• Get up before your crew. Being the first to rise and shine, and allowing yourself some essential down time, can do wonders for your mood and ability to stay calm during the morning mayhem.
  
• Share the load wherever you can. Sit down with your spouse and determine who is responsible for all of the daily chores. Make sure your children are heavily involved. Remind your family that everyone benefits from a mom who isn’t overly stressed and exhausted from taking on too much herself.
  
• Organize the morning routine in advance. Make sure you allow enough time for everyone to get dressed, eat breakfast, complete chores, and get out the door.
  
• Do what you can the night before. Getting clothes out and making lunches together, the night before, can save your sanity the next morning.
  
• Spend some time alone, every day. Engage in something you love to do- such as gardening, reading, writing, or something else that allows you to really enjoy the moment. Some days you may be more in need of a short nap, meditation or yoga. Whatever you choose, honor your need to connect with your self, every single day.

With a little organization, sharing of duties, and honoring of your self, you can survive the school routine, and maybe even enjoy it!

Visit http://www.briacoach.com to learn more about my coaching services and my new book, The Balanced Mom Raising Your Kids Without Losing Yourself. The book is also available on Amazon.com and in all major bookstores.

© 2006 by Bria Simpson
All rights and media reserved.

Through tragedies, we are gifted with lessons. What struck me reading about his experiences was his quest for “Perfect Moments”. He reported that he marveled at how many Perfect Moments he was creating in his last days on earth. His experiences reminded me that when we are conscious of what we love, and we strive to create and contain those moments, life becomes richer.

And, guess what? We deserve Perfect Moments every, single day. For me, some of my Perfect Moments include:

• quiet time alone to ponder
  
• visits to Manhattan to explore
  
• meaningful conversations with good friends
  
• spontaneous play with my kids
  
• adventures with my goofy husband
  
• running in the sunshine
  
• the last moments of a fabulous yoga class
  
• taking in the tender moments between my kids and their grandparents and aunts and uncles
  
• writing in my journal with full awareness of my gratitude

Why wait until we near death to embrace its greatest lessons? I urge you to make your own list. And then make time each week, or even every day, for some Perfect Moments... you deserve it!

Visit http://www.briacoach.com to learn more about my coaching services and my new book, The Balanced Mom Raising Your Kids Without Losing Yourself. The book is also available in Barnes and Noble and Borders.

© 2006 by Bria Simpson
All rights and media reserved.

1) Living with constant noise and activity. Before you can get real and live peacefully, you have to make time for quiet. Schedule in solitary quiet time every day.

2) Losing sight of your values and priorities. Forget what other parents are doing. What do YOU think is important in your life? In your children's lives? Once you are clear with your values, prioritize. There are only so many hours in a day. If you don't prioritize, you find yourself on auto-pilot and feel out of control in your life.

3) Getting stuck in the Supermama trap. Always give yourself at least 24 hours to respond to a request. If it isn't in your Highest Priority List and you don't have time to do it and keep a healthy balance, say no!

4) Forgetting that your children benefit from having chores and learning some responsibilty. If children are given everything and are not expected to help out, they may become self-absorbed and overindulged. They could be in for a real shock when they leave your home and realize they aren't the center of the universe. Help them, and save your sanity, by requiring that they contribute to chores around the house.

5) Succumbing to micro-mommy madness. Kids need to take some risks, experience their own successes and learn from their own mistakes, If you are on top of them all the time, you are depriving them of some important life experiences, not to mention depriving yourself of essential time to focus on your OWN needs.

Remember that when you keep a healthy balance, you are happier, more fulfilled, more energized, and everyone benefits!

Visit http://www.briacoach.com to learn more about my coaching services and my new book, The Balanced Mom Raising Your Kids Without Losing Yourself. You can also find the book in Barnes and Noble and Borders.

© 2006 by Bria Simpson
All rights and media reserved.

I wrote the book because I listened to the voices of my clients, my friends, and within myself, and realized that we needed a book that is easy-to- read and focused on how to maintain a healthy balance, fulfill ourselves, and raise our children to be appropriately independent. To see what others are saying about the book, or to read the Introduction, visit The Balanced Mom Raising Your Kids Without Losing Yourself .

Amazon.com is currently offering a discounted price to those who want to order the book, which will be delivered in April or May. To take advantage of this discounted price,click here

Thank you and please let me know your thoughts when you read the book!

Visit www.briacoach.com to learn more about my coaching services and my new book, The Balanced Mom Raising Your Kids Without Losing Yourself.

© 2006 by Bria Simpson
All rights and media reserved.

Some stress is good. It motivates us and encourages us to expand ourselves. Obstacles and challenges are excellent opportunities to grow and to learn. But some stress is inherently destructive. B.K.S. Iyengar, one of the world’s leading yoga instructors, teaches us that there are six main causes of negative stress: anger, fear, speed, competition, unhealthy ambition, and greed.

Ongoing negative stress is toxic. When life gets tough, ask yourself if your stress is related to one of the following causes. If it is, acknowledge it and then do what you can to find a way out. Consider these tips to help you move forward:

• Anger. Listen to your anger. Calm yourself first and then communicate what you need to, without blame, in a way that you can be heard. And then listen to the other side. Forget about being right. Focus on sharing feelings and finding an acceptable solution to a problem. And then move on.
• Fear. Fear can paralyze us or it can liberate us. Choose the latter path by letting yourself feel fear but not allowing it to control you. Quite often, we need to feel the fear- such as how we feel when we are pushing ourselves in a new direction- and do it anyway.
• Speed. When we are too rushed, we aren’t enjoying life. Neither are our children. Slow down. Take breaks. Schedule less and say “no” more. Enjoy what it’s like to live without constant stress!
• Competition. Competition has its place, such as in the sports arena. But a chronically competitive perspective, with constant comparisons to others, shrinks you and keeps you small. Free yourself to be your best by living authentically, in alignment with your values- regardless of what others are doing.
• Unhealthy ambition. Too much ambition, whether for yourself or your children, is unhealthy. Seek ambition that moves you forward without overtaking your life- ambition that allows for a healthy balance. (Remind the men in your life of this one, as well!)
• Greed. Greed comes out of the fear of not having enough. Greed is never feeling satisfied. Free yourself from this insidious stress by focusing on your abundance and giving what you can to others.

We are all stuck in negative stress, at times. When you find yourself there, recognize where you are, and then follow the path that leads you out of the stress and into a healthier place!

Visit www.briacoach.com to learn more about my coaching services and my new book, The Balanced Mom Raising Your Kids Without Losing Yourself.

© 2006 by Bria Simpson
All rights and media reserved.

Think through the list of questions below. This year, do you need to...

"Imagine if our world were shrunk to a village of 100 people: 34 would earn less than $1 a day; 70 would be unable to read; 56 would lack access to basic sanitation. Conversely, 1 would have a college education; 7 would have access to the Internet." - Peter Karoff, the Philanthropic Initiative

I encourage you to teach this to your children and help open their eyes to the realities of the world around them. And then teach them, through your words and your actions, how they can help make a difference.

Blessings to you for a wonderful holiday!!

If you think a friend might enjoy this newsletter, please forward this to them so they can subscribe on my website. Thank you and have a great day!

© 2005 by Bria Simpson
All rights and media reserved.

With all of the pressures of modern motherhood and the challenges to living a peaceful, balanced life, it’s easy to neglect ourselves. But you truly can’t take care of others if you aren’t taking good care of yourself. Your body has a way of telling you that you are ignoring yourself and burning out... if you listen. Classic burnout symptoms include exhaustion, depression, anxiety, physical ailments or insomnia.

Do what you can to prevent these signs of burnout. Ask yourself: How full is my tank? Picture a scale from 1-10 on which 1 is feeling consumed by signs of burnout and 10 is feeling joyful, balanced, and peaceful. Your goal is to stay between a 7 and a 10. Where are you today? Check in with yourself on a regular basis and incorporate the necessary changes to keep your tank filled.

For tips on the basics of taking good care of yourself, read on:

• Exercise regularly and enjoy it! Regular moderate exercise has been shown to decrease stress, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Research shows that thirty to forty-five minutes of cardiovascular exercise is the optimal amount of time to improve your mood. Get creative to exercise at least four times a week and keep it fun. Consider taking different aerobic and yoga classes, meeting a friend, hiring a trainer, exercising outdoors and enjoying the sunshine- or some combination each week.
• Eat well. You’ve heard this one before. Nutrition is another “essential” that affects our well- being in a multitude of ways- including energy levels, our sense of well-being and our long-term health. If you don’t know how to eat well, and ensure that you are supplementing your weak areas with vitamins, it’s worth reading some of the updated nutrition books. I am always impressed with Dr. Andrew Weil’s nutritional advice.
• Get enough sleep. This sounds simple but is often overlooked. Important neurotransmitters and hormones are only made sufficiently when we get adequate sleep. Most of us need at least eight hours of sleep at night. Many of us also benefit from a brief nap some afternoons (I know I do!). We can learn from the lovely European tradition of closing up shop and taking siestas after lunch. Listen to your body and get as much sleep as you need to feel well- rested each day.
• Create a private space for your alone time. Carve out a space for yourself such as a private room or a screened off area. Keep it free of clutter and fill it with whatever soothes you, perhaps candles, pictures or plants. Make sure everyone understands that you are not to be interrupted when you are in your sacred space. Your space is for your solitary, slow- down time. Use it to be creative, to listen to classical music, to write in a journal, to meditate, to stand on your head... or whatever else you feel like doing alone.
• Make time for loved ones. Carve out some time every week to enjoy your children and your spouse or partner. Every month, get in some quality time with good friends. Connecting with those you care about is imperative for an happy life!

Without regular exercise, good nutrition, sufficient sleep, and some time alone and with loved ones, you can't maintain a healthy balance and a healthy self. Remember, when you attend to your own needs and keep your tank full- you are happier, more energized and much more able to reach out to others.

If you think a friend might enjoy this newsletter, please forward this to them so they can subscribe on my website. Thank you and have a great day!

My new book, coming out in May, 2006, is called The Balanced Mom. Raising Your Kids Without Losing Yourself. There’s a lot of talk about balance these days. What, exactly, is balance?

I consider a balanced life to be one that allows you to live authentically, in good health, with a deep sense of peace and happiness. I suspect most of us have felt a good balance in our lives, at times. But, it all too easily falls from our reach. How do we achieve balance and maintain it?

Balance can only be maintained when we very carefully and consciously choose how we spend our time, and thus, our energy. I believe that a balanced life is one that protects time for the expression of four core types of energy: mental, physical, spiritual and social/emotional. Only you can determine the ideal balance of these energies for yourself.

Take a hard look at how you spend your time. Look at the week that lies ahead and the week that has just passed. How satisfied are you in how you spend your energy in these four core areas:

• Mental energy includes writing, reading, developing new skills, incorporating your interests into your life and maintaining a realistically optimistic attitude.
• Physical energy includes exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep and sufficient breaks throughout your day to maintain overall health.
• Spiritual energy encompasses regular quiet times, praying, practicing yoga or meditation, artistic endeavors, spending time in nature, reading spiritual literature, serving others and living your values.
• Social and emotional energy includes maintaining satisfying and enjoyable relationships with close friends and family, asking for help when needed, maintaining appropriate boundaries with others, and having fun!

You may know some more ways these sources of energy can be expressed in your life. Please add them and re-arrange however you’d like. What is important is that you work towards being satisfied in each area.

Make the changes you need to in order to live with the almighty sense of balance. Once you are there, protect it by staying aware and saying no when you are feeling too pulled in one area. It’s okay to be off- balance for short periods of time but, for the long haul, we all need a healthy balance. It’s not easy, but with awareness and determination, you can do it!

If you think a friend might enjoy this newsletter, please forward this to them so they can subscribe on my website. Thank you and have a great day!

© 2005 by Bria Simpson
All rights and media reserved.