4 Steps to Stay Present Using Past Memories

Five minutes ago I ate a fresh, juicy raspberry.

My mind leaped back to when I was a young child. I was in my grandmother's backyard picking raspberries fresh from her summer garden. She asked me to pick some for dessert, but I snuck a few into my mouth. My grandmother was a baker and a caregiver, and her love was present in the meals she served. The taste of a fresh raspberry sends me back to those memories, full of love, a safe childhood, and my grandmother with a heart of gold and a fresh, abundant garden.

If I am having a bad day or a busy day, I can buy or pick fresh raspberries and one taste sends me back to childhood ease at grandma's in the summer. And in that moment my body relaxes, as if it was in that long ago moment.

Memories are unique. Our emotions don't really know the difference between a memory and a current event, in that both can bring equal joy, pain, sorrow or comfort. Bring a memory forward and the emotion is felt in present day.

This can be a blessing...or a curse.

If You Can't Beat Em...

It took lots of tears and bargaining 

to get this sweet angelic child in that dress.

But, note, she is covered from head to toe!

(note: this is a guest post from author Heather Dugdale.)

. . . just buy stock in Hanes and purchase every color of sweatpant and sweatshirt known to man!  The Ego (middle child) has been killing me about her clothes.  She wears the same red hoodie every day and literally the nicest thing I can get her into to go to church is a velour sweatsuit.  In the spirit of giving and forgiveness, and complete exhaustion, I’ve decided to just give in.  And here’s what I’ve learned about accepting defeat:

How to Get Happy

How to Get Happy – Changing the Vibes

I feel down. Or at least I did last month. My energy wavered up and down for a few weeks. On the outside I don't think I appeared or acted any different. On the inside I want to sleep in more often or curl up with hot tea and a good movie, or a nice scotch and a new episode of “How I Met Your Mother.”

I hear others feeling blah and my metaphysical friends explain it as a vibrational and global energy shift.

When we are about to burst into a new way of being, such as starting a new job, reaching a new level of personal growth or overcoming a major personal obstacle, we go through an energy shift.

Initially this can be uncomfortable.

When we shift to a higher energy we get rid of old "stuff" like beliefs, memories or even relationships, to make way for the new. As we go through old stuff that no longer works, the gunk comes up.

Family Play at Any Age*

Channel your energy into fun and creativity with your family. 

Listen to your thoughts and make a personal commitment to smile with each response. A smile and a bit of creative rewording, turns bickering into bright moments. “The children are starting to argue and dinner’s in half an hour,” becomes, “Hmm, they must be hungry. ‘Kids, I’ve got carrots and dip. Want some now?’”

“I just cleaned up this room and it is already a disaster,” becomes, ‘Kids, who can grab the most items in one minute? One, two, three, go!’”

Turn argumentative episodes into spontaneous fun. It is better for everyone. For example, my children love contests, especially ones like who-can-get-their-pajamas-on-first? That one is their favorite, followed closely by who-can-get-their-shoes-on-first? Boring and routine becomes fun and adventurous.

For a parent to have fun, sometimes you need to schedule it. Plan a trip to an ice rink or roller rink. Have family game night. Choose an activity everyone will enjoy.

5-Minute Metamom – Create Instant Play

1.      Keep a deck of cards in the kitchen. As dinner is cooking, invite your child to play one hand of rummy.

2.      Play 20 questions or eye spy. This is great in the doctor’s office or other waiting areas.

3.      For your older children, create two copies of Sudoku or a word jumble and challenge them to the fastest time.

4.      Tickle your young children for a moment.

5.      Dance around the living room with your child to their favorite song.

6.      Find a few moments to cuddle with your young child.

7.   Discover age appropriate activities for the family. 

       

Teenagers ·         Card Games: Rummy/Poker ·         Board Games with more challenge ·         Soccer, baseball, tennis ·         Multi-player electronic games ·         Skiing, swimming

Young Children ·         Card Games: Go Fish, Memory, Old Maid ·         Simple board games – or simplify ones for older children ·         Tag ·         Peek-a-boo ·         Coloring/Painting

       Elementary School Children

·         Card Games: Crazy Eights, War

·         Board Games

·         Hang man

·         Hide ‘n’ Seek, sardines

·         Soccer, baseball, tennis

·         Active electronic game

·         Swimming

Create an environment of play. When play is scheduled into your routine, it will raise the vibration for all of you. Vibration comes into play with the law of attraction. Like attracts like and a high vibration, such as joy, attracts more high vibration feelings. We could all use a little more joy in our lives. The sacral chakra and the creativity which blossoms when it is balanced, opens the door to the foundation of joy.

Make a habit out of play when your children are young. They want to be close to you and they want to play, so family games provide both. Your teenagers may display some resistance to family games, as they naturally move towards independence. Try to meet your teenagers half way and focus on their current interests. Throw the ball with them. Design the latest clothing trend. Challenge them to a video game. Although you may believe there is too much video play in your house, this is a path to engage your older children and have fun together.

Focus on play, and the seriousness and discipline will fade into the background of your family life.

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. How do you play with your family? What makes you laugh? What is your child's favorite family activity? What would you add to the list above?
*Excerpt from book: Metaphysical Mom: 5 Minutes to Calm

1 Minute Reasons to Smile

Need a reason to smile? Watch this one minute movie...then go do something that makes you smile!

Scene behind the house I grew up in.

http://youtu.be/sAXAPlzRhrQ

Enjoy this moment...and smile.

Smiles to brighten your parenting day

Sharing laughter about childhood

Comments are courtesy of forwarded email. If you know who wrote it, let me know and I'll give them full credit.

What Is Butt Dust??


What, you ask, is 'Butt dust'? Read on and you'll discover the joy in it! These are fun, original and genuine

JACK (age 3) was watching his Mom breast-feeding his new baby sister... After a while he asked: 'Mom why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?'

STEVEN (age 3) hugged and kissed his Mom good night. 'I love you so much that when you die I'm going to bury you outside my bedroom window.'

BRITTANY (age 4) had an ear ache and wanted a pain killer. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it has a child-proof cap and she'd have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: 'How does it know it's me?'

SUSAN (age 4) was drinking juice when she got the hiccups. 'Please don't give me this juice again,' she said, 'It makes my teeth cough..'

DJ (age 4) stepped onto the bathroom scale and asked: 'How much do I cost?'

CLINTON (age 5) was in his bedroom looking worried when his Mom asked what has troubling him, he replied, 'I don't know what will happen with this bed when I get married. How will my wife fit in it?'

MARC (age 4) was engrossed in a young couple that were hugging and kissing in a restaurant. Without taking his eyes off them, he asked his dad: Why is he whispering in her mouth?'

TAMMY(age 4) was with her mother when they met an elderly, rather wrinkled woman her Mom knew. Tammy looked at her for a while and then asked, Why doesn't your skin fit your face?'

JAMES (age 4)was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: 'The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt.' Concerned, James asked: 'What happened to the flea?'

Kids say the darnest things.....

The Sermon I think this Mom will never forget...

This particular Sunday sermon....'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. Without you, we are but dust...' He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

Love, light, and a mountain of laughter,
Leigh