Reducing Stress in Difficult Times

News about the economy is troubling and it's likely to get a lot worse before it gets better. Here are some tips for reducing stress during these difficult times.

1) Limit your exposure to news - While it's important to stay informed, you will go crazy with stress and worry if you tune into the news multiple times during the day. Get the headlines and get on with your life.

2) Take what is said with a grain of salt - Remember that the line between the news and entertainment divisions has blurred in recent years. Ratings rule the day and the more "dramatic" the news, the more the ratings increase. Don't believe everything you hear. Be an informed viewer and draw your own conclusions from the verifiable facts presented.

3) Be grateful for the good things in your life - Do you have good health? A happy family? Great friends? Make a list of all the things you are grateful for and you will feel a tremendous sense of contentment.

4) Focus on others - No matter how bad things get, someone always has it worse than you do. We when focus on others and how we can make their burdens lighter, it makes our lives better too.

5) Appreciate the little things - A pretty flower, the deep blue of the ocean, a baby giggling, a beautiful sunset. All these things make you feel better and ease your worries; maybe it's just for a moment, but all these moments add up to an improved sense of well-being.

6) Get out and move around - Exercise is a wonderful remedy for stress. It helps to release any pent up nerves or anxiety and it's good for your overall health too. It's a definite win-win!

Together Time

As our kids grow and become more independent, it becomes harder and harder to spend time together as a family. That's why we were thrilled when our son told us that he will be able to get away this weekend and help us to celebrate our daughter's 21st birthday. We are truly blessed to have this time together.

If I can give one piece of advice to parents it would be to cherish every minute you have with your children. It's not always easy, and parents need time for themselves too, especially when the kids are young. But they grow up so fast, and before you know it, they're gone off to college, off to begin their own lives.

Live in the moment! Enjoy the journey!

And the winner is.........Nikki!

The One World, One Heart contest has come to an end, and I have contacted the winner.

Nikki has two little girls and I'll be writing a story about them!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to enter the contest, and thank you for your nice comments. I have visited many of your sites, and I will try to get to all of them in the coming months.

This has been a lot of fun!

Last Day

Today is the last day to participate in the One Heart, One World program. Tomorrow I will select a winner and notify that person. On Thursday, I will announce the winner on my blog.

Stay tuned!

Book on Kids and College

Greetings everyone,

My friend Judy and I are putting together an ebook about the unique experiences of parents and their college age children. Once you've toured all the campuses and filled out all the forms, you submit your applications. You wait patiently for word of acceptance or rejection and celebrate when at last a decision has been made. You think you're done. WRONG! The fun is only beginning.

If you have a story or just some thoughts you would like to contribute, please send us your email address. You can leave a comment here or contact us at TSchultz60@gmail.com. (My hotmail account is overflowing!) We will send you a list of questions to answer if you like, or you can just write down your ideas about the challenges parents (and their teens) face as their children grow into adults.

Please let us know if you wish to remain anonymous. Otherwise, we will use first names only. If selected, submissions become our property and you give us your consent to use them in our e-book. We will notify you if selected and send you a complimentary copy of our ebook.

Thanks in advance,

Theresa and Judy

Sometimes the best way to de-stress is with a game or quiz - something silly and fun. Try this one out. And...don't forget to enter the contest! See previous post!

Take the Quiz here!

One World One Heart - Free Giveaway

I've just signed up to participate in the One World One Heart campaign. To learn more about this program, go to http://oneworldoneheart.typepad.com/one_worldone_heart/.

Between now and February 11th, leave a comment on this post (including your email address) and let me know if you would like to be entered in the contest. On February 12th, I will randomly select a winner. The prize? Well, since I am a writer, I will write a short story for you. The story will star your favorite child or children as the main character(s). I will ask you some questions about your child and fashion a story wherein he or she saves the day.

Good luck and don't forget to leave your email address so I may contact you.