Tag: happiness (Page 1 of 2)

How To Have A Great Day

September 27, 2015 / Sarah Boucher / 0 Comments

Friday was a GREAT day! I got the kids on the bus, made a quick call to Bill to catch up with him after his recent workshops in England. I got off the phone and decided to take a little bit of quiet time and plan my day and maybe even write a little before tackling the house. It was a wreck. I’ve been working 3 twelve hour days a week for a little over a month. On my days off, instead of staying home and cleaning, I’ve been off with Jason in search of fun inventory for The Awesome Possum or house hunting.

I sat down with a cup of coffee and started writing. I don’t do it enough and I REALLY enjoy it. There are ALWAYS other tasks that need to be done and I’ve felt so stifled creatively, but the words flowed that morning. As I was wrapping up my post (you can read it here) I got a text.

My friend Beth wanted to drive 40 minutes to see me. Panic set in. I wanted to spend time with her. We haven’t seen each other in 6 months but she couldn’t possibly come over. Beth is so organized and put together. She’s one of my oldest friends and has seen my messy house many times but this time was different. She’s got 8 month old Finlee now and I couldn’t imagine that sweet baby on my dirty floor. My vehicle decided to give me grief a week ago and we’re down to 1 car for the time being, so I couldn’t meet her anywhere. I told her she couldn’t come over but we could go out to eat.

You’d have thought I was going on a date the way I prepared for lunch. Like I said, Beth is ALWAYS put together (for example she and 8 month old Finlee were both wearing WHITE! AND STAYED CLEAN!!!) but she also works for a dentist. I took extra care brushing with toothpaste and hydrogen peroxide for EXTRA bright teeth. I don’t get out enough 🙂

We had a nice lunch and then went to a few little shops around my tiny town in search of birthday presents for a couple of friends, to no avail.

When she dropped me back off, I went inside and started cleaning. I worked for a few hours. The kids got home from school in the middle of the cleaning stint. I could’ve cleaned for days, but settled for the downstairs being good enough. We ordered pizza and watched Hocus Pocus. CLASSIC! The girls loved it.

I fell asleep during the second movie but when we moved upstairs to bed, I got a second wind and stayed awake until around 2:00 watching Friends on Netflix. I’m so not okay with the fact that all of those actors and actresses are now in their 50’s and I’m quickly approaching 40.

There was nothing extraordinary about the day but it felt special. It felt complete. I love days that feel complete. They occur more often when I take time to think about my day, when I take time to do Self Care. When I don’t take time to “set my intentions” for the day or to recognize that life is going by quickly (Jennifer Aniston is 50 for crying out loud!) then I’m just reacting to what life hands me instead of creating a day that feels complete.

Yesterday wasn’t a great day for me. I didn’t take time to get grounded in my well being. I didn’t take time to pray/do Self Care. I woke up and fell into the day. I chose to dwell on some pretty unpleasant thoughts ALL DARN DAY. I KEPT on choosing them over and over. I kept choosing to look at a picture that triggered the thoughts. It was a choice. I created my unpleasant day. It was rough. There was a happy period in the day when my kids asked me to play games with them. As you’ll recall, the upstairs of the house hadn’t been cleaned yet. I told my son I had work to do and he insisted I take time to play. I’m so glad I did.

Anyway, this morning I woke up a little down and these thoughts helped me get back on track this morning and I hope they’ll be of use to you too.

Don’t get going on your day just yet. What do you want from today? How are you going to live today fully? What do you want to do with your time? Who would you like to spend time with? How do you want to feel at the end of the day? Think about it.

Now…you’re ready. Make it a great day.

For more on Self Care click here and here.

If you’re struggling or dealing with a loved one in pain, check out What Every Person Can Do. It’s incredibly affordable. 12 weeks of support for what 1 hour of counseling would cost! But…and I know this firsthand, even reasonably priced is not an option sometimes, so don’t write this off. Partial and full scholarships are available for those that need them and are serious about going through the work. If you have questions for me, you can get in touch with me here.

Always Do Your Best-This Marriage Stuff Part 2

December 8, 2014 / Sarah Boucher / 0 Comments

Last week I wrote about my marriage (click here to read that) and asked for pointers on getting more connected to the man I share my life with and have been friends with for over half my life. I really appreciate all of you who shared your thoughts. I’m condensing them here and hitting the highlights.

Jacqui-

“I advise you treat your marriage sacred like God intended and be grateful for what you have versus what you don’t, and definitely keep your marriage issues private between you, God and your husband…Good luck, you two will be in my prayers!”

Glenda-

My vote is that you go back to that therapist and start where you are at this moment. If an intersection is blocked, walking around drinking coffee and holding hands will not clear the path–although, walking and holding hands are excellent ways to approach the de-construction.

Cari-

Remember that marriage is a call to teach God’s love to the foreign culture we call our husband. Sometimes i have to step back and try to figure out how to relate to him. Sometimes I have to step back and give him room. What helps most of all is to remember the good times and try to get him to do the same. “Remember when we met?” is a good starter.

Bridget-

…we actually just started communicating better when I got ill. We threw everything right out on the table for one another, no matter how bad or heartbreaking it was. That night showed us how much we actually love and care about each other.

Nancy

It’s little things that matter. Take some time each day to show him you appreciate him. Maybe set up a regular date so you guys can connect. Sharing a cup of coffee in the morning or allowing a half hour of uninterrupted time for each other in the evening.

Janice-

You remember what drew you to him in the first place. Oh, and going to the beach is nice, if not, go for a long walk…..without kids.

Kerri-

Kiss. 15 seconds, no less every day. Even if you don’t want to. Carve out fifteen minutes of alone time together. Even if it is a walk or a coffee. I constantly feel disconnected with so many kids and a full time job, and my husbands PTSD. It is a struggle….but!!! When something is as important as marriage you do everything to keep it from being tarnished—you polish it every day.

Here’s what happened after that post. I started thinking there were steps I could follow to fix our marriage. I also started searching for that feeling of re-connection and happiness from him which led to some creepy neediness from me. It felt horrible. I don’t want to do THAT to me or him again. I’m sure I’ll slip up and end up there from time to time, but I sure as heck hope I catch it sooner than I did this past week. He lovingly saw me through it but we’re both exhausted and it didn’t make us feel any more connected.

Anyway, here’s what I ultimately learned and know to be true from my little visit to CRAZY TOWN.

No amount of kind words or thoughtful actions on either of our parts will fix anything or make the other person feel complete or loved. Those activities are nice and should be done daily, but we both have to do the work of being completely happy and whole on our own to enjoy a happy healthy relationship, free of neediness, grudges, finger pointing, or guilt and shame.

The ONLY thing either one of us can do is DO OUR BEST each day to work on ourselves and be nice to our partner. We’ve agreed that this is the best course of action, doing our best, which made me think about The Four Agreements because the fourth agreement is Always Do Your Best.

Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

I’ve decided to give away a copy of the book in January to a member of the POWERFUL Woman community (The P-dub Hub.) To become an official member of the community and be entered into each month’s give away automatically, just fill in the form below.

Goodnight and good luck from the Kentucky Lottery!

Wait! That’s the wrong sign off. Let me try again.

My name is Sarah Boucher and I approve this message.

Join below!!! I’m throwing in a little something besides the book as well. I just haven’t decided what yet 🙂

Trouble in Paradise-This Marriage Stuff

December 3, 2014 / Sarah Boucher / 0 Comments

This marriage stuff is a lot harder than I thought it was. We’re almost 17 years into this and I’m scratching my head wondering what we can do to make it a happier and healthier relationship.

My experience of my marriage was that we had a pretty great one, one of the best in the history of mankind. Unfortunately, the story stopped being legen…wait for it…dary 8 years ago. I know it wasn’t a good experience for my husband by the 4 year mark. That’s when he told me he thought we should see a counselor, but I “heard” what he had to say, told him we were fine, and everything got better (for me, not for him.)

If there’s one lesson I’m 100% sure of, it’s if your partner mentions counseling, don’t dismiss it. RUN! Don’t walk.

I want to write about my marriage because it’s real. The struggle to be connected is real. The feelings feel real for both of us. There’s crap to deal with. I don’t want any of my writing on this topic to blame or shame anyone, myself included, which is really where most of those negative thoughts would be directed since I’m the one writing this.

Here’s where I sit today.

We both had different experiences of our marriage. We’ve made lots of happy memories over the years (I love those), but there’s also been a lot of pain and damage done on both our parts. Our excellent communication was not as excellent as I thought it was. We separated for 9 months in 2012 and then we made the decision to work on our marriage. Even at our worst, separated and in relationships with other people, we still cared for and encouraged each other to make good choices.

When we decided to recommit, we went to counseling for three weeks. The counselor told us we weren’t like other couples she’d worked with. She really said that. She praised our communication and respect for each other. She told us we were doing great and sent us on our merry way. Fast forward to today.

We’ve talked and agreed that our marriage lacks connection and we don’t know what to do about it. We like each other. I’d go so far as to say we love each other. We want to stay married, but we’re just not very connected.

Here’s my analysis. I feel like we both learned to live apart during those 9 months and since we’ve been back together, we’ve still been living separate lives. We just do our own thing and sometimes our paths cross. We’re both busy with life, which happens to all couples and is not unique to our situation. So my question is what do you do when life gets busy and you get disconnected from your partner, besides the obvious. My husband said it best jokingly, “We connect with our hearts, not with our parts.”

So, how can we get more connected? What are your suggestions? Seriously. Share your ideas by commenting below or come over to I Am A Powerful Woman and post them on the wall. I’ll compile a list and we’ll try them. This will be fun and it might just work.

Thanks for your help!

Sarah

Charles In Charge

July 13, 2014 / Sarah Boucher / 0 Comments

I went to a temporary service on June 2nd and started working in a factory the following day. I’ve been a stay at home the majority of my adult life so it was quite an adjustment.

Is it my dream job? Heck no. Does it pay? Yep. Would I like to do something different? Yes. Will I be okay if I end up working there the rest of my life? Yes. Is that the plan? Nope.

This past week, I trained in a different part of the factory with a man named, you guessed it, Charles. Here are a few of the lessons I learned from him.

Lesson #1 Age is just a number.
Charles is 65 years old. I wouldn’t have known it unless he had told me. I’m not sure how much a canvas bag full of 60 car belts and powder weighs, but he tosses them around like they are loaves of bread. During the week, he mentioned arthritis in his knees once, but told me he’ll keep working until he’s physically unable to do so.

Lesson #2 I’m a rebel.
As Charles was explaining the task at hand, he said, “I do 60 belts at a time, but you’re really supposed to do 30. They’ll be too hard for you to move from point A to point B.”

Uh…challenge accepted. And so I set out to prove that I too could do 60 belts at a time. The bags didn’t look like loaves of bread when I tossed them, more like bags of something really heavy, but I did it anyway.

Which brings me to

Lesson #3 Charles doesn’t know everything.

I’ve heard a few times, not just from Charles, that certain jobs in the factory aren’t for women. Maybe they aren’t for every woman, but I’m sure a certain woman COULD do the job, and some could do it better than the men that are currently doing said job. If a woman wants to do a job, she should be given the opportunity. When people make statements like that, I want to prove them all wrong. But, I don’t have time to body build right now, so I’ll save that challenge for another day. Yeah, probably not.

Lesson #4 Always do your best.
It’s a lesson that I’ve known for awhile but it was reinforced this week as I watched a man take pride in his work, a job that most people wouldn’t consider doing, and did it with energy and enthusiasm.

“Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.”
― Miguel Ruiz

Check out The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

It FEELS GOOD knowing that you’ve done your best instead of going into a job dreading it and hating it the whole time. I am learning that I can do any job with energy, enthusiasm, and like it’s the most important job in the world, even if it’s dusting and cleaning toilets. The day goes by quickly when you do what needs to be done and do it with a good attitude.

Lesson #5 Self Defense
On our last day together, Charles left me with a couple of self defense moves in case I ever find myself in danger. He is all about team work and sharing knowledge to make the job and life easier.

Lesson #6 Life is too short. Have fun!
The whole week was full of fun. Charles said it makes him sad to see people walking around with their heads down, not enjoying themselves, so he does everything he can to brighten up the day. Wednesday was full of, “Hey Chuck!” or, “Hey Young Blood! What day is it?” and the response would sound back, “Hump Day!” and then Charles would laugh like it was the greatest thing ever.

Charles has an inside joke with, or a nickname for everyone that walks past and they all seem to enjoy him as much as he enjoys them.

I also learned this life changing fact.

“That’s what she said,” did NOT originate with Michael Scott from The Office, but Charles has been saying it since the 70’s.

Do you have a co-worker that makes work more pleasant or do you dread going into work? What can you do to brighten up your environment, to be an energy giver? Let me know about this awesome co-worker or about your plans to be happier at work this week in the comments or over on facebook.

Sarah Boucher happily encourages women to grow in their power daily at I Am A Powerful Woman. Come join the conversation there.

Powerful Relationships Create Powerful Women

May 7, 2014 / Sarah Boucher / 2 Comments

Powerful Relationships Create Powerful Women
By Heather Grant

“Non nobis solum nati sumus.”
(We are not born for ourselves alone.)
― Cicero

Often times when we seek out and are nurturing relationships, we are looking for someone to make us happy. This seems to be the world’s view of dating, marriage, and friendships. Find someone who can make me happy! The funny thing is to become truly happy we have to become less focused on me and more focused on the person we are trying to nurture a relationship with.

Sometimes as women we sit around waiting. Waiting to be asked on a date or for our husband to get a clue and bring us flowers. We wait for our kids to start treating us with respect, or for our friends to ask us out to lunch or give us a call to see how we are doing. Instead of waiting, it is time to take the power back into our own hands and begin doing and creating the life and relationships that we desire. In order to become powerful women we need to create powerful relationships.

Before I started my own business, I was a stay at home mom and I was totally wrapped up in my own life and challenges. When I began my own business, I was amazed at how many strong relationships and deep meaningful friendships I did NOT have! I was so wrapped up in my own life and problems that I didn’t reach out to other women in sincere friendship and support. Through building my own business and with lots of hard work and personal development, I am happy to say I have completely changed all that.

There is an object lesson I love. Take a single pencil and you can break it in half easily but when you bundle several pencils together they become unbreakable. They are strong and powerful when supported. Each of us needs those loving relationships in our lives and it is up to us to use the power within ourselves and create them. Sometimes this is easy and sometimes it requires us to sacrifice what we want and what we think will make us happy and to put someone else’s happiness first. Let me give you an example.

My husband and I try to go on dates regularly, and even after being married for several years, we struggle to come up with things to do on date night that we are both happy with. We finally settled on a compromise. He gets to choose the date one week, and then the next time we go out, it is my turn. He usually chooses to go fishing or hiking or something “manly”. I usually choose to eat out and watch a chick flick.

The fact is, I hate fishing! You get wet, cold and muddy. You usually don’t catch fish so it is extremely boring. Then, if by sheer luck, my hubby happens to catch a fish, he gives it to me to hold, so he can continue fishing. The fish flails and flings mud and slime all over me and scares me to death. Then it dies, which breaks my heart, and he cleans all the guts and blood out. Yuck! Yuck! Yuck! I get eaten by mosquitoes and end up cold, muddy, and smelling all fishy-like. The funny thing is, that as much as I HATE fishing, I LOVE fishing with my husband because I know he loves it. He carries me across the river in the deep parts, and the look on his face when he actually catches a fish is truly priceless! He is so proud of himself! He holds that fish up high for me to see and gets this whole caveman attitude of, “See woman, me catch fish, we eat fish, I am man.” It is hilarious! I get the best feeling spending time with him when I am doing the things that I know he enjoys and makes him the happiest. My best dates are the ones when he chooses what we get to do. But, please, please, don’t tell him, because I want to eat out and watch a chick flick now and again too!

We need to quit waiting for our spouse or friends to spoil us and make us happy. Instead we need to try to spoil them and make them happy. The truth is that when you do this YOU find true joy and happiness! Instead of looking for business prospects to make us money, we need to seek to serve and support those we do business with and add value to their lives. When we do this it goes full circle and blesses our own lives financially.

To find true happiness we have to become less focused on me and more focused on the person we are trying to nurture a relationship with. Bring that hubby a treat to his work or slip him a kind note or text. Take your children to the park or read them that favorite book again and then again. Message that girl friend you have lost touch with, or better yet, give her a call and catch up. We can all think of a friend we love and have lost touch with. We lead fast paced, busy lives so we have to make it a priority to place a phone call or two and schedule that lunch date or girls night out. It is time to take power back into our own hands and begin doing and creating the life and relationships that we desire. As we seek to serve and make other people happy,we find true joy, satisfaction, and happiness.

About the Author
Heather loves reading, writing, and public speaking. She works as a wellness advocate selling doTERRA essentials oils. She focuses on helping people with physical, emotional, and financial health and well being. Heather married Jarom Grant, on August 2, 2002, in the Manti LDS temple for time and all eternity. They reside in Duchesne, Utah, with their five children. To find out more about Heather’s story or about her work as a wellness advocate check out this link.

21 Days of Self Care, Day 1

February 28, 2014 / Sarah Boucher / 0 Comments

21 Days of Self Care,Day 1

I have experienced the incredible difference that taking time to do Self Care makes in my day. I feel like the 4 Self Care thoughts have become part of my thinking. Because of the overall impact this way of thinking has had in my day to day life, it is easy to become complacent when I wake up feeling peaceful, to skip the routine altogether. “I’ll do it after I get the kids off to school,” I say to myself, but then I start my busy day and later never happens.

My kids and husband have also noticed the difference Self Care makes in my day. When I’m not being patient or very loving, they call me out on it. “Have you done Self Care?” EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM has asked me this at some point over the last couple of years.

I’ve written a couple of blog posts and lots of facebook posts about Self Care, but it has yet to become a discipline for me. So even though, I’m mostly relaxed, even in the midst of some pretty chaotic times, I still have lots of off moments and occasional days where I’m a bit of a mess. This has been especially embarrassing when my friend Bill Cumming, who introduced me to Self Care, asks me how often I’m doing it.

So…it’s time. It’s time to get disciplined and experience the full effect Self Care can have on a life so that I can not only live my life to the fullest, but share with you what’s possible as well. I don’t want any of us to suffer needlessly. My life before learning about Self Care was full of unnecessary drama and self inflicted suffering.

For the next 21 days, I am challenging myself to be fully committed to doing Self Care every morning. After reading this post, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to do your own reflection on the 4 Self Care thoughts and see what a difference it makes in your own equanimity. Merriam Webster says equanimity is evenness of mind especially under stress. Self Care WORKS!

Pre-Self Care Thoughts on Day 1
So…it’s 11:00 am. I’ve had 5 hours of thinking time already this morning. These are some of the thoughts I’ve been thinking lately, having not done Self Care consistently for the past few months.

*Most mornings are unpleasant because of my 7 year old’s behavior. I love her but I dread waking her up. This morning’s fit was 5 minutes of drama over shoes. I don’t want to dread waking up my children.

*I’m not focused on my goals. I have so many ideas but I’m not making time to work on them. I’m scattered.

* I’ve been REALLY hard on myself. My life, while I feel so blessed, is not what I’d like it to be. I’ve made so many mistakes. BIG MISTAKES. I’m having trouble forgiving myself for not making better choices. I feel ashamed.

*I feel torn. I have a picture in my head of what life can be like on a day to day basis. I’d made the decision to pursue that picture, but reality is saying, “Not yet Missy.” I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.

*I feel worried about some unknowns, like my health. I haven’t been to a doctor in years and I’m feeling kind of MORTAL these days.

As you can see, my mind visits some dark places. This has been my line of thinking once or twice a day, without the discipline of daily Self Care. Because I’ve done it in the past, I might spend more time than I should stewing over these thoughts, but I don’t stay in a constant state of worry or panic like I did before I learned about this invaluable tool. Still, these thoughts are unpleasant and Self Care will snap me out of it, get me grounded in my well-being, and support me in having a wonderful experience of being alive.

The 4 Self Care Thoughts
You can spend a few minutes thinking about these or praying about them. If you decide Self Care is beneficial for you, you’ll develop your own way of doing it, but here are the 4 Core Thoughts.

1. We live in a miracle.
2. Everything is interconnected.
3. The ONLY thing I can control is how I choose to BE in the world today.
4. Be gracious to yourself.

Besides thinking about and/or praying about these thoughts, you’ll want to reinforce them by reading a couple of pages out of one of these books or a similar book.

Real Love by Greg Baer

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh

A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

My Grandfather’s Blessings by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.

Post Self Care Thoughts
Check out the difference!!!

We live in a miracle. Today I’m thankful to be alive, for my family, my health, and all my blessings.
We’re all interconnected. We all effect each other. There is lots of work to do, starting in my home, with my children. If I’ll look past myself and how others are inconveniencing me or not meeting my needs…if I’ll take time to do Self Care and get grounded, I’ll see what I can do daily to help decrease suffering in the world. I’ll see opportunity everywhere.

None of this is about me. I want to share what I’ve experienced with others. I want everyone to have access to more peace and more joy.

The ONLY thing I can control is how I choose to be in the world today. If I’m grounded, I’ll see what needs to be done to show my 7 year old that she’s loved without condition. I’ll have the patience to go into her drama filled world and love her through her meltdowns. Instead of looking at her as an energy taker, I can fill my moments with her with positivity and help her see what choices are available in helping her create a happier experience.

About my health concerns and mortality. What can I do about my concerns today? Do I need to call and make an appointment of some sort? I feel GREAT today. I need to make the most of this day. It’s the ONLY moment I have any guarantee of. How am I going to use my time?

How do I choose to be in the world today?

I choose to be loving, joyful, and peaceful. I choose to not attempt to control the people with whom I live. My husband and I have changed a lot over the years. We’re not on the same page about a lot of things. I love him anyway. All I can control is how I choose to be today. My children are not little Sarahs. I choose to do the best I can to set a good example for them, to offer them loving guidance and hope they make good choices. It only causes me lots of frustration to try to micro manage everybody’s words and actions.

So my life isn’t going according to plan. All I can do is the best I can do moving forward. I’ve made mistakes. I can beat myself up and stay down or I can offer myself the same graciousness and love I would a friend and even a stranger. I choose to believe that everything is going to work out the way it’s supposed to, whether it ever looks like that from my point of view or not. I’m human and I can’t see the bigger picture.

Today I choose to be hopeful,
to do my best,
to love unconditionally,
to be calm,
to be a hard worker,
to take time to pursue my goals,
and to share what I’ve experienced.

WOW! I feel better!

I promise that future posts, concerning this personal Self Care Challenge over the next 20 days, will not be this lengthy. I just wanted to give you an example of my thinking before and after. This shift is possible for all of us, any time of the day, with these 4 simple but POWERFUL thoughts.

What did you think about this post? Can you see yourself using these 4 core thoughts to develop your own Self Care routine? Don’t be shy. Share your comments below. Speaking of sharing, I’d love it if you would share this post if you think the content would be useful to someone you care about.

Sarah Boucher happily encourages women to grow in their power daily over facebook at I Am A Powerful Woman. Come join the conversation there. If you are interested in going through the 12 week conversation What One Person Can Do, you can get in touch with Sarah here.

10 Attributes of a POWERFUL Woman

September 26, 2013 / Sarah Boucher / 0 Comments

Powerful women are full of wonderful qualitites. Here are 10 attributes of a POWERFUL woman that happen to all begin with the letter A.

Intentional? Yes.

Cheesy? Yes.

Here they are in no particular order.

#1 Attitude
A positive attitude is extremely important in your day to day life. Negative people and circumstances cannot dampen your day with rain clouds full of fear, judgment, chaos, and bad boundaries. Armed with a good attitude, you smile and carry on about your business. You have learned not to take the actions and opinions of others personally.

#2 Adaptable
When life throws you a curve ball, you do not give up. You look for a variety of ways to adapt and overcome this unexpected life change. You know there are choices available to you in every situation and that you’re not stuck.

#3 Adventurous
Even when fear is present, you feel compelled to pursue a life filled with challenges and adventure. You know that taking on a challenge makes you a stronger woman and you know where life begins.

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”― Neale Donald Walsch

#4 Affectionate
You are not afraid to let others know they are loved and cared for. You are an advocate for those who have no voice. Your love is FIERCE and you will fight to protect what is yours, the innocent, and the enslaved. Your love for others makes you a warrior.

#5 Ageless
You know as long as you have breath, you are making a difference in the world and that difference will outlast your existence on this planet. We are all interconnected and everything you say or do effects the rest of us. You will never be too old to learn something new or share your experiences with others. Even when your body fails you, you will continue to love and bless others with your presence.

#6 Appreciative
Life is a gift and you are thankful for every moment of it. There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for and it is those blessings and that great attitude that keep you going when times get tough.

#7 Attentive
When you are with another person, you’re there 100%. They are able to experience their value because you’re giving them your full attention. Every conversation is a potential life changer.

#8 Aspiring
You are aspiring to do your best every day and grow in your power, by continuously learning new things and implementing what you’ve learned.

#9 Authentic
You are your own woman. You are not concerned with what others may think of your bold actions. You have a job to do while you’re on this earth. You embrace your gifts and strengths and use them to bless the lives of everyone you meet.

#10 Awake
One day you woke up to your potential as a POWERFUL woman. It might have been through a conversation with a friend, a teacher, a parent, a book, or this feeling of self worth that you’ve always carried with you through life. However it happened, it happened, and you got in touch with your value in the world and the difference that your life makes to the rest of us. You are passionate about sharing your experience with others so they too can see their value and potential!

I’d love to hear what other attributes come to mind when you think of POWERFUL women? You can tell me here or over on facebook. See ya there!

Sarah Boucher happily encourages women to find their power daily at
I Am A Powerful Woman. Come join the conversation there. If you are interested in learning more about What One Person Can Do or one on one coaching, you can contact Sarah here.

Are YOU Fed Up?

July 4, 2013 / Sarah Boucher / 0 Comments

Are YOU Fed Up?

I am looking for 5 women who are fed up with feelings of overwhelm, fear, worry, and low self esteem and are ready to kick all of that negativity to the curb. It’s hard to imagine life without all of that inner turmoil, but I have experienced life both ways, and know that it is possible to struggle less even when outward circumstances are rough.

I will spend 2 hours a week for 12 weeks with five of you, starting July 22nd having one of the most powerful conversations you will ever have. You will leave this 12 week program KNOWING that you are loved, valued, and capable of creating a meaningful, joyous life for yourself and also that you are able to create an environment where those around you experience their own ability to produce the same result in their lives.

The cost of this 12 week program, plus daily access to me Monday through Friday, via a private fb support group, is $740.

In addition, I have asked Bill Cumming, the creator of this powerful conversation, if he would kick off our 12 weeks together in a group call, as well as a call at the end of the 12 weeks, to make sure I delivered the goods. When Bill works with clients in corporations, he charges $800 for an hour of his time so this is an incredible bonus for all of us!

If you are fed up, ready to break out of the daily struggle you have been experiencing, and commit to a more peaceful future of your creating, then send me your five paragraph application…Your who, what, what, why, and when.

Who are you? — tell me a little bit about yourself.

What is it you struggle with most?

What do you REALLY want your life to look like?

WHY should you be one of the first five women to go through this 12 week conversation with me?

And…

When is the best fit for you…Monday, Wednesday, or Friday between 9:30-3:30 pm ET, for your weekly appointment? It is super important that you are free of all distraction during these calls. If I can manage it with five…

Send your letter to sarahboucher@iamapowerfulwoman.net

I will review the applications and contact you to set up an introductory call before our July 22nd kick off call with Bill. If 30 people submit applications, I can put you on a waiting list for the next 12 weeks, or if you are READY to have this conversation with another convener before then, let me know that in your letter as well. I will do my best to get you connected with someone.

As a busy mother of five children, I simply do not have time for a full client load. My space is very limited and I want to give the BEST support possible to those who sign on to go through this conversation with me.

I ABSOLUTELY love supporting other women in seeing possibilities. I’m THRILLED to be starting this journey with those of you who are ready to invest in yourself and serious about changing your experience of life.

Love,
Sarah Boucher

Sarah Boucher happily encourages women to find their power at I Am A Powerful Woman. Come join the conversation there.

Take A Smile

May 19, 2013 / Sarah Boucher / 0 Comments

Take A Smile
If your husband has a bad attitude today…take a smile.
If your kids aren’t listening to a word you say…take a smile.
If your car is in the shop or
your washing machine is broken…take a smile.
If someone you love dearly is in the hospital…take a smile.
If someone you care about is addicted to drugs or alcohol…take a smile.
If you are a single mom…take a smile.
If you are a widow…take a smile.
If you are sad…take a smile.
If there’s no money in your bank account…take a smile.
If EVERYTHING seems to be going wrong…take a smile.

YOU are a POWERFUL woman. YOU are breathing and life is still a gift. We are all connected. This smile that you take, will lift your spirit and you will bless the next person. All of those circumstances above happen to us and go on around us every day. We can’t DO anything about them. The ONLY thing we have any control over is the way we CHOOSE to BE in the world. So…know someone cares very much about you and take a smile.

Self Care is the resource I turn to daily that helps me smile even through “tough” times.

YOU are going to be okay…one day at a time.

I want to hear what you have to smile about today, even if you are walking through a trial.
Let me know in the comments below.

~Sarah

Sarah Boucher offers encouragement for women to grow in their power daily at I Am A Powerful Woman.

Act Your Age

December 16, 2012 / Sarah Boucher / 0 Comments

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“Everybody is talented, original, and has something important to say.”

–Brenda Ueland

We love to watch the people who play for a living. As individuals we spend hundreds, thousands, and collectively we spend millions of dollars a year to be entertained by their youthfulness, by people who never act their age. In most homes there are boxes in every room dedicated to the young at heart–to people who make millions acting silly–pretending all day to be someone they aren’t–playing dress up or telling jokes!

Men get together in each other’s homes or in bars to watch “the game.” On those entertaining but life stealing, time wasting or time stealing, life wasting boxes known as t.v.’s and in the lives of individuals connected to the young at heart, awards shows and entire days, weeks, and even months (the Olympics) are dedicated to actors and athletes–those who spend their lives pursuing their dreams and never growing up–those who pretend all day or play games.

“It is never too late to become what you might have been.” George Eliot

We admire and all wish that some small part of us were brave enough to pursue our own dreams. Deep inside each of us is a desire to never grow up–to pursue the thing we feel most alive doing. What is that thing for you? What is the one thing you would spend your entire day pursuing if you were not so busy acting your age? Please comment below.

Keep in the back of your mind that there are many ways to work towards that dream. What is the tiniest step you can take today towards that life long dream? Every day take one more tiny step towards making that dream, that activity, part of your life.

“Live the life you have imagined.” Henry David Thoreau

You will have the experience that you have just been awakened from a deep sleep.

YOU will come ALIVE!!!

And you will be giving the world that gift which you were brought here to give.

The rest of us lose out if you act your age! You have something to share. Share it!

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

–Howard Thurman

I would love to connect with you on facebook!

Make yourself a ridiculously happy POWERFUL life!

Sarah Jean