Single Moms Need Maximum Self-Confidence

You probably have heard the saying (actually a scripture from the book of Matthew) about those who succeed have at least the faith as that contained in a grain of mustard seed?

In order to be as successful as you are capable of being, which is whatever you can dare to think of, go about the task of developing self-confidence with at least that much faith, if not more.

Never mind "what they will say" because you might as well realize right now that they will not be helpful in the least as you climb up the mountain of success and toward your purpose for being on this planet!

Know this:

You already have within you all the power you need to get whatever you want or need in this world, for yourself and your children, and the best way to avail yourself to this power is to believe in yourself.

Fifteen Minutes to *CLEAN*

As I write this, I'm staring at a load of clean white towels ... which must be folded before single mom's Effortless Living class tonight. Of course I host it in my home, so all of the moms can bring their kids over, too. That means my house has be clean, and those towels are right in the middle of where the action will be later.

Alisa, one of the original moms in the class and I were having a discussion about keeping things neat and tidy, when, as previously discussed, there are so many things to do. There are a few basic rules I follow that I thought might be helpful.

1. At least once a day, I set the timer for anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes (depending on how much time I have) and "police the area." That means putting things in their place at lightning speed. My living room can go from "oh goodness!!" to "oh how nice" in about 3 minutes flat ... then onto the kitchen and counter tops. Its not deep cleaning, but it keeps the clutter and mess from getting out of control.
2. I use this same "just a few minutes here and there" strategy to fold a couple of loads of laundry, wipe down the guest-bathroom sink and countertop, dust the major surfaces, etc.
3. I do the dishes, wipe down the countertops, and empty the garbage at night before I go to bed. Its nice to wake up to a clean kitchen and empty waste-baskets. I also make my bed every weekday (weekends off!). I just love how neat it makes the whole room look.
4. I delegate to my daughter. She's part of the family, I don't consider this something I need to pay allowance for ... and she loves it! She gets excited when I "let" her vacuum and dust. Score! Seriously, I use a broom to put the "floor scraps" where she can sweep over them with the vacuum and all of that takes about 15 minutes.
5. Everything has a "home" and must go back to its home as soon as possible when not in use. That way we can always find what we need, when we need it.
6. Breathe. It doesn't need to be perfect, just managed.

Please share your tips. Happy cleaning!

Sample Sunday: The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook

The following is a recipe from The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook: 7 Ingredients or Less, On Your Table in 20 Minutes.

The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook contains more than 100 quick, easy and delicious recipes for busy single moms who desire to put nutritious meals that their kids will eat on the table in record time. These recipes do just that!

You can order it through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

Tortilla Pizza

A delicious, quick and easy pizza your kids will want to help make and love to eat!

Ingredients

1 whole wheat tortilla

2 Tbs. pizza or tomato sauce

8-10 pepperoni or turkey pepperoni slices

2 Tbs. miscellaneous veggies: green pepper, mushrooms, onions, cauliflower, broccoli

Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese ~ sprinkle as desired

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350°. Spread sauce to the edges of tortilla. Add pepperoni and veggies. Cover with cheese as desired. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and tortilla is crisp.

Number of Servings: 1

 The Successful Single Mom is the only book series for single moms written in a positive, can-do voice, from the coaching perspective, by an executive coach who was also a single mom. These books provide that road map for creating the life you want, starting right now, today!

Honorée turns service providers into rainmakers, average producers into rock-stars, and dreams into reality. For more information on how she can specifically help you or your organization, click here. You can read all about her here.

Tips for the Single Mom Cook

Please enjoy this excerpt from The Successful Single Mom Cooks Cookbook.

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You can find the book on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Smashwords.com.

In case you’re a novice (like Honorée), here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Think ahead.

You know that dinner is needed, well, pretty much every night. Sundays are a good day to look at your and your kids’ schedules, figure out what days are going to be more jam-packed than others, and plan accordingly. Try to plan a tentative nightly menu and stick to as much as possible (we know, just because you write down "tuna melts" for Wednesday doesn't mean you'll have a taste for it that night), and stick it on the fridge. Glance at the list the night before or in the morning to see if you have to take anything out to defrost, or if you need to stop by the store on the way home to pick something up. Sunday is also a great day to make a big meal of a dish that can last throughout the week that can be warmed up in a pinch when there's no time/energy left to get dinner on the table.

Which leads us to:

Leftovers are your friend!

There's bound to be a night where you have to succumb to take out for dinner. Opt for healthy, balanced dishes, rather than something calorically empty like pizza or fried chicken or fast food. These are foods that are likely to be eaten all in one sitting, are high in fat and low in nutrition. For example, Asian leftovers can be reheated easily, and made into a brand new stir fry with the addition of frozen vegetables and leftover rice is transformed into fried rice (extra points for ordering brown rice instead of steamed rice!). Always be thinking of ways you can incorporate/transform leftovers into something for the next night

Shop smart.

On your big grocery shopping days, always make sure you have the staples on hand: whole wheat pastas, tortillas (can be frozen separately and thawed when needed), cans of whole peeled tomatoes, frozen vegetables that can go into anything, such as peas, carrots, pearl onions, and corn. If you buy larger packages of chicken or other meats, separate and freeze them into manageable portions when you get home.

Don't be afraid of day-of grocery shopping.

We know, ten minutes in a grocery store can seem like an hour, but stopping in to get a few fresh ingredients will give your meal that more home-cooked feel and flavor. I like to buy bunches of green onions to chop and use as garnish on a lot of my dishes, and its flavor goes a long way! Have a hankering for a dish that night? Write a very specific grocery list of things you need for the meal, go to the store and STICK TO THE LIST. Plus, if you've completely forgotten to take that frozen chicken or beef out of the freezer, those items are there, ready and waiting to be taken home and cooked.

Kids can cook, too!

They might not be ready to wield a knife, but they can stir pots, or rinse and strain vegetables. Getting them involved also takes a bit of pressure off of you to get everything done, and it turns what can sometimes seem like a task into quality time spent together. The sooner you get them to help you with the small tasks, the more useful... er, we mean, interested they will become in cooking as they get older.

A well-rounded meal.

We won't get into the whole carb vs. no carb argument but growing kids need a well-balanced diet. And that includes proteins, vegetables AND carbohydrates. Incorporating these three elements into every tasty meal at home means they won't be scared by vegetables out at restaurants or at other kids' houses (where you hope and pray they are serving vegetables as well!).

Make it your own.

Following a recipe to a T ensures that the dish will taste the way the recipe-writer intended. But that doesn't mean YOU may like it that exact way. Think the dish could benefit from a little garlic? Add some chopped garlic at the beginning or garlic powder at the end. Not into spice? Omit the jalapeno peppers or chili powder, but make sure you compensate for flavor with a favorite spice or herbs of your own. Add in extra vegetables to make amp up the nutritional value. Unless the recipe writer is sitting down with you to dinner, this is your meal, make it how you want.

Make sure it tastes good.

Yes, we all want to sit down to a quick and healthy meal, but it's all for naught if it doesn't make you and the kids say "mmmmmm!" Taste the dish throughout the cooking process, after you've added some seasoning or spices, make sure it's to your liking. Make it something that you want to eat again and again, and a favorite on your child's dinner roster. You have to eat every day, you might as well enjoy it, right?

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Honorée turns service providers into rainmakers, average producers into rock-stars, and dreams into reality. For more information on how she can specifically help you or your organization, click here. You can read all about her here.

Single Moms: Maximizing Your Time

Good morning! As all single moms are,  I was up at 4 a.m. this morning so I could make a dent in my to do list "before the day started." Even though I'm no longer a single mom, all of these strategies I discovered or uncovered while I was a single mom and literally desperate for more sleep!


In my opinion, there's no such thing as time management, but there is time maximization -- which is what single moms really need to be great at! Since efficiency is one of my focus areas as an executive coach, I thought I'd share some tried-and-true methods for maximizing time, but first, let's explore what maximizing your time will help you to do:

1. Get more done in less time.
2. Make more money in less time.
3. Feel less stress and more productive.
4. Work smarter, not harder, and ...
5. Feel happier!

 The first and most important thing is to get clear about your priorities. I need clean laundry, but it doesn't need to be folded, hung up, and put away more than I need to spend quality time reading with my girl. We want a freshly vacuumed carpet, but our kids need love and attention more. So make a list of all of the things that need to be done, and then rank them in order of importance. The things that aren't the most important, that aren't critical if left incomplete and be left undone (and crossed off that list)!

Next, let the "structure set you free." I calendar everything, including down time. You absolutely must have clean underwear (and other clothing, towels and linens), so calendar in time to do it. What I do is throw a load of laundry in while I'm doing other tasks that don't need my undivided attention. As they say in Sweet Home Alabama, Oprah calls it "multi-tasking." There's no need to do just laundry, you can squeeze it in while you're cleaning the bathroom, or making a casserole, or helping with homework -- or all of the above! Lexi and I read every night from 8:30-9 p.m. With few exceptions, that's our non-negotiable time and I actually really look forward to it!

Breathe. Being a single mom is the hardest job ever. Every day you wake up is a great day, regardless of whether everything gets done or not. Make sure the kids (and you) are clean, fed, and feel loved.