You may not be aware of the severity of the negative dialogue currently within your mind. However, once you begin with positive self-talk, you will suddenly realize that you are self-sabotaging the goals you set for yourself from the minute that you make them. This process can make you aware of exactly how much that inner conversation has been interfering with your life. You’ll start believing that you can now set goals and surpass them.

Through positive self-talk you will be able easily set long and short-term goals for yourself. And when you use affirmations, you’ll have those tools accessible to help you push yourself further than ever before. Learning to quiet negativity and re-program your mind with positive thoughts is a great move toward setting and attaining future goals with ease.

If you have ever experienced either situation, you need to change the way you respond to your inner dialogue. Instead of obeying your negative commands, you can use positive self-talk to counter the negativity and overcome nearly all anxious thoughts.

Are you initially filled with excitement when you first set goals for yourself? Are these thoughts then followed by self-doubt and self-defeating thoughts that stop you in your tracks before you even get started?

It can be difficult to make the most of your life when you are constantly talking yourself out of being a success. It can be frustrating and discouraging to have these thoughts constantly plaguing you. Many of us, in fact, don’t even realize we have them! All we know is that we don’t have the confidence to stick to our plans and reach our goals.

But there’s another way!

Positive self-talk is an effective way to set goals and ensure that you stick to them, even if you have never been able to do this before. The way this works is that you decide what goal is important to you, and then you plan the logistics of how you are going to attain this goal. When self-doubt starts kicking in, you will respond with affirmations that prove your success without surrendering to the negative pressure. Since you’re reading this article, it’s clear that you’re no quitter and you’re certainly not a failure, so start believing in yourself!

It is with much excitement that I kick off our new 5 for Friday series with this all-important installment.

5 ways you too can make some Mom-ME time for yourself.

1. Don’t over-commit. There is nothing wrong with putting yourself first on occasion. You can’t help everyone no matter how hard you try. You need time for yourself. Don’t make excuses for it or rationalize it, just say “No, sorry I can’t”.
2. Create a relaxation readybag. This could be a totebag with a book, your knitting, your ipod or headphones in it. Whatever will work at a moment’s notice, to help you relax when that unexpected “free time” arises.
3. Lock the door behind you. In the bedroom, or the bathroom, even if it’s to grab 3 minutes (okay 30 seconds) of privacy. Think about it though, that may be your only line of defense, but it could also be your last. (This works better with slightly older kids who have an understanding of privacy)
4. Delegate. If the kids are in the backyard, or in my case, the basement with Dad, make sure he knows he’s in charge, and you disappear. Older children can watch over younger ones for 15 minutes while you do whatever you do for your Mom-ME time.
5. Schedule your ME time. Look at the week ahead, and pencil in a time slot for yourself. Seeing it listed in your planner will help you remember to make that time, just like you would for anything else written in there ie. doctor appointment, child’s playdate.

You can find the time if you look for it, but then you have to take it, and make it your ME time. Give yourself permission to relax. Go on, you deserve it!

Moms! I’d love to hear some of the things you do to make your ME time. Please leave your comments. Lets see how many different ME time making tactics are out there, and add to the list!

Not to worry, I found a way to make me-time anyway! I made sure Dad knew he was in charge, and quietly slipped upstairs, and locked the bedroom door behind me – my 2nd line of defense after Dad. Then I turned up the radio and treated myself to a long, uninterrupted shower. To some that’s not big deal, but to me it was. That time with no demands, I have to remind myself is so important!

If you’re like me, and you need that gentle nudge to remind yourself to make ME time, check back here this Friday (or subscribe to our RSS feed if you think you won’t remember this either – lol). I’m dedicating Fridays as “tips day” with a new Five for Friday series.

This week: Five Ways to Make ME Time.

Armed with a list of the basics, you will have a better idea of what you are looking for, which will help you be more focused. And you will have a more enjoyable experience. Below is your shopping list of some basic scrapbooking supplies.

1. Paper - Basic scrapbook papers are usually sold as individual sheets. They may be solid, patterned, or even themed. Cardstock is thicker paper that is often used for layout backgrounds. What you get may depend on the pictures you intend to put in your layout, and the size of your project. Scrapbook paper and cardstock is sold 12 x 12 inch or 8 x 11 inch sheets. What is most important, and a basic rule of scrapbooking, is the paper and cardstock must be acid and lignin-free.
2. Scrapbook Album - There are several sizes to choose from when it comes to picking out an album for your project. Standard album sizes are 12 in. x 12 in., 8 x 11, 6 x 6, and you may find smaller yet, 4 in. x 4 in. The larger sized albums offer more room for photos and layouts, and are good for archiving larger events, or chronicling a longer period of time. Smaller sized albums are good for scrapbooking a special occasion, and for gifts or brag books.
3. Paper and Photo Trimmers - Basically, if you have a sharp pair of scissors, you have what you need to trim paper, or crop photos. However, there are paper trimmers of varying size that will make cutting photos or paper to size a lot quicker and neater. These are similar to cutting boards, but are smaller and more specific in purpose. A paper trimmer also comes handy for cutting a perfectly straight edge, and is quicker and safer than using a craft knife with a ruler.
4. Photo-safe Adhesive - For basic scrapbooking, to adhere photos into your layout a glue stick, liquid glue pen, or double sided adhesive does the trick. As with other photo archiving supplies, the adhesive must also be photo-safe, meaning acid-free. Be aware, there are temporary (repositionable) and permanent types of adhesive. You may also choose to use photo corners. They all have their uses. As do liquid vs. tape adhesives. Ahhh-but that’s for another article.
5. Journaling pens - Telling the story or documenting the details of a special occasion in a scrapbook is referred to as journaling. While the writing can be done with a word processor, putting the journaling in your own handwriting adds a more personal touch and an added sentiment to your project. Look for acid free, archival quality pens. They come in a variety of colors, so you are sure to find the right pen to fit your scrapbook project.

These are the basic supplies that will get you started in laying out your photographs in a scrapbook. Having them at hand when you sit down to start your project will help the process go more smoothly. Pretty soon you’ll have your pictures arranged in your scrapbook, with the story told through your journaling. Be it a gift for someone else, or a book to hold your family photos, even using just the basic supplies, you can create a memento that is sure to be appreciated by all who look through it, for years to come.

About the Author: Lauren Haugh has been an Independent Scrapbook Consultant and is your Retreat Coordinator at Mom’s Online Retreat.  © 2008

Get up earlier.
You only need a matter of 5-10 minutes to reflect on the day ahead. If you get up a little before the hustle and bustle you can enjoy your coffee or tea with a little peace and quiet.

Take your lunch alone.
Lunchtimes can be a great way to decompress. Unfortunately many times they are taken with co-workers and spent talking about work. Take this time to yourself and enjoy a renewed energy when you get back on the job. Sometimes this means eating out in your car so you can be alone. But getting away from the stress of talking about work will help to rejuvenate your spirit.

SAHMs and WAHMs take a lunch break.
It’s the law in most states that workers take a lunch and a coffee break and so should moms! I know you “don’t have time”, so you have to create it. Growing up my brother and I, and my own kids, stopped taking naps shortly after the age of 1. We all grew up knowing there was a ½ an hour to an hour of quiet play/rest time every afternoon. It was at a scheduled time so there was no surprise and it keeps Mom sane.

Use a timer.
When you are at home and start feeling stressed or out of control, grab a timer. Teach the kids that until the timer goes off you aren’t there. Set it for 5-10 minutes, have them play or watch a show and baring an emergency they aren’t allowed to talk to you. Sit in your favorite spot and just relax with some deep breathing exercises. It will take a little bit of time for the kids to adjust, but having the visual of the timer will help them.

After work.
I know that when work is over you are anxious to run out the door. But consider what sitting quietly or walking alone for 10 minutes before you get into the car will do to calm your nerves and set a great start to your evening.

Wherever you can find extra time take it. You will be all the better for it. Remember that you are worth it. Decompressing is a major part of being able to deal with the day to day chores. When you are used to taking time for yourself you will find that you can cope with the extra things that come your way!

Copyright Val Selby, 2006 www.BusyMommaWellness.com.

Val is a personal trainer and fitness coach in Washington state. Her mission is to keep women informed on things that will help their health. Whether that is physical or mental, taking care of yourself should be your highest priority. Then you will be healthy and happy while taking care of your loved ones.

My husband once asked me how much I have spent on all this stuff. You know, I really have no idea, but it’s probably in the $1000′s of dollars. It’s kind of embarrassing to think I have that much invested, but if my grandchildren can look through an album I made and learn a little about me, it is SO worth it!

Now, as to the question of why men don’t “get” scrapbooking…I’ll give you 5 reasons.

1. You know the feeling you get when you open the door of your local scrapbook or craft store? It’s a small, but unforgettable “rush” to know you are about to embark on a shopping adventure! Now, while your husband is in the car, listening to talk radio, waiting for you to emerge, all he is thinking is, “I wonder how much she’s spending THIS time!” They see lots of pieces of paper and stickers that are WAY over priced. We see the latest patterned papers and sticker embellishments. Plus, how many men do you know that actually love to shop? Need I say more?

2. That leads me to my next reason: scrapbook lingo. I told my husband about how I like to use certain embellishments on my pages. The look he gave me was probably similar to the look he gets when he talks about hunting or anything automotive! Scrapbooking has its own language that men just don’t understand.

3. Crops are a big part of scrapbooking that is outside the comprehension of most men. Why would anyone want to get together with a bunch of other women, cut up their photos, write what happened in the photos onto paper and stick them into books that, if you mess them up, you will be subjected to tortures yet unknown to mankind? Men have never really understood the need women have to be with other women, regardless of the excuse. Scrapbooking is just another one of those excuses!

4. Now, scrapbook retreats take the crop-confusion to a whole new level. Why women would want to leave the comfort of their own bed to go sleep on a hard mattress to cut MORE papers and MORE photos? And spend more of the family’s hard earned money? Men just don’t understand why we can’t get as much scrapbooking done at home with our 3 year olds constantly running off with our scissors, our 5 year olds using the tape runner on the cat and our teens raiding our sticker stash to spell “I love Parker” on their notebooks!

5. A party for scrapbook stuff? Are you kidding? Yes, even the direct sales parties are a mystery. I guess the name really throws most men off. After all, what kind of party, in the traditional sense, do you leave with less money in your wallet? A party is for free food, not spending money in their minds. They miss the point of chatting with friends, learning a new technique or playing with a new tool. It’s all just frivolity to them.

You know, now that I think about it, why do we spend $0.60 on one sheet of paper, $12 on a contraption that is basically a glorified glue stick and $30 on a photo album? You know the answer! WE LOVE IT! Scrapbooking is an addictive hobby and, men, you are allowed to join us, but you better learn the lingo and no sharing my tape runner!

About the author:
Susan Whitehead has been scrapbooking since the birth of her first child in 1998. Her love for the craft has grown exponentially since then and has resulted in her becoming a scrapbook instructor with her own online scrapbook business. Her website is http://www.BarefootMemories.net and her blog is
http://www.scrapbookbarefoot.blogspot.com