A Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee

Written by Laura Bankston


Continued from page 1

The pebbles arerepparttar other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.

The sand is everything else-the small stuff.

'If you putrepparttar 128853 sand intorepparttar 128854 jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room forrepparttar 128855 pebbles orrepparttar 128856 golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy onrepparttar 128857 small stuff, you will never have room forrepparttar 128858 things that are important.'

So, pay attention torepparttar 128859 things that are most important. Take care of your health - cook with your kids! - spend time with those you love.

There's always time to cleanrepparttar 128860 house - it's a never ending job anyway :-).

Take care ofrepparttar 128861 golf balls first,repparttar 128862 things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

Wondering whatrepparttar 128863 coffee represents?

No matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple cups of coffee with a friend - or a soda if you're like me and don't drink coffee!!

Please share this with someone you care about!!!

Laura Bankston is author of homeschool cooking curriculum: the Homeschool Cooking in a Box, and the Homeschool Cookbook. She currently home schools her three children, maintains home school support websites, and manages their family-owned service business. For information on her curriculum and free home school support services, please visit http://www.homeschoolcookbook.com


Mindfulness and Mood Swings: 7 Secrets For Successful Mood-Watching

Written by Maya Talisman Frost


Continued from page 1

#3 Be prepared. How can you respond lovingly to another's storm? By planning ahead. Plan to be available, if only to listen. Plan to be a calming presence. Plan to take nothing personally when those inevitable winds lash at you. #4 Ride it out. Ah, yes. Here'srepparttar tough one. Don't let someone else's storm become YOURS. We all say and do things when we're in a full-on mood hurricane, and it can get ugly. Yelling atrepparttar 128852 wind won't change its direction or force, and when you're talking about mood storms, adding your own wind only makes things worse. Remember: your role is not to stoprepparttar 128853 storm, get mad at it, sulk about it, or hide from it. Be present, and watch.

#5 Clean up as a team. This is definitely THE most important part of mood- watching. Once that storm has passed and emotions have settled, it's time to assessrepparttar 128854 damage. Your role here is to engage your loved one inrepparttar 128855 process of learning from this torrential downpour of emotion. And be clear about this--BOTH of you can learn from it. Your intention is to discover ways to deal with similar storms more skillfully inrepparttar 128856 future.

#6 Enjoyrepparttar 128857 sun. A common mistake we make is to dwell onrepparttar 128858 mood storm long after it has passed. Here comesrepparttar 128859 sun! Celebrate that, enjoy it, and don't get caught up inrepparttar 128860 memory ofrepparttar 128861 dark clouds of yesterday.

#7 Don't worry aboutrepparttar 128862 next storm until you see it coming. Sure, you want to keep your eye onrepparttar 128863 forecast, but you don't need to stay glued torepparttar 128864 24-hour weather channel. There's bound to be another mood storm eventually, but until then, revel inrepparttar 128865 sunshine.

By sharpening your mood-watching skills, you will develop greater mindfulness and learn how to handle whatever comes your way. Your loved ones will benefit from your loving attention, and you will pick up a few tips forrepparttar 128866 next time your own mood storm starts brewing.



Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches eyes-wide-open ways to get calm, clear and creative. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.MassageYourMind.com


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