Tomorrow is my birthday.  Of course, I have the usual mixed feelings.  “Great, a chance to acknowledge myself and be acknowledged” (on the one hand) and “Shoot, I’m getting older” (on the other hand).  But then that’s the duality of life, right? 

When I tear apart what the age thing is, it’s mostly cultural programming and not anything I really care about.  I’m living each day now without regrets for whatever I haven’t done up till now.  But of course, what woman doesn’t want to look good at any age and have a lower number to yell out when asked how old she is?  I read once that when men age they have to face losing their looks, but when women age, the loss of their looks signify to them a loss of their identity.  That right there is something I don’t intend to buy into. 

So I’m feeling optimistic–and here’s a few of my delicious projections for the new year to come and a great reason to celebrate who I am and where I am in my life:

1.  I’ll be grateful each morning when I awake and every night before I close my eyes.
2.  I’ll be more accepting of my body as it is and yet continue to maintain it with good health practices.
2.  I’ll be enlivened by people, places, ideas and experiences (those I’ve known and those to come).
3.  I’ll accept my business success as it is and still keep my eyes wide open and my actions clear to draw in the best.
4.  I’ll only create business alliances that bring joy, balance and fulfillment in my life and theirs.
5.  I’ll continue to simplify my life, allowing me to be more present and receptive, less driving for results.
6.  I’ll honor, listen and care for family, friends, clients and associates, supporting their career and personal dreams.

Thank you to you all for being on my gratitude list and offering me your support and listening!  Laurie

To prevent social networking overload, you first have to know why you’re engaging in it at all and what it can do for you.  Secondly, you have to avail yourself of the top ones out there and narrow them down to actively participate in the two to three sites you’ll create a profile on, that best suit your needs.  Since this is both a life balance issue and a career and business development choice, I’m writing on this to share a few things I’ve learned:

1.  If you’re wondering if it’s worth it, it depends on your need to be in touch with others and build a “network” or community, make the right connections, and be productive with your time.  A recent article in Computer World said that “more than half of all adult Internet users in the United States either visit or maintain a profile on at least one social networking site.”  

2.  What kind of site should you join?  First, decide if you want to connect with others for personal or business needs.  If you want pure “social” networking – that is, an online community for fun and enjoyment then I’d advise that you look into sites like MySpace and Facebook.  MySpace tends to attract a creative crowd and often a younger crowd.  Facebook is both for pleasure and business by a wide-range of users.  For sheer fun it has lots of applications, games, etc. you can play with your friends there as well as upload favorite photos to share, a good way to stay in touch with computer savvy family and friends.  

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In our busy society where multi-tasking and information overload are rampant, we experience stress.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Women’s Health, says that “Women are more likely than men to feel depressed” and “About 1 woman in 5 has depression in the U.S.   While depression can be helped with professional counseling and/or medication, are their other solutions?

A saving grace I’ve found is to keep my perspective and not collapse the different levels of stress.  I may be experiencing a momentary bleep in my circumstances, such as my computer just went down in the middle of a project or I have to be two places at once, OR something more significant – such as missing a client appointment or having a car accident. 

I typically attempt to focus on finding a balance between “healthy” expression of my upset (keeping even small public tantrums or negative outbursts to a minimum) along with quiet and deep breaths to regain my composure and focus.  I may talk with my husband or a trusted close friend who won’t add their stresses or “fixing” to my venting to alleviate the “pressure.”  I remind them at those times that I just need them to listen.

Sometimes though, even conscious short-term venting isn’t enough to let a problem go.  Melancholy moods can last a long time when you’ve lost your “center” or sense of your yourself.  Psychotherapists are trained to deal with this chronic form of upset.   But before you turn to therapy or meds, consider taking time off for renewal.  For lesser problems, even an hour or two off can often be enough to help you regain your footing.

What’s an effective way you handle stress?