Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers

Okay...so I tried really hard to help the Chicago Bears win their game against the Packers.  No big party with guests, just a football Sunday with our immediate family enjoying a little rivalry.  I put out a pretty big spread for the family.  Some items on that buffet were Chicago Style dogs and Chicago stuffed pizza.....I even drank my beer out of my lucky Irish beer stein.  The Bears lost...sadly.  It was a good game -- sort of.  Anyway, I was quite happy with the Chicago dogs, and although it brought no luck to the Bears....the food, company and fun rivalry made for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon.

Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers

I am born and raised in Wisconsin; however, I left the state for about three years to explore life in Chicago.  My dad was an avid Packers fan all of his life.  I, on the other hand, had a tendency to like the San Francisco 49ers as a child. My dad and I would have quarter bets on our teams, dad would yell at the television most of the game, and I would soon lose interest in the game and run off to play.  I still do enjoy the 49ers, but not as much as my Chicago Bears.  During my time in Chicago those three years, it happened to be the time of the Refrigerator, McMann, and Ditka dynasty.  I fell in love!  And that love has not changed.  My husband now takes the place of my dad as the avid Packer fan.  There are no bets though.  Just a whole lot of fighting words.  We are not friends this week and won't be until the game is done and my team has won.  Thank goodness for three televisions...and there is always a local bar I can send him off to.  In honor of my Bears, I salute you, and bring on the 1941 Chicago Bears Fight Song....

Bear down, Chicago Bears, make every play clear the way to victory;
Bear down, Chicago Bears, put up a fight with a might so fearlessly.
We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation with your T-formation.
Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you're wearing the crown.
You're the pride and joy of Illinois, Chicago Bears, bear down.
 

Surviving the Teen Years

If we survive the teen years with two teenagers -- it will be a miracle.  We are blessed with one boy and one girl....and each bring their own set of teen issues.  Yesterday, it was our daughter's turn to come home from school and melt down.  It was one of those heartbreaking moments that brought tears to my eyes.  I wanted to simply wrap her in her blanket and cradle her tight.  Guess what?! She is too big for that now.  I cannot be there every step of the way and fix every problem -- I am merely a guide in her life now. Whether I want to fix every problem, or cry with her, she needs to find her way.  So hard to believe this happy face is really such a stressed out teenager, fearing the new journey in her life she is about to enter.  She told me yesterday, "we are all changing, and it is happening so fast, it is scary".  Of course, she was making reference to her and her friends are all changing, life is now moving quickly, there is no looking back, and she is completely afraid.  I think the realization that high school is around the corner, she won't be in school with all the same people, and school is harder the older you get...it has finally hit her.  My little girl has grown up and it makes me happy and sad all at the same time.

Creating a New Habit

It takes repeating an action twenty-one consecutive days to make that habit second nature.  Try it!

One Book Down....so many to go!

I finished my first book of 2011.  One of many which can be found either on my Nook Color or in a pile. These are not any love stories nor are they filled with fictional characters.  Nope!  These are books to help me reach my goal of betterment in 2011.  And, I am happy to report the first book was actually read, and I learned something.  The first book of this year is Career Match: Connecting Who You Are With What You'll Love to Do.


Back in 2008-09, I participated in a nine month leadership program -- Leadership Racine.  To kick the nine months off, participants go through a two day retreat, and learn about color personalities.  There are four colors - orange, gold, green and blue.  I found my colors to be orange, green, blue and gold; however, in a leadership role my strongest color is gold.  FYI.....gold and orange are completely opposite.

Career Match continues on the journey of color personality coding and matches your personality with how you work and whom (color wise) you will work best under.  After reading the book, I have a better handle on who I am, where I fit and whom I work best with in a career.

So who am I?

I am a red (or orange) primarily, green secondary, and an extrovert.
Famous greens - Diane Sawyer and Angelina Jolie to name a couple.
Famous reds - Donald Trump and Charles Nemes (Barbizon Modeling)

Reds make up 27% of the population and tend to be action-oriented, spontaneous, and focused on "now".

Greens make up 17% of the population and tend to be empathetic, humanistic, and creative.

My favorite part of this whole book was the description of a work environment using an example of each color taking a visitor through the department.  This chapter brought it home for me as I instantly felt at home in both the red and green departments.  I guess I am just kind of a Christmas tree!

Today's Lesson

Today is one of those days that I go outside of myself to examine and analyze what went wrong.  Asking things such as 'how could this happen?', 'why can nothing go right for me?', 'what is wrong with me?'....you get the point.  

All I can say is that I learned several things today about life and myself.  Changing the negatives into a positive is now my main focus.  And moving forward is a must if I am to walk through this lesson with my head on straight.

Lessons I need to share with you from my life experience:

#1 - Always look out for yourself.  You are numero uno!

#2 - Never trust those around you are in it for anything else other than themselves.

#3 - Be ready for anything.  Always prepare for the 'what if'.

#4 - Find the positives in every negative.

New Year....New Outlook

Someone sent me an email with the following thoughts on life....so I thought I would share.....

When in doubt, just take the next small step.

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

Pay off your credit cards every month.

You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

It's OK to let your children see you cry.

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

Over prepare, then go with the flow.

Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

The most important sex organ is the brain.

Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

Always choose life.

Forgive everyone everything.

What other people think of you is none of your business.

However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

No matter how you feel, get up and show up.

Take a deep breath.

If you don't ask, you don't get.

Yield.

And here is to a great year for everyone...cheers!

Dreams Turning Into Reality

I have declared this year as the year to betterment for myself and this includes ALL areas of my life.  For a little extra incentive, I started creating a dream board last year to display all the things I want or have dreamed of.  Some are little things such as the iPad and a Canon SLR camera, while others are a BMW, coffee shop, trips, and more. 

Going back to the description I gave in my blog header "about me", that this blog would be an eclectic array of postings based on the way I am....well it is true.  I have always hated creating goals and objectives for any job I had, I am not a goal setter in my own life, and quite frankly I just don't like tying myself down to writing a goal.  Pretty scary considering I run my own business and have children!  My theory is to have flexibility so one can change their mind....a written goal does not allow for any change unless you want to fail that goal....or at least in my mind. 

As I get older, I continue to look at those around me with goals, and I am beginning to see the pattern of goal setting being success setting (that is my own terminology for it).  Considering I really want those things on my dream board, and I am not getting any younger, I have decided this needs to be the year I begin to set goals...make a plan.  There are so many key areas in my life that need to get better -- there is my business (which to my surprise did pretty well this last year I found after I ran a profit and loss statement yesterday), my family, my relationship with my husband, friendships, and me.

So here is to starting my journey into 2011 on the best foot ever.  I am armed with new books and things I need to make me a healthier, better person (kind of ironic purchasing things to make a better me when not spending is on my list not to do).  I guarantee this will be a bumpy ride, but my hope is to look back at the end of this year and find a changed person for the better.

Welcome 2011!

Happy New Year!  It is hard to believe 2010 has gone and 2011 has entered the scene.  This past year has been a good year with many new adventures and certainly enough to keep us busy.  It looks as though 2011 is going to be an even busier year for our family with an 8th grade graduation, several soccer tournaments out of town, an 8th grade trip to Washington, DC, our oldest enters high school, and whatever else comes along our path.

We look forward to the year ahead and this year will certainly be a year of changes in my life.  This is going to be the year of permanent changes for me in my business, personal and family life.  As I begin my transition to betterment, I will continue to post some of the exciting changes I make in my life....so stay tuned.