
Creating Good Relationships
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Creating Good Relationships
Being Present for One Another
Make connections count!
- Give one another space
- Look at one another when conversing
- Respond well and on time
- Give others a pat on the back
- Be supportive
- Be willing to help spontaneously
- Look for ways to redeem the wrong.
Feeling connected
Make each day count.
- We don’t know what others are going through so we need to be patient and courteous.
- Be kind to others at all times – Do unto others as we’d like them to respond to us!
- Find opportunities to help others move forward and you’ll find yourself moving forward as well.
- Give good feedback that is sincere and honest.
- The power of suggestion may mislead you or take you down the wrong path.
- Be aware of the media and ideas being shared with you. Are you in agreement?
We need to lean on one another!
“Elevate caring above competing.” Stephen Covey

Clear Your Thinking & Feel Great
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Clear Your Thinking & Feel Great
Creating headspace is so important. It means having clarity to think, function, and communicate well. It means one is able to read well and retain the material. Or it is having a thought that turns into a behavior that is a positive one. Headspace allows us to enjoy our days and keep from procrastinating. When we have good headspace we can think abstractly.
A few months ago I had a hip replacement. When I returned home a few hours after the surgery I was able to move, talk, and think fairly well, but it was obvious in the days that followed that I still had a “med” head. Yes, medication had slowed me down physically, as well as, mentally. I remember looking at the list of medications and the time schedule, but so happy my daughter was there to monitor it. I was conscious of my movements so that I won’t pull myself out of place, but I was definitely not totally clear thinking.

This 6-year-old helped me recover.
My attention span wasn’t as long as normal either. I couldn’t get into reading a book or having deep conversations. The medication and anesthesia were still in my system. As I came off of medications in the weeks that followed, there was a change indeed. I began to move more easily, and clarity in my thinking returned. I was able to focus well on Sudoku puzzles and enjoyed picking up a magazine or two. My desire to connect and be productive picked up immediately. As physical therapy went on, I was able to drive, fulfill chores on my own, and get back into the office. I gained the confidence to move ahead.
Medication however is not the only thing that brings on a fog into our thinking. Often we have that fog in our minds when we are dealing with pain, grief, losses, or failing relationships. So I plan to address some of these issues and suggest a few ways to handle them.
Let’s start with pain. Pain comes into our lives in any number of ways. We stub a toe, twist an ankle, have arthritis in our wrists, or suddenly are attacked by a back spasm. We may have fallen and are recovering from pain in any number of places. The pain distracts us and we try to deal with it. We may see a doctor, get on meds, or try to exercise it away with physical therapy. It takes more time than we expect to heal and distracts us from doing all the things we want to do or normally do.
Pain is real and many people suffer on a regular basis. The medications one takes can even cloud the person’s thinking more. So when you are dealing with pain, give yourself some space and consult others if you have a major decision to make. Team up with people who have the skills or ability to help you. Asking for rides like when I was coming out of surgery was a given. I was not able to drive and had to be humbled. Pain sidetracks everyone.
Next is grief. Grief is something everyone deals with in a different way. Often losing someone comes unexpectantly and there was no goodbye exchanged. Having a loved family member die is a void that is dealt with differently by each person. Some people keep repeating That may leave a big hole and a lack of closure for a long time. People around are not sure whether to bring up the situation and talk about it or avoid it. There may be silence when one really has the need to discuss the loss. If you are a person who has lost a family member let others around you know that you want to talk about the loss—that you need to hear yourself say the things that keep bouncing around in your head. Otherwise, people may be silent.
Of course, grief comes to us in a number of ways. We can lose a pet that we are attached to for many years and that companionship just can’t be replaced. That pet that kept you happy and chuckling isn’t around for you. I recall when our Rosy died, I’d find a toy of hers tucked under a chair. It was just another reminder of the joy she brought to me. I thought of how I could honor the time we had with her and added something special to our garden. I also gathered her medals and strung them together in a decorative way for our Delight Den 3 season house. I gave some of her things to another person who could use dog blankets, beds, toys, and bowls.
Losing a job is another big reason for grief. Layoffs, pandemics, and other situations may be problematic. Something that has given a person a meaningful purpose for a long time is suddenly gone. The income is gone. Getting your mind wrapped around what step to take next may be rather difficult. Be sure to share with others your needs. It is not a time to be embarrassed and people may give you insights and leads you could follow up upon.

Small moments can lift us up and give us hope!
If you are intentionally retiring make sure you have specific things to do. Volunteering your time in the community, helping at church, connecting with friends, taking time to make short trips, learning to play an instrument, or whatever hobby you like may make the transition awesome.
Even if you are changing jobs it is wise to create a few days in between to catch your breath or unwind. We see this is often the case when one finishes a semester of school in June and doesn’t need to jump into another curriculum filled with syllabuses and requirements in Fall. It may be good to take a few weeks off and read a book of fiction and jog through the neighborhood.

Faith & Hope are valuable during difficult moments!
In summary
- We need to create headspace during times of taking medications or recovering from medical issues. Recognizing the need will actually help you recover better.
- We need to recognize the need for headspace when we are enduring pain —a toothache, earache, broken bones, post-surgery, or even a simple cut that is distracting us from our routines and/or driving. Knowing the pain is temporary is a great mindset.
- When one is out of a job, it may be time to consider learning a new skill or connecting with others. It may be a blessing in disguise. You may meet new friends, develop new interests, and even make your commute easier.
- When we have lost a family member, a pet, or a relationship, now is the time to recognize them somehow. Perhaps plant a tree in their honor, donate in their name, or talk with a counselor about the loss. Recall the good times and gather pictures you enjoy.
- In times of a divorce, there is a shift in the people and the places you may have enjoyed. Now is the time to make that shift with a smile on your face and stay connected. Isolation is dangerous and makes one even sadder. Don’t criticize or blame. Accept the situation and move forward.
- Finally, it is essential to keep our thinking clear by recognizing who we connect with, the purposes for getting up every day, and looking for positive things to stay involved in.
- Changes are happening in all respects and all the time. Although they may not always be big changes they happen and call us to shift our thinking.
Learn who are the people on your team. Those that you support and those that support you. Enjoy this week and move ahead. I look forward to connecting again in two weeks. Please share this podcast with other people who may help.

Stop Sabotaging Yourself
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We all sabotage ourselves in some respect. It is easy to do when our emotions take over. An example is when you are following a great eating plan and something goes wrong with your business or a relationship. Suddenly one is eating a quart of ice cream or having a Frappuccino with whipped cream and drizzle to drown out the sorrow. Or one is extremely hungry and runs into the store for a vegetable, but instead ends up with potato chips and snacks.
We sabotage ourselves by putting our exercise to the end of the day and an unexpected tornado watch pops up. In this episode, Linda talks about ways to reclaim yourself and find balance when everything goes astray. In the midst of stress and problems, we need to seek one another out for support. Listen and try some of the ideas she suggests.

We must get out of our own way fast and take action.
We need to get out of the way before getting run over by our emotions. Sometimes we stand in the middle of the tracks waiting for another day to pass before we start the diet or exercise program. We think we can wait to contact Aunt Suzie and suddenly we are attending a wake. Taking action is not the hardest thing to do when we recognize our emotions are taking over instead of clear thinking. To delight in living means we need to be grateful for the things that are going correctly. It is a matter of learning,living, and shifting behaviors.
Enjoy this week’s podcast and send us ideas for future podcasts. In the meantime, watch for situations that will allow you to self-sabotage.
Take the first step forward, it may put you on the escalator of success.

Using Portable Equity to Move Forward
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Using Portable Equity to Move Forward
Welcome to today’s podcast on Portable Equity. Linda begins by sharing a story about a group of men who had lost their jobs and how she helped them move forward. Now she shares this with the listeners. We all have skills that we don’t even recognize and experience that can transfer into different jobs. Skills we are able to use in different ways may be sitting dormant. Knowledge is ours to share, grow, and transfer into different areas of employment.
You’ll be surprised at how many qualities you have!
Next a few minutes about dealing with traumas and how to reframe our situation. She talks about untangling problems. What problems do you have to untangle?
Please join us on Saturday mornings for a new Group of Brainstorming. Every week we talk and resolve ongoing problems, become friends, and learn new things. It is designed to be a welcoming and fun group.
Take the next step forward, it may put you on the escalator of success.

Avoiding Mistakes
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Avoiding Mistakes
Asking for help is wisdom, not weakness.
Welcome to Mini Miracles from Minor Moments. Today Linda tells us about ways to move forward and how to avoid mistakes. What are your goals? Are there limitations? What are the reasons or excuses you don’t succeed? If we want to do something enough we figure out a way to accomplish it! Do you truly desire to succeed in some area?
Today I want to address goals and limitations. What stops a person from excelling? Is it not wanting to travel? Is it a lack of interest? Perhaps not knowing where to get funding for a project? What excuses do you give?
When one has a finished product or project in mind clearly, things come together to make it a reality. It takes time and planning. It calls for a course of action that can’t be rushed. All the steps need to fall into place at the right time to get the project done correctly.
Our lives are like that in many ways. We need to have an education or training in the area in which we want to succeed. It may call for internships and having mentors around us to teach us the skills we need. The limitations are the things we short-change. They are the steps we skip over or forget to do that cause us frustration. Limitations are often of our own making. Sometimes we meet with failure when we don’t take things in order.
Set aside time, be specific, set a few steps that are easy to do. So here are some limitations to avoid and watch out for and ways to move ahead!
1-Setting aside enough time to do a project on a regular basis.
2-Being specific with your WHY and the goal you want to reach.
Make whatever you want a priority and not just wishful thinking.
3-Start in even if there is a fear of failure.
4-Jumping in an environment where those around you will be helpful. We all need support.
5-Try finding the resources you’ll need upfront. Where will you go for help?
6-When you find yourself getting stuck or falling short, talk to someone for guidance. Asking for help is wisdom, not weakness!

Scheduling & Notations!
Find a word that means something to you. Assign it to yourself for the next 3 months. It will be a big help. Linda says her word for the first quarter was Voyage. It has helped her move through surgery and a few other major things.
Have a great week and enjoy!

Transitions Teach us to Ask for Help
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Asking for help
Asking for help isn’t always easy. In the last 2 1/2 years we have been learning firsthand how difficult and sad life can be when we cannot be with one another. We needed to see the expressions on one another’s faces but couldn’t with masks. Everyone became isolated and sad. This has been a period of transition. We are people who want to help one another. We need to be together.
Smile, Laugh, and Offer
When we have issues it is important to learn how to ask for help. Yet most of us are reluctant to ask for help. Why is that? When we do reach out, often there will be people who want to help us. We will grow closer, laugh more, and find things to smile about each day. Connecting with others is good for both parties. We want to be helpful to others and to pass along favors and knowledge. It makes both parties happier in the long run.
Transitions teach us to ask for help. I am a transitions counselor who helps others deal with change. This is a grandson who was a huge help when I came home from a hip replacement surgery. He was willing to get me ice, pick up the stuff I dropped, and get messages to others in the family. We grew closer.
Take the first step forward. It may put you on the escalator of success!

Consistency and Commitment
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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
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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!

Traditions
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Traditions
Today’s podcast is all about making traditions. Times when things were different, but oh so very relevant in setting a happy tone for today. Every family is busy creating traditions in the things they do together, in the places they have lived, and with the things they experienced together. Traditions are created and reinforced in just about everything we do; the times when families gather to share special birthdays, anniversaries, or celebrations.

Education can be Formal from a University, learned on a job, or experienced in life!
We share these moments in photographs like the one above here. We gather trinkets like a matchbook cover from a restaurant to connect us with a special dinner. Perhaps a place you met your significant other. In this session, Linda shares stories of things her family did that were markers in history. Where are your memories coming from? And where do you need to reconnect the dots to make more moments special. Talk with your family and relive these special times.
“Taking the first step may put you on the escalator of success!”

Who do you turn to?
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Who do you turn to when you need to figure things out?
Over the years, we all have mentors we turn to and take advice from. We learn from them valuable skills that allow us to move ahead and do well in life. Today Linda discusses a number of things that may help you along these lines. In one section she suggests a book that addresses dealing with fear and other emotions. It is an easy read and rather fun as well. It is Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo. Enjoy this week’s podcast. It may help you figure out who to turn to for direction and advice. This is 2022 and it may be the time to put your foot forward and attack something you have been avoiding.
Take the first step forward and it may put you on the escalator of success!