Greetings Friends!

As we move into a new year, I am filled with anticipation as we move into 2007. During this week between Christmas and New Years, I have personally taken time to reflect on the year that we will soon be saying good-bye to, and focusing on what I want to create in my life for the new year.

Life By Design has undergone a bit of a re-focusing itself. LBD is still committed to helping women and working mothers achieve balance in their lives. However, what often gets missed in the efforts to create and maintain balance is the fact that self-care and putting yourself first is the most important step. Without knowing that you are worthy of your goals and putting yourself first, balance will not be achieved.

This is the area in which I feel that many of us struggle with, as nurturers we often forget that we need to nurture ourselves first, in order to ensure that our body, mind and spirit is renewed, revitalized and that we are able to continue to give to others we must give to ourselves.

However, the problem that exists is the generations of programming that women need to give to everyone else first, leaving their own dreams and desires last, if at all. Historically and traditionally, women were taught that they are wrong to want for themselves, that they are bad mothers, bad wives if they go after their own dreams instead of sacrificing for their children and husbands. This is why their our so many women that are unable to balance their lives, because they are not taking care of themselves, balance starts with taking care of YOU. It is not selfish to want to live out your fullest potential, furthermore; it is important for the next generation to see an example of how to living out their dreams and that there is no shame in taking care of their selves in order to maintain a happy, fulfilled life.

Starting new in 2007 LBD will be focusing on the foundation blocks of self, which are self-esteem, self-image, and self-confidence. I have centered coaching around these foundation blocks because without a strong foundation everything built upon it will topple down. Lack of self-esteem, self-confidence and a healthy self-image is why sometimes we get sometimes get caught in an unending cycle that seems to lead to nowhere, it is why we find that no matter how well we plan, how hard we work, we still fail in what we want to accomplish.

In order to be successful in our lives we need to have a strong sense of who we are and what we are deserving of in our lives. To make our dreams a reality, to empower ourselves, and to take care of ourselves the way we take care of others is to know what really being successful is.

LBD will be offering a free class every month, offered at different days and times to accommodate busy schedules, along with a more in depth workshop every month.

As for me in 2007, I am on break from school until the middle of January, meanwhile, I am on break from school I will be spending time developing new classes, writing new articles, along with continuing as one of the team leader for Digital Moms and the Educational Committee Officer for Women Business Owners. Of course, first and foremost is taking care of me and my family, making sure that we are all healthy in all areas of our lives.

I want to wish you all abundance, joy, love, and success in 2007! Together we can achieve anything!

Empowering New Year Wishes,

Tonya Ramsey