Carrie Contey's Blog, page 5

Q&A: Rituals for establishing quality family & home life?

A mama recently wrote to me, asking, “What are some habits and rituals that are helpful to establish quality home and family life?” 

I love talking about rituals in family life because there are so many options to choose from (and even more for us to create ourselves).

Rituals can be huge productions, or daily moments that are less than 10 seconds. They can cost a fortune or nothing at all. They can go back generations, or you can start one today.

More importantly – rituals help you practice and reinforce the values your family holds.

Alright, lets get into some rituals:

I always say, “What you appreciate appreciates.” I know many families who have a ritual of sitting down to dinner and everyone saying one (or more!) things they’re appreciating. You can do this even if you have tiny ones who aren’t verbal yet. And with teenagers, test it out and see how it feels.

A lovely wind down ritual is at bedtime, sharing “The Story of the Day.” This is when you go over what happened during the day with your growing one(s). Try to convey bits of information about the events of the day, as well as the emotions that everyone may have been feeling. Both you and your growing people can participate in telling the story. This gives massive opportunity to hear what’s going on in their head and heart, and to share yours. Go slow and make space for your growing people to open up.

 

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Departures! A favorite ritual of mine is anytime a family acknowledges their departure, or any separation that happens. In the morning, before the family unit begins their time apart, practice doing an intentional group hug, or group high five, or a 5 second massage train. Something that is a stamp on the family unit, sending everyone off for the day. That little bit of connection is powerful.

And if you want to go all out, try making up a family cheer or saying. “We’re the Smiths and we are awesome!” Let the growing people lead this creation and see what fits. Then use it when times are good, and tough.

These are just a few to get your wheels turning. I’d love to know what rituals you have right now that work for you? And if you’re needing to shake things up, you can hop over here for more support.

Much love,

Carrie

P.S. My dear friend Bernadette Noll of Slow Family Living wrote a book that is literally a detailed list of effective rituals that help families joyfully connect. I adore it and bet you will too.

Shaking Up Family Routines

It’s easy to get into a routine in family life. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it puts us in a rut. And it’s up to you to create more of what you want!

Take a minute to check out this short piece that gives a practical approach to shaking up family routines.

And be sure to listen for the question I ask you, and leave your answer in the comment section below.

Enjoy!

Carrie

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Want to download the mp3? Click here.

 

Q&A Carrie Palooza

My favorite thing on the planet is to answer questions from Moms and Dads…and WHOA did we dive in!

I totally needed this, too. An hour and a half of dedicated time with parents from across the world discussing their needs, questions, and challenges.

Plus, today is the last day families can jump into my year long program, Evolve. That alone makes me giddy and joyous and focused on all I can offer to the community.

All that to say – please grab the Q&A Carrie-Palooza Recording!

Take a listen, enjoy it, and if you’re inclined for support all year, jump into Evolve 2015 by midnight tonight! (We start Monday, Feb 2!)

Sending you tons of love,

Carrie

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He’s spiraling upward!!

Sometimes, we get stuck in patterns and routines and behaviors, and it takes an intentional shift – to get out of it – and to sky rocket towards our dreams.

There are literally hundreds of conscious parents from all over the world enrolled in Evolve 2015 – it’s going to be such an amazing year together!

And I have to highlight one amazing papa who has been in Evolve for three years. This brilliant man emailed me his story and it reminded me why I created this program.

Watch it here!     >  >  >  >  >  >

Enjoy the video, and know that all the goodness and growth you could ever want are waiting for you inside Evolve. We start Feb 2, so if you’re not registered – sign up now!

I also want to thank you for your email inquiries, sincere questions and communications of enthusiasm about the program’s offerings. As a reminder, Evolve 2015 will offer multiple ways of learning, participating and experimenting. I’d love to have you with us.

Much love,

Carrie

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P.S. There are still some spots left to speak to my staff or I about Evolve or about any of your parenting needs! Sign up for your phone call right now and let’s get you clear about what direction to head in.

 

My delightful promo!

My friends helped me create this delightful little ad!

I love it, especially the moment at minute 0:24!

Which parts can you relate to? :)

Thanks for tuning in!!

Sending you so much love,

Carrie

My Flagship Program

And all of a sudden, I’m 5 again

Maybe you’ve had this experience. Life is moving along, things are in a rhythm, and you’re feeling that sense of – I got this – on a regular basis.

Then something shifts and all of a sudden you’re not YOU anymore, you’re another version of you.

This is TOTALLY happening right now.

All of a sudden, I’m 5 again.

I have a list of “to-dos,” a plethora of emails to respond to, a few projects to wrap up, and decisions to make.

Yet, like many (awesome) 5 year olds that I know – I’d rather be running through the woods, or looking at leaves, or making shapes with my food. I’m highly distracted and infinitely giddy.

And ya wanna know why?

It’s the most anxious, joyful, completely surrendering day of the year.

It’s the day before I open my year long program – Evolve.

And I am like a 5 year old, who literally CAN NOT WAIT to see what they’re gonna get.

My mind is fixated on…

Who will jump into this offer?

Will I get to support single moms and single dads?

Will I connect with families who live in places I’ve never heard of?

Will I get to bring couples closer together?

Will I work with parents who are raising babies? Toddlers? Teens? Adults??

Will I guide a family who’s been disengaged for years?

Will I foster deep prosperity in parents who’ve long given up on their dreams??

The answers are all YES, YES, MORE YES!

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So I find myself daydreaming about the amazing families I’ll have the opportunity to work with for an entire year, and easily disregarding the dishes.

Because this day, I am going to revel in being like a 5 year old – open to the world, sharing all of me, and embracing all that comes.

Much love,

Carrie

“But I don’t wannnaaaa”

“But I don’t wannnnaaa!”

I love my life.

I truly adore the work I am doing with all of you amazing families.

And yet, there are times that “I don’t wannnaaaa.”

I remember sitting in my house before I had to give a talk, and this feeling of, “but I don’t wannnaaa” just hit me. As excited as I was to lead the workshop, I also wanted to just stay put. I wanted to lay on the couch and watch an episode of Arrested Development. (Doesn’t that sound awesome?!)

Instead of blowing off the workshop, I dragged myself off the couch, washed my face, and ended up having a b-l-a-s-t. Of course I did – I was doing my thing, with families, creating more connected relationships. I fought the, “I don’t wannaaa” voices, and it was well worth it.

Which is not to say there’s no validity in the “I don’t wanna…” It’s completely natural for us, as humans, to get tired. To be overstimulated. To use up our resources and feel depleted.

And it’s completely understandable that as parents, you get worn down. You fall into routines and reach levels of exhaustion you never anticipated. And when this happens, life starts to fly by.

In life, there are days and moments and events that make us all revert to being a 3 year old, and we want to cry out, “but I don’t wannnnaaaaa!”

And it’s true, the older we get, the more things we acquire, the more relationships we develop, and the more “stuff” we have to navigate through. I am guilty of more than once avoiding opening my email or looking through my mail because I don’t wannnnaaaa.

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But here’s the thing.

You do want to.

You do want to get up off the couch and live YOUR life.

You do want to engage in the relationships you built.

You do want to deeply connect with the children you chose to bring into this world.

You do want to love yourself, deeply, kindly.

These truths are constant for me, and they serve as incredible reminders when the gremlin voices creep in. I’d like to invite you to give a little more room to the “I do wanna” voices, even write some that are specific to you. Let’s turn toward the voices who support you to take more control of your life. The voices that remind you to slow down, to connect, to notice that life is right now. The voices that show you how much you have every minute of every day.

2015 is coming. I invite you to make it a year of…”I do wanna!”

With much gratitude,

Carrie

 

P.S. Have you ever experienced ‘I don’t wannaaaa’ but then did it and were soooooo glad you did??  I’d love to hear your story. Leave a comment below!

Parenting Now: Empowered Health Care

Illness can be scary. Seeing a child with an illness can be terrifying. But Lizzie Martinez, MA, DHom, is here to help us navigate through all of it, and take care of ourselves at the same time.

Lizzie and I connected over our love for human development and families. She provides a much needed, and refreshing look, to health and health care. Lizzie is working to shift the paradigm of how parents view the role of childhood illness in the large scope of the lives of those children. She’s a huge advocate for education – so that we can detect what is a true emergency, and what we can support on our own.

Additionally, Lizzie provides a framework to understand the role of nutrition, targeted supplements and homeopathy in constantly balancing our children’s immune systems.

Lizzie and I both agree, the more knowledge we have about childhood illness, the more confidence we have in our own skills, the more observant we become of our own children’s patterns of illness – the less fearful we feel!

In order to support that education and awareness, Lizzie recommends the following reads:

>> Child Health Guide: Holistic Pediatrics for Parents – Dr. Randall Neustaedter

>> The Holistic Baby Guide – Dr. Randall Neustaedter

>> Homeopathic Self Care – Dr. Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, Dr. Robert Ullman

>> Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child – Zand, Rountree, Walton

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Lizzie and I explore illness as part of human development, and what tools parents can use to support the health of their child, as part of the Parenting Now virtual conference. Register here!

Parenting Now: Grooving with your family’s rhythm

“If I’m listening to you, then when I add my piece, all of a sudden what I’m adding will strengthen what it is that we’re doing together…and what we’re all doing together becomes this thing that’s even greater than the pieces of what we’re adding.” – Solomon Masala

Ooh! That sounds like connected family life to me. Listening and adding and supporting and creating something that is bigger than the individual pieces! Solomon and Gabriela Masala sat down with me, in my home, with DRUMS, to play with the ideas of grooving in family life and finding your family’s rhythm.

This amazing couple has been in my world for years. I was honored to support their family through my year long Evolve program, and their success in and out of the home is phenomenal.

Solomon and Gabriela deliver interactive programming and training all over the country and it’s never talking heads – it is adventurous, active, and they use drum-heads! If you’re looking for some rhythm activities of your own, check out http://12letsallgroove.com/. (And there’s an awesome video at the bottom that shows Solomon with 5th graders doing his thing!!)

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Solomon, Gabriela, and I spend time in my home playing drums, laughing, and unearthing how to tap into a family’s rhythm as part of the Parenting Now virtual conference. Register here!