We all find ourselves stressed at one time or another… working too many hours, frazzled in traffic, being short-tempered with the kids, not getting enough sleep, making poor eating choices. Stepping back, what does it all mean?  And more importantly, how can we change it?

I recently listened to a HeartMath webinar called The Science of Self Care with Personal Coach Cheryl Richardson and HeartMath VP Howard Martin. Something that stuck with me is thinking about the effects of Anger or Stress versus Care on our bodies. Moreover, how our exhaustion from our over scheduling and sometimes over caring for others, and not ourselves, is leading our minds and bodies into quite a stress and physical illness epidemic.

How maniacal are you about checking voicemail, email, texts, when they immediately arrive? Especially since starting my business, I always want to be so on the spot when a client or potential client contacts me. Studies have shown that checking your business media so often actually makes you less effective than if you check it only at set times during the day.

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Recently, I travelled to my hometown to visit my father who is in ill health.  It was quite sad and stressful to see my father in his new state of being.  It was just a little over a year ago that he was golfing 2-3 times a week.  He was such an active man who relished the tackling of a good household project around his or his daughters’ houses, like installing hardwood floors, helping to assemble his grandchildren’s swing set or the redesign of landscaping.

How fleeting life is… and how quickly things can change.  It made me reflect on the importance of living life to the fullest and not getting caught up in small stuff, and as the saying goes, it’s all small stuff.  For example, I can remember always getting worked up that my Dad sometimes wore his shoes in my house.  Now, how I wish he could travel and wear his shoes in my house.

Another learning experience for me was watching my eldest son and his Grandpa together, as they have always been like peas and carrots.  This visit was no different than any other… discussing the first preschool year, the latest additions to his Thomas the train collection and his advancement to Little 2 swimming class.

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