Get Happier

A few fun things.

Hi friends around the world! For the new people this week, here I am with Evie, who’s a gorgeous five months old now, and ready for a major groom. It’s always good to see who is writing to you…and I’m Catherine Greer, Canadian-Australian living in Sydney, author and mum of adult sons lover of little dogs, white sand beaches, baking and all things beautiful.

Let’s start with a question: if no one has asked you yet today, how are you doing?

Really. How are you?

If you’re feeling a little tired and worn out, I want to remind you of this: it’s time to rest.

Today’s the day to put your feet up, take a gentle walk, make yourself a cup of tea, or ask someone you love to check in on you.

Ask for help.

Give yourself a breather.

We all do so much: we rush and we love, we plan and we care for others. It’s easy to forget that we need to rest.

Here’s to a quiet Sunday — with a little time for you to do the things you love.

Be well, take care of yourself and take a break if you can.

Love Catherine x

P.S. A few fun things!

  • Looking for beauty? This is just gorgeous.

  • The science that explains how to quickly deal with stress or anxiety. Dr. Huberman is a researcher at Stanford University, and he knows what he’s talking about.

  • Cute and comfy soft pink flare jeans. (For my budget-conscious readers 💖) I know there’s only ONE 1-STAR review for these, but honestly, they’re soft and thick, truly stretchy, and the fit is fabulous…mid-waist, not too high and not low. You can order online.

  • Every woman should read the absolutely true and GORGEOUS poem by Elizabeth Bishop, “One Art.” You’ll know what she means. You’ll understand it, I promise.

One idea to make today sweeter

Hi friends! I hope you’re well…but if you’re feeling a little meh about life at the moment, I have something fun to share.

Last weekend, we stayed at our favourite beach in the world, and I snapped this photo above of our two sons and their current girlfriends. I love this photo because it’s a life lesson and a universal truth.

These beautiful kids of ours are chalk and cheese. Can you see it?

On the left, our eldest: the serious, studious couple — soon to be management consultant and investment banker — inspecting some kind of sea urchin.

On the right, the youngest: the ‘Life is a beer commercial’ couple — one studying Exercise and Sport Science at uni, the other a promising female boxer.

All of us are so wildly unique.

Two boys from the same parents, same beach, same day, same moment in time…but so very different.

It’s an old idea, but crucial to remember:

No one can do the job of being you but you.

The little quirks, the way you see the world, your special knack for sharing someone’s sorrow or joy, the best thing about you (and the worst) — that’s all you. And your perspective is so needed in the world.

I don’t know how you feel, but I get so, so tired by the exhausting TaDa! of everyone’s sparkly internet lives…the beautiful photos, the relentless sharing of all the perfect things and perfect days.

I wish we could pause and strip away all the curated sharing, open our front doors and invite each other in.

Life is so, so good, we’d say…we have all this: running water, safety, food on the table, sometimes pain but sometimes joy.

And life is also hard, we’d remind each other: worries about families and self and all the secrets we rarely share.

But we’re here, with a chance to be wholly ourselves, completely unique, fabulous and flawed…and this is one life is ours.

It’s wild and precious, just like Mary Oliver so famously wrote. And we’re the only ones who can be ourselves. So on we go, loving all the people we’ve been given to love.

I hope you enjoy your beautiful Sunday.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • It’s Father’s Day in Australia: we’re barbecuing a whole salmon and making Mussels Cocotte, an easy recipe from Burgoo, in Vancouver. (The link will take you back to my author website, to a post written a few years ago…) I’ve changed a lot!

  • Eyeliner is hard for me to figure out, but these two make it so much easier: LOVE this one in Striking Navy and this one, too.

  • Oh, re-read this poem by Mary Oliver if you ever feel alone or blue. It starts with this: “You do not have to be good” and ends with the famous line, “What will you do with your one wild and precious life?”

One little phrase that changes everything

Hi friends. I snapped the pretty photo above at twilight in wintery Sydney. Yesterday my husband and I took a train into the city for a gorgeous cello concert at City Recital Hall, then walked through the streets and had a cocktail together at a cosy bar.

It’s not something we do often — usually the weekends are full of grass-cutting and errands, helping teens study for exams, getting through the piles of laundry, shopping and cooking.

But as we were walking those city streets, I remembered to say (not just think) something important and true.

It’s the one phrase we can say more often to all the people we love: friends and family, and partners, too.

If you have a friend you treasure, take the time to say “I’m so glad you’re mine.”

If you have kids, watch their hearts swell when you say, “I’m so glad you’re mine.”

For your parents and for partners, it’s an instant point of connection.

“I’m so glad you’re mine” lets our people know that we see them and appreciate them, and it reminds us to be thankful for who we have in our lives—despite all our wrinkles and bumps, and our lack of perfection.

If things are fabulous for you today, I hope you have time to be grateful.

And if things are hard, here’s my favourite page from one of my books:

Happy Sunday, everyone.

Sending you so much love.

Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff…tiny little joys!

6 Little Pick-Me-Ups

Hello from sunny Sydney! (Big warm welcome to the new people this week…thanks for joining me. You’ve signed up for my weekly newsletter, and I’m Catherine Greer…mum of two sons, wife of an ex-naval officer, author of several books and compulsive baker!)

In Australia, it’s Higher School Certificate time, and at my kitchen table you’ll often find a girlfriend plus other teens studying for exams. As an ex-English teacher, I’m on duty with essays and my husband covers the Maths.

So today, for all those exam mums who follow along, I’m giving you my favourite 6 quick pick-me-ups.

  1. Sunday dessert.

When teens are here and certainly every Sunday, I make a family dessert. Last weekend it was the delicious Lemon Blueberry Soufra from a couple of newsletters ago, and let me tell you this: it is worth it.

Easy to make and completely delicious. So good, in fact, that I’m going to buy a proper 30-inch for baking mine. Mine was a little too small, hence the overcooking, but still: total perfection if you love dessert.

2. Bare feet on grass.

It’s surprising how easy it is to overlook this tiny joy. Bare feet, warm grass. The temps in Sydney were high yesterday, and I stood on the lawn while our new puppy, Evie, slept. It reminded me of being a kid: relaxed, happy, soaking in the day.

3. Walking.

I’ve written about the Latin phrase“Solvitur ambulando” about a year ago and to me it’s true: “It is solved by walking.” Whatever the problem is: worry, kids, work, life, imbalance, fear…walking always helps.

4. A fun Sunday afternoon kind of dress.

Do you like to throw on a cute, fun dress with sneakers and zip around your house? I do. I know many of you are on a budget — thanks for sharing with me and I know life can be tricky — so I found this one this week and it’s cute and floaty. (Way cuter in person than in this photo!) Size up because comfort is key here and it will be long enough if you’re 5’7” or shorter. Pair with cute white sneakers and you’re all set. If you like more of a shirt-dress, try this one.

5. A sandal splurge for summer for my overseas friends.

Everyone’s talking about these comfy sandals…wear them at the beach or on the rocks, and cute for out to dinner, too. Pricey for the original, but the dupes are here. Hopefully they’re back in stock soon.

6. A reminder: love all the people you’ve been given to love.

Reach out with whatever you’ve got in your own two hands: knowledge about how to write an essay, a slice of cake, a warm hug, a safe home, friendship. Listen to someone who’s struggling, err on the side of being generous, celebrate your life. Today — make it a mission to love all your people, and let them know it.

I hope you have a wonderful Sunday.

Love Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

Go small, my friend 🌼

Hi and happy Sunday! A quick intro if you’re new — I’m Catherine Greer, writer of books, lover of small dogs, compulsive baker, beach walker, mum of two young adult sons, wife to a thoughtful guy who bought me an Ember mug so my coffee stays hot for hours. 💖 You can see a few photos of my world here!

Thanks for reading every Sunday!

Today, here’s what I have for us.

When I feel like I’m stuck or drowning, and I have no idea what to do next, my tendency is to go big. I want to dive in and figure it out. Or I beat myself up over not doing better, or knowing better. (Welcome to my brain: Hello my name is Catherine, and I’m tough on myself. It’s exhausting.)

Lately, I’ve been trying the opposite.

I’ve been going small.

Tiny.

One breath. One idea. One positive thought. One short walk around the back garden. One treat. One stretch right here in my chair.

I’m learning to go small.

Somehow, small is connected to wisdom and contentment. It’s connected to being realistic about our lives, and hopeful that future will get better.

A story for you…this week a friend reached out to say that she’s struggling. And I wanted to offer all the ways to fix it: ideas and strategies, plans and help.

But then I went smaller. I offered a plate of her favourite sweet potato fries at a cafe we love, with a dollop of hummus and sea salt.

That’s the love that landed.

Today, can you walk up to your giant-sized problem, and think of a way to go small?

That’s my plan as I get older and wiser.

Happy Sunday! Thanks for being here.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • A beautiful, free 8 minute meditation by Sarah Blondin: Learning to Surrender.

  • Oh my goodness, this pasta cooks in one pan — sauce included.

  • My Ember mug, to keep coffee hot for a couple of hours. You can change the temp with an app on your phone, if you want to. I keep mine as hot as possible. Pricey, but it works. This dupe might be good?

  • If you like the idea of being kinder to yourself, you’ll love Small Steps Are Perfect. Readers say, “Lovely little book, whether you read it from cover to cover, or just a chapter that calls out to you, highly recommended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️” Find it here in Canada, here in America, here in Australia and here in the UK.

I was up in the night. Here's why.

Hi friends!

Ahhhh, worry!

You get in that rocking chair and keep on rocking…because the motion makes it feel like you’re doing something to move yourself forward.

But you aren’t.

My classic response is to wake up around, oh, two or three a.m., then ramble around the house for two hours until it’s light enough to start the day. Usually I put on a load of laundry and tidy up the kitchen, then sit with my laptop and catch up on emails.

I’m so curious about what you do!

(Sometimes I feel like I should have a ‘middle of the night text a friend’ agreement: I’ll text you if I’m up, and you do the same, and if we’re both worrying at the same time, then let’s TALK!)

But this week I learned a really great tip. When I start to worry about something, I tell myself this:

This is the part where…my kid goes off the rails before he figures out his next step in life.

This is the part where…I’m not sure if my new job is going to work out.

This is the part where…I’m worried about my health.

Somehow, saying “This is the part where…” makes me feel like I’m sitting above my own life, seeing the worry as only one part of a larger plan.

It doesn’t make the worry go away or guarantee that we won’t feel bad anymore, but it helps us find a future perspective — as if we’re looking at life from a place where our story has already moved on.

Because every story does move on.

So if things aren’t great at the moment and you’re worrying or feeling bad, it’s just a part of your story. One day, you’ll be able to look back on this as “the part where….” — because your story isn’t over yet.

Right? Right. ❤️

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!



Hello, beautiful younger you...

Hi friends — and new friends! Quick introduction: I’m Catherine Greer, writer and compulsive baker, lover of little dogs, living in Sydney, Australia with my family.

I saw these young beauties on my way to the Tina Turner musical in Sydney last weekend, and asked if I could take a non-identifying photo. They grinned and said sure…while digging into the best burgers after a party they’d been to in the city.

Do you remember the younger you?

The teenage girl with all those dreams and energy and friends, and her whole life spread out in front of her?

I don’t think we become someone different as we grow older. I think we add on layers as we age — life lessons, wisdom, disappointment, joy. Wins and losses. And through it all, we have to remember to honour ourselves, and all we’ve been through to get here.

If no one has said it to you lately, I’d like to be the one.

You’re doing a good job.

You’re probably doing better than you think you are.

And I hope something lovely happens to you today.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

🌹 Is everything coming up roses?

Hi friends and hello new friends — so happy you found me. So many new faces this week! I’m Catherine Greer, author, Canadian-Aussie, lover of beaches and baking. Now that you’re here, you’ll get a little shot of inspiration in your inbox every Sunday.

Let’s go!

Last month, we visited Canberra to pick up the world’s sweetest puppy and we stopped for tea and cake at a gorgeous cafe and bakery called Via Dolce Pasticceria.

The rose crockery!

The Italian vibe!

The walls of cakes!

The entire cafe was filled with joy. Of course it was—because how could you not enjoy the absolute miracle of being alive in a place that looks like this?

The tiny cafe had decor that sings, “Get in here, girls, and celebrate something!”

And so we did.

I’m a big believer in scanning for the joy…and the reason is not because my life has been easy.

Honestly, I haven’t swanned around with everything working out for me. And I’m guessing neither have you.

Is EVERYTHING coming up roses?

Does everything always work, and all at the same time?

Nope.

We’re wise enough to know that there’s rarely a time when all the worries float away, and every little thing is great. Life is such a mix of joy and pain, with loads of privileges (hot water, living in safety, people to love) and so much hurt and disappointment.

That’s why, when things are rough, I believe in asking this question—I wrote about it in my best-loved book, The 10 Minute Fix.

(Whoops — Evie just ate that sticky note! And yep, I still read and re-read my own book because I need all these reminders, too.)

How is this working in my favour?

We can ask this of the good and the bad, and we always, always, always have the option to look for what’s working and take tiny steps forward.

I hope something unexpected and fun comes your way today. (And yes, I hope that for you, almost everything’s coming up roses).

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Tiny Joys

Hi friends around the world. It’s Catherine Greer writing to you on this beautiful Sunday morning in Australia. The beach photo, above, was taken at Hyams Beach in New South Wales, my favourite place in the world.

I’m up way before six a.m. with a headache and a heart filled with gratitude for all the tiny things.

Maybe it’s me getting older, but with every year I wear like a cozy sweater, I get better at being grateful. Today I’m focusing on all the tiny joys.

Headache pills. It’s amazing we have them.

Hot coffee and my laptop, so I can write to all of you.

A row of teenage shoes beside the back door. (Everyone is safe, loved, accounted for.)

A table laid with care for brunch with friends I haven’t seen in a while.

A new puppy to love, who just got the cutest-ever before and after grooming session. (Poor Evie, she could barely see with all that puppy hair…but we had to wait 12 weeks until her immunisation.)

Before:

And here she is after. (A huge joy: that Chu, our groomer, is skilled enough to wield a pair of scissors this close to puppy eyes…so we don’t have to.)

Of course there’s beauty everywhere if we know how to look for it.

Our worlds are full of Tiny Joys.

Here’s the secret to living well: we can always look for the small things while we wait for the big things to slide into place.

I wish I could offer you a coffee and a freshly-baked cinnamon bun this morning, and hear your list of tiny joys.

Be well, enjoy your weekend, and remember to hope for the best.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Meet Evie 💖

Hi friends (and new friends)! I hope you’ve had a relaxing weekend so far.

I’m not sure if you’re a pet person, but this little girl is new to our wintery Sydney home. She’s two kilos of adorable, and we’re navigating all the bumps and joys of having a little life dependent on us.

After losing our sweet Holly, we were afraid to do this all over again. But when your heart needs some healing, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.

Bringing Evie into our home reminds me of when I was trying to make a tough decision a few years ago. A friend said something important to me—and I’ll never forget it.

Maybe it will be helpful for you, too:

It’s such a good question.

  • Fear blocks creativity.

  • It muddles our thoughts, causing us not to think clearly.

  • It stops us from acting for our own highest good.

  • It keeps us stuck in status quo.

Fear tells us to sit down. Courage invites us to move forward.

Whatever you’re facing in your life—decisions, worries, health issues, family wobbles, heartache, or anything hard—give yourself a moment to think about what would happen if you took the fear out of it.

What would you do?

Happy Sunday, everyone! I hope you have a day filled with new adventures. Sending you love from my Australian home to yours, wherever you are in this beautiful world.

Love Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

  • If you’re close to Canberra ACT and you’re interested in a purebred Shih Tzu, I think little Evie has two sisters still available. Email me for details. The owner is a lovely, responsible breeder. And if you have any puppy toilet training tips, I’d loveeeeee to hear them! Please email!

  • How’s your hip mobility? Mine’s not great, but I’m practicing. Here’s a quick post about Beginner Hip Mobility.

  • This stir-fry sauce “recipe” is fabulous! So much better than making it up as you go along (as I always do, but this is way better).

  • I love to bake, and this cake is the prettiest. But I think I’m making this one — Lemon Blueberry Greek Yogurt cake — for dessert for our family Sunday dinner. Yum!

Can you receive?

Hello friends — so many new people here this week from England and Canada! It’s Catherine Greer writing to you from wintery Sydney, Australia, where the camellias are in bloom. I tried to take a selfie so you’d know who’s writing to you, and also so you could see the camellias on my street.

If you’re new, I’m an author, a mum, a wife and a lover of everything beautiful: outdoors, sunsets, baking, flowers, shoes (!!) and yep, poetry and books, too.

Today, I want to ask an important question that women are NEVER asked:

Let me tell you a story: two years ago, I went on a weekend away with some girlfriends and I took a little gift for each of them. I bought them each a lovely Crabtree and Evelyn hand cream wrapped in my favourite paper with ribbons. (I love, love, love wrapping gifts.)

Some women squealed and opened their gifts straight away. They dove in and slathered their hands. Some women tentatively unscrewed the tops and sniffed appreciatively. But there was one woman in our group who—bless her—just wasn’t able to receive my gift.

She couldn’t even bring herself to unwrap it.

She was the most giving of all of us, the most routinely sacrificial…but she had an impossible time receiving.

That’s why I’m asking you to take a second now and think: can you receive?

Can you say YES to good things and beautiful opportunities?

I think the key is to slow down a little in almost every way: walk more slowly, consider your responses slowly, move with some grace…and take your time, my dear.

Take your time.

Allow the world to give you a few things today. Look for the gifts. Receive them. Pause and say thank you.

Let’s give it a whirl on this beautiful Sunday.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

How's the Real You doing?

Hi friends, and hello to all the new people this week! It’s so good to have you here. I’m Catherine Greer, author and mother of two young adult sons, baker and optimist living in Sydney, Australia. You’ve signed up for my Sunday newsletter and I’m so happy to pass along a few good ideas if I can.

Today — let’s talk about the real me and the real you.

Not the Work You, or the Parent You, or the friend or partner…but the joyful part of you that’s authentic and not an identity you’ve created over time to fulfil a role you play in your life.

What does she love to do?

How does she like to have fun?

Can you do a little of that today?

Not what’s good for you or what you’re supposed to be doing, but what you love…

Kitchen dancing, taking a walk, the perfect cup of tea in a favourite tea cup, a square of chocolate. Crunching through leaves in your autumn backyard. A solo shopping trip. Sleeping in. Getting up early. A lemon drop, slowly savoured. Replaying your favourite memory. Cleaning something and feeling virtuous. Putting your feet up.

Whatever it is, promise you’ll do one thing for her today — the person that is the authentic core of you.

The joyful you.

Getting closer to our authentic selves can be surprisingly quick to do.

  1. Consider what you (truly) love. Choose one small, simple thing.

  2. Do that now.

  3. Savour the feeling of being true to yourself.

Let me give you an example: for me, joy is always as close as my ear buds and iPhone. I put on a favourite song and have a kitchen dance all on my own. It always brings me back to myself—the little eight year old girl at my first family wedding, where I spent the whole night on the dance floor and didn’t want to sit down because I didn’t want to miss out.

I’m guessing you already know quite a few things that bring you joy, and I hope you can do some of them today. Remember that who you are—the authentic you—also needs a little TLC. It’s easy to forget about that woman in all our rushing around and doing.

Because this is true:

Happy Sunday! I hope something amazing happens to you today.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • This season’s pink boots are a little brighter and taller, but gorgeous.

  • Do you know Wendell Berry’s gorgeous poem, “The Peace of Wild Things” from 2018? My favourite lines: I come into the peace of wild things / who do not tax their lives with forethought / of grief…

  • I’ve made this flourless, decadent chocolate cake for my friend Jenny’s birthday.

  • A song to make you dance, especially if you’re a 66 baby like I am.

  • New friends — my best loved book, The 10 Minute Fix, is here in Canada, in America, in the UK, in Germany and in Australia. I’m busy writing a sequel. If you love to write, there’s a beautiful 6x9 inch The 10 Minute Fix Journal too, and every page is different, with over 200 writing prompts. You can get your journal here in America, in Canada, in the UK and in Australia.

Where we're at right now

Hi friends — and hello to all the new people this week! I’m Catherine Greer, author and compulsive baker, lover of little dogs, mother to two adult sons in uni, wife to a guy who loves beach walking like I do, eater of chocolate, Sydney-sider 🇦🇺. Lovely to have you here for a quick hit of inspiration and fun…

If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll remember this hot pink tankini I found online. I promised I’d report back about whether or not it was worth it.

Well…see that crazy strap on the top? I took this suit to Adelaide, South Australia, with me a couple of weeks ago, and I could NOT get into the darned thing. Really. I couldn’t figure it out. My brain was all, “WHAT goes WHERE??” Then I got in…and it was so tight I couldn’t get out.

My husband looked at me with these quizzical John Howard eyebrows and said, “Um, I think your HEAD is in the wrong place?”

(I am almost crying and laughing while I type this.) It’s true: my head was in the wrong place, the suit was SO unusually tight for a size L, and I was stuck. In my own new tankini.

So anyway, I tried again…and if felt like building IKEA flat pack furniture. Too many parts, too few instructions. 🤣 That shoulder strap is surprisingly complicated. But in the end, I think it looks pretty good. The ruching is lovely…and here I am, in all my imperfect glory, modelling my new swimmers in a hotel bathroom after getting them on right.

But what’s the point of this crazy story?

We need to laugh.

And we need to be real, online and in our lives…so I’m sharing beautiful and crazy, imperfect me. Laughing at myself. At my age. In midlife.

Here’s what I learned from my new swimmers…

We need to love ourselves where we’re at. You are who you are. I am who I am. No matter where we want to go, or who we think we’ll be when we get there, our future selves will still be us.

Whether it’s good news or bad news, a fresh start or a setback, a move to a new city or a new job or a new relationship, our selves come along with us.

If we don’t learn this, we’re not going anywhere.

This is why we need to love ourselves where we’re at.

I don’t know about you, but I always flip-flop between sizes — sometimes up and sometimes down. I have a serious problem with directions and pattern recognition, and it really hit me when I tried to get into these swimmers.

But I honour that Catherine—with all her crazy flaws and funny ways and inabilities. And strengths!

And I hope you honour yourself, too.

Sending you so, so much love this weekend. Have fun loving all the people you’ve been given to love…including your one-of-a-kind, remarkable self.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

When was the last time you did this?

Hello, friends. I have an inspiring story for you…

Last night, I was asked to do something I NEVER would have done without being asked.

A young friend of the family who is without a mum in her life asked me if I’d go to her very first sports match where she was competing. She wanted to feel like she had a full family there, and be like the other girls.

And it was boxing.

You guys know me (and I probably know you, too). I’m guessing very few of us have ever been to a boxing match—but of course I went to support her. I sat in the front row, and hid my face in my hands, and screamed with everyone else, and watched this intriguing sport that I thought was all bloody and demented like the Rocky III movie, but was actually beautifully skilled athletes dancing, throwing combination punches, and showing the most amazing sportsmanship.

And I understood why this teenager needed to build herself a family.

Other boxers had cousins and grandparents and siblings carrying them from the ring hoisted high on shoulders when they won.

She had just a few of us: a ragtag ‘family’ she gathered together.

She was the underdog—and then she won.

Apart from the fact that the match was amazing—a sport, not too aggressive, with lots of headgear, and proper rules, and caring coaches—that spotlit room holding an audience of hundreds was filled with love.

I never would have gone.

So here’s my question for us today:

When was the last time you electrified yourself seeing something for the very first time?

For me, it had been ages. I couldn’t even remember when.

But there’s so much to learn about ourselves and the world. Doing something new gives us energy and perspective and growth.

If you get a chance—if someone asks you to step outside your routine—please say yes. Go do the unexpected. Watch what happens.

Even a tiny change (a shirt you thought wasn’t you, a different grocery store, music you don’t listen to) might surprise and delight you. And if you’re lucky, it might actually change you.

Growth is so good for us. Doing the unexpected is the quickest way to feel like we’re truly living.

Enjoy your weekend. I hope something wonderful comes your way.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

From Adelaide, with ❤️

Hello, friends. Just dropping into your weekend from Adelaide, South Australia—land of beautiful buildings, fabulous food, and lovely wineries. So many amazing spots to eat and dream and walk and explore!

The night skyline is gorgeous. How can you not be in love with a city like this?

My husband’s travelling with me, so we’ve had an amazing chance to reconnect.

Whatever your plans are for this weekend—celebrating mothers, doing jobs around the house, spending a little time building your dreams—I hope you have a chance to relax and remember that you count, too.

Put yourself on the list.

Put your feet up.

Spend a little time doing something you enjoy.

(And if you ever get the chance, put Adelaide on your travel bucket list…such an optimistic, lovely old university town, filled with beauty).

See you next week, when I have a little more time!

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Do you do this often enough?

Hi everyone, and Happy Sunday!

Today, I have a question…how often do you genuinely appreciate yourself? Not others, not your good fortune or blessings, but just you, for who you are?

I was driving home from the fruit and veg market yesterday morning when I had a surprising thought. This was it: “I’m good at making ordinary things feel like a special occasion. I’m good at doing a lot with a little.”

Let me give you an example or two:

  • If I know my son who loves watermelon is coming home from an overseas trip, I pick up the best, juiciest watermelon and drop off a freshly-sliced plate of it at his desk while he’s catching up on an essay.

  • If I feel a bit worried while I’m working from home, I’ll wear sparkly shoes at my desk…because they’re fun to look at and they cheer me up.

  • If one of my family members is out at night, I turn on the porch lights, put on some beautiful music and light a candle so that “home” smells nice when they return.

Anyway, while I was driving and thinking these things, I had a little moment where I appreciated myself. I appreciated that I often seek joy. I appreciated that I know how to do a lot with a little. Quietly, in the privacy of my own car, I took a moment and appreciated myself for how hard I try.

I’m 100% certain there are so many quirky, lovely things you do—and are—too!

So again, here’s a question for you:

When was the last time you appreciated yourself?

The you of you—the amazing, irreplaceable, unique you—when was the last time you appreciated that person?

Maybe it’s your grit.

Maybe it’s your way of loving.

Maybe it’s your talent, or your style, or your beautiful way of listening to people when they talk to you. Maybe it’s your skill at leading (or following), at singing (or knowing when to wait for someone else to speak) or being the one to be fun at a party. Maybe it’s something else entirely…

Whatever those things are for you—please take a sec this morning and appreciate yourself.

I used to love the advertising slogan from the Virginia Slims cigarette ads (of all things!!) in the 1970s — I thought it was so glamorous and true. I must’ve been all of about seven years old, but it struck a chord in me. It felt so…empowering.

Do you remember it?

Hey, you. You!

You’ve also come a long way, baby.

Today’s a great time to appreciate yourself, and all you bring to make this place a little more beautiful.

Enjoy your weekend!

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

  • Remember my son’s concert? Composer and violinist Alexander Lau’s gorgeous piece, The Narcissist Trap, is now on Spotify. Listen and follow here. 🎻 Alex is such a huge talent!

  • Favourite light pink nail polish.

  • A science hack that works when you’ve lost your car!

  • Still missing our beautiful shih tzu, Holly. But then I saw this, and remembered it’s so true. (It also applies to pets, right? Right.)

The solution to pretty much everything.

Hello, friends all around the world! How are you?

It’s been a whirlwind week for me, so this weekend I plan to rest. I started a new short-term, full time project in the city, so I’m busy learning, learning, learning before I can use my expertise to help a major corporation.

Have you been in this position lately…where you have to learn someone else’s system before you can share your ideas?

It’s a bit scary, frustrating and humbling…all at once.

It’s so easy to want to rush in and change things.

But. But!

It’s always a good idea to press pause.

Why?

Really.

Whether it’s me, hoping to add value and improve a situation at work, or my colleagues, rolling out a system that, to them, seems natural, or maybe all of us on the planet, when we disagree with each other—none of us can see what we don’t see.

Until we listen.

I snapped a photo of this illustration above of a waratah, an Australian native flower. I’m not sure of the creator—this image was on a wall in a shopping mall in Sydney—but isn’t it gorgeous?

It made me think of a favourite quote, which I also can’t find the source for…but I love it.

That’s the solution to pretty much everything, isn’t it?

Pause. Listen. Sow a seed of love.

That’s my work for next week and beyond. I hope it resonates with you in your life, too.

Happy weekend, everyone — I hope you find a way to get some rest, pause as much as you can, and sow your own seeds of love.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Look for these moments...

Hi everyone — and hello to the new people this week. ❤️ I’m Catherine, author and Sydney-sider, and I’m here to drop a little positive inspiration into your inbox every weekend!

This week, I’ve been thinking about happiness and the easiest way to feel better now.

Here’s what I do:

A few evenings ago, we took a night train home and passed by Luna Park—stars in the dark, lights on the water. Isn’t the photo pretty? That was a micro-moment of happiness for me.

Then last night, we attended a massive 500-person dance party, and there was this moment when our dance teacher sort of shepherded all of us in her class together—like little ducks—and helped us out with a dance in our own corner of this enormous hall. As I watched her take care of us, I got absolutely tear-y. It was a micro-moment of intense happiness because…when was the last time that YOU, as an adult, felt that someone (not family, not a partner) was taking care of you?

We need to find the micro-moment of happiness.

Rather than relying on the big wins, the huge happiness, those rare times when every single thing falls into place, the micro-moments of happiness are always around us—if we pay attention and look for them.

Quick—right now, while you’re reading—is there something near you that gives you a tiny jolt of perfect happiness?

For me, it’s hot coffee, my favourite pink mug, fuzzy slippers, a household of sleeping family.

The little things are always available to bring us joy.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • This made me laugh until I snorted. Can you relate?

  • Do you ever have a day when you want to pull on gorgeous black trousers that also feel “kind” to your body and look great? Hard to tell from the photos, but these wide-leg, super comfy black pants are lovely. Size down, my friends. (They may be long if you’re under 170 cm / 5’7”).

  • Cello. Always gorgeous. I listened to hours of Bach while my son was learning to play.

  • My sister (I’ve written about her in two of my books!) calls these moments “holy moments” of divine inspiration. If you’re a person of faith, you might enjoy this book about it.

  • Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver: a novel about the opioid crisis in America, and a riff on Dickens’ David Copperfield. It’s graphic (language and content warning) but such an interesting book.

  • A song from our dance party—a groovier Elton John smash-up of four hits. Cold Heart remix is here, and the Aussie dance teacher’s routine is here.

A few thoughts for a lovely long weekend...

Hi everyone!

It’s a lovely, long Easter weekend, and I hope you’re enjoying it. It’s been a whirlwind around here!

First up, I thought I might share the delicious recipe I found for cinnamon buns.

Take a look at these…yum! I made them on Friday and they were gone by Saturday morning. Then I started another batch this morning. I’ve linked the recipe for you below.

Next, a little encouragement if you’re facing a tricky time just now.

People can be both blind and unkind, especially when they think they’re simply sharing “the truth”. If that’s happened to you recently, a little hope and happiness is coming your way…from me to you. When things feel hard, I love this note to self:

Finally, a reminder: take a little time to rest and reset this weekend. You deserve it! I hope you have fun loving all the people you’ve been given to love.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Happy Sunday!

Hello, friends. It’s a gorgeous morning in Sydney, figs are in season (hooray!), we’ve slept in with daylight savings and a soft rain is falling.

I read such an interesting article this week about gratitude. Hillel Einhorn, a famous psychologist, once got a fortune cookie that said, “Don’t think about all the things you want that you don’t have. Think about all the things you DON’T HAVE that you DON’T WANT.”

That list is long, and it’s a list of gratitude. For example, here’s what I don’t have (that I don’t want):

  • illness (I’m healthy)

  • trying to find a place to live in a rental crisis environment (we have a home)

  • an unwell and suffering pet (our pup passed away suddenly—tough on us, but also a blessing not to suffer)

This is the 2x2 Happiness Matrix by David Epstein to visually explain the concept.

Luckily, we DON’T HAVE so much of what we DON’T want. That thought makes me grateful that my life is so very good.

Here’s to enjoying a wonderful weekend. We have the chance to rest, and to love all the people we’ve been given to love.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • Seraphim Strings’ Charity Concert was last night and it was gorgeous! Thank you for supporting our son and his friends. With your help, they raised $2,000 for charity. Loved seeing Sydney blog fans there, and I’m so grateful many of you bought and donated tickets from afar. You’re the best. Venue is gorgeous, built in 1883, and reasonably-priced. Booking info here.

  • Have you ever made your own butter? I was raised on farm-fresh, homemade butter! Here’s an easy way to do it at home with one ingredient. Plus salt.

  • Trays of figs are in season at Harris Farm.

  • Black studded boots — so cute in person and nearly sold out. I love mine.