The Gift of Gratitude

Gratitude embraces the small things and small moments.

Gratitude sees the cup half full rather than half empty.

Gratitude is others-oriented.

Gratitude is a hug-to-others.

Gratitude is a hug-to-self.

Gratitude is universal.

Gratitude is limitless.

Gratitude is the PAUSE BUTTON 
on our wants and desires. 

It seeks contentment.

It welcomes peace.

It feels full.

This holiday season:

May you be swept up by Gratitude rather than the hustling & bustling.

May you have greater Joy in giving because you are filled with Gratitude.

May you discover Peace within as you reflect on Gratitude.

May you spread Love because your heart is full of Gratitude.

A Grateful heart is contagious.

Spread Gratitude!

Spreading Christmas Cheer & Gratitude--
from the family of Brightly Green eco-friendly cleaning products!

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Prepping the Pantry for Thanksgiving!

Don’t find yourself like Old Mother Hubbard who went to the cupboard and found it bare! 

Make sure you have the ingredients you need for your Thanksgiving celebration--TODAY!

How Can I Avoid a Stressful Holiday Season?

The holiday season is speeding upon us!  

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is just two weeks away with Christmas four weeks later! 

Would you like to avoid the stress that too often comes with the season?

Let me give you two crucial words:  

BUDGET.

 PLAN.

HOLIDAY BUDGET:

A MUST if you want to have a stress-less holiday season!

            Even with a robust economy, planning a budget and sticking to it relieves the unnecessary financial stress we, as a society, too often place upon ourselves at Christmas.

Pitfalls to avoid:

1) Don’t ask Tommy what he wants for Christmas before you’ve established a holiday budget!  Otherwise, you may feel too much pressure to get Tommy “X” when you really can’t (or shouldn’t) afford it!

2) Don’t make purchases based on the reasoning; “it was a really good sale!” Be stealth and look for deals only for the items ON YOUR LIST! 

Peace to discover:

1) Financial peace.  Need I say more?  I will anywayJ  Peace is the opposite of stress.  Which sounds more appealing to you?

2) Sticking to your budget and making gift selections by that budget will take the chaos out of shopping.  Whether you shop at retail or online stores, you’ll experience a calm confidence in your purchases!

For the love of landfills…

Did you know that children loose interest in their new toys in a matter of months (if not less)?  The “latest and greatest” toys/games/gadgets lose their shimmer in a hurry! 

Will your gift end up taking residence in a local landfill?

What never ends up in landfills or is lost?  Memories.

Consider gifting memories this Christmas season.  Gift -experiences to young and old.  In fact, memories grow fonder as the years go by.

            I guess you could say it’s the gift that shimmers brighter with time!

HOLIDAY PLANNING:

A MUST if you want to have a stress-less holiday season!

            Holiday planning goes hand-in-glove with creating a holiday budget. Once your budget is created, planning the “whats” and “whens,” is a piece of cake!

WHAT holiday meals are you going to be involved preparing?

WHEN should you get the ingredients?

WHAT gifts do you need to purchase?

WHEN do you need to have them purchased by? (When will your get-togethers be?)

WHAT holiday events (school concerts/office parties/church-community outreach events) are you involved with or attend?

WHEN do you need to schedule/purchase tickets, etc. for these events?

WHAT family members are coming as overnight guests during the holidays?

WHEN should you be preparing the guest room(s), preparing meal ideas?

Remember: Set the budget. Make the plan.

You’ll be on your way toward a stress-less holiday season!

Next week’s holiday tips: 

Brightly Green Pantry Prep for Thanksgiving

We have our own ideas on “Whats” and “Whens” to share!

Sneak Peek: 

Brightly Green Multi-Purpose Cleaner & Brightly Green HandDish Wash are pantry friends! 

Low on supplies?  Put your order in NOW @ Brightly Green Store

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I Need Space! Create a Personal Retreat.

Well, it’s Wednesday. Congratulations, you’re half way through the week! 

Are you wishing the weekend was here NOW! 

How can you find a little reprieve mid-week and not feel like you have to hold out for the weekend to roll around? 

Let me encourage you to create a place of retreat in your home.  A place that is clean and tidy.  Small spaces make great retreat places, cozy nooks where you can be alone; regroup and relax, if even for a few precious minutes alone!

When my kids were younger, the bathroom was my escape place.  I would light some candles and take a nice, hot bath.  The bathroom was upstairs, away from the main living space and was also the room that was not cluttered with things like unfolded laundry, toys, and unprocessed mail or other paper clutter.

In our second home, the master bedroom was my personal retreat room.  The bathrooms in our second home were located in busy areas of the house and therefore were not very “retreat-friendly.”

We are now in our third home as a family and the kids are almost all out of the house (my baby is a Senior this year and the only one left).  I have converted my middle child’s small bedroom into my home office/reading room.  It is the smallest room in the house (except for the bathrooms), but it has become my new favorite room!

 

My retreat place:)

There is something to be said about coziness that invokes peace!

Create your own stay-at-home- oasis:

1) It needs to be a place away from distractions.

2) It needs to be a place that you have control to keep green clean and tidy; not dependent on others to keep it clean.

     Remember, messy & cluttered spaces do not invoke peace, calm and rest!

3) Convert a walk-in-closet as a retreat space.  

4) Make your master bedroom a place you LOVE to retreat to! 

Am I just being selfish to want my own space?

I would say a strong, NO!  As a parent, you need some quiet time to detox from the day.  A place for inner rest-for mind, body, soul.  If you have even 15-20 minutes to yourself in a clean place, you will feel refreshed!

A refreshed You Is…able to handle the pressures each day brings. 

A refreshed You Is…a more loving mom/dad, husband/wife.

 A refreshed You Is…a better employee/boss.

See why a quiet place to get away and unwind is valuable?

If you can’t “escape” a little every day, then make sure you can midweek.

Call it your “Wednesday Retreat”! 

Spend at least 20 minutes alone and in a place you can unwind.

You’re welcomeJ

Brenda and Charlie

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