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A symphony of tools for creating peace, order and connectedness in daily life...

Issue #4 by Viveca Monahan

I dedicate this issue to Jennifer, who models what it means to live a passionate, harmonious, and joyful life. People just love to be around her; children love to play with her and hug her with their adoring little arms. She brings sparkle and magic to the world...

IN THIS ISSUE: Invite more fun, joy and laughter into your life starting today.

• IDEA: Make your early morning ritual enjoyable. It sets the tone for the rest of the day.
• TOOL: Create a Thrill Calendar to get in the habit of scheduling fun until the fun starts scheduling itself.
• RESOURCES: People and websites to check for the pure joy of it.

IDEA: Make your early morning ritual enjoyable. It sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Early mornings with a couple of school-age kids can be a bit hectic- especially when they need to be driven to separate schools at separate times. And then there's the unique dietary needs for breakfast and lunch; and the missing shoes, wrinkled shirts and bewildering chronic shortage of matching socks. With the usual mayhem, let's roll in certain neurochemical fixations, compulsions, impulses, hyperactivity and spaciness. (Most of which describes the mother) Wow! That sounds like my house!

For years I would get out of bed and plunge right into this chaos. And we were usually late. The memory of my little girl running - alone- across the playground to get to class before that second bell still haunts me...

And then I discovered a little secret. It wasn't a new organizing principle like "prepare lunches and lay out clothes the night before", which just doesn't stick around here. Or "have the children make their own breakfast or lunch". They would rather starve while I drown in guilt.

My secret is this: First thing in the morning I only do what is pleasant, peaceful and inspiring. That might be reading, writing, watering my garden or petting one of our cats. Sometimes I just sit and look out the window. I take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour depending how early I awaken. This is not the time to wash my dishes, peek at my email, pay bills or plan my day. If it isn't pleasant, peaceful and inspiring, it can wait.

This simple addition to my day, has not changed the inherent chaos of our mornings. It has changed how I enter into them. Whereas before I was flailing around, I am now fortified, calm and focused. This past school year, my daughter wasn't late. Not even once.

TOOL: Create a Thrill Calendar to get in the habit of scheduling fun until the fun starts scheduling itself.

1. Find an unused calendar for this year, or just make one. Reserve this calendar for scheduling things you are looking forward to: joyful, fun, peaceful, adventurous activities. (Or create your own criteria).

2. Go through your daily planner, transferring future fun plans to your "Thrill Calendar" (feel free to change the name). Be rigorous with yourself. If it doesn't truly meet your criteria, leave it off.

3. Now ask yourself how often you want to see entries in your Thrill Calendar. Then look ahead...where are entries sparse? What are you looking forward to next? And after that? (I fill in empty days with trips to the ice-cream store with my kids; a note to pick up a special video; a walk with a friend.)

4. Be sure any plans you include in your "Thrill Calendar" make it over to your regular planner!

RESOURCES: People and websites to check for the pure joy of it.

• www.radiantstar.net This is coach Jennifer Rusche's site. In addition to her inspirational coaching, Jennifer is a gifted intuitive. She has become especially sought after for her successful intuitive work in the animal kingdom.
• www.comfortqueen.com Jennifer Louden is a coach and author. I've never met her, but I love her books, and her website is pure joy. "Hanging out" with her feels like a mini vacation.
• Anything ever written by Erma Bombeck. (typing her name into your browser will lead you to scores of her quotes, books, sitcoms and more.)

We welcome your thoughts and ideas. Please write to harmony@coachviv.com