Cell Phone Charades!

Cell phones.... this is an attack on cell phones. To enlighten you and to get everyone thinking about the use and place that cell phones have taken in our society. The role of this type of phone has evolved throughout the past 15 years when it became popular in our society.

What did we ever do without cell phones???? Have you asked yourself that lately?

Just think about it.... most of us DID exist without them... how did we live?

My husband and I are both teachers and we are continually confiscating cell phones from students, even in the core neighbourhoods of Saskatoon... it seems as though cell phones are just as common as Big Mac's in our society! I, for one, have no land line, and only communicate to others via my cell phone and the internet. It is cheaper to have a cell phone than a land line, so why not??

This week, we are going to argue the "why not".... tune in for more!

Sincerely, Chanel

Mind Patterns...

This week we set out on a MASSIVE overhaul of our lives, trying to simplify our lives in many ways. The list we previously posted is one of great proportion, and attempting to accomplish this level of change in one week is rather disbelieving and impractical if we expect to sustain this simplified lifestyle.

And adding to this massive list, is our societies contradictory thoughts, values, and patterns of excess, and it's SOOooo easy to continue along this path unless we are willing to consciously try to change all area's of our lives.
Are we ready to leave this behind and begin anew? Frankly... we are! We are not only ready, we are desperate! Living like this creates illness, instability, frustration and exhaustion... all things we could live without.

So think about the true reasons that are keeping you from taking on this challenge. What is it? What pressures are you putting on yourself that are preventing you from living your best life? Decide what your best life is and make a plan to get there.

No judgments here, to each his own, however we believe our better lives are through simplifying!

Keep up the good work, no one said change is easy!

Chanel and Heather

Simplifying you life...

In the spring and summer months it is SO EASY to become consumed by all of the things we need to accomplish, and before we know it these months are gone and the entire season that we wished for all year has passed and the winter months are back. Is that really a good way to live?

This week we are going to question this paradigm and become more conscious of how we spend our time in these "busy" months. Our goal is to learn to live in the moment and enjoy each day for what it's worth... for the cliche "this may be the last day, live it to it's fullest!" truly applies to our lives, and it should not take a tradgedy for us to realize this!

This list is adapted from "The Big Book of Lists to live by... for everything that really matters".

1. Cut back on TV

2. Escape to a quiet spot

3. "Set your OWN pace" for the pace of our world is much too fast for many of us, and cannot be sustained longterm!

4. "Get rid of clutter"... it's garage sale season!!! When you bring something new into your life, whether it's a thing, an activity, tangible, intangible, or a task, get rid of an old one! We mentioned this a few monhs ago... ADDING BY SUBTRACTION

5. "Say no at least once a day!" Say no instead of yes. People agree to requests from others because they like to please them. Instead, realize that you have a right to say no. Creating plans or policies makes saying no easier. ("I'm sorry, I already have a financial planner." "I'm sorry, we already have a plan for giving to charities."). Try it!

6. "Make peace with all people"... make ammends with the people you are curently holding in contempt! Leave no regrets...

7. "If you don't have time, don't do it!" Start being selective about the things and people in your life, it will totally transform your day!

8. Don't be afraid to take risks and share your emotions with friends and family, they are a great tool in your life, USE 'EM!

9. "Be thankful to God for what you have!" Doing this creates a "gratefulness" chain in your mind that can truly influence how you see the world!

10. "Do only one thing at a time." Seriously, this is also a big one, there is a line between being efficient and being dangerously occupied with a plethora of tasks, things, etc.

11. Let go of the myth of perfection. Just let go.

12. DO one thing for yourself everyday. It is so common that we become wrapped up in doing things for other people, for money, for affection. Everyday, take the time to take care of yourself and do one good deed for YOU AND ONLY YOU. This is not selfish, it is necessary.

So here you go, this week we will be reading this list as we wake, daily, in order to hopefully engrain these principles into our daily routine and mind patterns.

We would love to know the things you struggle and succeed with when trying to simplify your lives... so post or email us (posting doesn't always work) at fightingfootprints@gmail.com!

Simply Stated,

Heather and Chanel

The Better Good

For all you Saskatoon'ians out there I just wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about a GREAT new store that has opened up!

"The Better Good" (http://thebettergoodstore.blogspot.com/) is a Saskatoon based store located at 640 Broadway Avenue (beside Clothes Cafe).

The purpose of The Better Good is to promote a sustainable lifestyle and to provide products that fit that lifestyle.The store is filled with TONES of goodies from; Baby organic, and Eco-friendly toys, clothes, and organic mattresses. Gift wear like poo paper, recycled paper notebooks, recycled plastic wallets, bamboo plates, bowls and cutlers, recycles glassware, stainless water bottles. Great Clothes, and Shoes... including TOM shoes where for every pair sold they give a pair to a child in nee. They carry Fair trade organic coffee's and teas, Organic Chocolate, Seventh Generation home products http://www.seventhgeneration.com/ and sooooooooooooo much more!!

So check it out!
The idea is not that you have to go 100% Organic, Reusable, Natural etc. but everything helps!!!

And you're doing it for "The Better Good"

Heather

Savour the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese!

Savour the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese!

Although it may be scary, it is vital that we allow ourselves to enjoy new cheese once in a while! Now this cheese must be the right cheese at the right time; however I have decided that there is no such thing as knowing whether the cheese you taste is definitely the best cheese for you. We can only look at the facts, the cold hard facts, regardless of our emotions, and decide whether we are willing to risk giving up old cheese that has become stale for new cheese, that may, or may not, be the cheese we love the most!

Taking that first step, as Haw did in the story, is definitely the most difficult part. That first step takes us out of our comfort zones, makes us feel vulnerable (a feeling that many people inour society including myself LOATH), uncertain and insecure. None of those emotions are associated with a good thing, but they come with taking risks... even educated risks!

I challenge you this week to get out of yor comfort zones, no matter how little the task, and take a risk (that shouldn't physically harm or kill you :P) that you normally would not.

Have an incredible long weekend!

Love, Chanel

WHO MOVED MY CHEESE????

Change Change Change.... do you have any? A penny, a nickel, a life-altering choice to be made?

Change can mean many things! From changing a diaper to selling a house (or two) to changing your career or your socks.... it all needs to be done when the smell is getting ripe!

We recommend reading the book: Who Moved My Cheese? for EVERYONE. If you are being faced with any difficult changes in your life, or possibly if you aren't even aware of how stinky your situation is, may this book inspire you to embrace change in your life and move along the path that you were brought here to do!

It is a tiny book that would take approximately 2 hours to read.... but provides you with a lifetime of fulfillment... seriously INSPIRATIONAL without being "heavy" or "too much" or "very philosophical" or "hard to digest" or "DEEPLY and annoyingly thought provoking and depressing." This book does not make us feel continually inadequate or guilty, but inspires us to be happier better people through the telling of a simple parable: Who Moved My Cheese?!

Heather and Chanel: cheese lovers. Serious cheese lovers. We have made the decision to stop eating all of the cheese dangling before us, and to begin to be selective, "high class" dairy consumers (ie. mice), and choose our cheese carefully

Here's one for the ages: THE QUICKER YOU LET GO OF OLD CHEESE, THE SOONER YOU FIND NEW CHEESE.

It's true that cheese, like wine, gets better with age, but cheese, like wine, can also become acidic and moldy if left too long. P.S. Cheese Whiz is not real cheese, and therefore does not count!


Think about it... madly, deeply, and grab some of the good cheese! (Wine doesn't hurt either...)
Heather and Chanel

Ooooh what a beautiful morning....

It's MONDAY, ugg, but It's beutifullll, so sing out....

"Oooh what a beautiful morning, ohhh what a beautiful day, I have a wonderful feeeeeeling everything's comin' your way!"

p.s. reminder, go turn your composts!

THE GIFT OF LIFE: Women Warriors

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

To all the mother's on this Earth and in this Universe, we wish you infinite blessings throughout the next year.
Personally, I feel as though I have been so blessed to have been born to the most incredibly strong, beautiful, caring, and loving mother! I hope you are able to say the same, and if not, I hope that you have a role model !

We have so many strong and beautiful women in this world that have given life and shown us how we can better live our lives. Let's wish them a beautiful day and treat them to not only a great day, but a great year!

To all the women leaders who have made us who we are today, cheers! Let's be a little EXTRA- grateful for them!

Much love, Chanel

Quotes!

Leadership quotes to motivate and inspire you!

John Quincy Adams:

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

Kenneth Blanchard:

The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.

Henrik Ibsen:

A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.

John Naisbitt:

Leadership involves finding a parade and getting in front of it.

Peter Drucker:

The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say "I." And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say "I." They don't think "I." They think "we"; they think "team." They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but "we" gets the credit. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done.

Robert Greenleaf:

Good leaders must first become good servants.

Rosabeth Moss Kantor:

Leaders are more powerful role models when they learn than when they teach.

Theodore Hesburgh:

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision.

Follow the leada leada leada... Follow the LEADER!

I have been thinking long and hard this week about the people in my life and what characteristics make them leaders. I work in an elementary school, and I see a lot of grrreat qualities that lend to grrrreat leaders, and I also see the other end of this spectrum (of course, it's everywhere!). But I have realized that it is actually what I focus most of my energy remembering and learning that I become. So, for example, if I stew and complain and gossip about the qualities and strange things that people do, I will become a person with those qualities! If I stew and ponder and gossip about the great qualities and amazing attributes in people, I will model myself after them and work toward those qualities! This is one of my favourite quotes:

Linger too long in the stench of negativity around you, and you'll smell like the toxin you despise.

Soo.... I figure it would work in the opposite favour too! Try this: linger too long in the aroma of positivity around you, and you'll smell like the "toxin" you love!

I have been seeing so much goodenss around me this week, and I am amazed as to how big my eyes have been opened when I look for the good instead of the bad!

I know that I kind of went on a tangent,... but to bring us back to it: LET'S FOCUS ON BEING GREAT LEADERS!!!!

What do leaders possess in my mind????

They are:
charismatic
motivated
energetic
positive
have perspective
unafraid to take risks!

This is my list, what's yours? I have been so blessed to be able to observe these characteristics in my husband, parents, friends, co-workers, and even strangers!

Take care,
Chanel

It's Leadership Week!

This week has been "dubbed" Leadership Week in Saskatoon... so how can we celebrate leadership in our communities, you ask? Hmm.... well we've been thinking, and here are a few ideas!

What are some leaders in our communities and our countries that we admire? What characteristics do they share? What are they working towards accomplishing?

We think a leader can be a child that chooses to include another child in a classroom activity, or it can be the CEO of a multi-million dollar company. There are SO MANY opportunities to demonstrate leadership in our lives and in our communities!

Some of the leaders Fighting Footprints admire are: our parents, spiritual leaders, teachers, local business owners, community coordinators, friends... and soo many more because in most of us possess some degree of these qualities. It's up to us to use these gifts and to recognize them in others in order for them to be fostered!

We can choose to learn and grow from what others are teaching us, so this week we propose to ask you:

What leadership qualities do you see in others?

What qualities do you aspire to have?

What do you want to contribute to this world?

Are you on your way to accomplishing this, or are there some things you need to adjust in your life in order for your goals to be realized?

Take a little YOU time, sit back, and think about the gifts in others that you admire and aspire to attain? What work can be done in your life to become the leader you want to be?

Leading Ladies,

Heather and Chanel

Little compost tip...

One thing we have found when it comes to composting is that the SMELL can be overwhelming and a deterrent for many especially when it's under the kitchen sink!
However one tip is to leave an OPEN bucket under your kitchen sink with your banana peels, coffee grounds etc. instead of putting the lid on it!
Putting the lid on makes the gases build up and it's not a pretty aroma when it's time to open the bucket again!

So try it without the lid!

Heather and Chanel