In This Issue:

A Vacation from Stepping
Freebies
Books

But we can get the same benefits when we claim a vacation frame of mind. And summer is a great time for any kind of vacation. Maybe you’ll want to try these ideas with your family, starting now.

Delegate. When you leave your job for a while, you have to give some duties to someone else. Why not do the same with stepping and give yourself a break? What job in your home can you give to a family member, either temporarily or permanently? Are you the keeper of your husband’s child support responsibilities? Does everyone expect you to tend to the pets? Do your stepkids (and kids) clean up after themselves or leave a mess for you?

Think of the things you do for yourself that you’d never expect others to do for you – then make sure everyone else in the family adopts that principle, too. That should free up some of your valuable time and instill some responsibility in everyone else. Summer’s a great time to get in the habit!

Act. Before we go on vacation, we often finish up loose ends, file paperwork, finalize plans, etc. Think of stepping the same way. Is there anything about your house rules that’s unclear and needs addressing? Is there a recurring issue you’re still arguing about with the kids? What nagging problem is unresolved and causing stress in your home?

Granted, we can’t solve big problems with one decision, but many things can be changed and improved when we’ll just act on something we’ve been putting off for whatever reason. Look at your irritations and see if you can fix some of them once and for all. You’ll feel lots of relief and have more energy for fun and games all summer long.

Eliminate. Sometimes we find things that didn’t get done during our vacations didn’t need doing anyway. Take a look at all you spend your days doing and rank your responsibilities in enjoyment and importance. Then start from the bottom of the list and leave a few things off.

Choose items related to your stepkids, their mom, your husband, yourself – chances are the world will still keep spinning even if you let go of a few chores. Reclaim your time and your peace by eliminating what you can that robs you of both. Keep your goal in mind as you work through this part of your vacation, and help your family members see it, too.

Simplify. Vacations come and go, but we probably help ourselves the most when we simplify our lives by permanently reducing the stress and strain in our homes. Think about some of the biggest aggravations you face, the things that routinely keep you from enjoying your life as you should. Think about how you’d like things to be and what you can do to work toward that end. Don’t be afraid to look far ahead and make some dramatic changes in your home.

We recently got all the video games out of our house, and that’s been a blessing. Maybe you’ll decide against a purchase or committment and benefit from that choice. Maybe you’ll set up a schedule for phone calls for the kids and their mom. Maybe you’ll use the long days of summer to reorganize your home so that it works more efficiently. Vacations are about simplifying, at least for a while. Why not make it last?

I wish you a wonderful summer filled with positive change for you and your family. The best thing about vacations is coming home. May you create the haven you love coming home to :-)

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'Til next month . . . .

Warmly,
Karon
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