Free Festivities

My family and I went to a great 4th of July celebration this past Sunday at the Woodland Hills Valley Cultural Center. My brother and his family have been going for some years now and this year, my family decided to join in on the festivities.

There was a great cover band playing the best hits from the 70s to today. We scoped out a spot right in front and enjoyed some fun music. Everyone brought yummy picnic food and enjoyed the nice weather.

Then, around 9pm, we saw an amazing fireworks show set with patriotic music. It was pretty spectacular. And the best part about it? It was all free! The music, the show, the great company--didn't cost a thing.

The Valley Cultural Center will have free concerts all during the summer months, and they'll even have a "Movies on the Green" series where they'll show hit films and a surprise movie selection on certain nights, as well. Again, all of it's free.

To see what other events they have going on, visit their website: http://valleycultural.org/. It makes for a fun, free, festive time with some good company!

Pot Luck Protocol

I recently went to a potluck party and chose to bring a dessert for the get together. It got me thinking about whether there was a protocol on what to bring to pot lucks. I've found that the food usually consists of everything from made-from-scratch items to picked-up-from-the-drive-thru dishes. And I understand that some people are cooks and some just aren't.

So is there a protocol when it comes to what to bring to a potluck?

I think the bottom-line is that as long as it fits the requirements (party theme, casual get together vs. a nicer holiday party, budget restraints) then all dishes are welcome. What's even better is if you can supply a throw away container so that there's no need to keep tabs on your serving platter!

Positivity

I consider myself a pretty positive person. That's been pretty hard to maintain lately. Too much positiveness can really take a toll on someone so I'm allowing myself a little "down" time.

The economy's tough, no doubt. And many of us are facing stressful financial situations because of it. We all want to be successful. If we can be happy, too, well then that's just icing on the cake!

So I'm really trying to take this time to find out what makes me happy and how I can make a living doing it. I'm envisioning what I've dreamed of all those times when I was stuck at an bad job. What kind of job would I do if I could have the power to shape my career?

What would you do? As Robert Schuller once famously asked, "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"

Word of the Year

I know a lot of people who are choosing a word to represent several areas of their life and the goals they hope to achieve. I've never done this before but as 2009 drew to a close a word popped into my head that represented so much of what I'd like to accomplish: reconnect. With myself, with others, new friends, old friends, projects, etc.

So what's your word?

Christmas: Just Say "No!"

The holidays can be a crazy time for anyone. Instead of enjoying the decorations, carols and twinkling lights, we often find ourselves running through our gift-giving lists and pushing our way through the malls trying to find that “perfect” gift. In my family, it’s also a time of lots of family birthdays and Christmas parties. We all want to spend time with friends and family and share in the amazing holiday cheer. So how do you manage it all without going crazy?

You have to come to terms with the idea that you’re going to have to say no sometimes. As much as you may want to do it all, for your own sanity—as well as your family’s—you’re just going to have to decline a few things and maybe put those people/events at the top of your list for next year. As someone wisely said, “Sometimes saying ‘no’ to others is saying ‘yes’ to yourself.” You can explain that it’s not that you don’t want to go, you just aren’t able to make it this year.

Plan out what events you have coming up during the holidays and prioritize those things that are most important and you don’t want to miss out. If you have three holiday parties in one night, make a “guest appearance” at one of them and then make choose a final destination for the rest of the night.

If you have kids, take special consideration of their needs. Don’t stay out late with the family just because you’re having a good time—get the kids to bed. You’ll be happier in the end, and they will be too. Too much time in the car driving all around town can be a bit wearing on the little ones, as well. Be aware of their limits, and yours, and pick which events your kids will enjoy the most.

If you’re budgeting your money this year—as many of us are—get back to the basics during the holidays. It REALLY is the thought that counts. Give more hand-made gifts or make a strict budget for all the gifts you plan on giving and stick to it! If it means saying “no” to an outing that requires a bit more spending you’ll be better off in the end. You don’t want to have to drastically ration yourself during January just to make up for your “generosity” during December. Your friends will appreciate the gesture of a “little something” and understand that we are living in a difficult time right now.

In the end, you want to enjoy every moment—big and small—that this holiday season brings. Saying “no” will get easier with time and it will truly save your sanity. Preparing wisely for this holiday season will set you up to look forward to next year’s festivities and instead writing to Santa to squeeze in 12 more days of Christmas!

Beat the Thanksgiving Regret Blues

Make sure this Thanksgiving holiday is full of gratitude and not regret. It’s easy to get carried away with all of the amazing food that’s offered but we need to remember that Thanksgiving is just one day—we don’t want to spend the rest of the year regretting having eaten half a turkey, a bowl of mashed potatoes, two cups of stuffing and three servings of pumpkin pie. (Although that all sounds tempting!)

So how can we have our pie and eat it too? (Pun intended) Here are some tips to help you avoid those Thanksgiving regret blues.

It’s just one day. Not only that but it’s just one meal. Don’t turn Thanksgiving into a month-long eating feast. Enjoy the food and kindly refuse leftovers. It gets too tempting to nosh, nibble and taste the following days.

Plan ahead. You know the basics of what’s going to be served so figure out what foods you won’t skip on and plan the rest of your day accordingly. If you want dessert at dinner, don’t eat sweets during the day.

Skip seconds. Take what you want—in moderation—the first time and don’t get up for seconds. You’ll enjoy everything much more if you know that’s all you’re getting. And no, getting up and walking to get another serving does not count as exercise.

Spend your food bucks on filling, satisfying foods. Sure nuts are tasty. Yes, chips and dip are great. But too many calories can be spent on tiny servings of those foods. Concentrate on the big-ticket items like the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes instead.

Drink your calories in moderation. I’m not saying skip the alcohol but be aware that you’ll get more satisfaction from eating your calories versus drinking them. And as someone once said, too many glasses of wine will make those nuts and chips look a lot better. In other words, don’t let alcohol blur your otherwise healthy judgement.

Don’t focus on the food. Thanksgiving is a time to connect with family and friends. Enjoy conversations instead of wondering when dinner will be served. Play games with the kiddies. Before you know it, you might ever forget about dinner…or not…

The food isn’t going away forever. One of the most important things to remember is that the food that’s served at Thanksgiving is available all year round. Don’t take on the mentality that this is your one chance to eat it so you need to ingest accordingly. Whatever you didn’t eat, whatever you wished you had more of, you can! Have Thanksgiving in February. It’ll lighten the anticipation of the meal and let you focus on other things.

Overall, the important thing is to remember the meaning of this holiday. Enjoy the company of those around you. Think of all of those things that you are grateful for, big and small. And don’t forget to savor every bite.

Bounce Back After Getting Turned Down

It’s never easy hearing the word “no,” especially when it’s uttered in the workplace. Whether you’re job hunting and getting more rejection letters than interviews, getting turned down for a raise or promotion, getting fired or demoted, or being told that your position is being eliminated, it’s important to not lose focus of your goals.

Some of history’s greats have received their fair share of would-be setbacks only to come back a success. Lucille Ball was discouraged from acting and advised to seek another profession. Albert Einstein failed his first university entrance exams. Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he “lacked imagination.” And at one point, Babe Ruth held the records for most home runs and most strikeouts.

Here are some tips to get you through your next “no:”
Accept it and move forward. Give yourself a moment to take it in, but don’t take it as a personal rejection. It’s about the job, the company or the budget, not about you as a human being.
Ask questions. It’s okay to ask, “Why?” Most employers will appreciate you trying to understand and will offer constructive criticism to help you in the future. Take the advice, apply it and don’t be afraid to ask when you can approach the topic/job, again.
Learn from it. Look over your resume and cover letter or reevaluate your job performance and find areas in which you can improve.
Take the high road. Fight the urge to complain or speak poorly about your boss or the company. Work just as hard, if not harder, to show that your eyes are still on the goal.
Network. Talk with your friends and colleagues and regain that support and encouragement you need to give you that extra boost.
Don’t back down. Remember, it’s just a setback. It’s not the end of the road. If it’s really that important to you, then you can achieve it.

As Babe Ruth said, “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” So see your next “no” as one step closer to your next “yes.”