I love having fun. And I love being fun.
 
But somewhere along the way, many of us get so busy doing what we must do that we forget to ask:
 
“What would be fun?”
 
Fun doesn’t have to be a big event. It can be dancing in your kitchen, calling someone who makes you laugh, trying something new, or simply being a little more playful.
 
When we have fun, we get out of our heads and into the moment.
 
This week’s practice:
Once a day, ask yourself: “What would be fun right now?”
 
Then, if you can, do it.
 
Life is meant to be enjoyed!!! ❤️

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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As we embark upon this Jewish New Year, whether you observe it or not, we’re all given the same beautiful opportunity: to begin again.
 
Think about how you want this next year to feel, and, even more importantly, how do you want to be?
 
Kinder? More patient? More tolerant? More courageous? Perhaps even less tolerant of things that no longer serve you?
 
Whatever it is, choose it.
 
And then, as simply as that… start being that way.
 
You don’t have to wait for January 1st, Monday, or the “right” moment.
 
Every day is an opportunity to begin again. ❤️

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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So much of the pressure we feel, we put on ourselves.

We often think others expect us to do more, be more, or somehow live up to an expectation, but sometimes, those expectations exist only in our own minds.

Before we know it, our shoulders are tense, our necks are stiff, and we feel as though we’re not doing enough.

But what if we could let some of that pressure go?

Sometimes, all we really need to do is be present and do the best we can.

This week when you notice yourself feeling pressure to do something because you think it’s expected of you, pause and ask yourself: “Is this pressure really coming from someone else, or am I putting it on myself?”

Then decide what you are truly able and willing to do.

You may discover that you’re already doing enough.

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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I recently heard the expression,

“Isn’t it great when the trash takes itself out?”

It made me laugh… but I think there’s a deeper way to look at it.

Sometimes things simply don’t work out- a relationship, a friendship, a job, a plan.

And instead of seeing it as a loss, what if we trusted that things have a way of working for us?

So this week, when something doesn’t go the way you hoped, pause before seeing it as a loss. Ask yourself: What if this is actually making room for something better?

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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What would make the next chapter of your life more interesting?

Ask yourself:

✨ Is there something I want to learn or try?
✨ Something I’m curious about?
✨ Something I’ve been putting off?
✨ Someone who inspires me?
✨ A version of myself I’d like to become?

Write down what comes to mind. Don’t overthink it. Just write.

Then choose one thing to explore first.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic. This week, take one small action toward your answer.

Adding meaning, curiosity, and purpose to our lives doesn’t just make life more interesting—it can contribute to our overall well-being and longevity.

Your next chapter is yours to create. What will you begin? ✨

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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As summer winds down, don’t get sad that it’s ending. Soak up what’s left. ☀️

Take the long walk. Eat dinner outside. Watch the sunset. Say yes to one more spontaneous plan. Savor the little moments that make summer feel like summer.

And then… plan something fun for fall. 🍂

A dinner with friends. A weekend away. A concert. A new class. Something to look forward to.

This week’s practice: Choose one thing to savor before summer ends and one thing you’re excited about this fall.

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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You don’t need expensive tickets or a big name  artist to get the happiness boost of live music. There’s something magical about being surrounded by people, sharing the music, and feeling connected.

That feeling of togetherness is called “collective effervescence,” and it can lift your spirits long after the music stops.

So, this week, keep the summer going and find some live music. A concert in the park, a band at a café, or music on a patio. Bring a friend, bring a blanket, and let yourself enjoy the moment.

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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It’s okay to feel sad.
 
Recently, I found myself feeling a little down. I’m not used to that feeling, and I didn’t like it. My first instinct was to figure out how to make it go away.
 
Then I realized something important.
 
The answer wasn’t in trying to “fix” my feelings. It was in getting out of my head and into the present moment. Looking around. Taking a walk. Calling a friend. Noticing what was right in front of me.
 
Sadness is part of being human. We don’t have to fight it—but we also don’t have to live there.
 
Feel it. Accept it. Then gently come back to the present. That’s where peace begins.
 
Practice for the week:
The next time you notice yourself feeling down, don’t ask, “How do I stop this?” Instead ask, “What can I notice right now?” Take five slow breaths and name five things you can see. Let the present moment be your way back.

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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💛
“Enjoy yourself.”
 
What if we took those words seriously?
 
Enjoying yourself means being with yourself, listening to yourself, trusting yourself, laughing with yourself, understanding your feelings, and having fun.
 
It means living your life as though you are your own best friend.
 
And what a special relationship that can be. ✨
 
Practice this week:
Do one thing just because it brings you joy. No productivity. No pleasing anyone else. Just you, enjoying your own company.
 
Be your own best friend. And enjoy yourself. 🤗

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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Disappointment is part of life. Things don’t always turn out the way we hoped, planned, or imagined they would. 
 
How we handle disappointment is a real skill and like any skill, it can be practiced.
 
The goal isn’t to pretend you’re not disappointed. Feel it, acknowledge it, and then ask yourself: What can I learn from this? What is still possible? Where can I put my energy now?
 
Practice for the Week:
This week …when something doesn’t go as planned, pause and say:
“This isn’t what I wanted… and now what?” You may not control what happens, but you always have a choice in how you respond.
 
Sometimes the best part isn’t getting what we wanted. It’s discovering that we can handle what we didn’t.

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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As I get ready to turn 65, l have been thinking about what I would tell my younger self. There are so many things, but these rise to the top:

Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.

Don't compare yourself to anyone else. There has never been, and never will be, another you. Your uniqueness is your superpower.

Practice gratitude every day.
Gratitude is like a life insurance policy for your happiness. It changes the way you see everyone and everything.

Time goes faster than you can imagine. Don't wait for the "big" moments. Savor the ordinary ones-they become the extraordinary memories.

Take care of your mind and your body. Protect your inner peace and move your body regularly. Both are essential for a joyful life.

Love with your whole heart.
Love deeply, generously, and without keeping score. In the end, love is what matters most. ❤️

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time with my 2½-year-old granddaughter.

The other morning we were on a crowded bus heading to camp. It was raining, we were squeezed together, and she looked up at me with the biggest smile and said, “Grandma Melly, this is so much fun!”

Over the next few days, she said it again and again during little moments of joy.

It made me realize something….she’s learning to savor life.

I couldn’t give her a greater gift.

Children learn what we model. When we pause to notice what’s good, and say it out loud, gratitude becomes contagious. It doesn’t just rub off on 2½-year-olds—it rubs off on everyone around us.

This week’s practice: Savor out loud. Notice the small moments that make you smile, and say them. You never know who might begin seeing the world differently because of you. 💕

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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