To live a well balanced, rewarding life of our dreams by day and sleep restfully at night.
My Summer 2013 Challenge
Published June 11, 2013 | 
As a school teacher, I look forward to the couple of months I have off to recharge. I also find this to be a great season to challenge myself by trying something new and “push my edge” a bit. A couple of years ago I enjoyed sharing with you my trying Bikram Yoga for the first time.
This summer I’ve decided to lose weight. I am 46 years old and about ten pounds have crept up since John and I got married two years and three month ago (who’s counting. lol).
John and Debra’s Wedding Day March 26, 2011, Atlantic Beach, Florida
My goal is to lose ten pounds, get back down to a size 8, and be able to look as great as I did on my wedding day.
When a client of mind introduced me to the Body by Vi 90 day Challenge I was open to trying something new. For as active as I am, the weight has been very stubborn!
I am excited about doing this and meeting my goals.
Our mission here at The Warm Milk Journal is to live a well-balanced life of our dreams by day and sleep restfully at night.
Taking care of ourselves is a big part of living life to the fullest. I know when I feel good about myself I sleep much better at night.
Check this out and join me on The Challenge!
The greatest wealth is health. ~ Virgil
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If you love social media, join me!
Published April 29, 2013 | 
We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light. ~Evelyn Dunbar
Dear Friends:
I embarked on this Warm Milk Journal journey over three years ago now. In this process I have met so many great new people, shared ideas, and most importantly: found my voice.
I found my voice here at The Warm Milk Journal and on various social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Google+. LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
I have found social media to be so much fun and very powerful. My Tweet others the way you want to be tweeted: 15 lessons I’ve learned on Twitter
post is one of the most visited posts of all time.
With that I wish to share with you my new business. At the end of this school year, I will be working full time on my social media management business and continue to create and grow The Warm Milk Journal.
Here is my invitation.
If you:
1. love social media like I do,
2. wish to improve your financial situation or change careers into something more fulfilling for you (that has unlimited and residual income potential),
3. have experience with sales (especially B2B) or you are willing to learn…
Then I would like you on my team.
If this sounds like you, I invite you to go to my business page, fill out your basic information (at no cost or obligation to you), look at the site, and register for the live conference call with Joe Grushkin and George Gillas. These guys are great. I have already learned so much from them about doing business (the right way)!
Please tell them that Debra DiPietro from The Warm Milk Journal sent you.
You will always be able to call me or email me personally too. I am busy growing this business here in Jacksonville, Florida. It doesn’t matter where you are in the USA or in the world for that matter. You can do this business no matter where you live.
Click on my business link and check this out.
We have been supporting each other in so many ways, why not take it to the next level and join me in this business opportunity that has no limits?
Go to Debra’s business page
now.
If this opportunity is not right for you (and it won’t be for everybody), please just be happy for me. I have found something I am very passionate about (along with The Warm Milk Journal, of course)! 
In peace (and to our living the life of our dreams)!
Debra
Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. ~ David Frost
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What scares you and what gives you a sense of security? A journal writing session.
Published June 14, 2012 | 
One of the biggest reasons why we don’t get a good night sleep is we are worried or scared about something. It is very difficult to ease into a nice peaceful sleep when we are feeling anxious.
I truly believe that:
The more secure we feel, the better we will sleep at night.
It is okay from time to time to look at the shadows in our lives and face those fears. Are they legitimate fears? If so, it is prudent to take measures to ensure we are safe (put better locks on the door for instance). If on the other hand, they are needless worry, there are tools we can develop to keep worry from robbing us of a good night sleep (meditation, journal writing) etc.
Today’s journal writing session has two questions:
1. What scares me?
2. What gives me a sense of security?
As always, I will begin my entry and then you’re on your own, okay?
Let’s see…
What scares me?
1. Sudden loud noises
2. Being in public parking lots or garages at night by myself.
3. When my husband goes into questionable parts of town where he is a landlord.
4. Getting old
5. My children’s future
What gives me a sense of security?
1. Having my husband nearby (he’s a black belt martial arts instructor)
2. Living in a beautiful, safe part of town.
3. Money in the bank.
4. Taking care of myself so I enjoy good health.
5. My Honda Accord which is a sturdy and dependable vehicle.
Your turn, friends!
Happy Writing!
*Special coming attractions for future posts this week!…
We are going to continue discussing this theme of feeling safe and secure with some special guests that I am very excited to share with you.
I’ve had the pleasure to talk with former Bachelorette winner Jesse Csincsak recently about living the good life, keeping his family safe, and finding true love.
(used with Jesse Csincsak’s permission)
I am also excited to share with you soon exclusive interviews I had with each member of the Wyatt family. The Wyatts run a professional firearms training and largest gunsmith facility in the state of Colorado. Their family and business is featured in The Discovery Channel’s popular show American Guns.
(photo credit: Wyatt PR)
I, for one, know nothing about guns and they actually frighten me quite a bit. So it’s been interesting (I learned a lot). Some of our readers here at The Warm Milk Journal have been crime victims (resulting in much anxiety and insomnia) so we will explore this issue further in these conversations.
Even Mew gets in on the action…. so
Stay tuned!
Debra
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Today was a great day! Tonight’s journal writing exercise.
Published May 16, 2012 | 
As the day ends, and we ease ourselves into the mellowness of the night, it is wonderful when we can sit back and think:
Today was a great day!
I guarantee you that if we end our days feeling this way our chances of getting a good night sleep improve tremendously.
I invite you during your journal writing time tonight to write on the top of the page: “Today was a great day!”.
Then list as many things as you can think of that affirm your declaration.
I challenge you friends, to do this even if you do not think you had a good day at all. Reach and see if you can think of some good that came of this day…
Shall we give this a go?
Let’s see….
Today was a great day!
These are the reasons why:
1. I found out today that I get to remain at the same grade level (next school year) with the same teaching partner and subjects (I am a fifth grade language arts teacher and I love it and I have a great partner to work with)!
2. Although storms were forecasted, we had no rain for our annual outdoor play day at school.
3. We have smoked salmon, bagels, cream cheese, and tabouli ready to eat for dinner tonight (with pina colada sherbet for dessert)
4. I had a great talk with my husband this afternoon when I got home from work.
5. We are enjoying some prosperity! Yes, checks are coming in (always a good thing)!
Your turn, sweet friends. How was your day great?
In Peace,
Debra
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Avoidance: a robber of sleep and producer of anxiety
Published April 16, 2012 | 
What have you been avoiding lately? A drawer full of unpaid bills? Filing your taxes? Asking the boss for that much deserved raise? Making that medical appointment?
When we practice avoidance we are inviting anxiety into our lives. How?
1. The things we are putting off doing don’t magically go away (and we know this).
2. It creates and prolongs any worry about these things
3. It gives our minds plenty of time to blow things up and out of proportion.
4. Avoidance makes us feel weak and not very good about ourselves.
5. During that “witching hour” we spoke about in our prior post, it is these things that we are avoiding that get churned about over and over again when all we desperately want to do is not think at all and sleep!
Taking action is a confidence booster and sleep producer.
Pulling our heads out of the sand and dealing with our issues and challenges will give us many benefits including:
1. We will feel greatly empowered. Even little steps will make us feel so much better about ourselves and the situation (call the Student loan company, pull those bills that have been piling up in the drawer, initiate that conversation with your spouse, etc.)
2. Once we start taking steps towards resolution rather than avoidance, so much free time and energy is freed up to live our lives, be in the present rather than worrying.
3. The magnitude of what we perceived as our problems will be much deflated once we start dealing with them.
4. We will get some perspective and realize things aren’t as bad as we thought.
5. Peace of mind will return (along with a good night sleep).
In Peace,
Debra
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How can you keep your eye on the prize if you don’t know what the prize is?
Published March 30, 2012 | 
Are you dreamy? Do you drift? Do you ever want something more or different for your life?
How can we live the life of our dreams if we are not sure what we want?
To get clear on what you want I offer you this morning these five ideas:
1. In your journal or on a piece of paper, write down 100 things that you want to be, 100 things that you want to have, and 100 things that you want to do.
2. Imagine that you only had a few months left to life. What would be most important to you then?
3. Read about and talk to people who are doing what you want.
4. Express your desires to the people closest to you. Ask for their support (there is also the element of accountability when you share your dreams and goals with others).
5. Keep trying new things and be persistent. It is easy to give up quickly. If you believe in something, stick with it.
If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.
Have a blessed day,
Debra
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A gratitude journal entry for this Sunday morning: what are you thankful for?
Published October 16, 2011 | 
A GRATITUDE JOURNAL ENTRY FOR THIS SUNDAY MORNING
Ten things to be thankful for this morning:
1. Another day of life
2. A day off from my job
3. Time with my family and friends this weekend
4. A perfect October morning
5. A refrigerator and pantry full of food
6. My health
7. My teenage daughter wants to spend time with me
8. The sweet companionship of my husband
9. My college football teams did well yesterday
10. My beautiful home.
What are you thankful for this morning. Write it down.
Enjoy the day.
Debra
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Being in balance and good sleep really are connected. (I know, because I lost my balance this weekend)
Published September 12, 2011 | 
The Mission of the Warm Milk Journal is to live a well balanced life by day and sleep restfully at night.
I will come forward this morning to tell you that I allowed myself to get off balance this weekend.
Things that got me off balance recently:
1. Having so much on my plate (too much)
2. Worrying about changes that are happening in my work place.
3. Worrying about finances
4. Working all weekend
5. Skipping my yoga class (and choosing to work instead)
6. Not permitting myself much down time
7. Instead of watching a movie with my husband last night, working (sense a common theme here?).
8. Seeing that my mother called me and not calling her back because I felt like I couldn’t afford the time.
I could go on and it is not a pretty picture.
The result of knocking myself off balance?
1. Crankiness and short with family members
2. Slept for only a few hours last night and now I have to go to work exhausted
3. Not feeling as centered as I would like
4. Physically not feeling well due to poor sleep.
5. Mentally not feeling up for the many tasks I have for the day.
I am not sharing this with you this morning to complain. I know that I will get my center back today and sleep well tonight. I will feel much better tomorrow. I will do my best at work today, go to yoga after work, and have a nice evening at home before collapsing…ha!
Feeling as bad as I do this morning just serves as a reminder the importance of taking care of ourselves. Work will always be there. I can choose to work myself to a grouchy wretched mess and make myself and those around me miserable or I can choose to:
1. take time to talk to my mom,
2. spend time with my family,
3. go to the beach
4. read and write for pleasure
5. go to my yoga class
6. or, do nothing! (does that sound wonderful)
The choice of course is up to me.
I wish you all a happy day and peaceful night tonight.
Debra
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A message just for you: A guided visualization exercise.
Published July 16, 2011 | 
Sit in a comfortable position. Have your writing journal close by. Begin focusing on your breath. Imagine yourself in a rural setting. It can be mountainous, farmland, coastal, woodsy, the details are up to you…
See a house in the distance. It can be a small cabin, grand home, farmhouse- again, the details are up to you…
What time of year is it? What is the weather doing? How does the air feel on your skin? What do you hear? What do you smell?
You begin to walk towards the house. As you grow closer to it, what do you notice about the landscape?
Does the house have a fence? a gate? a garden? What is the front porch like? The door?
Open the doorknob (do not knock, just go on in- it’s okay. There is nobody home right now).
What do you see in this house? Imagine all the details you can…
You feel drawn to a desk. Sit down. What does the desk look like? How does the chair feel as you sit down comfortably in it? On the desk you see an envelope with your name on it. You open it and take out the letter that is inside it.
You read the message. What exactly does it say? You reach into your pocket and leave something on the desk as a token of your appreciation. You may tuck the letter into your pocket.
Exit the house and leave the same way you came. Note any changes to the house or the surrounding landscape.
When you are ready, Count from ten to one and gently open your eyes. Breathe. Before you forget, write down everything you can remember in your journal.
Resource: I was greatly inspired by How To Meditate by Paul Ryland (See “Secret Hopes And Aspirations” exercise on page 90)
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Five things to list in my gratitude journal this morning- what are you thankful for?
Published June 23, 2011 | 
Five things to be thankful for right now:
1. Another day of life above the ground- that’s a good thing!
2. A day with purpose and promise.
3. A chance to create for each time I focus my mind I create a new beginning.
4. All of the supportive people in my life.
5. The full shelves in my pantry and refrigerator which represent food that will nourish me throughout the day.
Your turn- what are you thankful for today? Write it down in your journal.
Have a blessed day.
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