By Connie Sokol
President, LIFEChange
“Living a beautiful life” sounds like a “beautiful” concept, but sometimes one that is far away from day-to-day reality. Studio 5 Life Coach Connie Sokol shares
how to bring beauty into your own life, now.
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Living a beautiful life means finding the joy and beauty in the simple daily things of our existence. Instead of waiting for the one big vacation, or retirement, or when the children are older and they will take care of the nice furniture, it’s more about savoring those daily moments by making memorable moments.
As busy women, it is possible to make this a real part of our lives. I recommend looking at it simply. Living a beautiful life means being spontaneous, or thoughtful, or invested or interested in what’s happening and then notching that moment up just a bit. I love this quote by Alexandra Stoddard:
“Creativity is electricity and people feel it when they are with you. One of the benefits of creativity activity is the vitality and intensity of focus which causes an awakening of the senses and alters your mood.” Alexandra Stoddard
First, look at your life in those three LIFEChange areas: Self, Relationships and LIFESkills.
Living a Beautiful Life: Self
A couple of great ideas in this category could be sending beautiful note cards using special pen, nice sheets or PJ’s, a bath caddy (with bathtub supplies). It can also include giving personal gifts, buying flowers for yourself weekly (and some for someone else!). Perhaps you drink your favorite herbal tea or buy some special cookies just for you.
Living a Beautiful Life: Relationships
In terms of family, make an Occasions Journal (for holidays–what you ate, what you did, “funnies” that were said). You could use candles and tablecloth on the table one day a week (it doesn’t have to be Sunday!). Hold a French toast feast on Saturday morning (using real maple syrup bottle!). Buy a beautiful comforter or duvet.
Living a Beautiful Life: LIFESkills
You actually can make this fun! If you’re doing chores, do a “Dino Store” (give the children “dino dollars” they can trade for toys). If you’re working on family garage in the morning, schedule a picnic in the afternoon. Try unusual or exotic food (pomegranate, kiwi, artichokes). You could organizing a room use a theme and allow children’s art to be displayed in a special kids corner or bulletin board (let them use their handprints on fabric, stretch over board to make it or use school borders for bulletin boards).
The idea is to make it “do-able,” not to feel like you have to do it all, or have it all, right now.
Simply notch it up ONCE IN AWHILE or during a given day, taking advantage of what is there and making it even nicer. If you’re children are playing outside, pull out the bubbles and they will be ecstatic. If your teenagers are bored, throw a surprise Friday party with cheap hula skirts, leis and a boom box with some cheap karaoke tapes.
Alexandra Stoddard often talks about the Joy Factor. She suggests rating the measure of your contentment, creativity and fun in your life from 1 to 10. First, consider where you are now as far as contentment and creativity. Sometimes we women are so functional that we can be hitting a 3 to 4. Rating ourselves in these areas give us a good idea of where we feel a void. So dressing up the dailies is just a great way to make that happen.
Try listing the specific ways you ALREADY are making your life beautiful in those three columns, Self, Relationships and LIFESkills (like chores, bills, taxes, etc.). Take a moment and write what you WANT to do. Ask your family to make their suggestions of what would make memorable moments.
Some of our most memorable moments have been impromptu picnics where I’m looking in my purse, “Let’s see, I’ve got a licorice, two tic-tacs and a cough drop”. One year my husband and I did taxes out at a park, with yummy food and beautiful weather, then afterwards just laying back on the grass.
Just begin! Especially on a stressful day, add in what I call “The Perk”. Everyday, identify “a perk—”something to look forward to. If I get the necessities done, then I can have my perk. It make a huge difference!
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Connie Sokol is an at-home mother of six. She is also a national presenter, internet radio host of “LIFEChange Live!” and regular columnist for Deseret News and Utah Valley Magazine. She is the former radio host of “Ask a Woman” for Bonneville Communications and TV host for “Standing Up”. Mrs. Sokol also currently teaches LIFEChange classes at Utah Valley State College.
With her left toe she is the author of Are You Ready for a LIFEChange? and Life is Too Short for One Hair Color, as well as numerous talk tapes, and is president of LIFEChange, an online life coaching program helping women create and live a balanced and beautiful life.
Surpassing her passion for LIFEChange, Mrs. Sokol marinates in time spent with her family and eating decadent treats.
For more information about the LIFEChange program, visit www.lifechangeprogram.com.
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