Shauna describes herself as a, “Crazy Cheer Mom, Law Enforcement Wife, Career-driven Imperfect Woman, a 39 year-old Chick with Adult ADD.”
Having worked with Shauna I can attest to all that, and much, much more. She is an absolute joy! I’m confident her little girls reap many rewards sharing a world with such a fun, colorful Mom!
Shauna, “You can’t do it all – it’s okay.”
Shauna continues, “Don’t let busy get you. It almost got us. I married my high school sweetheart. We have been together for over 20 years. Three years ago, it seemed like we were more roommates then husband and wife.
Then, about a year and a half ago – we had a wakeup call (which I could write a book about in itself). We decided to refocus, reconnect. We now invest our time and money on experiences and not things.
After 12 years, we had our honeymoon. Recently we took the kids to see Taylor Swift in Montreal.
Shauna share some specificexampless to help with refocusing:
1. Dance parties at home – with or without the kids. We have fun!
2. Get groceries together, clean the house together, take the kids to their activities together (together whenever possible). We realized we will never ‘get it all done’. So why not spend our time together, even if what we are doing is mundane.
3. You are never too busy to listen to a song your child wants to sing, a dance they want to show you, or project they need an opinion on. If you constantly tell them ‘not now,’ what’s going to happen when they need your ear for something really serious?” Tip #7
Given our family history, I of course was impacted by Shauna’s seventh tip, “Refocus.” We too learned through a difficult and unfortunate situation, experiences are what matter. For us, February 2008 everything came into focus.
Following Michael’s snowboarding injury, the day of, Michael looked up at us from his hospital gurney, unable to move, and said, “If you two have anything you want to do, you should do it. This could happen to anyone.” That message was not lost on us.
So it began! Following Michael’s recovery, we took our first vacation. I swam with dolphins, a dream I never thought possible. Later, I attended an Oprah Show, a Tony Robbins event, and we went to Disney. All things I never thought possible.
Big Mike opened a bike shop. He built his dream bike, and keeps creating more. Mike got all the tattoos he ever wanted and, like the bikes now wants more of them too!
We started to ask ourselves, what we wanted to do. What did we want out of life? What about our legacy?
Since Michael’s recovery we have been chasing and catching our dreams.
Unfortunately, knowing what’s important is all too often a lesson hard learned; however, it is only the most fortunate of us who learn it! There is so much to be gained from slowing down and refocusing. What special memories Shauna creates with random dance parties, and kitchen kisses.
Our families are privileged to have found the magic in Michael’s message, and in Shauna’s wisdom. We are equally privileged to be in a position to share it with others.
Shauna, thank you for this!
Next week, Georgina on the loss of Freedom.