{"id":1102,"date":"2011-03-29T11:49:58","date_gmt":"2011-03-29T11:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/?p=1102"},"modified":"2014-05-08T07:13:24","modified_gmt":"2014-05-08T13:13:24","slug":"where-to-begin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/2011\/03\/29\/where-to-begin\/","title":{"rendered":"Where To Begin?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

My seven-year-old sang “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” to two beautiful babies when our family recently volunteered at a group home.<\/p><\/div>\n

Yesterday I described the Hands Free transformation of one of my loyal readers. Through a series of what he refers to as, \u201clittle steps,\u201d he has covered monumental ground.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Although he and I have different backgrounds and live very different lives, we both share the desire to grasp what really matters. <\/em><\/p>\n

In order to do so, we both started this journey by taking the first step.<\/p>\n

And today I want to erase any doubt in your mind that you are not equipped to take this step.<\/p>\n

I want to impress upon you that anyone who wants<\/em> to be Hands Free can be<\/em> Hands Free. Regardless if you are high-strung Type A or low-key Type B (or somewhere in between), a Hands Free life is within your grasp.<\/p>\n

So today is a List Day<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

You may know by now that I am a list maker. Lists are powerful. Lists serve as reminders. Lists are powerful reminders that tend to stick with you far longer than long-winded paragraphs.\u00a0 And if this Hands Free Mama hopes that if anything sticks with you in today\u2019s entry, it something, just ONE thing, from The List.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I will be overjoyed if one person reads the following list and says, \u201cThat\u2019s it? That is how I begin to go Hands Free? Well, I can do that. In fact, I am going to start today.\u201d<\/p>\n

So to that person, and anyone else who is interested in seeing what a Hands Free Step looks like, here is my ever-growing list (with links to further information on how each can be played out).<\/p>\n

Little Steps That Equate To Big Steps Towards A Hands Free Life:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

-Go to the local library<\/a> as family and leave your phone in the car.<\/p>\n

-When driving, place your phone in the glove box<\/a>.<\/p>\n

-Do a household chore WITH your child (i.e.; folding laundry, doing dishes,\u00a0cooking or baking).<\/p>\n

-Create a Saturday morning ritual like making pancakes or going to IHOP.<\/p>\n

-Turn phone to \u201call notifications off<\/a>\u201d when you are with your family.<\/p>\n

-Sing along with the radio or a CD instead of talking on the phone.<\/p>\n

-Enjoy the peaceful solitude of your inner thoughts.<\/p>\n

-Keep a small notebook with you to jot down great ideas, the dreams for your life, and special memories.<\/p>\n

–Encourage someone<\/a>.<\/p>\n

-Stick up for someone.<\/p>\n

-Have a \u201ctech cleanse<\/a>\u201d for a day, two days, a whole week\u2026maybe a lifetime.<\/p>\n

-Think through accepting new commitments and determine if they coincide with what really matters to you.<\/p>\n

-Go outside your comfort zone to join your child in something he or she loves to do.<\/a><\/p>\n

-Spend the day with your family and do not look at the clock once.<\/p>\n

-Turn off your computer from the time your children get home from school until they go to bed.<\/p>\n

-Ask your child to make a sign to place on your computer. One dear reader shared that her daughter\u2019s sign says, \u201cDo not use, until you snuggle<\/em>“.<\/p>\n

-Make cookies or muffins with a loved one, and then give them away.<\/a><\/p>\n

-Let your child bake or cook dinner without fear of making a mess or following a recipe.<\/p>\n

-Share a favorite childhood memory\u00a0with someone you love.<\/p>\n

-Allow yourself to simply think with no distractions.<\/p>\n

-Read the Bible.<\/p>\n

-Give yourself Five Good Minutes <\/a>of meditation a day.<\/p>\n

-Read a bedtime story to your child.<\/p>\n

-Have \u201ctalk time<\/a>\u201d with your child at bedtime.<\/p>\n

-Go on a nature hike looking for usual and beautiful sights like clouds <\/a>and bird nests.<\/p>\n

–Ask your parent a question<\/a> about his or her early years and then listen, really listen.<\/p>\n

–Close your laptop<\/a> when your loved one walks into the room.<\/p>\n

-When your child or spouse walks in a room, greet him or her with happiness and eye contact.<\/a><\/p>\n

-Every night think of five things you are thankful for with your child.<\/p>\n

-Express gratitude to someone who was (or is) an angel in your life.<\/a><\/p>\n

-Do something you loved as a child, like sew or play an instrument.<\/p>\n

-Find a volunteer opportunity to do as a family.<\/p>\n

-Write a love note\u00a0to your child just because.<\/p>\n

Ask your child, \u201cWhat do you want to do today?\u201d and then do it.<\/p>\n

-Practice waiting joyfully.<\/p>\n

-Contact that person who keeps popping into your head time and time again\u2026there\u2019s a reason he or she keeps coming to mind. Find out what that reason is.<\/p>\n

-Sit down on the couch and cuddle with your child or significant other. (Remember this line? “No matter how much she wants to, needs to, or would love to\u2026.my child\u00a0cannot kiss a moving target.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, that is the end of the list for now.<\/em> But with each day that I strive to go Hands Free, a new idea arises. And believe me, I will write about it.<\/p>\n

To those of you who previously joined me on this journey, I know you have your own Hands Free “baby steps” to add to the list (and I would love to hear them).<\/p>\n

To those who are just arriving at this place, now you have a starting point. Your Hands Free journey begins today. Simply choose something from the list that appeals to you then watch as something beautiful, something unexpected, unfolds before your eyes.<\/p>\n

With each “baby step” you grasp a piece of\u00a0what really matters<\/em> within your hand. And there is nothing little <\/em>about that.<\/p>\n

Do you have any Hands Free baby steps to share? If so, please leave a comment or send me an email. \u00a0Read the list again, circle it, star it, and invite someone to join you as you take your first step into a life worth living. Better yet, share the list with someone you love. Invite them to be your Hands Free partner, and take the step together. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I described the Hands Free transformation of one of my loyal readers. Through a series of what he refers to as, \u201clittle steps,\u201d he has covered monumental ground. Although he and I have different backgrounds and live very different lives, we both share the desire to grasp what really matters. In order to do […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[229,24],"tags":[],"gutentor_comment":16,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/IMG_3605-e1301398763294.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1fUJF-hM","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1102"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}