I don’t go to the beach seeking joy—at least not consciously. I go because it feels good. I go because it brings me peace. And yet, in those moments when I’m not striving or reaching or trying to make something happen, joy shows up. It appears right in front of me. I just have to notice it.

That’s the beautiful thing about joy. We don’t have to chase it. We don’t have to manufacture it or control the conditions. If we’re open, it will find us.

Take a listen to “What brings you joy?”…

I like to set an intention for each new year. I choose a word that I want the year to represent for me. Last year my word was “community”. I chose this word because I wanted to strengthen and build upon my community of friends. As the year went on, my community changed and expanded especially in the final six months.

Why do this? It is a simple and effective way to guide your actions. It sets an intention for the future and can be a powerful way to focus and bring clarity to a specific desire or need. It serves as a reminder about what is important to you and encourages mindfulness and reflection throughout the year…