September 10, 2013

Give Yourself Permission to Take Care of You

binary option demo As parents, self care is something that is often put on the back burner. We are all spread so thin between  careers and work, keeping up a household and raising our children, that we forget about our own personal needs far too often. Sometimes we may feel guilty to just stop and do something for ourselves because it feels like we are taking away from our children or our family and the things that need to get done to keep your lives running smoothly. I know that is how I feel at times anyway.

However, I also know that it important for us not to forget to take care of ourselves. When you neglect yourself physically or emotionally, you may not notice on a daily basis, but over time you will begin to feel the effects of lack of self care. Your patience will be less, your energy will lack, you may begin to feel overwhelmed or even resentful towards all of your other parental and life duties. When this starts to happen, clearly, it can be detrimental to your kids and family. Your children deserve to have the best you that you can be. The problem is, you can not be your best self if you are exhausted and overwhelmed due to lack of self care. We all need to find balance in our lives, I believe this is the only way we can embrace every moment of the life we live.

demo binary option Give yourself permission to take care of you. Take the time to enjoy some great novels, indulge in some reality t.v., get a new hairstyle, get a manicure or a pedicure (or both!), buy yourself something nice, go to Starbucks and enjoy some quiet time while sipping your favorite coffee concoction. Do whatever makes you feel relaxed and gives you the feeling that you have truly taken time out for yourself. Take a mental vacation, regroup, take a deep breath and enjoy knowing that you are doing something good for you, and that is OK. Let go of the guilty feelings, let go of thoughts that you are not being productive. Take in every detail that you enjoy about taking care of yourself. It doesn't have to be an 8 day vacation, just something on a regular basis that allows you to feel taken care of.

When you get back to your daily routine you will feel refreshed, energized and ready to handle the normal daily stresses. Your kids will sense your relaxation and they will naturally be more relaxed. Your entire day will feel more manageable because you don't feel neglected or resentful at all that you give of yourself. You won't feel as though you have given every part of yourself away.

demo binary options account I also believe self care is important for your kids to observe. It will allow them to see that you value your own well being and the you are important too. They will learn to replicate this throughout life which is an important coping skill to have.

So, think about something that will make you feel relaxed and content and then make some time to do it. Your kids will be thankful, your spouse will be thankful and most importantly, YOU will be glad you did.

Take a moment for you and let go of any guilty feelings that try to emerge.

May 29, 2013

Do You Need a Wellness Makeover?? Read This!

Hi All! I have been absent from my blog for quite a while! Well, that has been with good reason... I have been diligently working on updating and improving my Lifestyle/Wellness Coaching company and I am ready to re launch!

I have added a new service to my business that I think some of you all may be interested in! 

Here's why:  Many of you have recently had a baby/babies, or maybe it's been a while, but you are still struggling with finding balance and getting back to where you want to be with your weight and your wellness. Maybe you have had a baby and you are just not feeling well, you may feel sluggish, bloated, tired, stomach achey. This is where I was a year ago, tired, overwhelmed and feeling like crap. I began searching for what I could do to help me feel better and I stumbled upon eating a Paleo Diet. I toyed with it for about six months in the beginning, but had a hard time making the full switch, I needed to work on the emotional side of my issues in addition to making a diet and lifestyle overhaul. You can read my full story here. So, I  sort of "coached" myself through my emotional issues with food and my body and finally I made the full commitment to the Paleo Lifestyle in January 2013. It has changed....my....life! I have energy, I can work out better, I am in a significantly better mood, I have less ups and downs with my mood, my bloating is gone, my skin is bright and best of all, I have lost 15 lbs pretty much effortlessly. Because of my experience with it and the success I have had, and because I 100% believe in this lifestyle for balance and wellbeing and overall health,I added Paleo Lifestyle Coaching to my coaching services. I want to help others discover the key to eliminating the added stress surrounding food and how it makes you feel.

If you can relate to any of the above mentioned, and are ready for a lasting change, then head over to Megan Githens Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching now! I will coach you towards your Healthy Diet, Healthy Lifestyle and Healthy Balance. This will be a life changing experience that you will not regret. I promise!

I am offering a 20% discount on the 4 week package for the first 10 people that schedule and pre pay for services. If you have a blog and agree to blog and social media promote about your experience, you will receive an extra 10% off! Think of it as a small investment in your 30 day mind and body makeover.

Don't wait a minute longer, get the balance you need and the body you want. Finally find a place where you are comfortable emotionally and physically for the rest of your life. No more stressing about food and calories and feeling like crap. You will be glad you did!

And that is the end of my shameless plug for my business. I have no shame because I believe in it and you will too once you see the difference in yourself...


February 2, 2013

Mommy Survival Tip: Stop your Kids from Picking their Noses...PLEASE!

Disclaimer: This post may gross you out a little bit! So, yesterday I was standing outside the dance studio chatting with another mom while we were waiting for our daughters in their dance class. This woman's 3 year old son, Who was standing with us, starts picking his boogers, I am a little taken aback when she stands by watching him, yet says nothing to him, but I keep the conversation going. Then, low and behold, this kid starts EATING is ginormous, slimy boogers and still she says nothing! She then chuckles and tells me this is his new thing now and apologizes to me, but still does nothing; doesn't try to stop him, doesn't hand him a tissue, doesn't tell him about germs, just keeps saying to me how gross it is and that he will eventually learn how disgusting it is and stop on his own (she hopes)...ummmmmm I don't even know what to say about this one!

What is even more interesting is that I posted this story on my personal Facebook page because long after I got home I was just baffled about the whole thing. I was shocked when this post started a little bit of controversy among some of my friends sort of implying that I was being judgemental or harsh towards the mother of this child. I am still trying to figure this out. We are smack in the middle of cold and flu season and even if it doesn't gross this mother out that her child is standing in a very public place picking and eating his boogers, my opinion would be that whatever leftovers are now on his fingers are going to be transferred to whatever he touches and then the spread of germs has started. How am I being judgemental when I am just worried about the health of others?

Apparently, there are articles out there somewhere that advise parents that the way to handle nose picking is to ignore the behavior and not say anything to the child. Really??? I get the idea of not making a huge deal out of it because your child may do it more for the attention. But to not say anything?? That theory I do not understand at all. Is it not our duty as a parent to TEACH our children healthy habits and proper social behavior? Last I checked, as a mother and an educator, it is my job to help my own children as well as the students I work with how to take care of their health, and to me, picking your nose is not a healthy habit.

So, here is my two cents on the subject based on how I handle it with my children. If you have a nose picker (and I do, so this is from experience), in a very matter of fact tone tell them to stop the behavior. Don't act totally disgusted and make a huge deal out of it, because then that child will be looking for that reaction out of you. In your matter of fact tone, make it a teachable moment. Mention the germs that are on their fingers that could make them sick if they end up in their nose. Mention the germs that there are in their nose, that can be passed on to others. For heaven sake, teach them that if they have a booger in their nose that is bothering them, to ask you (or their teacher, or whatever adult they are with) for a tissue because that is where boogers and germs belong! In a tissue that can be thrown away! Not on your finger, not on the wall, and certainly not in your mouth. It may take a while for the behavior to stop, but be consistent and keep reminding them about the dangers of it. 

Ignoring the behavior is teaching the child that this is an acceptable behavior, and this is not an acceptable behavior, socially or otherwise. If we don't teach our children about these things from the very beginning, then the habit starts and it will be much more difficult to break as the child gets older. You will be better off being a teacher and not a friend in a situation like this. Just be consistent, not demeaning, not over dramatic, just consistent.

Call me judgemental, call me what you will. As a mother and an educator, it is hard for me to stand by and watch a teachable moment pass by. Especially when my children could be the ones to suffer the consequences by having touched something that other kid touched with his spreadable germs all over his fingers. Let's be smart about how we handle our children and teach them the lessons in health and manners that we were taught and the generations before us were taught. Let's help keep each other healthy this cold and flu season! And remember, kids do not innately know proper behaviors, it is your job to teach them.


January 25, 2013

Blogger Friends: Time for Aloha Friday Hop Again!

Aloha Friday Blog Hop
Grab our button!!
(If this button is too small or too big, click HERE to view all the different sized buttons you can use instead! )

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.whatjeanlikes.com/search/label/aloha" title="Aloha Friday Blog Hop" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee419/whatjeanlikes/AlohaFridayBlogHopbutton.jpg" alt="Aloha Friday Blog Hop" style="border:none;" /></a></div&gt>

                               

                                       

                                                      
                                                  
The Aloha Friday Blog Hop is more than a "Friday" hop, it's a way to share aloha and friendship to our fellow bloggers all weekend long!!  I consider this particular blog hop to be more of a weekend hop because Fridays are so hectic that a lot of people function on what we like to call "Hawaiian Time" here in Hawai'i which means they link up on Saturday or sometimes even Sunday which is just fine and dandy with me!  That's why I keep it open from Friday through Wednesday because I sincerely believe, the more the merrier!! 

Can you believe we've been doing this for 40 weeks?  Time flies when you're having fun!

{ Just A Few Simple Requests }  

Follow your Aloha Friday Hop hosts and team members.
{You can follow us via GFC easily by clicking on the "Follow" link under each of our buttons above!}
(Please leave a comment with a link to your site and we will be sure to follow you back)

Link up your family friendly blogs
(Or other sites and projects you'd like to share)

 Share this hop so that others might join in.
(If you'd like, you are welcome to post this hop on your site and/or add our button to your site!)

 Visit at least three other blogs and let them know you've come to share aloha.
(How lucky are we to start our wonderful weekends together, let's have fun with this)



The last Aloha Friday Blog Hop had 357 (WOW!) lovely participants.  THANK YOU!!!  What a wonderful way to start the New Year!  It's really helping us all get more followers and more exposure!!  Make sure you link up because every single button in the last link up was clicked at least 8 times, some as many as 100 times.  It really helps get you followers!

If you're interested in co-hosting next month's Aloha Friday Blog Hop, please email jean@whatjeanlikes.com for more info. 


Here's the extra special addition to our lovely hop. It's an oh-so-easy opportunity for you lovely participants of the Aloha Friday Blog hop to get some exposure to your blogs!!  What do  you have to do to enter?  Just link up to the Aloha Friday Blog Hop Below!! It's that easy!!  No extra forms or hassle, just link up!  Each week we will pick a linker to featured at random and invite you all to say ...
Aloha Hoapili
  Grab a button if you were featured this week! 
Aloha Hoapili translates as Hello Close Friend. So, without further ado let me introduce you to this week's featured friend ...
Megan blogs about charities, real life and remodeling projects for the home.
Want a little taste of her blog? Check out these posts to find out what you've been missing:
DIY Sunburst Mirror
Clutter Confessions
Giving Thanks
Want your link to be one of the first people see?  Sponsor What Jean Likes by purchasing an ad space!! All Sponsors are automatically linked up! More info on becoming a sponsor {here}


Link up below! 
ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY RIGHT BELOW THE HOP!! 

Giveaway Time! 

Enter our lovely giveaway below!

What's the prize you ask?  Well, just the opportunity to share your lovely blog or website with the world on 5 different sites. But wait, there's more! 

Five of our lovely hosts are so generously giving away freebies for your lovely site !  It's a lot of great opportunities for exposure to your lovely blog!  There are over 100 easy ways to enter this giveaway so take your chances and improve your odds!



There are over 100 easy, quick ways to enter so try them all and improve your odds!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Have the loveliest of weekends!!

Aloha,


January 6, 2013

Sunday Funnies: I'm a Gangsta in the Motherhood (video)

Good Morning! Happy Sunday Everyone! I am always joking about the "joys" of the not so glamorous life of Motherhood, I found this hilarious Fiat commercial that raps about it all! This sums it all up perfectly! SO hysterical! Welcome to the "hood" (motherhood that is) Enjoy the rest of your weekend!





January 3, 2013

Aloha Friday Blog Hop! I'm Co Hosting!

Aloha Friday Blog Hop
Grab our button!!
(If this button is too small or too big, click HERE to view all the different sized buttons you can use instead! )

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.whatjeanlikes.com/search/label/aloha" title="Aloha Friday Blog Hop" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee419/whatjeanlikes/AlohaFridayBlogHopbutton.jpg" alt="Aloha Friday Blog Hop" style="border:none;" /></a></div&gt>

                               

                                       

                                                      
                                                  
The Aloha Friday Blog Hop is more than a "Friday" hop, it's a way to share aloha and friendship to our fellow bloggers all weekend long!!  I consider this particular blog hop to be more of a weekend hop because Fridays are so hectic that a lot of people function on what we like to call "Hawaiian Time" here in Hawai'i which means they link up on Saturday or sometimes even Sunday which is just fine and dandy with me!  That's why I keep it open from Friday through Wednesday because I sincerely believe, the more the merrier!! 

Can you believe it's the 37th Aloha Friday Blog Hop?!  My how time flies!! 

{ Just A Few Simple Requests }  

Follow your Aloha Friday Hop hosts and team members.
{You can follow us via GFC easily by clicking on the "Follow" link under each of our buttons above!}
(Please leave a comment with a link to your site and we will be sure to follow you back)

Link up your family friendly blogs
(Or other sites and projects you'd like to share)

 Share this hop so that others might join in.
(If you'd like, you are welcome to post this hop on your site and/or add our button to your site!)

 Visit at least three other blogs and let them know you've come to share aloha.
(How lucky are we to start our wonderful weekends together, let's have fun with this)



The last Aloha Friday Blog Hop had 275 (WOW!) lovely participants.  It's really helping us all get more followers and more exposure!!  Make sure you link up because every single button in the last link up was clicked at least 5 times, some as many as 100 times.  It really helps get you followers!

If you're interested in co-hosting next month's Aloha Friday Blog Hop, please email Jean@whatjeanlikes.com for more info. 


Here's the extra special addition to our lovely hop. It's an oh-so-easy opportunity for you lovely participants of the Aloha Friday Blog hop to get some exposure to your blogs!!  What do  you have to do to enter?  Just link up to the Aloha Friday Blog Hop Below!! It's that easy!!  No extra forms or hassle, just link up!  Each week we will pick a linker to featured at random and invite you all to say ...
Aloha Hoapili
  Grab a button if you were featured this week!
Aloha Hoapili translates as Hello Close Friend. So, without further ado let me introduce you to this week's featured friend ...

Sharon at Lilikoi Joy
Lilikoi Joy is not a food blog. Not a decorating blog. It's a little-of-everything life blog.
Want a little taste of her blog? Check out these posts to find out what you've been missing:
Holiday Craft Photo Collage
Hawaiian Style Ham and Cheese Sliders
DOD's Birthday, and a (Resuscitated) Cake Fail
If you're not already a follower than you definitely should be! Now, let's link up and start spreading that Aloha shall we?
Want your link to be one of the first people see?  Sponsor What Jean Likes by purchasing an ad space!! All Sponsors are automatically linked up! More info on becoming a sponsor {here}

Link up below!