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September 2008 Newsletter - #4
Embracing Motherhood:
Identifying Your Priorities
Dear Friends,
Fall planning and scheduling has my head spinning. I naively thought that the start of school would mean more time for me, but between walking my daughter to her kindergarten class and after-school activities I seem to have less time. Therefore, identifying priorities is my topic this month. I would also like to introduce you to Karen Riley-Grant in my Modern Mom Spotlight, a great example of how identifying and honoring priorities can have a positive impact on family. Finally, don't miss joining one of my Moms In Balance 90 day coaching programs starting this month (see below).
Whatever your stage of motherhood, I hope you feel inspired and supported each month to live more fully and joyfully. My mission is to bring you simple, practical ideas that you can use right now to usher in more energy, time and dare I say – balance.
I welcome your feedback. Please let me know what will help you make the most of your adventure.
Sincerely,
Corrine Bucher
Life Coach and mother of a pre-schooler and kindergartener
Corrine@corrinebucher.com
A Matter of Perspective
Identifying Your Priorities
A pang of panic shot through me as I read the email from a friend saying she couldn't come for a play date because her son has his first AYSO soccer practice. It wasn't about the fact that I wouldn't get to spend time with a friend; my anxiety sprang from the fear that my son was missing out on something. AYSO soccer? That wasn't even on my radar. How could I have missed that while I was signing up for swimming, dance and Spanish tutoring?
As a mother of a kindergartener for the first time, I discovered how complicated the start of a school year can be. One of my friends refers to their intricate family schedule as the 'activity matrix'. As a Coach I do a lot of work around defining priorities and thinking about what one deeply wants for his or her family. But in my moment of panic, I forgot that and the pressure to be "the perfect mom" hit me.
Just a few days earlier, my husband and I had decided what our priorities are for our family and ourselves this Fall, and one was, as a family, to have time to just BE and play. So, when I brought up AYSO soccer he burst out laughing, lovingly reminding me of our decision. For identifying priorities is only half of the equation - following through with them is equally important. I've found that when my priorities reflect my core values, it becomes a lot easier to stay true to them. It also helps to have an accountability partner!
I have included an exercise below to help you identify and keep tabs on your priorities. Notice that I only ask you to think about the next three months: Motherhood is an ever-changing adventure, which means frequently re-evaluating what's most important. AYSO, for a four-year old, just isn't for us. This week, anyway.
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