Selection of Funnies: Kids!

Greetings all!

Here are some funny pictures to make you laugh! Just ponder how clever children are and how uniquely they see the world and appreciate how sneaky and creative parents have to get!

“How to hold a baby brother"

© thisismyf***/reddit

“A banana taco”

© justzugut/reddit

“A big snack” 

Kids_Kubed

“How to Feed a Baby”

rndsepals

“Emergency confetti” – this one is my favorite! 

annastayshaa

 “Tomorrow is an exam”

© mejaterbang/reddit

“I love you more than ice cream” 

daddygofish 

“Every family has that one kid”

You_dontkn0wme

"When you don't have orange juice - get a straw”

© Da3013/reddit

“Other people”

XplodingUnicorn

“This kingdom sucks”

XplodingUnicorn

“Family that brushes together stays together”

https://i.redd.it/hfr60s80myh71.jpg

“Anything with Paw Patrol…”

GenericUser1185

“times almost up” [1st graders write letters to people in a nursing home]

 

theonly5368

“How to freeze time”

reddit.com

Which one was your favorite? Drop me a line!

Sources (and more pictures!):

• https://brightside.me/inspiration-family-and-kids/18-times-kids-showed-they-have-their-own-special-sense-of-humor-803822/
• https://www.demilked.com/funny-kid-fails/
• https://www.demilked.com/funny-kidteractions-parents/

Dreams [Poem of the Week]

Image from Image from https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=90726&picture=hold-fast-to-dreams

Hold fast to dreams 

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

 

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

~by Langston Hughes (as read at https://poets.org/poem/dreams)

The Eisenhower Matrix (Productivity Technique)

Greetings all!

I love this quote by Dwight Eisenhower: “What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.”

Do you ever react to something before considering if this something is truly important and urgent? Do you waste time on tasks that do not serve you? Hint: if you spend a lot of time on social media and/or watching mindless TV, the answer is probably yes to both questions.

How can we supercharge our decisions and actions so we act intentionally and do not just react? The Eisenhower Matrix might help! It is also called The Time Management Matrix, The Eisenhower Box, The Eisenhower Method, and The Urgent-Important Matrix.

Named after Dwight David Eisenhower, an American army general and the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961, it helps prioritize decisions and actions and eliminate time-wasters! I have been using this quadrant productivity technique for years, and I love it! 

Image from https://luxafor.com/the-eisenhower-matrix/

The Eisenhower Matrix separates decisions/priorities/tasks into the following four categories:

The “Do” quadrant: Important and Urgent – do it now:

This is the quadrant for deadlines and crises. I find this quadrant to be the easiest in terms of decision-making and the toughest in terms of execution. Have you ever had an important presentation/assignment due tomorrow? When the deadline is looming, there is no decision - to do or not to do. The answer is “to do!” And if the task was an easy one, it would have been done already.

The “Decide” quadrant:  Important and Not Urgent – schedule to do later:

These are the tasks we might procrastinate on. When the deadline is several months into the future, how many of us actually start chipping away early in the game? The solution that has worked for me is to assign a deadline before the actual deadline to have some extra time for the unexpected or last-minute changes.

The “Delegate” quadrant:  Urgent, but Not Important – delegate to someone else

Who can do this task so you can focus on the “Do” and “Decide” quadrants? The "Delegate" quadrant works best in an environment with several people and might not even be available to you. For example, I cannot delegate my blog research and writing to someone else.

The “Delete” quadrant:  Not Urgent and Not Important – eliminate

I find this last quadrant very interesting and oriented towards self-discovery. This is where the bad habits and time-wasters usually lurk. This is where you might be nudged to explore, re-affirm or re-assess your identity, values and goals. The goal - and the challenge! - is to be honest with yourself and to spend some time soul-searching.  

How many of your everyday actions do not support who you want to be? Those belong in the “NOT Important and NOT Urgent” quadrant and should be eliminated (or at least dramatically decreased)!

For example, if you are trying to affirm your identity as someone who prioritizes self-care, then instead of scrolling social media late into the night, sleep is a better choice.

However, keep in mind that the same task/decision could fall into a different quadrant under different circumstances. If you are a social media manager at a company, then scrolling social media is your job and is important and/or urgent. But for the rest of us? Choose sleep!

So what is Important on your to-do list right now? Go ahead and do it or at least schedule it!

What did you think? Drop me a line!

Sources:

• https://luxafor.com/the-eisenhower-matrix/
• https://jamesclear.com/eisenhower-box

Panzanella – Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad

Greetings all!

Summer is around the corner, and this means tomatoes! If you love tomatoes and bread, try this delicious and easy Tuscan tomato and bread salad.

Image and recipe from 

https://www.olivetomato.com/panzanella-tuscan-tomato-and-bread-salad/ 

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Resting Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, sliced thinly
• red wine vinegar
• 4 slices stale bread, cubed (bread should be hard and dense, you can also toast it first before soaking)
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling
• fresh basil, chopped
• salt/pepper to taste 

Instructions

• Soak the sliced onion in a small bowl of water and 1-2 tablespoons vinegar. Set aside.
• In another larger bowl, mix 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water. Soak the bread for a few minutes and then place in colander. Squeeze out the water carefully. Place the bread in large bowl.
• Add the tomato, the onion (remove from water first), cucumber and basil.
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste and mix carefully.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Drizzle with olive oil right before serving.

For more recipes, visit https://www.olivetomato.com/

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

CALM: May-2023 Calendar

Greetings all!

Don’t you love it when the 1^st of the month falls on a Monday? So if you have been waiting to start a new habit, here is your chance! And if your new habit is exploring how to take better care of yourself, use the ideas from the CALM May-2023 calendar (https://blog.calm.com/blog/may-2023-calm-calendar).

Image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/blmcalifornia/32713098914

My favorite ideas were from May 5, 10, 12, 16, and 27. I especially think saying NO is one of the most powerful self-care tools we have in our arsenal. What about you?

May 1 - Get curious: what do you want to explore this month?

May 2 - Try a Calm Breathwork exercise to create space in your mind and body.

May 3 - Make a list of places you’d like to explore. Plan time to visit one.

May 4 - Tune into your feelings. Is there anything that needs your attention?

May 5 - Give yourself time to daydream.

May 6 - Listen to a Calm Masterclass that interests you.

May 7 - Which activities light you up? Add one into your day.

May 8 - When a difficult emotion arises, “talk” to them like a friend.

May 9 - Take a risk today. Trust that you can handle the outcome.

May 10 - Rewrite a story you've been telling yourself that no longer serves you.

May 11 - Explore movement. Try the Daily Move, stretch or stroll.

May 12 - Say NO to something today. Honor your needs.

May 13 - Try a new recipe. Cook mindfully.

May 14 - Read something on a topic you’re curious about.

May 15 - Play something on Calm you haven't tried yet.

May 16 - What do you want to say YES to?

May 17 – Do something differently today. Notice what it brings up.

May 18 - Try going with the flow today.

May 19 - Explore how emotions feel in your body. How are they different/similar?

May 20 - Log your mood with Calm's Mood Check-In or note it in a journal.

May 21 - Reflect on the past week and repeat an activity that made you feel good.

May 22 - Explore which foods nourish you and boost your mood.

May 23 - Start one of the 7 Days of meditation series.

May 24 - What do you need to hear today? Write down a positive affirmation.

May 25 - Reach out to someone you’re grateful for and tell them why.

May 26 - Practice being kind to yourself, especially when it's hard.

May 27 – Recharge your batteries. Take a nap or go to bed early.

May 28 - Learn something new about someone. Ask questions and listen deeply.

May 29 - Get into nature and let yourself wander without a goal or purpose.

May 30 - Explore the world without leaving home with a curated Calm country playlist.

May 31 - Reflect on where your explorations took you this month. Where do you still want to go?

Have a great week and remember to take some time for yourself!