A More Mindful Start to My Days

Scott and the kids were gone again a few weekends ago when I was supposed to attend a training for a new fitness class. I decided to forgo the training but they still went out of town since they had already made the plans. I taught a few classes, went to some of our church’s women’s conference, shared a fabulous meal with a great friend (more on that below) and of course spent lots of time in the kitchen cooking and listening to podcasts.

Unfortunately, the rest of the family was in a car accident on the way to Cincinnati. This was the second time in six months that Scott has been sandwiched in between two other cars on the highway traveling to or from Cincinnati. The first accident was in his car and this time the van. Praise God everyone was okay and the van was still drivable. It needed some major repairs and after a few weeks of waiting on the other people involved in the accident, we are finally getting it fixed.

One of my favorite podcasts from the weekend was Rich Roll’s interview with psychologist Michael Gervais titled Mastering Mindfulness in Sports & Life: High Performance Psychologist Michael Gervais. There were tons of great takeaways from the interview. I’ve been listening to many great podcasts and reading more and I want to remember some of the things I hear so I decided to start a Word doc to keep track of everything in one place. Normally I’ll jot stuff down on sticky notes or in my journal but I end up losing the notes or completely forgetting about it. I’m hoping having one central location will help. I found it ironic that I randomly picked this podcast about mindfulness to listen to since we had just had a discussion about mindfulness at a women’s Bible study I’m part of and mindfulness is the main topic of the March 2015 issue of Yoga Journal.

I’ve been including one of Michael’s suggestions at the start of each day and have found it so helpful to start my day off with more intention and focus. Most days I wake up to the alarm, jump out of bed and get straight to my workout. I am a morning person so it has never been hard for me to get up and going in the morning but I realized it would serve me better to begin my day at a slower and more mindful pace so that I can take a moment to just breathe, work through any anxiety I’m feeling and get my mind in the right place before I do anything else. I recently started getting up 10 to 15 minutes earlier than normal so that I could have some dedicated time to take a few deep breaths, read my Bible and devotional, journal and pray. It’s a small amount of time but after many years of unsuccessful attempts to do this for a larger chunk of time, this is a good start. I’m happy to report I’ve stayed committed to the plan for all but two days in the last several weeks. I’m feeling great about this accomplishment. The pic below is of my “morning spot.”

In addition to this, I’ve incorporated a simple 3-step routine before my head even leaves the pillow (Michael suggests this in his podcast):

1. Take one deep breath (and continue breathing of course!)
2. Have one thought of gratitude
3. Set one intention for the day

Lastly, I try to set a positive tone for how I’m going to interact with others that day by making my first interaction with another human a positive one. In the few weeks since I’ve been doing this short and simple routine, I have found that I start my days with more peace, less anxiety and a better state of mind overall. This doesn’t mean the rest of my days have been perfect but at least I’m starting them out better!

Here are a highlights from other things I did during the weekend they were gone.

My friend and fellow yogi / foodie / cookbook addict / etc. had an oh so yummy dinner at Banana Leaf vegan and vegetarian Indian restaurant on Saturday night. Check out this spread! We both got the buffet at the suggestion of the owner and loved everything. The buffet comes with an appetizer plate (the school lunch tray looking thing in the pic below) for each person that contains some common Indian street food. I’m not sure what everything was on there or that I ate from the buffet but I loved it all. It had been a long time since I last had Indian and I’d forgotten how much I like it. If only I could re-create these dishes at home. Of course I spent time that night on Pinterest looking for Indian recipes! Unfortunately my first attempt a few days later totally bombed but at least I tried, right? I knew it was bad before we even sat down for dinner but I kept my mouth shut and so did the rest of the family. I was shocked they ate it without complaining! I have a nice family 🙂 I’m going to invest in a few new spices and hope for success next time around.

After I got home I spent some time in the kitchen making a batch of homemade corn tortillas that I used in a meal later in the week and a batch of homemade whole wheat tortillas to put in the freezer. I tried a corn tortilla recipe a few weeks back and was disappointed in how fragile they were. I couldn’t even get the dough off my tortilla press. I used a similar recipe this time but saw a tip to cover the press with plastic wrap and it worked like a charm! The tortillas peeled right off in one piece.

The family got home on Sunday and I made this vegan spinach artichoke sauce pizza on quinoa crust. I added chicken and a little shredded cheese for Scott and E. I used elements of several different recipes and can’t remember exactly what I did so I’m not posting links to anything. But it turned out pretty good for my first attempt at a vegan pizza. The sauce was great. Next time I’ll bake the naked crust a little longer to get it nice and crispy before adding toppings.

I have been learning so much from listening to podcasts lately and by incorporating things I’m learning, I am starting to make positive changes in areas that have been challenging me for years. I am a routine person and like to be (or feel like I am) comfortable. Change has never been easy for me to swallow. This quote spoke to me and I wanted to share it with you.

What if I told you that
10 years from now,
Your life would be
Exactly the same?
I doubt you’d be happy.
So, why are you
So afraid of change?

Karen Salmansohn

Have a great weekend!

UPDATED: 21 Day Detox – My Plan + Some Other Options

UPDATE: I’m re-posting this with a few changes. The biggest change is that I’ve decided to exclude eggs. I originally planned to keep them in because I thought based on the different things I’d read that eggs might not be as bad for us in terms of cholesterol as we have been told in the past. There is research from both sides of the egg debate but after being referred to some evidence refuting the claim that eggs are good for us, I’ve decided that to get the most benefit from this detox it makes most sense to cut them out. This way I will be able to see if I have a positive change in my cholesterol readings from eliminating eggs. I be cutting them out for at least the 21 day period but most likely will need to go longer to see a difference in my numbers. We are in the process of getting new health insurance and as a result of my high cholesterol we will have to pay a higher premium. I will be getting my numbers checked at some point after the detox (and an additional few weeks of no eggs). I’m hopeful I will see positive results!

 

Below are my food lists. I’ve mulled over these lists and after much thought, reading, and consultation with a knowledgeable friend, I’ve landed here. My focus for this detox will be enjoying an abundance of whole, plant-based foods.

I’m going to follow these lists as closely as I can realizing there may be times when I’m in a pinch and need to buy something packaged like broth, etc. And if I have a slip-up, I will extend myself grace! This detox isn’t about judgment or achieving perfection.

Feel free to modify these lists! And remember “moderation” means something different for everyone. I know, and you know, if there are foods that you might overdo it on. For example, if you are including nuts in your plan and tend to overdo it when you eat nuts, leave them out or specify a daily limit. And, of course, if a food doesn’t agree with you, don’t eat it! When in doubt….leave it out.

Other items / notes:
I will limit cooking in oils by replacing some or all oil with vegetable broth for sautéing and roasting.
I won’t be weighing myself, tracking calories, or measuring anything. This is about feeling better, not weight loss.
I will exercise and practice yoga daily.
I will pray and read God’s word every day.

Notes on a few specific items I’m including / excluding:
Fruit (including) – At least one of the sugar detoxes I read about drastically reduces fruit because of its natural sugar content. I considered doing that, but for the sake of having energy to fuel my workouts (and because fruits are packed with nutrients), I’ve decided to continue eating fruit during the detox.

Whole Grains (including) – I believe good unrefined whole grains can be beneficial for the body and my body seems to tolerate them well, so I’m going to continue eating them during the detox. I realize there are many people who have trouble digesting grains and some say grains are “bad” for you, but for me (at least for now) they are good.

Eggs (excluding) – I’ve seen research from both sides of the egg debate but have decided to eliminate eggs for the detox and possibly longer. I saw several compelling science based videos showing the negative affects of eggs on cholesterol levels and since that is my main health issue it makes sense for me to test this claim.

Meat (excluding) – I currently eat a very limited amount of chicken and no other meat plus I already have high cholesterol and a family history of heart disease, so leaving out meat of all kinds seemed to make the most sense for me.

Dairy (excluding) – Dairy seems to be one of the first food groups people cut out when having difficulty with digestion, skin issues, allergies, trouble losing weight, etc. and most people have noticeable positive changes once it’s out of their diet. I have dragged my feet on this one for a long time because of my love for ice cream and have limited my dairy intake to ice cream and a very small amount of cheese every once in a while. If my high cholesterol is a result of anything I’m eating it has to be ice cream. I’m not going to be able to get my numbers checked before and after the detox but I’d be curious to see if even in a short period of time I might see some improvement.

Other Detox / Cleanse options:
Here are a few of the other detoxes / cleanses that I know of. I’m not endorsing any of these and there are fees involved with some of them but I wanted to list them for you in case you are interested.

The Daniel Plan

The 21 Day Sugar Detox

The Conscious Cleanse

AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge

The 21 Day Vegan Cleanse Challenge

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional.

Enjoy the weekend!

21 Day Detox – Starting January 1!

If it doesn’t CHALLENGE you
It doesn’t CHANGE you!

I’ve never done a detox before and have honestly had an anti-detox attitude for the most part as I’ve been skeptical of the methods and effectiveness of many of the ones I’ve heard about. But, curiosity has overtaken me. Starting January 1^st, I will be embarking on a 21-day detox. I’m thinking of it primarily as a sugar detox because that will be my main focus but I plan to abstain from several other things in addition to sugar. I’m going with 21 days as that seems to be the amount of time many believe it takes to break (or create) a habit. While I’m still working out the specifics, I wanted to share publicly my intention for a few reasons: 1) so that I don’t back out, 2) to have support, and 3) to see if others want to do it along with me.

I don’t think I have a major sugar problem and I eat a very healthy, plant-heavy diet most of the time but I do love ice cream and enjoy it (a lot of it!) every night. I’ve always justified the habit because of my rigorous work out routines and because the rest of my diet is so healthy. However, I’ve dealt with high cholesterol, day-time fatigue and a few other minor health issues and wonder if this habit could at least be part of the cause. So, I’m going to do something pretty drastic that is out of my comfort zone and try a detox to see how I feel!

If this strikes a chord with you and sounds like something that might benefit you, would you consider joining me? I know January 1^st is a few weeks away but I wanted to get a head start on preparing for this because I think advance preparation is the only way I’ll be able to pull this off.

I’ll be following up with additional posts but I wanted to at least get you thinking about whether this might be something you would want to join in on. I’ve been looking at several different detoxes / cleanses and haven’t found one that I like exactly so at this point I plan to create my own and I’ll share the details when I have it figured out. It’s not going to be Paleo, vegan, or gluten free but a mix of these methods that focuses on eating REAL, nutritious foods that will fuel my body in a positive way. However, there are several programs already developed out there and feel free to choose from one of those if it fits your needs or if you feel you need a book or specific program to follow. It doesn’t really matter to me if you do the same detox as me, but I think doing it together will make it more attainable and maybe even fun (if detoxing could possibly be fun!). I think there will be several keys for successfully completing the detox, primarily, having a good enough reason to do it (something that will motivate you when it gets hard). So, I’d encourage you first to think about that and then we’ll go from there!

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

 

Tackling Pride

An encouragement for all of us – let us have an accurate view of ourselves – as individuals and in our relationships with God and others!

I’m currently reading (albeit very slowly) Letters to Lindsey by Terri Brady. The book is a compilation of many of the posts from Terri’s blog in addition to hundreds of her most popular tweets. The posts cover a host of topics – some serious, some funny, and all filled with the wisdom and experience of a mom of four. The post titled “Wanna Talk about Me!” resonated deeply with me so I wanted to share it with you. In it, Terri shares a glimpse of her struggles with pride and lays out a few steps to move toward focusing less on yourself and more on others. We can all be found guilty of being prideful at times even when we don’t want to admit it (in fact it’s probably in these times that we are most prideful!). Here are a few lines from the post that struck a chord with me:

– “Like a skirt accidentally tucked into nylons, revealing a woman’s undergarments for an entire wedding reception dance, pride is a sin that is evident to all those around, but seemingly hidden from the bearer.”
– “Whether it’s a business team, a church team, a marriage or a family, pride is a cancer that will starve the body.”
– “Whether it is ‘low-self’ or ‘high-self,’ when we esteem ourselves as anything other than God-esteemed, we are doomed to live lives of conflict.”
– “I can change ANY subject back to me, and I used to think it was quite a talent!”
– A few of her practical solutions for talking too much about yourself:

• “Talk less about yourself. Some will read this and think I am saying that we should NEVER talk about ourselves; however, it is truly a matter of the heart. Are we listening to others? Are we caring about others? Or are we pushing opinions, experiences and ourselves on others, trying to uplift ourselves?”
• “Pray. Well …maybe that should have been #1. Since pride seems to be the king of invisible sins (Invisible only to the beholder, visible to all others…), we must ask God to open our eyes to where we are blind.”
• “Think more of others than of yourself.  C. S. Lewis said, ”true humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”

She ends the post with a great reminder for all of us from James 1:19 – “Let every man be swift to hear and slow to speak.”

Check out the complete post here: “Wanna Talk about Me!”.

Sleep, sleep, we want MORE sleep

If any of you are like me you feel a constant desire for more sleep. Most of us have never ending to-do lists plus hobbies and activities we like to do that often lead to late nights and early mornings. I’m not (and have never been) a napper so I rely on nighttime sleep to be refreshed and ready for the next day. Unfortunately for a lot of us, sleep doesn’t come quickly after we lay down our heads to rest. Instead, we lie awake with our minds racing or we are interrupted throughout the night by our sweet (by day) children.

I recently found this list of 20 helpful tips for getting a better nights rest, but one thing missing….kids! Those of us with kids know that a uninterrupted nights rest can be hard to come by even beyond the newborn years. Our first was a great sleeper after the first few months and hasn’t turned back but our second has presented some challenges from day one! She’s 2.5 now and still calling out numerous times during the night. We refuse to let her into our bed so most often I end up going into her room to address whatever issue she has. We’ve tried several tactics to halt these late night interruptions but have had little luck. So, my tactic for this weekend – send her to Papa’s and let him handle her for the night. I fully expect to hear a glowing report in the morning of how she slept all night without a peep. Oh well, at least the rest of us will sleep soundly while she’s there.

If you struggle through the night for whatever reason I hope you find some relief by adopting one or more of the tips listed above. Other than the kid factor, I know I need to work on shutting down the computer a bit earlier each night.

Image originally from Shutterstock. Click here for the original article from Popsugar.

Guest Post: Marriage Insights – Bridges

Guest post by Scott LaCross from The Speiro Group

This marriage insight is adapted from “Devotions for Couples” by Patrick Morley.

Bridges

“Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over?” – Isaiah 51:10

For as long as people have been separated they have been trying to bridge the gap.  To get connected.  To come together.  Bridges are everywhere, but so are walls.  Whether you build a bridge or a wall depends on your purpose.  Do we want to let others in or keep them out?

The motivations to build a wall are fear, anger, and disappointment.  The motivations to build a bridge are the desire for intimacy, to give and receive love, and to have a friend.  Walls keep us apart; bridges bring us together.

The most important bridge in marriage is communication.  Words are the slabs of stone in the stream that get us over to the other side.  Listening is the bridge that draws our spouse over to us.  Whatever obstacle we may have in our marriages, it is communication that spans the gap.  Let the redeemed cross over to one another.

A marriage without walls is a marriage with bridges.  Walls artificially keep us apart, but to build a bridge is a most natural thing to do.

May God bless your marriage this week!

Scott LaCross is the owner and founder of The Speiro Group, www.speirogroup.com, a Columbus, OH-based consulting firm that helps businesses, organizations, and individuals grow and develop.  Scott is also an Adjunct Professor at The Ohio State University in the Fisher School of Business.  Along with his business experience, Scott’s background includes working in full-time ministry and he is an active leader in his church.  He has a passion for challenging and equipping others and himself towards a purposeful and impactful life.

Guest Post: Marriage Insights – Let the Little Ones Go

Guest post by Scott LaCross from The Speiro Group

This marriage insight is adapted from “Devotions for Couples” by Patrick Morley.

Let the Little Ones Go

“A man’s wisdom give him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”   – Proverbs 19:11

In every marriage, each day produces many small offenses.  A great secret of successful marriage is learning to let the little ones go.  The more we judge every small infraction of our self-styled rules and regulations, the less room we will find for love and affection in our marriage.  We should laugh more and legislate less.

The above verse tells us that wisdom leads to patience.  To grow in our marriage we must grow in maturity and wisdom.  Each day we see and read of countless conflicts, most of which would never happen if people would let the little ones go.  Notice that the verse also says that “it is to his glory to overlook and offense” – the individual’s glory, not God’s glory.  This is a rare occasion when glory is ascribed to people.  That is how important this principle is to our Lord.

Focus on patiently loving and accepting your spouse for who they are and how God made them.  When the offenses happen throughout the day, look at them in context of the big picture, and let the little ones go.

May God bless your marriage this week!

Scott LaCross is the owner and founder of The Speiro Group, www.speirogroup.com, a Columbus, OH-based consulting firm that helps businesses, organizations, and individuals grow and develop.  Scott is also an Adjunct Professor at The Ohio State University in the Fisher School of Business.  Along with his business experience, Scott’s background includes working in full-time ministry and he is an active leader in his church.  He has a passion for challenging and equipping others and himself towards a purposeful and impactful life.

7 Components of a Balanced Fitness Plan

Are you new to exercise, feeling overwhelmed by all the options, and unsure where to start or what to do? Maybe you’ve been consistently working out for a period of time but you are no longer seeing results? Or maybe you’re simply bored of your current routine and looking for a change. If any of these describes you, take a look at your workout routine (or the routine you are thinking of doing) and consider whether you are incorporating the six components listed below. If not, you may want to change up your current routine so that you can integrate each of these areas at least 2 to 3 times per week. If it’s overwhelming to you to think about fitting all these areas in, try adding a new element every few weeks. Keep in mind that each person has (or should have) their own fitness goals (for example: weight loss/gain/maintenance, training for an event, building muscle, toning, etc.) that will determine how much time they devote to each area. However, in general, it is good for everyone to incorporate each area in their fitness regimen to some extent. I’ll briefly comment on each component below. Check out enspire balance on Pinterest for workout ideas.

1. Cardio – Think running, cycling, elliptical, walking (at a faster pace!), swimming, jumping rope, plyometrics, etc. Pick a few activities that will allow you to bump up your heart rate and provide you with a cardiovascular challenge. It is best to change it up every so often or to rotate several cardio options throughout the week. Remember, more is not always better. It’s not necessary (and can actually do more harm than good) to spend hours in the gym doing just cardio.
2. Weight Training – You’ve surely heard it before, but weight training is so good for your body and is really essential in terms of long term weight loss or maintenance and overall bone health. Ladies especially – don’t be afraid of weight training! It is a myth that you are going to bulk up if you start incorporating weights. Sure you could take up Olympic style weight lifting and gain some serious muscle but for most of us you will simply notice more tone and firmness. If venturing over to the weight area in your gym makes you nervous because you don’t know where to start, enlist the help of a knowledgeable personal trainer or friend to help you get familiar with the equipment and free weights. Or try one of the strength classes available at your gym to learn proper technique and form. If you prefer working out at home, there are plenty of simple but effective routines available online that you can perform with a few small pieces of equipment or just simply enlisting your own body weight. You can put together an effective and full-body weight routine with just a few exercises. Again, challenge your body and avoid boredom by changing up your routine at least every few weeks.
3. Core Strength– The core is the center of it all in my opinion so a strong core is essential for true strength in any other area of your body. And having a strong core means so much more than having a flat belly or a six-pack. The chain of muscles that make up the core actually begins in the inner arch of the foot and extends up through the center of the body (front and back) ending with the tongue! There are tons of great core exercises, one of the most effective being the plank. Choose a handful of core exercises to intersperse throughout your workout routine and look for exercises that target more than just one muscle group. Also remember that working the core doesn’t mean you have to do tons of crunches. You can (and should) engage your core in virtually all exercises and can have a strong core without doing a single crunch or sit up.
4. Balance – Balance (specifically physical balance in this case) is something few of us take time to do in our workouts and our ability to balance only gets worse as we age. Try out the BOSU to add a stability challenge to your workout or incorporate a few balancing postures from yoga into your routine. You will be surprised how quickly your balance will improve and how improving your balance will help in day to day life (think catching yourself before you wipe out on ice!).
5. Stretching – Probably the last priority on most people’s list when they consider how to use their already limited time for working out, but oh so important! Take time at the end of your workout to stretch each of the major muscle groups used and remember you can add gentle stretching in later in the day if you are short on time. Just keep in mind that deep, static stretching is not recommended before warming up so stick to gentle stretches unless you can do a quick warm up first. Incorporating a yoga class or two throughout your week would be a great way to work on flexibility (and give you ideas for good stretches), but remember that in order to make larger flexibility gains you will need to incorporate stretching every time you workout.
6. Rest – Our bodies are not meant to be pushed to their limits every day of the week. Don’t forget to give your body the rest it needs. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to sit on the couch one day a week. Active rest (where you stay active with something less intense but take a break from your normal workout routine) is also beneficial and probably more practical for the very active. However, for those who are truly tired or over-trained, true rest might be the best. The most important thing is to listen to your body’s signals.
7. Nutrition – Our diet/nutrition plan should be a tool to support our fitness plan and is just as (or some would argue more) important as our actual workout routine. Think of food as fuel to support your body and fitness goals. This larger picture perspective should help guide you toward making wiser food choices. You don’t want to cancel out your hard work (or even hinder your progress) with poor eating habits!

Last but MOST IMPORTANT – try to adhere to your plan and keep your goals but don’t beat yourself up if you can’t fit everything in or you get off track with your goals. I always say something is better than nothing so work with the time you have and give yourself grace!

Guest Post: Marriage Insights – Oneness

Guest post by Scott LaCross from The Speiro Group

This marriage insight is adapted from “Devotions for Couples” by Patrick Morley.

The Overarching Goal: Oneness

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”   Ephesians 5:31

oneness n. 1. The state ore quality of being one. 2. Uniqueness, singularity. 3. The condition of being undivided: wholeness. 4. Sameness of character. 5. Agreement: union.

Oneness captures in a single word the overarching goal of a marriage.  Oneness marks the summit of marital union.  It is the peak toward which we climb.  Oneness is a state of harmony in which the husband and wife lovingly meet each other’s needs and fulfill God’s purpose for their marriage.  Oneness means that through it all we’ll be one.

Unfortunately, after the honeymoon these poetic thoughts often get packed in the attic with all the unusable wedding gifts.  Noble ideas take a backseat to jobs, mortgage payments, starting a family, and busy calendars.  Why does the honeymoon end?  It ends because the self-sacrifices we are willing to make for our spouse cool off.  The prize is won.  There are other mountains to climb.  The routine is demanding.  The body is tired.  The difference between a great marriage and a poor marriage is the degree to which each partner is willing to meet the appropriate needs of the other.  The secret to oneness lies in the biblical command to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.  He is the ultimate example of self-denial and sacrifice, which are the requirements of true oneness.

When both the husband and wife are committed to sacrificially loving and serving the other, a fantastic oneness – as becoming one flesh – occurs.  Have you ever said (really said), “I will give up what I want to meet the needs of my life partner”?  When you try it, and mean it, you will experience the oneness that God intended.

May God bless your marriage this week!

Scott LaCross is the owner and founder of The Speiro Group, www.speirogroup.com, a Columbus, OH-based consulting firm that helps businesses, organizations, and individuals grow and develop.  Scott is also an Adjunct Professor at The Ohio State University in the Fisher School of Business.  Along with his business experience, Scott’s background includes working in full-time ministry and he is an active leader in his church.  He has a passion for challenging and equipping others and himself towards a purposeful and impactful life.

Guest Post: Marriage Insights – Introvert or Extrovert

Guest post by Scott LaCross from The Speiro Group

This marriage insight is adapted from “Devotions for Couples” by Patrick Morley.

Introvert or Extrovert

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” – John 13:34

Most people assume that the difference between introverts and extroverts is that extroverts love people and introverts don’t.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  There are many extroverts and introverts alike who don’t enjoy people much.  Likewise, introverts love people every bit as much as extroverts.

What is the difference then?  The difference between an introvert and extrovert is not a question of love but how we restore our energy.  Introverts find that people use up their energy and wear them out.  It isn’t for lack of love, but it is work to be around people.  Hence, they need time alone, away from the crowd.  Extroverts, on the other hand, gain energy from being with people (there are really very few pure extroverts).  They actually find that other people recharge their batteries while introverts find that people run their batteries down.

Whether alike or opposite, it is important to do two things.  First, recognize whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, and realize what your spouse is too.  If one of you is an introvert and the other an extrovert, you may be draining each others’ batteries without recharging them correctly  You could both be introverts but one of you needs to be around people more than the other.  Second, you must accept your spouse as he or she is.  You should discuss your differences and establish realistic guidelines for your schedules, social commitments, and time alone.

The only way to truly understand and love your spouse in this area is to talk it out.

May God bless your marriage this week!

Scott LaCross is the owner and founder of The Speiro Group, www.speirogroup.com, a Columbus, OH-based consulting firm that helps businesses, organizations, and individuals grow and develop.  Scott is also an Adjunct Professor at The Ohio State University in the Fisher School of Business.  Along with his business experience, Scott’s background includes working in full-time ministry and he is an active leader in his church.  He has a passion for challenging and equipping others and himself towards a purposeful and impactful life.