My 3 Girls

Last Sunday I broke my phone and I will admit for the first 30 minutes or so I felt some slight anxiety not having technology at my finger tips.  This was quickly replaced by the realization that if being without my phone made me anxious…then I needed to take a break from it.  While my phone was workable by the next day I chose to basically  unplug for the week and was surprised to realize how liberating it was.  I finished a couple of books, did some studying for my new job, went for more walks and got in lots of cuddle time with the girls. What I learned from all of this was that in order for me to recharge my battery I needed to unplug it. #motivationalmonday #recharge #unplug #technologyfree

I am thankful for all my mistakes.  Mistakes have helped me discover who I truly am and have taught me valuable lessons.  Mistakes are the foundation of how we grow as individuals teaching us how to let go of fear, how to forgive and how to live a life without regrets.  I think one of the best things I can do as a parent is to step back from making decisions for the girls and allow them to make mistakes and then to learn all the lessons they can from them.  “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” #thankfulthursdays #makemistakes #livelife #noregrets #lessonslearned #loveyourself

Finding balance in today's age of information can be overwhelming.  Eat this, don't eat this, lift weights, don't lift weights, take naps, naps are bad; its no wonder many of us just decide to throw in the towel.  There are a few basic rules that as a family we try to live by.  The biggest is the 80/20 rule.  80% of the time we do our best to be our best and the other 20% is us throwing caution to the wind.  When it comes to food its simple; if you can pick it, grow it or kill it then eat it (unless of course you are a vegetarian then skip the kill it part).  Our bodies work best when we move so hit the outdoors and go for a daily walk.  And a positive attitude can get you through anything.   Look yourself in the mirror each morning and remind yourself that you can do it.  “I choose to be healthy, I choose to be happy.” #wellnesswednesdays #behealthy #choosehappiness #dailyactivity #eatwell

Never under estimate the power of teamwork.  Last week was filled with taking group fitness classes and helping students work on group projects and then was fortunate enough to help pump up teams for the Riverview Boys and Girls Club's “Race for Kids”.  Working together on a team, in a group or as a family has so many benefits including an increase in creativity and the blending of different strengths; not to mention the building of trust.  There is no need to ever try and go it alone….” teamwork makes the dream work” #motivationalmonday #teamwork #dreams #bgcriverview #family

I don't make much money but I LOVE MY CAREER. I was fortunate to grow up with parents who didn't push me to pick my career based on how much money I would make but by picking something that would make me happy by following my passion. I then met a man who at one time worked 2 jobs so I could not only stay home with the girls but could further my education at the same time. I am so thankful that I have been surrounded by people who believe happiness comes first and it has nothing do with the dollar #thankfulthursdays #lovemyjob #lovemyfamily #behealthybehappy #followyourpassion (at YMCA Moncton)

One of the most common reasons people have given me for wanting to lose weight has to do with appearance.  Its the same reason why many wear makeup, or spend hundreds of dollars on hair, nails, current fashion and so on.  One of the things that I have always told my clients is to look at the outside as the bonus that comes along with taking care of our insides.   When we fuel our bodies with healthy food and physical activity, our minds with positivity and our emotions with supportive people we are almost guaranteed to be beautiful.  If you look in the mirror and do not like what you see, look deeper within yourself or find a different mirror. #wellnesswednesdays #beautystartswithin #eatwell #bepositive #smileoftenandalways #loveyourself

I read an interesting article this weekend about a university professor who gave his students the task of writing a paper describing what their ideal life would look like in ten years.  After writing her paper, one student realized that the only thing that would prevent her from living this life was her own fears.  Recognizing that she was the creator of her own destiny  she created a list of her 100 worse fears and over the next 100 days she faced each one of these fears…one day at a time.  On the same day I re-watched the most recent version of Cinderella where there were two common themes.  “just because it is the way its been done does not mean its the way it has to be done” and “have courage and be kind”.  “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop and look fear in the face.  You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.” Face your fears today and be rewarded with the life you always wanted. #faceyourfears #motivationalmonday #havecourageandbekind #bethechange

Let me preface by saying that I love the amount of time I get to spend with my husband however one of the things that I am most thankful for is my alone time with the girls each and every morning.  We have developed a bit of a routine that sometimes includes fighting over the bathroom or clothes or reminding me that I made lunch wrong but it also includes waking them each up at different times, often by crawling in bed with them for morning cuddles.  It doesn't last long as mornings are busy but I will take any moment in time I can get to spend with my awesome girls.  "Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love" #thankfulthursdays #lovemygirls #motherhood #greatestgift

Did you know that physical activity has more benefits than just the obvious ones of weight management, stronger bones and muscles or improvement to our heart health?  Being active can also improve our social, mental and emotional health.  I've always joked that I exercise to “burn off the crazy” but its true.  Exercise has been proven to help with anxiety and depression, it increases our self esteem and feelings of self worth, and when done with a family member, exercise strengthens relationships and builds socials skills.  On more than one occasion others have commented on how “happy your family seems", we are very happy and I honestly feel that being physically active together is one of the reasons for our happiness. “Exercise.... do it for your family” #wellnesswednesdays #thefamilythatplaystogetherstaystogether #justdoit #exercise #mentalhealth #getoutdoors

Natalie told me the other day that I was getting too grey and I needed to dye my hair.  I was concerned that her thoughts were coming from people telling her gray wasn't pretty so I asked her what was wrong with being gray.  She said it meant I was getting old and when you get old you die and she didn't want me to die.  We talked and cuddled a bit but it got me thinking.  I am actually lucky to be going gray.  Too many people have their lives cut short and never have the privilege of growing old.  Going gray is just another reminder that I am still here and get to live each day to the fullest.  So I think for now I will be proud of my gray, my stretch marks and even my dark spots….because I am very thankful that I have been given the opportunity to earn them. #thankfulthursdays #growingolder #bringonretirement #loveyourself #greyisthenewblonde

The definition of awareness is to have knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.  Well let me tell you that to be truly aware means much more than that.  I always considered myself to be aware of mental health and what it meant to experience mental health issues but what I realized over this past year is that I was not aware at all.  Unfortunately it took someone in the family experiencing anxiety and depression for me to truly be able to understand what those words meant.  It means not being able to leave the house, it means crying for hours on end and unfortunately it means dealing with voices in your head that tell you, you don't matter.  And the other thing I learned is that we as adults have a long way to go in truly being aware and being empathetic towards those with mental health issues.  Our daughter has received more judgment and negativity from adults than she has from her own peers.  I challenge you to take some time to research what the symptoms of different mental health issues are and then to challenge you further to stop and think before you judge or comment about someone who is acting different than what we call “the norm”.  Being aware means so much more than hitting a like or a share on Facebook pages or donating to the cause.  It means challenging your own current thoughts and perceptions and to educate yourself on what we can all do to help those who are struggling. #bethechange #mentalhealth #loveoneanother #bekind

As you go through your day today, stop and reflect on what those around you are giving to others. I started my day at the ymca yesterday who have more volunteers than staff, followed by a visit to emerg (long story) where we were surrounded by volunteers, a rugby practice where the entire coaching staff are volunteers, then Emily was off to church to volunteer with a group to facilitate youth night, and this evening we are off to Art night where once again we will be surrounded by volunteers. We don't always stop and realize just how much others are giving to make our lives better. A heartfelt thank you to all of those who make my world a better place. "Volunteer. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can" #thankfulthursdays #bethechange #volunteer

This is my second go at using Facebook to keep in touch with family and friends.  Like many people I joined Facebook back in the beginning but after some time became discouraged by the negativity and judgment I was seeing so I decided to shut down my account.  I came back to Facebook this summer and while I have been enjoying  it more this time I felt I needed to speak my mind about something.   I have been watching the posts regarding Sophie Gregoire Trudeau's confession that she is feeling overwhelmed and needs help and am unbelievably disappointed by the number of women who are criticizing her and comparing their own “hard working lives” to hers.  Why as women are we constantly putting down the choices, decisions and feelings of other women?  I have no idea what it is like to live in anyone's shoes but my own so how dare I judge and compare my life to others.  One of my greatest wishes in life is that we start to encourage, inspire and uplift our fellow women so that we all have the confidence to live our lives they way we feel is best for us and our families.  #motivationalmonday #bethechange #itstartswithineachofus

One of the largest parts of my job over the last number of years has been finding ways to motivate people.  Whether it be motivating clients to reach their fitness goals or students to reach their educational goals, I have found two things have worked really well.  The first is the power of sharing your goals with someone.  There is guaranteed to be a day when you want to throw in the towel, so if you have someone you've discussed your goal with they can be there to help push you through the tough times.  The second is setting rewards for yourself and even purchasing that reward in advance.  This picture represents both.  When I started running after the girls were toddlers Tony used them to help motivate me as he knew I would never want to set a bad example of giving up.  He even sent Kate Marie in one morning to wake me up for my run when I was having a hard time getting motivated.  I took the plunge and booked this half marathon in Saint John including telling the girls they were getting a weekend away.  There was no turning back at this point and the reward was not just crossing that finish line but giving the girls a fun mini vacation.  Motivation can come from so many places but I can almost guarantee that including others in your dreams will make them more of a reality and give you that extra push.  “Together we achieve more” #motivationalmonday #goals #teamwork #starttoday

We find ourselves celebrating a lot of "lasts" this year.  We've participated in our last Literacy Luncheon; will go to our last Art Night and Grade 5 Graduation; and this evening we are going to our last Dessert Theater.  West Riverview Elementary has been a second home to the Smith family for the last 12 years and has left a huge impression on all our girls.  Kate Marie walked out after her first day of kindergarten holding hands with the very cute Sarah MacPhee and they continue to be best friends to this day.  Emily graduated winning the work ethic award (an award she has won many times over the years) and we strongly believe that skill was instilled in her by the awesome staff at WRES.  And finally our little Natalie has participated in pretty much everything she could while in elementary school, helping to build her confidence and self esteem.  We've gotten to know exceptional teachers such as Jane Hominick, Dorine Allain and Carol Lirette, an amazing Principal, Karla Webster and even though the girls never used an EA one stands out to us - Elizabeth Maillet you made every child that went through those doors feel special.  Words will never begin to express just how much this school has meant to us and I only hope that the staff truly recognize the impact they have had on so many of us over the years.  Thank you for doing what you do and helping us create wonderful lives for our children. #thankfulthursdays #bethechange #smileoftenandalways

When our oldest hit an age that she was finally ready to date, my first instinct was to lock her in her room and not let her out.  As that was not an option I slowly warmed up to the idea and have actually enjoyed watching young love take shape.  I had forgotten the early stages of playful teasing and silly arguments; as well as the excitement of date nights and getting to know one another.  Even though my marriage is one of true happiness it gets easy sometimes to just go along with the flow and stop putting effort in….I mean who has the time and energy?  But having these two around reminds me of the importance of late night talks, making time for one another and being selfless.  The next time you see a young couple holding hands, cuddling or just laughing with one another, use it as a reminder of how much your significant other means to you and don’t waste the moment.  “The heart that loves is always young" #motivationalmonday #seizethemomemt #love

“Be the change you want to see in the world”. I know we have probably all seen this quote by now and maybe you are like me and wondering how one person can change the world.  I try to look at it as “be the change you want to see in YOUR world”. If we start in our own backyards it is amazing how far that change can take us.  This weekend alone I watched as Emily helped the younger members of her church, Kate Marie spent her afternoon at a fundraiser with me and while out yesterday Natalie picked up litter “cause that's not nice to throw stuff on the ground” All small gestures that helped change their worlds.  Volunteerism, positivity, sharing, smiling; sometimes the smallest of gestures go the longest ways.  Change your world today! #volunteer #bethechange #starttoday #smileoftenandalways