Family

Dealing with Changes

Dealing with Changes

Dealing with change takes on challenges and allows us to reframe our thoughts as time goes forward. We need to approach a new attitude with every change in direction.

Time is measured by events in our lives as well as changes in the environment. Taking steps to prevent problems means we have to make choices to move, to change direction, or to take measures to prevent dangerous issues. Linda talks about having trees in her yard that needed to be removed before there was a problem from them falling.

Pivoting from one thing to another is difficult, but we must evaluate just how we see things. Linda shares about having to take in her car into the dealership and the way she was treated. She had fears about how to give an honest review. She had an internal conflict.  Have you ever had a similar experience?

FEARS

What are your fears? Where did they originate from? Who do you talk to when you have concerns and fears to discuss? You may have more control than you think you do!

Do you react quickly and impulsively? Emails and texts have taught us to react quickly and it isn’t always a good idea.  We need to think things through.

Self-care can go a long way in helping us stay well. As parents, as providers, and as community members we need to be there for one another.

CAL, a Gift from a good friend!

A little bear named Cal sits on my desk at work and reminds me of a dear friend who gave it to me after a trip she made to Calgary.  Even though this is a small thing in my life, it represents a time when there were normalcy and happier moments.

It’s all about paying attention to the small things in our lives that help us maintain stability and a positive outlook.
Martin Seligman later popularized the concept of learned optimism. By deliberately explaining events to ourselves in a constructive manner, we free ourselves from feelings of helplessness. Even when events in our lives come out of nowhere and tackle us, we can bounce back and gain control.

Here are a few trick or treaters who had a great time!

Linda shares about her focus on a few specific positive measures. What are the positive things you have chosen to think about or do for yourself?  How have the people in your community been creative in making the holidays special?

3 suggested books: Millionaire Success Habits by Dean Graziosi
Do Over by Jon Acuff
Off Balance by Matthew Kelly

 

Take the first step, it may put you on the escalator of success!  Linda’s own!

 

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.

Memories to Carry You Forward

               The Holy Family

This weeks podcast is about Memories.  Memories are valuable to us.  Even the small seemingly insignificant moments like pizza parties with the cousins or times spent together across the backyard fence can enhance our lives.  It can include moments when one sits with a grandparent, with a child, or with an older friend.   Our memories carry us through the sad times and losses in our lives to the times when we are walking through gardens or with our grandchildren like I did this past Holy Week.  We visited being at a Retreat Center with my daughter and two smaller grandchildren this week. The gardens were coming to life and the opportunities to find peace for the moment were wonderful.

Remembering each day is special especially when it helps you to laugh over the silly things you have done or the times when being with other people is so uplifting.

Hope this Easter Weekend lifts you up to the many Blessings God has in store for you.

Remember to take the first step, it may put you on the escalator of success!

Clarity, Vision & Forging Ahead

Clarity, Vision & Forging Ahead

Welcome to this weeks Podcast number 104 on Clarity, Vision, and Living the Dream.   Well I must admit that this is podcast has a touch of everything in it.   It is about learning to share how we see things and communicating with others.  It is also about family commitments, and wanting the best of everything. It kicks off with our old theme song and brings a pep to your step.

Expectations & Dreams

We are called to have clarity throughout the day even when the unexpected happens.  Linda talks about communicating with others and how they learn.  Do you have family members who SEE things, HEAR things, or connect over shared memories?  Keeping dreams alive even in the midst of dogs getting bit,  bunny rabbits invading our yards, or dealing with teenagers is important.

            Vision

Do you take things for granted until something is lost?  That can be objects you enjoy that have broken or perhaps the loss of vision or hearing?   Making a list of the things one is grateful for is really important.   Linda talks about all the wonderful things we have to be grateful for every single day.   She addresses the weather and how Hurricane Florence, and other weather events seem to be how of our control.   We all can rally back though and must help one another.

 

Are you grateful? Keep one another in your prayers this week!

 

A New Year Begins for Students

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!

You Never Know What’s Behind Closed Doors

What is behind door #1?  FAKE NEWS

You Never Know What’s Behind Closed Doors.  We don’t know the reality of what happens between members of a family or within a business setting.   Are the staff members of the restaurant really happy?   Are the kids of the house all so well behaved and helpful as they looked in that family photo that comes at Christmas?   Is the story in that Family Newsletter the neighbors sent out really true?   Or is it all fake news? 

What is behind door #2?  LIES

Well I was telling someone that often pictures do not tell the truth.   We have all had the situation where we gather for a photo and everyone is being crabby, but the smiles make it seem that the family is joy-filled.   Or do you go into a Department Store and meet a wonderful clerk only to find out later that the person has a horrible life and they have learned to smile through it all without uttering a complaint?

What is behind door #3?  CLARITY

We don't know what goes on behind closed doors!

“Close the Fridge Door”

Recently this picture was sent to me from a mom of 7 children.   After reminding the children to close the refrigerator door, this is what happened.   The mother told me, “Guess I needed to be more specific!”  Often pictures don’t communicate what it is we want to really share.   Sometimes we need to be alert as to what is really happening.  Obviously, Mom was watching her to see if the child was listening and a chuckle ensued.

What is behind door #4?   OPPORTUNITY

So this takes me to another point.  What doors do you want to open?   Are they doors to doing more business?  Are they doors to a store that has hours that are inconvenient for your working hours?  Is that person you met in person the man or woman who can support your latest invention?   Is that older gent the one who can finance your latest educational pursuit?

Take that first step forward and see all the doors that may open on the escalator of success!

 

You Found What?

We have all had the surprise of reaching into our pockets to find a surprise.  What have you found lately?  For the young mom emptying pockets before washing kids clothes, they have found worms, rocks, and chewed gum.   Or maybe you have emptied the small pocket on jeans and been pleasantly surprised with a $20 bill.   If only that happened more often.

Last weekend my daughter was over with her kids and the teenager was asked to start the car to warm it up.  He was told “the keys are in my pocket” by his mother.   A few minutes later if exclaimed, “I only found cough drops?”  Immediately I realized he had reached into my jacket pocket instead of his mom’s coat pocket.   And yes, I usually carry cough drops in my left hand pocket.   I knew exactly what he found and where they were.

Cough Drops

And that takes me to the topic of habits.   We all have them.   Some people go to the same church service every week, others check into the gym every day at the same time.   These people are usually regimented in other areas of their lives too.   They tend to be efficient and consistent in how they deal with problems, confront obstacles, and in serving others.

In what areas of life are you consistent?  Are you aware of your actions?   Do you thrive on connecting with other people?   When do you have fun?  When have you found something that surprised you?

The best surprises are found when we least expect them.   It is like stepping on the scale and finding you have lost another 5 pounds.   Or checking out at the local restaurant and finding a coupon has been applied.   It is fun then to turn around and give the cash to the wonderful waitress who is always on top of things.   That happened today.

Last night I slept soundly and having found a good night’s rest was wonderfully refreshing.  So my wish for you is to take the next step forward and find yourself on the escalator of success too.   You may find a surprise coming!

 

 

A Field Trip to a Cemetery?

Will it may sound rather odd to enjoy visiting a cemetery, there can be great peace there.   I guess for me it began as a child.   We often would go to visit the graves of family members and place flowers at the sites.   I always thought it was neat to see my mom and dad lug the flowers from the car along with their garden tools.   We’d walk along and read the inscriptions on the tombs and notice the decorations.   There was a sense of pride in taking of the graves and a time for silent prayer.  We’d learn funny or kindnesses about the people buried there.   I think it gave us an identity of sorts.

When it came to learning to drive, Dad would take us to the Cemetery where my grandparents are buried.   We’d practice making turns, backing up between garbage barrels, and driving around.   I don’t live in that area anymore, but I still recall the layout of the cemetery in my head.   

When we have a physical death in our families, it is a time of loss for sure.   The person we are parting from has moved on and we are left alone.   There is an emptiness and unrest for those of us who have to carry on all the business and decisions alone.   We are often surrounded by our family or friends, but the person who has died can no longer share in decisions, conversations, or memories.   That is the hardest part.

The finality and loss of the person influencing our life becomes so real as time goes forward.   Knowing we will all die at some point keeps us kind, open, and sympathetic to one another.   We offer our respects, we remember those who pass in prayer, and hopefully we reach out to those grieving with invitations and kindness.

As we approach the Holidays, think about those who are alone and how you can reach out to them.  How can you be a source of comfort?   How can a simple gesture or action bring out the best in you and the joy in another person?

One simple step can put you on the escalator of success in helping others go forward and heal from a loss. Please take that step forward.  You will be glad you did and the person who receives the kindness will have a good day.

 

Where Did You Get That Idea?

Books are one of our best friends.  They persuade us to think differently.   They take us to far away places where we will never go.   Books are the friends who don’t judge us, but hang around to amuse us.  They come in all shapes and sizes and are easily carried around.

Physically we embrace books, write in the margins, put check marks next to the things we want to hang onto, and refer back to them over and over again.   Once we have learned to read and enjoy the written word, we are hooked to pick up anything written.

As a child, my family lived close to the library.  Our home was just a 5 minute walk.  My mother could watch us walk there and back.   We had our own book bag to keep them in and we used it.   I loved the free bookmarks that you could take from the counter when you checked out your book.   They were always different because groups would donate them, community agencies donated them, and school children created them.   Bookmarks are lovely accessories to keep us on task.

Like the bookmarks, books also seem to make us accountable.   We are called to challenge ourselves through the biographies we read.   Our intellect is challenged by the historical things we read and the mind is constantly called to a place where our imaginations can soar like a birds wings.   There are no limits to what the written word can do to engage and confront us intellectually.

Most communities have a library and if they don’t, the schools have collections in more rooms for that level of reading.  I wish I had taken even more time reading and comprehending books.   I recall a 3 Great Aunts who were all school teachers.  None of them married and they all lived in a Chicago home.   Whenever I was with them they were encouraging me to read the magazines on the radiator seat at my Uncle Jack’s and Aunt Lu’s house.   They had the Look and Life magazines plus lots of National Geographic.   Many of the words I did not understand, but I’d read the captions under the wonderful and seemingly life size photos.  I was in awe of the world that seemed beyond my scope of understanding.

Today we have everything digitally and so much seems to be lost.   It was the flipping of the pages, the beautiful glossy images of movie stars in magazines, or the glacial ridges of the travel articles that intrigued me.  I recall searching through stacks of old ones that we cut up for projects and researched.  Things were tangible and more real.   We were responsible for researching and looking for articles on topics for school.   Maybe it is time to bring some of the printed forms of information back into life for this generation.   Just a thought to spark you today.

Thanks for reading these blogs.   Have a great day and “Delight in Living!”

Who is Your Caretaker?

Being the week before Mother’s Day I began to think of all the things my mother did and gave up for me.   Her time to prepare my clothing, to set an example of how to be in relationship, and of course teaching me to learn the rules of how to be safe.   She was with me most of the time when I was a toddler and in my formative years, because my dad had a late night shift with the United States Post Office in the City of Chicago.   He would sleep mornings, run a few errands for my mom since she did not drive, and he’d be gone for the afternoon and evening.   Mother liked being a homemaker and she took her job seriously.  She was always cooking, cleaning, sewing, and walking with us.

I was also listening to the radio today and heard that the Bible contains 247 references to the Good Shepherd.  That got me thinking about an experience I had in Ireland watching a Shepherd with his sheep.   He was quite the caretaker making sure the animals were sheltered, protected in the fields from prey, and rounding them up after eating and exercise.   The Good Shepherd is of course Our Lord who is vigilant and present for us at every turn.   We go through our day often unaware of His presence just as we are often unaware of the caretakers who have watched over us. 

So when did you begin to care for yourself?   Were you pretty independent by the age of 21?  Are you still in need and appreciative of the shelter from a loved one now?   It is often necessary because of finances, health, or circumstances that we are dependent on others at various times in our lives.   That isn’t all bad because we are encouraged to rely on one another.

Having fun with one another is essential for good health and to keep a smile on our faces. Welcoming one another back into the fold when circumstances change is also essential.   Look around today and reach out to family and friends. 

Like the Good Shepherd and our parents, we are called to pass on what we have learned.  We are expected to spread joy and love.   We need to care for one another and prosper.   Be excited for the advancements people make and encourage them.   Have a good day!  And don’t forget to thank your Mother this weekend.  If possible be with her and give back a hug or two.   You will be Blessed.

Hang on as we go through this week for more on reaching out to others.   “Delight in Living!”

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