Posts Tagged ‘goals’

A Story Along The Path

Posted on: June 16th, 2013 by Judith Tremblay No Comments

I thought this would be the perfect story for June, when students everywhere are graduating. Hope you enjoy it!

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that that lit up her entire being.

She said, “Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I’m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?” I laughed and enthusiastically responded, “Of course you may!” and she gave me a giant squeeze.

“Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?” I asked.

She jokingly replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel.”

“No seriously,” I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

“I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and share a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I’ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, “I’m sorry I’m so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I’ll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.”

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began: “We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don’t even know it!”

“There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change.”

“Have no regrets. The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.”

She concluded her speech by courageously singing The Rose. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year’s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be.

Stages of Change

Posted on: June 6th, 2013 by Judith Tremblay No Comments

Perhaps it’s the change in weather that’s brought this on, but I’ve been hearing from many people lately about their wanting to change, not able to change, unwilling to change, needing to change, being afraid to change. Whether you are thinking of ending an unhealthy relationship, changing the way you eat, changing jobs or giving up an addiction, it may help you to become aware of the stages of change.

There are six stages of change. The first is the “Pre-contemplation” stage. At this point, you are really not aware that you have a need to change. You will find yourself rationalizing your behaviour, defending yourself against the need to change or maybe even blaming someone else for the situation in which you find yourself.

Second is the “Contemplation” stage. This is when you start to think there may be a problem that needs to change. You become curious and start looking for information. You may develop an urge to gain more insight into what is happening, perhaps developing a desire to make a change. This is where most people procrastinate. It is a good idea to ensure you have developed good stress management skills to handle any stress that may arise from this point and beyond.

The third stage is the “Preparation” stage. You seriously begin to look at options to make the change. Your view is changing from the past to the present as you become ready to make new choices. You might talk with others about how they accomplished the change you wish to make. You will work through the obstacles in your path and the challenges you may face. Change is becoming a priority. You develop a plan to make the change. This is a time of decision making and commitment to change.

Now you have arrived at the fourth stage – the “Action” stage. You work through the old thoughts, feelings and behaviours that kept you stuck. You will probably ask for help to work through the painful emotions, the hurt and the effort to make the change. People will notice that you are changing. Sometimes, people in your life will not like the changes you are making, and you will get “change back” messages. You might need help to resist going back to the old behaviours, to keep making progress.

After the Action stage is the “Maintenance” Stage. In this stage, you are moving towards a healthy balance, re-evaluating your new behaviours and making necessary adjustments along the way. You have developed new, healthy habits. However, you must remain vigilant in order not to revert back to your old behaviours.

You have now arrived at the stage where your new habits are established and no longer require the same amount of vigilance. Make sure you give yourself a reward for your accomplishment and continue to practice the new behaviour!

Path To Self-Acceptance

Posted on: March 21st, 2013 by Judith Tremblay No Comments

Would YOU like to receive an email each week to help build your self-esteem and provide tips for nourishing your spirit? Simply sign up at the link below and start receiving your weekly guide to loving and nurturing yourself. .

Click Here

“Wouldn’t it be powerful if you fell in love with yourself so deeply that you would do just about anything if you knew it would make you happy? This is precisely how much life loves you and wants you to nurture yourself. The deeper you love yourself, the more the universe will affirm your worth. Then you can enjoy a lifelong love affair that brings you the richest fulfillment from inside out.” ~Alan Cohen

Feng Shui Consultant

Posted on: February 4th, 2013 by Judith Tremblay No Comments

iva ursano Iva Ursano has been practicing Feng Shui for the last 5 years. Her love and passion for it led her to the Canadian School of Feng Shui to become a Certified Practitioner. A firm believer in the Law of Attraction and the Attitude of Gratitude she helps her clients not only to understand the energy around them but also to use the power of intention to achieve goals and to promote a harmonious happy life. This combination along with her warmth and sincerity will make your meeting relaxed and stress free. Your needs and concerns will be respected and solutions will be offered to enhance your life and reach your goals.

Iva has combined her knowledge of Crystals and Gemstones, Law of Attraction and Feng Shui to be able to offer you the best possible methods to enhance your life using a down to earth approach.

She invites you to check out her website and feel free to email her with any questions you may have to see if Feng Shui is right for you. Subscribe to her monthly newsletters that are full of fun, information, Feng Shui tips and contests!! Here is the link: http://www.fengshuiforever.ca/.

 

New Free Stuff Coming Soon

Posted on: November 8th, 2012 by Judith Tremblay No Comments

Thank you to all those who signed up and received the Stress Buster of the week. It was lots of fun putting it together for you. I am compiling them into an ebook that I hope will be available for sale in early December.

Coming Soon: A Guide to Loving and Nurturing Yourself – A weekly email that gives you tips and strategies to raise your self-esteem and nurture yourself!

“Wouldn’t it be powerful if you fell in love with yourself so deeply that you would do just about anything if you knew it would make you happy? This is precisely how much life loves you and wants you to nurture yourself. The deeper you love yourself, the more the universe will affirm your worth. Then you can enjoy a lifelong love affair that brings you the richest fulfillment from inside out.” ~Alan Cohen

If you would like to receive “A Guide to Loving and Nurturing Yourself” – you can sign up here: http://pathstochange.ca/resources/free-stuff/

Learn to Meditate

Posted on: November 1st, 2012 by Judith Tremblay No Comments

For those who would like to learn to meditate, or who would like to add to their current meditation practice, I recommend the Chopra Centre 21-day Meditation Challenge which begins November 5th, click here for more information.

 

Moving Forward

Posted on: October 26th, 2012 by Judith Tremblay No Comments

Is it really the end of October? It seems like I blinked and the summer was over, and then I turned around and it was October!

My Dad told me after he retired that the older he got, the faster time flew by. At the time, I had some difficulty understanding how that could be possible. As a young adult, I worked full time, had two children and a husband, cooked, cleaned, did the laundry, and still found time to go out with friends, participate in a bowling league and take the children to birthday parties and sports stuff.

Now, my children are on their own with their own children and lives, I manage a part-time contract position, a private practice and my web site, newsletter and workshops. My wonderful, retired husband does at least half the laundry and almost all the house cleaning and cooking and baking. You would think that I would have scads of time to attend events, and indulge in my hobbies. Not!

Actually, I have a new appreciation for my abilities to manage stress in a way that has kept me from burning out. That, and my ability to recognize when I need to focus on self-care. I believe that the year I produced the Stress Buster of the Week reminded me of what I need to do to take care of my own stress. Had I not practiced those skills, I believe I was headed for burnout. The last months have been a time of rest, renewal and refocusing on what is important in my life and where I want to focus my energy.

I am looking forward to getting back to the production of my newsletter each month. Future editions will include articles on topics such as managing stress, clutter and hoarding, caregiving, communication, conflict, and relationship issues. You will also find book reviews, guest articles and lots of nutritious recipes.

On my birthday in September, I sat down and reviewed the goals I had made for the last year. I am pleased with my achievements. I also decided on my goals for the coming year and am excited about the future. I hope you will accompany me on this fabulous adventure called life over the next twelve months, and that in some way, I can provide information and support that will help you on your path. As I head into November and the end of the quarter, and of the year, I am filled with gratitude for the abundance in my life, and the love that surrounds me.

 

From Judith’s Desk

Posted on: February 13th, 2012 by Judith Tremblay 1 Comment

How are you doing with those New Year Resolutions that you made? Maybe you make them every year and expect that you will keep them. Maybe you are among the eighty percent of people who do not keep their resolutions.

I stopped making New Year Resolutions the first time someone suggested I replace them with setting goals on my birthday. Originally, on my birthday, I would write down anything I had regrets about or wished I had done differently, and had my own ceremony to put that to rest. Then, I would write down everything I hoped to achieve over the next year and put it away until the next year. I was always amazed at how many of those goals I achieved when I pulled that list out on my next birthday.

Since that time I’ve heard of many different ways to eliminate those resolutions that I had so much difficulty keeping. My own process has evolved to one that gives me little stress, is fun to do, and includes all those wonderful things I want to achieve.  I still make my birthday lists, but now the goals are in the form of vision boards. I always have magazines around and when I am drawn to pictures, words or phrases, I put them in a file to include (or not!) in the next vision board.

At the end of each year, I review the last year’s goals to see where I succeeded and to decide if those things I did not achieve are still important. I also reflect on what I could have done differently and what lessons I learned about myself and my goals during the year.  New Year’s Eve is truly a celebration of successes and a “burial” of all things negative from the past year with an eye to the possibilities for the future.

Then I check my long term goals to see which have been achieved, and cross them off my list. Then I add any new long term goals that I may want on the list. Short term goals are the steps I need to take during the next year to get me to those long term goals.

A very important part of setting goals is to review them every quarter. Some of them will be completed early or may no longer be important and I’ll want to take them off the list right away. I might add some or change some. The important thing is that reviewing them keeps them relevant and in the forefront of my mind, so even unconsciously, I am working towards my goals.

So, if you are stressed or feeling pressured about your New Year’s Resolutions and whether or not you can keep them, find a few minutes this week to take an honest look at them. If you know they are destined to fail, change them.

If you were told this is your last year on earth, what would you want to accomplish? What physical and spiritual needs would you want to meet? What relationships would you want to nurture? Write all that down, and set your goals to reach those needs and desires that are most important to you. If you don’t like making New Year Resolutions, change the time of year to another that is more significant to you.

This is the “Strategic Plan” for your life.