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My Favorite Links Links to My Other Pages:



Just for Fun: This site has fun stuff to do and indulges the child in all of us.



Pets are a PleasureFor animal lovers, share the joys and sometimes sorrows of sharing your life with pets.



Single and Sane: Are you single? This is a site for living alone and coping with life as a single. I hope to provide lots of resources for singles so that living life alone can be a pleasurable experience and not a lifestyle that you want to escape at all costs.


On Behalf of Our Loved Ones: This is not a site of mine but a petition that I have started: "On Behalf of Our Loved Ones". Hosted by Go Petition.com , my goal is to have all Video Lottery Terminals removed from our local bars and restaurants and have them restricted to the casino we have here in Montreal. Limited to residents of Quebec, I would really appreciate it if you would go and sign the petition and ask everyone you know to do so as well. Every signature is precious to me and I would be so grateful for your participation.




Other Links & Resources:

MEET UP

Want to meet people in your city who share common concerns, problems, interests? Check out Meet UpThis is a fairly new "on-line"group which organizes meetings in 561 cities on over 1100 topics. I am not going to go into a detailed description of the group as I have already done this on Single and Sane, but what I will do here is list some of the groups I have joined which I think might be of relevance to some of you who might be looking for support in various areas. These are the Montreal chapters. You can just click on one of the banners and it will take you directly to the site where you can find a chapter in your city &/or find a topic which might be of more interest to you personally.


"Local support and idea sharing for people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome."


"Meetup wih local people suffering from depression. A chance for discussion and support."


"Meetup with local fibromyalgia sufferers to discuss, share, cry, laugh and conquer the misconceptions regarding this disabling condition."


"Meetup to help each other get a grip on what they have, where they are with it and what needs to be done to reach a comfortable future."


"Meetup with other Newly Singles in your area and learn how to be on your own again."

These are just a few of the many groups Meet Up offers and ones I have joined. If you live in the Montreal area, who knows? Maybe we'll meet up at a future gathering.




Syndicated Columns

The following article discusses the topic of Getting Organized something which I am constantly struggling with and if you want to join a clutter support group, you can check out this site by clicking here Clutter Support Group.

GET ORGANIZED!

Is Awakening
© 2002-2003 by Janet Hall
Courtesy of the Family-Content Syndicate

Waking up to chaos and clutter can instantly drain you of your energy and put your spirit in a foul mood, even causing you to become depressed.

As a professional organizer, I’m often asked, "Where do I start?" I always suggest one of two areas, your bedroom or your important home or office files.

Many have disagreed, stating that they would prefer to start with a room that others may see when visiting.

But I’m here to tell you, don’t worry about those areas… yet. My saying is, "you can drop by anytime to visit me but if you want to visit my house to see how clean it is, make an appointment!" (there is a difference between clean, neat, and organized, but that’s another article g).

Organizing and cleaning those areas will only make your Spirit soar temporarily. Those areas will NOT feed your Spirit in the way it needs to be feed in the morning, BEFORE you get out of bed! (unless you sleep in one of those areas g).

So why not start decluttering and "OverHalling" the room in which you awake every morning? Take care of your boudoir first! It’s the first room you see in the morning and the last room you see at night.

Your bedroom can set the stage for your day and how your Spirit will feel, react, and cope throughout the rest of the day.

EDITORS TIP: After reading this article, place it next to your bed with a pencil and before you get out of bed reread and answer the following:

Now, look around you. What do you see? Chaos and clutter or calm and organization?

What beauty can a new morning bring you? What is your vision of your day?

Listen. What do you hear? Bickering, "Can’t find…," or laughter and a bird's song?
Start this new day by listening to nature outside your window. Sing, whistle, hum, or play music that lifts your spirit and refreshes. (I sing to myself, "You’ve got to wake up every morning with a smile on your face and show the world all the love in your heart…" -- Carole King)

What do you smell? Dirty socks, moldy stuff or a fresh cut lawn, sun dried sheets, or the fragrance of flowers?
Inhale and infuse yourself with power for the day with fresh clean scents around you. A scented candle, fresh flowers on your nightstand, scented soaps, lotions, or oils.

What do you feel? Overwhelmed, depressed, drained, or rejuvenated and renewed?
Renew and elevate your Spirit by embracing the day upon waking, take a big stretch, read an affirmation, your spiritual book, or a daily inspiration. Pray or meditate.

Write down what you would like to see, hear, smell, and feel when you first awake. What do you have to do to feed your senses and your Spirit?

When you start clearing the clutter out of your senses, you will begin to become open and aware to receiving those things that can feed your body, soul, and spirit.

If you feed your spirit and your mind upon waking, you’ll day will run smoother. You’ll become more aware of what’s going on around you and within you.

Alan Cohen, author of A Deep Breath of Life, writes in one of his daily inspirations for heart-centered living:

"…Each day is like a life unto itself, and so the first minutes of each day are the formative minutes. We must take special care to sound the keynote that will set the tone for our entire day. How do you begin your day? Do you spend it with God, in peace, in attunement with yourself? Or do you pop out of bed and immediately dive into the busy-ness of the day, postponing your soul’s needs in favor of lesser activities?"
He goes on to say, "Take at least the first 20 minutes of your day to meditate, pray, read an inspiring book, practice yoga or tai chi, walk in the woods, sing, dance, or engage in any practice that links you to a higher power. Establish your center, and the day that follows will reflect clarity, strength, and love. Any time you spend with Spirit will be returned throughout the day. Even a few seconds of closing your eyes and remembering the presence of love will make a big difference. At the end of your day, be with God before entering sleep. The formative minutes will build the consciousness that makes a productive life."

If you’d like to learn to mediate or need help in this area, John Edward, author of Understanding Your Angels and Meeting Your Guides, has a wonderful audio tape with some amazing exercises.

I love the mediating exercise in which Mr. Edwards teaches; how to breath in Universal positive energy and force out any negative energy you are holding in your body. Giving your body permission to surrender your negative energy.

I’d like to give you permission to rid yourself of all the negative clutter and stuff in your bedroom.

If something reminds you of how much weight you’ve gained, get rid of it!
If something makes you sad or unhappy, get rid of it!
If something brings back bad memories, get rid of it!
If something makes you feel dated, get rid of it!
If something is broken (you’ll never use it again or will cost more to fix then replace), or irreparable, get rid of it!
If something from your past would embarrass your loved ones after you gone, get rid of it!
If something doesn’t mean anything to you any longer, get rid of it!

Wall by wall, inch by inch, surface area by surface area, all the clutter and stuff that you’ve STUFFED into the one place you should be able to go to to relax, reflect, make love, sleep, and meet your Spirit in the morning can be sorted through using my TEASER technique.

(For a FREE copy of my TEASER, click:
TEASER This is an autoresponder; you will receive the TEASER via email within seconds of hitting the send key.)

Nine Additional Steps to Get Started:

1. Decide how much time you have or are willing to dedicate to creating your own personal paradise.
2. Set a timer for the length of time you have set aside to declutter.
3. Take the phone off the hook.
4. Turn off the computer and TV.
5. Don’t answer the door.
6. If you have children, make sure they have an activity to do or have someone watch over or play with them (or maybe they can help g).
7. Stay focused by NOT leaving the room.
8. Do NOT bring anything else into the room you’re decluttering that doesn’t belong there.
9. Do NOT run out and buy storage items until AFTER you have sorted through your stuff!

Remember it’s not about being neat; anyone can straighten or tidy up. It’s about utilizing your bedroom and space for what it’s meant to do – a place to rest the soul and Spirit.

For more Organizing Tips and Exercises for your Master Bedroom, click here.

Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life or life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of
Your existence:
The bliss of growth;
The glory of action;
The splendor of achievement;
For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision;
But today, well lived, makes every
Yesterday a dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!
--Kalidasa (Translated from the Sanskrit)

Look for ways the Universe spoils you today and everyday.

This article was originally published in Janet L. Hall's Balance newsletter, OverHall IT!

The Organizing Wizard, Janet L. Hall, is a Professional Organizer, Speaker, and Author. She is the owner of OverHall Consulting and Organizing By Phone. Subscribe to her FREE organizing newsletter here or visit her website at http://www.OverHall.com .




Now that you have some organization in your life, what about simplifying it? Here's a column on keeping Simple Living.

Your Perfect Present
Mary Jo Wehniainen
MaryJo@CreativeCoachingSolutions.com
Virtual Success Coach
http://www.virtualsuccesscoach.com

“Success Steps”
by Mary Jo Wehniainen
The Virtual Success Coach
July, 2001
“Your Perfect Present”

When your life isn’t exactly what you want it to be, what is the first thing you’re likely to do? Dream of a better future? Set goals to move you in that direction?

That’s a great place to start. You’re taking the initiative, making a plan, and imagining what it will be like when …..

But what if you took that same energy and applied it to making the present situation as good as it can possibly be right now?

What most people find is that when they do that -- make their present as good as it can possibly be right now -- the thing that they’ve longed for will come to them quicker and with much less effort.

It will happen that way because you’ve done all you can to make the best of the present situation. You’ll be making a statement to yourself, to the world, and to your subconscious that you’re serious about becoming “who” you really want to be!

There is so much to learn from the present. We need to spend time there, rather than always “living” in the future. If we spend our time thinking about how good it will be, we’ll miss so much in life there is to enjoy!

I’m a firm believer of having a compelling picture of the future you want to create. At the same time, if you’re not doing everything possible within your power to make the present situation be the best it can be, it’s going to take you a long time to create the future you want.

If you use your energy to make sure that everything about your present is as good as it can be, you’ll find yourself drawn into the picture of your future faster than you ever dreamed possible.

I realize what I’m talking about is a bit abstract, so here are a couple of examples to help you get the idea.

Sue (not her real name) has a successful online business, however, her life is very crazy. She has no time for her children (which is why she started the business in the first place), her house is a total mess, she has people contacting her on a daily basis but she’s unable to answer all their requests. She insists on doing everything herself at this point of her business, but looks forward to the day when she has lots of help, her home and office are neat and organized, and she spends lots of time having fun with her children.

What’s wrong with this picture? Sue’s not moving any closer to her ideal future … she’ll remain stuck in her dissatisfying present until she begins taking the steps she can RIGHT NOW to create a peaceful, enjoyable environment. She can begin to say “yes” to her children more often and “no” to working 18 hours a day. She can get someone to help with the household chores, and begin organizing her work and time NOW rather than dreaming of what it will be like when everything’s perfect.

If she begins living like she wants to live RIGHT NOW, her desired future will come quickly because she’s sending messages to herself, her subconscious and to the world that “right now I am an organized, smart, and successful business woman with plenty of time for my children”.

See what I mean?

What about Mary? (also not her real name) She lives in a small home with a messy yard, crammed closets, and surrounded by lots of things in need of repair. She dreams of moving into her new home. Part of that dream is that the home is always neat, clean, lots of space, everything working properly.

Do you think Mary will move into her new home and be instantly transformed into a wonderfully organized, neat, clean person? Not likely.

Unless she begins now doing everything within her power to make her present situation “perfect”, she’ll remain living in a discontent state forever. Even if she moves into the new home, the old habits will follow. If Mary begins now to clean out the closets, fix the things that are broken, give her yard some tender loving care, she’ll be living content right now! She’ll still move into the new home, but her life won’t be on hold until then. She can enjoy most of her dream future right now, the only thing missing will be the new building – but that will soon follow!

It works like magic!

I very often hear people comment “this is not me” about their present situation. Well, the truth of the matter is that “it is them”, and if they don’t like how it is, then they need to do something about it!

The “striving” and “discontent” that we live in holds us back. It steals the peace and fulfillment of the things we’re striving for. Enjoying the present to its fullest propels us into the future we long for.

The life you love is not as far off as it seems. Take a look at what you’re currently putting up with in your life. Are you doing everything within your power to change that situation and make it as enjoyable right now as possible? Or are you waiting for the fairy godmother to come along and all of a sudden change it for you?

Guess what? There is no fairy godmother. It’s all up to you!

This month I challenge you to begin looking at the things that you’re looking forward to in your future. A new car, new home, new job, new relationships, new dress size, whatever it is. What are you doing right now to make your life as much like the “new” one as possible?

If it’s a new car, keep the old one neat and clean inside and out until you get a new one. Wash it and put a coat of wax on it. Fix the little things that are broken.

If it’s a new home, take care of the things that really “bug” you so you can enjoy it thoroughly while you’re waiting to move into the new one. Keep it picked up and make it pleasant to be in just as you imagine your new home being.

If it’s a new job you’re longing for, do all you can possibly do in the current job … and do it to the best of your ability. If you’re doing your present job in a haphazard, half-hearted way, you’re only making yourself miserable. Why put yourself through that agony? The satisfaction of knowing you’re doing your best goes a long way …

If it’s a new relationship you’re dreaming of, make sure that the energy you’re putting into your present relationships is positive. Even though others may not act the way you’d like them to act, you can act the way you envision yourself being.

And if it’s a new size you’re longing for, make sure you’re eating, drinking and exercising like you’ll be doing when you reach that ideal size!

I urge you to begin to enjoy your life right now. Do everything within your power to make it like your ideal future. The present is a wonderful place to be!

Enjoy yourselves this summer, it will only be here once!

Wishing you all the best….

Mary Jo Wehniainen
Your Virtual Success Coach
http://www.VirtualSuccessCoach.com “Helping Ordinary People Create Extraordinary Lives”
All Rights Reserved © Copyright 2001

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Mary Jo Wehniainen is an internationally recognized professional business coach, sales trainer, motivational speaker, and mother of five young children. She works with business owners, executives and entrepreneurs to reach and surpass their goals while maintaining a balanced, full and rewarding life. Visit http://www.VirtualSuccessCoach.com and be sure to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.






For my gentlemen visitors who are romantics at heart but need some fresh ideas, this column is sure to keep you inspired. We ladies can use some of the ideas too.This column is updated bi-weekly.

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