This photo sums up so much about the holiday season for me:
Ooooh. I’m excited and dressed up fancy!
Wait…do things seem slightly off-kilter to you? I don’t feel centered.
What. Is. Happening?!
If you are feeling any of the above — or any anything, really — and want a good dose of kindness, join me for my free online class tonight. It is going to be a very good hour.
I hope your December is starting out beautifully! We had a big snowfall the other day and the city is still blanketed with our white wonder.
I didn’t have to do any of the shoveling or drive in the worst of it, though, because my December is starting out COVID-y. 😖 It’s pretty miserable. But as of today I’m through the worst of it — and I get to venture out of my bedroom in my mask!
Fortunately, my partner and kiddo remain well. And we’re doing everything we can to keep it that way.
Getting COVID has put me behind on letting folks know about my upcoming free class, Applied Kindness. If you’re willing to share it with anyone who might be interested, I would really appreciate that!
December has always been a magical month for me. I celebrate holidays with my family, and both my Dad and I have birthdays in December. Plus Solstice. And snow!
This year I’m heading into the season full of both COVID and grief about my Dad, and I’m less excited and prepared for it than usual.
But that’s okay. I am finding comfort and balance by tuning into the simple gift of kindness.
I’ve been on the receiving end of some stunning kindnesses this year. Its effects are both immediate and long-lasting.
For example…Kindness in
While composing myself after a minor episode of public griefy-weeping at church a few weeks ago, someone I recently met came over and held my gaze before saying, “Your emotions look beautiful on you.”
Like I said, stunning kindness.
I think of her comment almost every day.
And that feels really good.
Kindness out…
I doubt she knows how deeply this affected me. As soon as I regain more energy I will make her a beautiful card telling her how much her words meant to me.
And that feels good, too.
Both receiving AND offering kindness are powerful acts with a bunch of positive effects.
In Tuesday’s class (details below), we’ll look at research that explains why kindness is so powerful. We’ll do a gentle somatic exercise, share a few stories, and I’ll give you some simple science-backed tips you can use right away to tap into the gifts of kindness.
If you would like to feel a little more kindness in your life, join me on Tuesday. I would love to see you there!
Applied Kindness
Tuesday, Dec 6: 7-8 pm
Free online class
One thing I have learned about having a chronic illness is to expect the unexpected. I mean, I never really DO expect it, but wouldn’t it be fantastic if I did?!? 
This week the small and mighty superhero who lives inside me (it’s my pacemaker / ICD) did a fantastic job of keeping me alive. I love that!
On Wednesday, I had an episode of V-tach (heart rate spike) and after I passed out, my darling device zapped my heart and said, “Tut, tut. None of that now. Settle down.” And then my heart said, “Oh, okay.” and did. Settle down, that is.
I’m home from the hospital. I’m fine. You can read more on Caring Bridge here.
In addition to not driving for 3 months, I will be leaning into asking for help, feeling the love and support around me, and appreciating what I have. And refreshing my Art of Appreciation class coming up on April 12th. I’ll have some fresh new examples of how it can work! 😆
Today I appreciate the darling people in my life who bring me flowers, offers me rides, give me space to rant and rave and cry, and who make teeny tiny cards for me. You make my life feel magical and so full of love. 
Come to my holiday happiness hacks class tomorrow to learn how to be delighted by things like — a pacemaker alarm*! (Or something more pertinent to your own life…) 😆
https://bit.ly/pre-holiday-happiness-hacks
This summer we installed a patio in our front yard. I love this space so much!
Because I managed to land in the hospital just one day before our gravel and pavers were delivered (wah! 😩) my contribution to the physical work of building the patio was limited. Sarah and Mckenzie did ALL the hard work. I appreciate them so much! For my part, I did a lot of cheerleading, childcare, and chocolate dispensing. (Not really. I dispensed more freezies than chocolate. It was hot. 😉)
I knew this patio was going to be wonderful, but I didn’t realize how beneficial it would be for my well-being. Not only is it gorgeous (we have Sarah’s expert design eye and amazing muscles to thank for that!), but since we’re continuing to do social visits outdoors until kiddo is vaccinated, it is a magical place for connection, too.
One of my favorite activities during the past few weeks has been to watch the incredible bee activity on our late-blooming goldenrod. One day I counted more than 30 bees at one time! They are fascinating to watch.
Here’s a photo from of one of those days. It’s hard to see all the bees because they moved around so much. I found 13 in this photo. Can you find them? Can you find more!?!
(Naturally I also have an answer key to this bee puzzle with bees circled in red. 😆 I will publish that photo later this week.)
In other news, I’ve been busy as a bee taking UPenn courses for my certificate in Positive Psychology and EdX classes on Bridging Differences. I love learning new things. It makes my little brain so happy!
And, I am even happier that I get to share some of the science-based happiness hacks I’ve been learning in an upcoming workshop. Yay! I’ve missed connecting with you in workshops!
Rewire Your Brain: Happiness Hacks (before the holidays hit!)
Where: Online
When: November 16th, 6:30-8:30 CT
Cost: Pay what you want — suggested donation $50
Register here:
https://bit.ly/pre-holiday-happiness-hacks
Learn how to use your brain’s superpowers to make the best of any situation. (And yes, that includes hospital stays or holidays, family gatherings or family feuds.)
We have more control over how we experience our lives than it seems. Learn simple, science-based techniques you can use to make your joyful times more joyful and your challenging times less challenging.
I look forward to reconnecting with you soon!
xoxo
I like weather in the 60s. Even cloudy days. It seems like the zinnia colors pop even more on days like this.
I like our front garden. Yesterday I let a bumble bee land on my knee. I’m a little bit scared of bees (PTSD from stepping on wasps nest as a child!), so this was a big deal. Sitting in our pollinator garden is helping me develop a better relationship with these amazing little critters.
Also monarchs. So many monarchs. I love this.
The amazing and beautiful Sarah made a beautiful and amazing mask storage bag for us, organized by height! Now our masks (3 sizes, all made by Sarah) are easily accessible when we leave the house.💜 I mean, it also doubles as a nesting place for stuffies, so that’s magical in its own right. 😊
I love that we’ve been able to keep the bunnies and squirrels fed all summer (peas, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, and beans). It’s fun having a nature preserve in the front yard.
And yet… I am equally glad that they’ve so far overlooked a couple squashes and one pumpkin. I hope they keep ignoring them!
I also really love learning more about our brains and nervous systems and the things we can do to change our lives even when there’s a lot about our lives that we can’t change…And then organizing and editing that information into fun, interactive classes! 😊
(HINT: My next series, Rewire Your Brain – Grow Your Happiness Practices for Greater Resilience, starts October 15th!)
In case you want a little break from 2020’s, well, 2020-ness. 😊
Oh, and in case you want more tools to help you work with what life is throwing at us right now, October’s 5-week series, Rewire Your Brain – Grow Your Happiness Practices for Greater Resilience, is filled with tools you can use to increase your well-being and resilience. Classes start October 17th!
One of the really fun things about recording appreciations over for a long time is going back to revisit them. Today I came across an appreciation for our windowsill menagerie from 2017. It still makes me smile today!
The players have changed, but the game still remains!
If you want help getting into your own appreciation practice (oh, and want to meet some cool new people and have some fun!), join us for our Rewire Your Brain — Appreciation Practices for Challenging Times class on Tuesday, August 25th. It’s the last time I’ll be offering this class for awhile, so be sure to register if you’ve been meaning to check it out!
What is beautiful in your day so far?
For me it is listening to the red squirrels chittering outside, watching monarchs dance around our baby oak tree, spotting an Eastern Tiger Swallowtails in our garden, and watching Sarah & Ida dance their way into the room. 💚
Plus coffee. 😆
Learn how you can get the most wonder from your days (even when they are less than wonderful). Join us tomorrow for Rewire Your Brain: Appreciation Practices for Challenging Time!
SPOTS STILL OPEN FOR TOMORROW’S CLASS
There are still spots open for tomorrow’s Rewire Your Brain class! Saturday’s class was excellent. Lots of laughs and lots of learning. I even got a new gratitude buddy out of it! Details about the class are below. Or you can take the leap (there’s no actual risk. 😉 Suggested donation is $25, but everyone is welcome!) and register HERE.
SCREENS FOR HAPPINESS
In other news, I was re-listening to one of my favorite podcasts, The Happiness Lab this week and came across an episode I’d missed. Score! This episode, Good Screens and Bad Screens, offered an interesting idea (beyond “limit your screen time”) for improving our relationship with screens — which given our need for screens right now seems like a great plan.
Here’s the idea: think of categorizing your screen time as different food groups in a screen time “diet.” There’s “healthy food” screen time — like connecting with loved ones through video chat or watching a show that lifts our spirits. And there’s “junk food” screen time that drains us. (For me, it’s scrolling through countless news articles or repeatedly checking my email).
I so appreciate this novel way of looking at my screen life! Now when I spend time on a screen, I take a minute to think about whether it is nourishing or depleting me. It’s already made a big difference in my sense of well-being. Thanks, cool podcast!
I know the screen time I spend doing tomorrow’s class will fill me up with all sorts of good feelings. It is definitely on MY “healthy foods” screen time list. I hope you’ll join us and get the same kinds of rewards!
However you spend your screen time this week, I hope it nourishes and energizes you!
REWIRE YOUR BRAIN
Appreciation Practices for Challenging Times
Date: Thursday, July 23
Time: 7:00-8:00 pm CDT
Location: Online everywhere
Suggested donation: $25 – OR pay what you like after the class! ️❤️
seriouslyhappy2.com 