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So what’s my newfound hobby?

You probably guessed it from my hint published last month….. collecting tiny doll dresses from 60 years ago.

Assembling the complete, original wardrobe – circa 1960’s – for my beloved Pepper doll. One of my favorite toys from my early days.

Just like I wrote in a previous post, I remembered what made me happy without effort. What gave me joyful hours of play without a single care in the world.

Since January 1st, I have scoured websites for authentic Pepper doll outfits…..which was equivalent to a delightful treasure hunt.

Slowly….randomly….without any warning, I would stumble upon an online offering for a blouse or pair of pants or a dress. Rarely did I find a complete outfit. It felt like winning the childhood lottery item by item.

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In Part 2 of my posts about my new hobby, I will tell you how I financed this pricey endeavor. And, I’ll give you a little backstory as to why I chose this new avocation.

I do hope by sharing this extremely happy hobby with you today – it will help you find your new positive pastime and new “THING”. Again, it’s all about you and your new hobby. Your happiness.

Come back next week to read Part 2…..it is more about the WHY? and the HOW! of my choice of hobbies. Today’s post was about the WHAT I chose to pursue.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate it more than I could ever express in words….and words are my passion.

CABLE NEWS

How can I boil down a 6,000 word essay into a couple of paragraphs?

Okay. Here’s my absolute condensed version on this topic. Ready?

And before I begin, let me be abundantly clear – this is my humble opinion. I’m sure all readers will have their own experiences and opinions as they read this post.

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For decades, I use to bounce down the stairs, pour a cuppa coffee, and robotically watch cable news for an hour. Every….day….without….fail. Even on vacations and on business trips, I faithfully filled my brain with the morning’s headlines.

No more. Rarely, if ever – do I watch cable news. Why, you ask?

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A quick story:

My husband and I were traveling on a business trip. We were listening to our favorite cable news television show on the radio.

So no, we couldn’t see the great-looking outfits worn by the anchor and by the parade of guests. No distractions. All of our attention was solely on the spoken word.

“You know what makes me mad?”

“I really resent (fill in the blank)!”

“………….is to blame for ………..”

“Americans should be worried if (fill in the blank) will be elected.”

Of course, I’m paraphrasing because I can’t remember verbatim. But you get the point. After miles and miles in the car and hours and hours of listening to soliloquy after soliloquy from hosts and guests, I made a decision to break my addiction to cable news.

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The next morning in the hotel, I didn’t pour my cuppa coffee and mindlessly tune into the news.

Who needs to start each glorious day with this hyperbolic word attack?

Do we really need a highly paid news anchor (and their guests) to tell us on a daily basis:

Who to hate.

Who to blame.

What to fear.

No thank you.

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A relative recently snarked, “Oh, I know you can’t handle cable news anymore, but if you did, you would have seen this unbelievable story about……….”. [It was a grossly tragic story.]

I snapped back, “Oh, but I CAN handle the news. I choose not to watch negativity. I’m fully aware bad stuff happens in this country and in the world. Horrendous things have happened in my life which I had no control over. But when given the choice and when I do have control – I choose to focus my days on anything and everything positive and optimistic.”

That relative did not respond – even though we were sitting just a few feet apart.

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SELF-CARE is a major priority for many of us after that hellish 2020 pandemic year.

One of the easiest (and inexpensive) ways to care for yourself….is to be the conscientious gatekeeper of what information enters your brain.

Sure, I still listen to the news from many different sources – in measured snippets. I no longer listen to the same news show with the same anchors spitting and spewing how great one party is and how the other party is not so great.

As a self-identified political Independent, I am repulsed by slanted journalism blaming and hating the other party – whether it’s the donkey or the elephant.

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Today my post is about being YOUR own life editor…. Being selective about the content you allow to enter your precious space between your ears.

We have the power to curate the content which we focus on each day.

Limiting the minutes of news watched and carefully selecting which media is allowed to fill the days – have made a real positive impact on my life. And what is my blog about? If something is working well in my life, I’m going to share it with YOU.

Come back for Part 2. Thank you for reading My Written Thoughts. See you soon!

Welcome to my Hygge Home Office.

As you can see, my little chihuahua companion has a special place designated just for him – in my office.

This is where I blog, write articles, plan upcoming trips, research major & minor purchases, practice yoga and Tai Chi. Well, basically this is the command center for living life.

This room is where I get my H*A*P*P*Y on – in full gear!

So now that we are in the quiet quarters of my office…..I need to share a simple-but-important thought with you. A thought about YOUR thoughts.

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Protecting your Thoughts

In the next 2 posts, I will share some of my written thoughts about protecting YOUR thoughts beginning in August.

As I see it, there are 2 major sources of information we all need to be hyper-vigilant and guarded in what we allow into our mind-space. I hope these next 2 articles will give you food for “thought”!

Come back tomorrow for the first of two important posts.

As I always write, if something works well in my life – I’m going to share it with YOU! And, that’s what this blog is all about. Sharing and Caring.

During our last conversation about new hobbies for the summer, we talked about childhood loves and likes.

Reaching back into your past.

Remembering when life was filled with SIMPLE joy.

And finding that little something that made your heart sing with happiness without effort.

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Last week, when I was away on a business trip, I read my REAL SIMPLE magazine (July/August edition). In that issue was a lovely article written by Jennifer King Lindley – titled GOT GAME?

As I read this article, I knew this was way too good – not to share with you.

This is the perfect primer piece to read BEFORE you embark on your search for your new hobby – which will (hopefully) spark joy for years to come.

Here’s an excerpt to get you interested:

[“As a grown-up, you may not remember the last time you whiled away the hours building imaginary worlds. But the need to play is something we never outgrow.” – writes the author.]

[“I consider play any joyful act in which you forget about time. It has no purpose and no intended result. You’re immersed, fully present in the moment,” says Jeff Harry, a play coach.]

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My magazine is delivered via subscription.

I NEVER read this at home. I keep my magazines for a business trip or a weekend at the lake house – some place where the dishes aren’t crying out to be placed in the racks of the dishwasher or the floors admonishing me about being long overdue for a dusting.

So when I was locked up in a hotel for a week, I savored my magazine and highlighted this article – just knowing I was going to recommend it to you.

This issue of Real Simple is still at the supermarket magazine rack…..since it is the current edition. I hope it helps you on your journey to find that new hobby which contributes genuine goodness in your every day.

Stay Tuned.

Because of this article, I am not so terribly embarrassed about my new hobby! I’ve decided to share the details very soon.

Do you want a hint?

Okay. Here’s a tiny teaser.

So come back and be ready to read.

Hello Readers!

Even though there’s an embarrassingly high stack of paperwork cluttering my desk and a hideous mound of clothes covering my laundry room floor (which is more like a laundry closet)…..I’m ignoring it all.

I’ve decided to write a short post.

Long-term readers know that I REALLY don’t love social media, taking selfies (I can honestly say I have never snapped a selfie!), posting photos of myself or my family on any site or the like….. But there’s a reason I went against my good sense and posted a childhood picture.

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A NEW SUMMER HOBBY…tailor-made just for YOU!

I have a few longterm hobbies which provide great enjoyment.

Reading. Needlepointing. Gardening. Sewing. Collecting Christmas Ornaments. Baking. Calligraphy. Photography. Etc…..

My hobbies give both joy and relaxation.

But I was seeking a NEW hobby which would fill my days with excitement and anticipation.

So here’s how I found THAT new hobby in January 2022.

And, I hope this will inspire YOU to find a new summer avocation which gives you an abundance of fun while melting your daily stresses away.

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First – you must find a very happy photo from your childhood. A Happy Snap. Some readers might select a birthday party snapshot while others may choose a scrapbook Polaroid of winning an award of some sort.

Remember that feeling in the photo – relive how incredibly awesome you felt at that moment.

Secondly – think about what you organically loved doing as a child. If planting flowers with a parent was a happy activity, then explore how to create a lovely container garden full of flowers to cover your patio. Or if your interests were geared toward baking and cooking, then sign up for a master class with a cake decorator. Then, begin surprising your neighbors with a bakery box of 6 cupcakes on their birthday.

Simply remember what made you happy as a child.

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I share a lot in this blog. And for a high-level privacy geek like myself, I really do share a lot.

But at this time, I won’t share what I chose as my new hobby. But I will later.

It totally shocked me! But as soon as I began my new past-time, I was hooked, obsessed, motivated, and totally preoccupied. And, that friends….is the kind of new activity I was trying to discover.

Promise to write more on this topic later….but my paperwork is screaming and the laundry is calling, so I gotta geaux.

I sure am glad I shared this post with you today. Good Luck, Friend, in finding that special something that moves your happiness needle! I’m excited for you.

Please read the whole article before deciding to click onto another blog site.

I get it.

When I tell family & friends that my new summer class is Tai Chi – there’s audible snickering and synchronized eye-rolling.

But wait.

Sincerely trying to avoid hyperbolic rhetoric here, I still need to be completely honest with you. Tai Chi has been transformational in every way.

Okay. Permission to roll YOUR eyes now.

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May I share 3 take-aways with you? These are facts I wished I had known before my first class.

1. It isn’t easy. As a young girl, I trained to become a professional ballerina….taking daily dance classes (twice daily during the summer months) and even moving to another city to concentrate on dance. My background provided no advantage with Tai Chi. Even though I practice 3-4 times a week besides attending weekly TC class, and I am still struggling mightily. We began this beginners course with approximately 20 students (players) and last class, we only had 4. I’m sure summer travel is a factor, but there seems to be noticeable attrition.
2. Physical and Mental Benefits. Some call Tai Chi – “meditation in motion”. I like that! There is an obvious physicality involved with mastering the movements. But my primary benefit comes from the mind-work. The intense level of concentration needed to move through the 8 Form (Yang Style) is nothing like I’ve ever experienced before. While working on my TC homework, I forget every problem I have, every item lingering on my To-Do list, and every not-so-kind relative hanging on my family tree.
3. It’s not yoga. As routine readers of MWT know, I fell in love with yoga in 2019. I felt like my novice background in yoga would somehow help me in Tai Chi. Wrong again. As far as I can tell, there is no correlation or connection between the two disciplines. But that’s just my humble, inexperienced opinion. [NOTE: I never felt the same peacefulness and restoration after a yoga class.]

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List of Tai Chi 8 Forms:

Repulse the Monkey

Brush Knee Push

Part the Horse’s Mane

Wave Hands like Clouds

Rooster Stands on One Leg

Kick with Heel

Grasp the Peacock’s Tail

Cross Hands

After many hours of practice, I only feel comfortable with the highlighted movements. It’s Because of the challenge that makes learning Tai Chi so rewarding.

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So enough about me and Tai Chi.

What’s the benefit for you?

Truly, Tai Chi may not be for you. Perhaps a singing class…..a second language course….a gourmet lesson taught by a local chef. Doesn’t matter the skill or accomplishment… It’s all about the experiential benefit.

NEW is the key.

As my new favorite philosopher/guru/life-coach shared…..get out of your routine. Try something new. And believe me, that simple advice made an impact this summer. Try anything that lights your candle (hygge candle, of course).

Thank you for reading. There’s so much awful to spread around, right? It’s very nice to dwell on the good. And, that’s what My Written Thoughts website is all about. Sharing and Caring with readers.

My family spent a long weekend in the Catskills Mountains (upstate New York) in April. It was still quite nippy in the evenings and downright chilly in the mornings – per this writer who resides in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi (depending on time of the year).

Luckily for me, this small book was in our rental. It was among very interesting titles in the reading library available for guests to dive into during their stay.

In truth, I have always wanted to read this book, but never found the time.

This book embodies what I sincerely believe about health, happiness, and home.

Allow me to share some of my fave passages which just might inspire you to purchase your own copy.

So far, I have given a copy to my physician for being my decades-long healthcare provider and gave one to my sweet niece when she visited our lake house with her family over Memorial Day Weekend.

I plan to give 2 more copies to dear friends as thank you gifts. If something is really good – it’s a must to share.

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You know after reading this blog – My Written Thoughts – I care about sharing positivity and goodness and happiness with readers. I hope you find the following quotes meaningful enough to motivate you to create hygge in your own life.

“Hygge is humble and slow. It is choosing rustic over new, simple over posh and ambience over excitement.” Page 138

“Simplicity and modesty are central to hygge…..bragging about your accomplishments and flashing your Rolex are not only frowned upon and considered poor taste, but spoil the hygge. In short, the more bling, the less hygge.” [And, we all can relate to this passage, can’t we???? Because we all have THAT relative who demonstratively checks the wrist watch every 30 minutes at the family reunion to highlight the new ROLEX! SOOOO NOT Hygge!]. Page 138

“Hygge is about giving your responsible, stressed-out achiever adult a break. Relax. Just for a little while. It is about experiencing happiness in simple pleasures and knowing that everything is going to be okay.” [I greatly needed to adopt this quote!”] Page 105

“Nobody takes center stage or dominates the conversation for long stretches of time.” [I have taken this quote to heart. If someone in my social circle is a chronic attention hog, I no longer choose to spend time with them.] Page 39

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So, now you have my summer book suggestion!

I hope you like it.

The Little book of Hygge – You can click on the title to read more about it on AMAZON.

You have to read the book to find out how cake, hot beverages, candles, lamps, socks, thick sweaters, fireplaces, friends, family, etc….can help you create your very own hygge home.

P.S.

Thank you – Meik Wiking for writing this gem. (Wilking is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, Copenhagen.)

Come Back to read about my NEW Summer Class. I can’t wait to share with you. Maybe you’d like to try it!