An Instant Vacation-Relaxing at Home

Throughout our lives, most of us are led to believe that relaxation is best pursued outside of the home. As a result, we spend months anticipating week long vacations, seldom fully appreciating the leisure time we are blessed with on a more regular basis. It is possible, however, to re-experience the same utterly relaxed state you slip into while on holiday within your home’s walls. The feelings of serenity you enjoy during a vacation are a product of your outlook rather than your locale. You give yourself permission to enjoy yourself and unwind while on vacation. Granting yourself the same privilege while at home allows you to experience complete relaxation, even when surrounded by routine.

Our homes can be distracting places as most survival tasks are addressed there. Reviving the tranquility you felt on holiday is as easy as creating an atmosphere that helps you relax. First, divest yourself of the notion that messes must be cleaned up immediately and reaffirm that relaxation is as vital as physical nourishment. Then, set the mood. Music that reminds you of a beloved vacation destination can put you in a vacation mind-set. The exotic flavor of a tropical beverage or the spiciness a favorite ethnic dish can transport you to a more restful mental space. Finally, put aside your projects and commit to doing only what you consider truly pleasurable. Your responsibilities will wait as you put up your feet and revel in peacefulness that comes from within.

If you find it difficult to ignore the temptation to simply fall back into your usual schedule, consider that relaxation should occupy a prominent place on your to-do list. You deserve to take "you time" and to care for yourself, even during life’s busy periods. While you may not always be able to get away from it all, you can still nurture yourself and regain your peace of mind.

Boldly Growing Forward without Fear of the Future

Though much human fear is based on uncertainty, foreknowledge does not always ease the mind. It is often when our futures look brightest that our resolve crumbles and we veer off course. We can recognize that success is on the horizon, but we cannot discern how it will impact our lives. Because success can affect us in complex and unpredictable ways, taking us out of the status quo and pushing us into new circumstances or "out of the box" that test our limits, the mere idea of attaining the life of our dreams can shake us to the core. Fear of the future is often closely intermingled with the fear that growing into your own potential will both change you irrevocably and force you to face situations that you aren’t ready for. It is normal to unconsciously project ahead into the future and see success as a great weight bearing down on you.
When we visualize the future, we tend to focus on outcomes rather than the steps we will take to reach those conclusions. Thus, we may forget that growth is progressive. Your soul longs to fulfill its purpose—a purpose you agreed to in the timelessness in which you existed before your birth. Because of this, you nor will God set any circumstance before you that you are not capable of handling. Fear of the future can paralyze you, preventing you from living in the moment and from working toward your goals in a mindful manner. The key to conquering this fear lies in awareness. When you can identify the irrational thoughts that frighten you, you can replace them with logical, self-affirming ideas. If you are afraid that you won’t be satisfied when you accomplish a certain goal, remember that no one achievement represents an end in and of itself. And if you fear recognition or feel unworthy, consider that even now you are deserving of praise.

Should fear of the future strike you as you strive to create, to excel, to grow, and to evolve, assert your courage. Assume that your fear is based on a false assumption and quell it with facts. Try to disregard past patterns and focus on the present by being still and listen the inner voice of God. Allow yourself that the inevitability of your success is based not on luck but on your already established talents, drive, imagination, and inner strength which God has given you. Each time you overcome your fear of the future, you chip away at its very foundations. Eventually, you will clear a gap through which you can gaze upon the future with unhindered optimism and spirit.

The Ripple Effect

In a world of six billion people, it’s easy to believe that the only way to initiate profound transformation is to take extreme action. Each of us, however, carries within us the capacity to change the world in small ways for better or worse. Everything we do and think affects the people in our lives, and their reactions in turn affect others. As the effect of a seemingly insignificant word passes from person to person, its impact grows and can become a source of great joy, inspiration, anxiety, or pain. Your thoughts and actions are like stones dropped into still waters, causing ripples to spread and expand as they move outward. The impact you have on the world is greater than you could ever imagine, and the choices you make can have far-reaching consequences. You can use the ripple effect to make a positive difference and spread waves of kindness that will wash over the world.

Should the opportunity arise, the recipient of a good deed will likely feel compelled to do a good deed for someone else. Someone feeling the effects of negative energy will be more likely to pass on that negative energy. One act of charity, one thoughtful deed, or even one positive thought can pass from individual to individual, snowballing until it becomes a group movement or the ray of hope that saves someone’s life. Every transformation, just like every ripple, has a point of origin. You must believe in your ability to be that point of origin if you want to use the ripples you create to spread goodness. Consider the effect of your thoughts and actions, and try to act graciously as much as possible.
A smile directed at a stranger, a compliment given to a friend, an attitude of laughter, or a thoughtful gesture can send ripples that spread among your loved ones and associates, out into your community, and finally throughout the world. You have the power to touch the lives of everyone you come into contact with and everyone those people come into contact with. The momentum of your influence will grow as your ripples moves onward and outward. One of those ripples could become a tidal wave of love and kindness

The Negative Effects of Spoiling Children

Parents are moved by instinct to love, nurture, and provide for their offspring. Because our children are so much a part of us, we want to see them blissfully happy. Also, our own desire to be liked, materialist pressures, and a fervent wish that our children have everything we lacked as youngsters can prompt us to spoil them. However, while it might seem that buying your child expensive gifts will give them fond memories of childhood or that you can heal your emotional wounds by doting on your sons and daughters, you may be unconsciously interfering with your children’s evolutional development. One of the most precious gifts you can grant your children is the true independence they gain when they learn to earn what they covet and become stewards of their own happiness. Try allowing your children to experience life to the fullest. Let them work and earn what they want. When the time comes for them to go to college and enter the workforce, you will have the confidence that you have raised a child that can both enter and contribute to society confidently.

When children are not afforded the opportunity to explore self-reliance, to understand that with possession comes price, and to fulfill their own needs, they develop a sense of entitlement that blinds them to the necessity of hard work and the needs of others. We may spoil children because giving them gifts is pleasurable. Or we may want to avoid conflict out of fear that our children won’t love us. Yet children who are given acceptance, love, and affection in abundance are often kinder, more charitable, and more responsible than those whose parents accede to their every material demand. They develop a strong sense of self that stretches beyond possessions and the approval of their peers, and as adults they understand that each individual is responsible for building the life they desire. If you find yourself giving in to your child’s every whim, ask yourself why. You may discover that you are trying to answer for what you feel is lacking in your own life.

Rearing your children to respect the value of money,self-sufficiency and moral values as they grow from infants to young adults is a challenging but rewarding process. It can be difficult to watch a child struggle to meet a personal goal yet wonderful to be by their side as they achieve it. Your choice not to spoil your children will bless you with more opportunities to show them understanding and compassion and to be fully present with them as they journey toward adulthood.

Balancing Self with Family Life

Many of us have a hard time balancing taking care of ourselves with taking care of our family responsibilities. For people with young children, this can be especially challenging, but even people without children have obligations to care for extended family, partners, pets, and the home in which they live. It’s easy to lose track of our own needs as we give ourselves to the people, pets, and places we love. However, it is essential to their well-being that we take care of ourselves, filling our own wells with water so that we have something to offer when we return home each day.

It is easy to get caught up in the demands of home life because they never stop. There is always one more thing you can do, another dish in the sink, a counter that needs wiping, or a person who needs a ride somewhere. If you don’t set some boundaries, you will find yourself on an endless journey of housework and doing for others. Eventually, you will probably feel drained and out of touch with your inner life force. Instead of waiting for this to happen, integrate self-care into your daily schedule. There are times when even that will not be possible—for example, with a new baby or a sick relative. At times like this, retreating inward energetically can be a lifesaver. You can always find five minutes to close your eyes and breathe consciously. You may even be able to meditate.

Most of the time, though, it is possible to set aside a full hour for yourself each day. In addition, scheduling a longer interval of time, perhaps on a weekly basis, can really help to restore your energy. Get a massage or go to a movie or out with a friend. Taking time to experience the world outside of your home makes returning home all the more wonderful. In the same way, taking care of yourself is a natural complement to taking care of your home and family.

Toy Blow Pipes

Did you know that using a BLOW PIPE each day will be helpful for developing and improving your eye tracking, using both eyes together, and smoothly shifting your eyes to gaze near and far? It also stimulates muscles of the lips, tongue, develops breath control, and may reduce your sensitivity to sound.



Instructions on how to do it:

Place pipe in center of mouth and blow gently and steadily

Keep your eyes open, and focus or watch the ball hover

Practice for 1-2 minutes each day

Sometimes it's fun to have someone count how long you are hovering the ball

By doing the activity on a daily basis will help to enhance your sensory systems!

"Strategies for Success' Weekly Ideas

Each week I will give you an easy to do "strategy for success". These are sensory based, and will help individuals of all ages. Hope you Enjoy!

Sarah

Strategy for Success #1:“I can do it”!...are common words a person hears as a child with typically developing skills works on dressing.

What if dressing skills are delayed? It is important to identify why those delays happen.
Sensory sensitivity may present and the child’s system may not be able to tolerate input, especially when sensitive areas are involved, like when washing their face, brushing their teeth or hair. Vibration may help these kids.
Some kids seemingly can’t dress in than an hour…EEK! Often, the issue is difficulty focusing, and music for concentration helps. Sometimes the issue is organization and sequencing, and metronomes or drum music may help.
Muscle can have poor endurance, and the hand can have poor touch discrimination, making it difficult to use fasteners. Wake-up hands by clapping and rubbing fingers. Then try for fun by dressing dolls, putting on costumes with fasteners, or playing with toys that work on dressing skills.

An afternoon without electronics(except a camera)

Last Monday, my husband David, and I had a chance to have a little time together without children or work responsibilities. The day was a sparkling winter day, sunshine, and with no wind blowing (that doesn't happen too often during the winter in Michigan).

We enjoyed going to the Fredrick Meijer Gardens, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The gardens were quiet, with not a lot of people around, and may of the exhibits were closed due to construction or changing of displays. That didn't bother us a bit.

David and I took our digital camera in with us. We had a great time taking pictures of each of other posing in front of palm trees, cactus, statues, and in the snow. We even had a person come up and ask us if she could take a picture of us together. I believed that she could feel the fun we were having.

The calmness,quite and beauty of the day helped us to appreciate God's nature. It was great to not answer phones, check the email, work on computers, or other things that distract us from the feeling of peace.

Introducing...SARAH

Hi I’m Sarah, the Manager and the Registered Occupational Therapist here at The Hammock LLC.

Just a little history about me…I fell into the career of OT by accident, I was thinking of pursuing a career as a doctor or nurse, but someone told me a little about OT. I decided that sounded like fun. So here I am with over twenty years of OT experience, which is the coolest job around and still having lots of fun. I have worked many places, enjoyed each one, and have always come out with unique experiences that enrich my OT skills.
I Obtained my degree through Eastern Michigan University with much determination and motivation; as it took me 6 hours on a daily basis to get to the university and back home to Lowell, Michigan on a good day. Plus I needed to study and complete homework, and as well, taking care of family and household duties on top of driving and attending classes.
I have had extensive training outside which include conferences, workshops, and certification trainings, and will continue expand my expertise by participating in the latest and most update education to insure the best of quality.
Some of my credentials and specialties are: Registered Occupational Therapist, Certified Occupational therapy assistant, Certified Basic life support instructor for CPR, First Aid and AED training, Certified HANDLE Screener, Certified yoga instructor, and I am continuing further training in Myofacial release therapy.
So much for the boring stuff, let me tell you the fun stuff about my family and I. First of all, I love to be barefoot and stick my feet in the sand. I also love to be outdoors when the weather is good, but also enjoy life’s little perks like pedicures, massages, and chocolate.
I have a great husband, who is a pilot and rides motorcycles. He also can fix ANYTHING. We enjoy challenging each other to explore new and exciting adventures together like dancing, going flying out to dinner, riding motorcycles; and to be the best that we could be in all that we do.
I totally enjoy both of my 2 teenage children watching them grow, explore, learn and love and even with all the teenage emotions get rolling. I still get hugs and kisses each night from these kids that have managed to fill my heart with joy. What a blessing it is to have such a great family!
We have 2 large dogs, one should have been a rug by the fireplace, and the other one seems to have a thing with carrying my shoes around the house.
When I am stressed or need some down time, I like to exercise, yoga, play racquetball, or even kayak; otherwise I will paint walls, pictures, murals, anything I can get my hands on.
Life is like a book: you know the beginning and the ending, but what is fun is that you get to write what is in-between. I enjoy and celebrate individuality, life experiences, and all that God has given me.