The Creative Edge

Consistency and Commitment

Consistency and Commitment

Consistency and Commitment help us all!

In just about every article I read nowadays, we are encouraged to work hard. It takes a dedicated level of Consistency and Commitment to achieve our goals.  It also requires one to be consistent; to practice small habits regularly.  

1-Practice for long periods of time. 

2-Make a habit of doing the things you want to do well regularly. 

3-Look to those who are successful. We all need mentors and those individuals push us the extra 50% to succeed.

4-Consistency and commitment are necessary for all areas to keep ourselves balanced.

5-Teach someone the things you know and you will also grow.

6- Write your goals down.  Be specific. Create your own GPS!

7-Stay hydrated and do things that keep you comfortable.

Take the first step forward, it may put you on the escalator of Success!

Learn from the Younger Generation

Learn from the Younger Generation

Learn from the Younger Generation

So I decided to do a podcast on what we can learn from the younger generation and what my children and grandchildren are teaching me. We have a classroom of a different sort as we get older.   It is not a formal one, but rather one that is in the environment all around us.  We learn from the younger generation; those in our neighborhood or in passing at church.

Wow, Bread

Who are the young people in your life?  Are they neighborhood kids, children, or grandchildren?   What are you doing to set an example for them and what are the recent interactions you have that has taught you something new?  Perhaps it is using a new appliance like an air fryer!

Today Linda is sharing a few stories that may help you think about how young people can influence you and those around you.

 

Take the first step, it may put you on the escalator of success!

Thanksgiving Joy!

Thanksgiving Joy!

Welcome to this week’s Podcast of Mini Miracles from Minor Moments on the topic of  Thanksgiving.

                      Autumn Moments

 

The game plan is to stay in the positive zone this week.

Let’s all set an example for the next generation. 

Today I share some of the blessings and mini-miracles others have shared with me. 

Do hope you enjoy them!  

Every day is a new beginning and opens the door to learning new and exciting things.  Take that first step forward, it may put you on the escalator of success!

Gardens of Life

Gardens of Life

The Gardens of Life can become moments of great growth.  As a child, one learns to grow plants from seeds and cuttings.  We see how beans can sprout and avocado seeds begin to develop roots.  All of these things seem so new and refreshing.  We wait with anticipation and enjoy each stage of growth.  But what happens as we age?  Suddenly everyone is at the local nursery buying seedlings and plantings that are already well established.  We come home and put them in the garden expecting them to look lovely throughout the whole season.  We dread the times we need to water them unlike the child-like moments of carrying the sprinkling can and watering the little plantings. Maybe this is a sign for us to slow down and go back to the days of our childhood when we were able to play and be amused as things popped up well on their own.   What other things do we rush through as we age?   Do you rush through books or put aside the pen and paper?  Rather we listen to books on tape to save time.  We go to the computer to write that note in the form of an email rather than sending a handwritten thank you to a friend who has stopped by for a visit.

Natural Beauty

Since this is a hot and sunny day in the Northern Illinois area, I have decided to go outside and water our plantings.  Some did begin by seed and others were purchased as plantings, I admit.  I will take the time, however, to write a few personal notes and catch up on seeing friends this week.  Thank goodness the Covid times are disappearing and we can once engage with each other in a direct contact manner. 

Enjoy this Sunday, relax, rest, or be with your loved ones.  Harvest the mini-miracles from the minor moments as gifts from above.

Take the first step, it may put you on the escalator of success.

How to Advance and Focus

How to Advance and Focus

Oh boy, we seem to be living in a World of Distractions.  

Everyone knows it and those who are achievers are constantly trying to keep focused. Here are some bits of help to encourage you to filter some of them out. None of us are exempt from the phone calls, interruptions, and getting caught up in an unproductive mode. First of all, I must say that some people are better at staying focused than others.   It takes effort, practice, and a few tools.  Perhaps we are creating a whole new generation of attention deficit individuals.   Too much to do and so hard to direct our attention to just one thing.

Here are a few clues that might help.

Do only one thing at a time.  Prioritize and schedule!  If you are working on washing the dishes, do just that one chore.  Finish and move on.
If you are driving, by all means, put that cell phone away.  We all get distracted.  Put it on the dash, with the phone upside down.  If you carry a purse or briefcase, put it inside.  If you do need to use it, stop in a parking lot or safe place, take care of the issue or call and put it away.
Disconnect your E-mail for the moment.   Make time to direct your attention to emails. Clean up the loose ends, and dump the garbage.  Once a week, I go through and dump all the Clutter.   Set up an extra email if that will help separate unwanted messages. Communicate your needs and timeline to connect with others.

A serviceman for my garage door, called with his situation.   It gives me peace to know the schedule and his intentions.  Be good to those you work with or for by communicating changes in time or your specific needs! Be sure to express your schedule and keep it in check.
If necessary turn off the music or radio in the car or office.   It is easy to begin listening to the announcer or music and now focusing on the tasks at hand.
Turn off the computer sounds, because it signals incoming emails and can defocus you.

Write down and carry your lists with you to keep focused on running errands.   It is easy to see something in a store and get sidetracked, but a list will get you the things you needed in the first place.  I tend to figure out in my head the pathway to being efficient and list my chores in that order; it helps because distractions pop up even driving.   It is easy to be impulsive and then one forgets the places you meant to stop.

Complete the project at hand. This allows a person to proceed clearly into the next item.
Lastly, discard the unnecessary, delegate if possible, and deliver what you can on a timely basis.  The day is yours, make it a pleasant one and savor for the small gains!

Taken from: All rights reserved ©2020 Mini Miracles from Minor Moments

Labor Day helps us Transition into a New Season

Labor Day helps us Transition into a New Season

Labor Day helps us Transition into a New Season

Transitions can be awesome and generate energy into our lives.  Getting married, starting a new job, or easing into a new season quarterly are great times to feel energized and alive.  So why is it then that people go into a new arena with skepticism and fear?   Why do we put off change?

The power of the internet has allowed so many of us to stay connected.  Obviously it isn’t the same as sitting across from someone with a cup of coffee, but it does have certain advantages.  I find that in the office it allows me to transition from an in-office appointment to a meeting online easier.  It allows me to meet up with some people earlier or even later in the evening when I might not otherwise want to be there in the dark come the shorter days.

The advantage of different jobs is that we learn new routines and the different expectations companies present to their workers.  A friend shared how much more he recognized the freedom in a former job over the one he now has taken on.  There are more people to be in touch with and boundaries are more defined.  It is different, but not necessarily bad.

The changes from one season to another help us grow.  As the Chicago weather brings on cooler days, the outside landscape takes on enhanced colors.   Suddenly the bushes and trees are already changing.  Partially due to the previous weeks of extreme heat some of the landscape has changed, into pinks and embers.   Not all bad.  This season brings on a change in the foods we enjoy eating, it transitions us into the house a bit earlier in the evening and allows children time to read, listen to music, and take on a new instrument or social group.  People may take time to pick apples together and make the cider or applesauce that is a tradition for their family. 

Today I am making a pot of zucchini puree soup.  It is a family favorite that can be frozen and pasta can be added into it in the middle of the winter.   It is the first of many soups I will be making.  How about you?   What are your favorite Fall dinners?  Perhaps Chili, grilling outside, or a nice roast?

Have a super weekend as we glide into 2020 Labor Day.  Be safe and enjoy the transitions.

Creating Joy

Creating Joy

                    Beautiful & Fresh

I stepped into the office today to do a few essential things and realized I could stay for hours. I love the warmth, the colors, and the layout of this office. I guess I should as it was designed by me for the purpose of providing comfort and conversations with people who are stressed. It made me think that creating warm environments is something I have helped others create in their lives as well.  Comfort helps one to feel productive and happy in their workspaces too. We really do need to place ourselves in productive and inviting spaces. Whether it is your laundry room, TV room, or office it needs to allow you to do your best and feel the most productive.

I have a sewing room that I also adore. When I am feeling my best, I am usually doing something creative and fun in there. I have a side hustle of mending, and sewing useful and one of a kind outfits and home essentials. I recently made all new covers for kitchen appliances and doilies to match. It is one of the most enjoyable things I do, but it does take time and concentration. As a result, I designed that room with wide counters and deep drawers several years ago.

I reason I am sharing this with you is that we are all in a time and place when we have to think positively and well. We need to keep ourselves happy and productive. Today I noticed a number of neighbors outside. One was cutting her grass and another was hanging a pot on her mailbox. I put in a few packages of seeds earlier in the week and hope the consistent rains helped them take root.  Let me help you feel good about yourself, your goals, and the direction you want to take.

How are you? What do you like to do? Do you like to organize your workspaces? Do you find cooking a pleasure? Are you working in the garden? Building a new mailbox post or something like a piece of furniture? Let this time of quarantine provide a hidden blessing for you.

It is spring and even though it has begun with a different tone, we can all move forward and look at the positivity around us. For me, it is slowing down and enjoying the house more than I have done for a while. It is trying to rebalance the things I enjoy with the chores I tend to dislike. I realize that wasting time is okay.  It comes down to understanding our personal purpose for the day.

So what is your purpose today? What do you need to do? Maybe it means sitting with a prayerbook or scripture in hand. Maybe it simply means calling a few friends. Yesterday I had one of the nicest conversations with my sister in law. It was rather by accident. I picked up the phone since my husband was in the shower. Usually, he grabs it right away and the two of us don’t get to chat. We were busy comparing our weather and the recent pandemic scenarios. She lives in LasVegas where the weather was almost 100. Here it was gloomy, raining, and in the low 50’s.

Decorating

How we decorate and use our buildings can make a difference in how we appreciate and enjoy our environment. Linda talks about the difference in the buildings that she noticed when in Dublin a few years ago. In Kinsale, the buildings were colorful.. Some areas have Squares. Linda talked about how stores had widows that were displayed and allowed people an opportunity to wish and look at. It is different nowadays. Amazon and other sites show us particulars. It isn’t like going into a nursery center and see the flowers, smelling the flowers, looking at the pots, and just enjoy the experience.

Linda talked about a visit to Alabama, Tennessee, and Indiana.  Even though they had towns with similar names in each state,  each area had a different personality. How can we make the areas we frequent unique and different? How can we make them more pleasant and appealing? This is a time to consider making your environment more beautiful.

What creates an inviting place for you? What do you have a lot of in your home? We have plenty of books. They are in different rooms and have always had them available to our family and friends.  Over the years with the changes and ages of our children, books were moved into different rooms.

I also have a Boxer collection that began by accident since I love that type of dog.  Over the years and traveling around the world, I would buy these.  Some are funny and others are just representative of their expressions or posture.  These are things that bring me happiness.
Also, I love Christian things like crosses, pictures, and sacramentals. Whatever we have in our homes, it is important to share it. Our homes help us to enjoy and share the things we love.  Use the things you own and let them grace your disposition. Like at the Antiques Roadshow,  many of these items may be relevant to one’s family, may not hold value or worth to anyone else.

Linda talked about a Sister of Charity who loved the Cubs. She was a creative spirit. She often worked on her needlework and enjoyed herself as she supervised the girls during events.  She had a strong and vibrant personality that still speaks volumes to me.

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt.
We create solutions by taking actions and changing the direction of our lives. Go outside and look at the sky. Moving just a few feet or taking charge can change your whole attitude for the better.  Have a great weekend everyone.  Stay safe and enjoy.


TAKING THE FIRST STEP FORWARD CAN PUT YOU ON THE ESCALATOR OF SUCCESS.

The words of the podcast are not scripted entirely here.  This is just an overview.

Feeling Scattered

Feeling Scattered

Yes, good morning everyone.  I am sitting at the computer in the office having my morning decaf coffee and a protein drink.  I don’t know what you are doing, but I hope you have your day set up to be productive and promising. I am in the process of working on workshops. Everything seems so tentative these days.  It is hard to know what day this is!

These workshops probably will not be happening for a few weeks.  Unfortunately, everyone is dealing with other issues.  I have to say we are all feeling scattered in some way. For the people who are able to proceed with their jobs or connections, God Bless You!  You are probably the ones who are helping to keep the rest of us balanced.  It is making me think a lot about my purpose and what God wants me to be doing.  Even my prayer life is a bit different.  Less formal prayer is coming out of my mouth these days.  I am having conversations with God and finding the Psalms are speaking to me.

I took a picture of this mishap earlier this week when I accidentally slide the plastic talcum powder off the counter.  What a mess!  Even the nearby dark wooden cabinet has powder on it.

I accidentally dropped a container of powder on our bathroom floor.

Yes just like this scattered powder,  many of us are feeling scattered too.  We are feeling confused and our thinking is not as focused as it could be.   We are looking at options as to what to do next. I was able to vacuum this up with a little handheld cleaner, but our vacuum is also internally white now too. The room had a lovely fragrance from it, but that was not my intention.  Actually the picture fails to show the extent of the mess.   Like so many things that we deal with, this was annoying, but it was not a biggie.  It was just an inconvenience that I didn’t really like.   It is good to keep a perspective when it comes to the ongoing changes in life.  Perhaps prayerfulness and staying engaged with one another helps us do that.   We need to recognize the reality of what we do and how we do it too.

This past week I have talked with a number of people.  Thank goodness that we have technology working to help us stay connected.  Thank goodness for social media, news options, and the telephone.   Thank goodness for the doctors, nurses, communication experts, the everyday workers at the stores, and postal services.  We really have so much going on around us to entertain an distract us from getting depressed.  Know that I am around and still working to help people go from a place of discomfort into a place to strength and hope.

Have a great day!   I always appreciate hearing from you.  Thanks to those who continue to send in photos for our blogs and other projects.  My best, Linda

Take the first step forward, it may put you on the Escalator of Success.

New Vision and Growth

New Vision and Growth

Creating New Vision and Growth may mean looking at things in a new way.  Turning the ordinary into the extraordinary is a skill.  It is taking a grassroots look at the bigger things in life. People accommodate and deal with what they have; many cultures really enjoy simplicity in life.

Pump It Up is the site of a celebration site for children.   While watching all the children playing there, it got me thinking about kids being engaged in physical activities. The level of sounds filled me with many thoughts. It made me think of how open-minded we can be when we want to expand our visions.  How kids so easily interact with friends.  Acting on the example kids set for us can help us reignite and build a desire to grow.

Happy Birthday

What do you need to polish up? What do you need a new perspective on? Is it how you are learning something new.  Perhaps you’d enjoy our mastermind group.  As a result of joining in you will find opportunities to move ahead rapidly.

Do you have a lot to get done? Linda shares how easy it is to get impulsive and start doing something important late at night. When do sneak things in that have to get done?

If you are interested in hiring Linda to speak connect with us.  Linda has topics that can be designed to move your company, community group, or church group.  Dates available, rates, and topics can be requested.

Check out the Crystal Lake Kiwanis. It is a great community-minded group. Great people with wonderful hearts.

Our contact number is 815-459-5161. Contact us through www.delightinliving.com

Adjustments

Adjustments

INTRO
Welcome this is Podcast #146 and today’s topic is on Adjustments.

  • Rearranging the Office and changing up the physical space!
  • Social Anxiety  – College Students making adjustments going away to school– Linda is offering a new package.  Go to the Scheduling Page and sign up.  It is a weekly program that includes email services too.
  • Adjustments on Clothes, in Life, Financial, Careers, Clutter, Daily Routines
  • Developing Friendships: The Mayonnaise Jar and the story of the Professor and Students.
  • Who are you?  How do you process things? Feel valuable and find comfort.  Join in our upcoming programs, you’ll be glad you did!
  • Take the next step forward, it can put you on the escalator of success.

                        Emotional Support