Author: jeff noel

Retired Disney Institute Keynote Speaker and Prolific Blogger. Five daily, differently-themed personal blogs (about life's 5 big choices) on five interconnected sites.

Ordinary gifts day 1, mind

child sitting in a shipping box on living room floor
He enjoyed the gifts, but the box, even more. Photo 2004 or 2005.
Giant Yellow Irish Eyes (Black-eyed Susans)
Mistakes are bright, cherished, lovely gifts, no?

What are ordinary gifts from your experience and perspective?

Will answer this a couple ways.

First, ordinary gifts are the good, decent, and critical habits we hone to attain personal vibrancy.

Second, ordinary gifts are the characteristics and traits we gravitate to.

Thirdly, things like questions, common sense, and paradox.

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This website is about our MIND. To read today’s post about our BODY, click here.

The wild places, mind

man next to glacier
Me at Sperry Glacier, July 2023. Photo credit to a fellow Sperry Chalet Guest. Sperry Chalet is deep inside Glacier National Park. So is its sister Chalet, Granite Park Chalet. The next two photos are from Granite Park Chalet’s night sky. You don’t sleep on the ground at Granite, but it’s close…no electricity, no heat, no running water, no wifi nor cell signal, pit toilet, and you hike 1/2 mile roundtrip for your drinking/cooking water.
night sky with stars
Granite Park Chalet’s main building casts a faint, nearly invisible, nighttime silhouette.
night sky with stars and Milky Way
Saw the Milky Way for the first time from Granite Park Chalet.

Happy present moment.

Why do you love the wild places?

From an early age, nature and all of Pennsylvania’s wild things, bugs, flowers, birds, creek critters, fish – all of it mesmerized me.

Heard Dan Fogelberg’s song, The Wild Places, yesterday and was once again inspired by the final verse:

“When you sleep on the ground
With the stars in your face
You can feel the full length
Of the beauty and grace
In the wild places man
Is an unwelcome guest
But it’s here than I’m found
And it’s here I feel blessed”

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This website is about our MIND. To read today’s post about our BODY, click here.

Family epiphany, mind

Sanibel sunrise
Photo: Sanibel sunrise from my phone, years ago. No one hands you a written contact guaranteeing your idea will become good enough to change your life and the life of those you love. But i feel like i can guarantee a better life if you stay in contact with your parents.

Family epiphany?

Yes.

My parents never initiated contact.

Mom’s parents always did.

Mom’s mom? Literally daily contact.

My parents? Crickets.

The lesson?

Power through what feels intrusive.

Because the opposite of intrusive is neglect.

Neglect can be convenient when you’re busy and stressed.

“Intrusive” is another way of saying, “I love you and want to be part of your life for as long as our lives let us.”

Son, this song was playing while and after i wrote this post.

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This website is about our MIND. To read today’s post about our BODY, click here.

Put your habits in your Will, mind

Wellness excuses, habits, rituals. This immediately triggered a business application.
If Disney Ran Your Life podcast
Wellness excuses, habits, rituals. This immediately triggered a business application.
Disney Institute Keynote Speaker
Have spent my life discerning life’s most vibrant habits.

Got your Will all set?

If your family inherited only your habits (not your things or your money), which habits would be your most valuable gifts (legacy)?

What habits would i bequeath?

First, who am i to bequeath anything to anyone?

Seriously.

Such a street rat.

Yet.

Yet, i have tried.

My whole life i have tried.

Tried what?

Tried to be a good and decent person.

Ps. Tried to be a good and decent person for you, mom, and for me.

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This website is about our MIND. To read today’s post about our BODY, click here.