Attitude of Gratitude

I had the pleasure of meeting this fine gentleman one morning.
I asked him about his resources and he pleasantly stated that it would be great if I would post his article on my site.

So here it is…

The Attitude Of Gratitude
By: Earl Erickson

The New Year brings with it a host of Christmas
and New Year celebration problems. Weight is

gained from all the good food you eat, economic
stress from over spending and the lack of daily

exercise routine. New Year’s resolutions are usually forgotten by mid-year. It is time to sit yourself down and take inventory of where you are in
life’s journey.

Focus on all the positive aspects of your life.
Dreams of the future should not diminish appreciation for the present. Do you have a place to
live, transportation, a job, food and people that
care about you? If you acknowledge each item, then you are wealthy with
blessings earned. Every morning recharge your appreciation with a positive
attitude and thoughts. Put a smile on your face and greet people you meet by
saying, “have a grateful day!”

Maintain an “attitude of gratitude” daily. Overweight, worry, heavy heart,
overspending and exercise problems are quickly overcome by having a positive attitude. If there is a will, there is a way to overcome things in a beneficial manner. Negative thoughts, fears, denial, jealousy, disrespect and lack of
personal integrity bring despair. This leads to emotional and physical health
problems.

In communication it isn’t what you say, but how you say it that is most meaningful. The wrong words spoken to others may hurt their feelings and bring
resentment to you. Think about what you are going to say before you say it.

Cultivate an “attitude of gratitude” in your life. Keep things in perspective.
Consider all the people that have overcome difficulties far greater than yours.
Try not to be consumed by your problems, and know there is always a solution. Be open minded and consult with people of experience. Your mind will

devise a resolution to your circumstances if you take the time to concentrate.

It is always the “darkest before the dawn” of each day.

Make every day a day of Thanksgiving for what you have. Start each day with
time for yourself in meditation and prayers. You will be amazed at how much
better your life will become. This is called an “Inside workout for mental fitness”

** Try not: to become a person of success, but a person of value.**

– Albert Einstein

Some of the Most Common Single Parent Struggles

While most of us know how difficult and trying it can be as parents; think of working through all of our stuff without someone, partner, to support us through all of it. Single parenting just tends to be a little more trying and difficult than being part of a 2 parent family. Not only do you have to play the roles of both parents, but you’re financially responsible for a set of bills that are usually paid by two incomes.

Here are some of the most common single parent struggles with tips and strategies on how to overcome them.

Illness: When illness strikes in the single parent household, this time can be very trying. Sometimes even more so if it’s the parent who is ill. As a single parent, there is nobody to fall back on so you are able to recuperate. The need to be available to your child or children at all times is ever so present, depending on the age of the family members. A parent struggling with poor health will still feel the need to get on with household matters depending on the age of the children. This down time will also affect the financial income for some time may be taken off.
When the children are sick, it may require the parent to take time off work to care for them, bringing further financial hardship. There is never any reprieve from a sick child and their need to be comforted.

Money challenges: Going from a double income to little or no income can become the most overwhelming issue to overcome. Being responsible for your own monthly payments becomes a big deal indeed. If you find yourself in a dilemma where there never seems to be sufficient funds to make your payments, think of simplifying or even downsizing. Rid yourself of any extra expenses that you may have incurred while you were bringing in two incomes and make life as simple and easy as possible.
Some ideas on how to be more frugal:
Clip coupons
Shop the sales at your local grocery store
Review all of your bills and consolidate services if possible
Shopping Goodwill stores for your household needs
Buy less expensive computers for children

Selecting Safe and Affordable Child Care: Many single parents are at the mercy of the childcare available in their area. We all want the best in childcare and look for but that for our children. Sometimes the best comes with a with a condition; a higher cost. Private daycares are available along with the different childcare centers. Shop and compare charges and services that they have to offer. Ask each one for references and check to see if there are any financial assistance opportunities available like reduced price lunches.

Discussing Life Matters and Gender Issues: Talking to your child about the facts of life may be a little uncomfortable. Especially when our children are the opposite sex and they have a tendency to feel uncomfortable about this life’s subject. A mom may have a hard time teaching her sons about the things a dad would normally cover and a single father may have difficulties talking about female issues with his daughters. If there is an uncomfortable situation that presents itself in this manner, you should enlist the help of a favorite aunt or uncle or a close family friend to act as a “surrogate parent” for your child. It may be easier for your child to open up to this other significant adult and facilitate this whole process and lessen the pressure and tension that may arise.

The World’s Pressure on You: When there’s only one parent in the household, all of the family responsibilities lay on that person’s shoulders. House Chores, cooking, cleaning, yard word, financial concerns and monitoring, being a chauffeur, and every day tasks of being a parent this makes it that there is not much time for you. It’s easy to see that every single parent needs a break every so often. Make sure you take a break to revive yourself and re-energize. Look for a local teenager who could use some extra money, even if it’s just for a few hours. Maybe even drop them off at a family member for a few hours, giving you the option to do what you want not what you need to do.

The Feeling of Being Alone and Lost: Being a single parent have a difficult time relating to people who do not have children and find themselves isolated at one time or another. They find it difficult to associate with singles who cannot comprehend the responsibility that being a single parent brings. If you find yourself feeling a bit lonely and you want to communicate with people who can relate to what you’re going through, look into joining a nearby support group for single parents. Besides just chatting with other adults and exchanging thoughts and ideas, you may meet a new friend and enlarge your social circle.
After the separation occurs, the parents much be aware that there are emotional turmoils that are transpiring within our children. Often these children often blame themselves for the parent leaving. As they are children, they cannot process the situation without emotion.

Schooling: Taking care of the children’s needs at school is another challenge for the single parent, having to be available for school visits, being home in time after school and dealing with any concerns arising for their children during school hours.

Dating and the Introduction: The timing for introduction will vary for each individual. It’s a situation where you need to be aware of the surrounding and how many people you are dating. Introducing your children to each individual that you have dinner with may not be the most appropriate. While it’s never good to hide a growing relationship from your child, watch that they don’t become emotionally involved with someone you’re dating unless you really think the relationship is going somewhere. This may be an appropriate time to plan an outing and see how they “get along” and possibly move the relationship to a deeper level. Remember, your children will be sensitive to anyone who “tries to take their parent away” from them. There will be some explanation as these relationships progress and move forward. Be aware of the feelings and emotions that become involved as time progresses. Sometimes it happens, but try to minimize the revolving door.

If a child has one stable adult in their lives , they will be thrive. It is your responsibility to be THAT person.

Nicole Gruendl
Life and Success Coach
Nicole@NicoleGruendl.com

Moms and Life Coaching

As a Single Mom and taking on a new Career as a Life Coach I never knew how difficult it could be to find out my true self or what it even was! I forgot how much I was wrapped up in my child’s life and just life in general, just making ends meet. So much so that I really didn’t see the real struggle it takes to find out that I was sometimes overwhelmed and forgot who I really was.
So much of our lives are wrapped into our family and the role we have as mother, wife, homemaker, chef, driver, it seems that there is never enough time in a day to get things done. That and let alone thinking about ourselves and our well being. Life is trying and until you have a clearly designated time for everything, you will never achieve full success in any area

I do not feel that I speak for just myself or coming from a position as a life coach, I believe I speak for many women out there who are in similar or have been in similar positions as this.
It takes so much for us, as women, to express and say “hey I can’t do this all on my own”. Yes, we are sometimes portrayed as been invincible and the best caretakers. “Mommy knows best.” But as we teach our children and families to balance their lives, who is there supporting us on our own path?
Have you ever found yourself just laying in bed thinking, “there has to be something better out there for me.”

Life Coaching has supported me in reprogramming my train of thought. Learning to believe in myself and that when you listen to your heart and “your gut” you know that your happiness is at your finger tips. With these simple tools, the balance and structure in your and your family life will come with more ease, less stress and demand. This all makes it for a happier and better place. Life is all about Choices and it’s up to you to make the one that works for you and your family. Finding the light in your life, wherever that may come from, is essential for your personal growth. Finding the right coach to support you in this search is imperative.

The first step in working with my clients is finding their Essence, the words that best describe them from their heart and soul; their being. It’s all about truly believing in the process and knowing what your life purpose it. Trusting you!
Think of this. Coaching is the gateway to your greatness and of endless possibility. What does possibility look like for you? Can you imagine creating a list of goals and actually have them flourish? What have you given yourself the right to dream? Are you where you imagined you’d be this time, this year? What are your greatest dreams?
What IS Holding YOU Back?
Is there a lack of physical or mental Energy?
What is your Life purpose?
Your inability to set clear Goals?
Do you have the ability to make solid Plans?
Is it prioritizing?
Your ability to get and stay Organized?
Is it your Attitude?
OR SIMPLY: Are you afraid of your greatness?
Step into your power, follow your heart and your desires and dreams will follow! Create the life that you want, create what is best for you mom, the foundation of the family life.

This give a whole new meaning to the quote “if Mom isn’t happy, nobody is happy.”

Believe in yourself! Put your trust in YOU and trust in your coach!

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