Greetings Happyness Tribe — and Welcome Back to Week #468!

Someone asked me recently if I was always in such a good mood. Was I always this “chipper?”

I remember pausing as the answer bubbled up in my head. It was probably not the answer this person was expecting to hear but, in true blunt girl fashion, I let it fly:

“You carry enough caskets, you learn what a good day is.”

Yep. I could tell by the look on this man’s face that he was not expecting that…so I quickly segued into idle-er chitchat and let that tidbit disappear into the dust of his confusion.

Hey, ask a stupid question…

But you? You’re still here to listen…and for that, I thank you!

So, back to the question: how many caskets is too many? Well, one was enough for me! One long heavy walk in the soft grass to the shimmering shade of an unexpected, sudden, and very final resting place on a beautiful September day. That moment makes any “mood” pale in comparison.

Now, back to the interaction: the reality was I had probably just said good morning to this guy, or made eye contact, or smiled. Maybe I even meant it. I don’t remember exactly what “mood” I was in…because my mood was not the point. Our interaction was.

It’s been nine years since Rob died. Nine years since SpreadHappyness was born. In that time I’ve gotten a lot of feedback. Most of it positive. But I’ve also had people question my authenticity, my mood, my motivation, or the meaning behind the blog itself. (And for the record, I’ve questioned these things myself!)

For me, it all comes back to this…it takes getting dirty to know what clean is. It takes chaos to appreciate order. Problems to define peace.

In my case, it takes grief to know Happyness. That’s why I misspelled “Happyness” in the first place. (“Why”…get it?) Because this is not the kind of manic, superficial, or “toxic” happiness you’ve heard about. Any feeling can be toxic if you push it on someone else or shame them for feeling it (oh, the irony). This is knowing pain, knowing hurt, knowing grief…and choosing Happyness anyway.

“Because cancer isn’t the only thing that can spread…Happyness can too!”

So for me, every day that I’m not carrying a casket is a good day. For you, it might be something different. Whatever light you have, let it shine. And if it’s through the cracks of grief or pain, well then…may it shine even brighter!

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Keep Shining!!! When someone asks you, “are you always this chipper?” — tell them the truth! Let them know about the cracks that make it a good day for you. (I hope they listen!)

To life! To love!! To Happyness!!!

9/01/23 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #416 – A Year Without Happyness (Reflections at the Eight Year Mark)

Greetings Happyness Tribe — and Welcome to Week #416!

Eight years. EIGHT YEARS. How is your Happyness?

You may or may not have noticed, but I took the past year off from weekly blogging. Seven years, a pandemic, and culture of seemingly non-stop negativity and division made Happyness feel like rolling a rock up hill.

Because as I said in my last post, Happyness isn’t easy. So I got quiet and wondered…what would happen if I stopped? Would anyone notice? Would anyone care? Would anyone miss it?

You know what? I don’t know about you — but I missed it!

Because in this past year so much has happened (good and bad)…but the things I learned early in my grief (and in the years since) have permanently shaped how I approach every day, even when I’m not blogging about it!

I still try to remember to smile, wave big and say hello like you mean it even when I’m angry, or sad, or struggling. I do this because I know it makes a difference to the person on the receiving end.

I try to remember to reach out, to lend a hand, to mentor or encourage someone even when my life feels like it’s getting the better of me. I do this because I know what it feels like to be alone in my worry, or my striving, or my dreams.

I try to plan ahead, set goals, and try something new even when my heart is broken, or I’m scared or anxious. I do this because I know that life is SO worth living — and there is no time to waste.

Eight years now and 416 weeks later, I know that to some people Happyness seems silly, or simple, or (worse) maybe even “toxic.” I’m here to tell you it’s none of those things! It’s loving, and healing, and SO NECESSARY!

Our world is a broken, scary, and lonely place — now more than ever. It gets to me too! And while there is so much to do on a global scale — the immediate impact we can have on each other is simple, one-on-one Happyness.

My Story

Eight years ago I started Spread Happyness — just three days after my brother took his last, labored breath in a small, quiet hospital room in New York City. When I launched this page this is what I wrote:

SpreadHappyness.com was created in honor of my beloved brother and best friend, Robert Church Jr., who died on Friday, September 5th after a short battle with cancer.  He was 40 years old.

It is my wish to identify and carry forward (through weekly blogposts/challenges) the torch of Rob’s legacy — which I believe was his natural ability to spread happiness to anyone who was lucky enough to cross his path.  If you knew Rob, you already know this to be true.  And I bet you have a story all your own about something Rob said or did — maybe even 20 years ago — that continues to make you happy today!  I want to hear those stories!!!

If you didn’t get to meet Rob, let me introduce you.  I pledge to deliver a little dose of him to you every Friday morning (at least) via this blog.  Because cancer is not the only thing that can spread.  Happiness can take on a life of it’s own too!  It will be up to us to carry his light forward by sharing our stories, living his lessons, and spreading happiness to those who are now lucky enough to cross our paths!

With great love and affection for you all…
Grace (aka “Rob’s sister!”)

I’ll be honest with you, after eight years I’m not sure where this is all headed — but I know I’ll let Happyness lead the way! 🙂

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Welcome to Spread Happyness!!!  Spread Happyness is not about being Happy. It’s about “Spreading” Happyness by making choices that uplift and elevate others…not tear them down. When you feel the world getting to you this week — or better yet, when you see it getting to someone else — roll up your sleeves and get to work. There is Happyness to Spread!!!

To life! To love!! To Happyness!!!

Spread Happyness — please share your thoughts in the comments!

9/02/22 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #364 – Life Between the Losses (Reflections at the Seven Year Mark)

Greetings Happyness Tribe — and Welcome to Week #364!

Seven years ago on September 5th my world changed forever — and on September 8th, SpreadHappyness was born.

It seems like forever ago and just yesterday all at the same time. And as I head into September — and especially the week ahead — I can’t help but simultaneously look back AND look forward at the same time.

Seven years is a tricky amount of time.

A lot has happened to put A LOT of distance between life “then” and life “now.” We lost Rob, we moved, I started a new job, I settled into a new life in Los Angeles, but my heart always seemed to stay in Ocean Grove. Finally I settled into a visiting routine. Then Covid came, and going home as often wasn’t as much of a choice. And then we lost Jim’s dad in the most unexpected way…

As the losses piled up — (and believe me, I know there are many many blessings in between!) — the distance got greater. As my former boss in New York once said to me in a passing conversation:

“You gotta put a little life between the losses.”

Seven years out, I’m putting some life between the losses. I still miss my brother. My family. My Jersey Shore life. I struggle with the distance and ask myself every day if it’s worth it.

And in the meantime, I try to remember the basics:

• Smile
• Wave Big
• Say Hello Like You Mean It

Because I know it’s not always easy.

It’s not easy to smile,  wave big and say hello like you mean it when you’re grumpy, or sad, or struggling.

(And that’s just Week #1 and #2!)

It’s not easy to reach out, to lend a hand, to mentor or encourage someone when your world feels like it’s falling apart.

It’s not easy to plan ahead, to set goals, or to try something new when your heart has been broken by disappointment…again and again and yet again.

Seven years and 364 weeks later, I know that to some people Happyness seems simple…maybe even too simple. But let me be the first to tell you, it’s not easy. It’s hard work. And it is SO necessary! Because the reality is, some days (or even years) the world gets the better of us…

…and other times, Happyness wins!

How do I know? I started this website on September 8th…THREE DAYS after my brother took his last, labored breath in a small, quiet hospital room in New York City. (And tomorrow, I’m starting something new again!)

When I launched Spread Happyness, this is what I wrote…and this is what I believe to this day (it’s still the contents of my “About” page):

SpreadHappyness.com was created in honor of my beloved brother and best friend, Robert Church Jr., who died on Friday, September 5th after a short battle with cancer.  He was 40 years old.

It is my wish to identify and carry forward (through weekly blogposts/challenges) the torch of Rob’s legacy — which I believe was his natural ability to spread happiness to anyone who was lucky enough to cross his path.  If you knew Rob, you already know this to be true.  And I bet you have a story all your own about something Rob said or did — maybe even 20 years ago — that continues to make you happy today!  I want to hear those stories!!!

If you didn’t get to meet Rob, let me introduce you.  I pledge to deliver a little dose of him to you every Friday morning (at least) via this blog.  Because cancer is not the only thing that can spread.  Happiness can take on a life of it’s own too!  It will be up to us to carry his light forward by sharing our stories, living his lessons, and spreading happiness to those who are now lucky enough to cross our paths!

With great love and affection for you all…
Grace (aka “Rob’s sister!”)

So if you didn’t get to meet Rob…let me introduce you! 🙂

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Welcome to Spread Happyness!!!  Spread Happyness is not about being Happy. It’s about “Spreading” Happyness by making choices that uplift and elevate others…not tear them down. When you feel the world getting to you this week — or better yet, when you see it getting to someone else — roll up your sleeves and get to work. There is Happyness to Spread!!!

To life! To love!! To Happyness!!!

Spread Happyness — please share your thoughts in the comments!

9/03/21 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #360 – Watch the grass (or weeds) grow!

Greetings Tribe — and Happy Friday!

As we turn the corner into August — and the slippery slope into “Back-to-Hallow-Thanks-Chris-Mukkah” — I’m reminded of one of my favorite posts (and moments) from life back in New Jersey.

That certain time in late summer when I’d first notice the Queen Anne’s Lace!

Back home in New Jersey…Queen Anne’s Lace is everywhere this time of year. It’s a flirty little weed that always got my attention in late July — and seemed to yell at me: 

“Hey you…look around! It’s almost August!”

There is a wonderful stillness this time of year as summer reaches its peak. Gardens are bursting, trees are at their fullest, the grass is at its longest…but harvest season isn’t quite here yet. There seems to be nothing left to do except sit back and watch it all grow.

Of course, with our modern schedules and technology (heck, even with Covid this year) there is always plenty to do: work continues, activities go on, there are vacations to take, and places to visit, and back-to-school shopping to do…

…but nature knows better.

Get out in nature. Take a cue from your garden or lawn, flower bed or park! Make like a tree…and be still! 😉

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Watch the grass (or weeds) grow! Back to school is about to start…but before it does, take a minute to kick back with your favorite beverage (and maybe your favorite person or pet) and watch the grass grow (or a thunderstorm brew)! It may be uncomfortable to sit still and do (gasp!) nothing for a few minutes. Do it anyway! Try it. Take five or fifteen minutes once a day (or once this week) to sit in the same spot and notice what is happening around you. I know the clock is ticking…but our world keeps its very own perfect time.

“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” (Henry David Thoreau)

Spread Happyness — where do you like to stop and watch the weeds grow?

8/6/21 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #359 – Get Some Sleep!

Greetings Tribe — and Happy Friday! 

Here we are on the very last Friday in July — and how do you feel?

I don’t know about you…but I feel one word: TIRED!

Maybe it’s the East Coaster in me but after five years of living in Southern California I still can’t get used to the idea that tomorrow’s going to be another sunny day. So I still feel that pressure, like many of you, to “make something” of the summer.

But the thing is out here, summer doesn’t stop. It just keeps going…well into October. Because every day is a beautiful day. So there’s very few cloudy days, rainy days, inside days, or plain old “lazy” days.

It’s exhausting.

The long summer days (and short nights) lead us all to stay up later, get up earlier, and be way more active than the heat-index would want us to be!

Which has led me to wave the white flag…and declare: I’M GOING TO BED EARLY!

We (my siblings and I) grew up in a house with “Quiet Time.”  That meant that after a certain time at night — you simply did not make noise.  And if you did — well, my parents were the type that actually imposed consequences for actions!  So…let’s just say, you didn’t want to go there!

As a kid, being able to stay up late to watch Honeymooners re-runs seemed like no big deal.  In retrospect, I totally understand.  My father had to get up very early to go to work — and my mother got up with him — so sleep was really important.  It’s pretty important to me now, too — and I don’t even have kids!

As grown-ups, we Churches still love our quiet time!  My brother Rob especially.  He loved hours upon hours of solitude.  It’s one thing he really taught me as an adult — the value of time alone.

And yet…here we are, at the height of summer and busier than ever, right?! Perhaps you feel it too — the pressure that builds as we turn the calendar to August and “Back-to-School” looms in the distance.  So much to do…so little time…and the countdown clock to Labor Day is on! So our instinct is to pack it all in…to do more, to take advantage of the nice weather, to make hay while the sun shines!

And yet — our bodies are telling us just the opposite!  To sit, to rest, to watch, to wait, and yes…to even go to bed early (maybe even when there’s still light outside)!.  Can you feel it too?  The outside pressure to squeeze every last drop out of our long summer days — and the internal pleading to stop and slow down?

It’s enough to make a girl (or boy) crazy!

Your assignment for this week: Don’t get crazy…GET SOME SLEEP!  It is easy to get swept up into the busyness of summer.  Even vacations — intended to take you away from it all — can take on a life of their own so big and harried, you come back feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation!  Fight the urge to pack it all in…and take some time to get quiet.  This may be as simple as turning off the TV and, yes, going to bed early.  It may mean sleeping in or lounging in bed with a good book rather than rushing out to run errands.  It may mean sitting on your porch or deck and watching the sprinkler sprinkle and the grass grow for a bit.  It could mean staying on the beach until after sunset, rather than rushing out to eat dinner at the same time as the rest of the world.  Or sitting on a bench and watching night fall and the moon rise over your hometown.  It may even mean a few precious hours home alone to clean or tidy up — or blasting your favorite rock music when there’s no one else around to tell you to turn it down!

Keep Calm…and Get Some Sleep!

Spread Happyness — tell me, how much have you gotten lately? 😉

7/30/21 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #358 – Sign up to fail!

Today is my partner James’ birthday! And do you know what I did?!

I signed him up to fail!

Let me explain: last year around this time, I gave Jim the gift of a lesson. A tennis lesson. In short, I signed him up to learn.

And after a year of consistent practice, regular play on the public courts, and more than a few lessons — it was time to take it a step further.

I signed him up for a tournament! And the moment I signed him up…I sent him the confirmation with the words: “Sh*t just got real!”

That’s because tournament play isn’t practice, and it isn’t play. It’s a single-elimination, every-point-matters, win-or-lose battle to the finals. And in singles tennis, there’s only one winner.

Game. Set. Match.

Given that it was Jim’s first tournament and he’d only been taking lessons and practicing for a year, while anything was indeed possible — it was a pretty safe bet that he wouldn’t make it all the way to the finals.

But the finals wasn’t the point.

What I signed him up for was competition. You see, playing at the public court is great…but there’s no score. There’s no stakes. There’s no leaderboard or bracket. What there is…is always another game.

But in tournaments, there isn’t. There is a loser. Every time. And that puts a little bit of pressure on things. Because it makes things more serious, more focused, more intense, more “real.”

And that’s not a bad thing. Because in the end, Jim said that it really sharpened his skills. See, constant practice and play seems disciplined…but it’s easy (at least for him). Putting skills to the test is hard. It’s signing up to fail, which requires something different than practice and play…it requires persistence!

And that’s a whole different tool in the tennis bag!

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Sign up to fail! Have you created a lifestyle or routine that ensures you will always come out even or ahead? Oh man, do I feel this! Because I, too, work really damn hard at keeping all my plates spinning just so. But how do we know how many plates we can really spin unless we test the boundary and break a few once in a while, right?! As you move through your week (and as I move through mine)…let’s look for areas, activities, endeavors, or outreach where we can afford to come up short a few times. And if this thought absolutely terrifies you (because it does me), it’s probably worth trying!

You don’t have the roll the dice on something catastrophic…pick something inconsequential, something you know you can recover from, and give failure a try!

Sign up to fail!

Spread Happyness – tell me, where can you “sign up to fail” this week?

7/23/21 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #357 – Be Still!

Greetings Happyness Tribe — and Happy Friday!

This past Wednesday, I returned to Los Angeles from a weird and intense trip back home to the Jersey Shore.  After MONTHS of not traveling anywhere, I knew from the minute we couldn’t get an Uber to the airport on a Monday morning that we were in for a rough week!

My trip, as always this time of year, was centered around an annual concert in Ocean Grove’s Great Auditorium — which is usually one of the single busiest weeks of the summer (and one of the hottest!).  

Between singing in the concert and grabbing slices of time with family — there normally isn’t much time to schedule other activities, visits, or downtime.

This time though, due to some extreme and bizarre weather, almost everyone canceled on us!

Which meant I had a little more unstructured time than I planned!

And as I sat spinning in my guest unit, scrolling through my phone, and feeling a little more isolated and uneasy than when I am 3,000 miles away…I remembered one of my most favorite past times in Ocean Grove!

Porch-Hopping!

Porch-hopping is a special kind of visiting…no planning, no deadlines, no expectations.  You simply make yourself available and see who passes by!  It’s not a date for an entire day or evening…it’s grab-and-go.  Take what you can.  Just a few precious moments of eternal NOW.

And you learn to make it count!

Summers move pretty fast in Ocean Grove!  And after five years in Southern California, where there’s always another beautiful day, I could really feel the pressure to “make something” of my visit.  

But in the absence of running here and running there, I was left with only one option:

To be still.

I took a walk down the street. And truth was, I didn’t get a few houses before I was waved down and invited up the walk for a chat! And then another. And then another. All without texting, calling, or coordinating!

Strange how sometimes the fastest way to get where you want to go…is to slow down!

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Be Still!  Whether you have a porch, deck, patio, balcony, or tailgate — pull up a chair, take a load off, sit a spell, have a chat, visit a bit, or rock a while!  Watch the traffic pass, cars park, people walk by, critters hard at work, nature doing her thing, or just observe the world moving about while you sit still.  Invite someone to join you.  Share a glass of something cold, have a conversation, meet a neighbor, visit with friends, or get to know just a little bit more about your very own family.

Make porch time a priority this week!

Spread Happyness — tell me, what’s your favorite place for a nice long sit?

7/16/21 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #356 – Walk the Boards and Ride the Waves!

Greetings Happyness Tribe!!!

I’m FINALLY back in Ocean Grove this week!  Holy Ground, God’s Square Mile, and every bit of Heaven on Earth!!!

And all I can think about is this post…from Week #43.  So forgive the repeat…because after a year of not getting back here, I can assure you I’m making up for lost time by “walking the boards and riding the waves!”  (I know you understand!)

Just before Summer of 2015…a new memorial planter quietly appeared on the boardwalk in Ocean Grove.  The planter’s inscription reads:

Robert Church, Jr.  1974-2014
Walked these boards and rode the waves.
Loved and Remembered Always

Since Rob disappeared from our boardwalk in 2014 — I still look (even today) for his 6-foot-something frame, his big wave, and his confident stride.  

And with every turn onto Ocean Avenue — I’m reminded of his absence in this beautiful place.  A place we shared as a family since childhood — and continued to share into our adulthood.

A place we somehow, even now, continue to share.  ♥

Through all the years we visited Ocean Grove — as children, teens, adults, and friends — we never dreamed it would come to this.  Benches and planters and plaques were for old people, maybe even pets, but not for us.  We were young, vital, alive.

And THAT is the point of the plaques on those benches and planters.  Life is about what you do, where you do it, and who you do it with.  The planters and benches along the boardwalk are filled with legacies: “…who loved Ocean Grove…”, “…who helped us all to grow…”, “whose happiness was a day at the beach…”

What would yours say?

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: “WALK THE BOARDS and RIDE THE WAVES!”  If someone were to write a memorial plaque about you…what would it say?  Where would they put it?  Spend time this week doing that thing as if it was your last.  Imagine how you might want to be remembered…then make it a point to LIVE IT!  Do it with love…do it with laughter…and above all: do it with Happyness!

Don’t wait!  Live your legacy today! And enjoy every moment! (I know I am!)

Spread Happyness — share your thoughts in the comments!

7/9/21 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #355 – It’s Fourth of July Weekend!!! (Do you know where your fireworks are?)

Greetings, Tribe — and Happy Fourth of July Weekend!

I’m revisiting a post I did NOT get to revisit last year (due to Covid)! Wishing you a happy, safe, and healthy Fourth of July Sunday!!!

With the Fourth of July just a few days away, I bet you know right where you are going to be this coming weekend — because nothings says sum-sum-summertime like a good ol’ fireworks show!

Or maybe you don’t. (And I bet you aren’t alone!)

Holidays are one of the loneliest times for someone who is away from home, new to town, suddenly out on their own — or this year especially, who’s life has changed dramatically.  

And at the height of the summer, when everyone else seems to be having the greatest time ever, it can feel like you’re not included or somehow missed the boat.

Fireworks are one of those elusive festivities.  Google all you want…finding out the “right” place to be, at the right time, on the right day can feel desperate and maddening.

So help a neighbor out, will you?!  If you’re in the know about where/when the best shows in your area are…don’t keep it to yourself!  

Spread Happyness: spread the info — and share what you know!

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Do you know where your fireworks are?  If so, don’t keep all the fun to yourself!  Social media makes it easier than ever to get the word out.  Share the info with your neighbors, friends, and on your networks.  Better yet, invite someone to watch them with you.  It has been an insanely isolating year for some…reach across the yard, the street, the hallway at school, or the corridor at work…and share what you know!

(Better yet, invite someone along!)

Spread Happyness — share your thoughts in the comments!!!

7/2/21 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #354 – Learn Something New!

Greetings Tribe — and Happy Friday!

Last year, Covid closed a lot of doors for many of us…but it for sure opened some others. Tennis is one example! Naturally socially distant and safely outdoors…tennis (like golf) saw an uptick in participation last year.

And my partner James was no exception to the trend!

With gyms and martial arts studios closed, Jim quickly turned his energy and attention from Cross-fit and Krav…to tennis. As a teen, he always wanted to play tennis but was pushed into football instead. Needless to say, his interest in sports waned quickly and it took years (decades really) for him to find his way back to his athletic self!

So on his birthday last year, I gave him the gift of a tennis lesson. Rackets, shoes, and cans of tennis balls followed (cans and cans of tennis balls!).

He was hooked!

Flash forward to this year…and he is entering his first tournament! On his birthday! What a great way to celebrate how far he’s come this first year — and reaffirms that it’s never to late to ignite an old flame, renew a passion, or do that thing you always wanted to do!

Which reminds me of this post from Week #47 from 2015:

I couldn’t help but notice this sign outside of our local surf shop.  This was the shop that started it all for us!  About a decade ago — OG Surf & Skate used to be called OG Surf Shop.  That is where I took my first surf lesson, bought my first wetsuit, and my first and only surfboard!  It wasn’t too long after that my brother Rob wanted to give it a try…and, like most things he attempted, he picked it up annoyingly quickly and easily!  Soon he had his own wetsuit, his own board, and his very own hobby that he loved so much!

Surfing is a tricky sport.  It takes place on an unpredictable, moody, and moving surface.  Much has been written about The Wave…but one thing is for sure: you cannot control it.  It doesn’t stop, or wait, or even play nice sometimes.  Without question — YOU must adapt to it.  And if you take the time to learn and cooperate just a bit — you just might get to experience the absolute thrill of standing up and riding a wave in for the first time!

I never would have gotten there on my own.  I needed someone to teach me.

And I’m so glad I did!

We think nothing of sending kids off for all kinds of lessons: swim, cooking, acting, dance, karate, band, and yes — even surf lessons!  Why do we do this?  To increase their learning curve?  To learn good habits?  And with surf or swim — to possibly save their lives?  Why then, as adults, do we try to do everything ourselves?  Why is it hard for us to humble ourselves to the expertise of another — all for the sake of learning, expediting, enjoying, and yes — possibly even saving our lives?

The best experiences I’ve had as an adult have been learning something new.  I took a ski lesson a DECADE after I first went skiing — to UN-learn bad habits and learn the “right” way!  I took a motorcycle class to learn how to properly (and hopefully safely) ride a motorcycle.  My sister and I treated my mom to a group golf lesson one year — and had a great time learning something new together (and playing a few rounds after that)!  And yes, I took surf lesson to not only learn how to surf — but how to fall, because wipeouts are inevitable!

I know a 20-something who takes piano, a 40-something who learned to swim, a 60+ year old who learned to play the trumpet, and an 80-something that will happily teach you how to knit!

I’ve used mentors, coaches, and webinars to learn — and try — something new.  I even used a tutorial to start this very blog!  You are never too old to learn something new — in fact, learning might be the very thing that keeps you young!

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Learn something new!  Learn to surf, to cook, to play tennis, paddleboard, yoga, skeet shoot, whatever!  Whether it’s been something you’ve been doing for years — or something you want to try just now.  Give yourself the gift of experience and take a lesson!  Two things will happen — you’ll either realize the thing you’ve been wanting to do isn’t quite for you; or you’ll realize it is and have a whole new hobby to keep you busy!  Either way is just as important — to eliminate options opens you up for something else; to nurture and grow a budding interest opens you up to a something new!

Take a lesson!  (Or give one!)  You can’t stop the wave — but you can learn to surf!

Spread Happyness — and share your thoughts in the comments!  What would you like to learn (or teach)?!

6/25/21 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com