Synchrohearts... A Game for Loving Partners

Hi and welcome (back).

If you are in a significant relationship and looking for new and unique, little ways to nurture the depth of your connection together, I've been made aware of a new tool to tell you all about.

Richard and I were gifted with a lovely board game for Christmas, called “Synchrohearts” ... have you heard of it? We hadn't, and so felt grateful for the gift. Here's what the description of the game is from the backside of the box says about it...

"Synchrohearts is a fun new game about love that can help improve relationships. It is a unique game for just you and your partner to play together. A fun and exciting journey for two, where your love becomes one as you travel along the heart-shaped path!

More intimacy, lots of laughs, hugs and kisses, messages from your partner, who knew a game about love could be so much fun!

It takes less than 1 hour to play and we've included some blank cards for you to customize the game for your own relationship.

Why should you get it?
Well if you are like most people, your relationship could always use some tender loving care. If you feel you are drifting apart, Syncrohearts can help bring you closer together. If your relationship is very loving now, this game can help keep it that way - all relationships change over time. If you are thinking about entering into a new relationship with someone, playing this game would be a great way to "test the waters" before getting too wet! "

Richard and I have played it and really enjoyed it. As the description said, this game is designed to be played with just you and your loving partner and is all about deepening intimacy... and it really works!

There are 4 decks of "Special" game cards, entitled;

1. Hot Stuff


2. Couple


3. Insights


4. 4 Fun!

And to give you a little taste of what type of messages are on the cards, here are three examples...

"How often do we use the "quick kiss" to say goodbye to our partners? A common practice in the morning is to plant a quick kiss on our partner before rushing out the door. For the next 7 days every time you kiss your partner, you have to make it last for at least 7 seconds." (Nice, hey!)

"Congratulations, you have won a Spa Day at home! Choose a "relaxing" day within the next 30 days and let your partner pamper you. You get to pick the services such as a massage, foot soak and rub, or a personal grooming service. Remember, a more relaxed partner is a more loving partner!"

"Sit facing each other holding hands and with your knees touching. Look into each other's eyes and without verbally saying anything, send a thought to your partner that they are beautiful and that you love them. Try this non-verbal love communication once per day for the next 7 days."

By the end of our first evening of playing Synchrohearts, both of us felt it had contributed nicely to us being more snuggly, touchy and closer… it was fun, too.

Here's their website, in case you're not able to find it in your community...

http://www.synchrohearts.com/ You can even buy it online.

If your relationship is important to you, invest in finding ways to keep it ever-increasingly alive. Synchrohearts might be a good tool for you, too.

Richard is even recommending it to his counselling clients who are in relationships!

(Thanks Donna-Lynne for this great gift.)

Warmly, Carolyn and Richard, too

Retreat Programs for Personal Development

Welcome!

Richard and I recently facilitated a 3-day Inner Fitness(R) Personal Retreat Program for a couple wanting to better their relationship. They came extremely openminded and willing to look honestly at themselves and how their personal "stuff of the past" was contributing to their current woes.

It was such an honour to support them to go beyond their limitations into a new way of being together. They left with a much better understanding of themselves and felt excited about how they were growning in their love and relationship!

You might wonder what an Inner Fitness(R) Personal Retreat Program entails.

These personalized programs are designed in consultation with you to help you meet your personal aspirations for a more fulfilling life and relationship. Organic by nature, we would work to support you and your specific needs... each program being very different from each other, based on what each couple needs resolving in their relationship.

Our commitment is to help you grow free from historical patterning, strengthen new attitudes and behaviours, heal old wounds, improve your communication and interpersonal skills, increase levels of energy and peace of mind... and thereby recognize your greatest potential to live authentically together.

With almost 30 years of experience in our own loving relationship and in our counselling practice, Richard and I know that when we work to better ourselves while reflecting on how our individual "stuff" affects our significant relationship, this becomes an important combination for transformation!

Three full days spent working on your relationship can become a vital turning point for a new way of being together. $1995US includes the program and all of your lunches and dinners... transportation and accommodation not included.

Here is what one of our Retreat Program couples wrote about their time with us...

"Thank you so much for our (retreat) time. We cannot express how much this has helped us and we're so happy with what we have now started."

R & S from Washington State

For more information about our Inner Fitness(R) Retreat Programs, click this link...

www.innerfitness.ca/programs or give me a call and discuss your interest.

A little support to grow personally AND in how we relate with our beloved can make a life-changing difference... and all of us can use a little support at times! Is it your time to nurture yourself and your significant relationship? We have much to offer.

Warmly, Carolyn and Richard Clarke

www.life-balance-success.com

P.S. Our "Becoming the BEST YOU Possible" eBook offers an extensive chapter on improving relationships, if you're not ready for a retreat program yet.

How To Make A Lasting Impression

"Smile, it enhances your face value."
Quote by Dolly Parton (1946 - ), American singer and actress


What a really cool quote... and from Dolly Parton, at that!

I am forever amazed at the seriousness on people's faces these days, including my own at times. For me, staring at the computer every day has caused a permanent scrunching of my eyes to focus on the monitor... perhaps that's what I'm seeing in other people's faces, too... the product of too much computer time?

It is said that we have a tiny window of 3 - 10 seconds to make an impression on another person... how incredible that we are inclined to draw conclusions that quickly about someone we have not yet met before. Sure makes me think how important it is to be conscious of how we present ourselves when in public and in situations where we're meeting newcomers, otherwise we may be pasted with an unsavory reputation without even knowing it.

How to make and leave a good impression?

1. First and foremost... be real and authentic! There's nothing worse than a phony person pretending to be a nice person. You will best be remembered if you are as genuine as possible.


2. Make an effort to dress, appear and act as comfortable, tasteful and pleasant as you can, again without pretense. A person's poor hygiene and sloppy dress will always leave a bad impression, no matter HOW wonderful the person may really be!


3. Look people right in the eye when you greet them and talk with them. You will convey a confidence that will attract others to want to dialogue and relate with you.


4. Coming from a place of value and worth about yourself will send out the biggest message of all... which you will be admired for. Shrink and people will shrink away from you.


5. "Lift your energy," shine your eyes, stand up tall and speak with confidence and credibility.


6. Finally, do as Dolly says, "Smile, it enhances your face value!"

These "impression tips" will help you will win hearts over, leave lasting (positive) impressions and nurture upbeat relationships.

Happy Easter to you! May you enjoy some special time with family, friends and the outdoors this weekend.

Warmly, Carolyn
www.innerfitness.ca

If you haven't discovered my little Work and Life Balance website offering frequent tips, go to www.a-balanced-life.com and sign up.

Our eBook Is Complete!

Hi and welcome.

I'm excited to say, "Ta Da!" (with a musical tone to it) today!

After much anticipation, Richard and I are pleased to announce that our "Becoming the BEST YOU... Tools for Work and Life Balance" eBook is finally complete. A labour of love, this has been an eight month journey of working diligently at the computer each day.

By far, the hardest part of writing this eBook has been how to condense down 26 and 30 years of counselling and teaching experience into a publication without it becoming 500 pages long! We initially aimed to produce a 75 - 100 page book, but it quickly expanded to a now 111-pages. This is largely the reason the completion has taken MUCH longer than originally intended (and promised). We're sure that you'll agree, it will have been worth the wait.

So, what do we hope our readers (hopefully including you) will get out of this BEST YOU eBook?

The goal of this eBook is to help you remember how possible and powerful it is to choose to live in natural expression of your true potential, to embrace your personal abilities and find greater balance by embracing the flow of life. Aspiring to be and do your best to balance the urgent need for material success and security opens the freedom to explore the richness in love, play, creative expression and new depths of intimacy in your relationships. Improve your personal life first and the quality of your work life will improve, too!

Working with this eBook will lead you on an adventure to remember your true nature, helping you to remember the important difference between balancing the many extremes of DOINGS needed in your daily life with the essence and inspiration of your BEING… in order to experience the BEST YOU in a healthy, balanced way of living and working.

Over the years, we’ve seen how the application of specific self-care practices can make a difference to the quality of life that individuals live… simple tools, with transformational results.

What is Work Life Balance?

We teach that balance is a dynamic process… not a destination. Balance is a verb, rather than a noun… active and ever-changing. Much like a tight-rope walker naturally wavers to keep his balance; life is naturally like this, too… dealing with life’s challenges in the best way possible.

The task of the average working person is to maximize every opportunity in their home and work environments to optimize being as “balanced on the wire” as possible. How? By implementing simple practices that address every aspect of the human experience… which means looking after oneself well physically, emotionally, mentally, in relationships, in their work space and in spirit, too. We have much to offer here!

We know that when individuals take exceptional care of balancing their personal lives, they then bring a much better balance into their work experience. Their outlook is brighter and more optimistic. They tend to have better concentration and focus, they don’t have as many things pulling them in a million directions… overall, they have less stress and overwhelm. Yes, balance ends up expressed a little different for every person depending on what challenges and opportunities are going on in their lives, but the road to balance consists of pretty much the same ingredients… exceptional self-care in every aspect of life.

I'm not kidding when I say that this eBook is busting at the seams with information! Every page is absolutely full. Tastefully infused with graphics and even a few of my favourite photographs, too, it is visually appealing... or at least, that's the feedback so far.

The next phase of this eBook introduction is to now prepare our website to be able to deliver this downloadable file (along with it's companion two bonus chapters AND Relaxation Guided Meditation MP3!) in a seamless way.

Assuming this next step proceeds as smoothly as I hope it will, our "Becoming the BEST YOU Possible" eBook will be available very shortly! Thankfully, I'll have the valuable help of my friend, Sheila Martin to make this so. I may even have an exact launch date for you within the next few days... I'll certainly keep you alerted.

Warmly, Carolyn

Inner Fitness(R) Programs

www.innerfitness.ca

www.a-balanced-life.com

My Globe & Mail Newspaper Interview

Hi and welcome!
I am pleased to have been interviewed recently for an article, published in the
The Globe and Mail Newspaper (based out of Toronto, Canada)
Thursday, December 14, 2006

Warm thanks to writer, Nicole Dunsdon for her warm interview skills and her articulate writing ability.

The article starts off interviewing the director of CNC Global, addressing how he fosters balance within the company and with his employees. From there, the article picks up about our Inner Fitness® tips for creating balance, so be sure to read right through the whole article… there are some good tips there to pick up.

Here is the full article, with the exception of the photograph…

A special information series
SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION: BASICS (PART 14)

“WORK-LIFE BALANCE”
“Finding this ever-elusive equilibrium takes setting boundaries and having fun”

Ever go the gym with your boss, or kick back together at work over a beer or a glass of wine and some casual conversation?

At the Calgary office of CNC Global, the staff of 18 works and plays together regularly. Every now and then on a Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., for example, the staff convenes for what they call “Hump-Day Hops.” Dave Quinn, the company’s director for Southern Alberta, says his group will often just sit around and chat or sometimes have an informal roundtable discussion. He especially likes Thursdays at 3 p.m., when the staff takes turns providing sweet or savoury snacks for their weekly, half-hour gathering in the kitchen.

Mr. Quinn is very sensitive to his employees’ work-life balance and has fostered some very innovative practices at his CNC Global branch to allow for that. Sick days are a thing of the past. Instead, “care days” take their place. “We call them care days so that our employees can also look after a child or a parent and don’t have to take up vacation time to do that,” says Mr. Quinn.

Only two mornings a week, employees have to be at work at a set time for meetings. The rest of the week? They can arrive at 7 a.m. and leave by 4 p.m. or an-ive at 9 a.m. and leave by 6 p.m. “They realize and appreciate the value of having that flexibility,” Mr. Quinn says, adding that his personal philosophy is that we work to live, not live to work. “The things that are truly important in our lives happen after 5 p.m.”

The employees at CNC Global also have charity/volunteer days, team ski days, horseback riding days, and have even camped together. “We are trying to do a snowmobile outing in December,” says Mr. Quinn, who believes these activities are important in establishing connections between employees and positive memories around work. “That helps balance out the inevitable negatives that happen on day-to-day basis.”

Many people who run small offices are partly motivated to go out their own in order to create their own corporate culture and avoid the grind. But, with the added responsibilities and multiple roles they take — striking a work-life balance is easier conceived of than achieved.

On top of building in some fun and flexibility at work, it is also important to establish techniques to combat the sense of stress that can be created around deadlines and heavy workloads.

“We’re rushing from one event another...living in those anticipatory moments and not living in this moment very often,” says Carolyn Clarke, a Sunshine Coast-based counsellor and natural health consultant with Richard T. Clarke and Associates and the Inner Fitness program.

She says high achievers have done so at a cost, which is becoming fairly serious issue. “Our North American society has fixated on quantity versus quality.., measuring ourselves more by our money and status and less by our family life and sense of community.”

Mrs. Clarke looks at balance as a dynamic process, using the analogy of a tightrope walker, constantly shifting to find equilibrium. “Balance isn’t a destination. It’s active and ever-changing. It requires attention and input.”

That’s where certain practices come in to create a more well-rounded approach to work and life. “When people look after their own personal care (their physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual well-being) they also stand a really good chance of boosting their sense of meaning in the world, having a good home life, and bringing that forward into their work realm,” says Mrs. Clarke.

She says there are seven keys to living in balance: Make your health number one and commit to practices that will carry you through stressful periods; set clear boundaries for work and life and stick to them; take downtime to rejuvenate; nurture your relationship with yourself and commit to your personal growth through hobbies, understanding your passions and creating growth opportunities; nurture your love relationship, which is the foundation for everything else, and maximize keeping it alive; keep family and friends high on your list of priorities; infuse your life with a spiritual practice such as meditation, prayer and relaxation rituals.

“We all yearn for something more than the daily grind,” concludes Mrs. Clarke, pointing out that being tuned-in to our inner selves and infusing peace, effective organization and a pleasant atmosphere into our work space can make a world of difference in truly achieving a work-life balance."

Well, there you have it! Thanks to the Globe and Mail for inviting me to be a part of their great series!

To invite your loved ones to be a part of our Inner Fitness(R) Work and Life Balance tips, send them to this link... www.a-balanced-life.com

Warmly, Carolyn
Inner Fitness(R) Programs
www.innerfitness.ca
Our guided meditation CDs are available online through CDBaby at http://cdbaby.com/cd/crclarke4

Looking After Your Health Through the Holidays

Welcome again!

This is the season for much celebration and sharing with those we enjoy and love. Indulgence seems to be an accompanying ingredient in the holidays with Christmas baking, rich meals, taste treats and the drinking of alcoholic beverages tempting us... and, when kept in moderation, it is wonderful to savour it all.

But when unchecked, indulgences lead to weight gain, compromised health and possibly even impaired driving. Please be smart through the holidays!

"We usually do pay attention to our outer appearance, typically noticing whatever part of our bodies we are unhappy about. It behooves us, however, to get on very good terms with more than just the surface of our bodies as we grow older; for if we don't listen to our bodies and pay attention to our physical needs and pleasures, this vehicle that we need to be running well to take us into a long and comfortable life, will limit what we can do and who we become."

Quote by Jean Shinoda Bolen

A few smart approaches for enjoying all the richness of the holidays include;

• eat something healthy before you go to social functions, so you're not inclined to make a meal eating all the snacks placed out around you
• stay mindful when standing in front of food temptations
• choose "smart foods" first and allow mini-taste treats over that
• eat food at the same time you choose to drink alcohol ... don't drink on an empty stomach
• drink a lot of water through the holidays, especially when drinking alcohol
• a small treat slowly savored can be delicious, too... who needs the whole plate of Nanaimo Bars anyways
• enjoy plenty of turkey and vegetables... and go light on the carbohydrates (potatoes, gravy, stuffing, desserts, whipping cream, bread, etc)
• move your body every day in some way... stay active

Here's to enjoying the bounty of the season while caring for ourselves, too.

Warmly, Carolyn
Inner Fitness(R) Programs
www.innerfitness.ca