Challenge 80
Copyright: Jeanne Gladden

As a child, family members, friends and strangers perpetually reminded me that I was the granddaughter of Mr. Clonts, and that I needed to act…

 What's in your garden? What are you growing?

Challenge 79
Copyright: Jeanne Gladden

Just about the time I think I have mastered this life lesson… Bam!  I find myself fretting over how another person sees me, thinks of…

Challenge 78
Copyright: Jeanne Gladden.


“Use everything.  Be used by nothing.” Walter Starcke

I was an undergrad student for 12 years.  Twelve years. That’s how long it took to complete…

Challenge 77
Copyright: Jeanne Gladden.

What might it be like to find yourself with a little time of your own?  With nothing pushing or pulling at you?  No demands.  No plans. No pressure. No places to be. 

Would you feel peaceful? Or might you feel a twinge of urgency to do something…anything…. to be productive?

As a kid, I excelled at nothingness.  I remember long unscheduled summer days full of big sky…

Challenge 76
Copyright: Jeanne Gladden.

Confidence or competence.  Which comes first?  A chicken or egg kind of question, to be sure.  And, the answer may surprise you.  

Growth requires us to take risks.  To shine a light on our imperfections. Growth requires us to lead with confidence before we have the competence. 

It’s natural to feel self-confident when we possess competence in a particular area.  Not so easy when we are…

Challenge 75
Copyright: Jeanne Gladden.
A 3-minute read

Perhaps, like me, you are searching for signs of America becoming great again.  Perhaps you are pleased with what you see.  Perhaps you are not. 

I wonder if we, the people, could even agree on what would make America great?  Do we have a shared vision? A set of shared values? Some worthy goals?  A set of metrics?  These disciplines drive consensus in…

Challenge 73
Copyright: Jeanne Gladden.
A 3-minute read

We knew it was coming.  We did everything we could to put it off.  And so did he. 

And, now we are here missing him.  And, he is there. 

Our sweet cat, Ralphie, died this week.  

Our Great Nieces and Nephews loved playing “Where’s Ralphie?” when they came to visit. Ralphie would get wind they were coming and hide. The minute the…

Challenge 72
Copyright: Jeanne Gladden. A 3-minute read


It’s Valentine’s Day.  A day to share the love. 

Thanks to media, social and antisocial, there are people who fit into our easy to love category. We send them likes. And hearts. And other expressions of favor. 

What about the rest of the world? Those who do not make the cut for our loving expressions.  We may dislike or disrespect them with varying degrees…

Copyright: Jeanne Gladden.
A 3-minute read

You know exactly what you want. You know why you want it. You’ve explored your options. You’ve nailed down a plan.

Now that What, Why, and How are sorted, it’s time to hit send.

You’re jazzed. So jazzed.

But wait!

A couple of tiny things…microscopic, really…. need to be handled first. These micro ends dangle like dreaded prepositions and participles at the end of an otherwise…

Copyright: Jeanne Gladden
A 3-minute read – Challenge 70


Trying to keep up with my 94-year-old mom is crazy fun. Mama Eva moves like the Energizer bunny on her rollator, exercises her mind and her body daily an makes it a point to learn something new every day. Then she teaches her new insight or skill to someone else…usually me.

Mom excels at anticipating changing situations and adapting to new circumstances ahead…

Copyright: Jeanne Gladden
A 3-minute read – Challenge 69

Oh My Goodness. If only it were that easy. Just when I think I’m becoming better at letting go, I find myself renting a storage unit to house the first couch my parents ever owned. The blue one. Because you never know when a family member might need a beloved 75 year
old couch.

Then there are my closets brimming with unworn clothes…

Copyright: Jeanne Gladden
A 3-minute read – Challenge 68

This week’s winter storm gave me a reason to settle in, to stay put. To hang out with hundreds of desperately hungry birds feeding off our deck. To put the kettle on. To indulge in book browsing. To travel into a story of my choosing.

And to ask myself yet again, what does it mean to Just Keep Growing? After you retire…

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

I just love a brand-new year. A time to take stock. A chance to hit refresh.

I’m not much for making resolutions, but I do appreciate a chance to do a little better. To be a little better.

Each new year invites us to take stock. Personally. Professionally. Practically. This year, my stock taking, gave way to a…

As we make our way into the new year, I'd like to thank you all for taking this journey with Just Keep Growing. Thank you for growing through 2024 with us; I look forward to the next year!

Before you go, I encourage you to comment a piece of good advice you heard in 2024 along with well wishes for the new year.

Love, jeanne, 
www.justkeepgrowing.biz

Happy Holidays from Just Keep Growing!
We hope you enjoy a little break with your friends and family.
More Just Keep Growing to come next week!

Love, jeanne, www.justkeepgrowing.biz

A 3-minute read – Challenge 65
Copyright: Jeanne Gladden


My wise Dad acquired a classic 1947 June-Bug Green Plymouth about the time I got my driver’s license. We named her Minnie. Unlike my best friend’s brand-new Mustang, Minnie was not cool. She was not sleek. Minnie was a tank. No matter, she was mine. If not on paper, she belonged to me in my heart.

The Old Girl took a bit of…

Copyright: Jeanne Gladden
A 2-minute read – Challenge 64

In Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert’s TED Talk, The Psychology of the Future Self, he said “Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they are finished. The person you are right now is transient, fleeting, and temporary. The one constant in our lives is change.”

We appreciate that fact of life. Of course, we do. And yet, we can easily slip…