Cheer-Inducing Activities by Eleri Grace

When I'm searching for happiness or an uplift in my mood, I often turn to my hobbies. I've got plenty, but I'll spotlight just a few of the activities that bring me joy.

Like most of you I'm sure, turning to reading generally is one of my go-to reflexes. Turning to a tried-and-true favorite novel, series or author is often the key for me -- I'm always a bit nervous about starting something new if what I'm looking for is a sure-fire lift. Some of my personal favorites that I can always return to with joy, in no particular order, are: the Harry Potter series, the Outlander series, WW2 romances by Noel Barber that started me on my author journey, stand-alone historical novels like "And Ladies of the Club" or "Lonesome Dove," romantasy series like my recent obsession with Rebecca Yarros and her Empyrean series, and childhood favorites like Laura Ingalls Wilder, S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" or "Where the Red Fern Grows." 

I'm also a lifelong genealogist, and while many people might not understand how someone could derive joy from spending all day in front of a computer or microfilm reader trying to decipher 19th century German handwriting, reading deed books in dusty old ledgers in a county courthouse, or traipsing around country cemeteries -- there's nothing like putting another piece of my genealogical puzzle together! Lately, I've been a little obsessed with WikiTree, which allows me to preserve genealogical facts/relationships along with photos and scanned copies of my sources in an online format that even my kids might one day appreciate (they won't love the stacks of genealogical binders with old-fashioned paper, that's for sure). 

Scrapbooking is another hobby where I can lose track of time and put my worries aside as I unleash my creativity and my desire to preserve and pass on precious memories. Work has kept me busier than before the last few years, so I'm fairly behind with my kids' childhood scrapbooks, but I can always pick up where I left off. Sometimes even just taking the time to put together a page or two can be a relaxing diversion and a boost to those creative juices. I've accumulated (read: hoarded) tons of heritage scrapbooking supplies over the years - holding out for that point in time when my genealogy research would be fairly complete or solid. I've begun to realize that while my research may be ongoing, now is the time to use those supplies and preserve those memories. 

I was never much of a TV person until the advent of Netflix and other streaming services -- allowing me to binge a treasured old favorite series or try something new. Currently, I'm making my way through "The Gilmore Girls" again!

I hope you are all soon enjoying spring weather and tapping into the activities, people, relationships, and other things that bring joy and meaning to your life. 

You can learn more about me and my writing on my website, and you can find my Red Cross Girl novels on Amazon. 

What do you do?

 

by Diana McCollum 

I wrote this in the month of July. When the subject matter was what you liked best snowy, days or hot days. I will tell you how to pass the time on a cold blustery, snowy day or hot summer day, and every day in between. How to improve a skill and your mental attitude.

 

Do you want more happiness and satisfaction in your life?

 

If the answer is yes keep reading.

 

Hobbies or crafts or other interests outside of daily routines and work, help us grow by helping us to learn something new and gives us a sense of accomplishment.

 

By taking up a new hobby that you go to class to learn gives the extra benefit of socializing. Connecting with people who have the same interests.

 

Do you find you need a break from the daily grind? Work, home, sleep, repeat? Between work stress and whatever is going on in our personal lives we all need a chance to relax, recharge and refresh. Who knew that a hobby could renew our spirit and get our mojo back? But it can!

 

Hobbies are the antidote for boredom by increasing your happiness and satisfaction with life. Your hobby is something just for you, not for your children, husband, boyfriend, aunt, mom or grandma.

Baby blanket I'm crocheting for Granddaughter who wanted these "calming colors".

So you see hobbies have huge benefits. Trying something new even if we suck at it is empowering, and with time and practice we may be really good or decide to try something else. Give yourself a chance to discover that you are good at different things, not just work and home life.

 

Here is a list of a few hobbies that are not expensive to do. 

1) Blogging

    You can do it from home to express your thoughts on a subject.

2) Reading

    Grab a book and enter someone else's world for a while.

 

3) Paint class

    I joined an acrylic paint class last year. Not only have I learned a new skill, I've met some amazing new friends.

(work in progress)

4) Dancing or playing an instrument

    YouTube has lots of free lessons or join a class. My daughter's friend learned how to dance with a firey torch that she then puts out with her mouth! Not my first choice.

5) Yoga

Take a class and socialize or YouTube has many, many exercise and yoga videos.

6) Handicraft

    Knitting, embroidery, cross-stitch, quilting and crochet, woodturning, clay work etc. Our Barnes and Noble lets the knitting group meet to knit and have coffee (socializing!)

 

 7) Gardening

For me I garden a little, but my husband's hobby is gardening. He's outdoors all the times. And when it is 103 like today, he catches up on reading or movies he's recorded.

Plate size Dahlia's my husband grew

8) Adult league

    bowling, baseball, soccer, pickle ball, golf etc.

 

I have included pictures I have painted or am working on as painting is my favorite hobby.

 

(9) Thrift shopping is a hobby too. I find things now and then for the house or yard. I'm including a picture of a  Eskimo statue that I'm going to paint a picture of, as soon as I know his story. I've been thinking about it.

I'm going to write a story and paint a picture of this Eskimo.

(10) Not just reading-but reading a non-fiction book to learn about something or someone! Right now I'm reading a biography of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, fascinating reading. I always have one non-fiction book which I read for one hour after lunch, and one fiction which I read at bedtime.

 

I like to sew now and then. During the pandemic I made masks and bookmarks which I sent to grandkids.

Apron I'm making for my one daughter.

 

There are 1,000 s of different hobbies or crafts. There is one out there for you too.

 

 

 

 

 (She only has the Christmas apron I made for her 10 years ago, this one is a surprise)

Do you have a hobby, craft or interest you can share with us?

Finding a Moment of Peace in a Busy Life by Eleri Grace

 Since I'm guest-blogging later this month on the topic of peace as experienced by the Red Cross Girl heroines of my novels, I decided to use this space for a more general and personal look at peace and how I find it through the incessant demands of everyday life. 

I wear many hats -- Mom (though the time energy required by that role dwindles as my oldest is a settled college student and my youngest moves ever closer to adulthood), lawyer, author, and co-founder of a growing college consulting business. As a consequence, I cannot remember the last time I was bored or at loose ends!  There is literally always something I could be doing, something I fear I'm not doing fast enough. Many days, it feels as though I'm working from dawn to late at night. I love my writing and my college consulting work, so neither of those pursuits feel like "work" per se. But those endeavors are also not always fully relaxing either. Any writer will tell you that writing is often a hard slog -- for as many days as the words fly out of my brain faster than my fingers can type, there are equally or more days where I stare at a blank screen or drum up one inconsequential task after another to avoid settling down into the hard work of that day's writing. 

So finding moments of peace with all the competing demands on my time is a challenge. I do take an hour-long walk every morning (unless it's pouring or below 30 degrees!). My walks are peaceful on some level, but of course, frequently my mind races to college choices for one of my clients or what sort of plot twist might work for the scene I'm currently writing. My brain doesn't always fully shut out the noise. A hike (not a walk in residential Houston) can usually prompt a true sense of peace, and I'm looking forward to once again having an opportunity to get out in nature this week as my son and I take a quick vacation in Colorado. Not sure if anything can beat this stunning view of Moraine Lake near Banff National Park, but I'm sure I will find amazing scenery there too! 

Other outlets that reliably bring me peace are two of my hobbies: scrapbooking and genealogy. Even a few hours of losing myself on Ancestry's newest databases or pulling out an old genealogical brick wall to see if I can make progress gives me a mental respite from everything else. Genealogy takes persistence and often involves many hours in front of a computer screen or microfilm reader or flipping through musty heavy volumes in a county courthouse -- the very opposite of scenic nature. But it brings its own peace all the same. 

But it's scrapbooking where I can really find a good longer-lasting dose of peace and relaxation. I eagerly look forward to my bi-annual weekend trips to Galveston with a group of close friends -- not only because of the peace and creativity scrapbooking will bring, but also the fun, the laughter and tears, and the soul-searching conversations with some of my best friends. The soothing sound of the surf helps too! It's also a great place to do some early-morning writing, before losing myself in the creativity of scrapbooking. 

Wishing all of you much peace this month, wherever and however you find it best!