Don McMinn

I saw this poster in the psychiatric ward of a hospital. It was for the benefit of patients who are suffering from depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other psychological disorders. My heart goes out to those who suffer from these debilitating ailments. I have struggled with depression so I empathize with these types of challenges.

I like this poster because it implies an encouraging message: “You may feel trapped in a mire of mental dissonance. Our physicians will do all they can do to help you. But here are 10 things you can start doing immediately that will help. You can do these, so do them.”

My main point is: Don’t use circumstances that are ostensibly out of your control as an excuse for inactivity. Take responsibility for discovering and doing things you can do that will be beneficial, regardless of how small or insignificant they may seem. I’m advocating initiative, engagement, and action; not acquiescence, passivity, or capitulation.

In life, don’t focus on things you cannot control; concentrate on things you can do and do them.

The image of the poster is small so the words may be hard to read. Here’s what it says.

Manage your time — Flexible little routines lower stress by increasing daily predictability. Remember that your schedule doesn’t need to be rigid. Create short lists for today and not beyond the weekend. Say out loud what you are grateful for each day.

Prepare for the day — Take 10 minutes each evening to prepare for the next day. Write down meal plans and pack lunches ahead of time. Pick out clothing, set out shoes and put items you need in one place. Call or arrange meetings of your everyday activities.

Enjoy little things — Slow down and enjoy the moment you’re in. Focus on the details of your everyday activities.

Move often —  Regular exercise reduces stress and improves health. Small spurts of activity work well even if you can’t schedule a workout. A 10-minute walk can be just as effective as a 45-minute workout to relieve anxiety.

Laugh often — Laughter releases endorphins that improve mood and immune health; lowers levels of stress hormones, cortisol, and epinephrin; and improves management of physical pain.

Enjoy nature and creativity — Spending time outdoors is a natural antidepressant. Natural scents and sights have a calming effect. Take time to enjoy art, music, and dance.

Breathe deeply — Take 5 minutes to breathe slowly and deeply when you feel anxious. Slow breaths reduce stress hormones in the body and lower heart rate and blood pressure. 

Meditate daily — Meditation is about finding inner peace. Find simple ways to calm your mind, like taking a bath or listening to soft music.

Keep a joy journal — Journaling promotes reflection and organization of thoughts. Entries can be long or short. Journal positive situations, achievements, and the little things of life. Record what you are grateful for.

Sleep well.

 

  

I love to travel with friends.

Thirteen years ago I started hosting an annual international trip for friends. I truly wanted to use my travel-knowledge to help others experience the wonders of travel. If you’ve not traveled much, it can be intimidating, mysterious, and confusing. My trips make travel accessible, safe, reasonable, and fun.

It’s also beneficial to travel with others-as opposed to traveling solo-because experiences are magnified when we have them with others. When you have an “ah-ha” moment–like seeing the beaches of Normandy– have it with others and it will be more deeply etched into your mind. Also, deep friendships are formed when you’re traveling with a group. Some of my best friends are those I have traveled with often. I hope you’ll join Mary and me for a life-enhancing 15-days.

On our 2026 trip, we’ll explore Iberia. The culture of the Iberian Peninsula is diverse and rich, shaped by a history of interaction between many civilizations, including the indigenous Iberians, Celts, Romans, Visigoths, and Moors. We’ll visit five countries: Netherlands, France, Portugal, Spain, and Gibraltar (a British Overseas Territory).

Click below for a brochure about the trip.

Iberian-Peninsula-2026-Final Brochure

Two Travel with Friends Information Meeting

Join me for a Zoom meeting on Thursday, January 22 from 7:00-8:00pm. If you want to join this Zoom meeting, email me at djmcminn@msn.com and I’ll send you a link. You can download Zoom for free. You can also participate via a conference call using your mobile phone.

We’ll discuss the itinerary, accommodations, and ports of call. The Q&A will answer all your questions.

If you have any questions, email me at djmcminn@msn.com or call me at 214.783.4414

“A man can wear out a particular part of his mind by continually using it and tiring it, just in the same way as he can wear out the elbows of his coat…to be really happy and really safe, one ought to have at least two or three hobbies, and they must all be real.” Winston Churchill, Pall Mall, 1925

I just read Daniel Smith’s book How to Think Like Churchill. I recommend it. Smith has written 26 short chapters about Churchill’s life in a blend of biography and life lessons. We’re all familiar with Churchill’s incredible life and legacy, but before reading the book, I was unaware that he was a huge advocate of hobbies and had many himself. Smith devotes an entire chapter to discussing this topic. I read that Churchill:

• • • Was a keen fan of music, particularly military marches and classics from the music hall.
    • Enjoyed cinema, particularly the works of the Marx Brothers and Walt Disney.
    • Was a connoisseur of fine wine, food, and cigars.
    • Was a keen hunter, riding with hounds even in his seventies, as well as enjoying big game hunting.
    • As a boy he had an interest in stamp collecting and card games. 
    • Enjoyed landscaping and especially, somewhat unexpectedly, bricklaying, to the extent that he became a member of the Guild of Bricklayers.
    • The pastime he enjoyed most was painting. He took up painting in his forties and in his lifetime produced 500 works. He insisted that all his unwieldy artist’s paraphernalia—including stools, easels, canvases and paint boxes—be taken on his exotic travels. In 1948 he published a volume entitled Painting as a Pastime. He was quite good at it; Pablo Picasso said, “If Churchill were a painter by profession, he’d have no trouble making a living.”

A hobby should not be just an extension of your profession. If you’re a CPA working for an accounting firm, reading the latest journal articles about the tax code does not qualify as a hobby. A real hobby might be pursuing scuba diving or ballroom dancing. Escape from your bubble and become a novice in a different area.

A good hobby should initially put you in unfamiliar territory. You’ll start as a neophyte, feel uncomfortable, and fail often. But ultimately you’ll get better and the journey will be invigorating.

I have several major hobbies. I create pedagogical art (art that teaches a lesson) and I am a wine expert (I have three advanced certifications in wine studies and maintain a small vineyard). I enjoy these hobbies so much I often get into the “flow” when engaging in them; I lose track of time and enter a different mental state.

It’s beneficial for couples to share a hobby. My wife and I love to travel. We want to visit 80 countries before we die; we’ve been to 65. We enjoy visiting museums; we’ve been to most of the great art museums in the world. We enjoy cooking together; sometimes we’ll spend three hours preparing and savoring a meal.
Hobbies are extremely beneficial. They:

1. 1. 1. Help reduce or eradicate boredom. 
      2. Give you something to do when you have extra time. 
      3. Give you an activity you can look forward to and get excited about.
      4. Help you develop new skills.
      5. Enhance your life. 
      6. Relieve stress.
      7. Promote better health and may lower the risk of high blood pressure. 
      8. May reduce the risk of depression and dementia.
      9. Some hobbies are good for you physically; they keep you active.
      10. Improve creativity.
      11. Get you out of your mental and physical ruts.
      12. Can strengthen relationships.
      13. Provide a good transition to retirement.

It’s never too late to start a hobby. The old saying—When is the best time to plant a tree? The best time is twenty years ago; the next best time is today.—applies to starting hobbies.

There is a difference between a biblical absolute, a spiritual conviction, and a personal opinion. It’s important to know the difference and not misapply them. This chart defines the three terms and explains how they differ.

There are several ways to misapply these terms.

1. Sometimes, we call something a biblical absolute when it is not. Ex: “Christians should not drink alcohol.” There is no biblical prohibition for drinking alcohol. It may be your spiritual conviction, but it’s not a biblical absolute. We misrepresent God and confuse people when we label something as sin that the Bible doesn’t. 
2. Sometimes, we erroneously elevate a spiritual conviction to the level of biblical absolute. Ex: “You must have a daily quiet time.” This is certainly a good idea, but it’s a spiritual conviction, not a biblical absolute. Don’t suggest that God will be displeased at me if I don’t have a daily quiet time.
3. While it’s good and normal to have personal preferences, at times we may need to hold them loosely and yield to the preferences of others. We should acknowledge and accept other people’s preferences.

Consider each of these statements. Is it a biblical absolute, spiritual conviction, or personal preference?

1. Do not speak unwholesome words.
2. We should sing only hymns in church.
3. Forgive one another.
4. I like living in the country.
5. We should sing only praise choruses at church.
6. I’m going to read my Bible every morning before I go to work.
7. I would rather spend my extra money on nice clothes than a nice car.
8. It’s important for a church to have Sunday night services.
9. Be completely gentle.
10. We feel strongly that our children should attend public school.
11. Encourage one another.
12. I’m going to participate in the anti-abortion rally.
13. On my day off, I enjoy solitude.

Numbers 1,3,9 and 11 are directives from the Bible, so they are nonnegotiable. Numbers 6,10 and 12 are spiritual convictions. The remaining statements are preferences.

Know when to hold tight to your persuasions and when to hold them loosely.