Tag Archives: change

Why Surprise Can be a Good Thing

Perhaps you have been led to believe that in the world of business, everything should be planned and plotted. Swinging on the high trapeze without a net is not where many of us feel comfortable and we have learned that having a business plan, annual plan, budget, and check lists are all important elements to the well-run business. So, what role does “surprise” play in our business operations and how can we enlist the element of surprise to make our businesses better and our customers and clients happier? Think back over times when you have been pleasantly surprised—a gift, a … Continue reading →

Are We Really Trying to Change Them?

It is easy to think of our relationship with our child as being completely different and separate from any of our other relationships. After all, for many of us it is more intense, more unconditional, and longer-lasting than any other relationship we might have had. In reality, however, we can apply the same rules that we learn and use in our other relationships–marriages, partnerships, coworkers, friends, and family–to our interactions with our children. One that can seem a little fuzzy is whether “parenting” and guiding our children to adulthood means that we are really trying to change them? One of … Continue reading →

Moving and Making Changes with a Routine-Strict Child

Many of us are not too keen on change. In fact, if you ask most adults how they feel about pending changes–whether they are expected to be good or bad, they may confess that they are a little squeamish about change or that they just don’t “handle change well.” We know that flexibility is an important element in the single parent family, but if we are having trouble with change, some of our kids really have a hard time! Those children who really cling to and need routine and structure can really be thrown for a loop when it comes … Continue reading →

Shifting Bed-Time Schedules (and Other Schedules Too)

We all know by now that consistency and routine are important for a healthy, functioning family. BUT, change is constant—our lives change, our schedules change, and we also have to be flexible and capable of adjusting. For a single parent, figuring out how to cope with big schedule changes like a shift in bed-time schedules or routine, and still maintain consistency and limits can be a big challenge! With only one parent, if you have work shift changes, or if your child changes his or her sleeping habits, it can send the household into spin cycle. Trying to make sure … Continue reading →

Rule Number 3: Change is a Catch-22

Change is one thing every relationship is going to encounter. Perhaps my fellow blogger Heather Long summed it up best when she answered a reader’s question with the sage words: change is inevitable. What is Change? The word “change” has a lot of meanings. I never realized that until I started writing this and looked it up in my Webster’s. It can mean change as in currency. Or an action, like changing your clothes or types of transportation (like changing from a subway train to a bus). But change as it applies to a relationship can have utterly different meanings. … Continue reading →

J is For

We’ve looked at what TLC is and the changes that need to happen in our lives if we are to get our priorities right this year. But what about another important letter – J. Yes, it could stand for Jesus. It could also stand for joy. In John 15, Jesus talked to His disciples and He talks to us today too, about abiding in His Word and letting His Word abide in us, verse 7. Jesus talks about prayer, verse 7 and bearing fruit, verse 8. He talks of his great love for his disciples and us, verse 9. Then … Continue reading →

Priorities and TLC.

TLC what does it stand for? Yesterday we saw T stands for Transformation. If our priorities need changing and we want to give our lives the right focus, then some things in our lives will need to be changed. L is for love. Christians should show love and be loving. God is love and as Christians we need to reflect godly qualities of which the greatest is love, 1 Corinthians 13:13 When assessing our lives, it is the love and the people that matter. If we look at Jesus, we see he was a people person. He cared about people, … Continue reading →

What’s in a Day?

Some days are so crowded we can wish we had more hours in a day. But wishing won’t achieve anything. The truth is each of us has the same amount – 24 hours. Nor more and no less. Nothing we wish for or do will change that. Our days are usually made up of work, either paid or unpaid, sleep, household chores, shopping and family tasks, and then we need time for building and maintaining relationships, hobbies, social life and just plain relaxing. Add to all these things that take up our time, the unexpected. That visit to the Drs … Continue reading →

What Are Your Priorities?

Is there a difference between making New Year’s resolutions and setting priorities for the year? I believe there is. The first, is usually made with the idea that it is more wishful thinking than anything else and New Year’s resolutions, more often than not, are broken. The second, requires an act of will and really looking at your life, where it is headed, what you want to achieve and sitting down to set those goals and priorities. How many times have you heard someone say they wished there were more hours in a day? Perhaps you have even said it … Continue reading →

Afraid of Losing Your Mind?

Do you ever feel like you might be going a little crazy? Your thoughts spin off in a lot of different directions. You forget important things, or worse — have that horrible feeling that you’ve forgotten something important and you have no idea what it is. You don’t have to let your brain run around without any guidance. There are lots of things you can do to boost your memory, fight aging, and protect your brain. Here are some more tips to keep your thinker in top form. Read a book. Yes, an actual book with a storyline and characters … Continue reading →