A Simple Abundance September

   Here we are with another summer swiftly passing us by. I can’t believe it either. We all agree the summers go faster and faster as we get older. I have a first September unique situation & that is an empty nest to coincide with the end of summer blues. So I decided to read ahead a bit for September in Simple Abundance (Sarah Ban Breathnach’s fab book). Her wonderful entries seem to include a lot of introspection on what you really need, what path you should be on to make yourself feel as happy & authentic as possible. To me this sure beats a hundred little projects around the house I thought I would be doing come empty nest time! So here are a few suggestions to get you started. Every entry is so lovely & thought provoking. Be sure to read & have fun with it!

~ Turn over a new leaf – Autumnal resolutions only ask that you be open to change. No pressure here. No one to ask what resolutions did you make or hold you accountable.

~ Are you scrambled or fried? Try to strive for scrambled then believe in the phrase “enough is enough” & find some serenity…

~ Do you have a job, career or calling? You want to devote more time to your calling or finding your calling. So when you find some serenity, think about your calling… then muster up the courage to answer it!! “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

~ Do some self-nurturing on the job. Face it, we all work whether it is our calling or not. So create a wonderful environment for yourself at work. A ‘toy box’ drawer if you will of treats & teas and other items that make you smile or give you a warm fuzzy. Update photos. Bring in a lamp to counteract the overheads you may have (and hate). Bring in a few cut flower stems from your garden. You spend soooo much time there… spend a little time recreating your environment.

~ Last but not least… give yourself credit. As Sarah suggests, bask in the glow of your accomplishments, revel in your achievements. We as women accomplish so much in the course of a day, a week just by the nature of our sex! I recently had dinner & saw a play with two gal pal moms who all three of us were sending our first off to college. It was a wonderful celebration of this accomplishment of our kids & us. Yes, we parents get credit too for raising wonderful kids who can go off on their next ‘calling’ in life! Celebrate you!!