Archive for the ‘Self Awareness’ Category

Always Strive for More Big and Small

Posted 04 Feb 2010 — by Jennifer
Category Self Awareness

Striving for more in all that you do is a great start to all things big and small. Striving for more doesn’t have to be doing more then the Jones’ nor does it mean you have to struggle and hurt yourself getting where you want to be neither. When striving for more the simple things are a great start.

Strive to be more organized, be a little earlier to work, spend more time with family, and by being more conscious of others around us .. it can be as simple as not procrastinating and taking your behind to that appointment you keep putting off. All things matter and all things we aim to do better at will make life that much simpler for each of us and will guide us to the next step in what we need. Good health, good relationships, better finance, more order in our lives… the list goes on an on.

What can you do starting this week to strive for more, to do better, to have the simplicity we all need in our daily lives? How will you begin your journey in having something more, whether it be time, money, love, or family? I plan to strive for more by showing up at work earlier, to not put off bills, to spend more time with my family, to add 100 new blog hits a day to Reed What Matters, and to add 10% to my customer growth at work by the end of this quarter. In doing so I will have more structure, more finance, new friendships, and have a better relationship with all in my home.

The simple things matter just as the bigger things. The simple things can lead to the big things. Make a difference in your daily life today and please share below by commenting how you will make a difference simple or big!

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Tags: Always Strive for More Big and Small, do better, goals, Self Awareness, simple things, simplicity, strive for more, striving

Making the Best of Hectic Schedules

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Posted 09 Jan 2010 — by Jennifer
Category Reed Tidbits, Self Awareness

Flickr: Adam UXB Smith's

Where have I been? What could I be up to now? Most of you know I have a wonderful new job as an online customer service manager for a store that caters to babies to teens. On top of this great blessing I’m keeping up with the Reed What Matters’ blog, writing for Sacramento Gadgets & Tech for Examiner.com, and to top it off I’m running a home with a family size of eight people. Sounds amazing… doesn’t it?

My day is hectic, I won’t deny that. I get up to shower, and to get myself and the kids off to school. Eat a light breakfast, make some coffee, grab my lunch I prepared from the night before, and then I have four drop-offs before I even get to work. Work! Work! Work! Then I’m off to drive home in traffic. I may squeeze in my errands right about here. When I finally walk in the door, I have a handful of children greet me at the door. Sometimes dinner is cooked by the husband and sometimes it isn’t (depending on how hard he worked that day). I straighten the house up if no one else had a chance, then I hang with the kids. After hanging out… Write! Write! Write! Another shower then sleepytime, but that happens way to late. Late sleepytime because the husband lets Yissie, the two year, old nap late, she is never ready to sleep at a time that works best for me. UberTwitter for me laying in bed singing Yissie lullabies does the trick. Zzzzzz….

Wash, Rinse & Repeat as the saying goes! Let’s not go over the weekend… It can get worse or better, depending the way you see it.

Pretty amazing, I must say so myself. How do I do it? Keep a schedule, stay on task, leave time for a change of plans, eat well, rest plenty, stay positive, give thanks, stay spiritually sound and keep it moving. Nothing less and nothing more. When you have a big family, and you have so much to do there is no other way to be productive, but to keep things in order and to keep things in the right perspective.

Mistakes will happen, lessons will be learned, things will have to be pushed out at times, and you may have to delgate task to others. Just do all things in good judgement and don’t lose yourself in your busy day to day task. Staying positive finding the fruits of life, and become a better person by enriching your days with knowledge and the lessons that are in store for you. Spend time with loved ones, take care of you and you will do great.

How do you handle a busy work week or a hectic schedule. Do you have any tips or tools that can benefit our readers. Please comment bellow and share.

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Tags: Making the Best of Hectic Schedules, managing, managing schedules, multi-tasking, task, task at hand

Turning Goals or New Year’s Resolutions into Reality

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Posted 01 Jan 2010 — by Jennifer
Category Self Awareness

Flickr: thomaseagle

New Year’s resolutions, we make them or don’t believe in them. I goal set so you can call that a New Year resolution, either way it’s something of importance. I believe that those who speak positive and set goals are more likely to have their life go in a positive direction. It’s not impossible for a dream to come true without any planning, things often fall on our laps and bring good virtue. How likely is it though, to have something so great fall on your lap?

Getting Started

So, my friends break out your pens and pads of paper and get to jotting down your long and short term goals. I did say write down your goals, put your Blackberry, i-phone, Outlook, or whatever else you use to make list… Write your goals down. When you write down a goal or a task that must be done, it’s giving the idea a commitment. Writing things down will validate it into an action.

Question or the Answer

What kind of goals should we be jotting down? The answer to that is simple, write down anything you want that will bring you joy and take you to a positive place this year, next year, or the next ten years. I read today, in Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach a quote: There are years that ask questions and years that answer – Zora Neale Hurston. The goals you write down may be open, may be a thought, and it may be unclear… write those down. Your goal may be the answer, an item you want or a place you want to be in the near or far future… write those down too.

Be Realistic

Set realistic goals within a realistic timeline. What I mean by that is this, let’s say you want to lose weight or maybe you want to write a book. Set the plans out correctly for short and long term. Take a huge goal and write it into chunks. For an example, you want to write a book but dont know where to start. One month your goal could be to brainstorm these theories and ideas, the next month could be brainstorming a title and a map of what chapters you can include. You see what I mean, don’t set yourself up for failure. If your goals seem unreachable, know that you’re capable of all things… break that big goal up into chunks to help you manage and succeed at the overall goal at hand.

Do you have any goals that seem unreachable? What are they, and how can you make them more manageable? Do you have a simple New Years resolution? How are you going to make it happen or is it still only an idea? Please share by commenting below.

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Tags: aspirations, dreams, goal making, new year resolution, new years, realistic goals, setting goals, Turning Goals or New Year's Resolutions into Reality

Holiday Lessons

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Posted 26 Dec 2009 — by Jennifer
Category Self Awareness

Christmas is over, and now it’s time to reflect on the holiday lessons that we may have been given. As I’ve stated before, the Reeds are very casual about the holidays. We get together, cook, and eat good food! That is our usual and it works out quite well. Now I do usually get carried away with gift buying. I get excited shopping for the kids, knowing there will be a great shock upon their face if I get them that perfect gift.

This year the Reed family kept it very frugal. Sometimes you have it and sometimes you just dont. My kids are used to the “maybes” on birthdays, but on Christmas they usually know there will be tons of presents. I was heartbroken knowing I cant do for them our usual. I just knew when they seen only one or two presents each under the tree they’d be saddened.

Robyn and Yissie

I was completely wrong, I did something right in raising them I suppose. They told me all was okay once they realized that there wasn’t much under the tree. Then after opening their presents, they were playing with their present as if they had many. The teens were quiet all day with their new mp3 player attached to their heads. The boys played all day with their lil’ bug looking remote control helicopters, don’t know who liked them more, their uncle or them. The younger girls played with their toys together. They didn’t complain once.

The holiday lesson here is that we put too much and hold too much weight on what we think is right. What has been right to me, going broke over Christmas, wasn’t what mattered to my children. Going forward I could probably save money on the holidays, and I now realize the kids will be just as happy with a few presents a piece or with a ship load of presents. Christmas was no different with less gifts, and I truly underestimated how much my children appreciate things for what they are. I’m thankful and blessed to have the family that I have.

What are you most thankful for? Please share with our readers by commenting below.

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Tags: baby, children, holiday gifts, Holiday Lessons, kids, not many gifts, teens, thankful

True Forgiveness

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Posted 15 Dec 2009 — by Jennifer
Category Self Awareness

I can forgive, but I cannot forget, ” is only another way of saying, “I will not forgive.” Forgiveness ought to be like a canceled note – torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one. -Henry Ward Beecher

True Forgiveness

Boy, do I know this one all to well! I always have said that I forgave this person or that person, but kept a mental note of their action telling myself the trust factor is damaged and I’m now aware of what they’re capable of. The whole “forgive but don’t forget bit!” This quote by Henry Ward Beecher has woken me up a bit making me realize I was forgiving those who have hurt me all wrong.

So, how do we forgive, forget, and rebuild trust with those who hurt us? I suppose a good example is a spouse that has had an affair. You can forgive, hard to forget and rebuild trust but it’s possible in time. That is the key folks, it takes time. Time, patience, some marriage counseling, and much prayer could take you to a place of true forgiveness.

What if the wrongdoing is the unthinkable, someone who hurt your child or took your child away forever? How do you go on? How do you forgive, forget, or rebuild trust? I suppose through time forgiveness can be done. Forgetting, never, I just can’t see it! Rebuilding trust, chances are you won’t have them close enough to worry about that factor! I suppose in this case the wrongdoer isn’t truly forgiven, because I cant imagine this act being forgiven “like a canceled note – torn in two, and burned up!”

What do you think friends, have you struggled with true forgiveness? Maybe you’re in a place in your life where you can forgive the unthinkable, please share the tools that have gotten you to this place? Tell your story by commenting below.

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Tags: counseling, Forgetting, forgiveness, Henry Ward Beecher, how to forgive, prayer, quote, rebuilding trust, torn in two, True Forgiveness

Guidance Starts at Birth

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Posted 03 Dec 2009 — by Jennifer
Category Self Awareness

Train your child in the way in which you know you should have gone yourself – C.H. Spurgeon

I was reading a book that I open from time to time, God’s Little Devotional book for Moms, and I ran across that quote and an interesting passage. This passage speaks of two streams at the highest point in the Rocky Mountains. These two streams are neighbors practically… it is said that it would be easy to change the course to either stream to join each other. But, in changing the course of the stream a water source would be lost. These two streams so close together, one leads to the Gulf of Mexico and one leads to the Pacific Ocean. So close yet two separate, purposeful, and divine routes.

My reason for bringing this up is this… making it right early on. These streams have a route and a purposeful route at that. We need to guide our children down the right route… or at least a route that is purposeful. “If you want to impact the course of life… starts at birth!” We need to shape our lil’ ones and guide them remembering they’re an individual and may be like that stream… with a divine purpose to steer left instead of right. We, as parents, just need to make sure it’s a purposeful route and not one of destruction.

I really hope this passage has helped someone with their own circumstance. I have children, sure their dreams and aspirations aren’t always what I want or see them as… but their dreams are purposeful so I must back off a bit. If you found this article helpful please subscribe to our updates by clicking here.

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Tags: aspirations, children, devotional book, direction, divine purpose, dreams, God's Little Devotional Book for Moms, guidance, Guidance Starts at Birth, helpful, parents, passage, teens

“Let me Loosen Up my Tie”

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Posted 02 Nov 2009 — by Jennifer
Category Reed Tidbits, Self Awareness

I’ve been blogging since May 2009. Not long at all, changes will come along the way as I see fit or as our readers go through changes.

Changes We’ve Already Made

Reed What Matters lowered the amount of self awareness post - I don’t write those daily anymore but I still write on how to empower self if that is what you are here for.
Our savings moved to Saving Money with Reed. Those who come here just for freebies and coupons would rather not search through articles of family stuff, and those who come here for articles don’t want to sift through coupons and such. I get that!
Reed What Matters annoys you here and there by changing our theme around. Sorry, I want to get the site right. We are new, this will happen from time to time until it is right for you and me.

Changes to Come

I’ve become more comfortable each day, I’m going to “Loosen my tie” so to speak – I’ve never been nothing less then myself, but I’ve stopped writing a post because I was worried what would come of certain post. Would I lose all my readers? Would I gain more? Will my readers care if I post a tidbit or two? Those are questions I’ve asked myself time and time again, all the while clicking the “delete draft” button. Nothing shocking, just me being me. I stop myself thinking… “Does that really add value?” I can now answer, “It may not for some but it will for another!” Someone will love it, someone went through it, someone never thought about it!
Oh, and I have to get a real job soon… It’s been a nice year at home but… yea, a real job! One that involves leaving the house so… I won’t write as much, mostly daily, but not as much! Anyone want to take a stab at guest posting, maybe you don’t have a blog and have been thinking of trying it out. Maybe you have one and enjoy guest posting! Let me know. I’d be glad to let you get a feel for it or write about what really matters, family education and entertainment, right?
When I made this site my hopes were that the whole family would be a part of Reed What Matters, this didn’t happen! Don’t be suprised if Reed What Matters extends out to kids in the near future.

All in all, I’m here to teach, to learn and to grow with you; my readers, my friends, my family, my community! I hope you stick around because I’m not going anywhere but forward. If you disagree with these changes or want to add your 2 cents, please comment below my dear friends! I love to hear from you!

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Tags: "Let me Loosen Up my Tie", blog, change, changing, comfortable, family education, saving money, Self Awareness

What is Your Addiction?

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Posted 29 Oct 2009 — by Jennifer
Category Self Awareness

An addiction according to Dictionary.com is the “condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something.”

So what is it, what is your addiction? Yes, I really asked you that! We all have one or have had one or two. It could be chocolate, a hobby, caffeine, drugs, liquor, a type of food, the computer, maybe it’s not the computer at all, or something ‘otherwise’ healthy like exercise!

My Addiction

My addiction is caffeine and my computer. I have a cup of coffee or maybe two a day. When I don’t have coffee I’m sluggish and feel completely fatigued. Some of the sluggish feeling is due to my diagnosis of “possible MS”, but a big part of it is that my body wants the caffeine it receives from my coffee intake.

Okay, so how could I be addicted to a computer? Easy, I get a lot done with my computer; there is plenty to do on my computer. Don’t tell anyone, but my computer is another source of adrenaline for me. If I’m sleepy the computer aids me in staying awake if I need to. I didn’t realize it was the computer until recently, I thought it was applications on my computer. First it was the Sims 2, then my online classes, after that some dang virtual world I knew would take off and make me money, then it was twitter, now it’s my blogs! So it’s the computer, nothing less and nothing more!

Can I live without the two? YES!

Am I “compulsively occupied with” the two? The computer, YES! Coffee, NO!

Do I want to lose this addiction? NO! (Maybe I could spend less time on the computer!!!) It does bother the husband that the computer consumes me some, taking longer breaks would benefit my family!

And You

Okay, your turn my friends… What is your addiction? Do you want to lose this addiction? And… Why or Why not?

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Tags: addiction, addiction defined, adrenaline, chocolate, coffee intake, defined, drugs, exercise, liquor, money, my addictions, type of food, What is Your Addiction?

Wordless Wednesday: Love Yourself!

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Posted 28 Oct 2009 — by Jennifer
Category Self Awareness

Yissie Lovin’ Herself!

Note: Going forward Reed What Matters will be participating in Wordless Wednesday unless there is an important matter! Thank you!

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Tags: happy, herself, joy, love, picture, toddler, Wordless Wednesday, Yissie

Thursday’s Thought on Mama’s Value

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Posted 22 Oct 2009 — by Jennifer
Category Self Awareness

“Mothers are like fine collectibles – as the years go by they increase in value.” – God’s Little Devotional Book for Moms

My Supermom and I (2004)

When I first was called “Mom” I was young at age 18. Barely an adult myself. I knew nothing of being a mom. Sure I knew how to clean up a house, babysat plenty, and cooked a few decent meals but that was about it. I had to call other moms for advise, and needed my mom’s helping hand often enough.

Now I’m 32 and five kids deeper… I think I’m very wise and have plenty to bring to the table. I’m now the “go-to mom”! I like to think I’m the definition of a “Supermom!” I hope that all the lessons I instill in my children they will look to me as my husband and I do our moms. Our moms are incredible, the meaning of strength, empowering, and two people that we know we honor.

We sit back and tell tales of how great our moms are. I just hope that each of my kids will do the same. Have a story or more to tell my grandchildren of my greatness. “Mama did it like this…” Or today, we still call my husband’s mom for recipes she has stored away in her head; will my kids call me for their favorites? Today I call my mom for community awareness. She is the one that knows what’s best for the homeless in our community, she knows who is who in politics, and often tells me things I can do better for our climate. I go to her for community awareness. Will my kids come to me for this type of knowledge when they are adults? In what way will they see that I’m valuable?

Sometimes I ponder, what mistakes will they feel I made that set them back and in what ways will they feel I empowered them? I don’t doubt they will have answers to both. Will my mistakes make them stronger and will my strength follow them as they become adults? What will their story be?

Husband's Supermom and I

Back to the basics, yes, I’ve increased in value as our moms have? I can make a mean dish, I do well helping with homework, I do reward and discipline my children, I’ve grown to know my children look to me for guidance and answers, I set an example however I can, I do protect my children, I teach my children, I’m a valuable mom! Sitting back while you read this, please remember you value with age through wisdom. Keep up the great work Supermoms!

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Tags: adult, community, devotional book, discipline, empowering, God's Little Devotional Book for Moms, grandchildren, greatness, guidance, helping hand, lessons, mama, mother, My mom, supermom, Supermoms, Thursday's Thought on Mama's Value, value

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Archive for the ‘Self Awareness’ Category

Always Strive for More Big and Small

Making the Best of Hectic Schedules