Watching hummingbirds and rabbits in our backyard.
Having a dream where my cat Betsy is hanging out with me. She passed away in 1998 when she was at least 18 years old and, even though it’s been so long, I still miss her – as I do all of the animals who’ve shared my life – so very much. It’s always good when one of them visits me in a dream.
Listening to music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Painting and doodling.
Lots of time reading on the front porch.
Going for walks in the freshness of early morning.
Moments of feeling peaceful. I don’t have those very often, and I treasure them when they come.
These things have nourished me and brought me joy.
What joy connections have you found this week? What has nourished your soul?
I hate to feel that way. And I feel guilty for not being more positive. But life has been hard for many years, and it’s exhausting.
Life being hard is the reason I have to intentionally and deliberately look for joy connections. Seeking little moments of joy didn’t come about because I was happy all the time and seeing joy in everything, it came about due to the necessity of finding ways to keep myself going.
I started the practice years ago, and it continues to this day. Because I need it.
Some of my recent joy connections include…
The very-welcome visitors we have to our little backyard. The rabbits and hummingbirds and lightning bugs and butterflies and red birds (and other birds).
Kitchen radio music with so many songs from the 70s and 80s.
Roaming around YouTube and letting it randomly play old music videos, including part of a 1973 Eagles concert.
Talks with friends.
Bursts of unexpected laughter while watching TV.
These are all joy connections, moments of connecting to joy. Often little things, and often brief, but these things can make such a difference in the course of my day.
What joy connections have you found lately? Look for them. Notice them.
With all of the stress and change and difficulty of the past several months (and longer), I decided to have another personal at-home summer art retreat. Last year’s – which you can read about here – was fun and nourishing, and it helped me cope.
So I decided to do it again.
Since starting on June 1, I’ve been spending more time than usual painting and doodling and art journaling. There’s nothing structured. No set schedule. Just doing my best to make more time for creative play.
Sometimes I doodle.
I’ve been drawing some mandalas and using colored markers to color them (which is sooo relaxing and calming).
I’ve returned to some old canvases to make some changes.
Even something as simple as painting watercolor swatches counts as part of my art retreat.
The main thing is to have fun. It’s relaxing for me, it helps reduce my levels of stress and anxiety, and it keeps me connected to my creativity.
The months since last summer’s personal at-home art retreat have been difficult ones. My husband has had a stroke, which has brought us changes and challenges. He’s had surgery to get a pacemaker. There have been numerous doctor visits and tests and procedures.
And my days have held a lot of stress, anxiety, and fear of the future.
Creativity has been helping me. Writing, painting, sketching, doodling. All done with no pressure. All done just for the enjoyment of it – just for the doing of it.
That’s why it was an easy decision for me to have another personal at-home summer art retreat this year. It’s something I’m doing for my own self care and soul nourishment.
I hope you have something that brightens your days and lightens your load. It doesn’t have to be a commitment for the whole summer. It doesn’t have to be an at-home art retreat. It doesn’t have to be anything with timelines or guidelines or pressure.
It just needs to be something that connects you to joy and nourishes your soul.
Ginger Simpson White 
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