60 Seconds for Story Prompt Friday: The Promise of the New Year 2026

Hello to you listening all over the world!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Story Prompt Friday in the New Year and your host, Diane Wyzga.Old Man Winter sighed, letting go of the last snowflake as midnight chimed, releasing tiny, glittering sprites of memories from the past year to dance away, making room for the mischievous, bright-eyed Spirit of New Beginnings, who whispered, "Twelve new chapters, 365 new chances!" as the world filled with fresh hope and the promise of endless possibilities, readying us to honor the coming days with compassion, loving kindness, and adventure.Story Prompt: Imagine this: the old ways of being have faded and a heartwarming spirit has arrived, full of potential, ready to inspire visions, curiosity, imagination, and even a bit of magic. Let’s embrace the Promise of the New Year, letting go of what was, welcoming second chances, and stepping forward with hope and gentle optimism for the future we’ll create. Write that story and share it out loud!  You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Communication Services, arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

Hello to you, Marilyn, listening in Hancock, New Hampshire!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington, this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds (and a bit more) for Wednesdays on Whidbey—this final day of the old year—and your host, Diane Wyzga.      Shoveling Snow With Buddha by Billy Collins"In the usual iconography of the temple or the local Wokyou would never see him doing such a thing,tossing the dry snow over the mountainof his bare, round shoulder,his hair tied in a knot,a model of concentration. Sitting is more his speed, if that is the wordfor what he does, or does not do. Even the season is wrong for him.In all his manifestations, is it not warm and slightly humid?Is this not implied by his serene expression,that smile so wide it wraps itself around the waist of the universe? But here we are, working our way down the driveway,one shovelful at a time.We toss the light powder into the clear air.We feel the cold mist on our faces.And with every heave we disappearand become lost to each otherin these sudden clouds of our own making,these fountain-bursts of snow. This is so much better than a sermon in church,I say out loud, but Buddha keeps on shoveling.This is the true religion, the religion of snow,and sunlight and winter geese barking in the sky,I say, but he is too busy to hear me. He has thrown himself into shoveling snowas if it were the purpose of existence,as if the sign of a perfect life were a clear drivewayone you could back the car down easilyand drive off into the vanities of the worldwith a broken heater fan and a song on the radio. All morning long we work side by side,me with my commentaryand he inside the generous pocket of his silence,until the hour is nearly noonand the snow is piled high all around us;then, I hear him speak. After this, he asks,can we go inside and play cards? Certainly, I reply, and I will heat some milkand bring cups of hot chocolate to the tablewhile you shuffle the deck,and our boots stand dripping by the door. Aaah, says the Buddha, lifting his eyesand leaning for a moment on his shovelbefore he drives the thin blade againdeep into the glittering white snow."My New Year wish for you: As the old year folds onto itself and the new year dawns I wish for you that your everyday activities, even the very simple tasks, bring humor, contemplation, and a sense of magic in the ordinary. May you find your way on the path following a compass heading of True North. May the love you seek wend its way to you. May you dream well, journey far, and be sustained in hope that what you’re looking for is looking for you.You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Communication Services, arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

Hello to you listening in Suffolk, Virginia!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds (and a bit more for an important story) for Motivate Your Monday and your host, Diane Wyzga.Each one of us - if we’re determined - finds a way to compost the regrets, poor decisions, failures, shames and blames that are part and parcel of living life into something almost beyond description: personal transformation. My long time friend, podcasting colleague, disabled military vet, and avid hiker, Keith McNally, is a man finding his path to transformation.His goal? Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail beginning on March 29, 2026, crossing 14 states on the East Coast and finishing 2,197 miles 5 months later. Some of the challenges include constant rough terrain with difficult footing, a series of steep grades, climbs and descents, as well as river crossings balanced on logs, extreme weather, insects, and rock scrambles using hands for climbing. The elevation profile of the AT over its length is akin to summiting Mount Everest from sea level and back approximately 16 times. So yes, physical fitness is a must to take on the AT; but it is mental fortitude and the ability to adapt to unforseen challenges that is key to finishing the hike.Keith’s journey will be a test of perseverance, a tribute to the beauty of the natural world, and an opportunity for personal growth. Even more importantly, Keith is setting the groundwork for a non-profit foundation to help military veterans find their own Trails to Transformation. This first hike is just the beginning.  But here’s something else. Keith is not walking alone. He has also been steadfastly training an indefatigable Aussie cattle dog he named Ashley after rescuing her from a shelter. Click HERE to watch a short video entitled:  Introduction to Ashley - Trail Partner and Training CompanionAs you can imagine, an expedition like this one does not come cheap. I know money is dear. And, here I am asking you to please reach deep into your pocket to give what you are able to Keith & Ashley’s GoFundMe project. On the GoFundMe site you’ll find all the details as well as a punch list of expenses so you can see where your contributions will go.    Click HERE to access Keith’s GoFundMe, add what you can, and invite others to be part of the mission. I did!  If you are curious about keeping up with Keith’s training, stories, photos and more, click HERE to access his  overwhelmingly popular newsletter published on Tuesdays on LinkedIn [Keith J. McNally | LinkedIn]Thank you for listening and giving a hand up because Each One Lift One is the way we roll hereYou're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Services, arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

Hello to you listening in Hannover, Germany!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Story Prompt Friday and your host, Diane Wyzga.  Once upon a time long ago and far away there lived a farmer. His most treasured possession was a fine stallion. Oh my, said the neighbors: what good fortune to own such a fine horse! Perhaps, said the farmer.One night the stallion ran off in a storm. Oh no, said the neighbors, what a disaster to lose your horse! Perhaps, said the farmer.But after some time the stallion came back and following him a mare and a pony. Oh my, said the neighbors: what good fortune! You had no horses and now you have 3! Perhaps, said the farmer.        One day the farmer’s son galloped off on the mare, hit the branch of a tree, fell to the ground, and badly broke his leg. Neighbors found him, carried him home and said, Oh no, what a disaster for your poor son. Perhaps, said the farmer.The son was in bed with his broken leg when a tribe from the north descended on the village. Every able-bodied man and boy went out to defend their homes and farms. Many died that day. But the farmer’s son who could not fight —through no fault of his own— was spared. Oh my, said the neighbors, what good fortune your son was spared! Perhaps, said the farmer.And so the old ones say that just beneath good fortune crouches disaster but always perched above disaster one finds good fortune and it is impossible to know which is really which.Story Prompt: Life shows up in such integrated complexity, how can we know whether what happens is good or bad?  What about you? How do you know what’s what? Write that story and share it out loud!    You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Services, arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

Hello to you listening all around the world this Christmas Eve!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Wednesdays on Whidbey and your host, Diane Wyzga.It’s that time of year when it feels like the hurrier we go the behinder we get. I have a solution for you. For just a moment let us breathe and practice keeping still this Silent Night with Pablo Neruda. KEEPING QUIET  "Now we will count to twelveand we will all keep stillfor once on the face of the earth,let’s not speak in any language;let’s stop for a second,and not move our arms so much. It would be an exotic momentwithout rush, without engines;we would all be togetherin a sudden strangeness. Fishermen in the cold seawould not harm whalesand the man gathering saltwould look at his hurt hands. Those who prepare green wars,wars with gas, wars with fire,victories with no survivors,would put on clean clothesand walk about with their brothersin the shade, doing nothing. What I want should not be confusedwith total inactivity.Life is what it is about;I want no truck with death. If we were not so single-mindedabout keeping our lives moving,and for once could do nothing,perhaps a huge silencemight interrupt this sadnessof never understanding ourselvesand of threatening ourselves with death. Perhaps the earth can teach usas when everything seems deadand later proves to be alive. Now I’ll count up to twelveand you keep quiet and I will go." [~ by Pablo Neruda]Translation of this poem by Pablo Neruda is by Alistair ReedYou're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Services, arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

Hello to you listening in Jakarta, Indonesia!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds (and a bit more) for Motivate Your Monday and your host, Diane Wyzga.As the old ones say, “If we are not grateful for what we have in this present moment, what makes us think we will be happy with more?”  Maybe it’s true and maybe it isn’t but long ago and far away there lived a man in a small country village. He had everything he had ever asked for: friends, livelihood, wife, family - and yet and yet something was stirring in him: Looking around he asked himself, Is this all there is? Perhaps I am meant for something more, something better. Perhaps I should go and seek my happiness outside the village.One summer morning he left his home, carefully closed the garden gate behind him and walked away. He walked for miles and miles until he could no longer see where he had been. Night fell and he found himself deep in a dark forest. Having no other shelter he took off his shoes, spread his coat on the ground, and fell asleep against the trunk of a tree for he was very tired.Watching him sleep his angel shook her head at the folly of his adventure. But what could she do? She could turn his shoes around facing them back in the direction from which he came. And so she did.When the man awoke he pulled on his coat, put his feet into his shoes and began to walk. After many miles of walking the man began to see familiar fields, a few farmhouses, a village - all looking very much like what he had left; but how could that be? People in the village market greeted him as if he was familiar to them; but how could that be? Arriving at a cottage with a garden gate he was startled to be greeted by children and a woman as if he were their long lost father and husband; but how could that be? They welcomed him inside, took off his shoes, sat him at a table very much like one he knew, fed him food that tasted like home; but how could that be?To this very day the man lives with that family in that home in that village and wonders, “If this isn’t happiness, what is?”  As the old ones say, “If we are not grateful for what we have in this present moment, what makes us think we will be happy with more?”  You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Services, arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

Hello to you listening in Post Falls, Idaho!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds (and a bit more) for Story Prompt Friday and your host, Diane Wyzga.Maybe it’s true and maybe it isn’t but once there was a soldier walking home from the war. He had been walking many days, sleeping rough, eating little, and was very hungry. He stumbled into a small village that looked worse than he felt but surely, he thought, someone could spare a bite to eat. He knocked at the first door he came to but the woman who answered his knock said ......How we treat each other, help each other, brings people together, makes food taste better, makes life better. Going into the coming days we will need each other like never before. We will need to feed each other with stone soups and nourishing stories.Story Prompt: Think of a time when you were nourished by someone or something that felt as magical as ..... stone soup! Write that story!  And share it out loud!  You’re always invited: “Come for the stories - stay for the magic!” Speaking of magic, would you subscribe and spread the word with a generous 5-star review and comment - it helps us all - and join us next time!Meanwhile, stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website to:✓ Check out Services I Offer,✓ For a no-obligation conversation about your communication challenges, get in touch with me today✓ Stay current with Diane as “Wyzga on Words” on Substack, LinkedIn and now Pandora RadioStories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicAll content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved. 

Hello, to you listening in Neenah, Wisconsin!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Wednesdays on Whidbey and your host, Diane Wyzga.A few years ago I had to make the decision to send my kitty over the Rainbow Bridge. He had been living pretty well with kidney disease but I noticed changes. What to do? Is it time? We’re coming into the holidays. Will the home visit vet  be available?The day before they were to leave for a week with their son and daughter-in-law my sister and her husband were faced with the Rainbow Bridge decision for their good and faithful dog who had been ailing with cancer and old age. What to do? Cancel the trip? Find a dog sitter?Recently, my friend was placed in a position of having to leave a relationship because it had become very difficult and dangerous. What to do? How to do it? When to do it?Maybe you see yourself in these situations. I have a solution. The choice we’re called on to make isn’t between what is right and what is wrong. The decision is between what is right and what is best.My sister and I knew we had done right by our animal companions over the many years of time together and care. Now it was time to do what was best for them. Likewise, my friend knew that she had done what was right for the relationship; now it was time to do what was best for herself.  Practical Tip: When faced with a situation that places you at a crossroads of what to do and how to do it, consider asking yourself: How might I choose between what is right and what is best? I just know you will come to the right answer. Thank you for listening.You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Communication Services, arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

Hello to you listening in Marseille, France!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Motivate Your Monday and your host, Diane Wyzga.Maybe like me this time of year brings you face-to-face with something going not quite right in your business or maybe you’re life. Maybe you’re using an old play book that used to work but no longer does. Maybe your attitude could use a reboot.Deep down, we all know it - don’t we? We have a hunch what’s gone missing, a risk we need to take, a habit we need to break. It’s like a desire to take up daily walking for all the right reasons. There’s not much to it; only the decision to move our bodies and the wisdom to accept the difference between our will and our won’t.Question: What’s the risk you’ve been avoiding? What’s the risk you’re willing to take? And what might happen next? You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Communication Services, arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

Hello to you listening in Wilmington, Delaware!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Story Prompt Friday and your host, Diane Wyzga.I remember my mother taking me to our local library when I was a very little girl so I could apply for and receive my very own library card. To this day one of my most treasured possessions is my library card. Reading becomes us.    “To read means to borrow; to create out of one’s reading is paying off one’s debts.” [Charles Lillard, poet & historian]Story Prompt: What have you read? What have you borrowed? What have you created? What debts have you paid off? Write that story and tell it out loud!  You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer’s Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.