How do you make room in your home for Joy? Listen to this week’s episode of Carpe Diem Connections where we are talking about decluttering to make space for the things that bring us the most joy.
On this week’s episode of Carpe Diem Connections, Becky Burns and I continue exploring the link between Joy and our “stuff.”
Last week, we talked about finding more joy in experiences than things. This week in The Joy Makeover , Ingrid Fetell Lee talks to Gretchen Rubin, author of Outer Order, Inner Calm, about decluttering and how that can help us make more space for joy.
Tune in to hear our thoughts about clutter and how we plan to make more space in our homes. Then chime in with some of your own ideas on the Carpe Diem Connections Facebook Group page.
Flamingos have been my personal mascot for many years now. When Sarasota Jungle Gardens offered the opportunity to Adopt a Flamingo last April, I was so excited!
Because of Covid, the park was closed at that time, but I was very impressed with all the paperwork I received in the mail, telling me about my adopted flamingo, Kamikaze – “Kazi” #38.
A couple of weeks ago, my friend, Amy Sargent, posted a cute picture on Facebook of a flamingo “kissing” her and, upon further inspection of its tag with a photo zoom, we found out it was none other than #38 – Kazi! Imagine that! Without Amy even knowing I’d adopted a flamingo, she posts a very cute closeup picture with Kazi! Out of all the flamingos in the world, what are the chances?
There are many beautiful flamingos and birds at Sarasota Jungle Gardens and many that didn’t come out to greet the park visitors. How lucky for me that Kazi is so sociable and photogenic!
I get a chance to “flamingle” with Kazi and friends. I had them eating out of my hand!
I’ve been especially lonely for a pet lately. With all the travel that I usually do, it’s not very practical for me to own a pet, but this is a very cool alternative! Since I hope to make Sarasota a regular winter destination, I’ll be able to visit Kazi and his friends at least every year.
Our topic this week on the Carpe Diem Connections Podcast is about Joy and Money. We’re doing a deeper dive on the topics found from Ingrid Fetell Lee’s Joy Makeover.
In this season of gift-giving, we’re all hit with decisions about how we’re going to be spending our money.
Tune in to this week’s podcast about Joy and Money to hear some thoughts from my co-host, Becky Burns and me, as we explore our own history with money and spending.
Join us in the Carpe Diem Connections Facebook Group and share your own thoughts! Are you a spender or a saver? Experiences or things? What were some of your favorite gifts – both those you gave and those you received?
Ideas for making the holidays fun with creativity in finding Joy in Connections during the holiday season.
In this week’s Carpe Diem Connections podcast Becky and I continue exploring the Joy Makeover and the topic is Joy and Relationships. We talk specifically about ways to connect with others during this 2020 holiday season when stress levels are high. Many of us are doing Thanksgiving a little differently this year due to Covid 19 restrictions.
Here’s an article I read just yesterday with some creative suggestions for new Thanksgiving traditions.
One new activity that I’ve been doing a lot more of during the pandemic is writing cards the old fashioned way! I had sealing wax as a kid and I wanted to give that a try again and discovered now the sealing wax comes in all these different colors that you can mix together! I also ordered a “Carpe Diem” stamp, ordered up beautiful postage stamps and other goodies, and now I look forward to my monthly cards and letters tradition!
This month, I sent out Thanksgiving cards to my family. Even though I won’t be able to be with them personally, it’s fun to send the cards, and do online games.
The second episode in Season 2 of Carpe Diem Connections focuses on Time and Joy. Join Becky Burns and me as we do a deeper dive into The Joy Makeover.
Ingrid talks with Time Management guru, Laura Vanderkam in her Joy Makeover video series. Laura gives suggestions about how we can all make some intentional time for joy each day.
The Joy Workbook asks us:
“What would you do if you had an extra hour each week just for yourself?”
I had to laugh a little at this because at this stage of my life, I have so much (dare I say it… too much?) time for myself! I’m an empty-nester and retired from the corporate world and I’ve been isolating (for the most part) for months! I definitely have had more than my share of “me-time”!
I remember the days of being a busy working mother of three, though, and feeling like I never had enough time for myself.
It really is such a JOY to have complete control over my time, but now I’m recognizing that joy is usually much better when shared with someone else.
Wow! This was a stressful week. And while, personally, I’m deeply relieved by the outcome, the results were much closer than I’d expected. My news feeds and social circle would have me believe that Biden would be an easy win..in fact, I had thought it would be a landslide. But the results open my eyes to the fact that half the nation feels differently than I do.
I have never felt so divided! This has been especially difficult for me because I like to speak up, debate, and hear all viewpoints… but in this political climate, it’s felt like liberals and conservatives have been at war.
I consider myself a centrist. Beyond wanting to hear and understand all viewpoints, I want us to be kind, caring, and understanding of one another.
In the new season of Carpe Diem Connections, I’m going to be following The Joy Makeover, and talking about Joy. For the first episode of Season 2 of Carpe Diem Connections, my co-host, Becky Burns and I, talk about the anxiety we all were feeling as we were waiting for the results of this close race.
I’m loving participating in the Joy Makeover and I bet you would, too! In Season 2 of Carpe Diem Connections we’ll be doing our own deep dive into finding Joy, starting with finding Joy in the election season!
History
About 12 weeks ago I started a podcast, Carpe Diem Connections. I’d procrastinated because I knew nothing about podcasting and was worried that I’d be embarrassed by how amateurish it might sound.
However, with any kind of new hobby, if you go into it realizing that you have a lot to learn, and not having high expectations, you find the learning process and the improvement is usually fun!
When I’d gotten laid off in 2009, a suggestion at a lead’s group was to host a blog and interview people who I admired. This turned out to be awesome advice and it was how I ultimately got a job as a Site Editor at TechTarget and was able to network with a lot of my industry’s thought-leaders. Ultimately, I ended up with a successful consulting career and a wonderful network of mentors, friends, and colleagues in the world of Agile Leadership and Quality Assurance.
Chapter 3 of Life
Now, I’d like to do something similar in the field of Positive Psychology, particularly as I’m entering a new stage of life. I’m hesitant to call it “Retirement” or “The 60’s”.. Maybe “Chapter 3”?
“Chapter 1” was childhood and college, “Chapter 2” was career and raising children. Now, in “Chapter 3,” I’m a 60-year-old empty-nester, grateful for the opportunity to discover and experiment with what it means to live life fully.
I left my full-time contract at USAA in November, 2018, shortly after getting some bad news about degenerative back conditions. After a review of my finances and lifestyle, I came to the conclusion that, thanks to my ultra-frugal ways (and paying house-mates), I could afford to “retire.” (I wasn’t sure I really wanted to retire since I loved my job but.. I also wanted more time to travel, visit friends, and be as active as possible while I still felt healthy, energetic, and pain-free.
During this past 12 weeks, I used the same strategy I’d used in 2009… I looked for guests who I admired and were living life fully. Most were coaches or somehow involved in the field of Positive Psychology. I’m very excited and grateful to those who I met and interviewed! It’s been enlightening to hear their thoughts on what it means to them to live life fully and foster deep meaningful connections, particularly in the midst of the pandemic.
Carpe Diem Connections – Season 2 – The Joy Makeover Spinoffs
On Tuesday (Election Day!) I flew back to Sarasota, Florida, for “Snowbird Season.” I’m so lucky to be staying, once again, with wise and witty Becky Burns! It seemed the perfect time to also start a new season on my podcast, hopefully, with continued learning and improving over Season 1.
Becky has agreed to be my co-host as we talk about Finding Joy. I’ve become enamored with Ingrid Fetell Lee and her recent Joy Makeover workshop. She offers a workbook and a very interesting set of interviews, digging deeper with topics about things such as how our joy is affected with 11 different topics starting with time, money, and relationships.
Becky and I are going to do our own deep dive into these topics and add a few more that are particularly relevant for the times or for us. For example, this week, we’ll talk about Joy and Politics since the election is causing so much anxiety for so many people. As I write this, the vote is still undecided. I find it interesting that the uncertainty is causing so much anxiety, both with Covid and the election.. Uncertainty and its affect on Joy might also be part of that first podcast of the season.
Getting Feedback
In order to learn and improve, we need feedback! One of the few things I don’t like about podcasting, is that it’s difficult to get feedback. We base results on how many people listen or subscribe, so, of course, it’s helpful to see those numbers go up. However, what I really want is listener comments and feedback!!
I know that many of us listen to our podcasts when we’re out and about, so it’s not a very convenient medium for giving feedback.
However, I would appreciate any feedback you’d like to send my way by email: yvette.francino@gmail.com, by using the “message” button from the podcast Website, or by commenting or IM’ing me on Facebook.
Rick Davis is a retired battalion chief from the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority (LFRA) in Colorado. He still is finding ways to serve and contribute his skills and in fact, is quite passionate about giving back to society.
At about 17:24 into the YouTube video, you hear Rick say: “I don’t want the typical western idea of retirement. You go off and hunt, fish, go off to the ball games. NO! I have a duty to give back!” His message to retirees: “Go out and look for someone you can help.“
As someone who is also in a transitional semi-retired time of life, I agree that helping and giving back is a big part of finding happiness and purpose in life. I was talking to a friend recently feeling a little purposeless now that my kids are grown and I’m no longer working in a traditional type of job.
He was surprised I felt this way and reminded me that even talking about living life fully (which I admit, I do quite a bit!) was bettering the world. Even smiling at someone can start a chain of positivity! I really hadn’t thought much about that, but it did motivate me to carry on with my Carpe Diem efforts!
Amy does a great job of explaining how emotional intelligence helps us understand and process our own emotions as well as those of others. By processing our emotions and really asking “why” we’re feeling a certain way, we have more power to choose our reactions to the world around us. Amy explains how this, not only helps with our own happiness, but helps us understand others which leads to better relationships.
Amy also reminded me of a free assessment you can take via the VIA Institute on Character to discover your strengths. I’ve done this before and it’s a great first step in helping you discover purpose and helping you prioritize your time. My #1 strength, by the way, is Love of Learning.
One of Amy’s key strengths is Appreciation of Beauty. She took a radical step last year and is now living the RV life, giving her the ability to regularly surround herself with beautiful beaches and scenic vistas throughout the country! I’ll be excited to talk to Amy more about her adventures as I move into Snowbird Season myself!
