As the holidays fast approach, now’s the time to get organized.  But who has time?  Not me, that’s for sure and the same goes for a lot of people I know.  Trying to purchase gifts, plan meals, clean and decorate, wrap gifts, attend parties and budget for the holidays all while working, raising kids and doing what we need to do can be taxing! 

Making a commitment to getting organized might be just what you need to jump start the holiday season and it only takes one minute to make that commitment.  Make a commitment to learn how to improve productivity in your own life - that’s a great start!  Or make a commitment to overcome procrastination in your everyday life - why put off for tomorrow what you can do today? Can you manage your time better during the day?  I think all of us are guilty of time mismanagement so you might want to make a commitment to managing your time better during the holiday season. 

A big problem that we all face is over-committing this time of year. Don’t be afraid to make a commitment to yourself and learn how to say no.  You don’t have to have the most uber decorated house in the neighborhood and you don’t have to go broke buying gifts for family and friends.  You don’t have to attend every party or give to every single charity that asks.  Remember - the word NO! is a complete sentence.  Don’t forget that!

As the saying goes, the best way to eat an elephant (ew, I know) is one bite at a time - so for today’s one minute miracle - just decide to make a commitment to do some things a little differently this holiday season or maybe even the whole year through!
 
 
I'd go crazy if I didn't keep lists.  I keep them for everything - article ideas I want to submit, chapters for my novel and ideas for new ones, work projects (with deadines),  groceries, Christmas gifts, party plans - well, you get the picture.  If you have a minute, write down a list to keep yourself organized.  You can't live up to your full potential if you're constantly running around looking for things you lost, rushing to make payments on bills you forgot or running out to get dinner because you don't have all the right ingredients on-hand.  If  you have a few minutes, get yourself a small notebook or learn how to use the notes feature on your blackberry - whatever you have - just start a list.  Start small - maybe bills that need paid this week (with due dates) or healthy dinners you've been wanting to try. To make it easy, I've provided a link for healthy five ingredient dinners. Making lists won't fix all that ails ya but doing so may calm the chaos just a litle - and wouldn't that be a miracle!
 
 
A God box is a place to put things that you might be worried about.  Write your worry down on a piece of paper, fold it up and put it in the God box.  Say a litte prayer to God or to the Universe if that's what you beleive.  Then forget about your worry - it's in the God box meaning it's in God's hands or in the hands of the universe. And then trust that it will all work out!  If you have one minute, find an old box or container around the house to use as a God box. 
 
 
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has proclaimed the month of November as Adoption Awareness Month.  Spend a minute today determining how you can help this worthy cause.  Are you thinking of adopting or becoming a foster parent?  If so, pick up the phone and make that call.  Can you donate to an adoption charity or cause?  And even though it isn't what Governor Kaine had in mind, don't forget about adopting a four legged friend - animals need adoption too.  This could be a one minute miracle that lasts for a long, long time!
 
 
Make a gratitude list and keep it near your bed or carry it with you.  Spend a minute writing down the things you are grateful for.  My gratitude list includes my daughters, my parents and extended family, my health, our pets (sometimes - see blog below for paper eating incident).  My job and the fact that I have some freelance writing opportunities are also on the list as is my house, my jeep and of course, my friends.  But keep the list simple, take a minute to write it and add to it each day. Theologian Meister Eckhart wrote "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough"...and he was so right!
 
 
When I started this blog, I had every intention of blogging at least a few times a week.  Of course, at that time, I had less demands too as I had just gotten laid off from my job at Circuit City.  And I've since gone back to work, which is where I spend my days and a big bulk of my time. That said, I was trying to think of ways I could continue to blog without spending a big chunk of time writing.  I also thought that, if I didn't have a lot of time to write, most of you probably wouldn't have a lot of time to read, right? 

So I came up with my One Minute Miracle idea while I was writing a freelance article yesterday.  The article was called how to be thankful when you don't feel like it.  I incorporated an idea about writing a gratitude list which really shouldn't take a whole lot of time.  It made me realize that we often have a free minute or two throughout the day where we could stop and have a mini attitude adjustment, so I thought I would start to write these One Minute Miracle blogs with ideas that I'll research on things that can be done to enhance  a person's serenity in a minute (or two or three).  And I'll share them here so we can all benefit from getting a little bit of peace throughout the day.   I'll start it tomorrow though, because the dog's eating paper and the kids are yelling and I took more than a minute just to write these few lines.  But I'll be back tomorrow...I have a feeling I'm going to need it!