Continual Care

Final Post, New Site Announcement

2012-10-17T20:34:00.000-07:00

Over the past few years, this blog has been a been an outlet for me as well as a way for me to personally grow and learn. The blog started out as a hobby and has slowly grown into something more.

So, it is bitter sweet for me to announce that this will be my final post to Continual Care. I still have a the same goal in helping my friends and family find ways to take care of themselves each and every day so that they can have successful and fulfilling lives.

In an effort to do this, we are excited to announce our new website Rachael West Life Coaching. We hope you will visit it and find within it a source of inspiration along with tips and tools to help create a life of happiness and where all your dreams come true.

We invite you to also "LIKE" our new Rachael West Coaching Facebook Page to keep you updated on all our new postings, upcoming events, and ways you can nominate yourself or someone else to win 3 free coaching sessions. Don't worry if you don't live in our local area, while coaching is better in person, it can be done via SKYPE.

We still welcome all your comments, stories, and emails. Please email them to: Rachael@RachaelWestCoaching.com or ContinualCare@gmail.com

Marriage is like...

2012-09-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

The content on this post has moved to our new site. Please visit us Rachael West Coaching for more information regarding Divorce Prevention.

Something to Dream About

2012-09-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

What do you DREAM about?

Do you dream of what it would be like to bask in the sun while watching the waves roll in? Do you prefer action-packed thrills on the best roller coasters in the world? Or do you prefer a quiet intimate evening in front of a roaring cabin fire in the mountains?

Do you dream of financial peace of mind, dreaming of the time when you don't have to check your bank balance every single day? Do you dream of owning your own business? Or getting a promotion and raise at the company you are with?

Do you dream of skinnier jeans and a bathing suit ready body? And a body full of energy and passion?

Do you dream of happy, successful, and healthy lives for your children?
What is YOUR DREAM?

Life Coaches do not have magic wands we can wave and grant you your perfect dream life, but what we do have are the TOOL to help YOU get the DREAM you are in search for. Often times life coaches have tools that will place you one step closer to your dream TODAY. We would love to hear about what you dream of and your goals on accomplishing those dreams.

Note to Self

2012-09-25T23:25:00.000-07:00

Life is NOT fair

2012-07-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

Source: youtube.com via Rachael on Pinterest

If you are having one of those crummy, lousy, life is not fair kind of day, please click on the picture above. It will link you to a video via Pinterest.

What do you do to endure those days? How do you deal with the unfairness in your life?

Please email your thoughts and comments to continualcare@gmail.com

The Small Things Matter

2012-07-10T10:59:00.001-07:00

The Power of Moms has posted another amazing article on their blog. Please visit their site to view the entire article and get a review of the book the passage below comes from). If you are feeling like you are doing a daily job, a job where you put all your heart, energy, strength, and soul into the task, and yet feel like no one notices, and no one cares, you definitely must read this article!

(The Power of Moms is a FANTASTIC blog with countless ideas on how to find that strength and energy to get through the day. If you need a pick me up, definitely stop by their blog!!)

It started to happen gradually …

One day I was walking my son Jake to school. I was holding his hand and we were about to cross the street when the crossing guard said to him, “Who is that with you, young fella?”

“Nobody,” he shrugged.

Nobody? The crossing guard and I laughed. My son is only 5, but as we crossed the street I thought, “Oh my goodness, nobody?”

I would walk into a room and no one would notice. I would say something to my family – like “Turn the TV down, please” – and nothing would happen. Nobody would get up, or even make a move for the remote. I would stand there for a minute, and then I would say again, a little louder, “Would someone turn the TV down?” Nothing.

Just the other night my husband and I were out at a party. We’d been there for about three hours and I was ready to leave. I noticed he was talking to a friend from work. So I walked over, and when there was a break in the conversation, I whispered, “I’m ready to go when you are.” He just kept right on talking.

That’s when I started to put all the pieces together. I don’t think he can see me. I don’t think anyone can see me.

I’m invisible.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, “Can’t you see I’m on the phone?” Obviously not. No one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I’m invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, “What time is it?” I’m a satellite guide to answer, “What number is the Disney Channel?” I’m a car to order, “Right around 5:30, please.”

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude – but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She’s going … she’s going … she’s gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, “I brought you this.”

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription: “To Charlotte with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.”

In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, “Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.”

And the workman replied, “Because God sees.”

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, “I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.”

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, “My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.” That would mean I’d built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, “You’re gonna love it there.”

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Do you feel invisible? Do you feel like what you do each day doesn't matter?

Have you found a way to find value in your daily tasks?

We would love to hear your story!

Please email us at: ContinualCare@gmail.com

Regrets

2012-07-03T22:35:00.002-07:00

Did you make a choice you wish you could go back and change?

If given the chance to go back and make a change, would you?

Please leave a comment of send us an email at:

ContinualCare@gmail.com

Find Happiness

2012-06-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

Spending time with someone who consistently has a bad attitude or is negative about everything around them all of the time is EXHAUSTING to be around. Can you imagine how exhausting it must be for that individual who is so down all of the time? It's depressing to think about.

For those of us who must endure a friend or family member who is constantly negative, remember to stay positive, stay focused on the things you value and believe in, and most important, do not let another's negative influence bring you down. Recognize they have a problem, not you. Limiting time around a negative person is also a good idea. You will continue to stay happy, positive, and successful in your life if you surround yourself with others like you.

For that person who just cannot find happiness, I challenge you to start a gratitude journal. Yep! A journal! And before you have the chance to grumble and say how stupid it is or that it is a complete waste of time, I will guarantee you, that it if you will take on the challenge with an open mind and heart, give it a sincere chance, it will improve your life.

Gratitude Journal Challenge: Find something you can begin to make your list on. A diary, journal, notepad, or even an iPad will work. Begin the first day with making a list of 10 things you are grateful for that day. Usually the first day is the easiest because you list the obvious things. After several days of listing 10 daily things you are grateful for, the list might seem harder, but once you get into the groove you might even find that a few weeks into the process, it becomes hard to list only 10 items. You might even start walking through your day being grateful for the color green on the grass, the smell of a flower, or the color of someone's eyes. Once that happens, you should be finding that your problems are not so big, your heart is full of love and gratitude, and that your relationships are improving. You will begin to fill a more fulfilled and energetic life.

Have you taken the Gratitude Journal Challenge?

Test it out! And let us know how it went!

You can email us at ContinualCare@gmail.com

A Good Kid

2012-06-17T17:05:00.001-07:00

Art Therapy

2012-05-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

In some situations, children have a hard time explaining what they are thinking or feeling. Other times, a child may feel too afraid to share something that hurt them or scared them. They may feel like they have done something wrong and that they will be in trouble if they express what they are holding onto.

Using art is a great way for a child to express their experiences, and the emotions that are attached to the experience, without the child having to vocalize. The event the child might draw or paint can give clues as to what is going on within the child. The patterns in which they use and the colors they choose all are windows that help a qualified therapist to peek inside the soul of the hurting child.

Below is a list of colors and their meanings. When a child uses these colors in an art therapy setting, it helps the therapist look for deeper messages the child may be trying to express.

Black

authority

power

strength

evil

death or mourning

White

purity

innocence

cleanliness

spaciousness

Red

love
energy
intensity
life
blood

Yellow

happiness
warmth
frustration
anger
attention-getting

Green

natural
growth
money
health

Blue

calmness
cold
wisdom
loyalty
truth

Purple

royalty
wealth
sophistication
wisdom
mystery

Have you experienced art therapy in your life?
Have you witnessed the transformation in another's life?

If so, we would love to hear from you. Please post a comment or emails us at

ContinualCare@gmail.com

How Are You Feeling Today?

2012-05-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

Often times we have difficulty expressing the emotion we are feeling, especially children. By pointing to a feeling on a visual chart, children can begin to express what they are feeling even when they don't have the words.

2012-05-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

“How does one become a butterfly?” she asked pensively.

“You must want to fly so much you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.”

“You mean die?”

“Yes and no,” he answered. “What looks like you will die, but what’s really you will still live”
—–From Hope For The Flower

Like a caterpillar, we too must sometimes face great fear of change, even knowing that the change may transform into something even more wonderful. Often times, change paralyzes us making it difficult to accept or motivated to face a change. Other times, it motivates us, inspires us, and lifts us to new places. In the end, change is neither bad nor good, it is simply, change.

"Your Children want YOU!"

2012-04-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

"The Power of Moms" website is a collection of everything related to the up's and down's, of being a mom. The site offers learning tools, podcasts, workshops, articles, and a free subscription to their weekly newsletter.

Recently, author April Perry wrote a posting that has received over 800 positive comments from women who can completely relate to the feeling of needing to be a perfect mom. If you are feeling discouraged, there is not enough time in the day, inadequate, and have not yet read this article, you should right now!!

Here is a small sample, but do visit: "Your Children want YOU!"

"There’s this crazy phenomenon going on right now. Good, devoted mothers get on Pinterest . . . and blogs . . . and Facebook . . . and Twitter . . . and then they flip through parenting magazines and TV channels (full of advertisements and media hype) . . . and they’re convinced they’re not enough.

and unless their garden parties are thematically accessorized with butterfly lanterns,

They’re convinced that everyone else has magnetic, alphabetized spice containers,

and they’re wearing the latest fashions (in a size two, of course), there’s no point in even showing up for the day.

Last Saturday, this happened to me...."

Rid Yourself of Daily Fears

2012-04-28T07:41:00.001-07:00

"Don't move the way FEAR makes you move."

Move the way LOVE makes you move."

---Osho

Remember, love and fear are opposites. You cannot feel them both at the same time or in the same space. To rid yourself of those daily fears, submerse yourself in love.

How do you do it? First love others by serving them. Second, find something you love about yourself. Third, surround yourself by positive people who enjoy experiencing true love in their life.

As your heart expands in love, it pushes out the fear. Feel love, trust love.

Divorce Rates

2012-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Currently in the United States, the average for 1st marriages to end in divorce is over 50%. However, 75% of those divorced will re-marry in 3-5 years.

Those who are on their 2nd or 3rd marriages risk a 62-68% chance of ending their marriage in divorce.

The two main reasons why divorce rates for 2nd-3rd marriages are high:

1). Couples are dealing with un-resolved baggage. They often times are repeating the same mistakes from their previous relationships.

2). Many of the couples lack good conflict resolution skills. Often times, additional conflict comes with blending families in the best of circumstances.

Have you divorced and then re-married? What kinds of things are you doing to help

protect and safeguard your marriage?

ContinualCare@gmail.com

You are in Control of YOUR Life

2012-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

You are in control of your life.
No one else.

There is not another person who can control how you feel, how you respond to things, or how you act. No one can make you mad, make you cry, or guilt you into something.

Every minute of every day, we are faced with things that are out of our control, but how you choose to handle them, is always in your control.

Love vs Fear

2012-04-18T22:31:00.000-07:00

This post has been moved to our new site
Rachael West Coaching

We welcome you to visit our new site for more information.

Forgiveness

2012-04-03T15:35:00.000-07:00

"FORGIVENESS is not something we do for OTHER PEOPLE.

We do it for OURSELVES

to GET WELL and MOVE ON!"

Forgiveness is one of the first steps into healing. Forgiving someone for hurting you may or may not change your circumstances, but it will free your heart allowing you to heal and ultimately move forward.

Forgiveness is something we can incorporate into our daily lives... like putting on our shoes before we go out the door each day. If we consciously forgive someone each day our relationships will improve and spirits will be lighter.

When thinking of forgiving someone, we usually think of the big hurts, but we can forgive for the little hurts too. Forgive someone who annoyed you, the driver of the car who cut you off, the friend who forgot to call, or the harsh tone someone used with you that day.

If you have a story about forgiveness and would love to share,

please email us at

ContinualCare@gmail.com

Define Yourself!

2011-05-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

Never be bullied into silence.
Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.

~Harvey Fierstein

Have you ever been bullied into silence? Are you over coming being a victim?
We would love to hear your survival story.

Circumstances

2011-05-08T21:35:00.000-07:00

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.
I don't believe in circumstances.
The people who get on in this world are the people who get up
and look for the circumstances they want,
and, if they can't find them,
make them.

~G.B. Shaw, Mrs. Warren's Profession, 1893

What's holding you back from living your dream?

Clutter

2010-01-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

Clutter robs a person of peace & freedom.

When it comes to organization, "your home, your head, your heart, and your hips all connected." ~Peter Walsh

"Clutter is an outward expression of an inward problem."

"We only use 20% of our things but we use then 80% of then time."

www.ContinualCare@gmail.com

Separation and Healing

2009-12-27T13:11:00.000-08:00

Going through a tough separation?

Breaking up is always a difficult process, whether you were together for a long period of time or a relatively short one. Not only is it possible to experience feelings like anger, disappointment, or even relief, but it is a time of mourning.

It's ok to feel sad. It's ok to feel a great loss....even if you know the change is for the better. All of these feelings are normal and should be embraced. Feel them. Use them as tools for healing, just don't linger on the negative for long. It will only hurt you and weigh you down, but for a brief time, feel the hurt so you can begin to heal.

We would love to hear your healing story. Please comment or send us an email at ContinualCare@gmail.com

Friendship in Marriage

2009-12-27T03:01:00.000-08:00

"It's not the lack of love, but the lack of friendship that makes many marriages unhappy."
— Friedrich Nietzsche

The power of friendship in a relationship can't be overestimated. You may know you can rely on your partner for anything, but it's important to like each other, too. So put the same amount of effort into your spouse as you give to your friends — funny e-mails, impromptu dinners, all of it.

(Quote taken from Dr. Laura Berman)

Blame

2009-12-10T05:32:00.000-08:00

"Blame is one of the surest ways to STAY IN A PROBLEM! In blaming another, we GIVE AWAY our power. Understanding (blame) enables us to rise above the issue and take control of our future."

It is true that many people have said or done something in our lives to hurt us or to cause us grief. It is true that many times we may not even be at fault.....well, maybe not total fault!!

Either way, we cannot change the past and we cannot control others. Those terrible things that caused you so much pain will only continue to make you miserable of you don't let them go and stop blaming others for your problems.

Mothers and fathers will make mistakes. Your boss will too. Your spouse----well, that's a given!

It is our responsibility to be happy in our own lives, to accept the situation we are in, and to understand and learn from them. What would happen if instead of blaming your mother for the past 10 years because of a mistake she made, if you got to understand her and why she made the choice she did? As you show compassion to the person who wronged you, you begin to give YOURSELF the knowledge and power to set yourself FREE. "You can't free yourself until you free them. You can't forgive yourself until you forgive them, you will demand perfection from yourself, and you will be miserable all your life."

Have you held onto something too long and blamed someone else for your unhappiness?
Were you able to free yourself from the blame and pain?
If so, send us your story!

www.ContinualCare@gmail.com

It's YOUR life!!

2009-12-02T05:08:00.000-08:00

Often times it feels as though our life is crashing down around you, that nothing is going right, and that you have no control over it.

Those moments usually is our mind and bodies way of saying, "it's time for a change!"

"This life is the only one you've got. They key to getting your life right lies, first, in recognizing that it's your life, and second, on accepting the fact that there's only one person who can define "right" for you: YOU!

Defining "right" and getting it "right" are the things that you can do to regain the lost control in your life. There is nothing "wrong" with you!" The feelings you are feeling are just signs that you have changed and you need some new tools for the new adventure you are about to begin. It's a process of self-discovery. It means, "you are stronger than you've ever been, whether you feel it yet or not."