Monthly Archives: March 2018

Week #185 – “Take the long way home!”

Week #185 – “Take the long way home!”

As we head into the last weekend in March…the sun is getting stronger, staying longer, and ever so slowly warming things up!  No matter how much snow you may still have on the ground…the earth knows that it’s time to blossom!

It’s a GREAT time to stretch your legs and get out for a long walk or drive!

This is the time of year that people start coming out of hibernation.  Your neighborhood may seem more active, your nearby park or rec center more crowded, even the beach may have a few more footprints than normal as we humans naturally head out into the sun to stretch out and dethaw!

Plus, with a little extra sunlight at the end of the day…it gives us that much more time for road-tripping!

With Passover and Easter and Spring Break colliding this week…stretch your legs and “take the long way home!”

Your Happyness Challenge for the week ahead: Take the long way home!  Whether you take a walk around the ‘hood, down the block, or hop in the car for a drive out of town…take advantage of the longer days, and hopefully some extra visiting hours this holiday weekend, and stretch your legs this week!

Spread Happyness — and share your thoughts in the comments!

3/30/18 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #184 – “We are all on our own stage, and it’s up to us how to act!” (In memory of Cindy Tedesco)

Halloween 2008 (photo credit: Grace Church)

Week #184 – “We are all on our own stage, and it’s up to us how to act!” (In memory of Cindy Tedesco)

Greetings Happyness Tribe!

This week is a re-post of Week #132 — in remembrance of Cindy Tedesco, a family friend and friend to SO MANY others, who passed away last year on March 23rd after a nearly 5-year battle with Ovarian Cancer.

She was young.  Too young.

As word of Cindy’s passing spread, and her Facebook page filled with condolences, I was reminded of a blog post she wrote in March of 2015 that was published on the ihadcancer.com website.  (You can read Cindy’s post in its entirety here.)

Cindy was so proud to write and share her story — and I was so happy for her when it was chosen.  When I shared her post on Facebook the day it published — I wrote that Cindy was a true warrior.  Not simply because she survived — but that she chose to THRIVE.

One of the things I most appreciated about Cindy was her honesty about her battle.  She shared openly about the highs, the lows, the anxiety, the grief.  But she also shared her joy and exuberance for life.  The day-to-day moments that made her life precious: meals with her husband, time with her cat, days at the beach, new haircuts and shoes, painted nails and toes, afternoons at her pool, and emojis!  Oh…the emojis!  Cindy left no stone unturned.

Perhaps because she knew there was no time.

Cindy‘s last line in her post sums it up perfectly:
“We are all on our own stage, and it’s up to us how to act!”

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Chose to THRIVE!  This is trite — but life is not a dress rehearsal.  You are on a stage all your own.  Step out.  Share honestly.  Spend time doing the things you love, the things that make you laugh, the things you want to be remembered for.  Our time is short…sometimes shorter than we imagine it will be.  Chose to THRIVE!

Thank you once again, Cindy, for sharing your life openly and honestly with all who were lucky to know you.  And to Cindy’s family, friends, loved ones, coworkers, and Teal Sisters — my continued condolences to you all.  There are some losses we never get over…we just have to go on, broken-hearted as we are, and live as they would want us to — fully.

Spread Happyness — remember Cindy, tell YOUR story, and chose to THRIVE!

3/23/18 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

(Cindy’s post is referenced with permission — and originally appeared on IHadCancer.com.)

Week #183 – “I believe in you!” (Encourage someone today!)

“I believe in you!” (photo credit: Grace Church)

Week #183 – “I believe in you!” (Encourage someone today!)

Greetings Tribe — and Happy Friday!

Two years ago today…I packed up everything I owned, and pulled away from everything I knew and loved, to hit the road and start a new adventure roughly 3,000 miles away in Southern California.

It seems like some kind of romantic American dream, right?

Except when you’re in it — it can feel like a bit of a nightmare.  It’s scary, and lonely, and you wonder every mile if you’re doing the right thing.

(Unless you’re Jim…then you don’t doubt it at all!)  🙂

I’ve had two friends make similar moves this month…and watching their journeys and following them online brought back so many feelings.  The good…the bad…the really ugly crying!  (I’m not gifted that way.)

But mostly…I felt immense gratitude for the encouragers!

The ones who said:
– “Just try it.”
– “You’ll figure it out.”
– “I believe in you.”

These weren’t people blowing sunshine up my you-know-what…just telling me what I wanted to hear (because what I really wanted to hear was something else).  These were people who knew me…and were encouraging me to live MY life, to find MY way, to figure ME out.

And I’m grateful for them every single day…not because I figured it all out (because believe me, there is still plenty to figure out!).  But because by trying it at all…I believe in myself just a little bit more.

Which means I can REALLY encourage others to believe in themselves…just a little bit more!

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: BELIEVE IN SOMEONE!!!  Even if you aren’t feeling all that great yourself this week (and maybe especially if you aren’t!) — if you know someone who’s facing a difficulty or change, taking a risk, or trying something new, take time to say “I believe in you!”  Send them a note, post on their wall, share this page, or just cheer them along!

And if it’s you that’s feeling discouraged this week…then this post is for you!  “I believe in you!”

I really do!

Spread Happyness…Encourage someone today!

3/16/18 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #182 – Share good news!

Week #182 – Share good news!

Greetings Tribe — and Happy Friday!

I’ve been reminded recently of the power of good news.  On several occasions in the last month, I received updates from friends across the country…just touching base to share good news about:

  • A long awaited move
  • An upcoming trip
  • Some new ink
  • The appearance of the first crocuses busting through the mulch!
  • That the power is back on…(then off)…then on again!!!  YAY!!!

They weren’t asking for anything…just sharing their news/success/excitement with me.  How sweet is that?!

We all know the saying, “bad news travels fast.”  It’s our natural human tendency to reach out in community when something is wrong.  Don’t forget to celebrate and share successes with others, as well.  Because everyone enjoys a good news story.

And nobody goes it alone.  Nobody.

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Share good news!  If you’ve got good friends who answer the call/carry your burdens when you’re down…be sure to share good news with them when you’re up!  You’re just one text, call, email, or post away from sharing a smile, a laugh, a happy story, an uplifting moment, a heartfelt thank you, or some much needed good news to brighten someone else’s day.

Make the choice to spread light, spread love, and Spread Happyness this week!

Spread Happyness — and share good news!

3/9/18 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

Week #181 – Three years, six months: “Ride the wave!”

GoPro-1a

“Forever Young!” (photo credit: Grace Church)

Week #181 – Three years, six months: “Ride the wave!”

Greetings, Tribe — and Happy March!

Monday, March 5th will mark three and a half years since Rob died.  I honestly had to double-check my dates as I typed that…how can that be?!

And so, I want to repeat this post — because I was reminded recently of my own words:

“Just ride the wave.”

“Ride the wave” became a sort of mantra during Rob’s funeral.  I had written it on the back of his car in window chalk…because it was the last thing I said to him.  He was fighting so hard.  And having no words, no answers, no nothing for this perfectly healthy and beautiful young man with everything to live for…the only thing that came to mind was a surfing analogy.

But the words are not mine.  They are wise words that came to us from an experienced screenwriter friend as we were riding the rapidly changing highs and lows of our first script going out to market.  Our friend is a surfer too, and it was a language we immediately understood: you can’t control the outcome, just the effort.  Skills, preparation, determination, focus…those were all on us.  After that, just “ride the wave” the furthest and best you can.

It became a mantra for us when facing difficulties or challenges: “Just ride the wave.”

Surfing was a language that Rob understood, too — and it can teach you a lot about life.  You don’t just run out and jump in hoping for the best.  There’s a lot to learn before you get that first ride — and there’s a lot more practice after that in order to do it even moderately well.  Like most things Rob picked up, he took to it almost immediately — and enjoyed it immensely.  And his happiness became our happiness, too!  (You can ride waves of happiness, too!)

Are you — or someone you know — facing a wave right now?

Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: “RIDE THE WAVE!”  Like the waves of the ocean, we can’t always control the conditions in our lives.  You can try to go over them, under them, around them…or get knocked down by them.  Or you can RIDE THE WAVE.  With a little practice and preparation…you can be ready to paddle in when the wave comes to you.  Perfect conditions or not…we can only control our responses.  The enjoyment and fulfillment is in the ride itself!  (And it’s helpful to remember that wipe-outs are legendary, too!)

Whatever you’re facing…you’ve got this!  Paddle in, pop up, and ride that wave!  

Spread Happyness — and RIDE THE WAVE!!!

3/2/18 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com