Shift Your Focus To Your Relationships
It is all to easy to get caught up in the
hectic pace of our lives and lose sight
of the little things that are so important.
With the new year just beginning, now
is a perfect time to shift focus from the
all the things on the to do list to the
people in our lives. Relationships and
family often get put aside when we
want to give our best to our responsibilities. Of course there are always
things that require our attention, but
shifting the focus to place relationships
at the top of the list may make a huge
difference for families.
It is easy to take relationships for
granted and assume that they will be
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with Sheri Lapointe
okay when we give our best selves
to other areas of our lives. The things
that get our focus are often the areas
of life where we feel we are expected
to perform or the daily tasks that call
for our attention. Work and household
duties often become the primary focus
of our attention. It is all too easy to just
assume relationships are okay without
given them the attention that may be
required to keep them running.
Like cars, relationships need regular
maintenance and upkeep. If we fail to
do regular maintenance, relationships
may begin to break down. So how do
we make a shift in focus to relationships
when there is always so much that
needs to be done.
Schedule time to spend with the
people in your life doing activities that
build relationships. Have regular family dinners where you can put aside all
devices and talk with your family face
to face. Schedule a weekly date night
with your spouse. Meet once a month
for dinner with friends. Schedule these
activities with same sense of importance
you place on a work commitment.
Don’t allow household chores to be
your responsibility alone. If it feels like
you don’t have time for your family
because you spend too much of your
free time cleaning house, institute a
mandatory household chore time when
everyone is working together to get
the jobs done. Most people have little
tolerance for household chores, but the
home belongs to the whole family and
everyone has a responsibility to maintain it. Working together can make the
workload less overwhelming and the work gets
done faster. Make it fun
by playing energetic music, include silly prizes
for jobs done well, and
plan a fun activity to do
together after the work
is done.
Don’t forget to focus
on your relationship with
yourself. Schedule time for activities
that you enjoy and that increase your
sense of well-being.
Work and chores are important, but
don’t let them take precedence over
your relationships. They need your
time as much as your employer. Find
a balance that allows you to do regular
maintenance on your various relationships - spouse, children, extended
family, friends, and yourself. All the
relationships are essential parts of your
life, and keeping them healthy will
bring big benefits.
Sheri Lapointe holds a Master’s
Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Antioch and is working
as a family counselor with Child and
Family Services in Keene. She also has
many years of experience teaching in
local schools. Send comments to her at
The Monadnock Shopper News, P.O.
Box 487, Keene, NH 03431.
Say You Saw it in The Monadnock Shopper News, January 7 – January 13, 2015
Things To Do
Events, Continued from page 18
WE STOP LEAKS!
Free
Estimates
LECTURES & WORKSHOPS
Writers’ Workshop Series 6:30pm. Mon. through March
16th (not held Jan. 19th and Feb. 16th), Keene Public Library , 60 Winter St.; free. Phone: 603-352-0157. Web:
www.keenepubliclibrary.org.
Lifetime
Guarantee
MISCELLANEOUS
Music Circles 2pm. On Mon. through Feb. 26th. Keene
Senior Center, 70 Court St. Also, new member orientation
at 2 p.m., and at 9 a.m., yoga (Betty Christiansen, certified
yoga instructor, starting today and held on Mon.). Phone:
603-352-5037.
Art a la Carte: Little Red Riding Hood 11:15-11:45am.
MoCo Arts in Keene. Young Arts drop-in class; ages 8
months through 7 years; music, singing, finger plays, puppets, and props. 603-357-2100. Web: www.moco.org.
19
Because
Shift
Happens!
802.579.9309 • www.cneAAC.com
Tuesday, Jan. 13
LECTURES & WORKSHOPS
Tea snd Crafts 1:30-2:45pm. Monadnock Waldorf Nursery-Kindergarten, 424 Old Walpole Rd., Keene; fee. Parents are invited to make a simple craft, while their young
children play. Needle Felted Woolen Picture. reg. req.
Phone: 603-357-4442.
MISCELLANEOUS
Monadnock New Horizons Band information Meeting
7pm. United Church of Christ, Central Sq., Keene. The
Monadnock New Horizons Band is adult band program.
Try different instruments; details on renting instruments.
Phone: 603-352-9694.
Monthly Spiritual Discussion 7:30pm. Sponsored by
Eckankar of NH. Free CD and book with techniques for
exploring dreams and Soul Travel; free. Keene Public Library, 60 Winter St. Phone: 603-756-4259. Web: www.
eckankar-nh.org.
Elementary /Middle School Morning Tour 8:15-10:30am.
Monadnock Waldorf School, 98 S. Lincoln St., Keene.
Adults only; free; reg. req. Phone: 603-357-4442.
Yoga 9am. New instructor is Betty Christiansen, a certified
yoga instructor. Keene Senior Center, 70 Court St. Also,
new member orientation at 2 p.m. Phone: 603-352-5037.
Wednesday, Jan. 14
MISCELLANEOUS
Open House 6:30-8pm. Smart Nutrition, 20 Grove St., 3rd
floor, Peterborough. Learn 15 top health tips; healthy refreshments; reg. req. Phone: 603-924-9505. Web: www.
smartnutritionllc.com.
Than a Thrift Store
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JANUARY 7, 2015
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Addison Mitchell,
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Joslin Frazier, daughter of Chad and Angie
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Jayden Gallant, daughter of Scott and Robin
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JANUARY 11, 2015
Tenleigh Kay Seppala, daughter of Ethan
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IN
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