Smart Women's Coaching

Well, the holidays are upon us and it's wonderful! This is the perfect time to slow down and make time for yourself, your family and your friends. If you are worried about how to make that time because you have so much shopping to do, then I have the perfect solution for you.

Last year I learned about an organization that allows you to give a gift that is fun for all and it will have a lasting impact on the world at the same time. It's a gift of "animals" from www.Heifer.org. Last year, I sent my niece a wooly little lamb and attached a card with a picture of a "real" lamb that was going to a family in another part of the world! Instead of trying to figure out what to get for all my in-laws, I made this gift in their honor. They were thrilled! My niece wanted to know if she could take care of the lamb until they found a family for it!

Here is another great idea that I just learned about from a friend. It's called the Seva Foundation, Gifts of Service, 1-800-223-7382, www.seva.org. My friend was able to give the gift of site to her mother-in-law. One of the many gifts you can give through Seva is "The Gift of Sight" Most of the 45 million blind people in the world could see if they only had access to eye care. By giving $1500, she was able to sponsor a full day of mobile eye camp in a remote area...possibly restoring eyesight to as many as 30 people!

A gift of $50 would bring sight restoring surgery to one blind person! There are many wonderful programs available and I wanted to share two amazing programs with you this holiday season. What a wonderful way to say you care and help those in need at the same time!

Tis the Season...Will You Make the Cut?

By Sherry G. Day, MS
Smart Women's Café Contributing Expert

As the holiday season approaches, there are numerous decisions made relevant to the relationships in our lives. It is interesting to analyze our decisions regarding whom to invite to holiday celebrations, whether or not to give gifts and if so, how much to spend on a particular person, and to whom should greeting cards be sent.

One of the most puzzling situations in which I find myself has to do with sending holiday cards to people I have not seen or even spoken to for years.

High school and college friends are mere fragments of memory now. From year to year, I find myself questioning why we bother to maintain these long-term, but distant relationships. After all, I probably would not recognize these once close friends if they were standing at my door. I have not seen most of them since we left school.

Yet, I feel as if we are still connected because throughout the years we have exchanged family and career updates at holiday time. I know of their children and their doings from annual updates and photos, via holiday cards.

I will probably never meet these children, though. But I have felt their parents' love and pride.

Our letters and notes express an invitation

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Become the Change You Want

By Ruth Klein, Smart Women's Café Contributing Expert

I recently saw a T-shirt with the words, Become the Change You Want. I find myself going back to those words over and over again. The words are taken from those spoken by the world's role model for change, Mahatma Ghandi, who led the successful change to independence for India. He advised his followers to become the change you want to see in the world. Those words ring just as true today.

One of the most stressful situations we create for ourselves at home and at work is that we want changes from others and become frustrated when those changes don't take place. We want our bosses, our children, our spouses and our friends to change. We want our looks to change, our health to change.

What if we become the ones to change first? Here are a few new ways to become our own agents of change to transform, empower and enlighten your path to a less stressful lifestyle.

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Letters from Africa

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Peggi Tabor Letter #27

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope your holidays were wonderful. Christmas here in Africa was simply grand this year. My daughter, Elizabeth, arrived at the Jo-burg airport on Christmas morning. Having her walk through the customs gate into my welcoming arms was the finest gift imaginable. Her good husband, Andrew, couldn't come with her due to some last minute complications and we really missed him but we had a mother/daughter holiday that I will always treasure.

Now, I sure don't want these letters to turn into travelogs but Liz and I experienced a few things that I hope you might find interesting. One was our guided tour of Soweto. Frankly, it's a place that wasn't high on my "must see" list. I had visions of a horribly dangerous, unattractive slum. Elizabeth, however, had spent a great deal of her time as a student at UC Berkeley protesting against apartheid and for the freeing of Mandela so I thought she might enjoy seeing where the whole thing started.

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A Meaningful and No Cost Holiday Gift

By Donna Marie, Consultant and Confidante
Smart Women's Café Contributing Expert

As we go through this season of giving, finding the right gift for the right person may have one feel stumped not knowing what to purchase or create for another. The most rewarding gifts I have given are words from the heart.

They can take the form of a letter with specific acknowledgements to another. I have sent many Word Gift Letters to family and friends. Words of gratitude, thankfulness, and/or encouragement fill the soul with love. Written personal words may take on a deeper heartfelt love. Many assume others really know how we feel about them, yet they often don't. So why not tell them? Write the letter and trust that you will find the perfect words. The spoken and written word is so powerful when shared with love and compassion.

This season attempt to send a letter to someone who has impacted your life; your partner, parent, a care-giver, friend, lover, family, etc. I encourage you to stretch outside your self and share with them your appreciation of the relationship. Recall specific incidences and be creative. Using loving words from your heart will never be unheard! Want to top this? Read it to them in person! The results are priceless! Happy Holidays!

Feel free to read a letter I send to my mother a few years back. Click here to download the PDF.

In Closing...

Thank you so much for your support! All of us at Smart Women's Coaching thank you for being part of our community. Please let us know how you like our newsletter, blog, live events, teleclasses and please drop us a line, we would love to hear back from you!

By the way, in the last issue, I had a picture of my mother painting. She now has dementia and lives 10 minutes away at Sunrise Assisted Living. We spend Sunday afternoons together painting. I had no idea when we started doing this, what a wonderful gift this would be to me. I get to spend time with my mother now and I have found something that gives me such pleasure. I encourage you to take time with something that you have forgotten that you love; an old hobby perhaps. Make the time for yourself, your loved ones and your family and friends. It's been 28 years since I last held a paint brush in my hand. Look what I was able to create! I have another one on the way too! I will post that one next month...Allow yourself to play again and have fun this holiday season!

Happy Holidays and peace to all,

Katana and Jill

Smart Women's Coaching®

Our mission is to help women in transition live with purpose, passion and prosperity through our financial, business and personal development programs and community of Contributing Experts.

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