Peggy O’Mara on Optimism
We are happy to share with you the second installment of our exclusive interview this week with the legendary Peggy O’Mara, editor of Mothering Magazine. She will be coming to Vancouver April 18th & 19th for the Healthy Families Conference.
Watch for a new blog post from our interview each day this week – and be sure to enter the conference contest by leaving a comment below!
Yesterday we shared some of Peggy’s thoughts on the new trend towards slow family & simplicity in the media. You all responded with your experience of simplicity, and it is clear to us that centering on time together as a family is essential. As one of you so eloquently said, “So we minimize those distractions, hunker down, and love each other as best we can.”
We hear a lot about the challenges facing families today within this new economic climate. We asked Peggy to share her words of wisdom for our readers:
Mama Renew: We see many mothers share the overwhelm they are experiencing in relation to parenting, household, work, personal health and relationships. The economic crisis is creating additional stress for many area families with job insecurity and changes in the housing market. What words of wisdom would you like to share with our readers?
Peggy O’Mara: You can make an argument for every new generation facing some new challenge. I think you have to define your family as your first community, and everything else should flow from that. We are going back to the basis of community – the intimacy of sharing our common experience and common struggles.
Don’t let your perception be created by the news all around us. I stop and look around me at my life and I think it’s pretty good. We have to see the positive. I think optimism is a job requirement for parents. We are modeling resilience for our kids. Our kids are not of value because of what they do, but because of who they are, and we need to model a lifestyle that says “you’re good the way you are”.
We will be sharing more of our interview with Peggy O’Mara over the next few days, including Peggy on Finding Your Tribe on Thursday, and “Doing it All” on Friday . Be sure to read our companion article in Babyvibe with her thoughts on intuition and trust from our exclusive interview, and yesterday’s feature: Peggy on Simplicity.
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Win a Free Pass to the Healthy Families Conference & One Night in a Hotel
April 18th & 19th in Vancouver!
Sounds good to us…
To enter leave a comment below sharing your thoughts on what helps you maintain a positive outlook. Each comment you leave this week counts as one entry.
Want to double your chances? Visit the Natural Pod Blog and let them know just how much you would enjoy the double treat of the conference and a night away from home!
To triple your chances, join the Healthy Families facebook page
Contest ends at midnight, Tuesday, April 14th. winner will be announced Wednesday, April 15th. Good luck!
choosing your thoughts, and the information that comes into your home is a mighty, creative and powerful act…being mistress of your every domain is the only way to go!
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This discussion of family being the first community led me to visualize concentric circles. I looked that up on Wikipedia and then found myself reading about (mathematical) eccentricity. I’ve been called eccentric before for being a “granola” business person, but it’s all starting to make sense now!
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I had to turn off the onslaught of news after my daughter was born. It was all about climate change and everything cataclysmic about that. I was terrified, and crying a lot. I thought: what have I done, bringing a baby into this world? Well. I had done it, so I had to reconcile that fact. I tried to focus on us. And that we/us, her little family, were everything, and nothing, in the end. All we have is our love, and the present moment. That’s all we really have whether we live now, in the past or the future. I vowed passionately to live better more environmentally responsibly…and we have….
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I love that she says, Define your family first and let everything else flow from that. It reminds me of a demonstration in a workshop-type University course I took years ago.
On the table lay 4-5 rather large stones, a few smaller pebbles, some course gravel, some sand and a glass of water and a large Mayonnaise jar with lid. (these supplies were duplicated one on each side of the table).
The trick was to fill the Mayonnaise jar and be able to close the lid.
The first time the demonstrator started from smallest to largest. It was impossible to close the lid.
The second time the demonstrator started with largest object to smallest. The lid closed easily.
We were reminded that if we choose three or four major values or focuses, the small things (details if you will) all find a way to fit.
This example always reminds me to focus on what is important to me and let go of the details, because they almost always find a way to fit into day to day life.
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I really believe in controlling your own thoughts. A lot of negativity comes from buying into what the popular culture wants you to believe (I never have enough, I’ll never be good enough, etc) in order for you to buy their products! I try to filter that out by focusing on what I’m grateful for. Every night at “cuddle time” all four of us lie in bed and tell each other our favourite thing that happened that day. Regular mediation and prayer helps too!
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Luckily I am naturally optimistic person. When I do get to feeling down in the dumps or overwhelmed with family matters I try to stick to some tried and true methods of stress relief. Dancing, lighting a few candles with a nice scent, being in nature or making a list of all that I’m thankful for. And if none of those work I search the house for some chocolate!
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[...] Peggy O’Mara on Optimism | Mama Renew linked to this post on April 8, 2009 [...] to double your chances? Visit the Natural Pod Blog and let them know just how much you would enjoy the double treat of the conference and a night away [...] Post a comment [...]
Number one rule I have to maintain a positive outlook is, REFUSE TO WORRY! Secondly, if I do find myself worrying, then I imagine the best possible outcome and visulaize this with as much conviction as I was imagining the opposite. I also remind myself that the desirable outcome is at least AS probable, as the dire one. Lastly, exercise, which releases those good feeling endorphins, as well as a balanced diet, are also a part of a positive outlook.
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Yes, we are feeling very fortunate to have this opportunity. You can always hop on a plane from Austin! Beautifully written, Bernadette. Thank you.
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I agree that as parents we have to filter out some of the noise of the news and keep a positive feeling at home. There is nothing gained from spiraling into the worry, but there is everything gained from using any time we can to slow down, connect and enjoy our time together as a family. We long to let families know that family life can be the well of true joy and connection – not just now while our children are little but for a lifetime. I wish I could join you in Vancouver. The converence sounds amazing!
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