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Pursuing Your Passions and Leaving a Legacy | Time Mastery for Women with Jen Riday

March 27, 2017 by Mrs. Hudson

Remember that workshop my friend Jen Riday was leading and that I encouraged you to attend? Well it was AWESOME!

In the webinar Jen talked about letting go of guilt, perfectionism and the “shoulds” that hold us back (and leave us feeling drained, unmotivated and exhausted!). She shared some HUGE strategies she uses to help her know how to use her time for more “important” things, like her passions, hobbies and even living her “purpose.”

That part about “purpose” is huge. I know so many moms feel like there’s something “more” they need to be doing with their time, but they aren’t quite sure what it is or how to find the time. Jen shared so many great time management tips (like task blocking!! I’m totally going to start doing that!).

If you missed the workshop, Jen has graciously set up a video replay. Be sure to watch it soon because Jen said she’s only leaving it up for a couple of days).

>>> Watch the Workshop Replay [CLICK HERE]

In the workshop Jen also talked about her phenomenal time management program called Time Mastery for Women. TMFW is an extensive online course (created by Jen Riday) that shows you a proven, A-Z system for finding your purpose, pursuing your passions and leaving a legacy (I don’t know about you, but I definitely want my legacy to be more than laundry and dishes!)

I’m a student of the program and it’s excellent. Jen has created 20 videos and tons of worksheets and templates that will help you learn how to…

Spend WAY less time on mundane everyday tasks (that don’t move you forward!) and WAY MORE time on the things that are important to you.
Figure out your top 4 priorities in life and make sure you’re actually using your time for those priorities (and not just endless household tasks!)
How to create a crystal clear vision of what you DO want your life to look like 1, 5, or even 20 years from now! (This is so important because if we can’t SEE exactly what we want in our minds first, it’s never going to happen in reality1)
Get your spouse and kids to be way more responsible at home (includes well-organized charts to help your kids build strong morning, afterschool and evening routines so you don’t have to nag!)
Get control over your life and time and know exactly what’s happening every day, week, month and year (and it’s a system that’s easy and something you’ll actually stick with!)
Build healthier boundaries with your loved ones so you can protect your precious energy and actually have free time for YOURSELF (huge, I know!)
Identify and find significant blocks of time to spend on your passions and purpose – the thing(s) you’re “supposed” to be doing (but haven’t been doing because you’ve been stuck under a pile of laundry, dishes, dinners, tasks…)
Have a place for EVERYTHING that needs doing… aka the art of creating “White Space” in your brain so you can feel lighter again. When you know exactly where to put each “to do” you can relax and know you’ll eventually get to it.
Let go of guilt, perfectionism and the “shoulds” and start doing the things that help you feel the way you want to feel (this last one was a complete game changer for me!)

Time Mastery for Women has been amazing for so many women! Be sure to click here and read about it yourself. TMFW is a game changer that I highly recommend if you want to feel in control of your life and time.

How is Time Mastery for Women different from everything else out there? Because it’s made just for women. Jen, a busy mom of 6, knows just how crazy it can be for moms to juggle all the demands on their time, including work, family, home, volunteering… And Jen knows first hand just how empty you can get when you don’t have a long-term plan and aren’t moving forward or making progress toward a goal. And she especially understands just how much happier women are when they can finally get a handle on their time and spend significant chunks of it on the things that are important (family, health, creativity, volunteering, career…)

How about you? Do you feel there’s something “more” you’d like to be doing with your time? Perhaps it’s a home-based business? Or preparing for that marathon? Or volunteering more? Or maybe you want to learn a new skill like cake decorating or how to play the piano?

Whatever it is, you can’t just dive in willy-nilly and expect to stick with it long term if you don’t have a structured plan in place to help you create the TIME for it.

And that’s why Time Mastery for Women is absolutely brilliant – Jen shows you step-by-step (teeny, tiny, doable steps that won’t overwhelm you!) how to get clear on what you actually want or “should” be doing with your time and life, how to use her digital templates to create consistent routines, a week-at-a-glance schedule, and a year-at-a-glance plan. These are simply HUGE for helping you master your use of time (and NOT feel like time is the master of you).

I love Time Mastery for Women because it’s helped me get in better control of my time, be more productive, and know clearly that I’m doing what I’m “supposed” to be doing with my life. I love being able to balance my time between blogging and family. I just feel more balanced (and happy!)

I highly recommend you learn more about Time Mastery for Women. It’s a game changer!

Click here for all the details!

Learn to be the Master of Your Time with Jen Riday

March 20, 2017 by Mrs. Hudson

Does the day ever slip away from you? I know it does for me more often than I’d like to admit. Join me and become the master of your time with my friend, Jen Riday. She is hosting a free online workshop, How to Know What You’re Supposed to Be Doing With Your Life and Find the Time to Do It! Check it out + get access here!

Now — storytime. 🙂

Back before Jen became a women’s happiness and productivity expert she was a stay-at-home mom for about a decade.

Jen has some great stories about her high-energy kids (like when the principal called to say all 3 of her at-the-time elementary kids had been to his office in one day! Poor Jen. We’ve all been there in some way or another, though, right?)

Like most moms, Jen gave all her time to her family, trying to be the “perfect” mom. But after too many elaborate birthday parties, attempts at gourmet meals and never enough sleep, Jen felt exhausted.

She wasn’t happy.

So Jen set out to fix that. She started taking care of herself. She studied every happiness book she could get her hands on. She figured out how to do spend way less time on the everyday household tasks so she could spend way MORE time on things that actually made her happy (like learning to play the banjo at age 39… I love that!).

When her youngest and 6th child, Cora, was about 18 months old, Jen started to get these nagging feelings that there was something “more” she was meant to do with her life.

But what?

Jen tells the story of lying on her mat at the end of a great workout class, wondering and praying, “What should I do with my life now that I’m done having kids?”

She’d asked this question soooo many times before…

…but on this day she got her answer because she was quiet, relaxed and focused enough to listen and hear the answer.

“You need to become a life coach and help other women learn what you’ve learned about being a happy person.”

Sweet, huh? (And I know we all wish we could have such a clear “do this” answer, right?)

Now Jen is helping thousands of women discover how to listen to their intuition to figure out what they should be doing with their lives.

But even more importantly, Jen’s teaching women her system to create more time for pursuing their passions and living lives of meaning and purpose (It’s one thing to know you have something you were born to do, a passion you need to pursue, a gift or talent you need to share with the world…but it’s quite another thing to know where to find the time for it!)

As a mom of 6 who’s also running a business, Jen knows A LOT about time management. For example, Jen teaches women to create a Week-at-a-Glance so they know EXACTLY what’s happening all week and can get a big-picture view of their life.

She also teaches women how to do “task blocking,” which means chunking similar tasks together so you can spend WAY LESS time on your to do list and WAY MORE time on the things that are important and enjoyable (family, health, creativity, relaxation, fun…)

My favorite part: Jen figured out a system to get her husband and kids to do more around the house (without her having to nag them. For real!)

I love hearing Jen tell this story because she has such a powerful “before” and “after.”

She went from “exhausted, burnt out, do-everything-for-everyone-else mom” to “energized, happy, sharing-her-gifts-with-the-world mom.”

Who better to learn how to be the master of your time from than someone who has done it!

Now, I know some of you out there are thinking, “That’s great for Jen. But I don’t have the first clue on how to figure out my purpose, let alone find time for it!”

Well, you’re in luck. Jen is sharing all of this – for free. 🙂

Check it out:

>>> How to Know What You’re “Supposed” to Be Doing With Your Life (And Find the Time to Do It!)

In this online workshop, Jen will be sharing

How to declutter your schedule and make time for what matters most (learn to be the master of your time and enjoy your family, your friends, joy, and the dreams you’ve left on the back burner for years!)
The secret to letting go of guilt so you can actually enjoy taking time for yourself… even if you’re “crazy busy!”
How to spend way less time on household tasks like shopping, laundry and cleaning so you can have way more time for what you love to do (like watching an episode of “This Is Us” or enjoying a Girls’ Night Out!)
Why most women get stuck in mundane household routines that cause them to lose sight of passions, hobbies and date night. Instead, you’ll learn how to always focus on the big picture and your values…
How to get more organized and feel less overwhelmed through a proven, flexible time management system that you’ll actually STICK WITH long term (really!)
Getting your spouse and kids to do more at home so your household runs more smoothly and you feel more in control and way less stressed.

I’ve personally seen one of Jen’s workshops, and she really knows how to deliver. Not only does she break things down into simple, easy-to-follow steps, but she’s also highly engaging and makes the learning process fun.

If you want to become the master of your time I highly recommend signing up for Jen’s workshop here.

Enjoy!

My husband’s wedding ring seemed to be missing – again. | Guest Blogger – Susan B. Mead

March 6, 2017 by Mrs. Hudson

Have you ever lost something dear to you and thought just show up, please?

You look high and low – then look again, retracing every step and picking up every piece of paper in your path. Yet you are disappointed, distraught and even disgusted with yourself (or whomever!) for losing that precious thing in the first place.

Yea, me too.

My husband’s wedding ring seemed to be missing – again. Not the first time this year, but the second time, his wedding band was MIA. We are wedded, yet I was deeply wounded by this loss. A gulf emerged, separating the two of us.

Anger, hurt, and dismay warred within me. He remembers his watch, yet forgets ME echoed in my head. Silly, I know, yet in my mind, when he removes his wedding ring it seems to distance his heart from mine too.

Anybody else dealt with similar thoughts and feelings, for whatever reason?

Was I out of my mind to think like this? Holt loves me – and was distraught at the loss – his loss. With so much emotion at play, I had to decide to walk in wisdom. Emotionally rocked is a vulnerable place – and I do not want to put my marriage on the rocks!

Would I wind up words, hurl them, hurt him-& our marriage–over a thing–his ring?

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Or would I line up beside him, raising hands and praising God for His faithfulness?

God kept us together through the hardest loss of all, the loss of a child, a son, our youngest one. Family is key.

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:8-10 (NIV)

Does a thing – a ring – really matter? There’s a better question – where is my treasure?

Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

Truth hit me – square in the face. This is exactly where the enemy wants me – and you – to be – warring with our husbands – for whatever reason. We must choose to build bridges built on love, trust, and hope with the mighty hand of God guiding us.

So we looked again, thinking just show up, please. Seemed like nothing – except prayer and praise – would raise this thing!

God knocked on my heart early today, so up I got out of bed and down I sat to read His Word and pray His will – with a special prayer raised for revealing the wedding ring, restoring the thing that symbolizes my husband’s commitment to our marriage.

“Please let it just show up, God.”

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Knock, knock, Holt rapped on my door, something he seldom does when I pray. He just showed up at the door, raised his hand, revealing his ring, restored to it’s rightful place!

You know what he said?

“It just showed up on the top of my dresser,
in plain sight.”

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)

Praise God! As I reflect, I see that only You, God, place that which is lost right in front of us – when we just show up in prayer and praise, trusting You to rise up when we need You.

About Susan B. Mead:

With over 2 million airline miles under her belt, an MBA hanging on the wall and 2 Christian Literary Awards on the shelf, Susan B Mead shares her expert teachings on business, grief and relationships. A master storyteller and award winning author, Susan leaves audiences motivated to live a life free of regrets even though she has done the hardest thing any parent can do – bury her youngest son, Kyle.

Susan has been described as a solid, comforting voice in a messy world. Whether speaking to business professionals, women’s conferences, industry leaders or writer’s workshops, Susan’s insightful wisdom inspires audiences, empowering them to make healthy mental u-turns.

Connect with Susan on her website where she writes each Friday, on Facebook and Twitter where she posts scripture graphics and daily inspiration or on Amazon where her book, Dance With Jesus: From Grief to Grace, is available.

Website – SusanBMead.com
Facebook – Facebook.com/AuthorSusanBMead
Twitter – Twitter.com/SusanBMead
Amazon – Dance With Jesus: From Grief to Grace

Family Traditions for New Year’s Eve | Stacy Hudson | Better Than Newlyweds

December 31, 2016 by Mrs. Hudson

We do not have family traditions for New Year’s Eve…yet! I asked around and had some of my friends share their traditions in hopes we might be able to copycat and combine to create our own family traditions for New Year’s Eve!

Our yearly tradition is to go for tea at our friend’s cafe, then head over to church for a countdown event called “Come Bless The Lord”. We sing worship songs throughout, and countdown to the new year together! Read more from Jacinta’s here: www.snugglesandkisses.net

We just started a tradition where our friend comes over to xbox with my hubby on New Years Eve. His wife isn’t big into New Years. We then try our best to catch the fireworks. I also try console my one dog during fireworks. Read more from Ailie’s here: www.P3Alive.com

Spent many years volunteering for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade – making floats. Weeks of work. Petal by petal. Seed by seed. Then celebrating New Years Eve by sleeping a few hours on the curb – awaiting the Rose Parade! Loud cheers always going up as our float went by. Afterwards, a big party and then tag football and frisbee golf.

Definitely recommend the experience. Many schools and non-profits have annual fund-raisers working floats. Cherished memories. – Pamela Nishimoto

I’ve got little ones so we pick a place in the world that is counting down at their bed time (or a place that already has) and watch the count down on the computer. We celebrate the new year at that hour with sparkling cider and snacks then off to bed. The hubs and I then watch a movie and celebrate the real count down, if I can stay awake that long though because mommas of little ones that still wake up in the middle of the night to nurse need their sleep! Read more from Jamie Lath here: http://gracewalking.com

What family traditions for New Year’s Eve do you have? Please comment below and share with the rest of us!

WHEN THINGS DON’T GO ACCORDING TO PLAN | Stacy Hudson | Better Than Newlyweds

September 19, 2016 by Mrs. Hudson

What do you do when things don’t go according to plan? (According to your plan anyway) Yesterday (Sunday) I sat down to write my blog post for marriage Monday (today) and my website was down. It was an issue with my server and there was nothing I could do. I just had to wait. I’m not the best at waiting. When things don’t go according to plan I usually try to adjust the plan to get things going smoothly again. But that usually does not work either. The only thing that seems to produce is stress. And last time I checked I don’t think that was listed as a Fruit of the Spirit!?

Galatians 5:22-23. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

I am a planner. God knows this. He challenges me in this daily. I am learning that I can’t really make plans if they don’t involve Him. I know that sounds simple but think about it… how often do we make plans throughout the day that don’t involve God? I do this with everything from what to cook for dinner to the more serious stuff like looking for a job. When God is not involved, in even the simple things, life is more complicated. When God is your focus and is at the center of your thoughts… peace flows like a river.

Several times over the past week God has brought the picture of a river to my mind. On my evening walk, at church, and even during a fun night with friends playing Catch Phrase! God wants to be involved in every detail of our lives because He Loves us so much. He absolutely wants to be involved in your marriage. Loving another person like Jesus Loves us is not possible without Jesus. Another thing that sounds so simple but if we are not letting Jesus Love on us every day how can we expect to be able to show Love to our Husbands (wives)?

John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

John 13:15 “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

1 John 4:7-21 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

When things don’t go according to plan I get uncomfortable.

The birth of our daughter did not go as planned. Not even close. She was born a month early after I was induced due to high liver enzymes. Basically my liver and the placenta were not getting along. My liver enzyme levels were over 1000 when they should have been in the 40-60 range. We were admitted to the hospital on a Friday afternoon after being called back with the test results from my blood work they had done that morning after my 36 week check up. The call woke me up from a nap. Talk about a “wake up call”. We were in the hospital 6 long days and 5 very uncomfortable nights. Those beds were made for delivering babies and not for sleeping. The bed was not the only uncomfortable thing. Things not going according to plan was uncomfortable too. But God was our comfort.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.

While in the Hospital I underwent about 6 or 7 unexplainably painful procedures. I say “about 6 or 7” because I am not sure. Those are the ones I can remember. As I have been attempting to write out my birth story to share here I am learning that I have blocked a lot of it out. It was the most painful week of my life. It was the most unplanned week of my life. It was the most blessed week of my life. It may not have felt that way then and it may have taken me over a year to notice it, but God blessed that week.

During that week I saw my husband Love me and care for me like he never had before. I saw family faces awaken with the joy of a new baby on the horizon. I saw our family step up in ways to help us that I never thought possible. I saw myself hold our new born baby girl after I was in labor for 70 hours and then pushed for 3. It felt like the baby would never come. But God’s timing is perfect and after being in a rotation of on call Doctors, for several days, our doctor was able to deliver our baby. God provided the right Doctors and nurses at the right time for us. God put the right people in the delivery room at the right time. God had people visit, text, and call at the right time. God is so good and so loving.

When we left the hospital with our new sweet teeny tiny bundle of joy I was certain I would never give birth again. The pain of those procedures, the labor, and the delivery had been too much. I was open to adoption but birth… nope. That was my plan, not God’s. No, for those of you jumping to conclusions, I am not pregnant. (haha) I am, however, open to the possibility. If I were pregnant right now I would be ok. If it had happened 6 months ago I would have been freaking out. And I don’t mean in a good way. Just ask any of my “Forever Sisters” that I have studied scripture with and worshiped with over the past 2 years. Their prayers (along with many others) carried me through. They were only able to carry me because I let them in. They have literally seen the fear on my face at the thought of being pregnant again. Now, if that is His plan, I’ll be ok.

I’ve been so worried about having to do it all again when I didn’t even do it the first time. He is the only reason I made it through all of what I went through. He is the reason I am still standing and enjoying motherhood now. God delivered more than a baby the day Sarah was born. We are still harvesting the fruit that was produced during that week in the Hospital. God is not done yet. If that is what happens when things don’t go according to (my) plan… I’m ok with that.

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8)

“the plans of the LORD stand firm forever” (Psalm 33:11)

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps” (Prov. 16:9)

“many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails” (Prov. 19:21)

What do you do when things don’t go according to plan? What do you hope your reaction would be if plans changed? Share below with us about how God showed up when things didn’t go according to plan! According to your plan anyways! 😀 Thanks for reading!