Monthly Archives: October 2011

You are browsing the site archives by month.
26Oct 2011

Tips for Obtaining Goals (Find out mine!)

It’s funny how, if you keep your eyes and ears open, something can really inspire you at a moment when you needed it.

I started running almost 6 months ago. It’s been awhile since I ran- at least running after something other than a toddler! I’ve been running for…me! To help me feel better, both mentally and physically. I really enjoy it. But lately, since the weather has changed, I have felt less motivated. When it rains or is cold, it’s really hard to do it.

For 13 years now one of my goals has been to run the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. I wasn’t even a runner- I just wanted to do it! I haven’t shared this goal with anyone besides my hubby and BFF because I wasn’t sure I could actually do it (shame on me for not sharing.. I know!). This summer I actually started believing that maybe 2012 could be the year! Then again, as the weather approached, I saw it slowly slipping away with my motivation.

Then last week, I was reading the blog post from The Confident Mom. I love her posts- they are so practical and inspirational. If you get a chance, read her blog at http://www.theconfidentmom.com
She was sharing her own struggle with running. It was such an inspiration to me! I realized I was being lazy about my goal and also selfish for not sharing it publicly because I didn’t know if I could achieve it. By her sharing her blog, it inspired me.

So I’ve decided to share this goal publicly for accountability and to remind you of tips to help you keep your goals:

1. Start with baby steps. In June, I literally would run 1 minute, run 2 minutes etc. until I got up to a half hour.

2. If possible, find someone who can be a partner with you. I know I wouldn’t go running when it’s raining or dark if it weren’t for my running partner counting on me. Even though we only can run together once a week now, I have to run the other days to be able to keep up on our days together. Knowing this keeps me motivated as well.

3. Find an accountability partner. Someone you can trust to help hold you accountable. By telling someone, you make it more real. This is one reason I am sharing with you today.

4. Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you miss a day (or a week), don’t be “all or nothing” and think it’s all over. Start back up again.

I’m using these myself. Look for moments of inspiration, like the one I found in the blog I told you about.

So what goals are you making?

Written by Natalie Chandler

Natalie Chandler, MA, LMHC is a therapist at Imagine Hope Counseling Group. Natalie enjoys doing marriage counseling, individual counseling, and couples counseling.  We also specialize in family counseling, child, and adolescent counseling. Imagine Hope serves the Indianapolis area including the surrounding areas of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, and Zionsville

20Oct 2011

More Hope!

We are doing some of our favorite inspirational quotes this week on our group blog (check them out- I LOVED the ones from the other Therapists) http://www.inspire.imaginehopecounseling.com

Mine was on HOPE. This is always a theme at Imagine Hope, but the past two weeks it has been coming up a lot. So I thought I would share some more quotes or things people have said to me regarding hope.

“Hope costs nothing to give and is priceless to have”.
Unknown

“Hope is driving the whole thing!”
Anonymous
A client talking about his recovery and how when he wants to give up, all he has is hope- Hope that things will get better. I loved this and he gave me permission to share.

A client gave me a decoration that says,
“Faith makes all things possible, love makes all things easy, and Hope makes all things work.” I love to read this when I’m discouraged.

“Hope is a positive and joyful expectation that something good is going to happen to you!”
“Hope releases joy!”
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick”
“Hope on purpose!”
Joyce Meier

And in case you didn’t read our group blog-
“Hope is the voice that God uses to speak to our hearts instead of our heads.”
Unknown

HOPEFULLY this has given you some inspiration today. I think I have exhausted the word, but if you have anymore hope quotes to share, I would love to hear them. Thank you for reading and have a great day.

Written by Natalie Chandler

Natalie Chandler, MA, LMHC is a therapist at Imagine Hope Counseling Group. Natalie enjoys doing marriage counseling, individual counseling, and couples counseling.  We also specialize in family counseling, child, and adolescent counseling. Imagine Hope serves the Indianapolis area including the surrounding areas of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, and Zionsville

12Oct 2011

Perfect Moments

I was talking to someone today about “Perfect Moments” and thought it might be a good time to re-post this blog from what feels like a moment ago- which was honestly 2 years ago. So you may have read it before but it’s a great reminder to us all to notice Perfect Moments. Enjoy!

Perfect Moments… I love them. Those moments when time stands still for just a moment and something is etched into your memory.

I first became aware of Perfect Moments when I read “Chasing Daylight” by Gene O’Kelly. It is an AWESOME book that I highly recommend. I started noticing them more and realized I have them many times a day- if I just pay attention.

Yesterday I felt so busy, as I usually do on Mondays. I am at home with my boys but also preparing for my week of work ahead of me. My 5 year-old wanted me to play Indiana Jones with him with his Nerf guns. I almost said, “Let me get a few things done first”. But instead I took a gun and began shooting! I am so glad I did. We had a perfect moment when I “shot” him with the rubber bullet and my 18 month-old about fell to the floor laughing. I just stopped and listened to his laughter for a second. It was so funny. Just pure, hearty laughter! I thought to myself- “Ah! A perfect moment”.

That made me start to think about perfect moments. I realize I have them all day long. When I come home from work and both boys come running to me and scream at the top of their lungs, “Mommyyyyyy”!- that’s a perfect moment. I have one when I check on my boys one last time before I go to bed and they are quietly, peacefully sleeping without a care in the world. I have one when I open my eyes for the first time in the morning and though I am tired and don’t want to get up, I thank God for another day to be alive. Then  when I roll over in my bed in and kiss my husband’s cheek and thank God for another day with him- that is a perfect moment.

Sometimes we can create them and sometimes they just happen. Do you live life aware enough to notice them? Do you let yourself get away from your schedule enough to create them? It makes life so much worth living. Seems to give more meaning and purpose to another hum-drum day. Have a Perfect Moment today!

Natalie Chandler, MA, LMHC is a therapist at Imagine Hope Counseling Group. Natalie enjoys doing marriage counseling, individual counseling, and couples counseling.  We also specialize in family counseling, child, and adolescent counseling. Imagine Hope serves the Indianapolis area including the surrounding areas of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, and Zionsville.

05Oct 2011

An App for Reading Thoughts??

I just had lunch with my hubby. I enjoy having lunch with him- it’s a bright spot in my day. My husband is an IT guy so he loves to fill me in on the latest gadgets and inventions :) . Poor guy- he’s married to the most technically challenged person in the world! But I try to listen and hear what he’s excited about.

Today my ears perked up as he shared with me a new app (I think that’s what it is lol) on the new Iphone4S (oh dear, I’m sure I’m botching this!). Anyway, he was telling me how you can be driving home, have your phone in your pocket, and say, “Text Natalie- tell her I’m on my way”. And it will actually text me the message. WOW! Now THAT is way cool!!

As we started talking further, I told him that I thought it would be cool if someday my phone could read my mind: “Text Cary and tell him I’m driving but I’m thinking about him”. Or “Send me a notification to remember to return Tammy’s phone call when I get home.” Or my favorite would be- “Add Kleenex to my grocery list’! Now THAT would be cool- my thoughts in my phone!

Ok, let me reel myself in here before you hang up on me (or quit reading I guess I should say!) I think often we think our partners (or friends and family) have this feature. We are upset or hurt by something and we don’t want to say it. We think they should know us well enough that we shouldn’t have to speak the words- they should just know. It’s unfair that we put this on people we love and care about. No one can read our minds and we would help our relationships if we accept this, be adult, and state our needs.

On the contrary, many of us (uh hum, myself included) think because we are “feelings” people and we think emotionally, that we can read peoples minds and know what they are going to say or what they are thinking. Oh this is dangerous! We can end up putting words in people’s mouths! If we know what they are already going to say, we don’t hear what they actually say because we think we already know and are preparing our answer. Not fair and dangerous.

Both of these are unhealthy ways to relate. Although it would be great to have an app to read thoughts (ummm..maybe not!), we don’t have one. So we need to make sure we state our thoughts/feelings/needs and actually listen to others thoughts/feelings/needs in our relationships.

As for me, I’m wondering if I need that new Iphone!!

Thank you for reading and have a great day!

Written by Natalie Chandler

Natalie Chandler, MA, LMHC is a therapist at Imagine Hope Counseling Group. Natalie enjoys doing marriage counseling, individual counseling, and couples counseling.  We also specialize in family counseling, child, and adolescent counseling. Imagine Hope serves the Indianapolis area including the surrounding areas of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, and Zionsville