October 2023

October 31, 2023

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Learning & Growing

Thanks so much for continuing to ride along as I share more about “Surviving Sue“. I can’t believe it’s only been three months since her debut! (Hmm…Three months or three years?) I’ve learned so much about the process of publishing and promoting but even more… about myself. A lot of personal growth has been packed Continue reading

Surviving Sue

author, books, healing, love, personal narrative, publishing, vulnerability, writing
October 29, 2023

The Disappearing Girl – Part II

Hello there…and BOO! I’m playing a little trick on all of you…but it’s not about the story I’m sharing. I have a haunting tale to tell in four parts…. but for Part I of “The Disappearing Girl” you’ll need to hop over to my Heart of the Matter post to learn about an unusual photo Continue reading

Family

courage, curiosity, Family, ghost story, love, paranormal, photography
October 25, 2023

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Book Clubs!

I have some fun “Peek Inside” news to share! “Surviving Sue” has been picked up by a couple of book clubs – and I’m thrilled. I’m continuing to receive wonderful feedback from readers. Sometimes in the form of lovely praise, sometimes follow-up questions about aspects of the book and nuances about the many characters in Continue reading

Surviving Sue

authors, Family, gratitude, personal narratives, publishing, readers, writing
October 23, 2023

Happy Birthday, Hubs!

Yep…it’s the hubster, Paul’s, birthday. And you might be wondering about the combo of photos represented here. A pic of a blueberry cake and a truly beaten up old deskplate/sign? What do these two things have to do with Paul’s birthday? I’m gonna tell you! 😉 You might’ve discerned that a cake…and his birthday might not Continue reading

Family

baking, birthday, engineering, lifestyle, love, mentors, relationships, wisdom
October 22, 2023

Evocative Artistry

Crawling into my soul I can occasionally discern connections between beloved works of art. Not because I have any training. I’m just a devoted patron and a woman in awe of artistry. All things visual draw me in and when I can use imagery to help solidify a feeling or capture a long-lost moment, my Continue reading

Design

artists, happiness, love, photographers, Saul Leiter, Toulouse-Lautrec, visual arts, Wellness
October 20, 2023

Great Gobs of Girlfriend Love

Happy Podcast Friday, Friends! Wynne’s opener to our podcasts refers to ‘talented creatives who inspire’. Never would she think of herself as a gleaming example of a heroine and a source of inspiration for others…and yet…she is just that. I’m grateful to Wynne for her openness and giving soul. In her mind? She’s JUST Wynne Continue reading

Family

author, Family, friendship, lifestyle, love, podcast
October 17, 2023

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Pause It, Name It

Hey, friends – I promised a few weeks ago that I would eventually get around to sharing more about my toolkit for dealing with complicated emotions – especially those related to my mom, Sue. As a counseling professional, I utilize my degrees and training and generally feel confident about helping others, but when I’m the Continue reading

Surviving Sue

author, book, Buddha, mindfulness, self-care, stress reduction, Wellness
October 15, 2023

Push Those Buttons!

Speaking of cars and driving – which I explore in my Heart of the Matter post today – sharing memory lane recollections of safety lessons from my papa. I had an a-ha. I realized the driving issues of today would make my dad cringe. When he passed away in 1997, cell phones were becoming less Continue reading

Family

Family, gratitude, humor, lifestyle, love, safety, technology
October 10, 2023

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Sue’s Big Heart

I adore the anonymous quote I snipped in (above). When readers have asked about my capacity for forgiveness, the secret sauce that helped me survive Sue, I often think of this wisdom. It was my task to heal so I could better understand the mix of madness and love that bubbled within my mom. One Continue reading

Surviving Sue

advocacy, author, disabilities, Family, gratitude, healing, lifestyle, memoir, Wellness
October 8, 2023

A Little Spark

My dear blogging buddy Deb wrote a fabulous post this week about courage and singing. It was enchanting and enjoyable and reminded me of a silly chanteuse moment, years ago where I embarrassed myself but lived through it. Here’s the post: Falling in Avignon. If you read, promise you won’t think less of me. And Continue reading

Wellness

creativity, humor, lifestyle, love, self-care
October 3, 2023

One Hand on His Back

The smallest acts of kindness can render me tearful. Yesterday I was at a doctor’s office for a routine procedure and while I waited for my turn, I observed a harried front desk person who was juggling busy phone lines while tending to in-person patients. I wanted to jump in to help her (which, obviously, Continue reading

Wellness

gratitude, kindness, lifestyle, priorities, strangers, Wellness
October 1, 2023

Characteristics of Courage

Where does courage come from and how might one build bench strength to be ever-more resilient in the face of onslaughts of all sorts? One of the resources I’ve used for several years is a book from Dr. Melanie Greenberg: The Stress-Proof Brain: Master Your Emotional Response to Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity. I know! Continue reading

Wellness

courage, lifestyle, stress reduction, Viktor Frankl, Wellness

“Surviving Sue”, a special story about resiliency and love: Eckhartz Press (paperback) and eBook on Amazon.

Peek Inside “Surviving Sue“

Visit Resources on Atkinson Group Solutions for more.

Podcasts

Listen to the “Sharing the Heart of the Matter” podcast.

You can find our podcast on Apple, Amazon, Spotify and Pocket Casts. Please subscribe!

Workshops

Chicago Writers Association Speakers Bureau – Writing for Wellness; Navigating Elder Care with Grace & Humor; How to Create a Writing Platform; AI for Caregivers

About Me

Learn about five books that inspired and supported my writing journey by visiting my personalized book review page on Shepherd.

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Victoria Ponders

October 2023

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Learning & Growing

The Disappearing Girl – Part II

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Book Clubs!

Happy Birthday, Hubs!

Evocative Artistry

Great Gobs of Girlfriend Love

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Pause It, Name It

Push Those Buttons!

Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Sue’s Big Heart

A Little Spark

One Hand on His Back

Characteristics of Courage

Peek Inside “Surviving Sue“

Podcasts

Workshops

About Me

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