As a resolution this year I decided to try and celebrate every day individually, and while somedays something worth celebration may occur on its own, I found I very quickly needed a bit of help in what to celebrate. As I began to search for things to celebrate, I found a website that highlights every day as its own holiday. Today, January 9th is Apricot Day, Word Nerd Day, and part of Pizza Week. Each day has become much more interesting and silly when I try to embrace and celebrate these sometimes wacky holidays but I can also say, each day has become more special. https://nationaltoday.com/national-day-calendar/
As we enter a new year, I wanted to focus on happiness and mental wellbeing. As broad and as scary as that subject may seem, it can actually be impacted by things as simple as the color you’re wearing or the colors you surround yourself with. This article highlights how colors can impact your mood and provides a chart (below) of colors and each specific colors effect on your mood. https://www.scienceofpeople.com/color-psychology/
In March 2020, right as toilet paper was becoming scarce and lockdown was starting, we were in paradise! Our family traveled around Costa Rica from the Highlands, to the Cloud Forest, to (finally!) the Pacific coast! We were seeking to learn what makes the people of Costa Rica among the happiest on earth. And we want to share the sense of wonder and curiosity that we cultivated there. Our trip ended with concern for the future due to the COVID-19 pandemic and since that time we have experienced unprecedented separation, increased awareness of inequities in our society, and far fewer in-person interactions. It has taken us a while to figure out what we CAN do. So, starting in December 2021, we are launching a blog to bring people together by posting some of what we discover and want to share. We hope to build community around culture. We will focus on images and text to observe, describe, compare, analyze, or synthesize. These days we spend a lot of time consuming, but we hope to also inspire contemplation, spark conversation, or just bring attention to what we like.
Ross Gaye’s Book of Delights was one of the most revelatory things about 2021 for me. He has a way of saying the thing. Sometimes its simple observations, tastes, experiences, recollections. Sometimes the thing is more challenging. Beauty in all its complicated and simple complexity. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjco6HP06X1AhXYl2oFHTzBBr4QFnoECAcQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rossgay.net%2Fdelights&usg=AOvVaw3xeTRbsx-x5exg51-UQ5–
M. Kathryn Shields, Ph.D. 