Business
Unlocking Life’s Hidden Miracles: Overcoming Everyday Distractions
In this episode of Many Miracles for Minor Moments, we delve into the subtle distractions that often hinder our ability to fully embrace life’s wonders. Join us as we explore seven common distractions that can prevent us from living with intention and appreciation for the present moment.
Understanding Distractions:
- Distractions are obstacles that impede our path to fulfillment, preventing us from thriving and living with purpose.
- These distractions manifest in various forms, from indecision to social media addiction, and often obscure our ability to focus on what truly matters.
Identifying Common Distractions:
- Indecision: The paralysis caused by indecision prevents us from making necessary choices, leading to stagnation in our personal and professional lives.
- Social Media Addiction: The allure of social media platforms can consume our time and attention, diverting us from meaningful interactions and experiences.
- Obsession with Success: The relentless pursuit of external validation and success can overshadow our intrinsic motivations and genuine aspirations.
- Materialism: The constant desire for possessions and status symbols can lead to a never-ending cycle of consumption, detracting from genuine sources of joy and fulfillment.
- Comparison: Constantly comparing ourselves to others can foster feelings of inadequacy and diminish our ability to appreciate our own unique journey.
- Living in the Past or Future: Dwelling on past regrets or anxieties about the future prevents us from fully experiencing the present moment and all its possibilities.
- Perfectionism: The pursuit of perfection can paralyze us with fear of failure, hindering our progress and stifling our creativity
Overcoming Distractions:
- Embracing Gratitude: Cultivating gratitude for the simple blessings in life can counteract the tendency to compare ourselves to others and fuel materialistic desires.
- Living in the Present: By focusing on the present moment and appreciating its inherent opportunities, we can alleviate anxiety about the future and nostalgia for the past.
- Embracing Imperfection: Overcoming perfectionism allows us to embrace progress over perfection and embark on new endeavors with courage and resilience.
Practical Strategies:
- Dressing for Success: Choosing vibrant colors and outfits that reflect our personality can uplift our mood and enhance self-confidence.
- Organizing Surroundings: Tidying up physical spaces, such as closets and desks, can create a sense of order and clarity, positively impacting mental well-being.
Discover the Power of PATIENCE Episode 250
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The Essence of Patience
In the tapestry of life, one constant remains: change. It’s the force that shapes our experiences, molds our perspectives, and propels us forward on the journey of self-discovery. But amidst the whirlwind of transitions, there exists a quiet yet profound virtue that guides us through the ebbs and flows of transformation: patience.
In today’s blog post, we delve into the intricacies of change and the art of patience, exploring how these twin companions intertwine to illuminate our path towards personal growth and fulfillment.
Patience is more than just a virtue; it’s a guiding principle that allows us to navigate the tumultuous waters of change with grace and resilience. It’s the gentle reminder to breathe deeply, to trust in the process, and to embrace uncertainty with open arms.
Here is Pearl at 18 months old. Quite a transition from the 3-month-old picture lower on this page.
As we journey through life’s ever-changing landscape, we’re called to cultivate patience as our steadfast companion. It’s in the moments of waiting, of uncertainty, that we unearth the seeds of growth and transformation within ourselves.
Finding Strength in Adversity
Pearl at the transition Foster home
In times of challenge and adversity, patience becomes our anchor, grounding us amidst the storm. It’s the quiet strength that enables us to weather the toughest of trials and emerge stronger, wiser, and more resilient than before.
The Power of Reflection
Amidst the chaos of change, we’re invited to pause and reflect on the lessons of the past and the possibilities of the future. In this introspective space, we uncover insights, discover new pathways, and chart our course towards personal evolution.
Embracing Change, Embracing Life
Change is not merely an inevitable force; it’s a catalyst for growth, a beacon of opportunity, and a testament to the beauty of life’s ever-unfolding journey. With patience as our guide, we embrace change not as a foe to be feared, but as a friend to be welcomed with open arms.
As we navigate the twists and turns of our individual odysseys, let us remember the profound wisdom of patience and the transformative power of change. For in the tapestry of life, it’s our willingness to embrace the unknown, to trust in the process, and to journey with patience that truly sets our souls free.
So, dear reader, as you embark on your own quest for growth and self-discovery, may you find solace in the embrace of change and strength in the virtue of patience. For it’s in the dance of transformation that we uncover the true essence of what it means to be alive.
Embrace change. Embrace patience. Embrace life.
Decisions Navigating Personal Growth, Reflection, and Hope -Episode 248
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Then Linda shares about a car that was a lemon. What decisions are you facing? Are you able to have alternatives? How we live from day to day can make us happy or very negative.
How does one stay optimistic? Hope is a virtue we all need to hang on to and share. Things that seem impossible turn out to be wonderful growth opportunities.
Next Linda addresses habits and how they can make our life easier. Whether it is dealing with exercise, teaching our pets, or determining how we deal with issues at work. Our relationships change and the results of the changing seasons allow us to bloom along with the outdoor changes.
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The Value in Relationships Cannot Be Diminished
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The Value of Relationships Cannot Be Diminished
Welcome to Mini Miracles where the smallest things in our lives are often dismissed. The value in relationships cannot be diminished. Minor times develop opportunities to strengthen the ties that bind us together. Times to develop healthy relationships. They shouldn’t be because they bring us great joy. It allows us to share with other people times to smile and laugh. Linda talks about how we can be located at different places in the world and still relate.
What are your relationships? Are they nearby? What kind of work do you do? How do relationships stick? What things can you do to promote your friends, businesses you use, and people you enjoy?
Relationships are so relevant and necessary. You are an integral part of the lives of other people. Our Chamber of Commerce is always evolving as we bring new members and businesses into the area. We need to add these to our Rolodex. Linda shares a moment in time when contacts saved her house from a fire situation and serious follow-up issues. Contacts and healthy relationships do count!!!
Stay Connected
Know the links that will help you and your neighbors. Create a team of people who can reach out and take action. We grow in gratitude. Keep in touch with those you know and appreciate.
(Now is the time to sign up for our Women’s Entrepreneur Group that meets every two weeks on Thursdays at 1 pm. Enrollment is open until Dec. 25th. It is also a good gift to give someone. Call our office at 815-459-5161. )
Thanks to Jordan Debbink, the communications and resource management contact from the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce. Jordan brings a background in programs and development.
Keeping yourself joy filled and strong! It’s all about working together with others no matter where they are located.
Take the first step, it may put you on the Escalator of Success
Everyday is a New Day for a Dream to Soar!
It is amazing when one finds a dream and executes it to the fullest. So blessed to have had the privilege to encounter two wonderful Conferences this past month in Franklin, Tennessee. First was The Tribe. Jeff Goins and many speakers did an outstanding job of inspiring us at the 5th and Last TRIBE Conference. Jeff Goins is a
Creative Entrepreneurs Gathering together to make the World Better!
Then following this lively conference was a wonderful encounter with my brother and sister-in-law from Alabama who took us to see the beautiful Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. We had a wonderful, long overdue, visit with each other.
A Beautiful Nashville Hotel offering the finest ambiance ever!
Weekend # 2 in Franklin, Tennessee was for Free the Dream, a Conference of enthusiastic, life giving talks with Cliff Ravenscraft.
What may seem impossible and limiting can be temporary, but it doesn’t have to be. More to come on the next few blogs, as I assimilate many of the great lessons I have been taught. I will be sharing some of them with you!
Take the first step forward, it can put you on the Escalator of Success. Have the Best Week Ever!
Rising to the TOP
Rising to the Top
Growth is ongoing and can be fun in the process. Not everything we do in life is easy. We become the best version of ourselves with practice and setting ourselves up for success. We develop levels of competency, levels of understanding, and in our approaches to tackling change.
We do know that changes can be hard. They can also be fun and allow us avenues for meeting new friends, colleagues, and neighbors. At Delight in Living, you are encouraged to like yourself and reach for the stars. We walk the journey with you for support. We want you to succeed at every level. Rising to the top is easy when a person voluntarily makes changes. It is when we are forced to make changes that we rebel and feel victimized.
You are unique like this brick layered support beam! You are strong, stylish and can achieve height in your endeavors. Taking one day at a time allows you to be stunning in all that you do. It gives you time to level up in your education. Each course you take, every time you teach yourself something new, you are leveling up and creating portable equity.
Encouragement!
Portable equity goes with you forever. It is the reputation you create. It is the resume of skills, education, and knowledge you have within you that can be applied to everything you do. For me, I am an organizer; it is easy for me to create systems and evaluate on the spot the discrepancies in being efficient. It was something that I began training for in college. I worked for a professor who was absent minded. He would misplace everything and make it difficult for the graduate students who needed him to sign off on projects. Within 2 to 4 weeks, I had his office organized with systems that he could follow. I recall finding 2, 3, and 4 copies of dissertations that students had turned in because he kept losing them. I put order to the chaos in the office. Those skills multiplied as I taught school, worked in offices, and carried me into my own counseling and teaching practices.
You too have skills that are portable. Make a list now of the ones that you own and let them start working for you. Are you a fast learner? Are you super coordinated? Do you comprehend facts quickly? Are you bilingual? Do you understand other people with compassion and clarity? Are you a communicator? A great listener? Are you easy going when things get stressful? Flexible when changes need to be made? A faith filled person who helps others feel better?
Leveling up can have a style of its own!
These are all steps to Rising to the Top! Take the first step forward, it may put you on the escalator of success.
Hop Scotch Prepares the Way
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Good morning and welcome to Mini Miracles from Minor Moments. A Staple may hold your papers together, but what holds you together are the minor moments so join us here every week for Mini Miracles from Minor Moments on Friday. This weeks Podcast is number 113
Our first segment talks about looking at the mentality of a community and helping one another. It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a support team to engage well in business too. An entrepreneur looks to its customers and supporters for help.
Playing Motivates Us
The Magic Chimes leads us into “Taking steps” to accomplishing things that are important to each of us.
Please enjoy this weeks podcast. Join us every Friday when we take the first step forward–the one that may put you o the escalator of success.
A New Year Begins for Students
A New Year Begins for Students! If you don’t believe me, check out social media sites where proud parents have posted pictures of their children kicking off the new year with clean bookbags, new outfits, and school supplies labeled with their names.
Heading off to School with the Backpack in place is a good start!
While fall is typically the season of new beginnings for students, it also begins a New Year for many businesses and family routines. We tend to start closing down pools, programs, and summer houses. We begin to think of movement toward eating more meals at home, and buying supplies for the family lunches. We get out the calendars and start adding entries for meet ups, bowling schedules, lessons, and weekend events with our extended families.
In our office here at Delight in Living, Ltd., we tend to speed up on developing groups, online activities, and office appointments. Families return from summer vacations and the need to do self work begins. If one is a parent, he or she begins to evaluate how they can improve the relationships with children, spouses, and often their own aging parents. By now many of the deductions on insurance have kicked in and that means that insurance may help cover expenses for our patients. It is a good time to catch up on mental health.
Finding our place in the world begins with moving in for the day!
Yesterday is gone and tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today to dive in and make it worthwhile. Let us begin and make the improvements we want in our lives. Find you place at work and in your private lives. Establish happy moments for you and your family. Maybe it is time to meet up on Friday nights for dinner. Years ago, my in-laws would take the family out to dinner. It was a time we all looked forward to and it became a wonderful memory for our children.
Smiling our way forward is a great start to anyone’s future!
Keep a smile on your face and complete the summer with activities of your choice. Finish up those outdoor projects, and enjoy the summer crops. Soon it will be a season of stews, chili, and soups.
Watch for our new course on Developing the Confidence Muscle that will be coming out soon. It will put you on a new path!
So How Did YOU Make that Choice?
So How Did YOU Make that Choice?
Making choices continues to be the topic this week, because it is such a powerful one. Our choices may be as simple as waiting for a cup of coffee or something seemingly insignificant. So this morning I stopped at our local coffee shop and ordered my black decaf. When I got to the drive up window the girl asked if I could wait for the brew to finish. I looked behind me and no one was there, so I said sure. I proceeded to pay her and wait. Still no one around, so I sat patiently. Then the young girl comes up to the window and tells me to move my car to the other side of the building and park to wait. I replied, “No, there is no one behind me.” She said something to the effect that they needed have a quick turn around time. I said, “No, I do not want to drive around the building as the parking is horrible and I would have to go around again to get out, AND, there is no one behind me!” She left the window and said something to the other clerk.
Fast forward, the usual clerk came to the window. She was smiling, and thanked me for waiting and handed me my coffee. AMEN. Now as I am pulling away, a car pulls in behind me. I had not disrupted anywone and saved myself gas, aggravation, and time. As I thought about this, several things struck me! First of all, I seldom refrain from being compliant in situations like this. 2ndly, her request just didn’t make any sense. 3rdly, I was the customer and wasn’t interfering with their business. 4thly, Kindness and a smile from the second clerk secured the chance of my returning!
And that takes me back to choices. We need to operate on the facts behind the choices we make. Who is the outcome serving? Making decisions is easy when we know the situation. Making decisions that you have thought through then don’t need to be 2nd guessed.
Now some choices may be much harder than this. Examples might include spending money on a trip or costly purchase. It may mean one has to decide on a drug to take, a treatment for cancer, or a decision regarding a loved one. Years ago I had to decide on whether or not to have my husband under major heart surgery. When the facts were in, I said “NO, it isn’t an ethical option.” That was 17 years ago and one of the best decisions I have ever made. I hope it isn’t the last good decision I make!
Check out https://youtu.be/FLRmMdJqvSI The simple hack to make a decision with Mel Robbins!
Why Did You Make those Choices?
The choices we make, our accountability partners, the constant discernment process, our education, and finally our thoughts can advance us!
CHOICES The best part of questions is that they allow us to make decisions and understand why we react the way we do! Most often it helps children become aware of their behavior. “Why did you lie?” “Where did you go that you can’t tell me?” “Did you complete your homework?” Let me see it! Choices allow us how to spend our time, who we spend it with each day, and how we live.
ACCOUNTABILITY Even into adulthood questions make us honorable and accountable in completing projects. We are held at a higher standard when we know we must answer to the boss, the spouse, or set an example for our children. For example: “Did you put that check in the mail?” “How’s are the email blasts doing?” “Did you follow up with the calls?” “Are you making good choices?”
DISCERNMENT Questions help us discern where and when we are using our time. Do you watch the clock? Do the entries in our books reflect what the actual expenses and earning levels are showing? Are you setting your goals and working toward them? Who is safe to share that information with when it comes to money? Why are you letting other people make your choices?
EDUCATION When one asks questions, it opens up opportunities for learning and exploring the unknown. Geography, math, science, and languages open the door. “Are you taking your knowledge to the next step?” Are you learning more about the techniques in your world that are up-to-date? Whether that is as a CPA, a doctor, a counselor, a teacher, or a banker, are you confident with the level of learning you take on?
Step on Up!
THOUGHTS Remember that we all have some control and can make a choice in stepping on up! Monitor your thoughts because they effect your emotions, they control your behaviors, and they can push you forward or trip you! Take that first step and put yourself on the escalator of success.