Category: Uncategorized

A Busy Girl’s Guide to Successful College Learning.

To be successful in college, one the student must be willing to put in the time and effort necessary to complete the lessons, read the assignments, and properly study for exams. The importance of the effort required to be successful can be stated as, “Academic success in college requires a combination of active study habits such as completing assigned readings before class, taking effective notes during lectures, and studying course materials regularly (Credé & Kuncel, 2008; Lei, 2015).” (Heinicke, Zuckerman, & Cravalho, 2017). The student is going to need motivation above all to put in the kind of effort and time that will be required to be successful, as stated in a report by Everaert, Opdecam, and Maussen (2017), “Moreover, high intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation have a significant positive influence on deep learning.”
Proper planning and spacing out the study plans will be key to getting most of the time that is put into the lessons and study time. As stated, “The results indicated that self-regulation, specifically planning, as an important factor for explaining student success and satisfaction in an online course.” (Inan, Yukselturk, * Kurucay 2017). The best way to plan out the course is to set with a planner or calendar and a copy of the course syllabus prior to first day of class, and mark important dates, such as exam dates, lesson and assignment due dates, and any rough draft work for any final written assignments for end of course work. Once those dates are written down on the dates, it is wise to look at the reading assignment for each week, for number of chapters covered and look at length of chapters, then break the reading assignment into segments that will be short enough for retaining the information covered, yet not so long as to overwhelm the reader to prevent recalling any of the information.
In relation to studying for exams, use of study tools such as flashcards, practice exams, study guides, taking good notes, and highlighting have proven to aid in the success of performance on college exams. As noted in the following study by Bartoszewski and Gurung.

Bartoszewski, and Gurung (2015) study determined the following:
“Five techniques, summarization, highlighting, keyword mnemonics, rereading, and using imagery for text learning, have low utility although they relate to learning. For example, students who use imagery, creating a mental image for the text, learn better (Leutner, Leopold, & Sumfleth, 2009). Highlighting has also been used to assist a student in understanding the required text. Readers who were able to identify the most relevant material as evidenced by highlighting, achieved higher overall exam scores in the course (Bell & Limber, 2009). Three other techniques have moderate utility: Elaborative interrogation (generating an explanation for why a concept is true), self-explanation (relating new information to old information), and interleaved practice (studying by mixing different kinds of material within a single study session). For example, elaborative interrogation improved a student’s learning of factual information (Woloshyn, Paivio, & Pressley, 1994). In addition, self-explanation enhanced a student’s learning of the series of steps that needed to be taken for a specific task, especially when researchers gave specific instructions to the student (Rittle-Johnson, 2006). Only two techniques got top billing. Dunlosky et al. (2013) rated a final category of techniques as having high utility—practice testing (or practice retrieval) and distributed practicing (or spaced practice). In one study, practice testing benefited a student the most when a student was able to correctly recall the initial concepts three times, and in addition, relearnt the concepts over a long period of time (Rawson & Dunlosky, 2011). Learning is more likely to occur not only when the student is able to recall the item, but also when a student had successfully retrieved the items twice (Karpicke, 2009). Some students spread out their studying, a technique referred to as distributed practice (Dunlosky et al., 2013). An example of the way a student may engage in both high utility techniques is by using flashcards. Students using flashcards are practice testing, and they tend to also space out their practice over time (Wissman, Rawson, & Pyc, 2012). Overall, students would most likely perform better on tests if they space out their studying over the course, despite differences in the way distributed practice is carried out (Bain, 2012).
Based on the results of the study, it would be recommended to being on day one with the reading assignment, and highlight specific information to go back and read again. Making an outline of the chapter with headings listed throughout the chapter would be a good start on going back to find information for an open book exam. Going back after making the outline and making a study sheet from the highlighted notes from each section of the chapter would provide a study sheet to reference to create test questions for practice testing. Also, making word cards by using index cards to write down vocabulary words and definitions would be beneficial for becoming familiar with the terms, and help with better understanding of the practice test questions. The days before the exam, start with a quick review of each chapter covered on the exam being sure to add anything missed on to the study guides, notes or word cards, and on the day of the exam, allow time for reviewing the notes and study guides. Be sure to get plenty of rest the night before the exam, and do not stay up late trying to cram all the information in last minute. As Blerkom (2013) warns, “Studying for college exams requires a high level of motivation. You can’t just do a quick review the night before the exam and expect to learn all of the information. There’s just too much material to master.” (p 239). Eat a healthy breakfast and/or lunch (depending on timing) on the day of the exam. Relax, with proper time management, motivation, and effort put into completing lessons, reading the chapters, and preparing the study materials, the information on the exam will become familiar.

Resources
Bartoszewski, B. L., & Gurung, R. R. (2015). Comparing the relationship of learning techniques and exam score. Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning In Psychology, 1(3), 219-228. doi:10.1037/stl0000036
Blerkom, D.L. V. (2013). Orientation to College Learning, 7th Edition. [CengageBrain Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://cengagebrain.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781133712435/
Everaert, P., Opdecam, E., & Maussen, S. (2017). The Relationship between Motivation, Learning Approaches, Academic Performance and Time Spent. Accounting Education, 26(1), 78-107.
Heinicke, M. R., Zuckerman, C. K., & Cravalho, D. A. (2017). An evaluation of readiness assessment tests in a college classroom: Exam performance, attendance, and participation. Behavior Analysis: Research And Practice, 17(2), 129-141. doi:10.1037/bar0000073
Inan, F., Yukselturk, E., Kurucay, M., & Flores, R. (2017). The Impact of Self-Regulation Strategies on Student Success and Satisfaction in an Online Course. International Journal On E-Learning, 16(1), 23-32.

Attachment Styles

The three types of attachment styles include:
1) Secure attachment style- Securely attached adults have positive views of relationships, find it easy to get close to others, and are not overly concerned with or stressed out about their romantic relationships. These adults tend to enjoy sexuality in the context of a committed relationship and are less likely than others to have one-night stands. Secure attachment style does not compare with the avoidant or anxious styles other than simply forming relationships, because the avoidant and anxious styles do not have that security in their relationships. In contrast, secure attachment differs because there is no jealousy or distance or demanding for the partners attention. Rather, having the ability to trust in the relationship, secure attachment individuals are comfortable with time spent apart from their partner. A television couple that personifies this style of attachment are Audrey and Jeff Bingham from the show “Rules of Engagement”. They are both very secure in their relationship. They trust each other completely, and they are not stressed out or concerned with their partner goes out with friends and they are not together.
2) Avoidant attachment Style- Avoidant individuals are hesitant about getting involved in romantic relationships and once in a relationship tend to distance themselves from their partner. Avoidant style compares with the anxious style in that there are no strong bonds of trust and deep commitment. Avoidant style contrasts with the secure attachment style in that the avoidant individual will distance themselves from their partner once in a relationship, and the secure attachment individuals remain close and throughout their relationship will continue to grow even closer and develop deeper levels of intimacy with each other. A television character who expresses the avoidant attachment style is Russell Dunbar on “Rules of Engagement”. Russell is a character on the sitcom that serial dates and has a rule about no female can stay overnight at his place. He avoids second dates, and when he thinks he likes a female enough to develop feelings, he will shun her and avoid all contact with her, because he does not want to be in a committed relationship.
3) Anxious attachment style- Anxious attachment individuals demand closeness, are less trusting, and are more emotional, jealous, and possessive. Anxious attachment style compares to the avoidant attachment style because, while the individuals are in a relationship, their relationships are lacking security, and a deep level of commitment. Anxious attachment style contrasts considerably with the secure attachment style because, rather than having that level of trust and ease of maintaining the relationship, the anxious individual is continually seeking validation from their partner. They lack the ability to trust and are jealous of everyone and anyone, unlike the secure attachment individual who trusts in their commitment, and therefore their partner and the relationship, and can be confident that even when they are apart from each other, they have no reason for unjustified or irrational fears about the status of their relationship. An example of the anxious attachment style is Jackie Burkhart from “That 70s Show”. Jackie is a character whose parents are absent from her life, although they shower her with money. She is constantly demanding attention and validation from her boyfriends on the show.

http://www.2knowmyself.com/how_to_make_someone_love_you_forever

 

Steps for Effective Goal Setting

The 7 characteristics of goals:
Goals should be self-chosen- which means they should be something that you care about, are passionate about, or just simply something that you want for yourself. They should not be someone else’s goals for you.
Goals should be moderately challenging- which means they should be something that you have to work toward. If everything is handed to you on a silver platter, there would be no reason to make any effort.
Goals should be realistic- which means that your goals should be something that you can actually do. Getting my degree in human services is a goal that I can actually achieve, while buying a villa in Cabo San Lucas and becoming the president of Mexico is not a very realistic goal for me.
Goals should be measurable- which means, you should be able to see them. Saying that I want to “do good” in my course is too vague, whereas, saying I want to get a B on my midterm exam is a more defined measure of my success.
Goals should be specific- which means, your goals should be clearly defined. Saying I want a job close to home is rather vague, but if I specify that I would like to get a job working for Bartow County Government narrows the goal into a more specific and attainable goal.
Goals should be finite- which means that your goals should have a deadline. Saying that I am working on my degree is broad. It does not imply what type of degree or how long I am working on it. It would be better to state my goals as, I plan to have my bachelor degree in May of 2018. That provides a deadline that I can measure courses completed and final grades to courses needed and required GPA for graduation.
Goals need to be positive- which means the goal should be something to work toward that will improve your life. If the goal does not add to the quality of your life or situation, there will be little motivation to complete it.

5 steps to writing effective goals:
The steps to writing out effective goals should begin with your goal statement. Secondly, you would list the obstacles or challenges you expect to face in obtaining your goal. Then you would list the available resources you have or plan to have that can help you work through those challenges and put yourself in a better position to obtain the goal stated. You would then list the motivation for the goal. Your motivation can be whatever the driving force is behind achieving this goal for yourself, whether it be your family and making a better life for them by the financial gain of the goal, or personal, such as the sense of accomplishment you feel from achieving your goal after others told you that you could not accomplish it. Then lastly, you would review your goal statement after completing the lists of obstacles and resources in comparison to your motivation, and revise the goal statement.

5 Step Action Plan

Step 1- Tentative goal statement:
What is the desired outcome of your goal? What are you hoping to achieve or gain from this goal?
Step 2- List of obstacles.
List all of the obstacles, including work and family requirements that need to be considered when working to achieve your goals.
Step 3- List of resources.
Make a list of every resource you have available to help you in working tow
Step 4- List your motivation.
Your “Why”- list the greatest benefit from realizing your goal. .
Step 5- Revised goal statement.
I will do the work necessary to -Make this an action statement directly related to achieving your goal. .

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I was born to tell you I love you.

Finding the one person we are meant to love.
Every person is born with a purpose and a plan. I think we can all agree to that at least. But so many people live their entire lives missing out on their purpose, because they waste so much precious time chasing after finding true love; at least, their idea of what true love should be. When we put our ability to be happy or sad in the hands of another person, a lover, we are setting ourselves up for failure. And failure is exactly what we will accomplish. No matter how much we get along with another human being, or how attracted to them we may be; no other person in the world holds the power to control our happiness, and should never be given that power.
I am sure I can share my personal story and while it is my own story, so many others can pick out bits and pieces of the story and relate to it, if one picks out just enough of the pieces, they can even begin to believe I am citing their own story. While we are all unique and different individuals, we all go through life much the same way. When we are young, we dream of what our lives will be like when we grow older, we imagine, with great enthusiasm, how perfect our families, our homes, and our jobs are going to be. We get a little older and begin our search for “the one.” We all go through a lot of heartbreaks in the process. While there is that rare few who meet at a young age and are divinely meant to be together their entire lives, let’s face it, we go through a lot of duds before we find our stud (or goddess)! Sometimes, we find that “one” that we believe with everything in us that is the one that will make us happy forever, and then even those “ones” can leave us crushed and devastated, and , question every choice we have ever made- right down to why did we choose vanilla ice cream instead of chocolate. The point being, a broken heart can make us question our own self worth and validity in even existing.
It does not need to be that way. It is a hard concept to grasp, because we all dream of that sweet little couple lying in the bed at the nursing home holding hands and peacefully dying together after spending a lifetime sharing a perfect and true love. Even in the knowledge that most people never have that “Notebook” (Sparks) kind of love, many people never give up faith in finding it. Those same people fail to realize that they alreay have the one person they were meant to love from birth.
So often, we go about life foregetting that we are own one constant. We are always there, we know all our secrets, we share our own dreams and fears, and we believe in ourselves. Well, we should belive in ourselves more than anyone else does, although that is not always the case. In all sincerity, we can never expect to posess the ability to love anyone else until we can learn to fully love ourselves. That makes a far easier cliche than tangible act. But, therein lies a hope, a plea, a need even for us all to seach deep within ourselves and find “the one” true love that should be regarded above all others. Now, that is certainly not to imply that we sould place ourselves on a pedestal by any means. Quite the contrary, never boastfully put yourself that high- it would make for a greater fall.
To love yourself, means more than simply being good to yourself. Take time to truly care for yourself. Feed your mind positive affirmations daily- remind yoursefl often of just how wonderful you really are; clothe your body in tenderness- not just about dwelling on physical appearance, but treat yourself with true tenderness: nurture, rest, and be active; most of all, embrace your soul for all its wonders- you are divinely and uniquely created, so put your individuality out there and be proud to show it off to the world.
It will not be an easy transition, nor will it be quick. You spent years trying to chase all the wrong people to make you happy only to be let down time and time again. Take it day by day, and give just a little more each day. Start by standing in front of the mirror and say, with purpose and sincerity, to the person staring back at you, “I was born to tell you I love you.” Soon enough, it will start to become real, and then you will know what it means to finally find “the one” person who can show you the meaning of true love.

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Sparks, Nicholas. The Notebook. New York: Warner, 1996. Print.

Polish Your Cell

“Life is not fair”…okay, how many times in our lives have we heard that? How many times more, have we been the ones saying it? Well, I am here to let you know that even though life is not fair, it’s okay. No one ever promised you life would be fair. Let’s take a look at a few people in history that didn’t have a very fair shot in life, but they weathered quite nicely.
First of all, let’s take a look at a man named Job. Wow, was life ever unfair to him! Job loved the Lord with all his heart, and one day Satan wanted to test Job’s love for God. So what did God do? He said “okay”, seriously God was going to allow this man who loved him wholly to be tested? Yes he did. How is that for fair? Keep in mind, this test was more than most people would have ever been able to withstand. Job lost his family, literally his children died, he lost his crops, his stock, everything! Then when everything he owned was gone, Job lost his health. Things just kept getting worse and worse for him. All his friends, well the four that still came around, insisted that Job had done something terribly bad for God to punish him so. Through it all, Job stayed faithful to his Lord. He thanked him, can you even imagine to thank God for taking away everything you own, including your health? Yet in the end, Job passed the test with flying colors, and God restored him.
We could look at King David, even though he was not exactly the king at the time. How fair was it for him to be chased in the wilderness for so long by Saul who wanted to kill him, and all for what, envy? Young David had done nothing but find favor with the folks around town, with the men of the army he served with, with Saul’s son Jonathan, and even with God. So Saul was jealous and wanted to kill David. Would it be very fair if we just run around and try to kill everyone that we were jealous of? Maybe they got the job you wanted, the house you want to live in, the car you planned to drive around town, or even the lover that your heart desired. I still don’t know if that would justify just chasing them around and killing them. So how did young David handle this little situation? Well, he ran. He ran a lot for a long time, but he had an opportunity to kill or just harm Saul during this time, yet he refrained. As unfair as he was being treated, and as much as he could not understand why this had to happen to him, he just kept doing what was right. In the end, Saul was destroyed in battle, not at the hands of David though. And David eventually became King of Israel, and is now referred to “a man after God’s own heart”. You see for all the bad that happened to David, and all the wrong things that he had done, he always felt remorse and tried to do better next time.
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We could consider the story of Daniel. Young, strong, and handsome, Daniel was taken captive when he was just a teenager. He was made to work in the palace of the King of Babylon, the very man who had taken captive his people. Daniel had it all going for him, his youth, his good looks and all he was set in his home land; he probably had his pick of all the girls in town. Yet there was life with its unfair twist of fate, and now he is instead a prisoner of the king. He did have the three Hebrew children with him and they did the best they could. When asked to partake of the “King’s portion” of food, they four of them vowed to not defile themselves and they stood strong. But somehow out of the unfairness of the circumstances, Daniel and his three Hebrew mates, found favor with the staff of the King’s court, and eventually even so with the king. So he took a bad situation and through his faith and his diligence to serve his Lord, Daniel has become one of the most revered and favored prophets of the entire bible. Not too bad for a kid taken captive, huh? How would you have handled the whole being kidnapped by the unruly king thing?
But now I would like to take a moment to ponder over the story of one of the most unfairly treated people in the history of the bible. Joseph. We have to start his story about what a brat that kid was! Yes he was well loved by his father Jacob, and he did have that colorful coat that he bragged about all the time. So, it’s understandable that the older brothers were pretty sick of all his “being perfect”. And as siblings do, they wanted to really teach that boy a lesson. Well, maybe they went a bit far though, I mean, did you know they pushed him into a pit, not just a ditch, and a deep pit, to leave him for dead? Well, it just so happened though, that some folks from Egypt were coming by and instead of leaving him for dead, they just decided to sell him to the Egyptians. Nothing like selling your little brother into slavery to get back at him for being a brat! So in order to get by with what they had just done, they tore off his coat and tore it into pieces and covered it with blood of an animal so they could go back and tell their father he had been killed by a wild animal. Now how fair was that for poor Jacob to grieve his young son, whom he now believed had been savagely mauled and was now dead? As time goes on, Joseph lives out his life in Egypt. So guess what Joseph did with his time as a slave? Well, he did his job, and he sang and he worshipped the Lord. Seriously, I guess he figured he could do nothing to get out of this mess his brothers had gotten him into, so he was joyous in his work. I honestly can’t say that I would be so grateful to be stuck in his shoes. As time went on, guess what? You guessed it; Joseph gained favor with Potiphar and his top brass. So Joseph eventually became quite important there in Egypt, was given responsibilities and all. He was even in charge of important things like food distributions and the like. So for a while things were going good for Joseph, considering his unfair way to get where he was. But like everything in life, all good things must come to an end; the wife of Potiphar had taken a liking to Joseph. Well, he was young, handsome, and strong. After all, isn’t that what all women look for in a man? So, she decided to try her luck. Well, despite his youth and overwhelming good looks, young Joseph was faithful to his Lord. He knew what she was asking was wrong, and he denied her advances, and you know what they say about a woman scorned? You guessed it, she told Potiphar that he had tried to “attack” her and have his way with her, but she fought against him. Despite all the favor Joseph had gained, a claim of that nature could only land him in one place. Young Joseph was put in a prison cell, accused of something he did not even do. I would fully expect and understand him to really give up, or at the very least, throw a big old fashioned baby fit! But low and behold, guess how Joseph handled this new trial? He polished his cell!! Seriously, he polished his cell every day, while he sang and whistled and thanked God. Now really, how can anyone be locked in a cell for a crime they didn’t even commit, and want to clean the place up, let along sing and be thankful? Okay, beats me too, yet that is what he did. He sang and polished, until one day the jailer let him start getting out so he could clean the rest of the cells and everything in the prison. In just a matter of time, Joseph was running the jail himself! You see, he didn’t let his circumstances beat him; rather he allowed them to build him up. With a joyous heart, he overcame the odds, and was once again in favor with the Pharaoh and helping run Egypt! Wow, if only we could all see that much light at the end of our tunnels.
Okay, I must also share the best part of Joseph’s story, it is the part that I find more amazing than any other part of his story. At a time when Joseph was in care of many things in Egypt, one of those was the rationing of food during the famine. For people to get food to eat they had to go to Joseph and he would hand out the food for each family to get them through. During the famine, families in Israel had to come into Egypt for food, and one day a group of brothers showed up in Egypt to try and get food. Now how do you think Joseph handled that? The very brothers that sold him into slavery, told their dad he was dead, and left him on his own for so many years were there right before him, and begging for food to get through the famine, no less. I think that many people would have seen a golden opportunity to get some much deserved revenge! So what do you think he did? Well, the story says he kissed them on the neck, and tearfully told them he loved them! Seriously, after all they did, he forgave them and said he loved them? Yes, that is exactly what he did. Could you be so forgiving? I do not know that I would, but it would certainly be nice to think so.
So whatever circumstances you happen to be in now, no matter how unfair life seems to be to you, polish your jail cell. No one ever promised you life would be fair, but then if you think of what these guys went through, can it really be that bad, what you are enduring? Because remember, the trials, we endure for a season, then comes a time of rejoicing. So sing in your cell, polish your cell, give thanks for your cell, and know that you will come out stronger, smarter, and better for having been there. Stay faithful and allow good things to be birthed in your trial. Keep the faith, beloved.
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10,000 steps with my best friend.

Unplug and recharge. It’s a novel concept, right? I mean, we have all heard of it. Ah, the imagery that our minds conjure up when we hear those terms are the recharging and unplugging of that little piece of glass and steel life’s blood affectionately known as our smart phones. They are smart, we can do pretty much anything with them, from email contacts from around the globe, to becoming amateur-professional photographers; hell, even, surf the internet, book a hotel, buy a plane ticket, and plan an endearing itinerary to some tropical island. And, let’s not forget social media. Ah, social media. That wondrous machine that consumes huge chunks of our day, and makes us feel, somehow, validated or violated. People nowadays spend enormous amounts of their life on social media, yet, lack necessary social skills to get through a dinner party without having anxiety attacks.
Life gets crazy, chaotic, if you will. We all have so many things going on all around us at any given time on any given day. Jobs, school, homes, and family, we all have at least one of these things that keep us set on strenuous deadlines. Juggling more than a few of these can be slightly more than mind boggling. The important thing that we only need to remember, is that we have to take a time out every once in a while, for ourselves. I mean, after all, we are no good to our families, our jobs or coworkers, or anything we attempt when we are run down and ineffective. Many people refrain from putting themselves in a much needed and well-deserved time out because they feel guilty. Maybe taking a nice long soaking bath is inconvenient because the children need to be bathed first. Maybe a nice drive just listening to music does not seem like a good idea because there is a report paper due in two days. However, there must be a balance somewhere.
I was recently reminded of that myself. My daughter came to visit for a week. She had moved to Minnesota from Georgia at the beginning of the year. So, I had not seen her in a few months, and did not know how long it would be until I would have the opportunity to see her again. I had taken some time off work so that I could spend the time with her. Now, normally when I have time off work, I break up the day into chunks of time that I spend working on my homework for school and house chores. She wanted to go for a walk around my neighborhood. I agreed to tag along with her, reminding her that I had homework to work on when we returned to the house. While on the walk, she mentioned that she wanted to also drive to downtown and walk around some of the little shops and boutiques. I agreed to go, with another reminder of having homework to complete. While we were on our walk, we had a great conversation and reflected on how different life had become for each of us. And, it dawned on me. The homework was not due for several days, and she was only here for a few days. I had missed her incredibly since she left a few months earlier, and I really wanted to just focus on spending quality time with her. So, I stopped thinking about having any homework to worry over, and I just walked with my daughter. We enjoyed a nice walk around the neighborhood, and down to the lake and back. During our conversations, we laughed, and we got serious. Then we drove to town and walked around sight seeing among the quaint little boutiques. We stopped for lunch before returning home. When we got back to the house, I checked my Fitbit and noticed that I had gotten in over 10,000 steps that day. It was, ironically, the first time in weeks, that I had even gotten to 10,000 steps. Between working at a desk job, and doing school work, I rarely get to move much at all during most days. But I let everything else go that day, and I just spent the day with my daughter, my best friend. And it was worth everything. She will be leaving tomorrow to go back to Minnesota, and it will be a while before I get the chance to do that again. We must do those things, kids and grandkids grow, and they grow fast, so if you do not allow yourself the chance to just stop and take in the moments with them, the moment will be gone, and you can never get it back.
In addition to enjoying a beautiful day with my daughter, I realized, I unplugged myself from my normal routine of “have to hurries” and was able to recharge my own batteries. And, that was amazingly beautiful. I let myself off the hook, so to speak, from school or house task commitments, and just enjoyed the simplicity of a walk. The ability to have great conversation with one of the most important persons in my life, was certainly a bonus. But, leaving my phone at home, also recharging, allowed me to reflect on the simple treasures of life that I had not taken notice of in some time, such as the warmth of the sun, the cool breeze, and we talked about how green everything is. Spring has just sprung this week, and I realized, during the walk that I had not even taken notice to how everything has already come to life. The experience was soul nourishing. During the weekend while she was down, we experienced multiple obstacles that cold have stolen the joy from her visit, yet through it all, while there was an err of natural frustration and concern, ultimately, there was a calmness that engulfed us. Perhaps the time we spent on our walk, reflecting on life and the world before the events unfolded, gained us an advantage on handling the stress? Taking these moments for a timeout of our routine is something that we all need to be mindful of doing from time to time. My daughter leaves in a few hours to go back to Minnesota, and I am not sure when I will get to see her again. But, I am grateful for the few hours that we took out of everything to enjoy our 10,000 steps and focus on each other and what is most important.

 

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