While I can get as excited as anyone about all the wild, wonderful possibilities that exist within the expanse of a New Year, I also don’t want to jump right into the positive goals/resolutions thing that seems to be everywhere right now. Oh, I’ll be jumping on that bandwagon soon, but right now, I really need to be brutally honest with myself about what I WON’T be doing. What I’ve learned about myself is that I need to get really clear when I first figure out what isn’t working for …

This is second part of a two-part post by guest blogger Beth Shepard. To read Part 1, go here.
7.    Get out with your girlfriends. Regularly- and when you’re ready. When my kids were babies and toddlers, I worked full-time outside of the home, and had a hard time leaving them for any amount of time during my off-time. So, I didn’t. People kept pestering me to get out more, and I got tired of hearing it. As my kids got older, I felt better about leaving them for short periods …

By Guest Blogger: Beth Shepard, M.S. (Part 1)

Most moms do a pretty remarkable job of cutting corners on self-care to meet the demands of work and family responsibilities. But instead of saving time and energy, neglecting our own needs only magnifies the stress. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of better health by integrating these self-care practices into your lifestyle, one at a time.
1. List your values. What matters most to you? Is it your family? Your health? Work? Faith? Think of your top values as your compass, guiding …

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…or is that just name of a holiday song? No matter what you’re you’re celebrating this month, there’s sure to be a lot going on. Here’s the equation that happens in homes across America: holiday preparations + high expectations + more to do than usual =stress, power struggles, and other “gifts” of the season!
Rather than be all “coachy” about it (in other words, speak in that impersonal voice of a coach), let me just be real and say that if there were ever going to be …

As a mother, do you look forward to the holiday season? Or does it induce visions of tantrumming children, pouting relatives, and an ever-growing to-do list? You’d be in good company if you felt both excited and stressed.  No matter what holiday you celebrate, here are a few tips to keep you from wanting to throw in the towel and running away to the North Pole:

 1. Keep your expectations in check, and get clear on what you want. What would a stress-free, guilt-free holiday look like for YOU? Never mind what …