Here We Go Again... Are You Ready?

Seasons change and so do we!

It's that time of year when the kids are gearing up for school and parents are breathing a sigh of relief - Yippee it's back to routines, early nights, sports schedules, and packed lunches!

Bye bye are weekends at the cottage and hello are classroom prep days, parent-teacher interviews and oh, those much-anticipated P.D. Days. What to do with the kids?....

Oh yes, inevitably the seasons change and so do our lives. I've always loved the Fall... in fact it's my favourite time of year. My son's going into grade three in two days and the little one is still in daycare. It's back to hockey rinks and homework between practices - but we love it and there's nothing better I'd want for my kids.

So in the spirit of back to school, I wanted to share an article I've written for the brand COLD-FX called Back-to-School Shopping Tips so I urge you to check it out. Hopefully you've already got everything under control but sometimes it's nice to have a little refresher.

Have fun and stay cool, mom!
~KLB

Is Your Reality in Check?

Kids are a big job. Lately I’ve been so wrapped up in my work that it took my 3-year-old to bring me back to reality. They demand our time, our attention and certainly our love. So the last few months I have been trying to figure out a way to best balance my home and work life and I think it’s starting to come together. My new mantra is trust your gut and go with your heart.

I love my career and my kids – so what's a mom to do? Well, I think it’s pretty obvious that being a mom is my number one priority and therefore my life choices will reflect this pre-set plan set forth in my life. My passion for work comes into play too, and I'll always be a working mom -- but we need to remain realistic about our priorities. Like every mom out there knows, it's the little people that rule our world, not a pay check.

A special thank you to my two boys Connor (7) and Brock (3) for giving me the courage to look inside and see the light. You are my little angels and in the words of Doreen Virtue: "Our children are our teachers, so let them show us the way." So true, you guys are the greatest teachers of all.

Love you, mom. 

xox

P.S. Check out my health and fitness blog for more reflection on how to balance life and be happy. Until next time!

No Surprise Social Marketers have their eye on MOMS

More moms are spending online.
Photo: fotosearch.com

With digital access at an all-time high, it's no surprise that social marketers are taking note of who's on the keyboard when it comes to online shopping -- especially with the rise in number of stay-at-home moms, remote jobs, flexible workplaces, and female entrepreneurs working from home offices. Who do you think are the key $ decision makers these days? You guessed it! Females. 


According to Mashable Business: Of the 65% of online adults who use social networking sites, 69% are female. Women not only spend 30% more time on these sites than men, but they also have larger networks. Wow! Goes to show who's making the household $ decisions :) Check out the full article 3 Ways to Reach the Head-of-Household. An interesting read! ~KLB

Transitioning Back to the Work Force

A mom's work is never done
photo Babble.com

If you're a stay-at-home mom trying to rejoin the workforce, chances are you have lots of questions about the smoothest path back to employment. Whether you're contemplating going back to your old position, looking for something closer to home, or part-time -- career moms have a lot to consider when it comes to balancing their personal and professional lives. I found this interesting video featuring Maggie Mistal, a career consultant on Martha Stewart Radio, which has good advice for women re-entering the workforce. Most important things to remember -- make sure you transition from the house to office when you're ready, ask for professional development if you feel your skills need a tune-up, and make sure your role is something you're passionate about. What's your story? How did you cope with entering back into the rat race? Remember you're not alone! ~KLB

Only You Can Make Your Dreams Come True

Are you too busy to enjoy life?

OK I admit I've been slacking in the blog area lately. I apologize! I'm trying to sort things out in my personal and professional life -- it's been a hectic few months. Our family is moving, the kids are crazy-busy with sports, my husband's just launched his new company, work is busier than ever, and I'm trying to fit in yoga classes... I know, I know, that's no excuse -- everyone's got their tale to tell! But hey, I'm back on track now and ready to go-go-go with whatever comes my way! With this in mind I'd like to note that procrastination is not something that comes easy however being the Libra that I am, I do find that indecisiveness sets in once in a while. :-) Agh! So bare with me while I get over this hump and plan my next step! I look forward to sharing some very exciting news with you soon. In the meantime, check out this interesting post by The Lady's Blogger Society http://bit.ly/mICUgM Enjoy and stay positive my friends! Only you can make your dreams come true so forge on!! ~ KLB

Yes Life Is Stressful, So Manage It!

Take control of your life

People ask me all the time why I bother writing this blog, and I simply say because  I love writing, I love helping and I love inspiring people. Plus, more than anything, I use it as a place where I can reflect on the things that are going on in my life. Hell, why not? I'm not even sure how many people care but all I know is that as I go through life it's nice to have a place where I can jot down my thoughts and inspirations.
On that note, the last few weeks have been quite stressful at work and as a result, there's been a lot of crazy late nights, really early mornings to the office, and to top it all off, I also found a popped blood vessel in my eye which I heard is stress-related - yuck! Need a vacation.

Yes, with everything that's going on in the world there's no wonder stress is the number one reason people are not coping in today's society. From natural disasters to bullying, employment rates to family issues -- there's no escaping S-T-R-E-S-S!! But the good news is that even though it may not seem like there’s anything we can do about it -- there is! Nope, the bills aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day, the media will never stop reporting on worldwide disasters, and our demanding responsibilities at work and home will always be the norm... BUT in actual fact you do have A LOT MORE CONTROL than you might think.

Managing stress is all about TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE! Your personal and professional stress triggers are not going away so you have to take charge of them and not let them take charge of you. The first step is to make some positive changes in your life that will help manage life better. Whether it's stress from your job or family, or your lack of social life and personal time... the best advice is to take baby steps to change your behaviour, schedule, environment and/or expectations. Remember, your ULTIMATE GOAL is a balanced life with time for work, relationships, relaxation and most of all FUN!!! PEACE ALL ~ KLB

Practicing What We Preach

Cherish every moment

For those who may be expecting your first child, have young ones in school, or plan to start a family in the near future, remember there's something to be said about setting a good example on the home front. No matter how busy we are there's no excuse for taking your stress out on your kids or significant other. Life's way too short! When you get home from the office, turn off the computers and cell phones, and spend some quality time with your loved ones. Most of us only have an hour or two after making our way home before it's time to hit the sack so cherish every moment and know that today's unfinished work will always be there tomorrow. Tonight I came across a great article while researching influential mommy blogs that reinforced this notion. Check out this post by Dr. Christine Carter: http://huff.to/dLIjtf  ***Ladies, are you raising happiness at home? ~KLB