Listing Your Assets and Liabilities

Engage in an active process of getting to know your true self and what you want to do. Think about what you would see if you held up a mirror to your inner self. What nurtures your creative thinking? What stimulates your curiosity? What do you really value and care about? What are your dreams and passions? When you can honestly answer these questions for yourself, you can begin to identify what is your life purpose. Only then can you go about achieving it.

How would you like to share your "assets" with others? Your expertise can be directed to giving back to those in need, to the next generation, to the community, country, world. Begin to practice small acts of kindness – let the harried mother go ahead of you in the grocery line, give up the parking space to the elderly gentleman, smile at the sales clerk who looks like she’s having a bad day. At this stressful holiday time, your thoughtfulness and consideration can mean even more to those around you.

Just as you would calculate liabilities as well as assets when determining your financial net worth, you can look at the areas that you would like to enhance in your personal life. Even if you are a Sandwiched Boomer, this provides a focus for your actions toward self-improvement as the new decade begins. Let 2010 be the start of changes that you have been planning to make but never quite began.

If you would like some more tips about incorporating techniques for success into your daily life, click on the post title above and read, Cheer Captain Phillips and Train for Your Own Success on our website, www.HerMentorCenter.com.

There's a lot riding on family time during the holidays and this can create stress for Sandwiched Boomers. There's the challenge of trying to accommodate so many others' needs and still not compromise your own. Of course, there are the ghosts of holidays past, coupled with the expectations of today - sometimes unrealistic and often unfulfilled. Try the following tips:

1. If you get into a conflict with a family member who is unreasonable, don't take the bait. Despite how hard it may be, go for the higher ground and walk away.

2. With a relationship that matters to you, take the time to bury the hatchet. If in the past you have gone underground and then blown up later, don't let these feelings fester. Acknowledge the part that you play in the conflict and deal with it now, once and for all.

3. Whether family members are with you in person or in your memories, learn the power of letting go of childhood pain and longings. Forgiveness becomes a gift for both of you.

4. Recall what you love about your family and let them know how grateful you are to have them in your life. Point out their positives qualities rather than focusing on the negatives.

Perhaps you don't have many models for repairing the family and may have to make it up as you go along. Trust yourself in the process - often the messiness of emotions leads to understanding yourself and others better. Conflict can serve as an invitation to grow when you honor the importance of relationships. A lot of people feel that, with family, there are no returns or exchanges even with a gift receipt. So embrace the holiday season and rejoice in the love, support and connection of your family relationships.