Welcome back!

Many of us treat September as a time of new beginnings. We return to our regular routines after enjoying the carefree days of our splendid summer. We get back on track!

Personally I like the idea of a new school year because it’s about learning new things and thinking about things differently. I recommend that you take a moment to open your mind, reflect and strategize about what you want to create in your life before you get caught up in the finer details of your fall activities.

A great place to start is to consider: ‘What Do I Really Want?’

At this time of the year it is easy to get overwhelmed by the things you feel that you simply ‘have to do’ and feel you ‘should do’. Often I will hear such phrases as: “We have always done this activity so we have to do it again”, “My children have to be in all of these extracurricular programs to keep up with the other children”, “My family wants it that way so I have to do it that way” or even “I am worried about ‘Saying No’”. From these perspectives you tend to lose your motivation and passion. From this place it is very difficult to grow and enrich your life.

Your life has been created by a whole series of your choices. To make the most effective choices it is important to assess if you are honouring your true values. The link between values and fulfillment is so obvious that it is sometimes overlooked. By tapping into and clarifying your values, you create guideposts that will guide you through the decision paths of your life. Challenging decisions become clearer when we ask ourselves value based questions like: “Will this decision honour my values?” and “What values will I be honouring by choosing option A? Or option B?”

You will know when you are honouring one of your values when you feel a sense of resonance, lightness and rightness about what you are doing and deciding. When a value is not being honoured, you will feel an internal tension or dissonance.

For example, as you are creating your Fall activities, if you value:

• Family time and connection - Are you creating a schedule that allows for your family unit to be together and uninterrupted?
• Humour - Are you open to seeing the lighter side of situations? Do you access humour as a way to relieve your stress and create connection with others?
• Creativity - Are you allowing free time in your schedule to be creative about what activities you will do that day or what you can create?
• Health and well-being - Are you working into your schedule time to make healthy meals, exercise, and re-juvenate?

Keep in mind that when you ‘Say No’ to something or someone, you are actually ‘Saying Yes’ to yourself and the life you want to create.



What do you really want to ‘Say Yes’ to in your life?
Check out some of my Top Life Balance Tips for busy parents in Today’s Parent.

Life Clubs provides the structure, strategies, and most importantly the support to help you to gain clarity about yourself and your life!

One great way to gain clarity about what is important to you and living your best life is to take part in our Life Clubs Offerings. We can really help you.

Mark your calendars for the:

Life Clubs Canada Launch Event – Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 6:30 pm
Life Clubs Workshop Series – Starting the week of Sept 27, 2010 - at all of our Life Clubs locations

Here are the exciting details:

Life Clubs Canada Launch Event!

Tuesday September 21, 2010 – 6:30 – 8:30 pm
The Assembly Hall
1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive
(at Kipling Ave and Lakeshore Blvd W)

* Free Event

Create the life you have always dreamed of! Life Clubs Canada’s practical and structured self-improvement workshops are designed to help you develop a clearer way of thinking. Positive changes…Define what you want from your life and how to achieve it!

• Be a part of an exciting Launch of our New Offerings
• Experience parts of a Life Club workshop
• Delicious food and beverages
• Great Raffle and useful Freebies
• A FUN Night out! and so much more…

For more information, please click here.

To RSVP, please contact me at eva-marie@lifeclubs.ca or call 416-237-1986.

I am looking forward to seeing you there!