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<![CDATA[My Site - Blog]]>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:30:51 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Quiet]]>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/quiet

I’m quick to think.

I spend a lot of time alone, not because I hate people; peace is quiet, honest, and simple.

In solitude I don’t chase attention, I’m completely comfortable with myself.
I overthink everything, life, people, and mistakes, even small moments.

I notice energy and tone shifts. When people are rude, happy, snarky, etc, I notice the difference in people, how they show up. Are they mad? Happy? What’s going on? I notice the small things.

The big picture involves being able to notice the tone of other individuals so you can better equip yourself to deal with them. Maybe someone needs a kind gesture, a smile, a cup of coffee, or maybe a meal to share with you.

It doesn’t always have to be extravagant. Maybe just show them you care. Maybe all they needed was for you to see them; for you to show up.

]]><![CDATA[Learn]]>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 20:46:14 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/learn

Learning and growing from your past experiences requires active reflection on both your wins and losses. That is just the beginning. You then have to apply those insights to present decisions. The more you engage in this process, the more you grow. It is a repetitive action that fosters growth.

Reframing negative experiences as growth opportunities cultivates resilience. Imagine you just got a D on a school test. You don’t just quit school or settle for a low score. It simply means you need to study more next time. Or, even better, take the time to explore how you learn. That’s how you grow your diversity of thought and prepare yourself for the real world.

Try setting new goals based on past outcomes to level up. If something failed before, or you didn’t accomplish everything you wanted to, tweak the steps or add new elements to find success. For example, if you are running a race and get a bad cramp along the way, you are not going to stop entering races. You want to keep all the training and preparation that worked in the first race, then enhance it by adding a preventative measure, such as drinking pickle juice before the race. Keep the consistency in your life of what is working, and build upon it to level up.

Most importantly, maintain an inquisitive attitude. For me, I start every day by putting Him first. It is not my end goal to set, it is His. There may be something I am trying to achieve, but He often takes it further than I could imagine. Always be curious about what you do. We are all His children, and what do children do? They ask questions. They investigate. Being curious keeps the door open to new opportunities, perspectives, and growth.

This mindset helps shape your future decision-making and supports continued growth.

So was it monotonous or did you learn from what you did today?

]]><![CDATA[He Walks With Us]]>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:37:45 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/he-walks-with-usI am grateful to the Lord. I have broken a lot of my body, but He has shown me how to repair it. I have stumbled in the fire, but He holds me up to make it through.

It has been many years of me trying to mend this broken vessel, but I know He walks with me through it all. I no longer worry about my destination. I don’t know how it will end, but I know He promises an abundance.

In His Words I am assured. It is not about me. He promises abundance so I will hold on to that promise and make it through with Him.

]]><![CDATA[Suffer Well]]>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:41:50 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/suffer-well

Being chosen by God isn’t an easy road, but a fulfilled one. We always say “tomorrow,” but for some of us, tomorrow never comes. We are not promised tomorrow.

Choose the road less traveled.

The "road less traveled" in the Bible refers to the narrow, difficult path of following Jesus, contrasted with the easy, popular road to destruction. Found in Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus teaches that while many follow the broad path, few find the narrow way that leads to life. Choosing the narrow road emphasizes obedience, faith, and righteousness over popular culture.

The “road less traveled” will lead to suffering. That suffering will sometimes mean being left out, being ridiculed, being laughed at, being lonely, and being in despair. There might even be more extreme suffering, such as physical persecution. The narrow path is not the popular one, and it is not chosen by very many people. It might require you to leave your friends and your family behind who are not following the narrow path. It might also require you to leave behind other things that made you happy in the past or people who were important to you (but are not good for you).

Despite the suffering, the “road less traveled” is the best choice, the right choice, the ideal choice. This life is short, and the destination is forever.

Suffering well invites us to use obstacles and problems as opportunities for growing, strengthening, adapting, and changing. But most of all, it lets God have His way with us.

About ten years ago, I would not have understood these words. These words would have sounded crazy to me and would have gone over my head. I would not have understood how suffering could be a good thing and could lead to good results. But after going through suffering, I began to understand. I began to see new things. I began to learn and grow. It didn’t happen overnight. It took time and thought and reflection and prayer. I came to realize that my suffering didn’t just happen TO me it also happened FOR me. I would never have chosen my suffering but, today, I say that God used it for good.

]]><![CDATA[Getting Dopamine Series: Part 2, Make Your List]]>Wed, 27 May 2026 18:11:23 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/getting-dopamine-series-part-2-make-your-listI created a list of all the things that make me “smile”:

Family
Good food
Bed at night
Good research
Good cup of coffee
Steak and eggs
Intimacy

To help you make your list. Think of your family (or friends that you consider family). Don’t forget the small things we take for granted that we should be grateful for. Think about it, some people do not have a house to go home to, or a bed for that matter. For me “good research” engulfs me in good feelings almost like a drug. Think about your purpose in life, career, hobbies, and what gets you out of bed in the morning. It’s ok to have life's extras on the list. These are the miscellaneous things that turn a shit cup of coffee into an exceptional cup of coffee- that is worth a big smile.

Before you keep doom scrolling or move on with your day; I encourage you to make your short list of what makes you smile.

]]><![CDATA[Don’t Forget Your People]]>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:03:59 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/dont-forget-your-people

“Yes”, I have always found it to be; me, myself and I. However, I’ve come to see that standing alone keeps me from reaching all the milestones I want to accomplish. I realized it takes a village to build community. After my TBI I was a little depressed. How was I going to make it all happen?? Plus I had all this energy that I didn't know what to do with it. And I was told over and over again I couldn't do anything.

Fast forward several years and I have a village. It didn't happen overnight but now I feel more fulfilled. My team consists of Meredith, Stephen, Lisa, Jen, Barry, and Alicia. By working with each of them my thinking expands as they have different perspectives and specialities. I have a lot of different interests and they are professionals that can make my ideas come to life. Having a team makes everything I want to accomplish more developed so I can reach all the milestones I have planned, and then some. Even my leisure activities are more fun with someone.

For example, when you are running a race alone it is not as enjoyable. When you have someone with you it goes smoother and you go farther. The same can be said about my writing. I can write by myself, but when I work with my team it goes further. I can lean on them for other perspectives and it expands my thinking, making my writing more developed.

It is easy to forget the people that have gotten you to where you are. Having fulfillment in what you do is great, but remember how you got there. Like I said in the beginning, it takes a village.

Make sure you thank your village today.

]]><![CDATA[Patience]]>Wed, 20 May 2026 17:23:04 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/patienceIt is the fire that burns away your pride, it is the capacity to endure delay; delay or difficult circumstance. It’s not a “no” it’s just “not now.” It is like a muscle; your patience needs to be stretched to strengthen. Like a muscle, it needs to be developed. You start to understand this on a fitness journey. He gives us trials not to hurt or harm us but to strengthen us through adversity.

Unswerving steadfastness that refuses to give up when facing hardships, sickness, or delays. It is showcased in passages like James 1:3-4, which notes that the testing of faith produces this brand of active endurance.

"...knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing."
-The Bible, ASV

It is our belief and faith that can move that mountain. Whether it is relational, financial, or spiritual. Remember, it’s not human brute strength, but divine power from the Holy Spirit.

]]><![CDATA[Carry Yourself as if you Won]]>Mon, 11 May 2026 16:36:13 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/carry-yourself-as-if-you-won

When you lose, carry yourself as if you have won. A setback is not the end of your life. You need to keep moving forward. The better question isn’t, “How can I be happy?” but “How can we be happy?” True fulfillment is shared.

We enter this world without clear expectations or a defined purpose. Sometimes, we need to pause and surrender instead of overthinking every detail. We don’t need all the answers to the universe to live a meaningful life.

Choose not to react impulsively. The person who constantly reacts is not in control. Strive to become impossible to offend. When someone does upset you, see it as a signal. It is like an internal flag pointing to an area for growth. That awareness prepares you to respond more thoughtfully in the future.

Some people just want to react and fuel themselves. To see how you react to something. Don’t let those people get a rise out of you.
We spend much of our lives preparing not to lose or to avoid being last, yet loss is inevitable. Instead, prepare for challenges so their impact is softened. Every experience, whether good or bad, offers an opportunity to learn, grow, and become stronger.

“Carry yourself as if you have won” isn’t about pretending. It’s about dignity. Loss hits differently when it doesn’t shake your identity.

Shifting from “How can I be happy?” to “How can we be happy?” reframes fulfillment from something you chase alone into something you build with others. That’s harder but more stable.

Becoming hard to offend is one of those deceptively difficult goals. It requires separating your sense of self from other people’s behavior, which most people never fully do.

Seeing triggers as signals for growth is practical, not just philosophical. It turns frustration into data. When you have that frustration, learn from it. Grow. Don’t get stuck in the bad.

]]><![CDATA[“A Generous Spirit”]]>Wed, 06 May 2026 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/a-generous-spiritSome people think that a selfish life is a promising way to live. They hold on to everything they have, ignore the needs of others, and make life all about themselves. All they think about is what they can do, what they can achieve, and all the stuff they have accumulated. They think they deserve all that they have and that they are entitled to keep it.

The problem with living that way is the attitude of entitlement. What if we don’t get exactly what we deserve? What if all that we have is a gift from God? What if God has showered us with His blessings – even though we do not deserve them?

What if we are actually ENTITLED to nothing?

In truth, we deserve to be separated from God – but God showers us with grace. It’s all a gift. Even the air in our lungs is a gift.

If everything is a gift from God, we have no reason to be selfish. We can choose to be generous, freely sharing what God has given us. We are free to love others, expecting nothing in return. We can live selflessly, thinking of other people. We can use our God-given strength for good purposes. We can treat others as we want to be treated. Being kind and generous and loving is not weakness. It’s a flex – in truth, it’s an expression of great strength.

There are many ways to be selfless and generous. Sometimes that might involve money, but not necessarily. What is called for is a generosity of spirit, a life of kindness, and an attitude of humility.

I could choose to live selfishly, hurt other people, and cause damage to others – but I choose not to . . . because of God’s grace in my life. My capabilities are shaped by His activity. He changes me into the person He wants me to be – and I choose to embrace what God is doing in me. God has given me the power and strength to overcome my struggles and problems. In fact, God makes me unstoppable. But it is my responsibility not to misuse that power. It is my responsibility to use His power in loving ways.

That is why I try to live a life that reflects God’s grace.

Give, and it will be given to you.
A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over,
will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
-Luke 6:38

]]><![CDATA[Series “Getting Dopamine” Part 1]]>Mon, 04 May 2026 18:13:16 GMThttp://www.jeglumdesigns.com/blog/making-memories

It doesn’t cost anything to smile. Smiling is a free, and a contagious act. Spread it like peanut butter to make that sloppy sandwich. I love my peanut butter thick and all over the place. Treat a smile like peanut butter, the more the merrier.

A smile is an act that boosts the mood, fosters connections, and reduces stress. In an article titled; Turn That Frown Upside Down: The Mood-Boosting Benefits of Smiling, they took the words right out of my mouth, “To start, the mere act of smiling has been found to stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a significant role in feelings of pleasure and reward.” We all get mad, sad, and grumpy- we don’t need to live there. I’m not saying those feelings aren't valid but they don’t have to consume you. It is natural to let those feelings move through you. Sometimes having a laugh or smile is what can actually get you through those harder feelings.

A smile can change the trajectory of your day, and the other person’s. Just like that peanut butter, it might get all over your face, but it also might get on someone else. It’s the good kind of contagious.

So when you are feeling (sad/mad/grumpy: insert whatever feeling you are having) try to look at something that might bring a smile to your face. The best part of all is that it costs nothing.

To be genuinely happy is great for you, and me.

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