Anna Seewald was forced to grow up quickly when a devastating earthquake killed her mother and destroyed her home town in Armenia when she was only 13 years old. Today Anna strives to live a mindful, slow-paced life that allows her to concentrate on enjoying every moment and being the best mom she can be. Listen to get some great tips on saying “no” to the unnecessaries, taking time to do nothing at all, and how critical it is that we as moms know ourselves deeply and choose the life that makes us happiest. Anna Seewald is the founder of Authentic Parenting®. She is a speaker, author and a parent educator. She is a mom to a vibrant 8 year old who doesn’t approve of her fashion choices. With a strong passion for helping children, Anna has dedicated her life to working with abused, neglected, orphaned and institutionalized children and juvenile delinquents. After nearly 20 years she realized that it is through helping parents she can help children. Today she is supporting parents around the world by moving from traditional ways of parenting into more peaceful, conscious ways by helping them make sense of their past life experiences, heal from trauma, build effective communication, practice non-punitive discipline and learn to set limits with love and kindness. Nuggets of Wisdom from Anna: "At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by the spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." -Albert Schweitzer "'The past is never dead. It’s not even past. The past defines who we are.' (William Faulkner). We cannot forget where we come from, who we are. We bring in all our unresolved issues, our traumas, all that attachment history comes into play. If we forget and move forward, we never look back. The past will crawl out, and it will haunt you in your present day. So we need to make sense of our life stories, resolve our unresolved issues, and heal from our traumas in order to live vibrant, happy and fulfilled lives.” Some of Anna's Favorite Things: Personal habit: "Just having alone time, solitude, in the morning. Every morning, I wake up, I make myself a cup of coffee, I sit in my favorite chair in my living room. And then I just sit there and do nothing for a specific amount of time. It could be 15 minutes, 10, 20. Even if I do not have that time in the morning, I still get up early, just to have at least a few moments with myself because looking inwards for me has been the most powerful and empowering, important life lesson. Because no one can make me happy. I cannot expect my husband to make med happy. I am happy. I have to be happy on my own before I have fulfilling relationships with others." Easy meal: "Omelette.  Any kind of omelette. I throw in some vegetables: spinach, feta cheese, mushrooms, or one with scallions and parsley." Possession: Cuisinart Food Processor Anna's Favorite Books: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Best advice received: "Do not sweat the small stuff, and it is all small stuff." -Anna's husband Anna's Happiness Formula: "Meaningful relationships, connections, attachments, friendships, family (one category). Doing the things that make me fulfilled. Expressing myself through art or doing something that I love. And perhaps, taking care of myself.  We need to take care of our body first and foremost. To be healthy, to have good relationships and to do the things that you love most. " A Challenge from Anna: "I want parents to take a piece of paper and write down five things, big or small, or it could be really big. Something in your eyes, in your own opinion that makes you a great parent. Be honest with yourself. Give yourself credit. " Resources Authentic Parenting Cuisinart Food Processor The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 15 Powerful things to Say To Your Kids Anna's Podcast - Soundcloud Anna's Podcast - iTunes Parenting Conversations Authentic Moments with Anna Seewald Subscribe to Vibrant Happy