One Balanced Life

If you were considering one of my spring retreats you may be excited to know we changed the May 2nd one to Saturday May 1st from 3-9. It promises to be a wonderful evening - a scrumptious dinner, massage, collage, and lots of renewal. Read more about Creative Visioning Retreats here.

We've added another Creative Visioning Retreat May 1st from 3-9. Sign-up soon for this wonderful spring event! Read more here.

As I sat down to reflect on my week and to attack my to-do list, I paused and listened to the whisper I was hearing which sounded like my mentor Renee Trudeau. She was saying "good is good enough." And it was exactly what I needed to hear.

And as I head into a week of single parenting instead of attending to tasks and projects on my to-do list, I will be focusing my attention on my self-care, which I know will give me the energy to be the mom I need to be for my little ones.

Ahhh, what a difference a shift in mindset can make. Instead of feeling stressed with the demands of my week,  I feel relaxed and at peace.

I encourage you to think about how you can adopt a new mindset that will allow you to experience more peace and joy in your life. Have fun!

to prevent from functioning in a normal way: she was incapacitated by her to-do list.

If you catch a glimpse of your list and experience a sense of overwhelm, I offer the following tip:

Break your list down into the following categories:
1. Emails
2. Calls
3. Projects

Tackle the "quickies" like the emails and phone calls. These are the items which make our lists feel like they are 3 miles long. And really they are the quickest to tick off. You've probably heard me chat about clearing the clutter, apply that logic here. And I promise you will feel so incredibly productive when you are done. Now that you've freed up some energy, you can direct your attention to the bigger items which generally take more time and mental gymnastics.

P.S. Please share any tips you have for dealing with overwhelm.

P.P.S. And yes, I do the above almost daily as I often find myself staring at my to-do list or re-writing it hoping some items will just do themselves.

Lately I've been feeling a bit like a frayed wire–a live one too! If you get too close to me you are likely to get shocked, which unfortunately my family has experienced as of late. When I end up here–this place of tension and anxiety, of butterflies and heart palpitations–I am now able to recognize the feeling for what it is...a call to action. This haywire feeling is a result of something in my life being out of alignment. Sometimes the answer and action are simple–attending to my physical space or physical being–and sometimes it is more complicated. Perhaps I am doing something that doesn't align with my purpose or values, or spending time with people or on activities that drain my energy. And then sometimes the answer is more elusive. Something has shifted on a fundamental level and I need to go deeper to explore and to respond with intention. So I get quiet, meditate, and sit with the discomfort. I know my path will be illuminated as long as I give in, let go, and wait patiently.

After a long winter (and yes I realize it just snowed A LOT) I find myself yearning for renewal. As the mercury climbs I want to shed the excess...stuff, weight, negative energy. Usually, I do a spring retreat on my own where I spend time quieting my mind, reflecting on the direction I would like my life to take, and playing with the theme of renewal and what it means for me. This year I invite you to retreat with me and the amazing Julie Kesti to celebrate spring and the renewal that comes with the change of seasons.

Join us for our Spring Creative Visioning Retreat!

During this nurturing, supportive, and creative workshop you'll have the opportunity to slow down and really connect with yourself on deeper level. Using reflection, visioning, movement, meditation, journaling, and collage you will access your inner wisdom discover what you want for your life. We will explore areas of your life that are draining your energy, discover activities that fuel you, and clarify priorities. You will have the opportunity to learn about and experience shiatsu and learn to do reiki energy work on yourself. Nourishing snacks, beverages, and lunch will be provided. You will have time to connect with others and spend time on your own. Leave feeling balanced, inspired, energized, and focused as you head into the contemplative winter months.

Sunday April 18th, 2010, from 10-4 @ Chakra Khan in Minneapolis

$125 price includes lunch, journal, and all supplies

To register email me at sarinalamarche@yahoo.com

PS Our winter retreat was wildly successful and participants loved it. I encourage you to sign-up early as space is limited!

Somehow I've given off the impression that I am a highly-organized person and with some tasks I am. With others, my husband would surely say not so much!  I tend to be spontaneous so I always have to a have a little flexibility. I am slightly envious of those people who follow the same routine on a regular basis (i.e. the gym on M, W, F and date night on Saturday). I am more of a "wake up in the morning and see how I feel" kinda person. But owning my own business and becoming a mother have forced me to approach life a little differently. I've need to adapt and become more structured. Becoming organized has been about creating systems that support my lifestyle and personality.

I've been asked a few times recently about what system I use to manage email and my response is none! It is the one of the areas I feel overwhelmed by but since it has come up and since I recently blew of a request for a meeting I've decided to address it. It occurred to me after a group last night, where we focused on present moment awareness, that my issue is really about failing to be present. I tend to bring my computer down from my office, plop it on the kitchen counter and begin multitasking...pouring cereal, checking email, wiping faces, and getting out the door. And well we all know how this story ends - responses that don't get sent, ones that are forgotten about, and ones sent without being proofed (gasp)!

So my NEW (simple) system is to leave my computer in my office and only check emails when I can be fully present to address them.

I'll let you know how it goes and hope it helps some of you who were looking for some help!

My intention this past holiday season was to be relaxed and joyful. In preparation I reflected on traditions I wanted to create for my family and planned accordingly. And in spite of all my organization, it all started to unravel when my dear overworked husband showed up (he arrived at the grandparents a day later) with only half the gifts. Panicked I made the three hour drive to retrieve them before the blizzard hit and then unraveling continued. Christmas eve involved a trip to urgent care with my little one to discover a double ear infection and pneumonia, my new computer started on fire, and my well-intentioned mother forgot where she put the gifts my sibling had purchased. Many other family mini-dramas ensued and I developed a horrible cold. On the last night of our visit, snuggled up in the comfy hotel bed, I was reflecting on the craziness and realized I was focusing on the wrong moments - the draining ones, the things that went wrong. And not on the wonderful moments - watching my little one's joy as he tried downhill skiing for the first time, laughing with my brother and husband as they struggled to put together toys, sharing a meal with all my family, and many more.

As I navigate the new year I am reminding myself to focus on the moments - the positive ones - and to let go of the negative.

If you are looking for some inspiration for the New Year I encourage you to check out Christine Kane's website and blog! Always inspiring and she has a excellent "Word of the Day Discovery Tool" an amazing alternative to traditional resolution setting. Enjoy!