By Robert H Davis
Habits – we are all too familiar with bad habits and the difficulty involved in trying to break them. For an action to become a habit, the action requires repetition. Thus, everyday life becomes a habit. Life becomes routine and unexciting. And, the stress that infiltrates all of our lives because of the current economic situation only makes matters worse. From the oldest family member to the youngest, everyone feels the crunch.

But, take heart. These difficult economic times are an opportunity to be creative, try new things, and create new habits.

Here are 5 simple suggestions to help you and your soul mate(s) weather the storm:

Say “I love you” to your soul mate(s) at least twice a day
Say I love you once in the morning to start the day, and once in the evening before going to bed. Hint: “I love you” can be used throughout the day, too: apply generously.

If your children are no longer at home, follow this same prescription. Get into the habit of contacting them twice a day either by phone or e-mail.

Make homemade pizza
Break the monotony with an inexpensive and fun meal that the entire family can help make. There are several pre-made pizza crusts available, but try the pizza crust mix. The simple mix allows you to be creative and make the pizza into any shape you can imagine. Try making a butterfly or a heart shaped pizza. Crust mix, spaghetti or pizza sauce, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, pepperoni or your favorite toppings make a delicious, fun and inexpensive pizza your family will love.

Plan a weekly ‘at home’ family night
Rent a movie the entire family will enjoy or, better yet, dig a game out of the closet. Hint: the sillier the game, the more popular it will be. Recent discoveries that we have enjoyed are “Candyland”, “Don’t Break the Ice”, and “SORRY”.

Limit phone time
We are becoming increasingly mobile and the communications technology available today encourages us to spend more and more time in idle conversation. This creates distance between family members and wastes opportunities for bonding. We can set aside specific times for phoning friends that will not interfere with the time we spend with our soul mate(s).

Encourage creativity in your home
We all have a creative interest or talent. Make exploring these interests and talents the past time of choice when boredom sets in. Is there a budding actor, actress, or artist in the family? Here are a few suggestions for entertaining and creative activities that will cost little or nothing: