Increasing Facebook Interaction: Creating Community

Sorry it's been a few days, party people.  We are literally one week out from moving and settling on our house. To say that my anxiety is epic would be an understatement.  I feel like I could vomit from nerves at any given moment.

But bloggers do not cease blogging because of life chaos. OH NO!  We carry on!

Back to the important stuff: Facebook Pages!

In my previous posts in the series, we discussed the importance of posting consistently and frequently, as well as writing quality content, as part of your strategy to increase your interaction and reach on Facebook.

This week, we'll be discussing the Facebook Page as a COMMUNITY.

Topic #3: 

Creating Community

It is a natural human instinct to want to belong. Whatever our personality, we crave deep relationships and connections. As consumers, I believe we are drawn to the same aspects in a brand or company. People want to be KNOWN and HEARD.

Making it Personal

With this revelation about human nature, one of the best things you can do as a Facebook Page is to make it personal. This goes against everything we believe about marketing and business: "It's not personal it's business." 

Well, business just got personal.

Social media has bridged the gap between businesses and people. Before, we saw brands and businesses as big corporations. Now, with one tweet or Facebook comment, we are engaging the Man Behind the Curtain. We like knowing that real live people are behind the brands and businesses we love, whether they are local realtors or our favorite brand of pretzels. 

Ask, Share, Respond

In addition to being personal, community is built by creating an engaging two-way relationship. We need to stop looking at our Facebook Pages as a bulletin board for your propaganda and promotions. Instead, we must begin looking at our pages as a forum to engage. A platform to ask, share and respond. As page managers, we are not just throwing information out to fans/customers. We are creating an open and ongoing dialogue.

ASK: Our content is the first way we create community. Remember the 80/20 rule? Our content should be 20% self-focused and 80% other-focused. This is a great opportunity to connect with your audience. The Universal Discussion questions I talked about in my last post begins to open the door to get to know your fans better. Why? Because you aren't just throwing them your latest blog posts or current deals. You are digging under the surface to find out interests, opinions, facts about the people who have chosen to like your page. 

SHARE: Yes, your Facebook Page is partly a platform to share your promotional stuff. But if you are that dinner guest who only talks about him/herself, people will quickly be turned off. We really want to keep it at 20%. So, as you get to know your fans by ASKING, you'll have a better idea of what kind of other content to SHARE. I believe sharing relevant content and information that appeals to your audience is just as important as sharing your content and information. The relevant information makes you a resource as well as interesting. 

Being A Resource, Being Interesting

If you are a local business, consider sharing local events or promoting other local businesses. This makes you a local resource. If you run a parenting blog/page, share relevant news articles (car seat safety, product recalls) or funny parenting quotes/pictures. This makes you a parenting resource. Being a resource in some capacity make you worth people coming back to. If the topic of the resource is important to them, your content is now valuable and shareable.

Another example: As you get to know your fans, you may find that a bunch of them watch the same TV show as you do. So maybe on the night that TV show is on, you throw up a post right before it airs to ask who is watching or how they feel about the upcoming episode. This makes you interesting, and worth connecting with outside of your business or brand.  Or maybe you stumble upon the fact that a portion of your audience loves post-apocalyptic fiction. TALK ABOUT IT. Engage with your fans outside of your business/brand perimeters.

Don't be afraid to get personal!  Some of the best post traffic I see on the pages I manage are personal posts. Part of being personal is also having a sense of humor. Loosen your tie a little bit. If you work in an office, show a picture of some fun office antics (even if it's off-topic!). Share a picture of your family. Share some "Fun Facts" or "Trivia Questions" about yourself or your staff. Personal/humorous posts make brands and businesses real, run by real people.  

RESPOND: One of the greatest failures of Facebook Pages is a lack of response. So you put out great content on a regular basis. Good!  People like said content and actually comment. Great!  But if it falls on deaf ears, what entices them to continue engaging? People love to be asked, yes. They LOVE giving their opinions or weighing-in on a topic. But people love to be heard as well. Validate their responses. This gives them a chance to respond back to you. Now you have a conversation. Conversations build relationships, which are the cornerstone of creating community.

Chat Days

One tool I've used to create and build the community on the Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Mom Facebook Page are Chat Days. This is a one-two-three punch of posting frequently with good content that is personally interesting/engaging.  I've been asked a lot about how to conduct these Chat Days, and I thought this Creating Community post would be the best place to lay it all out.

I stumbled across the idea of Chat Days by accident a few years ago. As I was getting more personal with my fans, we got into a conversation about movies. So I spent the day asking questions every few hours on the topic of movies. I was surprised to find how many people wanted to weigh in.

Thus, Chat Days were born.

How to construct a Chat Day: 

1) Pick a topic (relevant or not relevant to your page - it's up to you the direction you want to take it). I've done Chat Days that are relevant to my blog (i.e: parenting/moms) as well as totally off-topic (movies, books, favorite brands, etc).

2) Tease the Chat Day. I like to mention the Chat Day the night before (usually after 8pm) - maybe hint at the topic to whet their appetites. Then I mention it again by announcing the topic 10-20 minutes before 9am. This reminds people of the Chat Day and alerts people that the Chat Day will begin shortly.

3) Create questions. Keep reading for a sample Chat Day schedule.

4) Schedule questions. I like to post every hour from 9am-7pm. I usually skip 6pm (I post some other kind of content during this hour), which gives me 10 questions for the entire day. I post every hour on the hour. I have found hourly keeps people interested, and they quickly learn to come back every hour for the next question.

5) Respond to questions. I like to answer each question in the comments, and if I have time, reply to some of the reposes individually. Some Chat Days get a LOT of responses, so I don't go through each one to reply. But if I have time, I do!

Sample Chat Day Content and Schedule:

Night Before

8pm: "It's time to CHAT IT UP! Stop back tomorrow, where we'll be chatting ALL DAY LONG on a fun topic (if you save the ticket stubs to every movie you've ever seen, you'll be in luck!"

Day Of

8:50 am - "Alright silver screen fans!  We'll be talking today about MOVIES!  Get ready with your favorites, your quotes and your recommendations! The fun starts in 10 minutes, so stop back by at 9am. A new question every hour, ALL THE DAY!"

9am -  Movie CHAT DAY  

           Q1: What was the first movie you saw in a movie theater?

10am - Movie CHAT DAY 

            Q2: What is your favorite COMEDY?

11am - Movie CHAT DAY 

            Q3: What movie do you quote on a regular basis?

12pm - Movie CHAT DAY 

            Q4: If you had to choose: DRAMA or ROMANCE?

1pm  - Movie CHAT DAY 

            Q5: Who is your favorite on-screen couple?

2pm -  Movie CHAT DAY

            Q6: Who are Top 3 Favorite actresses?

3pm  - Movie CHAT DAY 

            Q7: What is your favorite DRAMA?

4pm - Movie CHAT DAY

            Q8: Who are your Top 3 Favorite actors?

5pm - Movie CHAT DAY 

           Q9: When you go to the movies, what is your go-to snack?

7pm - Movie CHAT DAY 

           Q10: What is your favorite movie of all time?

As with everything you are experimenting with as you create your Facebook Page strategy, give Chat Days time.  Have the expectation that you will get little response the first few times you host a Chat Day. It is a new thing for your audience to get used to. They have to learn how to interact with your page in this way. I recommend planning 4-5 Chat Days and hosting one once a week. People will learn to expect them and get excited. 

You may find some topics go over better than others. I've had chat days where each response gets an overwhelming amount of traffic, likes, responses. Other days it's like crickets and no one is interested. I learn from those days what kind of content goes over best with my fans and cater future chat days to their preferences.

Are you ready?

Are you ready to get personal? It may be a little uncomfortable at first, and it will definitely take experimentation as to what level of personal your fans best respond to. Use questions, pictures, trivia/fun facts and Chat Days as a way to turn your Facebook Page into a resourceful, interesting and engaging community.

You may just find you enjoy it!

~~~~~

We're closing in on the last post, which means we'll be starting our #FB30Day 30 Day Challenge in the very near future. Are you working on your strategy? I'd love to hear how your strategy is coming along.

What tools are you looking to create a community?

How do you want to get more personal on your Facebook Page(s)?

Leave a comment and join the conversation! And never hesitate to message me/email me if you want to go more in-depth or have more questions!

~~~~~

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The BIG News

And no.

I'm not pregnant.

(Because, friends? That ain't happening).

But I do have some big news: We're moving!  

It's been a long journey and an insane ride. And now that we are just a little over two weeks away from closing, I'm feeling like I should probably tell you all the story - because the next two weeks are going to be cray-cray.

So, once upon a time, Hubby and I got married. And in the three years of our marriage, we moved like a bajillion times. Well, not a bajillion. But literally, like 10. From leases ending, to pursuing jobs, to moving in with my mom to save money to buy a house, we had a lot of change-of-address notices to fill out. We'd worn out our friends, we were weary from packing and unpacking, and we just wanted to be settled in one place without having to put things back in boxes!

In 2010, we bought a house in a town 30 minutes from our hometown. It was cute but unknown to us. And I really struggled to adjust. I was pregnant with Bug, I missed being close to my friends and family, and I was overwhelmed with all the responsibilities of homeownership. Hubby's salary went on a pay freeze, and not only were we mentally overwhelmed, we were financially overwhelmed as well.

Since the Market had tanked and we used the First Time Buyers Home Credit, we were pretty stuck for at least 3 years. After a while, I decided it wasn't worth being depressed over our decision. And despite everything I tried to detest where I lived, Kennett Square grew on me. So I made the conscious decision to immerse myself in my town.

And, despite myself, I really fell in love!

As our three years ended, we kept with our initial plan to put our house on the Market. Last April, the For Sale sign was staked into the ground, and after watching my friend's houses fly off the Market, I anticipated lots of showings and offers. So we readied ourselves and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Showings trickled, most were not interested, and the 2 or 3 offers we did get were so low and were unable to negotiate,  that we couldn't work with them. For 3 months, I woke up every morning frazzled to make beds and keep the house clean, just in case someone called to see the house. It was a very trying 3 months. I had imagined we'd be back to our hometown in time for Chica to start Kindergarten.

But that didn't happen.

After 3 months, we took our house off the Market and decided to stay put.

I resisted the decision at first, mourning the loss of the vision I had in my head. I enjoyed Kennett Square, but it had always been our intention to move back home to West Chester.  We wanted to be back near our families, Hubby's job, and friends. But we were staying put. And I wrapped my mind around it.

And I'm glad we did.

Because I absolutely love Chica's Kindergarten Center. It's full-day, which scared me at first. But Chica has grown so much and learned so many things. It's amazing. I've gotten to work with local businesses, encouraging them to build their social media. I've taken on local freelance writing jobs. And I really settled into this house which, despite myself, had become home.

So as Winter ended, I was surprised by an opportunity presented to me by my Mom to buy her house in a year or so when she retired. We were settled in Kennett, we loved living in the borough. But this is an opportunity we couldn't pass up (for so many reasons that I can begin to list in this post).

I was conflicted to leave Kennett Square and scared to list my home again with the awful rejections still stinging from our last experience. We talked to our realtor and stepped out in faith, knowing that the cards would fall where they would. I was surprised to get a few showings in the first week, followed shortly by an offer. An amazing offer, actually. An offer we couldn't refuse. The cards were falling and I had to trust that this is the path we had to take.

So after a roller coaster ride of emotions, hating a town, falling in love with a town, failing at selling a home, and victoriously going under contract in a week-and-a-half, we are moving.

And I'm a little scared.

Because I want to. And I don't want to. I spent the first two-and-a-half years resenting where I lived. Then I fell in love with it. I resented my house, and it eventually became my home. I'm nervous to rent for the next year until my Mom is ready to move (although we have amazing landlords). I'm scared of change and transition. I'm overwhelmed (like, WHOA) to pack. Yes, it's true. We have only begun packing. Am I too late? I'm sad to leave this town and community that I've invested so much of myself in.

Yet…

Yet, I am excited to move back to where we had always intended to be. I'm excited to be closer to our family, our friends, our work. I'm excited to have my kids attend the same elementary school I attended, and to raise them in the house I grew up. I can't believe their childhood memories will be running around the same yard, sleeping in the same rooms, and walking the same neighborhood as I had. 

It's truly a gift.

So why write about this on Motivation Monday? 

Because I need to get motivated to pack! To get ready for settlement! To transfer our utilities!  To prepare my kids for the transition! 

Did I mention I need to pack?

More deeply, I need the motivation to prepare my heart, to leave one home and welcome a new home. To readjust my dreams (again).

So, friends: I need to you walk me through this!  

Please send me encouragements to pack.

 

Send me your moving stories. 

Send me your tips and advice on how 

to prepare kids for moving and adjusting to a new home.  

And more than anything, thank you in advance for your understanding if I am a little wacky for the next few weeks! AUGH!

~~~~~

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What Would You Do If You Could Not Fail?

I came across this image on Pinterest recently:

And it haunts me.

I go through my day, and sometimes the words just pop into my head.

What would you do?

What would you attempt?

What would you try?

I've shared how my transition to parenthood was not without a few bumps, especially when it came to my identity. And there are times that I believe the lie that my only skill set is mothering. I believe the lie that I'm incapable of trying new things, taking on new hobbies, going on new adventures. Maybe in some ways I have resigned to simplicity because the alternative would require being brave.

It takes courage to step out and try something new, putting yourself on display for others to see. But over time, since having kids, I've dipped my toe in new things. I took up running, which was brave. I ran my first 5k a few years ago, and believe me when I say it took every ounce of courage I had to step up to the starting line!

But if I am honest, there are a great many things I have not attempted because fear holds me back. Fear of failing. Fear of humiliation. Fear of incompetence.

So what are the things I would try if I knew I could not fail?

• Write a book.
• Run a half marathon.
• Audition for a play with a local playhouse/theatre group.
• Move some place far away.
• Apply for a "real job."

And this is just a sample!

As we start this week, I want you thinking about this very thought. I want it to ruminate in your mind, haunt your daydreams. I want it to scare you enough into bravery. And I hope that you and I will be challenged to try something new, failure or success be damned.


Now you know what I'm going to ask you, right?

What would YOU attempt to do 

if you knew you could not fail?

I want you to take a few moments to think on it and then leave me a comment. 

Inspire me.

~~~~~

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Honesty #MotivationMonday

I've come to believe, (or, rather, realize) that we spend a lot of time hiding ourselves. We live our lives as half truths, lying by omission the parts of ourselves that are dark, the ugly corners that we are unsure or ashamed of. Parts of ourselves that aren't actually horrid at all, but we don't let ourselves make known for fear of how others will react, respond or treat us thereafter.

Hiding who we are is detrimental. It hinders us from facing hurtful or difficult situations we've previously encountered. If we never learn to face the hard things of our past, we become ill-equipped to face them in our future. We too easily become excellent liars, making up excuses or skirting the truth to keep secrets hidden. Worst of all, hiding truth about who we are keeps us from loving, truly loving, ourselves. How can you embrace that which you won't acknowledge?

I find honest people refreshing. Sure, sometimes people can be too open, too honest. But there is a comfort knowing that everything is out on the table. There is no underlying enmity, no unspoken discord. If there is conflict, it's brought up and processed. I love that honest people get straight to the heart of the matter, opting to let people into the mess of their lives instead of keeping people at arm's length. For better or worse, I always know where I stand.

I've been thinking about all of the half-truths I keep hidden. Some small things, some enormous things. I've been considering how holding these things in affect me as a person: my relationships, my parenting, my marriage, my work, how I handle the hard stuff. 

Today, friends, I'd like to encourage us all to do something difficult. Something uncomfortable. But, ultimately, something enlightening:

Honesty

I am calling us to honesty. Honesty about ourselves, with ourselves, with others. Don't be afraid to share who you are, what you struggle with, what you fear. Work up the courage to approach someone you are having a conflict with and, in love, share your hurt. Face the hard things, process the difficult, embrace all of the wonderful things that make up who you are. 

What keeps you from being honest?

How is it holding you back?

Be brave: As an exercise in honesty,share some of the honest truths about yourself in the comments below.

~~~~~

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Start the Week Inspired #MotivationMonday

A few months ago, I shared a few good words: phrases that were true to the core, motivating, inspiring or encouraging. 

After a long weekend sans Hubby, dealing with a lost (stolen?) wallet, overwhelmed with work, and watching Bug fall flat on her face in the grocery store inciting a busted lip, I'm ready to fill up the wine glass and throw in the towel. 

Weekends are meant for relaxation and rejuvenation. 
So what is a harried woman to do when the weekend is anything but?  When she feels a little bit like she's drowning? How can one stop the momentum of a bad perspective and focus on starting the week right?

She looks at a bunch of encouraging quotes and inspires herself to KICK BUTT this week.

Seriously: looking at focused, concise words of awesomeness get me charged up. I see the truth, the hope, and I get invigorated!

So here are a few that got me motivated and actually looking forward to Monday:

What inspires YOU?

How are you going to start the week off right?

~~~~~

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Feeding Your Creative: 5 Tips for Overcoming Writers Block #MotivationMonday

One of my biggest fears as a writer and social media manager is that one day I will wake up, sit down to do work and…

…nothing.

That nothing will come forth from my mind. That instead of finding words and phrases to weave together into harmonious posts, articles and plots, that I will find a Sea of Nothingness. A blank slate with no promise of witty prose, philosophical banter or meditative thoughts. A never-ending Writer's Block resulting in a parched desert of dying imagination.

My fear is that one day my creative will be broken.

For. Ev. Er.

Despite my fears, this has yet to happen. My job relies on my ability to create new ideas and to form those ideas into meaningful words and phrases. I have hit my fair share of Writer's Block. I've been frustrated by the inkling of an idea, seemingly unable to get the full birth of it in my mind's grasp. I've looked a deadline in the eye, a scary game of Chicken with my mind, wondering if the article would be completed in time.

I've found a few ways to combat the inevitable Writer's Block and to keep my creative stoked and ready for action. Here are some ways to "feed your creative" as a writer:

Walk Away

Sometimes it is difficult to do, especially when there is a deadline looming. But take a break. Walk away from the project. We get ourselves so wrapped up and frustrated in a piece we are working on, that we end up being our own creative juices roadblock ! Walking away for a day, an afternoon or even just half an hour can help to break down whatever is blocking your writing.

Listen to Music

I don't know if it does something to pump up our neurons or brainwaves or whatever. But adding some melody and harmony to a work session can do wonders for your creative. I have a special "Steph Working Mix" on iTunes that is a good mix of pumped up bass beats and graceful slow songs that work together to give my mind a jump start when I'm stuck. 

Read More Books

This is an excellent piece of advice that I received from none other than my own husband. He's an English teacher, and when we discuss what makes someone a better writer, it's the advice he always brings back to the conversation. We often tell ourselves we don't have time to read amidst the million other things in our day. But reading enhances your mind, and we learn from authors about writing style, word use, grammar and creative ways to use phrases for a powerful effect. Take what you read and apply it to your writing!

Exercise

I can say with absolute certainty that I have my best creative ideas while I am running. Maybe it's the endorphins, but as my blood is pumping and my mind is freely wandering, I am joyfully bombarded with new ideas for creative prose, media content, and blog posts. If you find yourself in a frustrating season of writer's block, go for a walk, a jog or hit the gym. Whatever gets your heart rate up. You might be surprised with what your brain releases!

Free Write

Free writing is a great way to unlock hidden ideas and creativity. Essentially, you take a blank sheet of paper or blank word document and write (or type) for a small period of time.  Go for 10 minutes or 20 minutes. Just put down whatever comes to mind, even if it is, "I'm writing because I'm writing because I'm writing." Let it flow freely. Don't worry about grammar or punctuation. Don't correct. Just write.  It's kind of like shaking out your whole body to let the muscles relax. Somehow the brain will let it's guard down and begin to organize thoughts and ideas.

What are YOUR ideas for overcoming Writer's Block 

and "Feeding Your Creative?"

~~~~~

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Hydrating with Electrolytes #MotivationMonday

A few years ago, I committed to drinking more water. I had done some reading, and realized just how important it was to drink our "8 cups per day." I have these big red plastic cups that are perfectly 16 oz. So I drink 4 of those per day: 2 in the morning, 1 at lunch and 1 before dinner. On days I run, I add 1-2 more cups. 

[I say "8 cups per day" loosely, as it depends on the person.  A good rule of thumb is your body weight, divided in half, in ounces.]

After committing to this Water Challenge, I saw some great effects. First, I stopped getting random headaches. Not completely, but at the time I began the challenge, I was getting them rather frequently. I believe many of my headaches were due to dehydration.  Now when I get the beginnings of a headache, I try drinking a large cup of water first to see if it staves off pain (often it does). 

Second, I noticed that my dry skin wasn't quite as dry. I've got about the driest skin you've ever seen. And while I still need to lotion up daily, the effects were not as severe as before I started drinking more water. 

Third, my hunger was rightly in check. I'd often heard that it's easy to mistake thirst for hunger. Seriously. Next time you are randomly hungry, try drinking a big glass of water then waiting 15 minutes. You might be surprised that your "hunger" is sated. Now that I hydrate more frequently, I can rule out thirst when I get hungry.

But there are times when water doesn't cut it.

This is especially true when it comes to runners (or any person participating in a fitness regime). Yes, runners need to drink water. A lot of water. But when your body is so starved for water, such as after a long run or intense work out, it needs help utilizing the water it is getting. 

This is where electrolytes come in.

Electrolytes, in simple terms, are minerals in our bodies that carry an electric charge (I know. Shocking, right? Pun intended). Electrolytes help our bodies more efficiently use and absorb water. We lose these electrolyte minerals when we sweat. If we do not replenish them they can affect our hydration, muscle function, and even the acidity of our blood. I've been told to begin refueling electrolytes after 40 minutes of intense activity. So I aim to drink electrolytes after 4+ mile runs. In the summer, maybe even after 20 or 30 if I am really sweating.

There are many ways to refuel our electrolytes. Unfortunately, most sports drinks that are pushed upon us are made up of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors and flavors (no bueno, people). I was recently introduced to Power Ice, and I was very, very impressed.

First, they are popsicles. Except amazeballs popsicles that replenish your electrolytes. Each popsicle has only 30 calories, and contains 17 g of potassium as well as 25mg of sodium. This is a great way to begin the electrolyte replenishment process. I also think it's a great big treat when Summer hits and the runs are now being done in 90+ degree heat. Who wouldn't want an electrolyte pop?!

As a mom, I also appreciate that these are something I can keep on hand for my kids. With no caffeine, naturally-derived sugars and low in calories, these are a great option to have on hand in the freezer for times of sickness. When the kids are dehydrated from a tummy bug or times of terrible congestion, I'm more realistically able to get them to eat a fun popsicle than, say, chicken soup.

I am sold and want to keep these on hand to pop open after my long runs. If you want to learn more about Power Ice, check out their website. You can also order Power Ice online or see if there is store near you.

How do YOU hydrate?

~~~~~

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Stress and Other Emotions Harmful to Parents #MotivationMonday

Today, I attempted to paint my own nails.

I say attempt because every time I've tried this in my lifetime, I've ended up with one hand that looks semi-decent and another that looks like I painted the nails while on a Tilt-a-Whirl.  Which is why I usually leave the job of decorating nails to the professionals at my local nail salon (and only for special occasions). Painting my own nails makes me feel feeble, overwhelmed and leaves me incredibly frustrated.

Today, though, I treated my daughters to an at-home manicure. Well, there was no hand soak or nail trimming involved. I just painted their nails. But calling it an at-home manicure makes it sound nicer, doesn't it? I took my time, and they stayed surprisingly still, because they knew the final product would be fit for a princess. After I completed 2 sets of fingernails and toenails, I was inspired to have some nail decor of my own. Seeing as my daughters were unfit to help and my husband was most likely unpracticed in the art of nail painting, I would have to paint my own nails.

And I did.

And it looks good.

I only had crappy kid nail polish to work with, so it didn't cover well. But I decided to make progress slowly and carefully, taking care with every brush stroke. I didn't let small mess-ups ruffle my feathers, and quickly fixed anything that went outside the lines. The electric blue hue soon covered my enamel, and at the end I felt so proud and accomplished.

It's amazing what you can do when you are patient.

I am reminded this truth today, a Sunday after a stressful and overwhelming week. Hubby and I made some big decisions this week, and had various commitments, responsibilities and deadlines. When the to-do list begins to grow long and there are not enough hours in the day, stress creeps on. Or, rather, cascades like a never-ending waterfall over my mind and heart. I get anxious, overwhelmed, impatient and I take it out on the people I love the most: my family.

As a mom, being overwhelmed and stressed has a direct correlation to your ability to parent gently, patiently and rationally. My wits end was constantly too close, and my fuse burst more times than I'd like to admit this week. Coupled with a 3 year old and a 5 year old who pushed limits, seemingly refused to listen and found every way to do things they very well know is wrong, I hit a wall.  I yelled. A lot. I rushed, a hurried, and I didn't savor the moments that I know are passing too quickly by. I shared with a private group of my friends that "I sucked as a mom this week."

I reflect on my ability to be slow, careful and conscious as I painted my nails today, and I wonder how I might bring this qualities into my every day life as a Mom. Perhaps it's reminding myself that this stressful time is a season, maybe I need to come up with a better strategy on communicating and redirecting my girls. Maybe I need to find a quality way to focus on myself, whether it is take "Me Time" out each week or schedule regular Date Nights with Hubby.

Maybe I need to have more secret stashes of chocolate around the house.

The thing is, this post has no moral. I have no answers. If you read the title of this post, hoping I might have some sage wisdom on how to handle stress and be more patient, I am sorry to disappoint.

Rather, I'd love YOUR sage wisdom, tips, advice on how to handle stress and be more patient. 

How do you handle stressful seasons? How do you stay calm during tough days with the kids? How do you work on stretching out your patience?

I'd really, really, love your thoughts. Take some time, write up a comment, and push "post." I am already looking forward to hearing new ideas that I can implement. If I get enough good ones, I'll publish a follow-up post with all the great pieces of advice!

Have an UNSTRESSFUL week! :)

~~~~~

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Remember Your Victories #MotivationMonday

I can't tell you how often I start Monday feeling defeated. There is something about looking ahead at 6 more days full of schedules, responsibilities and to-do lists that can feel disheartening. It's like starting a run with many miles ahead of you, knowing there will be some discomfort and difficulty along the way.

But sometimes, it's not just Monday. Sometimes it's a season: many months of life, where the dominos fall one after another in succession and you can't seem to get your head above water. These seasons of defeat are all too familiar for me. It takes my baseline and brings it lower, so that when a bump comes in the road I am more easily overcome. And when I look around, it's like a waterfall of walls, "no's" and losses cascade around me.

It may start as a difficult few months financially, then you hit some walls with parenting and at your job. Relationships seem to be sprouting issues and that opportunity you've been waiting for comes back with a big fat NO on it. So when, on the same day, you forget to pay a bill and a friend lets you down, life spirals out of control. The otherwise easy-to-deal-with issues break the camel's back. 

Defeat.

In these valleys, these moments and seasons of defeat, it is too easy to forget what victory feels like. But it is here, in these valleys, when we most need to remind ourselves the most of our wins. Of our triumphs. Of the times that life told us YES and the blessings abounded.  

In these times I try to remember:

Seeing the Rocky Mountains for the first time.

Becoming pregnant with Chica

Having my first baby

First smiles

Roasting my first Thanksgiving turkey

Raising sisters

Learning how to grill pizza

Chica's first (and only) ballet recital

Preschool graduation

Bug transitioning to a Big Girl bed

Completing my first 5k

These are snapshots of just a handful of my personal victories, big and small. Just browsing through them gives me a sense of accomplishment and a humble reminder that defeat is a choice. Every time I hit a wall in life, I have the choice to be BITTER or be BETTER. I can choose to be DEFEATED or to be MOTIVATED.

Friends, sometimes we just need to hear: Seasons always come to an end. Winters always melt into Spring. And after a long, dark night the sun always rises.  


I choose better. 

I choose motivated. 

I choose victory.

What are YOUR Victories?

~~~~~

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