Embrace Your Heart Blog

Connect – turn off the Blackberry

While driving back from Christmas shopping the other day, I listened to NPR’s All Things Considered.  The subject was Blackberry Abuse.  Evidently for some people a Blackberry is like crack cocaine – addictive.  One of the guests discussed Blackberry orphans, children who’s parents are physically present, but never truly available because they are constantly checking and sending e-mail.  Some even hide their addiction, sneaking off to the bathroom during dinner to get the fix.

How sad.  What was developed to allow people more time away from the office is now stealing time away from family and recreation.  The boundary between private life and business life is blurred.

I have a home office and it is often difficult to preserve the line between work and home.  It is difficult on both sides, but I’ve discovered I need to stop checking the e-mail and answering the phone during family time in order to really connect.  If I draw the line around family time, I can also draw the line around work time and ask my daughters to respect when I need to be on the phone or work at the computer during “work time.”

My challenge to you is to draw a line around your family time or your recreation time and be truly present – especially around holiday time. 

Connect and recharge your relationships with your full attention!

Holiday Stress Remedy

All together now...Ahhhhh

This afternoon, after a very busy week, I was rushing my daughters through an after school snack in order to get out the door and get some holiday shopping done.  Grace, who at six has a remarkable grasp of her emotional needs, said

"Mom, I've been rushing around all week.  I need a little time to relax. "

Okay, she's six and is better in touch with her needs than I am with mine -- as the headache I've had all day will atest.  She was right, we didn't need to get out of the door RIGHT NOW.  The world wouldn't end if we spent an hour together.  So what if the errands didn't all get done tonight.

So Grace, Callie and I plopped onto the cushy couch in the family room and all three sighed in contentment.

"You know Mama," Grace said snuggling up close, "this is my favorite part of the day."

"Me too," said Callie curling up on the other side.

Me too girls, me too.   Funny, my headache went away and we had a great evening together -- a little relaxing, a little shopping and dinner out.  Nice.

As you rush around this month, don't forget about the really important stuff -- spending time with the ones you love.  Taking a moment for yourself to just say .... Ahhhhh

Reconnect this holiday season

Take December's Challenge: Reconnect!

I was still in bed on Thanksgiving morning, enjoying the paper and some coffee, when my cell phone beeped indicating I had a text message.  Even though I didn't recognize the phone number appearing after the "please call" message, I dialed and was surprised to be connected with one of my friends from the college years.  What a treat!

We have one of those relationships where, even when we haven't been in contact for about a year, it is as if we never were apart.  The friendship and affection are strong.  Catching up on her life and sharing mine was a great way to start a day about being thankful!

I am so grateful she decided to reach out.  Our lives are so packed full, it is easy to lose contact with the people in our lives.  So, in the month of December, won't you join me in an effort to reconnect?

Rather than the standard Christmas letter, I'll be picking up the phone or sending personal e-mails to those special people I miss. How will you reconnect with the special people in your life.

Even when we have the opportunity to be in the same room with friends and family it is easy let the time go by with out truly connecting.  Take the time to sit down and really have a connversation.  Make this season a time to share.

I wish you warmth, peace and love.