Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life!
Each morning, when I open my eyes and welcome a new day, I see it is an opportunity!
An opportunity to make it the best day that it can be.
This opportunity means that I try to live each day as if it were my last!
One day it will be -- but until then -- I'll be sharing with you a variety of things that I've learned,
discovered, and even laughed at along the way. Enjoy my journey with me as we live it One Day at a Time! Read more
Flying Alone When Life Changes in a Blink
Today marks the beginning of the third year. It was two years ago that I sat in the trauma ICU at my local hospital watching my husband’s blood pressure on the monitor beside his bed. It read 69—and it was slowly dropping. That was the moment I realized … Read more
22 Ways to Say “I Love You” Without Words
Boredom can destroy any relationship. Even the daily repetition of the words “I Love You” can just become words if not accompanied by actions. You’ve heard the phrase “Actions speak louder than words”. That is particularly true in a relationship. It’s the simple little things that shout “I … Read more
Quick Meals for the Busy Entrepreneur
The holiday season is the most profitable time of the year but, alas, it is also the most tiring. Families still expect to eat and we need nourishment as well after spending hours creating, delivering and shipping our designs. So what is one to do when the clock … Read more
Unexpected Inspiration
You never know when you’ll suddenly happen upon an unexpected moment of inspiration. I only live a short drive from the Grand Canyon and have visited it many times. I’m not sure what I was expecting but the first time I ever saw it back in 1960, I … Read more
Romance on a Budget Ideas for Couples
Valentine’s Day is around the corner and men and women around the country are breaking into a cold sweat because they’ve bought into the myth that romance equals money. They are wrong. When I think about the most romantic things that I have experienced, I don’t think about … Read more
The Shy Entrepreneur’s guide to Building Meaningful Business Relationships
I was the shy kid through high school. In a graduation class of over 500 students, I was just one of the crowd. I met girls that I had graduated with but had never seen before when I went to a small college. Does this sound like you? … Read more
Someday Never Came – Avoiding Burnout
Someday Never Came—And That’s a Good Thing I’ve been asked, “How can you do something for over 30 years without getting bored or burnt out? The answer is simple: I’ve made it a journey filled with FUN, meaningful challenges and plenty of growth along the way. One of … Read more
Before Time Runs Out
The One Thing You Should Do Before Time Runs Out Lately, I’ve been scrolling through countless emails about how to make better use of my time. You know the ones—tips for productivity, time management hacks, strategies to squeeze the most out of every day. But at 83 years … Read more
The Secrets to Making Love Last
A new romance is always exciting. But, just like any other relationship, a romantic one has its ups and downs. Couples easily fall in love, but they have to work at maintaining that special connection on a long term basis. I’m no expert but I do have experience … Read more
The Effects of Life’s Changes
I’ve been watching this little guy for several years. He lives in our woodpile and ventures out to sun himself on a warm day, to eat, but most often to fill his pouch with seeds and acorns before scurrying off to add them to his winter stockpile. This … Read more
Life Is What Happens When You’re Busy Making Other Plans
We’ve all heard John Lennon’s famous words: “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” It’s one of those quotes that sounds wise and a little poetic, but you don’t truly understand its depth until life pulls the rug out from under you. On November 29, … Read more
It’s Not Over Yet!
My daughter presented me with a “Smart TV” a few months ago that is a lot smarter than I am. A few weeks ago, it suddenly stopped working. No picture. No sound. Nothing — no matter how many times I pushed the remote. First step? Change the batteries. … Read more
An Opportunity for New Beginnings
All of us who are part of this lunch program have lived long lives. I used to think of age 60 as old —yet here I am at 83. We “oldsters” are the fastest growing segment of the population. But we aren’t alone. Everyone is getting older — … Read more
Let’s Make 2025 a Year of Kindness
The following is an article that I wrote for the newsletter at my local Senior Center but much of it can apply to all of us in any situation. Enjoy! We all attend the Senior Lunch Program for different reasons and also for the same reasons. A delicious … Read more
Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life
“I hope in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you’re making mistakes, you’re trying new things, pushing yourself, changing yourself and your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before.” Neil Gaiman Every morning that I wake up, I consider it to be a gift, an … Read more
Grits, Eggs, and the Evolution of Friendship: Reflecting on the Past, Embracing the Present
As I sat down in my chair on the patio and watched the ingredients in the bowl on my breakfast tray change from white to yellow, memories started flooding back. I had not had a bowl of grits with an egg for years. That is not until this … Read more
Planning for Chaos in a Chaotic World
We all know the feeling. We get up early and work all day. Before we know it, it’s time to go to bed and we still haven’t gone all the way through our “To Do” list. Sound familiar? Owning your own business, or even just working at a … Read more
Making the Rest the Best
When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things —not … Read more
When Memories Become History
We recently celebrated D-Day with the very few remaining participants. They range in age from 99 to over 100 years old. This will probably be the last day that most will be here to share their memories. Then their memories—like those who participated in prior wars– become history. … Read more
Reliving the Magic of Route 66 in the 1960’s
Crusing Down Memory Lane Reliving the Memories of Route 66 in the 1960’s It was early March 1961. After spending the first five months of our married life in Washington, DC, Ron ended his military tour of duty and we were on our way “home” to California. To … Read more
Discovering the Magic of Flagstaff, Arizona
The Magic of Flagstaff, Arizona It was a place to stop and stretch your legs while on the way to the Grand Canyon, California, Chicago, or some other faraway place. You could have a cup of coffee at Miz Zips or another local diner, fill your tank with … Read more
Celebrating 83 Years of Living and Learning
It’s Taken Me 83 Years to Learn All This – And I Have a Ways to Go! For those who only know me as “Creative Gifts” or “Gift Basket Network,” my name is Joyce Reid and I live in Flagstaff, Arizona (not the desert part of the state … Read more
And You Thought Coffee Filters Were Just for Making Coffee!
In today’s economy, Benjamin Franklin’s sage advice that “A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned” is truer than ever before. This blog is not going to be your everyday kind of blog. This is my opportunity to share with you 82 years of life experience in a changing … Read more
A Time of Renewal
Just came back from a walk with Grayson, my dog with three paws, and discovered that spring is finally peaking it’s head out of the snow. Crocus are blooming, daffodils are sprouting, the sky is a brilliant blue that can only be found in a few places in … Read more