January is the month for many resolutions. But instead of being completely self-focused let’s remember that you are not here on the planet, just for yourself. You are here to meet an important need. This is a mind twister. Welcome to 2020! And in order to meet the reason you were created, you and I need new and honest thoughts. These thoughts need to be compatible with our core values. Every gift is designed to meet a need. So let’s fill in the blanks here: Behavior is what we … [Read more...]
Are you Strong Enough to be Gentle?
Gentleness is described as a strong hand with a soft touch. We often use gentleness in how we treat our animals, but are we gentle with our own family members? Might this be a good month for your family to work on the quality of gentleness? With a toddler or preschooler, you could make a first aid kit and practice being kind and gentle between the siblings towards each other. Asking the children what they experienced when their sibling treated their scrapes gently. Here is an activity … [Read more...]
Learn to Proceed With Caution
I have been studying the word “gentleness” as I watch people jump from a volcanic cliff into the water. Some people are climbing up the lava rock with shoes and other with flip flops. Some people are jumping with their arms flailing around, and others jumping as straight poles. Some of these fun-seekers are parents who encourage their children to jump first and to experience something new. Other parents are telling their children to watch them jump from the shore, where it is safe. I am sure … [Read more...]
Thrive During This Holiday Season
The soul grows well when giving and receiving love. Love is, after all, a verb, an action word, not a noun. - Joan Borysenko (Author of Minding the Body, Mending the Mind) What is Missing? If you feel dissatisfied with your life or if you feel that something is missing, you might want to consider that what is missing from your life might be YOU! In order to capture the “something that is missing," you will need to get to know your inner self in the same way you would get to know a new … [Read more...]
Exercise an Attitude of Gratitude
This week I would like to invite you to play a game with me. The game is rather fun. It is also a way to grow your children’s ability to be grateful. Imagine growing in our ability to be more thankful? Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of my favorite authors. He had a quote that I think of often - “What matters in life is not what happens to you, but what you remember and how you remember it." - Gabriel Garcia Marquez In one way this sounds rather fatalistic. In another manner this gives us the … [Read more...]
How Would You Define “Family”?
Being raised in Latin America, I was always told that a family was a mother, father, and children. The influence of the Catholic Church was very present. We were told that one of the sacraments was to get married and to glorify God by pro-creating. In many ways, that was an easier time - where you grew into the expectations that were socially surrounding you. However, I have lived in the United States for many years now, and see a huge change here in the United States and in Latin America as … [Read more...]
Developing Your Focus
The first post in this blog series was about learning to think kindly towards ourselves and those in our world. Part 2 was about setting up a boundary for rest in which, after six (6) days of work, we allow our body to be restored on a Sabbath day. We set aside this one day to be rejuvenated and restored. Now we are on Part 3--Developing Our Focus. You must clearly determine what you want to allow in your life (and what needs to stay out of your life!) so that you can gain momentum and make … [Read more...]
Rest for Your Weary Soul
A common theme I hear from many parents I work with is: I love my family, but I never have time to do anything I enjoy. My question is, how are you practicing kindness towards yourself by ignoring your needs? And do you honestly believe that by neglecting yourself you are bettering yourself as a parent? How does this improve your family life? How do we teach our children the value of being kind to others if we don’t practice this with ourselves? Would we be okay with treating yourself with … [Read more...]
Operating From Your Core Values
How many of us are in a transition, but feel stuck moving from this transition to the transformation we truly want? That was a long way to say – how many of us are in a constant battle of trying to lose/gain weight? When in reality, what we really want is the transformation of a healthy body. Many of us believe we are fighting for our families, when in fact we are fighting against our families due to our obstinate struggles to gain control. Instead, I would like to suggest that we operate … [Read more...]
Fix What Is Broken
Wise Choice Educational Solutions was created in 2007, in order to transform lives. We endeavor to provide services to our community where children are nurtured, youth find optimism, adults feel empowered and parents make healthy choices - which builds strong families. We are committed to our community's success. We want to be wise in what we endeavor to provide. We have focused on family relationships. This involves coaching. Coaching is the ability to plan and strategize for what lies … [Read more...]
