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Sunday, January 11, 2009

No Burnt Toast In 2009!

DON’T SETTLE FOR THE BURNT TOAST

by Beverly Ford

As Oh-Eight fades into our rear view mirror, it is remarkable how our psychology improved simply by replacing our calendar. New dreams - Oh-Nine!


The news can be depressing, but there is no question about it, bad news sells. However, when we look for good news we’ll discover that while going through our daily routines, there are those inevitable moments when someone comes into our life at exactly the right time and says or does just the right thing.


Then there are times when a person needs a mentor and/or professional help to dig himself or herself out of the rut they’ve dug for themselves. Clear goals are vital for our personal success.


At a two-day workshop for self-employed people that I attended, and helped facilitate, the objective was for the attendees to rediscover themselves for 2009 and create, or borrow, a slogan to reflect their commitment to improve. These words, by T. S. Eliot, are what the group collectively selected…


“ONLY THOSE WHO RISK GOING TOO FAR CAN POSSIBLY FIND OUT HOW FAR ONE CAN GO!”


While getting a haircut in Riggins, Jeanne at J Marie’s Hair Salon asked me if I had made any New Year’s resolutions. “Only one,” was my reply…


“NO BURNT TOAST IN 2009!”


If air travel was part of your holidays, you saw many children traveling, and on every flight the flight attendants gave clear instructions about the use of oxygen masks in case of an emergency...


  • If you are flying with children, secure your oxygen mask first, then help the children with theirs.”

Why is it that when those same parents prepare breakfast for their children, and burn the toast, the mommy generally eats the burnt toast? Are you also guilty of doing this?


That didn’t seem significant until I listened to a pastor talking about people, especially women, who have embraced the ‘burnt toast’ lifestyle because they also watched their moms make these, and other, non-verbal sacrifices. Since these women then followed what they had observed…today their ‘settled for’ existence (spouse, partner, home, work and etc.) is their daily reminder that they could have done better had they put a higher worth on themselves. Even Oprah says, “Add yourself to your priority list.” Guys are not exempt.


The pastor went on to say that treating others, but especially ourselves, with more respect goes a long way towards improving what we get, what we can offer, and who we become…as long as our egos don’t get in our way. Then he shared these familiar words…


  • The first essential in good manners is consideration for others.
  • The second is consideration for oneself.
  • The first keeps you from walking over people.
  • The second keeps you from being a doormat.


Thanks to Bev Ford for this great reminder. We all need to hear this as moms and remember that we are important, have value and must make ourselves a priority. At Stroller Strides we strive to give moms a place to practice these things each day. By spending an hour on our physical fitness we take a step closer to being the women, wives and moms we want to be.

NO BURNT TOAST IN 2009!