Whoa, where did October go? We were just talking about school starting back up and now here we are with the holidays right around the corner! Goodness, are you ready for all of this?
Luckily, Nonahood News is not your typical newspaper filled with negative stories, divisive politics, or energy-sapping drama. I’m proud that we not only report on local events, growth and news, but we also have more than 45 recurring columns that are designed to uplift, inspire, inform, educate, and even make you laugh!
As I read through and edit every article that comes through, I always find it to be a bit magical that each month, without trying to, we almost always tend to have an underlying theme or common thread that seems to frame each edition. Sure, sometimes this is partly because of the season or holiday, but there’s more to it than that. For example, of course, we have a Thanksgiving recipe, there are several mentions of gratitude, and we learn how to set up our gardens for an autumn harvest in this month’s edition. But, that’s not the underlying theme I picked up on.
While last month it seemed that the common thread was change ‒ preparing for it, accepting it, embracing it, creating it, coping with it – this month’s editorials are quite empowering and teach us ways to be present in the moment and be our best selves through positive-thinking, good health, building relationships, and serving others. In “Work Well,” Natalia Foote teaches us tips on developing gratitude in the workplace, which will contribute to a happier work environment, which in turn lends itself to having a more meaningful life. Samia Solh reveals in “Rising Above” four techniques to silence that negative voice in your head so that you might live a life that “allows you to love who you are and where you are in life.” Our insightful writer, Odette Vaccaro, explains all about the tricky balance of thoughts and feelings while understanding that being mindful is about being present and observing without judgment even the difficult and bad things around us in one of my favorite columns, “Finding Now.” You can learn about how to keep marriage simple in Pastor Gage’s column, “ReThink Life.” Take a look at “Camp Gladiator Trainer Talk” to see how Vernice Salveron-Gasper guides us through eight ways to navigate our pursuit of happiness. And Lady Nona openly shares nine of the selfish benefits of living a selfless lifestyle as a humanitarian.
Another thing that left me awestruck this month is that there are so many amazing people doing extraordinary things in this community! It’s my job to choose four stories to “call out” on the front page of each edition. Often while editing, three to five stories easily pop out as special announcements or experiences that beg to be shared. This time, I found the selection process to be a major struggle as I had nearly a dozen headlines I wanted to shout out to the world!
Not only do we have resident doctors and researchers discovering groundbreaking cancer treatments that will save lives, and a children’s hospital in our backyard that is using 3D printing to aid in cancer and cardiac surgeries as well as preoperative interventional radiology … but we also have Briel Royce, a nine-year-old who just earned herself a spot at the sixth annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club … and Katie Graumann who won six gold and two silver medals with her team at this year’s European Championship for Dragon Boating!
Not only do we have our own cycling club that has raised more than $100,000 for local charities in three years and a volunteer committee who dreamt up an annual Santa’s Workshop weekend event that will knock your socks off and engage the community while raising money for the Ronald McDonald House … but we also have RJ and Jordan Fontana who are the “house mom and dad” for the Central Florida Children’s Home, keeping siblings together while providing them with a family-oriented atmosphere, love, support, and education … and we have Wendy Brandon, the newly-appointed CEO of the UCF Lake Nona Medical Center that just broke ground, whom I’m sure we will see great things from in coming years.
All around us, we have neighbors who are everyday heroes, national role models, and international champions, enriching our lives, building a better tomorrow, and restoring our faith in humanity. It’s truly humbling and awe-inspiring to read these stories every month.
All of these accounts and so very much more can be found in our November edition. These incredible people are you, your families, your neighbors, your coworkers … this is YOU, Lake Nona! You’re amazing! Never underestimate the positive influence you have on the people around you which ripples into a better world overall. So, go back to being awesome, but be sure to set aside distractions from time to time so that you can be present and mindful and enjoy some time with friends and family during these upcoming holidays (making you even more awesome).
