Do you a have plan to succeed for 2015?

Resolve, a firm determination to do something. 

Do you have resolve for 2015? 

I know there are many things that we can all choose to do from weight loss to better finances. 

Whatever your goal, let me encourage you in one area. That is community. Community will be the difference in how well you succeed. We were created to live in community. Together we compliment one another as one's strength covers another's weakness. Surrounding ourselves with the right community can lift us higher than we could ever go alone.

So as you embark on 2015 or next week or tomorrow, don't forget to surround yourself with the encouragement, inspiration, and positivity that can be found in living life with others who care for you and share common goals.

Here's to a great year filled with wonderful memories, awesome victories, and an uplifting community. 

Rewarded with mud

Over the last year some major change has happened around the Kiefer house. Life transition comes to us all. Sometimes it is rewarding and other times it is painful. Then you have those times that the pain opens the door to great reward.

There have been a few of those times in our home, but today that reward came as Mr. Kiefer finished the Tough Mudder.  He used to eat ice cream while I worked out and vowed he would never be caught running, but a little change got a hold of him and brought forth some BIG results. It started as outward motivation from me, but the journey carried until he is now self motivated and many days seems to be carrying me along!

There were days that the training got intense and emotions flared.  It was painful at times, but watching as Mr. Kiefer completed every obstacle and enjoyed the experience made for a great reward. It stretches farther than the physical. The determination, goal orientation, and success has carried over to every area of life and that is a great reward.

Get moving today! There may be a great reward waiting.

On a side note: You will find affiliate and other general links within my blog. I work hard to keep them relevant and useful. One reason I use affiliate links is to support the daily activity of a non-profit children's program. Check out The Cool Table to learn more.  If you use Amazon to make any purchases please bookmark our link and painlessly help support the cause.

It Has Been Crazy

Has anyone ever apologized to you for not getting back in touch or for being frazzled and followed it up with this statement "I'm sorry it has just been crazy!"

I'm sure you have heard it and a good majority of us have said it. I know I have, but what does it really mean.

Well, here are some of my best attempts in understanding the "it has been crazy" statement:

• Life is coming at me so fast I only have time to keep pace with the things that have to be done in order for my family and I to survive.

• My family, friends, and/or I am really crazy and have kept some good drama going lately.

• Life is really dishing out some harsh events to me. They really are more than I can bear alone, but I do not want to be a burden to others so I have kept to myself.

• I have totally over obligated myself and now I have to rush to keep up with everything which means that I do not have time to stop for relational development. 

• This is really a time of particular focus in my life so I need to submerge myself here for a while, but it isn't going to last forever.

I am sure this isn't an all inclusive list, but it probably put more detailed words to yours and my crazy than we care to admit. Life does come at lighting speed sometimes. I like to joke with my husband and say that is why we do interval training.  It matches our life. Insane burst of obligation and change followed by recovery. 

So here you are: It has been crazy around here lately. What I mean is we began running in so many directions that we tired ourselves out and got a little lost in our journey. We are doing a little back tracking to see what we need to undo, redo, or start to do. This process is "crazy" as well. We have obligations that have to continue and then other opportunities that we have to catch up with because we missed the right path a while ago. My crazy looks more like this: house projects, Cool Table camps and teacher encouragement, treats for school, volunteering at school, blogging, 3rd grade Social Studies, 2nd grade projects, making costumes, baking for neighborhood kids, home owner's association committee, and then in the middle of all that I have been blessed with the most amazing study. Oh I forgot the things that make the day go around: packing lunches, cooking dinner, cleaning the house, doing laundry, trying at some level to be a friend to someone, being a mother and a wife, and getting ready to host some family and friends which excites me more than anything. 

In the middle of all that life there are dashes of crazy that could look like any of the above statements I shared. So what about you? Has it been crazy? If so, define it and see if you need to make some changes or maybe just give a friend or family member a little explanation. 

In life you can't do it all so why not focus on work that matters! 

Be blessed -

Shante

On a side note: You will find affiliate and other general links within my blog. I work hard to keep them relevant and useful. One reason I use affiliate links is to support the daily activity of a non-profit children's program. Check out The Cool Table to learn more.  If you use Amazon to make any purchases please bookmark our link and painlessly help support the cause.