Thankful for Food- Especially Healthy Food!

Today I am Thankful for the healthy food options that are available. I love that my kids get excited to try different recipes (for this a alone is a blessing!) and eat at cool places with me, especially their love for sushi- one of my favorites!! I am thankful that they help with the planning, shopping and prepping of the meals. Some of the best memories we have in my house are the ones in the kitchen!

I come from a large Italian family and let me tell ya, they know how to eat!! It just comes with the territory I guess... but growing up this way has taught me that food can be so much more than just food- It can be a reason to gather, sit down and talk, (or if you come from a large Italian family, our talking is what most would refer to as 'friendly shouting', lol!)

I hold the dinner time pretty sacred at my house- cell phones get put up, we sit at the table and discuss our day. Since my kids were very little and could just begin to talk we have shared our 'good for the day ' and our 'bad for the day' over dinner. I love this because when friends come over, as they tend to a lot, they know this as a normal thing to do at dinner- what a great communication tool to catch a glimpse inside a little heart!

Food is essential to life for you can't live without it, but healthy food choices make me feel like I have super human powers! Well ok, sometimes it does... most of the time it just makes me feel much better to eat good wholesome food. I love that our bodies are amazing and the food that we eat really does affect who we are. I am thankful for healthy food!

Thankful for My Faith

Today I am thankful for my Christian faith. I have a God that I can turn to in any situation, ask for direction and go about my day in full confidence that He already has a plan for this crazy 'rockstar' life of mine! He works behind the scenes to help me grow and prosper. I am blessed to have a church family that continues to grow more full of friends everyday that walk along side of me; not in front of me nor behind me, but with me.

Friends and Faith are the key elements to my daily walk... every time I get frustrated with life, as we all tend to do, I know I can count on those two elements to lift me up and help me press on- for there is a goal and the goal is God. Through many of my journals and letters I have written with no intention of ever publishing or sharing, I have learned when you lean on firm beliefs and continue to challenge what doesn't feel right- you are enabled through faith to move mountains.

May everything I do reflect unconditional love and healthy boundaries for world to see my true heart- through my faith.

Dear God, I am so thankful for my faith! Love, Me

Thankful for Goals

So I have been told I am stubborn, persistent, and too 'goal oriented' more times than not. Well here is what I have to say to that:

Either grab your running shoes and join me or get out of my way!

I have a race to run. A race that is set before me and was designed to mold and shape me into the person I am suppose to be. I pray this every night before I tuck each of my children into bed... "mold and shape them in to the person You designed them to be" for this very reason- goals!

We all have them, but it's what we do with them that matters. Do you say,

"oh someday..."

Or do you write them down and let them sit?

Or do you write them down, try it for a day, week or month and then quit?

Well goals are achieved with persistence and endurance. Sometimes it can be a sprint and short term goals are a part of the overall 'marathon' goal. A marathon requires:

DISCIPLINE, ACTION and a SOLID PLAN

So do goals. Sometimes they change, just like the course of a marathon. There are hills and valleys, rivers and desserts, storms and drought... and sometimes even just a silly pot hole that can try to trip you up. But I CHOOSE to stay the course, whatever that might bring and run with endurance! It's not easy and sometimes I want to quit- but being complacent is not my greatest trait- thank goodness!

I am thankful today for the amazing people that have come in and out of my life (both good and bad) to shape my goals and the plan I have to make those goals happen. I agree, I am stubborn, persistent and goal oriented... for I have a race to run that's worth far more than anything this world can offer! I love having goals and hope they work to bring good to more than I can imagine.

Thankful for my project 365- Happiness

Today for my gratitude journal I am Thankful for my Project 365 that I have been posting all year and the positive change it has made in my ability to overcome one of the hardest years of my life. I believe happiness is a choice and is possible for anyone to have- it's all about choices- everyday, waking up and making the CHOICE to be happy!

At the end of each day I post to my Facebook page something that has made me happy that day... and let me tell you, some days are a stretch to think of even one thing. Let's face it, we all have bad days! But we all have the same 24 hours in a day that everyone else has- so what are you doing with your hours everyday?

Well I am just running a crazy rockstar race, but I am happy while I run with it!

Thankful for my Family of Me + 3

Today I am starting my November 'Thankful for' Month of gratitude. My family is very important to me and everything I do is with them in mind. My three children have created the first ring of my family and I love them with all of my heart! They are each unique and beautiful in their own way. I get excited when I think of the potential they hold to shape their world and affect so many others along the way. 

We entered the teenage years this year and it has been quite an experience, but also left me with a realization/wake up call that training on my part is almost finished... Most of the choices they make are up to them and hopefully the good morals I have instilled will play huge part. There comes a point in time where you can't just pick up your baby, hold them and soothe them until they quit crying over something, or worse- someone. And when you have to step back and let them learn lessons on their own to grow. It's tough, but such an amazing blessing to have in my life. Watching them grow is so much more fantastic than I ever imagined. So very Thankful!

They have learned a lot in watching me... and boy is that a scary thought! I always say my kids keep me grounded. For I would be a train wreck with out them, ha! Some experiences my family has encountered I wish I could erase, but hold confident that everything happens for a reason and we pull good from each lesson. I have also learned a lot in watching them: the way they react, the way they set up a scenario, the way they refer to others, and their very kind, caring hearts! (well most of the time, lol) 

Families don't come with instruction manuals and all you can do is try your best, to be your best... and God fills in the rest! 

Thankful for my family of me + 3. 

Organization vs. Disorganization: Where do you stand?

Organization aids peace of mind, creativity and time effectiveness.
Disorganization causes stress, fractured thinking and wasted time.
To stay organized you must develop systems unique to your situation, whether it is handling paperwork, managing email, conducting meetings, using a follow-up file or scheduling in a planner ~ Harold Taylor

Organization is usually one of the hardest areas to experience consistency and most people struggle with greatly. The key is establishing systems THAT WORK. Everyone processes information differently. This will affect the use of time management systems as well. There is no cookie cutter approach.. One size does NOT fit all.

If you find yourself struggling with the consistency of your organizational a systems currently in place (or lacking there of) please let me know! I would love to chat with you!
vickie.minnella@gmail.com
Connect with me on twitter @VickieMinnella
Happy Tuesday!

Blueprint for Success - NACWE Share

Starting a project or task can seem overwhelming but with the proper planning, tools and resources, the result can be life-changing. When we implement organization and task planning into our lives we become strategic about success. Let’s face it, success doesn't simply swoop in and land on too many of us. If we want true success, we have to plan for it.

Sharing a blog post I wrote for NACWE with great principles for everyday success: 

We have to:

• Allow ourselves the time to sit and think
• Pray for direction
• Create an action plan… and then you have to MOVE!

To achieve goals, we must work hard. If we believe there is only one way to do things, we box in all the possibilities for life.

We must prayerfully consider the course our life is on and then picture what we want it to look like in a year or two. Then, create and follow a blueprint to make that possible.

“I am certain that God who began a good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished. (Phillippians 1:6)

The Bible clearly states that when we seek and plan, He will provide a way. Here are a few areas where success eludes countless women:

• Schedules: Allow time to plan each week and be careful not to over schedule. Plan time to think and pray.
• Household responsibilities: Assign tasks a specific day of the week. For example: Plan meals once a week and then grocery shop for those items only. They do not have to be extensive dinners with 100 different ingredients. Keep it simple, especially on days of heavier activity. Also, it is helpful to do small things each night to avoid a larger chore once a week, like taking 10 minutes each night to run around and straighten up or loading the dishwasher before going to bed.
• Self-Care:- Plan something EVERY DAY to as a reward. This does not need to be a daily trip to the spa, although that would be nice at times, rather a break to read a magazine, time to talk with a friend, or a special coffee treat. As we take care of ourselves, we are better able to give our best to others.
• Exercise: As busy women, it is crucial to set time set aside for physical activity. Exercise can be such a rewarding, motivating feeling and can lend to a higher productivity level in other areas of life.
• Goals: Keep dreaming. God wants to do great things in our lives, but we have to keep expecting to grow, no matter where we are at this moment. Avoid any ruts—we are here for a purpose.   Dream BIG!
• Accountability:  Find people that will hold us accountable—willing to speak truth and love unconditionally. This may be found in a life/business coach or just a close friend. Connect with other women for support and friendship. Communicate goals with them. We also need to consider our current circle of friends: do they lift us up and offer positive growth? If not, we may need to change our circle of influence. We become who we hang with- even as an adult!

Think outside the box today. Expect great things to happen and you will be surprised how broad your perspective becomes and how much bigger your ‘box’ really is! Plan for the success your life was designed for and “He will complete the good work He began in you.”

Blueprint for Success - National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs


NACWE.org