Tag Archives: appreciation

What Can you be Grateful for Today?

Gratitude has become a trendy catch-phrase in the self-help world. We have all heard about how we can foster gratitude and appreciation in our personal and family areas of our lives but maybe you have not really thought of how it could help you stay motivated and interested in your home business. What can you be grateful for today in your small business and work world? It is no secret that celebrating the positives can be a great mood booster and motivator. Many of us have tried our hand at affirmations, prayer, and self-encouragement in other areas of our lives. … Continue reading →

Why do I Get Suspicious when Things go Smoothly?

I like to think that I am an optimist at heart. When it comes to my home business and work efforts, however, I have to be honest—I tend to expect things to be rough and hard. When things are going smoothly and seem to be falling into place, I get quite skeptical. I just have this sneaky feeling that something major is about to go wrong… Many of you know by now that organization is my crutch (particularly when it comes to my business)—I depend on getting things organized and all my ducks in a row in order to make … Continue reading →

Joy Can Come in the Quiet Moments

I think as Americans, we are trained to believe that anything that we want in life is ours if we just go out and take it. For those of us who have been through a divorce, death or separation, or are just struggling to build a life as a single parent, we can get into the trap of trying to build, shape, make and force things to go the way we wish them to. The thing is, it really is not about achievement and finances and externally-approved success. Once we realize that pure joy can come in the most mundane … Continue reading →

Appreciate the Challenge

We talk a great deal here in the Home Business blog about all of the trials, issues, and problems that can arise and be an every-day part of running a home business. Of course, there are plenty of joys and great things about being an entrepreneur and running one’s own business too but we might forget to hone in and celebrate those realities. I have learned in the past few years that even when things are incredibly challenging, it helps to have appreciation for those challenges. By appreciation and being thankful, it keeps me from resisting and helps me to … Continue reading →

And Here’s to You! – David Elliott

This fun children’s picture book is a celebration of life. Each page is illustrated with rich, saturated color, a treat for the eyes. Words of gratitude are frequent, and the reader can feel the joy that comes from going outside on a brilliant spring day and just enjoying nature. The author raises a salute to birds, using his young female narrator to say, “Here’s to you!” She calls them “feather people,” and gives special mention to the birds who whooo, cockadoodledoo, the ones who have red breasts and the ones who sit on telephone wires. She appreciates all of them … Continue reading →

There is Value in Everything

Hard lessons, tough days, big changes–there are times when it can seem like finding a point to all the struggles and seemingly random hardships is impossible. But from one single parent to another, I really do believe that there is value of some sort in every challenge and lesson… It may not be obvious at the onset, and the value may just be to teach you how to say “no” or walk away–but there is still something useful to be found in all sorts of events and realities. I do not think that everything that happens to us or around … Continue reading →

Why Does He Get More Credit?

Most women have their children with them at all times unless they are at work. They take the children grocery shopping, to run errands, and to appointments. The woman is typically the person that has to worry with finding a babysitter when the time is needed. In many cases, the wife takes care of household chores and really gets not much acknowledgment for it. She does them without being told to do them and she is expected to do them. She actually gets more attention if they are not done (of course it is negative attention!) Women do not receive … Continue reading →

Fostering Appreciation in the Single Parent Family

It can be easy in a single parent family to see all the things that are “not right” or all the ways that things could and should be better. What can be more challenging, however, is to gather one’s thankfulness and resources and develop a sense of appreciation for all the joys and wonders of the world when one is often struggling just to make ends meet. So, what do I even mean when I start writing about “appreciation”? Back in November I wrote a little about my own “appreciation” around Thanksgiving, but this morning I am thinking of how … Continue reading →

A Great Thing About a Home Business–There Are Days When I Can Put Off Taking a Shower

Now, I don’t want to imply that I am a grungy, sloppy, troll working away in my home business–but one of the big differences between a traditional job and running a home-based business is that one doesn’t always have to get up, shower, dress, put on make-up and do hair, etc .before getting to work. There are days when I can get right to my work and then take a break a couple hours in to shower and get dressed. Having that sort of flexibility makes me feel like I am more in control of my time and I can … Continue reading →

Helping Your Child with “Thank You” Notes to the Other Family

It has always been hard enough getting myself and my children motivated to “do thank you notes” after the holidays, but for single parents, it might be even tougher working on those notes to former in-laws and extended family members that belong to your child’s “other” family. Not only can motivation be a challenge, but figuring out just what to say and remaining neutral and supportive of your child can be hard too… This is one of those times when we have to focus on the child and what is best for his character development, self-esteem and comfort level. I … Continue reading →