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In Weekly Wednesday Words

New Direction

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It is hard to take the leap of faith and make changes in your life, whether it be in your marriage, your career, your location, or your day-to-day activities. We get so caught up in routine that we don’t think we can change anything. Or we feel we HAVE to do things a certain way. Although it’s hard and it’s scary, you need to search deep within yourself. What do you want and how can you get there? What conversations do you need to have? What actions do you need to take? You have the power to change the direction of your life.

“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.”

―Germany Kent

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In Pilot's Wife

Year In Review

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Today is December 31. The last day of the year 2023. It is New Year’s Eve. It is a time of reflection. It is a time of resolutions. Many people want to lose weight, travel, or complete that project they have been putting off. These are all wonderful and it is healthy to set goals and have aspirations. The problem is very, very few of us follow through with our New Year’s Resolutions.

A couple of years ago, my Heart recommended that we do a year in review instead of New Year resolutions as he read in a blog written by Tim Ferris. It was called, ” Forget New Year’s Resolutions and Conduct a ‘Past Year Review’ Instead“. It’s very short so please read. The idea of it is to make two columns. One Negative and one Positive. Then look back on your year one week at a time. He says, “For each week, jot down on the pad any people or activities or commitments that triggered peak positive or negative emotions for that month. Put them in their respective columns.” What was positive? What gave you negative feelings? What went well in 2023? What can you list in the positive column? What accomplishments can you celebrate this year? What activities did you enjoy? What activities gave you anxiety? What trips did you love? What commitments did you wish you didn’t need to make? What people gave you joy? What people left you feeling empty?

As you enter the new year and have completed your year in review Tim suggests you should schedule more of the events that gave you positive feelings. Schedule more time with those “things” or people that gave you joy. On the flip side, work your way out of those activities or people who were on top of your negative leaderboard. Don’t do those “things” that made you miserable. This is a great way to look at the past year whether you are a single or married person. If you are married, please talk about the positives and negatives with your loved one, and move forward to an amazing new year. Discuss how you can work together to squash the negative and invite more of the positive into your life?

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.”

—Hal Borland

I hope you take the time and choose to do this simple task. Look at your year in review and discover what gave you joy. Then it is up to you to schedule more of those events with the people and events you love. I wish you a safe and Happy New Year’s Eve and a wonderful New Year! Live life to the fullest!

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In Weekly Wednesday Words

Seeing is Believing

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The saying goes that seeing is believing but that isn’t always the case. As we head into the new year, let’s take the spirit of the holiday season with us and embrace those things we can’t see such as love, kindness, and compassion. Make this new year one of the best!

Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.

~ The Polar Express

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In Weekly Wednesday Words

Courage and Hope

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We may not all celebrate Christmas but I think we can all agree that the holiday season lets us remember the past, gives us courage to face our fears, and hope to pursue our future goals. I hope this holiday season inspires you to become a better person, to forgive and forget, and to reach out to those you have lost touch with.

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal and that every path may lead to peace.

~ Agnes M. Pahro

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In Family

Letter from Above Again

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A friend told me I should publish this letter every year so I thought I would share it again for those who missed it the first time or for those who may need to read it again at this time of year. Even though many of us have family or friends who are no longer in our lives for a variety of reasons, I hope we can rejoice and celebrate those who are. Celebrate each other and your relationships whether it’s someone you talk to once a day, once a month or once a year. If they bring joy and light to your world, tell them how much you appreciate them. For those who shed a shadow of darkness on your light, let them go. Live this life that’s meant to be lived this holiday season and the upcoming new year.

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The Holidays. We all seem to love them. We have many expectations for them. Some of us have a lot of anxiety for them. Some of us have lost loved ones through the years, and we seem to miss them the most during the holidays. Let us try to rejoice and be happy this holiday season. Let’s honor our lost loved ones by keeping their spirit alive with love and laughter. To try to deal with loss and anxiety I decided to write a letter from above. Imagine this letter being sent to you by your lost loved one.

Dear loved one on Earth,

I know this is a difficult time for you. You want me to be there in person and not just in spirit. You want to hear me laugh and give me a big squeeze. I, too, want that more than anything. But I also want you to understand how much I want you to be happy even though I am gone.

I feel like you are holding yourself back. Maybe you are afraid that you will disappoint me if you are too happy without me down there. Maybe you feel I will be disappointed if you have too much fun. Maybe you are scared that my memory will fade if you enjoy yourself and other people around you. Please know that is the furthest thing from the truth.

The way you can honor me the most is by living your best life!! As you know time on Earth is limited and you never know when your time will be up. I am at peace. I am happy. I am having the best time reuniting with all of our lost loved ones. I am no longer in pain. I am free. I am young. I am waiting for you. You, too, will see when your time comes how wonderful it is here in Heaven.

Please know I have not forgotten about you, and I still hold you tight whenever I get the chance. I am by your side every day. I hold your hand when you are lonely, and I pick you up when you have fallen. I send you signs from Heaven. But I see your struggles, and I know it is my fault you are so sad, and I don’t want you to be sad. I want you to live! I need you to search your soul and find yourself. Who are you now? Who can you become? How can you honor me and my spirit?

Even though it may be hard, please know that I am ok. And now I want you to be ok. I want you to find a companion or partner to make you happy. I want you to find friends where you can laugh and giggle until all hours of the night. I want you to take chances and travel. Go on a wild adventure. And when you think of me, think of me and smile. Don’t feel guilty. Life is meant to be lived and you need to start living again.

So for the upcoming holidays, give yourself grace. You are not alone. I am by your side and I love you. Talk about me, smile about the amazing memories we shared, and start this new year by living your best life… without me.

Love,

Your Loved One in Heaven

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In Weekly Wednesday Words

Tasks

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It’s December and the holidays are quickly coming upon us. Everyone is busy with scheduling, shopping, and singing. Within the tasks of our days let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas and the holiday season. Let’s spread joy as we complete all the tasks we need to do.

Christmas now surrounds us, happiness is everywhere. Our hands are busy with many tasks as carols fill the air.

-Shirley Sallay

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In Family

The End Equals New Beginnings

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As 2023 comes to its final month, let us remember that endings equal new beginnings. We have another chance to welcome this new year with open arms. The end of the year is usually filled with hustle and bustle. We are all too busy to just relax and take in the holiday season. We are celebrating with office and holiday parties. We are shopping for the next best gift. We are winding down the school year and our kids are getting excited to go on break.

Although I would like to say to pause to sit down and watch a few Christmas movies on Hallmark or Netflix, I know it’s hard. My Heart and I have three days where we will be at our home in Florida where we could sit down and watch a movie or two. I realize that our movie time will probably end because we have tasks to do and the movies will be pushed off. But I am going to commit to taking two hours this holiday season and watching a movie! I hope that you will join me.

The holidays can be difficult for some. Many people have expectations and when those expectations are not met they become disappointed. They become upset that the day or the event didn’t go as they had planned in their mind. Therefore, they get in a mood and nothing can snap them out of it. Let’s try not to have expectations. Let’s try to just be present in the moment. If the fruitcake burns then let it burn. It is not the end of the world. Laugh about it and throw it away. Get some chocolate out of the cabinet and enjoy your dessert. Let the little things go.

Let’s commit to enjoying each other and not trying to outdo each other by buying things. I believe we probably all have enough “stuff”. Maybe volunteer your time to shop for those who don’t have enough. Donate one of your gifts to Toys for Tots. Let’s spread good cheer this holiday season.

The holidays can also be hard for some who have experienced loss. Remember, there are many things out of our control. All we can control is our reactions to them. Even though we miss our lost loved ones, let’s remember that they would want us to live and enjoy the family and friends we have left. Let’s enjoy those people who want to share in the holidays and memory-making with us. Let the others go. This is not the end. It is the beginning.

My wish for you this holiday season is to slow down, be in the moment, and laugh when the little things go wrong. Enjoy this time with your family and friends. Make special memories and take lots of pictures!

Happy Holidays!

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In Weekly Wednesday Words

Family

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Sometimes it’s hard not to give up and say goodbye to family members who make things difficult. It can be very tempting especially if they are toxic. And maybe the relationship needs to change and that’s ok. But family is family. Don’t give up on each other.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the eons, it’s that you can’t give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it.”

~ Rick Riordan

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