Time Management Tips ( click to see link )

HYPE Featured for Summer July - August 2011

Michelle G.

Michelle G. is an Air Force daughter, a former Army National Guard combat
medic, a Navy wife and the mother of three children. She served for over
10 years as an ombudsman at four different Naval commands,
serving over 1000 families and is a certified ombudsman trainer. As a
volunteer appointed by the commanding officer, she served as a liaison
between families and leadership and assisted families with resources,
information and referral, predeployment and reintegration briefings,
family events and during crisis. Here are just a sample of Michelle's
outstanding accomplishments to date:
She was selected as the Heroes at Home 2009 Military Spouse of the Year
and the 2010 USO Military Spouse Honoree.
She was invited to meet the First Lady of the United States Michelle
Obama, First Lady of Virginia Maureen McDonnell and Teri Rigell, wife of
U.S. Representative Scott Rigell, Virginia¹s 2nd District congressman -
spouses who all rank military family issues as high on their own agendas.

Michelle was nominated by former Congressman Glen Nye for Military Spouse
Magazine's 2010 Military Spouse of the Year award and was a top five Navy
finalist.
She was invited to the Congressional Military Family Caucus Spouse Summit
on Capitol Hill, which she attended in 2010.
Michelle also received the "People Making a Difference" award from News
Channel 3 in 2010.
Michelle has also volunteered with Blue Star Families, Operation
Homefront's Backpack Brigade and CORE (Continuum of Resource Education)
for Navy leadership spouses.
She worked in Navy's FOCUS (Families OverComing Under
Stress) to introduce and build the program designed to strengthen family
resiliency skills.
Michelle writes a monthly column "Spouse Speak" as well as other columns
for magazines both civilian and military.

________________________________________

Interview questions:

Who have been the most influential role models in your life?

An Admiral's Wife mentored me through the challenges and experiences we
face early in our lives as military spouses in the military.  We do have
unique issues related to our Navy families. Often we are in flux or our
spouses may be going on multiple deployments.  I learned that we're able to navigate our own challenges more
successfully knowing we're not pioneers, others have gone before and it's
beneficial to listen to their lessons learned and best practices." . Once we
get it, we can help others learn how to cope better as well.  You cannot
always pay it back to the person who helped you- but you can  always
choose to pay it forward with others. That's why I volunteer and continue
to help organize programs that make a positive difference in all our lives.



Using the HAPPY Model, what one thing do you do on a regular basis to
improve or maintain your health and wellbeing?

I think I'm basically very ADAPTIVE and flexible. I practice "prepared"
spontaneity with a back up plan. I often plan trips for our family with
the idea that my husband may or may not be there at the time (due to the
military lifestyle related to being deployed). I enjoy new places,
discovering what's interesting about local color or history and finding
ways to celebrate change for the better.  "one of my mottos is 'semper
gumby' or always flexible. For example, I'd planned a family camping trip
and my husband's schedule suddenly changed, but the kids and I are going
anyway, this former Girl Scout can pitch a tent and start a fire. We'll miss
him, but our family's world has to keep spinning regardless of outside
influences or schedule changes." I enjoy cooking healthy meals for myself and the
kids. While it would be easy to take them for fast food when my husband is
away, I simply enjoy cooking.  I like to run several
times a week and we walk our energetic yellow lab a few times a day and the
kids and I ride our bikes, scooters and skateboards almost every night after
dinner. We're always on the go."


Advice for other working Mother's?

If you try to do it all- you won't do anything well.  This overachievement
thing we have going on can be really tough.  We need to realize we cannot
do it all perfectly.  If we try too hard to please everyone, and fail,
others will feed off of our disappointment and feel our level of
confidence sinking. We need to focus on what really requires our attention
before we put our energy into making things happen.  I really emphasize
"accepting help" as well.  We need to accept help and learn how to help
without judgment. "Remember for a job to be done well doesn't mean it has to be done
perfectly. I've had to let go of some perfectionism and control of the
details, in chores for example, in order to have more quality time with my
family doing the activities that really matter." Pleasing yourself is just as important so carefully
prioritize what's important to you. The rest will flow and fulfillment
will follow. To be a good Mom, I need to be a good me. Work really does
makes me feel better.  It takes some practice to schedule your time and
their time...but you will figure out the best balancing act for you and
your family if you take the time to try.

Mother's Day Special Features

1. Who have been the most influential “role models” in her life that have helped make her a successful working Mom?

2. Using the HAPPY formula for success….

 What one thing does she do every day/ week to help her maintain her  HEALTH, be ADAPTIVE to random changes life throws at as, be PROUD of her Family and PROUD of her WORK?

Health:  Working out makes me feel better mentally and physically.  You gotta do it!Adaptive:  At the end of every day, I touch base with every family member to discuss the next days schedule. Where do they have to be, what time and how are they getting there?  Test? Projects? etc.     This helps me feel comfortable leaving for work knowing everyone is "good to go" for the next day.Proud of Family: Sharing fun family stories with Friends and FamilyProud of my Work:  Sharing work successes with Friends and FamilyYoung at Hard:  Working out, date night and staying current on fashion trends.

4.What piece of advice can she share to help others who want to be “happy working mothers”?

Don't beat yourself up!  Be the Best Mom you can be verse the "Perfect" Mom.  Sometimes you'll be able to spend more time with your kids than others based on work commitments.  It all works out.  Just because you can't make it to a soccer game doesn't mean your a bad Mother Create memories with your kids!  Now that my kids are older, the holidays are quit different.  We like to focus on spending time together vs things.  We enjoy skiing, spending time traveling and visiting family/friends.  Kids won't remember they got a new pair of shoes for the holidays 3 years ago but they will remember how much fun that had skiing or seeing a show.



                                                            Beth Elliott Senior Interior Designer / Sales Manager

Design Home Interiors

668 Bethlehem PikeMontgomeryville, PA  18936

(215) 361-9100 Phone(215) 361-9190 Fax

www.DesignHomeInteriors.org

Mothers's Day Special Features

My most influential role models were my parents. They taught me a strict work ethic, to always do the best job possible and to be proud of my work. My most positive memories are those of family gatherings that happened often and everyone was welcome. I've continued the tradition and look forward to hosting holiday dinners and any other occasion that pop up. It's always fun to see who else will show up! I was fortunate to hold positions in my career that allowed me to work flexible hours that allowed be to balance my work life and family. My motto has always been, if your not having fun, it's time to look for a new job. I am blessed to have a wonderful daughter, Jessica and three beautiful granddaughters. My daughter chose to be a stay-at-home-mom and enjoys volunteering and staying active in the girls lives. We are very different in many ways and yet so alike in others. We enjoy each others company and while we don't see each other as often as we'd like, we do carve out special time together. Sometimes it's just in my kitchen and other time it's for a full day shopping spree. Each time I realize how blessed I am! My daughter is happy in her life and has done an outstanding job raising her three daughters and that is what makes me the most happy! One thing I do each day is to take a few moments to be grateful for all of the blessings that I have.
Josephine Timms

Timms Interior Decorating, WCAA
P.O. Box 78
Silverdale, PA 18962 

Phone/Fax: 215-453-1734

TimmsInteriors@gmail.com 

HYPE Featured for Jan - Feb 2011

Becoming An Entrepreneur For The New Year!

McKenna Lesmann

Photo courtesy of Joel Casto

This is an inspirational piece for recognizing your potential in becoming an entrepreneur at any age!

 My name is McKenna and I am thirteen years old.  Last year, I started a homemade greeting card business, called Sweetness.  It began as an art project from a book.  I enjoyed my new hobby so much that I wanted to see if there would be success in selling them.  I have come up with a unique twist on the homemade greeting card.  I ask my customers about the card recipient’s favorite colors, hobbies, and interests, and then I make cards to especially fit that person.

     I've learned a lot about being an entrepreneur and a business owner, but I've also learned a lot about myself. Creating unique greeting cards and seeing people smile, and sometimes cry, when they receive them is what makes me truly happy.  My advice to young entrepreneurs is that age doesn't matter.  All you need is passion, dedication, courage, and belief in your abilities to chase your dreams and change the world.

Sweetness
Handmade Greeting Cards

order at Sweetnesscards@gmail.com

Elisabeth's Story

      As the daughter of single working mother, I have always embraced how impactful and inspirational my mother has been to me throughout my life. I remember as a child, my mother would work long hours and travel a lot. I would miss her terribly, but she always made time for me and sometimes I would even get to go along on her trips. I got to travel and experience new places with my mother and I thank her for that opportunity by using what she has taught me and passing it along to others. As a single mother in corporate America, I watched her struggled to prove herself and push through barriers that had rarely been pushed in the corporate world. She struggled with illness, divorce, and loss, but she never gave up. My mother through everything, found her way back to remembering what is important in life, Happiness. When I would have to write a paper for school about who my hero was, it was always my mom! She is still my hero and has helped shape me into a Happy Young Professional. My mother never forgot the importance of happiness, and she passed that important life lesson on to me.

    Since graduating college in 2006, I have worked in high profile small business, and have been inspired to change the way I think about work. Most young professionals, think being Unhappy = Being Successful. One might think “Ok, I haven’t slept or eaten today because I have worked so hard, I must have had a productive day”. I believe this is damaging to not only our bodies, but also our minds. Through collage, we learn time management skills, by making our own schedules. That is not necessarily good time management. We learn to stay up and study last minute, hoping to cram for that big exam. We did this for four long years, and for some even longer, we have to change our old behaviors into newer healthy ones in order to be a Happy Young Professional in the working world.

    Happiness = Becoming Successful is a much more healthy equation. Sometimes young professional need to reassess what success is and where our own happiness falls into play with being successful and healthy. Its not all about how much we have, how much we make and how much we do, we can measure success in happiness too. I believe Unhappy = Being Successful is an equation that if followed, will damage our sense of individuality, emotional state, and drive to be happy in the work that we do. Many young professionals have started to fall into the Unhappy = Being Successful trap and we need to start to make a change within ourselves to become part of the HYPE!

     Being a hard working professional in and out of the workplace is wonderful, expected and is looked at as being an attribute. But we need to start to pay attention to what our own boundaries and expectations of ourselves and others are, and when it’s ok to take a break, embrace what makes you happy and give ourselves some credit. It’s ok to take time for yourself and not feel guilty! As young professionals we have to learn not to be so hard on ourselves!

  Featured For Jan - Feb 2010

Michele Fetterman-Gaughan's

DISCOVERING A HAPPY NEW YOU IN 2010!

This is a wonderful piece, filled with encouragement!

Treat yourself and read on to discover your happiness for 2010!

Michele Fetterman-Gaughan

DISCOVERING A HAPPY NEW YOU IN 2010!

We all know that change is constant, but 2009 brought more substantial change than many other years for most of us. My year probably wasn’t much different (for better or worse) than yours, but I suspect my perspective about it is.

For me, the past year truly brought about the start of a whole new life – a new job, a new home, and a renewed relationship… with myself! I leave behind an unfulfilling job, a lonely marriage, and a house that never really felt like home despite all of the renovating, decorating and nesting one woman could possibly do.

Most people would find these changes overwhelming or depressing, particularly if they knew of the circumstances in which each event played out. However, I embraced these changes and have come to see them as doors in my life that needed to be closed. Closing them securely behind me created space for reflection, allowed me to pursue new and exciting opportunities, and ultimately led me to a place of deep happiness and contentment.

So how is it that I found happiness and contentment as a result of what many saw as adversity? Perhaps it was my unwavering optimism… my genuine belief that everything happens for a reason… or maybe because I always strive for personal peace. They surely all played a part. But, moreover, I discovered and accepted the responsibility that true happiness comes from within. Other people and situations may complement or enhance our happiness, but we must own it.

I’ve also never been more certain about one thing in particular – there are no accidents in life. If we pay attention to what is happening around us, we see that our lives are filled with an abundance of information. Simple things are often cues and clues to where we’re headed. I was blessed with countless clues and some very special people last year – each was delivered into my life at exactly the right time!

So while I have achieved profound personal peace, and am comforted by a sense that I’m on exactly the right path in my life’s journey, I’m happiest when I think about the future. I just can’t wait to see what happens next! The following three concepts will help you be your happiest too, no matter what life brings…

1) FOCUS ON A HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIP... WITH YOURSELF!
Remember – or learn – what you and others love about yourself. Think about what makes you unique and create a list of your best qualities… write it down. If you've lost touch with what those great qualities are, recall compliments others have given you. Most important, you must BELIEVE what they say! If perception is reality, then what others see in you is real.

Be sure to give compliments, too, and share your positive feelings openly in the moment. Never let a silly thing like pride or fear get in the way of doing this. Being genuine and open is not only liberating for you, but also helps build meaningful connections and lasting relationships with others. Love freely and without expectations of return – let yourself be a real human with real emotions.

2) BOLDLY PURSUE HAPPINESS
Reflect on times in your life when you've been deeply happy. Recall the root causes and emotions behind your happiest memories. And recreate similar experiences in the future.

Also identify what might be standing in the way of your happiness. Think of anything and anyone that may be detracting from your life. Often it is combination of ordinary things or complacency that holds us back the most. Making conscious decisions about what you spend your time on, and with whom you spend it, should not be viewed as being selfish. If you don’t take care of yourself and your own needs first, you won’t have anything of real value left to share with others.

Remember that not everyone you meet is meant to be in your life forever. People come in and out of our lives for different reasons. We often help each other learn and grow in ways only understood in retrospect.

Equally important to understand is that healthy relationships are about give AND take – this applies to family, friends, and significant others. We all need more or less support from time to time, but it can’t be a one way street. We’re each on our own journey and we must all find our own way. Friends and loved ones are a critical part of this journey, but we can’t offer each other the answers. The best way to learn is from our own experiences, observations and mistakes. Some of us share many things in common, but each of us is still unique. Therefore, what is right for you is likely not right for anyone else. We should be careful not impose our own thoughts or beliefs on others.

3) GET EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES!
Instead of wondering why things are the way they are today, get excited about everything that can -and will- happen in the future if you allow it. Daydream. Challenge your own routines. Although no one can perfectly predict what lies ahead, look forward to your personal journey with great anticipation… and openness.

Celebrate even the smallest successes in life and find happiness in ordinary things. Find the silver lining on each of your clouds. Take deep breaths every day and find something that comforts or inspires you… writing, reading, charity work, music, a new hobby, good friends, a loyal pet.

Oh, and for goodness sakes stop trying to plan and control everything in your life. As a life-long planner, I was forced to “roll with it” through most of 2009. My tendency to stress, worry and over-architect the outcomes wouldn’t have made this leg of my journey any easier and it certainly would have detracted from a lot of the fun! Life is actually best when we accept that, “it will be what it will be!”

Although we are all destined to have tough days sprinkled in here and there, make sure your good days outnumber the bad ones. Don’t linger in sorrow or feel melancholy for too long – this is one of the best resolutions you’ll ever make! So, with great optimism about what will come, my wish for all of us in 2010 is a very happy new you!!!

            Julie Marie Carrier

Julie Marie Carrier is an Award-Winning National Speaker, Author and Positive Role Model for Tweens, Teens and Girls
Author of the acclaimed new book for girls, BeYOUtiful

(that was recently launched at the National Girl Scouts Convention)
The “Confidence Coach” for MTV’s #1 Show, MADE, a positive goal-setting show for teens
Recognized Expert in Educational Best Practices

Julie was recently featured on NBC’s Today Show as a positive role model and national speaker on positive choices for teens?
*Julie’s personal success story is featured in the new book Success Principles for Teens and Chicken Soup for the Extraordinary Teen Soul by Jack Canfield (Co-creator of the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series)?
*Julie won the title of Miss Virginia USA 2002 (and Miss Congeniality) to further her reach to help girls as a national speaker and mentor?
*Julie is a recognized expert in educational best practices and was hired at age 23 as a Senior Management Consultant for the Pentagon where she designed and taught leading-edge communication and leadership workshops for top executives for four years?
*Julie is consistently one of the highest rated speakers at girls’ events and conferences and educator/youth worker education events?

To find out more about Julie please visit http://juliespeaks.com/

Doug Barry

When the lease was up on my mother’s first luxury vehicle, a 1986 burger brown BMW, a car she adored even with the prospect of a sparkling white 1991 Lexus taking its parking place in the two car garage, she took my hand and led me out to the front steps of our house to watch one of the first material fruits of her professional success roll backwards out of the driveway. “Wave good-bye, Dougie.” It never impressed me that we were saying good-bye to anything other than an old object that had outlived its purpose and I could hardly believe the sentimentality she infused into every retelling of the event.

With the clarity of hindsight, I realize that she was just beginning to peak her head through the clouds of corporate management and, at this momentous juncture, was more than likely looking back on the years of hard work that opened these more lucrative doors. After a recent dinner table conversation, during which she told the story of our farewell to the old sedan with misty eyes, I asked her why she still thought so fondly of that car. She answered deliberately, as if all these years she had been telling me a fable hoping to prompt this very question. “It’s important,” she said, “When you achieve your goals and reach a destination, to remember how you got there. That car helped ferry me into a new phase of my career and it was the first you had ever ridden in.”

My mother had, by the time the BMW left, achieved a balance between professional and personal life which I have always wished for in my own endeavors. She was there for us on every snow day (even though the new Lexus was 4-wheel drive) and shaved a few hours off of weekdays to see how a school project turned out. Work was always taken seriously, but when it was over, she was all ours. Though she enjoys the perks of a robust career, she was never eager to shed the worn-in clothes of her former positions and jump into the sleek new styles without first pausing in front of the mirror for one last look to acknowledge the places she had come from and the determination it took to move herself forward.

The Women’s Executive Leadership Summit equips women leaders with strategies and skills to drive change, improve business success and create sustainable results. Award-winning diversity programs are also explored. By providing women with essential networking opportunities and encouraging the sharing of best practices across industries, this Summit helps to further empower women to seek leadership positions and mobilize change within their organizations and the world

Elaine Turner

Click here to shop Elaine Turner

Elaine Turner, a former apparel designer and merchandiser, put her industry experience, love of accessories and passion for all things stylish to work on her first-ever handbag collection.  Elaine’s impressive fashion pedigree, coupled with a keen interest in textiles and timeless style, led to the creation of a unique, conceptually-driven debut collection that instantly stood apart from the rest.  Her collection is inspired by a destination aesthetic that integrates bold color and prints. This combination creates a fun, yet glamorous style that appeals to women of all ages.  Elaine also perceived a void in the market for luxurious accessories at an accessible price point. Ultimately, this discovery encouraged her to launch her own business in 2000.