Do You Have Super-Hero Characteristics?

Welcome!

I wonder if this is you... have a read...

When a person gives and gives to everyone and everything else but themselves, it’s like they become their own worst enemy. There is only so much time and energy each person can give before some other part of their life starts to unravel. Unless new ways are put in place, the super-hero person stands a very strong chance of ultimately having to take serious time off from everything when his/her health fails... or his/her relationship fails, or ?

The super-hero role is a dangerous role for anyone to try and fill.

Super-heros are most susceptible to burnout… so, avoid taking the job description! Working Moms, you are a working group most prone to this “condition” and are called, therefore, to be especially aware and diligent with self-care practices.

Don’t wait until you get burned out or really sick before you hear the slow-down-message that you already know is before you. The answer?... take a look at what you’re realistically capable of giving at home and in your work. Look at what reasonable blocks of time are needed for each task then use this information to guide you to set clear boundaries for your health care.

These are simple suggestions and yet so hard for some people to put in action. Experience tells me that most people who bend over backwards to accomplish everything under the sun have a propensity to make the expectations of others more important than themselves. Some may have “leaky boundaries” and don't know how to say no. Others get an unconscious sense of value from meeting everyone else's agendas, even at their own expense. Praise and approval are not worthy benefits to burn yourself out. Steady progress is better than perfection!

If you try to live up to super-hero standards at home and work, ask yourself...

“What motivates me / drives me beyond reasonable performance?”
(This is a good question to ask yourself if you find that you are not having a life.)

P.S. There’s only one person that can help you break this cycle… and that’s YOU!

There are oodles of additional suggestions of this nature in our "Becoming the BEST YOU Possible" eBook... get your copy at www.life-balance-success.com
$27, that's all... and it even comes with a lovely, peaceful Relaxation guided meditation MP3.

Talk to again soon,

Carolyn

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.

Renewing Relationships

If you're visiting for the first time, welcome!

And if you are returning, thanks for coming back!

I hope that your holiday season has been infused with loved ones, tasty treats, friendship and a bit of meaningful magic. Richard and I are home again after being away for Christmas... seeing numerous friends that we've not seen for as much as seven years. We were amazed at how it was like no time had gone by, our connection still warm and strong after all those years.

You will recognize this... how there are people that come into our lives that are there for a period of time or circumstance and yet there are others that will be heart-connected forever, no matter the spacial distance or time between visits. Richard and I created the chance to see a few sweet friends we cherish on Christmas Day... and we now with a renewed commitment to see each other more frequently next time.

Our family Christmas of twelve was filled with much happy conversation, an awesome traditional turkey dinner, happy spirits and the greatest gift possible... Dad JUST home from the hospital after emergency appendix surgery.

Family and friendships are such vital ingredients to a balanced life! Did your family and friendship batteries get topped up this holiday? If not, there's always an opportunity to make the effort over New Years.

Now completely (and happily) pooped out after much socializing, long sleeps and refocussing my energy is in order. I'll talk to you again in a few days.

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

We Belong... Community Is Home

After completing an important project today, I decided to take a break and go for a long walk before the predicted rains set in.

Along the way, I met one of our special neighbours and her gorgeous dog, Keeshaw. We stood and talked for several minutes and during our talk I became aware of how important it is for me to "belong" to a community of lovely people that reside close by. Though I don't know my neighbours like I do my closest friends, still my relationship with them is important in my life.

So I ask...

Do you know who your neighbours are?

I recall living in a high rise apartment building in the great West End of Vancouver for many years. Even though we lived in close proximity to people "down the hall," we had absolutely no relationship with these people... sad as that may be.

Instead, here on our Sandy Hook mountain we have a friendly way of visiting... often coming across each other during our walks in the morning... often visiting over our dog friends. I smile at how many neighbours I "know" because of their dogs!

Anyways, it got me thinking about how vital it is to feel that we are a part of a community... no matter what size. I feel blessed that I know who lives around me, their furry dogs that befriend me and feeling a sense of belonging.

Do you even know who lives beside you?

If not, why?

I urge you to mingle some... get to know their furry creatures... for there's nothing like feeling as though "I belong." You belong, too... but do you know it?

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

Our Return From Texas

Hello again!

Richard and I are just back from our great trip to Austin, Texas where we taught a "Balance For Wellbeing" seminar for the realtor and mortgage broker members of Core Training's Summit conference. All went very well and it was a treat to be with them again, a bi-annual event for us over the last two years now.

Thank you to the founders of Core for including us in their awesome program. Their money management emphasis are vital teachings that every person should have learn early in life in order to earn but especially save wisely, able to live prosperously within our means. Though in a very different business than the Core members, Richard and I always come away from these events feeling as though we learned valuable lessons to apply for our own lives, too.

What really inspires me at these events, though, is how motivated and optimistic each person is to grow their business, how they set achievable goals for each six month period of time... and have the drive to make these goals happen. Indeed, they are an inspiring bunch of business owners playing large in life and we admire them for it. Not only motivated, they're just a GREAT bunch of people, too. Our friendships are deepening and we appreciate that we're invited to contribute to their gaining more balance in their personal growth, their families, their relationships and in their self-care.

Happy that we took a few extra days to play after the completion of the conference, we rented a car and travelled around the countryside seeing small towns, massive ranches and enjoyed the warm sunshine and the gorgeous landscape. We were warmed by the Texan hospitality!

Without a doubt, we'd love to return to Texas... and if our lifestyle could manage it, we decided that the outskirts of Austin would be the perfect place to winter each year. Maybe that's a goal we'll work towards!

Anyways, I hope all is going well for you since we've been away and thanks for visiting again. I have lots to write about, so visit again soon.

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