Article by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits

Stress is a major problem for many people — a hectic, stressful job, a chaotic home life, bills to worry about, and bad habits such as unhealthy eating, drinking and smoking can lead to a mountain of stress.

If your life is full of stress, like mine once was, there are some simple things you can do to get your life to a more manageable level.

Now, your life will probably never be stress-free — I don’t think that’s even desirable, even if it is possible, because stress is something that challenges us and helps us grow.  At a reasonable level.  But when stress gets too high, it causes us to be unhappy and unhealthy.

It wasn’t that long ago when I was working long hours in a very stressful job, with little time for my family, smoking and eating fatty foods and not exercising.  I had a lot of debt and too many bills.  I was unhappy and stressed out all the time.  I was losing hair … OK, actually that was because of genetics, but still.  I was pretty stressed.

So I made some drastic changes.  I quit my job.  I simplified my life.  I quit smoking and started exercising and eating healthier.  I began to eliminate my debt.  And I learned some habits that, when applied on a daily basis, can really transform the way you live, in a positive way.

How did I do all of this?  One thing at a time.  I didn’t do a major rehaul of my life.  I changed one habit a month, and gradually over the course of a year or two changed a lot of things in my life.  I won’t guarantee that all of these will work for you.  They worked for me, but each person is different. Pick and choose the ones that will work best for you, and give them a try. One at a time. Read More »

Second in a Series of Article on Goal Setting
By Make The Days Count Contributor Philip Wood

The first step toward effective goal setting in any area of life is deciding what you want. 

Although this statement may sound simplistic, it is helpful to recognize that every decision we make is naturally followed by one or more commitments.  Certainly trivial decisions require less substantial commitments than monumental, life altering choices.  But they require commitments none the less.

As this applies to goal setting … larger wants require larger commitments.  With this in mind, I personally find it helpful if I ensure that any goal I decide upon is cost effective, genuinely personal, and clearly defined. Read More »

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Judy Mosley

A new year is racing toward us.  Already, the hopes and dreams of New Years are rising within us.  Often we label these as resolutions, decisions that this year, we will accomplish the things we have wanted to do for so long.  Lose weight.  Quit smoking.  Make the bed every day.  This is the year that our lives will be better.

But there is something all of us must do before we step into a new future.  We must let go of the past.  

The joys, pains, heartaches, and the triumphs must all be relinquished before we can expect to enter the future with open hands and open hearts.

Many people refuse to let go of the past because they believe the good days are over.  Whatever joy they had, for a certain period in their lives, is impossible to have now.  And they even refuse any good that might come to them because it’s different from what they experienced in the past.

Others cannot let go because their past was so excruciating.  Instead of moving through the pain and allowing healing to come into their hearts, they allow the pain they feel to make all the decisions about their life.  They can’t imagine that life could be different and so they cling to the walls that they have built for themselves, even if those walls are no longer necessary.

Letting go of the past is never easy.  It’s more like a journey to be taken rather than a flat-out yes or no decision.  Even so, there are some beginning steps that we can take that will help to ensure our success on this journey: Read More »

Article and Photograph by Make The Days Count Contributor Ann Wilkinson

We often joke that our kids are born to us without an instruction manual.  Although we have nine months before they are born to be alternatively elated and terrified, we usually know when they are born that we will love them forever and no matter what the future brings.

When your child does something that doesn’t meet your expectations, do you dwell on it for a long time?  Do you constantly go over and over this piece of bad behavior?  Most of us may be disappointed for a brief period, but as time goes on, we naturally start to forget their transgression (sometimes only to be surprised once more when it’s repeated).  But we love our children unconditionally, and we never lose sight of that with them.  We see them on their journey towards adulthood, and we are their guardian for that time, never letting site of that goal and loving them no matter what. Read More »

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Tamara Belinc

Parents all over the world will light candles December 14^th at 7:00 p.m., in honor and remembrance of their children who have died in an annual candle-lighting ceremony sponsored by the Compassionate Friends organization.

The Compassionate Friends organization strives to help families move toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child at any age and to provide information to help others be supportive.  The support group was organized over 40 years ago in England when a chaplain at a hospital brought together two sets of grieving parents, realizing they could support each other better than anyone else could.

The Society of the Compassionate Friends was born. The organization came to the United States in 1978.  Today, Compassionate Friends is made up of over 600 chapters in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Patricia Loder is the executive director of the Compassionate Friends organization of the United States.  Her children were killed in a car accident in 1991, and a few months later, she found a chapter of The Compassionate Friends to attend.  Later, she established a chapter of Compassionate Friends near her home. Her husband serves as the public awareness coordinator.

Members of Compassionate Friends are dedicated to bringing hope back to parents who may think life is over once their child is gone.  The organization doesn’t discriminate based on when a child was lost and includes parents whose children were stillborn, died as young children and teenagers or as adults.

The candle-lighting is traditionally held the second Sunday in December at 7:00 p.m., local time. Candles stay lighted for one hour in each time zone creating a virtual 24-hour wave of light. It is believed to be the largest mass candle-lighting ceremony in the world and has hundreds of thousands of participants.  For anyone who cannot attend one of the formal candle-lighting ceremonies, you are invited to hold an informal one in their home.

To find a ceremony near you, visit the Compassionate Friends website.