The start of a new year is filled with promise and hope. You can start fresh, get fit, get organized or get a new hobby. But to begin any new endeavor, you need a little motivation.

Maybe it’s a friend who inspires you, the way she strives to keep positive, or always finds time to read a new book. Or perhaps it’s the number on the scale. Watching it get lower and feeling more energized each week is a huge boost.

What or who inspires you to do great things this year? And just what are those great things? Add a comment to share your thoughts, and check back soon to update us with your progress.

Until next time,
Miss Maxi
a Kotex Resource

What make the holidays so memorable are the traditions we share with our loved ones. The songs we listen to, the decorations we put up, and the foods we eat year in and year out make these the happiest times of the year.

Sometimes our favorite traditions have nothing to do with the holidays – an annual trip to the cider mill, family board game night or blueberry pancake Sundays. The main ingredients of traditions, and the reason we hold them so dear, are the people that we share them with.

So what’s your favorite tradition? Whether it’s something you do every holiday season or every weekend, with your daughter, your whole family or your best friends, we want to hear about it. Add a comment to share your story. Who knows, you may even inspire someone else to start a new tradition of her own.

Until next time,
Miss Maxi

a Kotex Resource

When it comes to the holiday season, many people think, “I love this time of year!” Family is near, joy is in the air and memories are being made.

But sometimes as women, we can’t help thinking, “I get so stressed out this time of year!” Between decorating, hosting the family dinner, making cookies for your neighbors and co-workers, buying and wrapping all the presents, not to mention living your day-to-day life, it’s easy to see why.

Here are a few things you can do to give yourself a much-needed breather from the pressures of the holidays:

• Have a holiday-free day. No wrapping, no festive music, no sending out cards. Just live one day as you would were it not this time of year.
• Make a donation. Whether it’s clothes you don’t wear anymore, your kids’ old toys, or a monetary donation, you’ll feel good inside after giving to others. After all, that’s what the holiday season is all about, right?
• Give yourself a gift. Something that will help you relax, like a massage or a new book. After a little R&R, you’ll be ready to get back into the swing of the holiday season.

What do you do to stay sane this time of year? Add a comment to let the rest of us in on your secret.

Happy holidays! Until next time,
Miss Maxi
a Kotex Resource

We women want everything perfect – whiter teeth, a seat on the PTA and the best dish at the potluck. We work so hard to think ahead and control all the variables to achieve perfection. Until something we can’t control – the weather, bad traffic, a late delivery – causes all those good intentions to be thrown out the window.

These nuisances can ruin a whole day. We think, “If only that hadn’t happened,” chalk it up to something we did wrong and expect to learn from it for next time. But there’s no way to truly learn from it at all – some things are uncontrollable, unavoidable and we just have to learn to shrug them off and move on with our day. Of course, this is easier said than done.

So how can you come to accept the fact that you can’t control every small setback you encounter? Ask yourself this question: “Will this even matter in a year?”

Nine out of 10 times, you’ll find the answer is no, it will not. Which, when you think about it, is actually a relief. Just take a deep breath, and be happy knowing that you don’t have to control everything. You can experience an inconvenience and let it roll off you with ease.

Maybe you’re one to let the little things get to you. Or maybe you have a way to find clarity in these mini-moments of crisis. Tell us about it. Add a comment to share.

Until next time,
Miss Maxi
A Kotex Resource

Hello, ladies and happy fall. This is usually the time of the year when you become busier with
school schedules and the impending holidays, so you work to find a weekly routine that helps
you stay organized. With so much going on, you really look forward to your rest. Unfortunately,
sometimes Mother Nature gets in the way.

Overnight leaks are a pain. They’re embarrassing, they’re annoying and they result in plenty of
frustration when you should be resting. Some women finkd overnight leaks an inevitable part of
being a woman. But choosing the right products can help you sleep a little easier.

There’s no need to have period nightmares. When shopping for overnight protection in a pad,
look for products with these features that will help you fend off leaks.
• Wider design in the back, where most leaks occur.
• Longer design, for more coverage from front to back.
• Higher absorbency than regular, daytime pads, for longer wear.
• Wings, to keep the pad in place if you move a lot during the night.

Kotex® has some great products specifically designed to protect you overnight that you may
want to try:
Overnight Maxi Pads
Overnight Maxi Pads with Wings
Ultra Thin Overnight Pads with Wings

Do you have a nighttime protection solution? Add a comment to share how you put leaks to
bed.

Until next time,
Miss Maxi
A Kotex Resource

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Edited by MsMaxi at 09/03/2008 10:29 AM PDT

Hi and welcome to The Ladies Room Blog, a new feature of the redesigned women’s community. I’ll be blogging about important women’s issues, health-related and otherwise. As a member of The Ladies Room, you’ll be able to comment on my posts and even tell me what you want to hear about.

So what would you like to know? Send me your questions, concerns, myths you’d like dispelled – anything, really. Check back soon for a new posting, and in the meantime, explore the profiles, message boards, polls or create your own blog.

Until next time,
MissMaxi

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Edited by MissMaxi at 06/02/2008 7:45 AM PDT