Photo credit: Ginger Wagoner, Photosynthesis Inc
At the end of each month, I take stock of the previous month. What went well? What did I learn? What brought me a simple joy? These monthly reports are a way to encourage myself to take delight in the littlest of things. I find that Ten Things I Loved allows me to always see the silver lining, even when there are hard moments in a month. And taking joy in the simple things is paramount to how I want to live, making 10 things an invaluable tool for me. Here’s this month’s simple pleasures.
Professional
Circle de Luz Recognition Ceremony. We inducted the Class of 2020 into Circle de Luz! They are lovely girls with super sweet parents, and I feel so humbled that we get to walk alongside them for the next six years.
Circle de Luz and Social Venture Partners partnership. CdL is so fortunate to have been selected as an investee by Social Venture Partners Charlotte. In addition to a significant grant to support our work, we receive so much from them in terms of capacity building support from input and feedback to volunteer support. It has been incredible already!
New Project. I am working on a new project that blends Beautiful You with yoga and loving the creative process with imagining it!
Speaking Plans. I love speaking at colleges, conferences, and businesses but have dialed that work down a bit in recent years while Happy was in preschool. With him in kindergarten, I can travel a bit more and have already started to make plans for the spring as well as work out all the details for a November 16 talk at the national Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders Conference.
Personal things
Time at the elementary school. From having lunch with Happy to perusing the book fair, I’ve enjoyed spending time at the elementary school with Happy. When I volunteer with his class, I am reminded of just how much I LOVE schools (old high school teachers die hard). Seriously, there’s just something so sweet inside those walls, and it is an honor for me to go in and try to be another positive voice in a kid’s ear.
Soccer. I loved soccer season when I was young; I loved it when I was a high school coach. I love it as a mom. Happy enjoyed fall ball with a new group of friends, and we enjoyed cheering for them and getting to know a new group of parents.
Catching up with old friends. I was able to meet up with some different friends that I hadn’t seen in awhile over appetizers and lunches and it was just so good. We laughed. We cried. We dreamed. About all you can ask for, right?
Halloween Festivities. Our town does a Halloween March where all the downtown merchants give out candy and it is just the sweetest tradition. We enjoyed it and Halloween with one of Happy’s besties and his family.
Panthers Game. I was super lucky to be invited to go to the Panthers vs. Seahawks game by a dear friend. Great conversation, a super close game, and a glorious fall day that felt like summer. Good times though the Panthers lost.
The Language of Flowers. By far my favorite read of the month. It tells the story of a foster child who has aged out of the system and finds work with a florist where she flourishes (see what I did there?) because she happens to know the Victorian Language of Flowers. Why does she know the language of flowers? Chapters alternate between present and past to give you a full understanding of what has informed who Victoria Jones is.
So, what did you love in October?
