How are you doing on your New Years Resolutions?

Are you thinner, healthier or happier at home and work?

If you have broken them you are not alone; since a study from the University of Florida reveals the average New Years resolution will last for only 17 days.Good news if you haven't broken them yet, but bad news if you really wanted to make some positive change this year.

You don't have to be a sad statistic of failure, I believe this can be your year to change if you know the strategies necessary to keep resolutions.

Positive change is the driving force behind my counseling practice and the LifeSpring church that I co-pastor. I wake up every day excited to help people past obstacles so they can move forward to experience a better quality of life. Take time to read good books, watch uplifting videos, work especially on time management, and stay connected with us this year so we can come alongside to add greater value to your journey.

I am here for you and thanks for helping fulfill the vision of making a positive difference by sharing these strategies with your friends, family, and co-workers. You just might be the positive difference they need today, I hope so!

Grace and peace, Angela J. Didway, LPC

physical & spiritual insights to break habits and build strength to become your best!

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Live with the 3 E's - Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy for others
4. Build restful activities into your day to reduce stress 5. Being jealous of others is a waste of time; focus on the blessings you have to avoid wanting more 6. Deal with the past and be done with it. Remember that yesterday ended last night
7. When you hate others it hurts you more than it hurts them. Set boundaries and be done with it
8. Learn forgiveness. Accepting forgiveness from God allows you to give forgiveness to others
9. Play outside more, so you can 're-create' natural energy
10. Read more inspirational books than you did last year
11. Sit in silence to meditate and reflect on God's blessings to you
12. Sleep for at least 7 hours a night
13. Make sure to add in gentle exercise, like a brisk daily walk. Every step adds value to your life 14. Invest time with meaningful talk, life is too short to spend time gossiping 15. Pray more and panic less

I'M TIRED ALREADY

Have you already given up on your New Year's Resolutions? Are all the wonderful things you envisioned to do more of or better in the New Year for schooling, fitness, nutrition, bible study, church activities, giving to the needs of others becoming to much to keep up with......? and January is just now over:) You can be mentally tougher than you think and feel more successful if you determine to make small changes rather than tackle major areas. Here are some quick strategies to help you make 2010 a great year for you and your kids.

The best way to enjoy life now and set your kids up for a great life of their own is to attend to the small daily disciplines that make a huge difference over time. Here are 5 key areas on which to focus:

1) READ! Readers are leaders, so read more if you want a better quality of life, especially inspirational passages from the Bible.

2)WATCH! Invest time in media that makes a positive difference. Biographies on television or in movies can give you courage and a new perspective.

3)LISTEN! Find positive music or motivating messages on the radio or from audio books checked out from the library. Let your drive time become personal growth time.

4) ATTEND! Find positive energy from like minded groups or leaders at your church, networking events or seminars.

5) CONNECT! Friends have a profound influence on your kid's life. Birds of a feather really do hang together so choose companions wisely since your children will take on their characteristics in multiple ways.

So there you have it: 5 simple areas to focus on in the new year to build a great life for yourself and enjoy your kids as you journey together.

Grandparents: Maybe you could focus on one of the areas. For example, perhaps you could make sure the kids are involved in Sunday School, a Bible based mid-week group or scouting that their parents don't seem to have the time to commit to. Or perhaps you can better afford to buy positive books and media for their home. Focus on the Family is a reliable resource for magazine subscriptions, books, movies.... Christian Book Distributors (CBD.com) is another one. Perhaps you could make it possible for the parents to attend an inspirational workshop, seminar or concert where they can make positive connections. Be creative, be intentional, be satisfied to do just one meaningful thing.

A special word to you young moms: You have many days of barely keeping ahead of the little mess makers in your house. If you manage to have a storytime every day, you are doing a good job. Keep up the great work:)

In all my prayrers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
Angela Didway, M.S., LPC


You're right that ending is from Phillipians, which goes on to state... being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phillipians 1:4-6

Home for the Holidays

Who would have guessed that holiday planning would become so complicated as the hectic and productive lives of my three young adult sons merge as we approached Christmas. Two are married and one is soon to be. Another combination of two are in full time ministry and the other in college. I find myself applying reason to an issue that I would rather be more selfish about than magnanimous. My pastor husband and I made the decision years ago to remain home for the Christmas season so that our 4 children would have consistent memories of being with us for the Didway tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve (as opposed to traveling from one end of the country to the other to be with different relatives each year). Truth be known, I fully expected this decision to extend for untold years to come as our family would undoubtedly grow to include spouses and children. One, not so minor detail... the families that our sons have married in to expect the same thing.

Our home has been a veritable revolving door this year, as all three sons and their significant others have come and gone. And yet we managed to be Christmas Eve for the first time with one son on the road to get to us asap and another at his new in-laws. This was my first Christmas without all of my kids with me. Notice how it is for some of us moms? It's not that us all being together isn't an issue, it is that they aren't all with me. You see, I'm a mom that actually likes being with her kids. As a matter of fact, I actually like my kids. Some of you moms reading already know the sematical hair that I am splitting. You love your kids, but you can't really say, in an honest moment, that you particularly like your kids. Allow me to connect the proverbial dots between the reasons why I like my kids and parenting tips that helped us develop the mature relationships that we enjoy today.
1. My kids are appreciative of what they have and don't beg, whine or complain for more.
TRUTH: Kids are not naturally grateful and appreciative. As a matter of fact all people are more prone to selfishness and greed than their couterparts, benevolence and generousity.
TIP: Intentionally teach gratefulness by pointing out the thoughtfulness of gifts and favors from you and others throughout the year. Give age-appropriate information such as "wow, grandma has 12 grandkids to buy for and yet she managed to get a box of goodies to all of us."
TIP: Start young with siblings buying gifts for each other and using their own, earned money to buy gifts for their friends. There's no better economics teacher than the reality of how many hours it takes to earn $20 doing chores at the house or around the neighborhood and how few minutes it takes to spend it. I've been willing to supplement my kid's income through the years, but they had to earn spending money before we went shopping. no credit line for anyone without a job started very young at our house!

2. My kids are fun to hang out and play games with.
TRUTH: Kids are inherently self-centered and expect to win at everything or else playing is not fun. Another truth is that some people are better at some things than others.
TIP: Don't buy in to the "we're all winners" jargon. The fact is that some people lose and some people win at games, and that's what makes it fun to play. I like mantras such as "I try hard to win, but I'm a good sport if I lose."
TIP: Talk about how challenging it is to play some games with people who are actually better at the game than you are. Chess and checkers are good examples of table games that provide lots of cognitive exercise as opportunity is given to children to strategize and to learn from their mistakes. I don't "let" anyone over 5 years old win at a game. I recommend playing age appropriate games, and playing to win. It means so much more to the child once they truely win at a game - and they will because so many of the games are won or lost by the luck of the draw, spinner or dice.

None of this reality based parenting is to be confused with stubborness, sarcasm, put downs or harshness with a child. The generosity you display while shopping and the sportmanlike conduct you display will be the attitudes your children pick up on. Think of your child as some day being 21 and model for him the way you want him to act at that future time. the pleasantness of your future holidays depends on it! Does "treat other people the way you want to be treated" sound familiar to anyone?

I'm telling you I blinked and we went from 4 years old to 24.
Angela J. Didway,M.S.,LPC
http://www.familycounseloronline.com/