Show New Tradition Turning Point Annual Conferences Displaced homemakers do have a choice Mary MaryAnn Ann Anderegg Staff Writer iving the conference the G Giving theme New Beginnings Beginnings Begin Begin- flings Turning Point started a new tradition at by presenting ideas designed to motivate and encourage encourage encourage en- en courage displaced homemakers in their quest for self The conference conference conference con con- ference was a mix of workshops speakers and discussion discussion discussion dis dis- dis- dis among participants All of the presenters were displaced homemakers who had won out against the poverty and its accompanying accompany accompany- ing despair that so often is a apart apart apart part of a womans woman's life at the dissolution of her marriage Beth Lee a successful displaced displaced displaced dis dis- dis- dis placed homemaker and the Displaced Homemakers Out Out- Recruiter reach for Turning Point urged all the women attending to regard each and every day in their lives as a anew anew anew new beginning because you have to make every day count According to Lee every woman can be a success success success suc suc- cess but success is something something something some some- thing one has to work at Lee cited her own life as asan asan asan an example When she was married with children she had only worked time part-time with the rationale that v ach job she held was to earn money for some special occasion occasion occasion oc oc- oc- oc casion for her family But she says she decided all was not well in her life and sought improvement Lee found a person who had developed a training program for people like me She said she used this man as asher asher asher her mentor not only because he believed in the value of his training program but he believed in me He was a task master for formy formy formy my success He didn't care if supper was late or clothes weren't ironed he just cared that I succeeded and with his encouragement and a lot lotof lotof lotof of work I did Lee says that members of her family also learned to rely on themselves more It was a long struggle We had to look at each day as a anew anew anew new beginning Y L 0 1 Each presenter using me the theme New Beginnings gave the listeners methods to change their life patterns into successful avenues One workshop Balance Plus Plus- How to Take Care of Your Own Well Being presented by Karla Ryan was designed to help those attending break out of their self im posed body cast According to Ryan a corporate corporate corporate cor cor- wellness expert we all worry about external beauty and neglect mental or internal internal internal inter inter- nal processes that lead to overall beauty Ryan felt a woman should ask herself several questions each day to assess her progress The most important important important im im- im- im was What am I waiting for She stressed that children hate to wait for anything However adults especially women love to wait We wait for the right husband house job and we wait and wait for these J things to come conie to us Some people have been dead for years and no one told them What are you waiting for Ryan asked if one lived each day as though there were only six months to live what would that person be willing to risk to accomplish her goals The second question Ryan posed was Are you avoiding growth change and success in other words are you avoiding pain and risk She explained that many people put themselves into mental casts body-casts because they are so willing to avoid that them things frighten in order to grow a per person on must go through labor pains Personal development is like a seed You must nurture your growth just as you would a seed Its It's a balancing balancing balancing balanc balanc- ing act You can water over-water or over-fertilize over a seed she said Dont Don't dwell on just one aspect or one emotion in your growth The result of a one emo tion approach is that mentally mental mental- ly we hire and fire ourselves daily Therefore we need to work on motivating ourselves ves through how we speak to ourselves according to Ryan What we say about ourselves ourselves ourselves our our- selves our subconscious hears and believes especially if we repeat it over and over So Ryan says affirmations are an important aspect of becoming what we want to be Affirmations are the seed of the future you Define what you want to tobe tobe tobe be use affirmations that state that desire positively and physically work toward those definitions of self said Ryan You cant can't try to do anything You either do it or you dont Perhaps its it's done imperfectly but it is done she added As you plan your changes and affirmations Ryan says a third question must be asked about what you plan to change Does this change free me for the future or does it chain me to the past Look at what you hope to accomplish be behonest behonest behonest honest with yourself and see if the past is really what youre you're still planning Change is not an easy path There are no magic answers However if you work at your desired change day-by- day day it will come to be Your changes should start with wellness Wellness stems from your self core-self being in balance in peace according to Ryan Remembering Remembering Remembering bering that life is a form of energy nutrition and fitness of the physical body equal our energy level Our wellness wellness wellness well- well ness and balance comes from being both physically fit and mentally well And both create create create cre cre- cre- cre ate a better quality of life and therefore more energy Achieving wellness and balance are not important so much to extend the days months and years of your life according to Ryan as they are to improve your quality of life and your ability to function well within that life When youve you've defined what you want from your life and what you will risk to achieve it then you must ask another question How do I achieve what I want Change and success do not happen just because you decide you want to change or are willing to risk much to achieve success Rather according according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to Ryan they come from your decision planning planning planning plan- plan ning motivation and commitment commitment commitment com- com to your success Success can be very frightening when we first start achieving it according to Dr Karol Kirkham the keynote speaker at the conference conference conference con con- ference 1 luncheon Many people return to self defeat ing behaviors unconsciously For instance if you are doing well in an educational program program program pro pro- gram you may enter into a devastating relationship that leaves you no time to study I Or you may over- over overload load yourself yourself yourself your your- self with too many projects and not do well at any Some will even try to take a class that is totally unsuited for their personalities or am am- To succeed if you find you are defeating yourself seek help Find a mentor and make use of that person Work with your mentor and your friends to identify your 1 strengths and your weak weak- I nesses Then pursue methods which will turn those weaknesses into suc suc- According to Kirkham You can do it one day at a time |