In recent weeks two of my favorite happiness gurus, Gretchen Rubin https://gretchenrubin.com/blog/and Margaret Manning http://sixtyandme.com/have been discussing colour and its effect on happiness. Their comments prompted a new recognition of the importance of colour in my life. I am a visual learner and heavily dependent on pictures, mind maps, graphs and other visual cues as […]
Lifestyle
Prepare for A Happy New Year
In a few days, we will turn the page on 2017 and prepare for the ‘Happy New Year’ that is wished for us in almost every encounter. There is something special about a new year. The past is gone. A clean slate opens. It’s a time to anticipate fresh opportunities. A ‘Happy New Year’ won’t […]
Are You a Night Owl or a Lark?
Whether you are a night owl or a lark, it’s important to understand when you are most creative and most productive. I’ve always been a bit of a night owl. In younger years, I regularly stayed awake into the wee hours as my most energetic and focused time extended until 2 or 3 am. This […]
Last Chance to Create the Life you Love
Last week, as I chatted with one of my beach friends, she commented that retirement represents a last chance to create a life you love. She talked about her retirement journey and expressed longing for the day when her husband finally retires. She spoke of plans for relocating to a warmer climate to enjoy beach […]
The Stress of Buying a new TV
A couple of days ago we decided to break the daily routine of cottage life and drive to a nearby town to buy a new television set for the cottage living room. We had discussed replacing the tiny ten-year-old flat screen model when we did our annual budget for cottage repairs and replacements. This was […]
Retirement Happiness — Designing my Summer
Hurray — summer has arrived! This is the time to delight in every moment, take advantage of the long days, break out the beach umbrellas, serve flavoured ciders on ice, and barbecue every day. Because it’s so easy to let this precious season pass without paying attention, I’m taking the advice of Gretchen Rubin, my […]
What does ‘home’ mean to you?
What does ‘home’ mean for you? Is it simply the place where you live? A dwelling for shelter and rest? Is it a place of comfort, safety, refuge, happiness? Is it where you can truly be yourself? The meaning of home is unique for each of us. Whether home is a palatial residence or a […]
Why is Food a Hot Topic?
Twenty or thirty years ago, who would have guessed that food would become a hot topic, perhaps even an obsession? It’s difficult to pick up a magazine, have a conversation, or open a computer/tablet without finding a reference to food. Pictures of food dominate many social media sites, specialty television channels feature cooking programs, websites […]
Do you have a happy place?
Do you designate a special place as your happy place? Being content, at ease, and happy is supremely important. Many people carve out a special happy place in their homes where they can relax and de-stress. It might be a room, or a chair, or a sunny window seat. For others a happy place is […]
Relationships — Establishing New Networks
After moving to London, Ontario last year, I’m faced with establishing a new social network, not an online network, as, thankfully, this network moved with me, but a network of real people. Previous to this move, my husband and I lived in the greater Toronto area for 26 years. After such a long time in […]
