I’m rounding out the month’s “Tips for Vacation” with some ideas for inexpensive, fun activities. Whether you’re traveling alone or with a family, vacation activities often can be costly. Here are some things you can do that are easy, fun and inexpensive!

1. Museums and Cultural Events. Most cities have a museum or host cultural events throughout the year. These are fairly inexpensive to get in and can entertain you for the whole day! My recommendation is to pack a light lunch so you do not have to spend money on the food and drink, which could get expensive here as well.

2. Go outdoors! Look for public parks in the area – even if you’re in an urban setting, you will find parks for picnicking, hiking, fishing and even camping! These are inexpensive activities fun for the whole family!

3. Go indoors! With Game Day! I remember a trip to Costa Rica with my husband, we were rained out of the surf, so we spent a couple days inside with our beer, cards and board games. It was so much fun! If you’re with a group of people, try an “Olympics” with the different games you have access to. A little healthy competition livens things up!

Hope the tips throughout the last weeks have helped with your vacation planning. Maybe it’s even inspired you to plan your NEXT vacation! For right now, however,. . .
What ideas do you have for some fun, inexpensive vacation activities?

Next month, look out for me featured in the Compass MAP(TM), “Taking Care of Self.” In it, I will lead you through some ways to achieving better balance, improved health and happiness! This is definitely a Self Care program you do NOT want to miss!

Make Happiness Yours,
Susan

Technorati Tags: inexpensive activities, travel, vacation, museums, outdoor activities, indoor activities, family vacations, travel tips

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!
At least for those of us who live in the United States and celebrate this holiday. Other than the freedoms and the patriotic feelings I get as a proud American, I also think of summer, sunshine, BBQ’s and VACATION!

Last year I wrote an article, “Get Lost - Vacationing with Intention“about the importance of intention and getting the most out of your vacation. I still consider this relevant and encourage you to check out that article to put you in the right mindset for your time off.

However, this month I’m going to focus on various vacation tips I want to share with you so you can prepare, plan and make your vacation as painless and pleasurable as possible.

In the coming weeks, you can learn about:
Tips to Finding a Pet Sitter
Tips to Save Money on Vacation
Tips to Inexpensive Activities

Come back throughout the month and visit to get the most recent Tips update.

Today, however, I’ll share how I prepare for my vacations. The first step for me is to create a checklist of: (1) what I need to do NOW, before I go, (2) what I want to do DURING the trip and (3) what needs to be taken care of while I’m away. This gives me an opportunity to organize my thoughts and even dream a little about my vacation.

(When I was planning for my New Zealand trip, it gave me a chance each evening to do a little online research about where I wanted to go and what I wanted to see. That was a fun process!)

TAKE ACTION TOOL!
Here are some steps to organize and prepare for your trip.
A. List out the To-Do’s that are on your mind and everything you need to plan your time.
B. Separate them into 4 categories:

(1) VACATION :
Things you want to do during your time away - sight-seeing, restaurants, tours, etc.
My recommendation is to keep the whole list, but prioritize the activities and make sure you plan your top #1 and #2 activities. In the long run, it will also help you on your vacation because you will have already decided what is important to you to do. Include your whole family on this exercise so you’re all on the same page.

(2) PACKING:
Everything that you ABSOLUTELY need on the trip.
Remember, most places that you’re traveling to will have things like shampoo and conditioner, which can add weight to your luggage (which you might have to pay for now!). My recommendation is to pack light, leaving extra room for things that you want to bring home, like souvenirs!

(3) HOME:
Things that need to be taken care of BEFORE you leave, like holding the mail, stopping the newspaper delivery, putting the sprinkler on a timer, etc.
The checklist is handy to keep for when you RETURN and want to resume service.

(4) WORK:
Things that need to be handled BEFORE you leave as well as preparing for project maintanence while you’re gone.
Most people prepare their work fairly well before a trip, but oftentimes will check voicemail or email while on vacation. As an added challenge, prepare as if you will be out of communication with the office for your entire trip. You might be amazed at how well you can prepare for your own absence. . . AND it will also give you a totally work free vacation - isn’t that what a vacation is about anyway?!?!

Organizing and listing thing out helps to plan and prepare so you can fully enjoy your time off. Also, it can help to keep you positive with a little vacation dream in sight each day.

Check back for more TIPS in the coming weeks.

Make Happiness Yours,
Susan

Technorati Tags: independence day, travel, vacation, tips, saving money

There is nothing like taking a two week trip – without email, cell phone, laptop. Can you say. . . “AH!”

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my laptop and the convenience of all of my electronic tchotchkes, but I realized that time doesn’t stop without them. . . REALLY! And in fact, time did not have a problem moving quickly without them either - time flew!

Fittingly, I spent the technology deficient weeks in gorgeous New Zealand where the rolling green hills, the beautiful glaciers and the grazing sheep represent a pure land without the amenities of modernization. If you want a flavor of New Zealand, check out the movie, Lord of the Rings. Much of the movie was filmed in director’s Peter Jackson’s homeland of New Zealand and they did not even need cgi to enhance it.

My husband and I rented a camper van and got back into nature and how inspiring it is! Believe it or not it was not only personally and emotionally inspiring, but it was also professionally inspiring, giving me great energy and motivation for business. Just imagine the clarity of thought swimming with dolphins, walking in glacier country and seeing the nocturnal migration of penguins. Naturally awe inspiring.

Imagine being dropped into the middle of 100 dolphins swimming. . . and trying to entertain THEM to get their attention! Inspired me to build better practices of communication. . . read how next week!

Next week – “Swimming with Dolphins”
Make Happiness Yours,
Susan

Technorati Tags: inspiration, travel, New Zealand, energy, self care, motivation, communication, clarity

How do we open our hearts to appreciate the LOVE of the season without being overwhelmed and stressed by it at the same time?

This is a good question to think about regardless of the time of year. With clear purpose and intentions we can open our hearts and our lives to LOVE without being affected by some of the potential stressors of everyday.

Start by discovering what is most important to you. Once you identify that, it will help keep you focused for what you want in life. Holidays are often filled with activities that drain – think of the reason behind the activity and determine if it is important for your life.
ASK YOURSELF:
What are the things that drain you? Why are you doing it?
Sometimes it could be cultural, traditional or simply out of feeling obligation, but usually there is a reason why you are doing it. Reconnect with that purpose and consider what is important for you in your life right now.

Next, budget your time and money. Planning a little will help prevent overwhelm around these two areas. AND it will enable you to stay more focused on what is important instead of worrying or running around spinning your wheels.
TAKE ACTION:
Budgeting Time – When considering your schedule with family events, volunteer request, holiday parties, travel, business obligations, make your decisions based on the purpose and intention behind the event. Ask yourself: Why am I doing this? Why is this important?
Budgeting Money – Create a budget. It’s that simple. It will help keep your spending focused. Budget for regular expenses, donations, gifts, travel, entertainment, personal and miscellaneous. As you create your budget, think about what is absolutely important to you – again find the purpose and intention behind the spending. If you get caught in the midst of an “impulse” buy (which is easy to do during the holiday sales!) review your budget and consider what you could take off your list in exchange for this “impulsive” purchase. If it is important enough, the replacement will be easy; if it’s difficult, reconsider.

Finally, by taking care of your body, you also take care of your heart, mind and soul. How you feel physically will certainly affect your mindset and vice versa. Taking care of your body through WAG (see below), will enable you to love and fully appreciate because you won’t feel sluggish or sleepy. In fact, you’ll feel energized and happy with your body.
TAKE ACTION:
1. Drink Water
Water is so important to our diets. During the holidays amidst the glasses of eggnog, sodas and wine, water is forgotten. Not only will water re-hydrate and keep the bodily functions moving along, it also helps to fill the body with a non-caloric way to quench your thirst, helping to maintain a healthy diet (see Grazing).
2. Stay Active
Activity is easy to come by during the holidays, but often it’s the likes of going to parties, having drinks, going shopping, etc – not quite the exercise regimen of a healthy lifestyle. You may not have time for the gym, but you can still stay active and keep healthy. For example, park at the opposite end of the mall and walk briskly to your destination – that can be a good 10-20 minute event, depending on the mall. If you can do a full workout, GREAT! But if not, take the stairs, walk, incorporate activity where you can.
3. Graze
Grazing is pretty common during the holidays – food is omnipresent. It is the quantity and what we eat that throws us off balance (and maybe even gaining a pound or two). When grazing, it’s about reducing the size of each meal, not just eating more frequently, so cut your normal portion into half or thirds. Also, when choosing the foods to eat, start by eating a protein, second eat a vegetable, third drink water and finally allow yourself to indulge with a “goodie” if you like. By the time you eat the sugary goodness, at least you will have had some nutritious food AND you will be partially satiated.

The above are my strategies and suggestions. – if they sound good, try them. I encourage you to develop some healthy strategies for yourself.

Technorati Tags: holiday, budget, spending money, time management, activity, self care, season, love, being present

Everyone knows breathing is essential for life - we do it without any thought. However, breath is not only important to the physical functioning of our bodies, but it is also vital to our emotional and spiritual well being. During times of tension or anxiety, oftentimes people will hold their breath (think about watching a suspenseful part of a movie or when you have to give a BIG presentation.) Remember the sigh that usual comes after such moments? We feel relieved, our heart starts to slow down and there is a sense of peace and relaxation.

Why not harness this power of relaxation at will?

During times of stress or when you need to take a moment to relax, help yourself by “taking a breather,” literally! Consciously make a decision to BREATHE and utilize your body’s natural ability to relieve stress - it is free, fast, you can do it anywhere, AND breathing will clear your mind so you can accomplish more!

There are three main parts to breathing - inhaling, exhaling and the “rest” that comes in between them. Inhaling enables the body to get the supply of oxygen it needs for survival. Oxygen is required for proper functioning of all parts of the human body, however, the organ that needs the most is the brain. If the brain does not get ample oxygen, it results in depression, mental sluggishness, irritation and even negative thoughts. Exhaling gets rid of the waste from the body. Without properly flushing out these toxins, the body may experience a build up, which in turn results in disease or mental stress.

In times of stress, not only will “proper breathing” help, but breathing exercises will also help to calm, soothe and relax the body will physically nourish the body while relieving the mind.

Below are some simple, yet effective breathing exercises. When practiced on a regular basis, you will feel Create Better Balance, Accomplish More and Live Easier.

#1. SQUARE BREATHING
Square breathing is an exercise that helps you to slow down and focus on your breathing so you can develop a clearer mind and feel more relaxed.
Take Action! steps to SQUARE BREATHING
1. Sit down comfortably.
2. Inhale to a count of 4.
3. Hold for a count of 4.
4. Exhale to a count f 4.
5. Hold for a count of 4.
6. Repeat from Step #2.

#2. BIKRAM YOGA EXHALE BREATHING (Kapalbhati)
I practice Bikram Yoga and the very last “posture” is a breathing exercise, Kapalbhati, where you exhale forcefully using your abdominal muscles.
Take Action! steps to better EXHALE BREATHING
1. Kneel down, sitting on your heels.
2. Sit up straight with your hands on your knees.
3. Blow out forcefully through your mouth, creating a “shoooo” sound.
4. As you exhale, pull in your stomach, using your abdominal muscles.
5. Relax the stomach and inhale.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for one minute.

#3. ONE MINUTE BREATHING
This exercise will relax you throughout your day. It literally takes just one minute and will leave you feeling relaxed.
Take Action! steps ONE MINUTE BREATHING
1. Sit comfortably.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Start at 50 and count down, slowly.
4. Make sure to breathe easily.
5. Focus on the numbers as you count down.
6. When you get to zero, take a few breaths.
7. Open your eyes and feel revived!

When you’re feeling stress or tension, learn how to harness the power of relaxation through breathing. Sometimes the best form of self care is to just BREATHE.

Make Happiness Yours!
Susan

Technorati Tags: self care, breathe, relaxation, calm, inhaling, exhaling, well being, stress, health, revitalize, focus, energy

I know I’m jumping the gun, just a little bit, but whenever August rolls around, I always think of the end of summer and the start of my favorite season. . . Autumn.

To me, the Autumn season represents change, transition, new life, growth and development. It is like a new day. It is when kids go back to school, trees shed their leaves and crops are harvested. It’s a wonderful time of year. But then again, I LOVE change, others may not.

Everyone reacts to change in their life differently:
Some embrace the change.
Some purposely create change.
Some enjoy the status quo and try to avoid change as much as possible.

Regardless of your approach to the concept of change, life IS change, change is inevitable.

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy.

So how do YOU deal with change in your life?
Does it work for you?

Below I share some three tips on how to bring about change smoothly, easily and naturally. (PS - These tips are great even if you are NOT in transition.)

#1. ENJOY THE RIDE
Transition or not, it’s always refreshing to have a bit of fun! However, particularly during times of change, fun is often forgotten. One way you can bring back a bit of fun is to celebrate your milestones, relish in your discoveries, reward yourself for your successes!
A. List rewards for yourself or ways you want to celebrate.
B. Categorize them into two columns: “Adding Joy” and “The Big Kahuna!” (or whatever labels you like). The “Adding Joy” column is any reward you would like to give yourself for on-going milestones and progress. “The Big Kahuna” column are rewards for larger accomplishments and completion of a big task.
C. Each time you reach a milestone or success on your journey treat yourself by “Adding Joy” or giving yourself “The Big Kahuna!”

#2. REMEMBERING SELF CARE
Too often Self Care is forgotten when people go through transition; this makes it harder. The transition is already bringing a certain amount of stress, it doesn’t make sense to further add to the imbalance in your life by not taking care of your Self. During transition, we end up DOING instead of BEING. Taking time to remember Self Care will enable you to BE while DOING. It will give you a sense of control, revitalization, motivation and relaxation.
A. Think about where you get your energy from.
B. List 5-10 things you can do for yourself in 30 minutes or less (give yourself options to choose!). Some examples might be to stretch, enjoy the fresh air, write in a journal, take a bath, read for 20 minutes, etc.
C. Practice at least 2 items on your list DAILY.

#3. MAKING YOURSELF AT HOME:
Wherever you are in the transitional process, it is important to get a sense of your physical environment and create a space that is comfortable and safe for you. This is different from Self Care in that it is your external environment, whereas Self Care relates to your well-being and inner Self.
A. Think about your definition of Home.
B. Write down 5 things that make it a home for you. It can be tangible items, like flowers or a comfortable couch, or it can be intangible, like the smell or feel or your home.
C. Incorporate at least 3 of these things into your home during transition.

Technorati Tags: Self Care, Transition, Change, Relaxing, Peaceful Environment, Reward

What kind of vacationer are you?
Do you throw everything into a suitcase at a moments notice?
Or are you at the other end of the spectrum where every minute of your trip is planned out?

Whether you’re structured or spontaneous, the important thing is to TAKE THAT VACATION and create an intention around your vacation: to explore, to discover, to strengthen relationships or just to relax. I call it “intentional vacationing.”

I remember when my vacations were “accidental.” My days off were grouped together with weddings and side business trips and other reasons to travel. Living in Hawaii, I wanted to make the most of every trip that I took off island. Although the time traveling was always wonderful and fun, I was somehow not satisfied. I didn’t feel refreshed and revived and the time spent with my friends and family felt hurried.

I realized the problem was that I was not living in the moment. I was not in the PRESENT.

Since my intentions were not focused on MY VACATION, my “accidental” vacations gave me “incidental” fulfillment and relaxation.

Are you getting the most out of YOUR vacationing?
Are you having “Intentional Vacations?” or are they “Accidental?”

Bringing luggage on vacation is great, but “baggage” on board the trip is no picnic!

To have a great Intentional Vacation, I harness the power of my ability to “Get Lost.” This is the ability to let go of the thoughts and images of the daily grind and just cut loose and lose yourself in your vacation. Again, it has to do with being present, but more importantly, it’s getting into the right mindset to have a fabulous vacation. Have you ever had the experience of going on vacation and not being able to wind down? And then just as you’re able to relax and unwind, it’s time to go back home!

Here are a three steps to creating Intentional Vacations and getting into the mindset.
1. Decide what kind of vacation you want. Is it going to be an adventure and exploration trip? Do you want to make family activities a priority? Or do you want to just purely get down to the basics to relax - eat, sleep, drink and massages!
2. Start with the planning stages BEFORE your go on vacation. Create a checklist of items to bring, required documents, confirmation numbers and reservations and activities.
3. Do NOT plan anything the very first day of your vacation. Take this time to “de-tox,” feel out the location and get in the mindset. I find that if you hit the ground running, it’s a lot harder to stop and the vacation is done before you know it. �

Technorati Tags: vacation, planning, relaxation, balance, being in the present

Everyone knows breathing is essential for life - we do it without any thought. However, breath is not only important to the physical functioning of our bodies, but it is also vital to our emotional and spiritual well being. During times of tension or anxiety, oftentimes people will hold their breath (think about watching a suspenseful part of a movie.) Remember the sigh that usual comes after such moments? We feel relieved, our heart starts to slow down and there is a sense of peace and relaxation.

Why not harness this power of relaxation at will?

During times of stress or when you need to take a moment to relax, help yourself by “taking a breather,” literally! Consciously make a decision to BREATHE and utilize your bodyʼs natural ability to relieve stress - it is free, fast and you can do it anywhere! AND breathing will clear your mind so you can accomplish more! Try these:

At Your Desk (1 minute): Sit up straight (at the edge of your chair) with both feet firmly on the ground. With your hands on your thighs, take a deep breath. Pause. Now take in just a little more breath. Pause. Exhale.

On The Floor (3 minutes): Lie on your back with your legs stretched out. Lower your chin slightly so that your nose is pointing to the ceiling. Put your palms on the lower part of your rib cage. Breathe in and notice your rib cage expanding. Pause. Breathe in a litte more, your ribs expand even more. Pause. Exhale fully, and notice your abdomen moving toward the floor. Repeat.

Anywhere (30 seconds): Yawn. It sounds a little funny, but most people can make themselves yawn. Try it and use your whole body - stretch your arms, stretch your legs out and really FEEL the yawn. Itʼs an amazing relaxer.

Technorati Tags: Stress and Overwhelm, Relaxation, Self Care, Personal Development

During times of stress and overwhelm, your body and mind go into survival mode - you forget about everything else but “getting the job done.” That means diet, health, relationships, spiritual well-being, etc are all compromised - they all go out the window. When I used to work 10 or more hours in day, I neglected my health and instead focused on the project at hand. I wouldn’t exercise, I ate out at “fast food” places a lot more and I wasn’t getting enough rest. I was causing further stress to my body with a poor diet!

However, this is the best time to practice self-care. By taking time out to do something for yourself, one is able to re-focus, re-align and re-balance. Once we get into the habit of self-care, our bodies and minds are better prepared for these stressful times and we’re less likely to get out of balance. Now when I know I’m going to be working on a big project or I know that I will be working more, I make sure to schedule in a workout and eat in a more balanced way - I find I have more energy to get the job done quicker and better!

The Body’s Reaction To Stress
One way of explaining this reaction is through the “fight or flight” response theory. When an organism experiences stress, it will usually release hormones to help it survive. These hormones aid in survival by enabling people to run faster, fight harder, they increase heart rate and blood pressure to deliver more oxygen and sugar to the muscles, and they focus our attention to the specific threat. However, these hormones can also make people excitable, anxious, jumpy, and irritable.

What Leads To Burnout
In the modern world, usually the stresses people face come from work, home, relationships - non-physical threats. So, if you take out the physical “survival” skills of elevated muscle efficiency, running faster, and fighting harder, you’re left with an excitable, anxious, jumpy, irritable human with increased heart rate and high blood pressure. This pattern goes on and on until a wall is hit and there’s burnout.

When we are able to control this “fight or flight” response to stress and balance our lives so that we do not get into survival mode, we can be more effective at our jobs. In the long term, we will avoid problems of poor health and mental burnout.

FREE and Easy Self Improvement

Self-Care Tip: Create Some Wonderful Daily Habits for Your Self

These daily habits are things that are fun, easy and just for you. These are things that will revitalize you or just make you go “ahhh!”

Some examples might be:

• Use a great smelling shampoo
• Put fresh cut flowers on your desk
• Take a 5 minute walk
• Stretch

Everyone is different and no one has to know what your daily habits are - they are for YOU.

1. Start by making a list of 10-15 things you’d like to do for yourself.
2. Then work at least 2-3 into your daily routine - notice how it makes you feel when you do something for yourself.
3. After you do 10 things for yourself in one day, do it again and again for a week, for a month!
4. Really “get” that these daily habits are for your self-care.

In time, you’ll notice a balance and may find a shift in dealing with stress.

Technorati Tags: Stress and Overwhelm, Balance, Relaxation, Self Care