Being busy certainly means not being bored...

It's only Wednesday, and this has already become a whirlwind week.  Our office has a great deal to be proud of this week ( as a reminder, it's only Wednesday!).  I would love the opportunity to share a few of our milestones with you.

* If your week is anything like mine, see underneath this weeks milestones for some great "coping" tips!

•               Our high-profile gatefold in Seattle Magazine is out and it looks great – we’ll have advance copies here tomorrow for the event

•               We’re advertising this week on the home page of www.seattlepi.com – check it out!

•               Watch for a full page ad this weekend in Seattle Times announcing our opening with featured ads from our projects

•              Office press release 

•               Our updated office website should be live within the next day or so! 

•               This weekend we’ll have a gorgeous monument sign on the sidewalk with 10 A-boards around town driving traffic, so if you're in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by!

As promised, here is a great article I came across from Self magazine. 
Below you will find a few I picked from the bunch.

 BREATH

"When you make a conscious effort to breathe deeper, it naturally brings your body back to a more relaxed state," explains Frederic Luskin, Ph.D., author of Stress Free for Good (HarperOne). Place your hand on your stomach and watch it rise as you inhale for a count of 3 or 4; hold your breath for the same count, and then exhale for as long as comfortable and watch your belly fall.

GET EXCITED ABOUT SOMETHING

Each morning, think about one little, enjoyable thing you plan to do that day (the crossword puzzle) and one bigger pleasure on the horizon (your trip to the mountains), suggests Allen Elkin, Ph.D., director of the Stress Management and Counseling Center in New York City. This ritual trains your brain to focus away from what can go wrong that day.

CHANGE CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU

"Unpredictable events can cause the most stress," Luskin explains. "If you cultivate even a little bit of surprise in your life, it helps keep your cognitive responses flexible and helps you handle whatever life throws your way." Take a new cardio class or pick a cuisine you've never tried. (Hallå, Scandinavian!)

DISH OUT A COMPLIMENT

The flip side to TGIF is OMGIM: Oh, my God, it's Monday! In fact, more heart attacks occur on Mondays than on any other day. Schedule a weekly lunch with a friend or take a class you love on Mondays so you'll look forward to the start of the week, Dr. Wheeler advises.

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSEMARY

Breathing this scent for five minutes lowers cortisol, a study in Japan finds. Testers loved Aveda Rosemary Mint Shampoo ($10). Sniff out valerian to aid sleep and bergamot and rose to calm down, suggests Sue Jonas, aromatherapy consultant in Woodstock, Connecticut, for Crabtree & Evelyn.

PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE

We've all had our moments: I missed the train, I'm late, now I'll be fired! Elkin suggests rating on a scale of 1 to 10 how devastating your worry is, with 10 being catastrophic illness. Chances are, you'll have some points to spare. Take a deep breath (see #1) and picture your stress shrinking and your happiness growing.

And finally....

NORDSTROM

     If I need to explain this one, CALL ME! 

Here's wishing you a happy and busy week!