Bloggin' Again

Whew .... summer is over. The kids are back at school. And now I'm hoping to do a little more bloggin'. For the first time ever, all three of my children are in school full-time. That means, once I leave my job in the morning, I've got hours to myself until they get home. Yeah! :)

But what does this mean for me? Does it mean I now have no excuse when everyone comes home at the end of the day and the laundry is still not folded and put away. (I do NOT enjoy housework AT ALL and will not do it unless I am forced to or am having company). Does it mean I should make a well-balanced meal every night because I now have the time. Nah!

Like many moms in my predicament, I'm searching for the next BIG thing in my life. I want to grow and learn and see what else I can do to challenge myself. I've had this conversation with many of my friends who are experiencing similiar feelings. I'll still be there for the kids/husband when they get home. I will still shuttle the kids from activity to activity and help them with homework. But I also know there's something more for me to do. Is it write a book? Start a website? Volunteer? Go back to school? I'm not sure what it is. I'll let you know when I figure it out.

What I Learned From "The Politeness Challenge"

My experiment is over. I took on "The Politeness Challenge'' for one week and and here's what I observed and learned :

1) Most people are polite.

2) Some people are rude and there's nothing you can do about it. Ignore it and move on.

3) People are not out to get me, or you. That driver who cut you off is not trying to ruin your day or get in your way or make you angry. Maybe he/she made a mistake or is truly a bad driver. Anger won't help. Let it go.

4) Smile at someone and they'll usually smile back.

5) I am polite most of the time. And while this project didn't change my life, it did make me think about how my attitude, demeanor and mood effects others.

Have a wonderful day!

Day Two : The Politeness Challenge

Day Two of "The Politeness Challenge" was, well, a little more challenging.

1) The cashier at the grocery store seemed annoyed that I plopped my full-food basket on the conveyor belt instead of emptying it out. I started to feel annoyed that she was annoyed at my innocent mistake. I took a deep breath, put a BIG smile on my face and, instead of saying a simple "hello," I looked her in the eye and asked how her day was going. She gave me a big smile back. She wasn't annoyed, after all. It was all my imagination. (Or she faked it) :)

2) I almost lost it with the customer service rep I was dealing with on the phone. I have an upcoming camping trip planned and was confused about something on my reservation so I called the help line to get it figured out. Immediately she was rude and condescending. Jeez. I just needed a little help, please. She kept insisting the info I needed was on the confirmation sheet, but I was looking right at it and it clearly wasn't. I have to admit I was on the edge, ready to go off, but I talked myself back .. most of the way. I did keep a little edge to my voice and probably could've been a little less reactive. It also could've turned into an ugly confrontation, which it didn't, thanks to "The Politeness Challenge." Oh yeah. At the end of the call I even said "thank you." :)

Today is a new day. We'll see how it goes. How are you doing? I'd love to hear. E-mail me at nancyflagg@933thedrive.com or check us out on Facebook (93.3 The Drive)

The Politeness Challenge : Day One

For one week, I'm going to be extra nice to everyone I meet even if they're rude or I'm in hurry and annoyed, I'll just put a smile on my face, finish my business with that person and be gone. And hopefully, I'll feel good about my behavior. It's all part of "The Politeness Challenge" that I'm asking everyone to try. Here's how the first day went :

1) I was super nice to the frazzled lady at the library and was rewarded with a slight smile instead of her usual frown.

2) I was empathatic and not impatient with my husband after a BIG accounting problem that wasn't ALL his fault. I felt badly for him so I showed my support for him instead of getting mad about the situation.

3) Instead of losing my temper with my 8-year-old daughter because she was taking FOREVER to get in the car so we could go to an appointment, I held my tongue and waited patiently. Nobody cried. That's all good. :)

How are you doing? I'd love to hear from you. Please share. You can e-mail me at nancyflagg@933thedrive.com.

The Politeness Challenge

Have you ever been so stressed out that you're rude to the cashier at the grocery store? Or road rage takes over because some guy in a sports car nearly cuts you off? Or you find yourself telling off a telemarketer who calls every night at dinner time? If you've said yes to any of these questions than I have a challenge for you.

It's called "The Politeness Challenge" and comes from an article I recently read in Ladies Home Journal. Author Holly Robinson vowed to spend a week being nice to everyone she met no matter what. This means she had to smile even when others were being rude. She had to show empathy and patience even when she was inconvienced. And she had to apprecate the unappreciated. I loved the article and how it made her feel.

Read the full story and then commit to "The Politeness Challenge." One week. No rants. No road rage. Sweet smiles. Kind words. Let's see what it does for us.

Are you ready? Yes.

Here's the link. Check it out and embark on this life-changing project. Please let me know how it goes. Happy day.

Are You Stuck In A Dead End Job?

If you're feeling bored and frustrated with your current job, you may want to check out this article titled, "Going Nowhere Fast." Generally, I think we all feel a little of that some of the time but if it's an overwhelming feeling that won't go away, then you may need to make a BIG move. Author Suzy Welch gives sensible, realistic advice that could get you back on track and motivate you to look for new opportunities.

http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Stuck-in-a-Career-Rut-How-to-Get-Ahead-at-Work

Romantic Restaurants in Peoria

My secret ambition one day is to write a fiction novel. I have high hopes I'll make it happen but until then I'm just trying to write every day. That's what professional writers say you have to do to succeed. So I've started writing online articles for a website. Check out my very first "published" article online. It may even help you find a romantic restaurant in Peoria.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2925758/find_a_romantic_restaurant_in_peoria.html?cat=22