Posts Tagged ‘tips’

Warm Embrace Elder Care

Posted on: March 18th, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

REFLECTION AND GRATEFULNESS

Reflection and gratefulness are skills that we regularly see demonstrated by our wonderful clients at Warm Embrace Elder Care. We are often reminded to be thankful for all that we have, and to be appreciative for all of the small blessings that we unknowingly take for granted.

Our elderly clients, many of whom lived through very difficult times, know all too well how lean years feel. Many lived through the depression era when even basic necessities were in scarce supply. They lived in Europe during wartime and experienced shortages, rations and were in constant danger. When they immigrated to Canada, they had to start over building new lives. They learned how to savour every blessing, to be grateful for each miracle, and to never take anything for granted. Compared to the hardship that our elderly clients once faced, our current challenges seem very mild!

When our clients tell us stories from their youth–stories of courage, determination and gratitude–there is always a common thread. The stories are never focused around possessions or money or things. The stories are centred around the people who mattered most–family, friends and loved ones. The blessings that are most memorable, even decades later, are the blessings of the most beloved people in their lives. Honouring a friendship, caring for family, falling in love, raising a family, helping a sibling, being loyal above all else–these are the elements that truly matter. These are the blessings to focus upon; these are the blessings for which we should be most grateful.

Our clients teach us many important lessons, but gratitude and the importance of relationships would be at the top of the list. Take the time to reflect upon the relationships that are important in your life, and express gratitude to those people.

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Warm Embrace Elder Care is owned and operated by Brenda Hamilton and her daughters, Chloe and Avery. They assist seniors to remain independent for as long as possible through offering various services such as homecare, memory therapy, and one-on-one home exercise for seniors. Inspired by personal experience with family caregiving for Brenda’s mother, this mother-daughter team understands firsthand the benefits of enlisting help while caring for a loved one. Warm Embrace believes that independence does not mean that you can do everything by yourself, but rather that you get to choose how everything is done. We grant our seniors the respect and dignity they deserve by helping them to live as they desire.

Here’s how you can reach Warm Embrace Elder Care:

Phone: (519) 954-2480

E-mail: info@WarmEmbrace.ca

Website: www.WarmEmbrace.ca

Twitter: @WarmEmbraceEC

 



Action Habits for Entrepreneurs

Posted on: February 18th, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

 

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“Get going. Move forward. Aim High. Plan a takeoff. Don’t just sit on the runwayand hope someone will come along and push theairplane. It simply won’t happen. Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you’ll love it up here.” – Donald Trump

 

How was YOUR year in 2013? Are you looking forward to 2014, or bogged down by dwelling on all the things left undone? Being in business for yourself can be a long, tough haul–especially in the early stages of entrepreneurship.

Keep in mind that your most powerful resource as an entrepreneur is your OWN mind. You alone will decide whether you will allow yourself to be torn down by fear and doubt OR allow yourself to surge forward with new ideas and create something wonderful! The best cure for the unmotivated mind is almost always action. Whenever you feel unmotivated, the very best remedy is to do something every day to move forward and to build your business.

Here are a few of the most important action habits that we can adopt to move ourselves and our business forward to the next level.

Be a doer, not a “do not-er.” Take a step–any step that will propel you forward. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a giant step or a baby step, as long as it is taken in the right direction.

Don’t wait for conditions to be ideal. There will always be barriers and obstacles in the way. Face them as they come up, but don’t let them stop you from getting started.

Do what you fear. There’s a better place on the other side of your fears, and the only way to get there is going through the action that you fear.

Celebrate your successes. Set small and achieveable goals that will keep you motivated to move forward, and make it a point to reward your accomplishments. Don’t forget about those huge, dreamy goals, though.

Slow and steady wins the race. Study the masters and make notes of what motivated them, as well as what characteristics led them to achieve greatness. Do your best to emulate and adopt these qualities, which probably include things like passion, self-discipline, integrity and hard work.

Remember that motivation is the often the result of action (NOT the other way around). The very best way to get yourself moving toward accomplishing your goals is…to get yourself moving!

Deborah Plouffe is the founder and CEO of rewriter.ca, a business dedicated to helping YOU to find the words YOU need to say! 



Success is a Series of Habits…

Posted on: February 13th, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Get Productive...

Jacquelyn Smith of Forbes Magazine wrote two articles which contain a number of great suggestions. Remember–to be successful, it’s best if you try to establish one or two new habits at a time.

16 Things You Should Do At The Start Of Every Work Day

16 Things You Should Do At The End Of Every Work Day

What will you change to become more productive in 2014?


Timeless Wisdom from Mark Twain

Posted on: February 11th, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did.” – Mark Twain



Recipe for Yummy Ginger Pumpkn Soup!

Posted on: January 30th, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

I made this Ginger Pumpkin Soup for dinner with our neighbours on New Year’s Eve.  The recipe is from GoodLife Fitness newsletter.

It’s never too late to make healthier choices!



What’s New for 2014?

Posted on: January 28th, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

What’s Happening?  Click Here

 

Events and News

 


A Case Against New Year’s Resolutions!

Posted on: January 22nd, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

I’d like to share an interesting blog post entitled A case against New Year’s Resolutions by Jacki Hollywood Brown, an organizing colleague.

Have you already given up on your resolutions–if you made them? Only you can decide what’s best for you.



Helps for Vacation Planning and Packing!

Posted on: August 29th, 2013 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

 

 
If you are travelling this summer, check out our Vacation Planning and Packing checklists.

 

Organize your vacation itinerary with TripIt.

 



What About ALL Those Photos?

Posted on: August 27th, 2013 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Where Are Your Photos?

We are storytellers. Cavemen carved images in the sides of their caves to tell the world where they had been and what they had done. Why did they do that? Because they wanted to tell their stories. We are no different today, except now with the coming of the digital age, we are inundated with photos. Or we have boxes of photos that have accumulated over the decades.  It can be overwhelming!

Remember the rolls of film you used to take on vacation with you? You might bring two rolls of 36 and come home with 72 photos–sight unseen–because you couldn’t know how they turned out until they were developed. And despite the fact that maybe not every photo was a winner, you put it back in the envelope, sometimes with the doubles and triples you had printed (remember those!) and put them in a shoebox? A closet? A trunk? All dark places where your stories were left untold.

Now we go on vacation, and we can come home with thousands of photographs. Why? Because we can? Why not take five photos of the group? We can’t be sure everyone will have their eyes open at the same time. Or what about that stunning sunset as it sinks sublimely into the sea? Thirty shots ought to do it! They are all so beautiful, it’s hard to resist.

This is fine if you are a person who looks at the photos on your camera shortly after and edits out the ones you don’t need before they even leave the memory card. Are you one of these people? If you are, good for you! If you aren’t, don’t worry–you’re not alone. But photos left in your camera or on a memory card are in jeopardy of being lost, never to be replaced.

Why do we take photos in the first place? Often it’s to mark a happy occasion or an important event. We take photos because we want to remember. We can evoke the same feelings when we look back at a memory that made us feel good. And sharing those stories is a good thing that can help bond families and friends together.

Have you ever looked for a photo for hours and hours? How would it feel to have your photos organized, sorted and categorized, all in one place where the photos you are looking for are easy to find when you need them?

And once organized, how would it feel to be able to share your stories with the ones you love? There are so many ways to enjoy photographs on a day-to-day basis, so that those memories and all the good feelings that came with them are present all the time.

I gave my husband’s aunt a book with photos from her life for her 80th birthday. The day after she called me and emphatically told me that there wasn’t one thing on the face of this earth or even in the universe I could have given her that was better than that book. Even today, when she puts her hand on mine and tells me that again, I still get goose bumps.

Daina Makinson is the founder of Snap Shot Solutions and a Certified Photo Organizer. She understands that boxes of print photos or even thousands of digital photos hiding in your computer are the untold stories you dreamed of telling when you took the photo in the first place.

Daina can help you share and enjoy your photos, slides and old home movies with your friends and family, as well as pass on your history in images for generations to come. Snap Shot Solutions can digitize your photos, transfer your slides and home movies to DVD and then help you create the perfect way to bring your stories back into your life with custom designed photo storybooks and slide shows, collages and canvases.

You can reach Daina at 1-855-522-7128 or by email



Conquering the Chaos!

Posted on: August 22nd, 2013 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Get Productive...Is your life too chaotic most of the time?

If so, take a break! Grab your favourite beverage and sit down with a notepad. Make a list of ALL of the activities in which you, your partner (if applicable) and your children participate.

You’ll likely be surprised by how much the family is actually doing.

Once your list is compiled, ask yourself if it’s realistic. Are you trying to cram in too many activities? Do you need to make some adjustments? Remember that you don’t need to do something just because everyone else is doing it. Try your best not to overschedule. You will thank yourself later, and your life should run more smoothly. Or when the unexpected happens, you’ll be better able to handle whatever comes your way.