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Hello Friends! Welcome to Mini Miracles from Minor Moments. This is your host Linda Gullo. I treasure the small things in life, the encounters with people, and even the struggles that often bring us insight. Each week I bring you a theme and thought provoking stories for these 10 to 15 minute episodes. They are based on simple ideas with upbeat and hopeful encouraging tidbits for you to take along. These Podcasts are also on lindagullo.com where you can get the show notes.
NOTE: Mini Miracles Cafe is starting in October on the 28th. We’ll meet at 411 Suite A in Crystal Lake, IL. Please put on your calendar. Email me at linda@lindagullo.com and register. I’d love for you to be part of the Master Mind group. It is for people trying to get ahead, to figure out what they want, and to unite with others who have the entrepreneurial spirit. It calls for a commitment to be better.
As we enter into the month of October, the weather has taken on the crispness of Fall. The cooler weather has been a pleasant relief and reminder that we need to pull out the jackets and warmer clothes. Time to put away the sandals and focus on getting back into warmer shoes to protect our feet.
This has been a good week of reconnecting with a few old friends. I am trying to write people personal notes over these next few months in lieu of Christmas cards. I am trying to simplify and prioritize what is important for myself and others. Last year at this time we were waiting for a new grandchild so it made me think of all that has happened in the past year. And it brought me to the setting my vision on the future.
I think of my Dad who was always looking for his “cheaters.” He of course was referring to his dimestore glasses that magnified print for reading. Many of you know firsthand the feeling. You go to read something and suddenly the print is too too small. Or you’re trying to read something in a dimly light room and well you just can’t see it. The first time that happened to me, I was signing a credit card bill at a Holiday Inn restaurant and I found myself moving over to a lobby for better lighting in order to read the amount I owed and to list the tip.
In our bathrooms, I have begun to write in marker in big print the item and dosage of products. It is so that in the middle of the night we don’t grab the wrong thing. I mark all salves or tubes of things as well. Small steps to prevent larger issues!
When I was a kid we’d visit an Aunt and Uncle who had cottages in Indiana that they rented. We’d stay in the main house that had a furnace and window a/c when we visited. I recall my cousin Jackie grabbing her mothers dental cream instead of toothpaste. Oh my, first there was lots of laughter followed by panic to get all the stickiness out of her mouth. We became pretty resourceful while staying there along with these silly situations.
Vision is a Blessing that we all take for granted. Its so necessary to help us enjoy life fully. Our senses make things exciting. So today I was resetting my goals and vision for the next year. But to have good vision also means we need to be creative and insightful. One of my favorite courses in college was the Philosophy of Man. We would sit and brainstorm with friends. We’d dream about what the future could hold and what we wanted to do. How we wanted to contribute to the development of our society. The more we talked the clearer things. There was a young man wheel chair bound since birth who planned to be disc jockey. He had one of those deep rich voices and had this built in gift to carry him forward.
LIKE MANY OF YOU, I am at a crossroad in my life. I want to do many things so I am trying to work out in my head a timetable of sorts, that will help me accomplish many things. Do you have a punch list? That term has become popular in the last few years. It gets dark earlier now and that isn’t all bad. It makes me use the daylight to my advantage– much like the farmer do! Natural light energizes us and makes one want to do more.
It’s a good season to read more, play cards, and do puzzles, but I almost force myself to do these things because I tend to be a workaholic. Once I start in I really enjoy the process of relaxing. Especially with puzzles. What are your expectations this month? Are you making any changes in the next 30 days?
When I was in my late 20’s I made a timeline. It was broken into 10 year increments. I often recommend this exercise for people who are stuck. In the first 10 years, one lists the things that so many of us have done. School plays, 1st communion, ballet classes, or soccer awards. Perhaps the vacations with family or awesome Christmas that is recalled vividly. In the 10 to 20 year frame, there are subtle decisions about careers, staying single or getting into a marriage or vocation. In the 30’s it may be traveling for a career, more education, or raising a family. Well for me I worked diligently to list my past achievements and the expectations of my life through the age of 60.
But when I was 45, I realized I had accomplished it all. Either I was going to add on to my timeline and revise or wither away.I decided to add on and go forward with excitement. When one does this sort of visionary work, wonderful things happen that lead into better and different accomplishments. So please try it. List all your priorities. What is necessary to do right now and what can be on the list for next summer? Who do you want to meet? what books do you want to read? Are you setting time aside to read them? What is holding you back?
Create an environment that will help you succeed in accomplishing your goals. Find a good well light place to read or place to sit and pray. Set up a bright spot to sew, mend, and create in. It’s no different than having a place to sit at and help your children with homework. Often the kitchen becomes the center of activities, but it isn’t always conducive to focusing on a good book.
Enjoy these next few weeks as the countryside turns from green to the beautiful fall colors. Intense orange, yellow, and rustic browns can be relaxing. For me the chilly air creates an appetite for a bowl of homemade soup. Guess it is time to get out the warm sweaters and lightweight jackets for walking. And put my cooking skills back to work!
Until next week, stay true to yourself. Recognize the good people around you, the small joys that carry you forward, and the laughable moments. Look for those Mini Miracles! Bye for now and have a great week!