www.thesisterhoodofwidows.com

The newsletter is amazing. I want to thank Dianne Savoy at http://www.E-VirtualAssistant.com for all the work she did. Go sign up, you will love it.

Newsletter

Monthly newsletter "A Shared Journey" is coming Feb 2nd. Please go to http://www.thesisterhoodofwidows.com/  Newsletter Sign Up - and Opt In to receive it.

Are you frightened of making mistakes?

It's so much easier to lay low and not risk failure but it seems to me that making mistakes is part of growing. If I avoid doing something because of fear, I'm also depriving myself of all that is good in life. In fact every mistake I've ever made, in my whole life, has led me to this point in my life.

I will doubtless make more mistakes, but they will never be fatal unless I make them so. Go out - make some mistakes - then you will know that your living and not setting by the sidelines.

Worry Is A Killer

Worry wears down our resistance to disease and make no mistake, worry is a killer. I'm trying to make this one day a worry free day, things are either going to happen or not. Worry is a bad habit that I can overcome by being positive and believing all is good until it isn't - then I can deal with it!!

Worrying about it won't make any difference, will it? Even if the worse happens, I know that we can find the strength and courage within us to deal with it.

Unrealistic Goals

Setting unrealistic goals for ourselves actually sets us up for failure as we chase the impossible.
• Accept that some things are just out of your control and there isn't anything you can do
• Know that you don't need to prove yourself to anyone
• Accept your mistakes. You're only human.

Create Your Life

Creativity is not reserved for artists and musicians. We are all born with creative ability and we create our lives with the thoughts we think. If you change your thoughts and become open to exploring the full expanse of your talents and creativity, you will see new opportunities.

The challenge is for you to believe that you have the creative energy to create the life you want. Can you open the door to your creative energy by changing your thoughts?

Moving On

The house sold and I'm moving in 30 days. I'm happy to be free to rent and have no responsiblities for awhile. I have to clean out all my extra stuff that I just seem to grow piles of. That is a project I'm not looking forward to.

Why is it more fun to buy stuff then to get rid of it?

Week one of weight loss journey

The plan was to lose 2 lbs a week for 10 weeks, going from168 to 148 lbs. Week one and I lost 2.6 lbs of weight – 165.4 lbs.

I can’t do 20 lbs but I think this 2 lbs per week is great. What I did right – I didn’t eat after supper. What I did wrong – I didn’t write out everything I ate or do any exercise. The weight will be harder to get off as each week goes by so for week two I’m committing to writing out what I eat.

I will check in next Friday:)

Mark Twain Quote

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream."

Develop A Support Team.

 A support team will help you through this differcult time. Friends, family, a counselor or therapist, and trusted financial professionals can all help you gather information, review, make decisions, file paperwork or simply be there for you when you need to talk.

Don't feel that you need to do it all on your own. Give some thought to whom you might include on your own support team. Planning ahead of the need is even better:-)

Focus on what you want.

So many people want to change how they feel, but they don't know how. The fastest way to change how you feel about anything is to change what you're focusing on.

Even if things are tough, you've got to focus on what you can do, on what you can control.

Life passes by faster every year.

The reality is that only you are in control of where you want to be in ten years. Open your eyes to opportunity...open your mind to possibilities....and open your heart to the freedom available to you.

Couple friends change when your a widow.

One thing that I noticed when I became a widow is that couple friends slowly moved away from me. They didn't plan to be mean but after all I was no longer "a couple" and so I didn't fit into that social circle. They tried at first but it was hard - two women and one man was just not working. The man felt uncomfortable without another man to talk with.

The women started asking me out just the two of us and that worked for a while but it slowly stopped. In the end I wasn't comfortable either and so I let the couples go their way. I started to make new friends and I experienced new social activities that I could enjoy as a "non couple" person.

It is hard to lose a husband and then to adjust to the social changes but after 3 years I've come into my own and I'm ok. It's just life and as your journey takes a different path so does your friendships.

Weight Loss Goal

It"s time for me to step up and state one of my own personal goals. I've gained 20 lbs and my goal is to lose 2 lbs a week over the next 10 weeks.

So every Friday I'm going to come clean and tell you how I've been doing. I will talk about what I did right and what I did wrong (more right then wrong, I hope). So my starting weight as of today is 168 pounds. Boy was that painful to put on paper. I can't wait to change that to 148 pounds - so let the journey begin

How To Keep A Positive Mindset.

For the full article signup for my newsletter on my website http://www.thesisterhoodofwidows.com/.

Meanwhile here are my five top tips:
1. Stay around positive people.
2. Acknowledge your fear and write out three action steps to overcome it.
3. Read over your goals every day and write in your gratitude journal.
4. Slow down your mind and concentrate on a state of appreciation/well-being.
5. Think of what you do want, not what you don't want to happen.

The full article will go into greater detail and have more tips and advice. This newsletter is for everyone not just widows. If you have ever lost a loved one then reading the articles written by professionals that understand, will give you support, encouragement and understanding.

80% of all goal fail.

80% of all goals will fail but yours don't have to.  Here are some tips for keeping your goals:

Write them down.

Share them with others.

Track your progress.

Reward yourself for a small success along the way.

Take one day at a time
.
You have 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and 6 months for it to become part of your everyday life. So stick to it and before you know it your part of the 20% that made it.

The Northern Light Newspaper

The Northern Light newspaper did an article for when I spoke at the Bathurst Heritage Museum on November 21, 2010. The women were amazing and I we had quite an active conversation about how life changes when you lose someone you love. Thank you ladies and I hope to see you again.

Free Newsletter For Those That Grieve

Get a Free Newsletter called "A Shared Journey" with articles from professionals dealing with finances, estate planning, family, friends, dating and much more. It will have positive quotes, book suggestions, tips and advise and all for free. Sign up for it on my website www.thesisterhoodofwidows.com

Watch video on YouTube   www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOuYxeNI7bU

To Sell or Keep My House

I have it on the market and now it has an offer and I'm getting nervous. I guess change is like that, it makes you nervous and yet excited at the same time. I certainly don't need both a house and a cottage, so it's time to let the house go.

I have no real ties to it as I purchased it after Donnie's death but the cottage is another matter. I'm going to focus on fixing up the cottage because that is where my heart is. In the end that is what will help you make the next steps in your journey - just listen to your heart and you can't go wrong.

January Is The Start Over Month

Everyone has a clean slate with new goals for health, finance and personal relationships. With the loss of a loved one we have already been forced into a new start. It wasn't planned or wanted but here it is. We can get rebalanced as we want and not get carried along not knowing where this new life will take us.

We can't control death, so it's important to take control over what we can. Start by taking a journal and writing in it everyday. This way you will be able to look back and see how far you have come. It will encourage you to keep moving forward in your journey.

Looking Back At 2010

I sat down and thought about the struggles I had and what did I learn from them? What did I learn about myself? What difference did I make in 2010? All of what I've gone through has made me what I am today. It is all part of my journey, my story is ongoing and continues as a blank page.

This year of 2011 as I continue my journey I'm not just setting small goals but I'm thinking "Who am I going to be by the end of this year?"