#13 - The best way to make someone else happy...
Kara Monroe
Welcome to the five new subscribers who have joined us since the last edition of the newsletter. I’m so happy you’ve joined our little community.
What makes you happy?
My best friend and I have a standing “joke” between us that I “keep my joy on the inside”*. The more subtle meaning of this is that I’m not prone to emotional outbursts - positive or negative. After all, I’m a Libra - we are known for our balance and harmony and that sign definitely fits me. While I may not be prone to big emotional outbursts - I generally consider myself a happy person.
As I’ve been navigating this new way of living my life - being self-employed and having the time and freedom to explore a lot of creative pursuits, I’ve realized that the “idealized” version of myself - the one who exercises every day without fail, who cooks three healthy meals a day, and who sends thoughtful hand written cards and notes - that woman doesn’t actually exist. PB & J happens for dinner, as does a bowl of pop corn from time to time - and that makes me very happy.
So, as I explore what this next chapter of life brings, I’m trying to figure out what I really want to do. I had the opportunity last week to talk about my business a lot and, right now, it’s a bit of a mouthful. I’m facilitating and teaching creative problem solving, doing executive coaching, and writing and speaking. Perhaps the future does hold all of those things. I enjoy all of them and they make me happy. But I’m also trying to leave plenty of space for other creative and personal pursuits such as volunteering with Kona - my miniature double doodle.
So, this week, I encourage you to spend a few minutes thinking about what makes you happy versus what are you holding onto for an idealized version of yourself that isn’t really what you want - but perhaps what you think you should want. What makes you happy and how can you bring more of that into your life? If your first thought is that there is no time and space for what you want, then it’s likely time to take a look at your calendar with someone else like a coach to help you. I’d be happy to help and happy to connect you to other folks who are coaching as well.
* The rest of the story behind that joke is that it’s a line spoken by LL Cool J on NCIS: Los Angeles - a show we’re both big fans of.
What I published this week
My publishing schedule got a little off with being in New York but here is a round up of what I hit publish on in the last couple of weeks. I’m continuing to explore writing on the Hive Blockchain which is a really interesting way to earn money for your writing.
Wednesday Walk #1 - Around Lower Manhattan | PeakD
I recently visited New York City for work so my next few Wednesday Walk posts will be from my walking tours around Manha… by iwannabeme
Meet Kona the Miniature Double Doodle… by iwannabeme
Kara 🚢 🐕🦺 ✏ 🏴☠️ I Wanna Be Me When I Grow Up
Kona posted today's drawing because it was his news to share after all. So proud of my little guy. https://t.co/JnvQEjnAXN
If you click on any of those, make it that last one. Kona earned his American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen award a few days ago. I am so proud of him!
Tools, Tips, and Tricks
I’m going to expand this section a bit and include two or three things each week that I think you might find interesting. This week, since the weather has quickly changed from Winter to Summer in the course of just one day, I thought I’d share two apps that might help you enjoy nature just a little bit more.
Bird ID Wizard—Step-by-step
Answer three simple questions about a bird you are trying to identify and Merlin will give you a list of possible matches. Merlin offers quick identification help for all levels of bird watchers to help you learn about the birds across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Afric
I’ve been enjoying the bird song as Kona and I take our walks. Now, I can figure out what kind of bird is singing just by pulling out this app and recording the song. Using Merlin does require you to download a library for a specific geographic area so it’s a good one to make sure you set up before you head out into the world.
Our second app is for flowers, plants, and even living organisms.
Seek by iNaturalist · iNaturalist
Take your nature knowledge up a notch with Seek! Use the power of image recognition technology to identify the plants and animals all around you. Earn badges for seeing different types of birds, amphibians, plants, and fungi and participate in monthly observation challenges.
Diversion
I love all the videos from this workshop for The Greatest Showman. I also appreciate how sometimes the moment just takes you away and even against doctor’s orders you just have to sing.
The Greatest Showman | "From Now On" with Hugh Jackman | 20th Century FOX
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Kara Monroe, 11640 Winding Wood Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46235