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By subscription only! Welcome to another issue of:

                "THE BALANCED WOMAN".

Thanks to all of you who have encouraged your friends to subscribe!  You are important to us.  So rest assured we will NEVER sell or give away your email addresses to anyone!!

We realize that not all of the email programs available can accommodate our size.  So you can also find this issue of The Balanced Woman at: http://www.betweenfriends.vjungle.com/issue23.html

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              IN THIS ISSUE
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       => Welcome
       => Feature Article: "The Key to a Life of Balance"
       => Household Hint
       => Parenting Tip
       => Classified Ads
       => Pampering Yourself
       => Help Others without Spending a Dime!
       => Subscribe/Un subscribe information

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                       WELCOME

Welcome to March!  This is the first issue with our shorter format!  Drop me a line and let me know what you think!  Do you like being able to get through it more quickly or would you like more articles?  It's up to you!

As you've probably noticed I have never recommend a fish based recipe for recipe of the month.  That's because I don't like fish!  But I know many of you do and it's loaded with health benefits.  So, if you've got a "fishy" recipe that you'd like to share, please send it in and I'll include it (mail it to me at jahale95@yahoo.com).  The only criteria are that it be easy, quick and good!

In keeping with the new theme I'll be brief here too!

That's it for now.  I hope you enjoy this issue!
jackie

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Site Updates...http://www.betweenfriends.org

Please stop by and cast your vote at our completely anonymous site poll, if you haven't yet.  This month's poll asks: What do you consider to be the biggest waste of your time?  While there, you'll also find the results of the previous poll at http://www.betweenfriends.org/poll.html

This month's recipe is from our friends at Minute Meals.com.  It's Ravioli Pie!  And as always it's quick, delicious, and easy! You can find the link for it at http://www.betweenfriends.org/househol.htm

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               This Month's Sponsors!

Looking for a REAL job you can do FROM HOME? MMM has pages full of REAL jobs from REAL employers looking for people to fill a variety of positions from the comfort of their homes. Come visit us today at http://www.moneymakingmommy.com Also be sure to sign up for our weekly ezine loaded with fresh jobs every week! http://moneymakingmoms.listbot.com

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Feature Article: The Key to a Life of Balance
By:  Jacqueline McLaughlin Hale
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What is a balanced life?  That is the question.  So many talk about it, so frequently.  They complain that they need more balance in their lives, as if it is some magic pill that will cure all their ills.  What's more is that they speak of it as if it had ONE definition.  One, key element missing or in short supply that if simply "put back" would make everything better.  If asked, most would tell you that they need more time.  Time, it is believed, is the answer.  Time.

It's ironic that during a period in our history when we have more time savings conveniences and more time management devices than ever before, "time" seems to be in such short supply.  Between working, raising a couple of kids (or more) taking care of the house, cooking, cleaning, shopping, laundering, chauffeuring and more we are run ragged.  There is nothing left for quiet reflection, a lazy Sunday, sleeping in or laughing with our families.  And so, it is no coincidence that we search to bring back balance to spend time with those who matter the most.

However, time is NOT the answer.  There is NO ONE answer.  Balance is like a good pizza.  It's made up of a lot of different ingredients, in just the right combination.  Blend the pepperoni, cheese, tomato sauce, oregano and pizza dough just the right way and a few minutes later you'll have a piping hot, delicious pizza.  Blend the ingredients for a balanced life in the right combination and you'll have more time and feel more fulfilled than ever before!

The first ingredient for a more balanced life is self-knowledge.  You cannot have balance or achieve it until you know who you are and what you want.  Sounds simple doesn't it?  If you don't know you, who does?  But believe it or not it may be harder than you think!

You have spent a lifetime playing different roles for different people.  First you were a daughter; after that you were (in no particular order):

A friend,
A sister
An employee
A partner
A wife
A mother
A student

Each role came complete with its own job description and characteristics expected of it.  Those "attributes" may be part of "who you are" but they by no means define it all.  Even put together they may or may not be reflective of the all of you.  You are much more than the sum of your parts!

But the point is, that given you spend so much time being "something" to someone else, you may have forgotten who you really are and what you want.

For example, if you have younger siblings you may have learned to be "a caretaker".  Maybe that's not you.  Maybe you find it difficult to be a caretaker but do so out of the habits you learned as a child.

As an employee, you may have learned to be quiet and subservient.  Perhaps you cannot afford to "rock the boat" and so out of desire to hang on to your job, you keep quiet.  Maybe that's not you.  Maybe you're outspoken and assertive.

As a mother, you may have learned to be conservative in order to "set the right" example for your children.  But maybe you're not conservative.  Maybe you'd like nothing more than to party often and show off a few tattoos.  But you can't because you have a role to play.

So many roles.  So many different things to so many different people...

But roles aren't always "imposed" by others.  We all have visions of who we'd like to be.  If we hold those visions long enough we may believe they are the truth.

And so we walk through life, playing the roles without ever stopping to ask ourselves who we are!  Yet who we are is the key to a life of balance.  Is it any wonder so many of us are searching for that?  In effect, we are searching for ourselves.

Next month we'll examine ways to figure out just who we are.  Stay tuned…

Jacqueline McLaughlin Hale is a CPA and the editor of Between Friends: Resources for Mothers (http://www.betweenfriends.org) Between Friends contains household hints, time management tips, articles on organization, parenting, money management, career, self employment, self improvement and more!  Subscribe to its FREE monthly ezine, The Balanced Woman.  Visit today!

Webmasters and publishers may use this article in their ezine or website, as long as the *entire*
article is used, and the *copyright notice* and *resource box* are left in tact, including this notice

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"Tame Your Brain!" -- the success e-zine with Jan Tincher's NLP Technique of the Week!  Order now and receive free report!  "10 Ways You Probably Never Thought Of To Alleviate Pain!"  To Subscribe, click here: Mailto:tameyourbrain-subscribe@listbot.com (2/3)

Three great sites for Moms!
Mommysavers - Frugal living for thrifty moms http://www.mommysavers.com
Nine Month Club - Pregnancy, baby & beyond http://www.ninemonthclub.com
MN Moms - For moms living in Minnesota http://www.mnmoms.com

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            HOUSEHOLD HINT OF THE MONTH

Clean shower doors quickly and easily. Wipe with a used, DRY, dryer sheet (such as Bounce but any dryer sheet will work).  It removes soap scum effortlessly!

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Parent like you mean business!  Stop nagging and fighting with your kids!  Get your home running more smoothly than it has ever run before.  Discover a simple, effective and proven system for putting sanity back into your life with the new ebook THE BUSINESS OF MOM!

Do you know what busy executives and moms have in common?  Everything!  They both have too much to do and too little time to do it in.  Busy executives have spent years developing, analyzing and testing systems to help them cope.  A few of those concepts have withstood the test of time and are used again and again by the most successful business managers today.  They have been adapted to the home environment to give moms help too.

If you haven't ordered your copy yet, you can get THE BUSINESS OF MOM for $15.00.  The first 100 to order will also receive membership to an exclusive discussion group designed to support you as you implement the theories from THE BUSINESS OF MOM!

For a full description and to order your copy securely, visit my Web site at http://www.betweenfriends.org/1.htm

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            PARENTING TIP OF THE MONTH

"Catch" your kids doing something right often throughout the day!  Lavish them with praise and attention when you do and watch their behavior improve!

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             Pampering Yourself

Buy yourself a single rose, or a bouquet, if you can!  Why not?  You deserve it!

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       HELP OTHERS WITHOUT SPENDING A DIME!

SPONSORS FEED HUNGRY SENIORS FOR FREE!

Meals On Wheels site, www.GiveMeals.com feeds hungry seniors with Advertisers/Sponsors paid donations!  Sponsors pay each time you CLICK, SHOP, JOIN or REGISTER.  Make GiveMeals.com your "Start Page" and never miss a chance to help. Visit  http://www.GiveMeals.com today and everyday.

IT WON'T COST YOU A DIME TO FEED A STARVING CHILD FOR A DAY!

Please take 15 seconds of your valuable time and stop by The Hunger Site daily.  Every 3.6 seconds, someone dies of hunger on this planet and 3/4 of those deaths are children under 5 years old!  Every time you click on The Hunger Site's donation button, food is donated to help feed starving people.  The equivalent of two cups!  And it costs you NOTHING!  So please visit: http://www.thehungersite.com right now and help to feed those less fortunate.

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                    Disclaimer

The appearance of advertising in The Balanced Woman should not be interpreted as an endorsement by the editors of the service, product, business, or program being advertised.  We take no responsibility for claims or representations made in any ads.  The Balanced Woman is for informational and entertainment purposes only.  The ideas and information expressed in it have not been approved or authorized by anyone either explicitly or implicitly.  In no event shall Jacqueline McLaughlin Hale be liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from any action arising in connection with the use of this information or its publication, including any action for infringement of copyright or defamation.  The opinions expressed by our columnists are not necessarily the position of The Balanced Woman.

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Copyright 1999, 2000, 2001 JA Hale
Editor's Comments: If any of you have any ideas, comments and suggestions on how we can improve this e-zine please let me know.  Just send an email to: jahale95@yahoo.com

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