2020 has been interesting – to say the least! But before we bid adieu to this crazy, challenging year for good, I wanted to share with you 20 of my favorite posts from throughout the year.
What to Do When You Feel Down
Call it a hole. A pit. A funk. Feeling down. The blues. Bummed out. An off day…or two…or ten… It goes by many names and it answers to them all. But no matter what you call it, it comes with this sense of helplessness. This feeling of weakness. A debilitating pressure.
A feeling like no matter what you do you won’t be able to get out of this fog of uncertainty. You’ll never be able to get “back to normal.” No matter what you do, somehow you’re not good enough.
But is what you’re feeling real? Is it true? Is what it says true? What do you do about it? Is there anything to do about it? How do you get out of it? How do you manage to keep moving day by day? What do you do when you feel down?
The Importance of Knowing Your Homeschooling Inspiration
Inspiration comes to people in many different ways. Just like no two artists share the same exact motivation for picking up a brush to create, no two teachers have the same exact inspiration behind their decision to teach. And not two moms have the same exact inspiration behind their decision to homeschool.
Yet even though the inspiration and motivation behind the decision to homeschool is different, the fact remains that everyone who loves what they do is inspired to begin in some way.
What’s your inspiration? What’s your motivation? Don’t know how to identify it?
Improve Your Focus with Purpose: Lessons from Sunflowers
It’s hard to stand among the sunflowers and feel glum, isn’t it? That’s one of the many reasons why sunflowers are my favorite flower. They are always so happy, bright and cheerful.
And here’s one of the coolest things about sunflowers: Sunflowers will literally turn their faces to the sun to soak up all of its rays. And not just in the morning! Their flower faces follow the sun as it makes its arc across the sky. No matter what, the faces of the sunflowers always face the sun!
Which got me thinking: When you step back and take a look, there are some big lessons that we can learn from these beautiful sun-facing flowers.
Adventures and Mystery Await in the National Parks: The National Park Mystery Series
Have you ever wished you could visit different national parks all around the country? Seeing the crystal clear blue waters in Crater National Park. The amazing wildlife and marshlands of Everglades National Park. The incredible colors that look like a painting in Painted Rocks National Park. The massive rock formations in Arches National Park.
But what if they could be more than national parks? What if there was a book series that explored not only the park itself, but stories about the park? What if there was a mystery to be solved set against the magnificent backdrop of a national park?
Have you heard of the National Park Mystery Series? This children’s mystery book series delivers a compelling story, an intriguing mystery, and incredible family values all set against the backdrop of some of the most awe-inspiring and spectacular places in the United States.
How to Find Clarity and Eliminate Stress Using the Power of the Post It Note
Have you every had so many tasks in your head for a to-do list that you feel like you can’t even start because you’re so fearful of forgetting something?
Have you ever wanted to tackle a big project with many pieces that needed to happen along the way, but you just couldn’t seem to figure out the order that the steps go in?
What do you do? How do you make sense of the chaos in your head and start to let go of the stress? Because let’s face it, when thoughts are rolling around in your head and you can’t make sense of them, it causes stress!
Do you want to know a simple, easy secret for taking all those thoughts rolling around in your head and turning them into a solid, simple action plan? Post-It Notes!
I’m serious! Trust me, it sound ridiculous, but it really works.
7 Ways to Pause and Gain Space in Our World of Chaos
Pause. The word implies that you have to slow down. Do you have time to slow down? Do you have time to stop moving? I know it feels like I don’t have that time to spare!
So what do you do?
What do you do in those moments when you know you need time for you, but you feel like if you slow down for an instant you will either miss the train or get run over by the train?
Dispelling the Myth that You Have to Do It All
How do you get everything done with everyone? How do you manage to be Supermom and teach every lesson, spend time with every child, and directly oversee everything that happens in your homeschooling day?
Can I let you in on a little secret? No one is Supermom! (Are you relieved or disappointed when you hear that?)
But how do you turn this into reality? How do you balance having only 24 hours in a day to work with while needing to teach individually on multiple grade levels and not giving up your responsibility to teach your children?
It’s a loaded question, isn’t it? Click here to continue reading as we talk through how you can maximize your time, expand your child’s freedom, and still manage to get it all done in the 24 hours you have in a day. Now that’s what I call being a true Supermom!
How to Overcome Perfectionism and Mom Guilt
Let’s be honest here: You fancy yourself as Wonder Woman or Super Mom, right? You want to be able to be all things to all people and to do everything perfectly well. You want to be able to juggle being a mom, working, homeschooling, raising wonderful children, keep a clean and organized home, cook homemade dinners for your family every night, grow your own garden, be a great friend, and have time for anyone and everyone who needs you. All while being able to take time for yourself without feeling guilty or having the house explode into chaos.
You want to be perfect no matter what you do.
And when you can’t reach that standard of perfection in your head, the guilt sets in…
Call it Mom Guilt. Call it not meeting expectations. Call it not living up to perfectionist tendencies. Call it whatever you want, this feeling of guilt, left unchecked can become completely debilitating! How did you end up here? How is it that you fall into this trap so often and find yourself looking around thinking, ‘What in the world??’
But it’s more than figuring out how you got to this point. The bigger question becomes, what can you do to reset your mindset and expectations to leave this place?
5 Simple Steps to Take You from Scattered to Organized
You’ve heard it said that dogs get very distracted by squirrels. They are intensely focused on one thing and then all of a sudden – SQUIRREL!
Do you ever have moments like that? I know I do!!
Do you ever have days this like? Yup, me too!
So what’s a girl to do? How do you get from feeling scattered and distracted all the time to organized and streamlined?
Epic Travel Adventures for You to Explore: Travels with Gannon & Wyatt
Do you ever long for adventure? Do you wish you could just pack a bag, jump on an airplane and go…somewhere, anywhere?
Someplace where you will have an epic adventure…
Exploring new places where few people have had the opportunity to explore…
Taking risks you might not take in your comfort zone at home…
Learning about and engaging with the culture and the people around you…
Seeing incredible animals in their natural environments up close and personal…
How to Plan a Family Road Trip without Losing Your Mind
Family road trips have the potential to be an incredibly fun and relaxing time to kick back and enjoy life. To enjoy your family and the time you get to spend together.
But so many times family road trips become a source of stress and frustration before you even leave the house! So, how do you get to the fun and relaxing part? How do you leave the stress behind? How do you plan a family road trip without losing your mind?
All it takes is some preparation, some planning, and the power of a good packing list!
Click here to read Part 1: Create Your Packing List
Click here to read Part 2: Vacation Meal Planning Made Easy
Click here to read Part 3: Pack It Up!
Unraveling the Truth from the Lies: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Do you ever feel like an imposter in your own life? It’s as if there is this alter-ego or another personality that quietly surfaces and starts to make you feel like you’re not enough…
Like you’re not good enough…
A feeling of helplessness like you could never do better…
Beating you up for decisions you’ve made…
Feeling inadequate to do all that you have to do…
It’s a very real struggle! Imposter syndrome is real and powerful and sometimes even debilitating. So, what’s a girl to do? Do you just give in?
No! Not at all! You fight! But how do you fight something that you can’t even put your finger on? By taking it step by step.
Click here to discover 6 simple, practical steps you can take to overcome imposter syndrome!
How to Set Up Your Homeschooling Space for Success
Talking about homeschooling is a bit like learning how to care for an elephant. There are obvious things you need to know about and address, like knowing what to feed the elephant and creating a space for it to live. But the more you learn about elephant care, the more you realize you have a lot to learn!
Just like you cannot know everything there possibly is to know about caring for an elephant until you start working with the elephant, you cannot possibly know everything there is to know about homeschooling until you start homeschooling!
But one thing you can do is to set up your school space for success. But how? Where do you start?
Click here to discover 7 of my biggest tips on How to Set Up Your Homeschooling Space for Success.
Exploring the Excitement that Makes the Mystery: The A to Z Mystery Series
A good mystery book leaves you guessing. It holds your attention. It draws you in to the bizarre, the fantastic, the out-of-the-ordinary. It takes you on a journey of discovery and reasoning. It makes you think, without making you think too hard.
But, let’s face it, good mystery books are hard to find! Particularly when it comes to finding good mystery books for children! So, what do you do?
Let’s take it back to the basics and reread our A B C’s…the world of the A to Z Mystery series! What starts out as a book series meant for children will reveal its amazing alliteration, captivating characters, wholesome words, powerful plot, and deductive detectives all while fostering friendships.
Click here to read the stunning synopsis of this scintillating series.
10 Important Elements You Need to Create a Successful Routine
How do you create a morning routine? Or any routine for that matter?
How do you teach yourself the habits you know you want but just can’t seem to make happen?
Have you ever tried to create a new routine, but just something about it just doesn’t seem to stick? Do you feel you just can’t get it right?
There’s something you need to know: You can create your own routines! You can make them stick! And you can turn your routines into habits! The trick is creating the routines in the right way.
Click here to read about 10 Important Elements You Need to Create a Successful Routine.
How to Create a Daily Homeschooling Routine
Creating a routine for your homeschooling days can be one of the best things you can do to help your days move smoothly. So, why does it start to feel like the impossible task to create and then stick to a routine?
Well, it all comes down to the type of schedule and routine you’re creating. You see, creating a routine and sticking to it doesn’t have to be hard when you create your routine around the natural rhythms of your family life.
Click here to find out how you can easily create your own homeschooling routine step by step.
20 Secrets to be More Organized
Organizing. It’s a small word that packs a big punch, isn’t it?
But what exactly is it? And how do you get there? How do you create organization in your life and in your space? It’s hard to get organized when you don’t know what to do, right?
Join me as I unveil 20 secrets to help you along your path to be more organized. They might seem small. They might seem simple, but when you add them together, these simple, practical secrets will make a huge impact.
Click here to read the 20 Secrets to be More Organized.
How to Teach World Geography in a Fun, Engaging Way
Geography seems to be one of those subjects where everyone seem to agree: Knowing about geography is good! But knowing how to teach it and how to communicate it is another matter entirely! Plus, there seems to be this universal thought that geography is dry, stale, and boring. That in order to teach geography you have to pour over a bunch of huge, dusty, old books filled with maps that you need a magnifying glass to read and talking about things that happened centuries ago.
Can I let you in on a secret? Teaching geography doesn’t have to be boring! In fact, it can be fun, engaging, interactive, and interesting!
5 Easy Steps to Pick up Your Room Quickly
Keeping your room picked up and tidy can be an ongoing battle. Making sure that your child keeps their room picked up and tidy can be even more of a battle! But have you ever stopped to consider that maybe it’s not the desire to keep your room picked up and looking tidy that’s stopping you, but not knowing how to approach picking up your room?
It’s true! Sometimes the biggest thing that stops you from beginning a project of any size is not knowing where to begin, not having a game plan.
Click here to read more about 5 Easy Steps to Pick up Your Room Quickly.
Liberty and Rush Revere: Amazing Adventures in History
Meet Rush Revere, a substitute history teacher unlike any other. For starters, he doesn’t dress like your typical history teacher. He prefers to dress like he’s stepped out of history, complete with a tri-cornered hat. But that’s not the only thing that makes him unique. You see, Rush Revere has a special secret that most history teachers would never dream of: Rush Revere teaches history right alongside Liberty, the always hungry, ever mischievous, forever talking, time traveling horse.
Yes, you read that right! Rush Revere doesn’t just teach history, he experiences it with the help of Liberty. What’s more, he’s not the only one who goes on these adventures! Rush Revere and Liberty take you along with them through your imagination and the pages of this incredible book series.
Elizabeth Tatham, founder of Inspiration in the Everyday, is a homeschooling momma of 5 who loves helping other homeschooling mommas create a unique homeschooling adventure your kids will love…without the overwhelm! Join in on the journey with 7 simple steps to make your homeschooling day go faster, easier, and with less tears here.