Hi,

January 25, 2012 By 2 Comments

 The Unleashed Homemakertm

create your own happily ever after…

Does the question “Now What?” echo as a vague whisper or a loud demand?  Have you spent your whole life taking care of others and now look up to discover your family has grown up, your marital status has changed, or you are experiencing health problems? Perhaps your children have grown, or your job has been reorganized.

Do you feel

  • invisible?

  • disconnected?

  • voiceless?

I know how you feel and I founded The Unleashed Homemakertm to help you along the journey from the woman you no longer recognize to the woman you want to become.

One of the goals I am no longer putting off is writing my book. I am the author of The Secret Artist, give yourself permission to let your creativity shine ! Tapping into our creativity has amazing power and I look forward to introducing you to so many fun things we can do to get in touch with our creativity.

I also realize the name homemaker brings up all sorts of thoughts and I’ll let you in a little secret – we are all  homemakers whether we create a home environment for a family unit, or practice self-care to nurture our bodies which is the “home” we all dwell in.

I have had two breast cancer diagnosis,  I am passionate about encouraging everyone not to wait until they have a health crisis to UNLEASH and take care of themselves.

You too can  create your own happily ever after. 


Filed Under: communications, copywriting, General, Memoir, nonfiction writing, Personal, Productivity, Speaking, story, Workshop, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , ,

I know it’s summer when…

June 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Friday five-minute writing prompt – I know it’s summer when…

Take out a fresh sheet of paper. Natalie Goldberg uses a “fast-writing” pen. I suggest using your favorite writing instrument and an unlined piece of colored paper for fun. I use a fountain pen with purple ink. Some folks opt to use their computer. If that is your preferred method to write, then just open a new word document on your computer and go for it. The point is to keep your fingers moving for five minutes and not stop. I want you to experience how much writing can be accomplished in a short period of time.

If you get stuck, just repeat the writing prompt – I know it’s summer when...or any other phrase that is comfortable for you. Do not stop to edit, correct spelling, look up a better word, or rearrange a sentence. Do not question what comes up in the five minutes: this doesn’t make sense, where did that come from, or what a crazy notion. This is a timed writing exercise so be sure to set the timer on your watch, phone, microwave, computer, or kitchen stove. Whether you use an egg timer, a No. 2 pencil and spiral notebook, your iPad, or even your iPhone, the theory is the same. Keep your hand and/or fingers moving and have fun taking dictation from your unconscious self. Make a list, write a poem, or create a short, short story. This is your time to explore and experiment. Now enjoy the process!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Break Through, Break Out and Break Away

May 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Once upon a time, life was simple and solutions achieved in 22-minute intervals of your favorite sit-com.  Despite what the fairy tales, ad agencies and the media in general depict, happiness doesn’t appear by magic, according to a recent Mayo Clinic paper on stress management. It’s not even something that happens to you. However, it is something you can cultivate.

Are you ready to change the channel broadcasting in your head to a new way of thinking to overcome your challenges, achieve your goals and become the authentic woman you were meant to be?

Here are three suggestions to help you break through, break out, or break away from the story you are telling yourself, tap into your creativity and craft your own happily ever after…

  1. Break Through

  2.  Break through the noise in your head with information you want to hear – record your own voice reading inspirational messages of positive affirmations on your phone or recorder giving yourself permission to UNLEASH. Play it while you are brushing your teeth in the morning, making your morning tea/coffee, in the car on your way to work, while walking the dog, while waiting for the car pool, and before you go to bed. Some would even suggest playing it while you sleep. Try them all to see what works best for you.

 

Break Out 

of your routine. Shake things up by choosing to do things differently. Do you feel you have to stick with things the way they’ve always been done? Can you work from home occasionally? Is flextime an option for you? Summer means summer activities:  camp, special classes, and new learning experiences – not just for the kids. Give yourself permission to sign up for a class to sample an interesting subject during the summer session just because you want to learn too! How is that exercise routine coming? Now may be a good time to try a new class, hire a trainer to give you an added boost, move the location of your workout to another part of the gym, or take it outside now that warmer weather is here.

 

Break Away

  1.  from the world and indulge in listening to your own thoughts. Sound impossible? Perhaps two weeks away by yourself is a luxury you only fantasize about, but 15-minutes sitting with a cup of your favorite brew while you watch a hummingbird, or stare at cloud formations is something everyone can do. Let your mind wander where it will without judgment, or direction. Of course, I’d also suggest you have a notebook handy and a pen to record flashes of brilliance and insights to revisit later. Also, I’s like to plant the seed that extended time alone benefits not only you, but also everyone in your life.
Filed Under: nonfiction writing, story, Stress, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The secret I’ve never told anybody

May 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When I was in high school, we were assigned to write a research on three careers we were interested in pursuing. Looking out of the small upstairs window in this little farmhouse, I wrote about going to college to study acting, becoming a famous actress who could do comedy and drama with ease, was a darling of the London and New York stage and had conquered the silver screen along with television. I wrote about becoming an accomplished dancer who traveled the world performing for sold out crowds at every venue. I wrote about going to Junior College, becoming a secretary and working in a successful office where I juggled every office memo, office supply request and progress report with ease and efficiency.

Although neatly typed and turned in on time, I received a C+ for the project because two of my career choices were judged unrealistic . I was a shy, ordinary 15-year-old-girl in a small Midwestern farming community. How could I possibly aspire to be an actress or a dancer for that matter? I had never taken a dance lesson or showed any particular talent for the stage. In fact, Speech class just about gave me heart failure. I managed to be part of the cast of six in our Senior Class Play, The Spiral Staircase, and didn’t die before, during or after any of the five performances. And even took part in the school district Speech contest for extra credit. 

I poured over college course descriptions and delighted in reading about Theatre and English Literature majors. In the end, I settled for the safe route, getting a One Year Secretarial Certificate  from the community college. I married a very nice boy and helped him earn a college degree. 

I decided I had had enough of making safe choices and waiting for my fantasy life to become a reality. I’m an adult, I know the fantasy can become a reality. A little girl born Frances Gumm followed the yellow brick road from Minnesota to Hollywood and became the triple talented singer, dancer, actor Judy Garland. 

I quit my secretarial job and became a college freshman at the University of Minnesota a week before my 30th birthday.

I still wanted a family. I wanted a meaningful career, not a 9-5 job. I wanted it all. A college degree would be that first milestone just for me. I would have new career options because I’d discovered a passion for writing and would do whatever was necessary to achieve that goal. I no longer was that shy, insecure country girl. I was a young woman eager for new challenges and ready to tackle what life had in store as long as it came in small doses.

Now that I’ve rambled on and you’ve been so patient with me here is the secret I’ve never told anybody:  

I’m feel most alive and at home with myself when I am sharing my story on stage!

 I changed my story and discovered my path.

YOU can too.

 

Filed Under: communications, General, Memoir, nonfiction writing, Personal, Speaking, story, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Summer magic

May 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I’t official…Memorial Day was yesterday. Are you anticipating summer magic?

You know what I mean…long lazy days at the beach, exploring new experiences at the local county fair, annual music festival, or the local farmer’s market.

What about organizing your own summer camp?

Create summer magic for yourself by scheduling enjoying summer adventures throughout the summer. Check your local newspaper calendar of events. Take a picnic to the park and catch a performance…your favorite music in concert, Shakespeare-in-the-Park, go to your city’s Chamber of Commerce calendar to see what’s coming up. Does your local college have a summer program? Summer school and community education classes often have special short-term offerings to give you a taste of the curriculum.

Summer is a great time to give yourself permission to explore those subjects that intrigue you. Watch what can happen when you take time to work some magic in pursuit of your dreams. Pause to play with a new way of being.

Filed Under: Coaxing Creativity Tues Tip, General, nonfiction writing, story, Stress Tagged With: , , , , ,

Decoration Day

May 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 Today is a day of remembrance. We remember the legacy of those who have gone before. A day to appreciate being able to live your life – to live your legacy. Because it is a national holiday, many of you are probably busy with what we usually do when we have a day off – playing catch up. Perhaps it was a chance to do a little spring-cleaning. Maybe you went out and took advantage of a great sale. Or, you had a BBQ in the back yard with family and friends.

Decoration Day, that’s what I heard it called when I was growing up, and still hear it referred to as that. I didn’t know the official name for the day was Memorial Day. It made more sense to call it Decoration Day because that was what we did. We went to the cemetery and decorated the gravesites of our loved ones. My mother bought geraniums in pots, or bouquets of lilacs in mason jars to put beside the gravestones of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and my older brother’s tiny angel stone, who will forever remain an infant.

Every Decoration Day, my father and his fellow armed forces representatives of the American Legion Color Guard marched in uniform and in formation into the cemetery. After a prayer from the priest and Taps were played, they fired a 21-gun salute.

 I’d like to offer a prayer for to all those brave men and women remembered with ceremonies and salutes, and especially for those who go uncelebrated. Everyday heroes like my father, George H. Prescott, who left their farms to serve in WWII. He was part of the 4th Cavalry Division. You can see from his picture that the “horse” he rode had horsepower, but no hooves. He was ruggedly handsome reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart’s good looks. He seldom talked about his Army life, settled back into small town life, raising a family.

That was his legacy. Seeing how he lived his life for his country, his family, the land, I experienced his legacy first-hand. I am blessed to have been a part of it. I’m living my legacy through my writing, loving my family and sharing my story.

 

How do you live your legacy?

 

 

Filed Under: communications, General, Memoir, nonfiction writing, Personal, story, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

For me, Memorial Day means…

May 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Write a response to the phrase “For me, Memorial Day means…”  Friday 5-minute writing prompt.

Take out a fresh sheet of paper. Natalie Goldberg uses a “fast-writing” pen. I suggest using your favorite writing instrument and an unlined piece of colored paper for fun. I use a fountain pen with purple ink. Some folks opt to use their computer. If that is your preferred method to write, then just open a new word document on your computer and go for it. The point is to keep your fingers moving for five minutes and not stop. I want you to experience how much writing can be accomplished in a short period of time.
If you get stuck, just repeat the writing prompt – “For me, Memorial Day means…” or any other phrase that is comfortable for you. Do not stop to edit, correct spelling, look up a better word, or rearrange a sentence. Do not question what comes up in the five minutes: this doesn’t make sense, where did that come from, or what a crazy notion. This is a timed writing exercise so be sure to set the timer on your watch, phone, microwave, computer, or kitchen stove. Whether you use an egg timer, a No. 2 pencil and spiral notebook, your iPad, or even your iPhone, the theory is the same. Keep your hand and/or fingers moving and have fun taking dictation from your unconscious self. Make a list, write a poem, or create a short, short story. This is your time to explore and experiment.

Filed Under: Five Minute Writing Prompt, General, Memoir, nonfiction writing, Personal, story, Writing, Writing prompt, Writing Wisdoms from Your Writing Mentor Tagged With: , , , ,

Quick question for you…

May 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Quick question for you…

Which of these describes your usual morning routine?

1. Did the morning begin with a gradual awareness because your internal alarm clock started you stirring minutes before the mechanical (or human) alarm signaled it was time to get up?

2. Did you hear the alarm, immediately hit the snooze button – once, twice, perhaps three times – while covering your head with the pillow?

3. Or, did you awake refreshed, stretched leisurely, spent a few minutes visualizing the day’s activities, then jump out of bed eager to start your day?

I know all of those mornings.

On the days when I am well rested, I have no trouble moving from my cozy nest of warm covers to the daily routine of my writing ritual of tea, journal, inspirational reading and meditation before I shower and check in at the “office,” AKA – turning on my computer.

The days when I have not had enough sleep, I hit the snooze at least once, tell myself it doesn’t matter if I write in my journal every day, and who would notice if I answered those e-mails today or tomorrow?

Does that sound familiar?
Yes, I know you are nodding your head in agreement.
What can be done about this dilemma?

Anxious thoughts make sleep difficult and cause you to wake up during the night. A racing mind fueled by anxiety is not easily turned off.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Disorders, 65% of Americans lose sleep due to stress

The stories we tell ourselves do matter.
 
YOU can do something about the stress in your life.
Change your story and you’ll change your life. By story, I mean the chatter in your head. The rationalization, the reasons, or the blah, blah, blah (you fill in the appropriate “the dog ate my homework” phrase).
I’ve changed my story many times.
  • Coping with my two breast cancer experiences and sharing my strategies with you.
  • Overcoming the challenges of uprooting our family and moving across the country – twice – because of my husband’s new jobs. Learning how strong and resilliant I am – and helping you realize that YOU ARE TOO.
  • Discovering the power of tapping into my creativity and how it has made a difference in my healing process and passing those tips along to you.

I know it is next to impossible to eliminate all stress in your life. However, here are a few suggestions to help you at least get quality time with your pillow:

1. Put away your “to do” list and give yourself permission to go to bed.

2. Go to bed by 9 p.m. at least once a week with the intention of doing a relaxing activity (no channel surfing, or video games): reading for fun, knitting, working a jig saw puzzle.

3. Create a sleep ritual. An evening routine before bed (bubble bath, meditation, inspirational reading) signals your body to settle down for the night.

4. Keep regular hours. Going to bed around the same time each night and waking up close to the same time each morning (and that even includes weekends) keeps your biological clock in check.

5. Sleep in a cool, quiet, dark room and invest in not only a supportive mattress, but also comfy sheets, blankets and pillows.

6. Regular exercise can help relieve daily tension and stress, but experiment to see if gentle exercise before bed relaxes or stimulates you. Some people love to have their work out in the evening, others need to do it in the morning to get their day kick started.

I have done both Pilates and Yoga in the early evening and found them to be wonderful preludes to a good night’s sleep.

7. Before you go to bed, create a routine to put the day behind you and prepare for the next. Pick up an inexpensive notebook, or journal and each evening write 5 things that you are grateful for that happened to you during the day. Below your gratitude list, write a sentence or two about something you are looking forward to tomorrow. Set the scene for the next day and go to sleep with positive, up-beat thoughts.

Anyone who knows me, will not be surprised to hear me admit that a bubble bath and journal writing is part of my evening ritual. I have kept a Gratitude Journal since reading about it in Sarah Ban Breathnach’s SIMPLE ABUNDANCE almost 20 years ago. I marvel at all the many blessings in my life on a daily basis with this small, but powerful, exercise.

The stories we tell ourselves matter; they matter a great deal.

 

Unleash,

Mary

author and speaker

founder of The Unleashed Homemakertm
 
P. S. Change your story and you’ll change your life. Let me know how your story changes when you implement a suggestion you read here.
 
Unleash Your Creative Brilliance today - Go to my online calendar to set up your complimentary 30-minute strategy session appointment.
Filed Under: communications, story, Stress, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Enjoy the view

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

May is National Photo Month. Do you enjoy going to new places and photographing the exotic locations? Of course, you document your vacations, graduations, weddings, births and monumental moments in your life. But there are lots of “ordinary” moments you are not recording.

What about taking a tour of your neighborhood and taking a closer look at your own exotic location. Walk slowly and purposefully. Take in all the sights and situations you miss in your determined mission to get from Point A to Point B without ever enjoying  the journey. 

Looking at the world through a view finder can give you a whole new perspective on what surrounds you. Take along a notebook with your camera and jot down your thoughts about the scenes you observe. What are people doing? What do the sunshine and shadows tell you? What are the stories? 

Do you feel invisible behind the camera? 

Do you feel more power from that location?

Are you more approachable with a camera?

Are you more likely to approach someone else and initiate a conversation when you have a prop – such as the camera?

Perhaps your home offers opportunities to produce unique photos of your objects d’art. Pretend you are an explorer or a scientists and come upon this habitat, scene of domesticity, or work environment and wonder about the person/s who inhabit this place. 

What can you learn about the things they love?

What can you learn about the person they are striving to become?

What can you learn about the person they are right now this very minute?

Filed Under: Coaxing Creativity Tues Tip, nonfiction writing, Personal, Writing Tagged With: , , , , ,

In my wildest dreams…

May 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Friday five-minute writing prompt - In my wildest dreams…Last night, last week, last year, or something you’ve only fantasized about.

Take out a fresh sheet of paper. Natalie Goldberg uses a “fast-writing” pen. I suggest using your favorite writing instrument and an unlined piece of colored paper for fun. I use a fountain pen with purple ink. Some folks opt to use their computer. If that is your preferred method to write, then just open a new word document on your computer and go for it. The point is to keep your fingers moving for five minutes and not stop. I want you to experience how much writing can be accomplished in a short period of time.

If you get stuck, just repeat the writing prompt – In my wildest dreams…

 or any other phrase that is comfortable for you. Do not stop to edit, correct spelling, look up a better word, or rearrange a sentence. Do not question what comes up in the five minutes:  this doesn’t make sense, where did that come from, or what a crazy notion. This is a timed writing exercise so be sure to set the timer on your watch, phone, microwave, computer, or kitchen stove. Whether you use an egg timer, a No. 2 pencil and spiral notebook, your iPad, or even your iPhone, the theory is the same. Keep your hand and/or fingers moving and have fun taking dictation from your unconscious self. Make a list, write a poem, or create a short, short story. This is your time to explore and experiment.

 

Filed Under: Creativity, General, nonfiction writing, story, Stress, Writing Tagged With: , , , ,

Still breathing

May 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed you literally could not breathe?

Times like that where it is fight or flight, which do you do?

Do you dig your heals in and say bring it on…

Or, do you swallow your tears, resign yourself to having no options and go numb?

I know what that feels like. 

I know what both sides feel like. 

I was rear-ended in a car accident and experienced one long headache for almost a year and a half after the  accident. Yes, the incident was a pain, but that’s not the ache I’m referring to. I literally had a headache that never went away no matter how many Advil I took or long baths I soaked in. I received some relief from neck massage and finally made the connection that my headaches were from the fact I was still reliving the impact of the car accident every day. I was holding my breath and tensing up my shoulders as my bumper crumpled in and accordion fold into the trunk of my car.

When I made the connection of the pain in my head and the story I kept reliving, I was able to seek a way to find a solution to my headaches.

I was not responsible for the accident. But I am responsible for changing the story I am living so that I can move past what caused the pain in the first place.

You can too.

Breathe!

Sound too simple? Perhaps, but give it at try. Stop what you are doing and fill your lungs. Now breathe out slowly. Do that for five more breaths. What do you feel? Maybe not a significant difference. Maybe you will even say nothing’s different.

It works for a lot of people not just me; I’m not the first person with this little bit of simple wisdom.

Fight or flight is a choice we face every day in a hundred different ways. Tapping into my creativity, writing in my journal, seeking simple stress management techniques (soaking in a bubble bath, getting a massage, attending a Yoga class) to I manage my survival instincts.

I’m still breathing.

How do you keep breathing?

 


Filed Under: copywriting, General, nonfiction writing, story, Stress, Writing Tagged With: , , , , ,
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