Game – FYI – this sucks if you live alone.  And the cat just keeps batting the pieces under the couch.

7.  Look for that flashlight you’ve been meaning to look for

8.  Discover just how crappy those emergency candles are

9.  Read – a great time to catch up on that book or magazine that you can never find the time to do.   Chances are you may learn something new

10.  BBQ – all the meat is thawing out anyway

During the night – it gets a little more challenging

1.  Figure out how you’re going to re-arrange the furniture once the power comes back on, because you keep walking into the coffee table.

2.  Go to bed – after all the crappy emergency candles are just little burning stubs and you never did find that flash light.  On the bright side, you’ll get a great night’s sleep.

Darlene

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I once read something that said ‘if you want to go to heaven – go to church, if you want to go to hell – go to a beauty salon.   I guarentee you its more entertaining than television.

I just had the pleasure of sitting in a beauty salon for 2 hours while a very patient lady took the grey out of my hair.  Oh my!  The perils of getting older.

However, it was a chance to sit between two twenty-somethings and get a different, quite refreshing outlook on life.  Ladies, for all of us, getting older dealing with aches and pains and dreaming of the days when we were 20-something, I say to you – Be Grateful.

First of all, did you know you can pay to have feathers put in your hair! (I am not making this up)  It costs $12.   And apparently this is quite a dilemma.  The good news is the feathers can be straightened, curled and cleaned.  Hmmm, I have dustballs in my home I can do that to, for free.  Can you imagine showing up for work with feathers in your hair?  My co-workers would have a field day.

Plus, did you know that the worst thing that can happen to you when you are twenty-something is not have plans on a Friday night.   Having to stay home with nothing to do but sip on a quiet glass of wine is dastardly – I call that heaven, but then again, I’m not hip!

And then there’s man trouble!  Whew, you learn some pretty new break-up lines in a beauty salon.  ‘We can’t move in together, because my mom won’t approve’!  If that doesn’t have the romance head south faster than a Canadian during a rough winter, I don’t know what will.  Or ‘I will continue to act this way until you break up with me’… Nice guy.

Ladies, there are advantages to being older.  In a hostage situation, you’ll probably be released first and your joints are probably more accurate than the weatherman   But you know what, we tend to discard toxic people and surround ourselves with loving caring friends, and that’s not a bad thing.  We have figured out what’s truly important and are better people for it.

I am proud to be turning 50 this year… yay

Darlene

Mine is fabulous!!  I am loving 2012 and I believe it will only get better from here.  If you read my New Year’s Blog, you know I have set out some goals for myself.

My weight… I am exercising every day and eating better… I know what you’re thinking, it’s only been a week.  Well I have a very smart co-worker who says ‘You have to eat an elephant one bite at a time’.  That’s how I’m tackling the eating better and exercise thing.  I believe I can keep this up till I go on a trip…. which by the way, I am open to suggestions.  Drop me a line of your best vacation or a suggestion for me.  I am open to any and all ideas.

Remember I wanted to read more books that I am able to educate myself.  I am reading 2 books at this time.  My Life With Marilyn by Colin Clark and ‘The Rules of Management’ by Richard Templar.  I am thoroughly enjoying both reads.  If you have any more suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  I read a lot.

I also wanted to do more public speaking.  Well, I booked my first public speaking appearance of the year for this coming Thursday.  I am speaking to a group of sales people and I am looking forward to that.  If you have any words of wisdom to pass along, drop me a note.

The reason for this blog reflects back to the picture above.  Be the Change You Want to See in the World.  You see, it’s one thing to tell people that there are things you want to accomplish, but unless you start to take the steps to accomplish them, you’re just blowing smoke up their butts.  Oh, and I am still off the smokes.

How’s Your New Year so far.  Would love to hear from you

Darlene

On this New Year’s Eve 2011 my friend Michelle posted this photo on her Facebook page.  I think it’s a great thought as one year comes to an end and we are about to start another one.

A lot of people ask me what I am doing on New Year Eve.  My New Year’s Eve is my night to enjoy a treat bottle of wine and to write in my journal.  I like to write on the reflections of the past year and my hopes for the coming year.

This past year I quit smoking, and one of my personal goals this year is to have the strength to stay away from cigarettes.  Some of my other personal plans is to take control of my weight once again and rid myself of the ‘quit smoking pounds’ I put on.  I am going to do it in a healthy way by exercising more and focusing on a more plant-based eating plan.  More fruits and vegetables, less animal fat.

I am already an avid reader but I want to educate myself better this year.  I will read practically anything I can get my hands on, but one thing I want to do this year is read more biographies and learn more about other people.   I also want to become smarter in business and I have set some lofty goals for my business life.

I have cut many toxic people from my life and I try to surround myself with positive people I continue to learn from.  I want to become even better at that and work  harder at being the positive person other people gravitate towards.

I want to become a better public speaker and get some practice in 2012 and I would like to volunteer more.  I have been blessed with many gifts in my life and would like to give back even more.    I am a firm believer that what you give out will come back ten-fold.

And I would like to be a mentor to more people in 2012.   I have had the pleasure of meeting some fantastic people who have been great at mentoring me, and I would like to do the same to someone else.    I want to be the person I would like to see more of in the world.

I read a quote today that says ‘If you want to feel rich, count all the gifts you have that money can’t buy”.    So as we are about to enter 2012, I hope you can count many gifts in your life and that the New Year brings you even more gifts in value that we can’t put a price tag on.

Happy New Year

Darlene

Yes, it’s that time of year.  Stockings are hung by the fire with care, in hopes that St. Nick will soon be there.   We are days away from the big day – the day Santa Claus comes to town.

So tell me why so many people are rushing around trying to buy presents for other people in a gesture of good will, yet many people are so angry by this.  If Christmas has become such a chore –  maybe you ought to change the way you do Christmas.

I love Christmas.  I love shopping for gifts.  I love wrapping the gifts, and I love watching people’s faces when they open the gifts.  The whole process for me is a labor of love.  I love everything associated with Christmas.  I also love how my house looks with the lights on, and I loved doing it.  I had a coffee and Bailey’s after I came in from putting on the outside lights, turned on the fireplace and loved every minute of that day.

I spent Sunday making lots of cookies for a cookie swap, and now, with the help of 10 other ladies at work, I have a different array of cookies and treats to serve people who come to visit… I love it.

So my wish for you is that you start to love Christmas again, or continue to love it.  And I realize it’s a busy time for everyone, but choose to love those busy times.  Smile – after all, it’s Merry Christmas right?  Not Scary Christmas.

Enjoy a safe and happy holiday Season

Darlene

As I am writing this blog, we have 48 days, 8 hours and 49 minutes to Christmas.  That time is going to extremely fast.   What makes me chuckle is that people still find themselves in a panic to get ready.  It comes every year, and on the same date every year.  Yet somehow many people tend to stress themselves out – over something that’s going to come and go whether you’re ready or not!  So relax, and enjoy the season.

My Christmas wish this year is for every person who reads this blog to ‘Pay it Forward’ in some way.  Do something nice for a complete stranger.  Help feed someone who is hungry, give a gift to a person who probably wont have a lot under the tree.   It is estimated 19.6% of the children in this country, (yeah, Canada!) live in poverty.   These children go to our schools and live in our communities.

Let’s give them a Hand-Up this Christmas, and maybe one day, they will be in a position to do the same one year.