True Balance

The holidays can prove to be a highly demanding and stressful time for all of us. Here are 7 tips to help you reduce stress and regain balance in your life this holiday season.

Plan and Create Lists: Prioritize and schedule specific days for shopping, baking, partying and other activities. Creating an actionable plan will make you feel more in control of  your responsibilities.

Acknowledge Your Feelings: You can’t force yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season. If you are feeling blue reach out to a good friend or family member for some laughs.  If you feel lonely or isolated,  seek out community events or volunteer your time.

Delegate: You do not have to do everything on your own. Ask the people who love you for help. It’s amazing how much friends and family are willing to step up and chip in.  People like to feel useful and needed.

Get Real: The holidays don’t have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can’t come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videotapes.

Say NO Thanks: Saying yes when you really want to say no can leave you feeling resentful and totally overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every holiday event or activity.

Continue Healthy Habits: Overindulgence contributes to additional stress and guilt. Plan to enjoy a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don’t gobble up too many decadent treats. Do your best to to get plenty of sleep,  physical activity and down time.

Breathe: Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Reduce stress by clearing your mind, nurturing your body and finding inner calm. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Reduce stress by clearing your mind, nurturing your body and finding inner calm.

The holidays can be a lot of fun. All you need to do is create a plan, ask for help and honor yourself. You deserve to enjoy this time of year.

If you want more information about overcoming stress and anxiety,   you are welcome to visit www.anxietyslayer.com for additional posts, podcasts and ideas created to help you wipe out anxiety and get on wth your life.

Ananga Sivyer is a new friend, prolific blogger and sister anxiety slayer. Check out what she has to say about adding some extra peace to your day.

We’re all too busy to fit everything we want to into our day. Over-committed and over-stressed, we rush from one task to the next with little thought for our own well being. And yet, we all want to be calm, peaceful and happy. Here are five ways to show yourself a little love and squeeze some peace into your busy day.

1. Put yourself on Pause

Sit, breathe and reflect. Take a step back from rushing and emotional intensity and allow yourself a few minutes introspection. You could watch your thoughts, or your breath, or set a timer and free-write for ten minutes. Literally sit and pour your brain onto a page, write out your thoughts, your ideas, your worries, whatever is on your mind let it flow onto the paper. Then sit back and savour the relief and clarity that comes from externalising your thoughts.

2. Indulge in Peaceful Pleasures

Yoga, meditation and walking in nature can leave you feeling calm and content in the knowledge that you’re doing something to take care of yourself, even 10 minutes can make a big difference to your day. Get up ten minute early and start your day with a breath focused meditation. For improved sleep and boosting your immunity try an oil massage, or wind down with a guided stress relief exercise before you drift off to sleep.

3. Grace and Gratitude

Take time out before bed each night to affirm “I am grateful for…” even if you only do it for a minute this simple routine will help you end your day with a grateful heart and peaceful mind. Going to sleep with a grudge or a gripe will spoil the quality of your sleep so be sure to make a habit of settling down with some thanks even if it’s for the most basic liberties like company, food and shelter.

4. Soothing Soundtracks

If you have an iPod or mp3 player, make yourself a peaceful playlist. You could use classical music, music for relaxation, self-hypnosis, or supportive podcasts. Anything you feel puts you in a good state of mind.

My iTunes library has several “mood” playlists set up with different themes: relaxing, meditation, music for writing, devotional music, lectures and pep-talk podcasts. I’m listening to my “writing support” playlist as I write this - that’s the one that keeps me going when I’ve got an article to finish and my mind’s thinking of lunch.

5. Hang out with Happy People

While it’s good to be supportive and lend an ear to a friend in need, it’s also important to look after yourself by keeping balanced company. Spending too much time with people who are stressed or depressed will eventually affect you negatively too. Make sure you spend time every day with someone uplifting. If you can’t be with them in person, call them and share a sweet exchange. Positive company can also come from people you don’t even know. Look out for authors, inspiration speakers, or even a personal development coach whose  energy, mood, and values are in tune with your own goals and aspirations. You can listen while driving, washing dishes, or preparing meals, and turn chore time into a time of learning and positive reflection.

Like what you just read?  Head on over to Ananga Siyver’s Blog - Living By Design

Shann Vander Leek

Each week Marigold honors a woman business owner who has demonstrated outstanding business integrity and unwavering support for women in business.  I am honored to be the recipient of the prestigious award.

Each recipient is honored with:

• Special Marigold E-Mail Salute to 2,000 area business women
• Radio spots on 106.7 YOU-FM telling her story to all of northern Michigan
• Is the featured guest on Mary in the Morning
• Receive an engraved award at the Williams Honda Salute to Women in Business Luncheon at the Marigold Business Conference in September 2009.

Who is Marigold?

Marigold celebrates women’s economic opportunities through entrepreneurship and career development. Marigold’s passion is serving and supporting women in business, bringing together the talents of many professionals to offer high quality training programs, support groups, marketing opportunities, and technical assistance.

Tune to YOU-FM at 106.7FM or 105.5FM this Friday from 7:45-8:15 to join in the conversation with me and Mary Rogers, founder of Marigold.  For show information, click here.

Marigold Excerpt

Shann Vander Leek was a powerful sales manager in the television broadcasting industry.  After 16 years, the high stress levels of being a corporate creature was losing its appeal.   After thoughtful consideration, moving forward on the path of her dreams was the ONLY option. Shann’s leadership abilities that made her such a huge success in the business world were now affording her the opportunity to follow her passion to inspire women in transition. Congratulations Shann!

“I think too often we as women put everyone and everything first,” said Shann.  “We forget that we can give the most when we are living lives we love.  We can be the best mothers, wives, business owners or colleagues when we are feeling nurtured, fulfilled, inspired and self expressed.”

My Story

I became a certified professional coach and business owner because it gave me the chance to be completely independent and allowed me to reinvent my life on my terms.   A rich and full life dedicated to personal freedom, creative expression and the opportunity to deliver a meaningful coaching service.

After 16 successful years devoted to sales and sales management in the high powered,television broadcasting industry, it was time for a significant change. The high stress levels
of being a corporate creature and doing business in someone else’s boardroom was losing its appeal.  Even though my career path resulted in the realization of many of my goals and
dreams, I became completely disinterested in corporate culture and, unwilling to jump through any more flaming circus hoops for power and money.

After thoughtful consideration, conversations with my family and confidantes; moving forward on the path of my dreams was my ONLY option. I prepared, planned, dreamed and
schemed for 12 months.  I covered all of the bases to allow for my transition from the corporate world. I love being an entrepreneur.  I am a natural leader and find that I am
thriving by following my passion to inspire women while honoring my natural rhythm.

The birth of my daughter inspired me to become an entrepreneur along with florescent lighting and corporate politics. :-)  My family, friends and clients keep me inspired to “Show
Up” every day and keep growing personally and professionally.

I enjoy inspiring women in transition to create a more balanced way of living.  A life filled with extreme self-care.  I think too often we as women put everyone and everything first.
We will start a new business when the mortgage is paid off.   We will take yoga or art classes once the kids finish school.  We will get healthy or fit when we have more time.

My goal is to inspire as many women as possible to be willing to put themselves first, take care of their bodies, nurture their dreams, and make the best use of their talents.

My never ending curious nature along with a good supply of creative energy keeps me motivated. My mentor coach Deb Martin and my business partner at Seize True Success,
Diane Helbig have both been instrumental to my success.

The advice I share with women considering or in the beginning stages of ownership is as follows:

Figure out what you want to create and allow for a minimum of 12 months (if at all possible) to put your plan in action.

• Consider working with a coach or mentor to help you navigate the transition

• Involve your family and close friends

• Allow for setbacks and second guessing

• Set clear and specific dates of completion for each part of your transition

• Be flexible and find humor in the difficult situations.

Everything boils down to several simple ideas. Allow yourself the time to work through a serious transition, keep your family and close friends involved, allow for setbacks, work on a
reasonable time line and find humor in the day to day journey. Before you know it, you will be where you want to be - By Design.  Being in the business of inspiring people to recognize their brilliance is a blast!  The focus for the rest of my days is about inspiring women in transition to set big goals, achieve extraordinary results and create balance in their lives.

Discovering your groove and creating a luscious life is all about allowing for grace through the transition.

Learn more about my story - Walking Away From The Big Bucks In The Pursuit of True Balance in my new Best Selling book, Wake Up Women BE Happy, Healthy & Wealthy. Grab a copy today at www.truebalancelifecoaching.com or at Higher Self in Traverse City or Brilliant Books in Suttons Bay.  10% of the proceeds will be donated to the Women’s Resource Center in northern Michigan.

Thank you Marigold!