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Don’t Go Broke This Christmas-Create Memories Instead
by Lady T
Filed under entrepreneur mom, parenting
Don’t we just love Christmas? With friends and family around, food and fun and parties to go to, how could you not love Christmas?
Sadly to say, Christmas becomes a season of stress for moms because they put too much pressure on themselves. They go broke trying to outdo last holiday season, or decorate better than their neighbors and heavens forbid if they don’t buy hundreds of new toys for the children who have been receiving toys all year long anyway.
Many have forgotten that a few years back kids receiving toys was a rare treat, so showering them on Christmas day was truly special. The same as watching cartoons; it was rare to see a cartoon so on Saturdays it was a special treat to lay around all morning and watch cartoons. Now you can see cartoons 24/7/365 but parents still allow their children to lie around like it’s special (in the process creating kids with mushy brains).
Instead of buying more toys and expensive Christmas gifts that causes you to go broke, the best thing we can do for ourselves and our children is to create special memories. Just think about your fondest childhood Christmas memory. What was it? Well I’ve got to be honest it was ripping open toys, playing with my Baby Alive one year and my roller derby roller skates, with the metal wheels another year; but that was because we were poor and didn’t receive toys throughout the year.
However, I also remember making Christmas cards for my siblings out of our school notebook paper and getting frustrated that it wouldn’t stand stiff like the store-bought cards. I remember one year I stole one of my big sister’s shoe and my baby sister’s favorite jeans. I wrapped them and put them under the tree. Every morning I giggled like crazy as they both searched high & low looking for their things. I took particular delight in watching my oldest sister hobbling around with one shoe on looking for the other shoe with hot, angry tears streaming down her face! LOL! Yeah…she wasn’t too happy when she opened her Christmas gift and saw that it was the shoe that she cried about for weeks. The memory of her face still makes me ROFLOL!
For most of us, our fondest Christmas memories didn’t cost money; so when you are planning your family’s holiday season, take time to plan memories can be made that will last a lifetime and wont cause you to go broke. Here’s how:
- Make Christmas cookies as a family. This is a well-loved and age-old tradition that all kids LOVE. It will require some organization on your part but if you invite grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles or cousins it will be something the kids will never forget! Personally I like home-made cookies but if you want to cut down on the messiness use the refrigerated cookie dough; it’s great for the really young ones. Don’t forget the icing and sprinkles.
- Make gifts. As a family, you can each make gifts for each other. Instead of spending tons of money, encourage everyone to get creative. Your children can make artwork, crafts; even sing a song as a gift.
- Help others. There are always ways to participate in food drives and other charitable activities around the holidays. Show your kids that it’s not only nice to help others, but it can be fun, too.
- Tell/read holiday stories. Gather everyone together and read or tell stories that are a part of your holiday tradition. Purchase a storybook, for example, The Night Before Christmas, with wonderful illustrations and read it to your kids with real excitement. They’ll love it!
- Make a big deal out of decorating. When we decorate we turn on the Christmas music make cookies & drink egg nog. We do NOT start decorating until all of those are in place. You can even let the kids have their own area to decorate – like the holiday tree, or the front entrance or the mantle. Don’t forget to take photos.
- Go shopping 2 days after Christmas! Whatever you want to buy for your family it will be 50% off just a few days later. If you can resist the cultural pressure you can have a very inexpensive Christmas by waiting just a few days.
I decided years ago that I would not spend Christmas like most. When it’s over you don’t want to be broke and tired and frustrated with ungrateful kids who have broken up half the toys before the week was out. Most gifts aren’t remembered through the years, although of course, some very special ones might be. More often, it’s the time spent with family and friends, the laughter and the togetherness. Don’t go broke this Christmas create memories instead. Your kids will remember family holidays as some of the very best times of their lives, and so will you.
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I Went Pecan Picking and Had a Revelation About Small Business
by Lady T
Filed under business coaching, entrepreneur mom, home base business
Mompreneurs don’t get to exercise often, so when we do, we really have to make it work. On the rare occasion that I exercise, I walk through this small business park that is surrounded by a wooded area. One day I noticed that several of the trees were pecan trees. So this past Saturday I went to pick pecans and had some wonderful revelations about small business.
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1. There is enough for everyone.
Pecans fall freely on the ground and are enjoyed by humans, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, insects and many other animals yet there are still enough to grow more trees. The leaves and bark have been used medicinally as an astringent. The husk is a natural cure for poison ivy; the wood for flooring, baseball bats and furniture.
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BUSINESS MEANING:
There is enough for everyone. Mentally scrap the old paradigm of competition. There is none. This idea was created by greedy, fearful, corporate conglomerate that chose to monopolize and mass produce. Mentally align yourself with the nature of this God created Universe; THERE IS ENOUGH. There are enough clients for YOU and enough for the other mompreneurs in your industry- if they are providing real benefit and value to people.
HOW TO APPLY:Think about it how much money you need in a year to reach your financial goals? Maybe for you it’s not yet about the money; maybe you just want to feel like you’re in business. How many clients do you need to generate that feeling for yourself? 2? 20? 120? They are out there and plenty more.
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2. You have to work for your success.
Even though the trees were blooming with pecans and they fell freely I still had to work for them. I was out there for 90 minutes, raking through leaves that camouflaged fallen pecans perfectly! I threw sticks at the trees to get them to fall. I jumped (and missed) the low hanging ones. I picked up and brushed off each and every individual pecan that I carried away. And once home, I still had to crack open and pick out each and every individual pecan that I ate.
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BUSINESS MEANING:
You have to work. Mompreneurs, contrary to what the gurus might tell you, “just put up a website and start making money”; a real business will require patience and hard work! It may take a while before you enjoy the fruits of your labor. So work hard and be patient.
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HOW TO APPLY:
Do you find yourself frustrated, jealous and hesitating because so many seem to be prospering more than you? Keep your eyes on your work; stay focused on your goals and work your plan. Success will come! Until then, pay attention to what you are learning and the character traits that you are developing. Remember, mompreneur that you are building a legacy for your children and that entails more than making money. It also includes life lessons that your children are watching and participating and celebrating as you build your business.
Therefore enjoy the journey.
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3. Connect with others
During my pecan picking period my only regret was that I didn’t bring someone with me. I was challenged every time I threw the stick at the tree because several pecans would fall and I had to keep my eye on the stick to see where it hit while, at the same time, using my peripheral vision to see where the pecans fell and rolled. As I walked toward one pecan I would have to keep my eyes on the 3 different spots that the other 3 pecans rolled. Magically, as I approached it I realize that it was perfectly camouflaged among the leaves. After searching for that one I would then have to remember where the other 3 pecans fell and then start the search all over again.
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BUSINESS MEANING:
Take somebody with you. You can’t see everything. Having a coach, a partner or a mentor is invaluable! Even a network of online buddies who look out for you can be crucial because they can help you see things that you don’t see to easily. Having someone to tell you that your website isn’t easy to navigate or it has broken links, having someone recommend you for an award or promote you to their list are examples of taking “someone with you”.
HOW TO APPLY: Connect, connect, connect. Establish a network that you support and one that supports you. Your connections should consist of real friends but don’t’ be afraid to connect with people online who are up & coming, honest and willing to work hard.
I would love to come along with you and help you grow your business. It’s not easy out there by yourself and it’s always more fun with friends. Contact me before the year is out and I’ll put you on my schedule for next year. We’ll get you progressing stronger and with better focus!Email me: LadyT at TheBusinessCoachforMoms.com
Let’s Get To Work Moms!
by Lady T
Filed under business coaching, entrepreneur mom
Okay, moms we are WELL into September and all children across the country are back in school (except Chicago). Even homeschooling moms have started up at the point.
So now it’s time to focus on your business. We have 60 more days until Thanksgiving. After that days get shorter and busier! Whatever you are going to accomplish has to happen in the next 60 days. Don’t tell yourself you have until 2013. You don’t. You know how this goes. So let’s get to work moms.
1. Pat yourself on the back for the accomplishments thus far.
2. Re-evaluate your goals
3. Determine the ONE thing in particular that you want to focus on.
4. Who & what will you need to help you accomplish it?
5. Start moving in that direction.
6. Stay off of Facebook, Pintrest & any other time-sucking social media platform (unless you successfully use it for business)
7. Keep your peripheral view on what you want for next year.
In December when everything has slowed down then we’ll look at setting goals for next year!
Get back to work mom!
All Things Are Possible
by Lady T
Filed under business coaching, Success mind, Video
To many people have dreams but give up to easily when things get tough. We have to remember that ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
You use a cell phone to call someone on the other side of the country and the signal shoots to a satellite out of space and down to their phone in 2 SECONDS! ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
You get in a piece of tin foil with 150 other people and mankind defies gravity by flying through the air at 300mph! ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
You program in your little gizmo an address in a different city and your gizmo tells you how to get there and the exact time you will arrive even when you decide to go a different route! ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
When you look at man’s inventions who can doubt that we have been created by an AWESOME CREATOR who has given us TREMENDOUS creative abilities! All we have to do is have faith, believe and act on our faith. That means you can’t give up when you’ve think that you’ve “worked sooo hard.”
WORK HARDER!
WHATEVER YOU WANT IS POSSIBLE!
Here’s a video that reminded me of the GRAND possibilities of mankind…and brought tears to my eyes.
So what are you able to accomplish…if only you believed that all things are possible? Leave your thought.
How To Stop Negative Thinking
by Lady T
Filed under entrepreneur mom, overcoming challlenges, Video
Left To Tell was written by Immaculee Ilibagiza, who spent 91 days hiding in a bathroom with 7 other people during the Rwanda Holocaust. Her life story is riveting and will put to shame any mompreneur who complains about her current state of life. If you have access to your children and even have the OPTION to consider being a SAHM your life is beautiful and you should shut up your whining and get busy! Everything else is just your own negative thinking holding you back.
I’ve created a video on How To Stop Negative Thinking to help you move on with your life. If Immaculee Ilibagiza could do it after her devastating sufferings so can you while surrounded by your comforts.
