“I am not often aware that I am happy.  But I often remember that I have been happy.” -Robert Fulghum

Life brings many challenges.  Something like going to hospitals when a child is sick is not planned.  These are not happy moments, they are scary and stressful.  But, we do what needs to be done.  I have found that I can still be happy even when I am going thru something that is not thought of as joyous.   When I look back in years to come and remember this moment in my life, I am likely to remember that I loved being a mother, wife, and career woman… I was happy.  I will remember going to the hospital, but everything worked out so I will still remember being happy.

Think about Mr. Fulghums quote.  Do you often remember being happy?  If not, what do you need to change?  You may find that remembering you are happy, especially during trying situations, makes those situations seem less trying.

Have a happy day!

It may seem like a strange question, but many people do choose unhappiness over uncertainty.  We get comfortable with a routine and, regardless of whether we are happy; a routine makes us feel safe.  Change is scary. I know!  But you can’t let that fear be debilitating. Getting out of your routine can be as simple as picking a new place for lunch or as extreme as switching career fields.  If you are not happy, examine what changes you need to make then go create some new routines!

A quote by Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we’re inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond all measure.  It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small doesn’t serve the world!”

I give you this quote today to remind you that you have the power to create great things.  Often we put our power on hold because we are scared, we are waiting for the perfect moment (it doesn’t exist!), or possibly both.  It is normal to doubt yourself but you can’t become paralyzed by your fear.  I was once told that “fear is nothing more than false evidence appearing real.” Don’t shortchange yourself by giving into false evidence! By evidence I mean your past experiences. A failure in the past does not determine future success.  Everyone has failures; it’s what helps us learn.  I am happy for every mess up because it has taught me what not to do or what I don’t want.  Focus on the times in your life when you accomplished something great and don’t confuse falling with failing!

How many times have to arrived home from a long day of work and no one (especially you) wants to cook dinner?  Or, maybe you would be willing to cook but the chicken is still in the freezer.  Do you eat cereal or order pizza?  Likewise how many times have you gone to the grocery store and ended up with more groceries than you needed?  Or, arrived home only to realize you forgot an important ingredient because it wasn’t on your list?  A simple solution to these dilemmas is to make a weekly menu.  It may sound silly, but it can save you money, time, and frustration.

Step one: Pick one time during your week when you can sit down and create a menu for the following week.  For instance, if you like to shop on Sunday, sit down with your family the day before.

Step two: Write down the days on a piece of paper and then note if there is something special happening that would effect dinner time (see below).  Once you know what the week will look like discuss what everyone would like for dinner (and lunches if you take your own) in the week to come.  This lets everyone have a say in what foods sound good. The menu can be simple like below or it can be more detailed.

Menu April 20th-26th
Monday: Stir-fry
Tuesday: Lasagna with steamed broccoli and side salad
Wednesday: (Mom working late) Chicken salad
Thursday: Salmon with asparagus and brown rice
Friday: (Eve’s basketball game) Eat out
Saturday: Quesadillas
Sunday: New recipe we’ve been wanting to try

Step 3: Once you have agreed upon the menu, you can easily make a grocery list of the ingredients needed for each meal.  Of course breakfast, lunch, and snack items will need to be added as well.  If you like certain drinks or condiments make sure you have enough for the week.

Grocery list:
Stir fry veggies
3lb chicken
Brown rice
lasagna noodles
red sauce
mozzarella cheese
etc…

Step four: Stick to your list!!  When you are at the grocery store, only buy what is on your list.  People tend to spend money on impulse buys that they don’t need.  However, if you decided to buy pineapple for a snack and the grapes are cheaper, substitute!  If you buy too much it will just go to waste.

Spending the time to prepare before going to the grocery store will save you money and keep you from wasting food.  Having a menu will allow everyone to help prepare dinner.  If the whole family knows Mom will be working late on Wednesday night then someone else can take responsibility for getting dinner started.  Having a plan for the week will also keep you from spending a lot of money eating out. 

Try it this week… let me know how it works for you!

In March 2007 I wrote blog about pursuing your dreams.  Now, a little over three months after the new year (and the resolutions we made), I want to remind you to not give up on your dreams.  Sometimes we may lose motivation and it is not uncommon to become overwhelmed with your goals.  I encourage you to look back at the goals you set for the new year.  Have you accomplished the resolutions you made?  Are you working your way toward accomplishing your dreams or have you pushed them to the side?  Now is a great time to remind yourself of what you want to be important in your life. 

Blog Post from March 2007:
“What is it that you really want to accomplish? When you close your eyes and visualize your dreams, what do you see? Often when we allow ourselves to dream, we enjoy blissful moments of our future success. Then, when we open up our eyes, we’re still faced with the same reality. It is at this moment that we may be tempted to put ourselves down and dismiss the dream… “That will never happen. Get real. I’m not good enough. I’m not smart enough. I can never earn enough money. I … (fill in the blank).”

I offer you another alternative. Don’t give up. If you believe in yourself and your dream, it will happen.”

To read the full bolg post click on this link:
http://harmonyatlast.com/blog/2007/03/06/dont-give-up-on-your-dreams/

We are so excited to be celebrating a fabulous business milestone that is only happening because of you - Harmony At Last turned 5 this month! The name “Harmony At Last” actually has two meanings. It refers to our focus in helping our clients find harmony on their professional and personal journey.  It also reflects our desire to live in harmony and balance by sharing our passion with others. With heartfelt gratitude, we thank each of you for all of the joys in these last 5 years. Here’s to many more!

With our 5 year milestone came the announcement that Julie just received Golden Circle Membership.  This is a prestigious designation available to NAPO members who have worked as a professional organizer for 5 or more years and have been a NAPO member for at least one year.

We are so proud of these milestones and so grateful for the support we have received from each of you.

Thank you!

If you use reusable bags for your grocery shopping, you have probably on occasion found yourself standing at the checkout counter wondering why you forgot to bring them in the store.  If they are in your car, you can easily run out to get them.  However, sometimes they are still sitting at home by the front door or in the kitchen.  In that case, you either give up and (hopefully) ask for paper, or you buy more reusable bags thinking these will definitely get left in the car. I know some of you have large stashes of canvas bags because of this.  So, what’s the trick to always having your reusable bags when you get to the register? 

First, you need to find the bags that work best for you.  To me this means easy storage in my car or purse. 
These days almost every store you enter has some sort of reusable bag with their logo on it.  Some are cheap, some are fashionable, and some get you a discount.  I prefer the bags sold at Hannaford.  They fold up very nicely and fit perfectly into the back pocket of the passenger/driver seats of a car.  They are also very sturdy and hold a large amount.

Second, after you unpack your groceries make sure your bags go right back to the car.  Think of them as one of your “cold” items.  You wouldn’t leave your eggs out on the counter, don’t leave your bags sitting out either.  Take the 1 minute to put your bags back in your car after stashing all the groceries and you will save yourself money while saving the planet.  If you make it part of your grocery routine, your bags will always be in your car. 

For some other fun ideas on reusable bags, check out this blog by Olivia Zaleski.  (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/olivia-zaleski/plastic-bag-plague-five-_b_83335.html)

Happy shopping!