Staying Sensitive During the Holidays

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Most people speed through the holidays with excitement and enthusiasm. They enjoy the many gatherings alongside family and friends, while some people sink into a well of depression. They feel alone and abandoned. Staying sensitive to the needs of others enables us to bless those who are emotionally and physically suffering. A friend said it best, …

Listening—The Key to Navigating Life

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We’ve grown up hearing instructions to “listen,” and wisdom is woven into the word. As children, we were told to listen to our parents and others who were 1) wiser, 2) chose to protect us, and 3) had more life experience. As teens and adults, sage advice is always to listen. Learning and listening are companions, …

Navigating Unchartered Waters

DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Guest Post: Kristen Hogrefe Parnell @khogrefeparnell Recently, I enrolled my two-year-old in a two-week swim class. Another mom friend had warned me that her daughter screamed the entire first lesson, so I prepared myself for a similar reaction—but hoped my son would do better. He didn’t. He screamed most of the class until I finally sat next …

What’s the Best Part of Getting Older?

By DiAnn Mills @DiannMills Recently I posted on Facebook the question: What is the best part of getting older? Within two minutes of pressing post, I had comments. The responses were varied, and I giggled at many of them. Here’s the ranked list: Grandkids (This one was mentioned the most. In my opinion, there is a reason they are called …

Smiling Takes the Bite out of Stress

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills This is not an article on ways remove stress from your life. Neither am I offering an instructional guide to eliminating stress by getting organized, exercising more, eating nutritionally sound, praying more, learning to say no, journaling your feelings, seeking counseling, taking prescription meds, or exploring the many ways to reduce stress. There are plenty of …

Creating Sanctuary Moments

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I’ve come to a place in life where I can freely admit my adult years have been spent on a quest to create sanctuary moments. I think most of us have an unsettling, restless, search for balance that has the potential to bring peace to our souls. Faith is the most important component to achieve lasting …

When Our Emotions Reach Flood-Level

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We’ve all experienced overwhelming emotions when life’s happenings make us feel like we’re drowning in flood-level pressure, responsibilities, and daily challenges. The urge to give up and let the sea sweep us away tempts us. Too often, we forget that channeled stress helps us effectively problem-solve and meet deadlines. We can learn to swim to higher …

Quotes to Tickle Your Funny Bone

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Laughter is the best medicine. Scientists have proven that those who laugh are healthier and happier. I’m a quote-addict, so for this week’s blog post, I’m listing, in no particular order, quotes that make me smile. I hope they tickle your funny bone! “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” Will Rogers …

Healthy Living Habits for Today

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Healthy habits for today begins with a positive attitude toward diet and exercise. Just because we are getting older doesn’t mean we sit in a rocking chair and wait for life to end. There’s too much of life to explore! We seize each moment with sound nutrition and an active lifestyle that keeps our minds and …

Transparent or Needy?

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We often hear the best way to communicate is to be transparent. Yet many people hesitate to use ihe ability for fear of being labeled needy. What is the difference between transparent and needy, and how do we apply transparency to our lives? Transparent in written or oral communication means that we are allowing others to …