Ever find yourself in one of those moods?  Yeah.  You know what I mean.  That FUNK in the middle of the day.

Next time you are  in need of a little lift, try one of these tactics out for size:

MOVE IT! – You heard me. GET. OUT. OF. THAT. CHAIR. NOW.  The unique combination of florescent lighting and hours of computer screen gazing have an uncanny ability of sucking the life (and enthusiasm!) out of you, don’t they?  There are literally tons of studies that suggest that even the smallest amount of exercise can improve your state of mind.  Get off that chair and take a quick walk around the building. Or, even better, the block.  (I’ve always envied smokers who manage to take a “smoke break” every hour. So I try to fit in a “sanity break.”)

BRIGHT COLORS= HAPPY CAMPERS – Keep the blues at bay by wearing (or decorating your office and/or house in ) bright colors.  Colors have the ability to instantly alter your mood.  Orange adds excitement while yellow is purported to naturally lift your spirits!  I, personally, like to wear bright pink.  How can you be depressed if you are wearing something that obnoxious and cheerful?  (Then again, I tend to gravitate towards things like “Hello, Kitty” so what-do-I-know-anyway?)

SHOW A LITTLE GRATITUDE, SISTER – You might need a reality check.  Give yourself a moment to jot down things that you are greatful for in your life.  Go deeper than the standard “my husband and my children” response.  The deeper you dig, the more you discover.  Instant mood lifter!

IMAGINE YOUR WAY OUT OF IT – Visualization is an amazing tool.  When you find yourself in a funk, imagine your way out of it.  Visualize yourself scooping up all of your problems and locking them in a chest. Then go ahead and toss them into the ocean and watch them sink!

INDULGE – Buy yourself something fun, colorful and impractical … flowers?  Or maybe those Jimmy Choos?

EMERGENCY TACTIC – Call a friend.  Pick that phone up and call your favorite Chatty-Cathy and let her guide you out of your morbid state.  Hey, that is what girlfriends are for!

OTHER GOODIES:

Six Easy Lower Body Exercises To Do At Work

Fitness Facts & Tips

This is the first of a new series I’m calling  “Stuff You’ve Just GOTTA Have!”

I don’t know about you, but when I find something that I think is terrific I’ve just gotta spread the word.  Have something you want to share?  Feel free to recommend your favorites to me by using the contact form found here.

STUFF YOU’VE JUST GOTTA HAVE: Julie Boonshaft Jewelry

My friend Julie Boonshaft is a true inspiration.  She is stunningly beautiful and tremendously joyful.  I am not-so-secretly-convinced that she can do anything – be it wrangle her four kids (Yes, I said FOUR!) or create delightful jewelry.

Julie is like so many of us mothers – although we relish every hectic day with our children, our aspirations to do something unique with our individual gifts aren’t always fulfilled. 

Julie found her artistic outlet in the creation of jewelry.

“Ultimately, I absolutely love being a mom, but I’ve also never had a more challenging job! There are so many times in the day where you question- Did I teach them all I could? Are they going to remember all the acitivities we do? The playdates? The swim lessons? The picnics in the basement just for fun?! I found that my days were absolutely consumed with the joys and perils of mommyhood. Selfishly, I needed something of my own- an outlet for my creativity, a tangible result to something that I had done.”

“I make jewelry in the middle of the night when the kids are asleep, my own time, just for me… and yet, ironically, the very first jewelry I created was “mommy” jewelry…  a name bracelet for myself.  Little did I know, the ‘Jared and Josh’ bracelet I wore so proudly would be the beginning of this incredible journey. They are and always will be my inspiration.”

Through her online website, Julie Boonshaft Jewelry, Julie offers stunning and unique personalized jewelry pieces that range from Yoga-inspired to bridal adornments and one of a kind commemorative necklaces and bracelets.  I dare you to find something you don’t love!  BTW – THIS is my favorite.  LOVE IT!

A mother's inspiration!

This is the fourth post in a series to focus on

Fitness Fridays! (More here…)

I’ve found some new fitness inspiration this week. I’m giving myself permission to take BABY STEPS. You see, I can’t run right now. I have some sort of injury which has caused me to lay off the running for awhile.

Instead I am focusing on three things:

• relaxation
• water consumption
• high concentration of vegetables & fruits

I’m shooting for 9 glasses of water per day, 60% of my diet from veggies & fruits and heavy doses of sleeping in and walking/meditating. I’m even taking an afternoon break from the office to go outside and walk around the block. It definitely clears my head. And I’ve been working on spending more time with God.

You know, it is amazing the progress that you can make when you give yourself permission to take it slow. My body is responding well, too. The bags are gone from under my eyes, I have a spring in my step and I even feel lighter.  As a matter of fact, I’ve lost 2.8 pounds!  Yippie!

Next week I will add weight training back into the mix along with more walking/cardio, water and veggies. I am hoping to report some good weight loss next week as well!

Tags: Fitness, Fitness Fridays, Inspiration, relaxation, weight loss

And just like that, when I needed a little running inspiration, I found it.  Shall I share?

Isaiah 40:31:

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Hebrews 12:1

Let us run with endurance, the race set out before us.

“Run the first 10 miles with your head, the second 10 miles with your legs, and the last six miles with your heart.” - Starshine Blackford, according to Runner’s World magazine.

I am a quote collector.  When I find a good quote I snag it immediately.  I tend to carry mini-notebooks with me for just this purpose. (Which has resulted in a tiny notebook obsession, but we won’t go there yet.) I find that on some days, all it takes is a good quote to empower you.

Happy Friday!

• “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” - Coco Chanel
• “There will invariably be people who do not accept you. And in that case you must be your own BADASS self without apology.” – Unknown
• “You grow up the day you have your first real laugh-at yourself.” –  Ethel Barrymore
• “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can!” –John Wesley
• “You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.” –Rick Warren
• “My sport is your sport’s punishment.” – Unknown (For all of the runners out there!)

Tags: Inspiration, Quotes

I was raised by a very imaginative woman. My mother has  the most interesting view of the world around her.  Everything is filled with magic and possibilities.  She is the world’s biggest believer in Santa, has a “real” fairy door mounted on her wall and has always (SERIOUSLY) wanted to be Peter Pan.  She is a barrel of fun and quite a handful!

This is the world in which I grew up.

Because I was raised with this attitude, I also tend to be open to the wonder and magic in the everyday details.  (Not to mention see the humor where others do not.) This is especially true when I am around children.

About six months ago my kids and I discovered the movie Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. You might have seen it.  Perhaps not.  My kids were given the DVD as a present.

I  L O V E D IT.

Not the acting or the special effects, what I loved MOST of all was the message about believing (finding the magic) in yourself.

There is one specific scene from the film that made a lasting impression on me.  It is when Mr. Magorium is about to “depart.”  He takes his apprentice Mahoney’s face in his hands and says to her, “You life is an occasion.  Rise to it.”

Gave me chills.

I think that quote is my favorite of all time.  It is so relevant.  It is so inspiring.  I repeat it to my children, often.  I never want them to forget it.