Home a Haven of Peace? Really it IS Possible!
By MaryLou Bailey

Is this a scene you’re familiar with? Music is blaring, kids are fighting, a teenager is grumbling over the lost homework papers, Dad can’t find his keys, the dog is barking, uneaten dinner is cold on the table, you grab a pop tart and head to parent teacher conferences. Who the heck ever said that home is a haven of peace?

I am here to tell you that it actually can be. The dream can become reality. I’m not saying things will always run perfectly, but home can, and ought to, be a safe place where you can unwind, relax, enjoy each other’s company, regroup and recharge. Read on to learn 7 simple changes you can make to begin transforming your home into a place where all your family wants to be.

Note: Did you notice that I said, “changes you can make” not, how to force others to be different? This is all about what you can do—whether you are the parent or a child in a family that is less than ideal. (I can tell you from experience that a child implementing these same steps can have a huge impact on the entire family.)

Change #1—Watch your words

Today, start to pay attention to how you speak to others in your family. Are you sarcastic, short tempered, critical? Do you whine to get your way? Do you swear? Do you dominate conversation and tell everyone else what to do? Identify how you speak. Now, and I mean now, change to a way of speaking that you would like to hear. Speak with respect. Be courteous. Stop any and all profanity. (Profanity reveals mental weakness.) Sincerely compliment each person in your family at least once a day. (Increase the frequency of this over time.) Refrain from putting anyone in your family down, whether to their face or behind their back. Encourage and speak positively. Keep your tone pleasant and reserve yelling only for fires and other emergencies.

Dedicate one week to working on this change of watching your words. Continue practicing as you move on to change #2.

Change #2—Focus on your focus

What do you notice in the world and the people around you? Do you see the beauty around you? Can you look at the concrete and see flowers growing in the cracks, or is it all just black? Your job this week is to find the positive in all around you. Even in difficult, or embarrassing situations see if you can find a nugget of gold.