Get Happier

A simple tip to help with worry...

Happy Easter weekend, beautiful friends!

I hope you’re enjoying the extended break like I am. The sun is shining in Sydney, the Easter baskets are filled, my family is sleeping in and I’m here, laptop on knees, ready to bring you a little joy.

Thank you for being here on your weekend.

I appreciate you…and I hope these thoughts make you breathe a little easier, especially if you’re facing some worries today.

Here’s a beautiful reminder from Corrie Ten Boom.

Truth is, I was up in the night worrying. Twice. For at least two hours in total. So here’s what I do now, and it might be helpful for you.

I’ve downloaded Insight Timer on my phone (a free app - search in the App Store) and when I can’t sleep, I listen to this Sleep Meditation by Bethany Auriel-Hagen. It’s long enough that I usually fall back asleep part way through.

For me, if I can get out of my own thoughts and worry-loop by listening to someone else talk, I can usually fall asleep.

Like Corrie wrote, we only have enough strength for today—not two days.

Enjoy your Easter weekend. I hope you have a beautiful time loving all the people you’ve been given to love.

See you next Sunday,

Catherine xx

PS. The fun stuff!

  • I made this cheesecake. It’s sooooo easy. Ready?

  • Make your favourite no bake pie crust. (I used 2 cups almond flour, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup melted butter. You could use graham cracker crumbs, etc.) Press it in a pie plate.

  • Soften (important!) and whip until fluffy 2 (large) packages of cream cheese + 1 cup white sugar. (I use the sugar substitute below. This one is GREAT with a 1:1 ratio…not all are as good!) Pour into the crust and bake for 20 minutes at 180C / 350F.

  • Mix 1 cup sour cream with 2 Tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour on top of hot cheesecake and bake for another 10 minutes.

  • Let cool. I sprinkled with dried edible flowers.

More fun stuff—had a beautiful conversation with the Lead Your Day podcast. The topic? How to love our age. Link is here if you want to listen in…

2 Quick Relationship Tips That Really Work

Hi everyone!

I’m away on a weekend getaway in country New South Wales with my favourite guy…yay! I hope you have something wonderful lined up in your world.

Are you ready for Two Helpful Tips to smooth out all your relationships?

Let’s do it.

  1. From Small Steps Are Perfect: Don’t Ask “Why didn’t you…?”

2. Remember that most people (most of the time) need a little more love.

I hope you enjoy your weekend. Mine will involve coffee, rainy walks and watching someone I love compete in a race.

Love, Catherine x

PS. I have an exciting announcement coming soon!! Stay tuned.

No grit, no pearl...

Hi everyone, happy Sunday, and hello to all the new people today!

We have a busy day ahead—lots of housework and garage-cleaning and book revisions and yep, weights to lift—so I’m dropping in quickly with something that stopped me in my tracks this week. Maybe it’ll help you, too.

As much as I would love to grow in times of good luck, blessings, prosperity and fun, I normally grow when my butt’s been kicked by the world with a big old failure and a whole lot of “No”.

Wish you were here so I could ask you…is it the same for you?

I grow under pressure. It’s the same with our fitness and bodies as it is with the rest of our lives. The blister lets us know the shoes don’t fit; the “no” forces us to keep looking for the next yes; lifting the weights makes us stronger.

Remember this old saying?

While my wish for you—for everyone—is safety and health and success exactly how you want it, the truth is probably that we need more grit, not less.

Our grit helps us grow…and grit doesn’t just mean our determination; it’s also irritation, failure, blocked doorways, a twistier (sometimes harder) path than we’d hoped for.

I’m trying to be grateful for the grit in my life right now.

I’m trying to grow from it, to learn what I need to learn, and to keep walking forward anyway, even when life isn’t easy (or lucky or fast).

I hope you are, too. I hope your grit is making you the most beautiful, the biggest, the most lustrous pearl.

Thinking of you today; wish you were here in rainy Sydney, Australia.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The FUN STUFF…

When Life Feels Like a Disaster-piece

Hello, friends.

Last week, while my husband was driving, we pulled up behind this dog-in-car. The bulldog looked a little like how I felt that day. Worn out, ground down. Covid. Separation. War. Bad news, bad news, bad news. I know.

So here I am, doing what we’re all doing around the world: turning on the lights wherever we can.

How?

Don’t marinate yourself in the bad stuff.

Yes, we need to be aware, but there’s a point when awareness becomes doom-scrolling and doom-watching and life feels like a disaster-piece.

In my book, Small Steps Are Perfect, I promise all of us this:

It’s all true.

Every chapter in that little powerhouse of a book tells a story or reminds us to TURN ON THE LIGHTS.

Words heal. Books inspire. It’s so much more impactful to give a book than a bottle of wine to a dinner party host, and so many women (most of us?) curl up in bed with a book every night.

Sending love today. And asking for a quick favour: if you haven’t got your copy of my book, will you consider getting one…or giving one to someone who needs a little hope?

Find Small Steps here in America, here in Canada, here in the UK and here in Australia or from a local online bookshop here!

It’s my way of shining light in the world.

Love, Catherine x

PS.

Useful stuff today!

  • For a family member whose story you want to capture, the people at Tales will create a professional (private, if you wish) podcast episode to listen to forever.

  • A little beauty hack — these tiny razors. Love em!

  • Autumn’s here in Australia — love the look of these snakeskin boots!

  • Considering taking a break from alcohol? My beautiful cousin, Jean McCarthy, Recovery podcaster, has a new book, Prepare to Be Alcohol-Free.

The 50-50

Hi friends.

Today, around the world, we’re watching pain unfold in The Ukraine. Join me in wishing for comfort for all the trembling hearts.

The photo above is an Australian warship, the kind my husband used to navigate during his career as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy. I snapped it on Wednesday; we took a trip midweek to our favourite beach and saw the ship moored there.

It reminded me again that life is 50-50.

Fifty percent good for everyone, and also fifty percent tough.

This is true for me, for you, for Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos and Sara Blakely.

Today we all have our worries, worries that we don’t often share with each other. We sit like an iceberg—so much more is below the surface than above.

If you’re worried and your heart is especially heavy, please remember that the other fifty percent will come back to you.

You will feel more joy.

You will find relief again.

You will see a way forward, find an idea, consider a new perspective, give yourself some happiness through small things; you’ll put on a favourite sweater, go for a walk at twilight, listen to a piece of music you love.

We need to remember that 50-50 is the way that life unfolds for everyone. Treat others gently when you can, and take care of yourself today.

Sending so much love around the world.

Catherine x

PS.

A few uplifting things for you today…

  • The most delicious Rocky Road, handmade with love in every bite—from the lovely family-owned Aussie business, Beachside Kitchen Food Company. They offer beautifully packaged boxes, celebration blocks, gift cards and online delivery Australia-wide. These are my go-to treats as hostess gifts when we go to a dinner party. Take a look here!

  • An intriguing autobiography from Agatha Christie. Even if you’re not a fan, it’s such an amazing read.

  • Super fun sunnies! I’ve got these and they came in the most amazing packaging—with a lens cleaner, a little bag, and best of all, they were carefully wrapped.

  • Pearl hoops. I have something similar from a local Aussie shop from last season. Love wearing pearls.

This Was So Embarrassing!

Hi friends!

Oh man, I am such a lunatic sometimes. If you know me in real life, you know I love to dress up and have fun. I buy a few pieces here and there (faux fun rings, for example) that cheer me up. Well, a couple of weeks ago, I decided I need some flare “leather” pants.

I ordered a great pair online…and was so excited to open the package. They were perfect! High waist, nice flare, perfect size.

Then I turned them over to reveal CUT OUT BUTT CHEEKS.

I am 55.

Honestly, I laughed until tears streamed down my face.

“I guess you won’t be wearing those,” my husband said when he came into the room to see why I was cackling.

Uh, nope. No, I will not. Even though I believe all of us should LOVE OUR AGE and wear what makes us feel good, those pants—shall we say?—were just not me.

Yes, the tag promised “Fit for you” but even so…..no.

However, it did give me some time to think about what we wear, and what our clothes say about us.

  • Little kids adore seeing pretty dresses. When our boys were tiny, they were delighted by mum-in-a-dress. Try it—it’s such an easy way to make people smile.

  • If a friend comes over for lunch, I enjoy dressing up to show that I appreciate her visit.

  • Whenever we have a quick “family celebration”—you read about this in The 10 Minute Fix—I always change into a fun outfit, earrings, perfume, fun shoes. If you’re at home, heels are easy and fine to wear and you can slip them off in a minute.

I dress for me, to lift my mood.

I dress to give other people a lift sometimes.

It’s something to think about: can your clothes cheer you up (and cheer up other people)?

We’re so lucky to have these options, aren’t we? We might as well use them.

Enjoy your weekend!

Love Catherine xx

PS.

  • You guys, this shoe stretcher for tight shoes is so good. What a game-changer!

  • Definitely not linking to those butt-cheek-less pants but if you really really want some, haha, email me. I will tell you about my favourite new $12 shoes above. Aussies, you can order online here. They fit medium - wide, which is great as so few shoes do! The treads are very rubbery and non-slip.

  • Why do I link to affordable (not expensive) treats? So many of you have mentioned you’ve had tough times with jobs and businesses during Covid. I’m thinking of you and hope I’m helpful!

  • Also…I hope this note made you laugh and didn’t offend! I wasn’t trying to be cheeky ;-)

What Kind of Body Do You Want?

Hi everyone! Isn’t this the greatest dress tag you’ve ever seen? I couldn’t resist holding it up to my crinkly lines and freckles / age spots and snapping a photo because it’s true about me.

“PERFECT IS BORING. The slight crinkles in my “fabric” are a natural characteristic. Love me longer by following my care instructions.”

This year, I decided to love my body. Here’s what that means to me.

1.Embracing ALL of me: my past decisions, my current habits…then sitting with those habits and asking, “Which no longer serve me?”

2. Taking myself for big, long walks.

3. Accepting what is. Wow, I cause myself angst and pain when I struggle against reality. Remember this Byron Katie quote from The 10 Minute Fix?

4. Asking a really basic question: I’m treating my own body this way, but is this how I would help someone else? Here’s a favourite page from Small Steps Are Perfect.

5. Using gratitude. Whatever is happening in my world or yours, whatever the state of our health, we are here now. There are steps we can take to feel better. We have some agency over our own decisions. And there’s a new day tomorrow. And tomorrow.

What kind of body do you want?

How do you take care of yourself?

For me, the answer is this: give my body love and attention. Treat it like I’d treat another person I’m responsible for.

Happy Sunday! Enjoy your weekend.

Love Catherine x

PS.

A British friend told me this... 🇬🇧❤️🇬🇧

Hello friends and new friends—so many new faces this week!

It’s Catherine Greer writing to you from summery Australia. Wish I could fly you all here to walk this beautiful beach with me. It’s my favourite place in the world…Hyams Beach in New South Wales. Take a peek and follow me on Insta for pretty pics now and then.

Here’s a story for you: on Tuesday I had a zoom chat with a friend who lives in England. We were talking about a problem I’ve been having lately, and she offered some ideas to fix it.

But the brilliant part? Here’s how she helped. Instead of telling me what she thought, she phrased it as a gentle question.

Like this:

Maybe you lovely women from the UK say this all the time, but WOW. So smart.

That phrase is golden.

  • Imagine saying to your teen, “I wonder if you could plan your weekend so you can get your assignment done AND see your mates?”

  • Or to your partner, “I wonder if you’ve thought about spending more time together.”

  • Or to a colleague, “I wonder if our client expects…”

Yes, yes, I know there’s a time to be direct. I know we’re empowered to speak freely and share our thoughts. I understand that everyone is big on boundaries and saying what they mean, and I get it.

But.

But!

Sometimes gentleness is the better way. What about those times when, like water cutting through stone, we can be soft and listen and suggest improvements in a way that someone else can hear?

I treasured how my British friend spoke with me. I felt loved and seen. I felt respected. I thought about it for days afterwards, and wanted to share with all of you.

If you have a tricky conversation coming up, consider leading with “I wonder if….” You’ll know if this approach is right for you. Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn’t.

Happy Sunday, and I hope this little nugget helps you like it helped me. One of my goals this year is to be more tactful, more gracious…because everybody benefits from kindness and respect. I’m working on it…

Enjoy your weekend!

Love, Catherine x

PS.

A Pet Peeve

Happy Sunday from Australia!

If you’re new to LoveOurAge.com, welcome — it’s Catherine Greer writing to you (author of The 10 Minute Fix and Small Steps are Perfect).

This photo above is my life: beautiful beaches, sun, and also SHARKS. Gahhhhh! Metaphorically, can you relate?

Life is mostly good, with some sharks lurking.

Yesterday, I woke up in a bad mood: worry + fear. I felt sorry for myself, struggled to believe that something good was going to happen, and just generally felt hopeless.

Here’s my pet peeve: moods are like sharks.

My bad moods love to be fed. So do yours.

  • Feeling crummy about progress on your latest book, Catherine? Feed me: put on a cosy pair of trackies and watch Netflix.

  • Feeling worried, Catherine? Feed me: let your mind run around in circles like a toddler with a Sharpie.

  • Concerned about your kid’s study habits, Catherine?: Feed me: complain to your husband about it (instead of supervising your child).

The problem is that when I feed my moods, they increase.

That’s why we have to do the OPPOSITE of what we feel like doing. We all know this is true. But it’s hard.

Here’s my SIMPLE solution.

It’s a Latin phrase that starts to solve almost every problem.

Ready?

I feel the mood or the feeling (worry, fear, disappointment). Then I go for a walk. That’s it.

Feel the mood (but don’t feed it). Then walk.

Walking unpicks the tangled knot of my troubles. It always has. I’ve used walking this way since I was a little girl. Sad? Walk. Worried? Walk. Fearful? Walk.

You can do this, too: consider taking a walk instead of feeding your moods.

Even if it’s a walk inside your own home, when you’re walking you will ALWAYS feel a little better.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. Let’s have some fun, rest when we can, and walk if we’re worried.

Love, Catherine x

PS.

First, thank you for loving and supporting my books! New friends, find them here:

Have you followed TheNewHappy.com — such a beautiful account on Instagram here:

I Have A Confession To Make...

I haven’t taken down our tree.

I plan to do it today, but my record is leaving it up until February….so….can we still be friends? I know most people are tired of the holidays and aim for a fresh start early in January, but I love the twinkle and the magic of sitting with a coffee by the Christmas tree.

That’s me :) And you? You have your things, too. Instead of hiding them, how about dusting them off and letting them shine?

In case you’re feeling a little shaky while everyone around you seems to be zipping ahead with all their powerful, new 2022 resolutions, here’s something to consider.

Ready?

If no one’s told you lately, please let me be the first to say … it’s the quirky things about you that are memorable and lovely.

We are not all the same.

We don’t have to do anything perfectly — we just have to do what we love.

Enjoy your Sunday, and promise me you’ll do something that gives YOU joy, and reminds you that you’re unique and worth loving just as you are now. Today. (No changes necessary!)

Love, Catherine x

PS

  • New friends, hello and welcome! I want to tell you about my books because—honestly—they’re worth it and they’ll cheer you on. They’ll sit beside your bed and be the best little (quick) pick-me-up, I promise. Start with The 10 Minute Fix and then Small Steps Are Perfect. And yes, that’s my towering stack of reading beside my bed. I love reading! Books give us everything…and ask for nothing in return but to please us. xx

  • How about a cute, inexpensive monogrammed necklace—to remind yourself that you’re cheering for YOU in 2022? I love this cutie!!! You need one. Just $12 to celebrate YOU.

  • I got new trainers! (I have tricky feet: wide + pain from an old running injury). Youch. If you’re like me, these are amazing….they’re men’s New Balance in wide width and they’re cute and comfy.

  • A poem I adore…“Housekeeping” by Natasha Tretheway, exploring domestic duties in the past.

A Simple Way To Feel Happier

Happy Sunday! A warm welcome to all the new people this week. I’m Catherine Greer, Sydney-sider, beach walker, compulsive baker….and author of some best-loved books, including the upbeat and encouraging The 10 Minute Fix and Small Steps are Perfect.

New Year, same me—and I’ve been thinking about how to get on with things without so much worry.

Acceptance is the key, right? Be where our feet are, accept what is, and move forward.

So I’ve been thinking about the things in my life that are finite, and the activities that are infinite.

Certain tasks are infinite games (they’ll go on forever): healthy eating, working out, managing our own thoughts. This can be so irritating to admit!!

We have to do them FOREVER, on repeat. There’s no end to the game.

  • We’ll always have to manage our thoughts (which love to run away from us and be negative, right?)

  • We don’t get a break from taking care of our own health. (I sometimes pretend to take a break, but the consequences follow me regardless. Hello, Christmas goodies that I’m still carrying around with me! You were worth it, but it’s time to slow down now…)

I will never “arrive” with health or fitness or keeping my thoughts on track. Neither will you. Infinite games, my friends, so we might as well acknowledge them, do them, and (in my case anyway! Argh!) stop complaining about it.

Making peace with our infinite games makes life easier.

Have a beautiful week wherever you are! I hope you stay safe, rest when you need to, and find some small joys today.

Love Catherine x

PS.

  • It’s summer in Sydney, and I’ve loved wearing this dress — perfect to throw on at the beach or pool. Pockets! Heavier fabric. Long, loose and elegant.

  • James P. Carse wrote a philosophical book called Finite and Infinite Games and Simon Sinek built on James’ ideas in a business / leadership book called The Infinite Game. I haven’t read either yet, but just applied to idea to my own life. What’s infinite and finite in yours?

What Are Your Thoughts For Your New Year?

Hello friends and welcome to Love Our Age in 2022! It’s Catherine Greer writing to you (author of The 10 Minute Fix and Small Steps Are Perfect). For all the new people this week, you’ll get an upbeat note like this every Sunday morning (from Australia, where I live!) or Saturday night if you live overseas. So happy you’re here.

Don’t you love this graphic above?

Wow. All those colours representing how we might have felt about our days in 2021…the blues, the greys, the yellows. And all these empty days we hope to fill in 2022 with memories and love. I’m sure you’re thinking about your new year—what a gift—and what you plan to do with it.

I am.

My year will be filled with writing, with more books out in the world, with some copywriting here in Sydney, with nudging our youngest son through high school to a strong finish when the Aussie school year ends in November 2022. I’m looking forward to gratitude, to celebrating my life (warts and all), to being with family while I’m a mum of a teen.

But here’s one thing I’m NOT going to do.

I won’t be trying to get smaller. I’m going to grow—in confidence, in experiences, in love, in fun, in playtime and laughter, in health and in doing what I love.

I hope you’ll join me. Let’s all take a deep breath and remember this:

Let’s Love Our Age together in 2022: be bigger, better, louder, more grateful, offer the world more to love, and love the world right back.

Catherine x

PS. Yayyyyy! Welcome new people. Love to tell you about my books because they’re spreading cheer around the world. Yes, I still re-read my own books because I need all the little reminders.

For all of you, a favourite poem by the brilliant Maria Ferguson from her one woman show, Fat Girls Don’t Dance.

Dreaming of a White (Sandy Beach) Christmas

Hello, friends and welcome new people! It’s Catherine Greer from The 10 Minute Fix and Small Steps are Perfect (new book!). So happy you’re here this weekend. If you’re new, an intro:

  • I’m married and we live in Sydney. I’m Canadian and Aussie — first half of my life in Canada, second half in Australia.

  • We have two young adult sons (one in Year 12 and one studying Law Commerce at Sydney Uni).

  • I love growing older and wiser! I let my hair go silver at 49, adore baking, lift weights grudgingly, have the sweetest puppy, don’t Facebook but I am on Instagram and I’m an author.

This beautiful white sand beach above is my favourite place in the entire world, a three hour drive from Sydney.

Here’s what I’ve got for you today — a bit of a truth bomb.

Ready?

We are so good at criticising ourselves, and we are so bad at loving ourselves.

We tell ourselves we’re too much AND too little, but let me offer you a virtual coffee (or tea) and offer this perspective.

I just wanted you to know that today.

Enjoy your weekend. Rest up, relax a little, be the joy.

Love Catherine x

PS.

For the new people…thank you for being here!

  • A favourite skirt if you’re Aussie (you can order online): it’s a lovely linen blend and surprisingly slimming. Mine is cream and I pair it with a black top.

  • A favourite poem: American poet Billy Collins’ “Forgetfulness.”

  • If you want to get all your girlfriend & sister gifts in one fell swoop, I would be so honoured if you’d consider my books. They’re $19.99, pretty and encouraging. If you’re posting gifts, they send as a letter with slightly more postage…easy! (Look at my towering stack of bedside reading….and yes, I still read and re-read my own books for all those good ideas.)

America – Small Steps Are Perfect and The 10 Minute Fix

Canada – Small Steps Are Perfect and The 10 Minute Fix

Australia – Small Steps Are Perfect and The 10 Minute Fix or shop local here.

United Kingdom – Small Steps Are Perfect and The 10 Minute Fix

Whoa. This is beautiful.

Hi everyone, and hello new friends — it’s Catherine from The 10 Minute Fix and Small Steps Are Perfect (new book!) dropping by on your weekend.

When I get newsletters, I like to SEE who is writing to me…so I took a dozen selfies for all the new people, but when I went to pick one where my eyes weren’t closed — ha! — my photo roll was FULL OF NATURE and I had to share.

  • a jacaranda tree and Jacaranda Snow (my first picture book!)

  • a red bottlebrush (called Grevillea)

  • white flowering something-I-don’t-know

  • bush walk in our suburb down a sandy path

I am so lucky.

Nature. Does it recharge you, too?

Deep breath, my friend: today is an excellent day to open your front door and look around. Notice what you’ve been given:

  • a city streetscape

  • an ocean view

  • a back garden

  • christmas lights

  • snow

  • A rainy Sunday?

I used this inscription to begin Small Steps Are Perfect — it’s Van Gogh, and his words are every bit as beautiful as his paintings.

It’s time to appreciate where we are.

Tiny little things matter.

Holidays are a perfect time to look carefully at what’s right in front of us. I hope you have time to enjoy what you see outside your own door, and chat with or hug the people you’ve been given to love. We are so lucky to be here, aren’t we? Very small things are the best.

Happy (peaceful) Sunday. I’m thinking of you.

Love Catherine x

PS.

Sunday Pick-Me-Up!

Hi friends! It’s Catherine from The 10 Minute Fix and Small Steps Are Perfect.

What’s new in your world?

For us in Sydney, spring is in swing, bush turkeys are trying to nest in our back garden (eeeeep!) and I’ve been busy writing a new novel that I think you’re going to love. It’s been so much fun!

Also: I found a new recipe for chocolate cake that I’m going to try for my weekly Sunday desert AND I’m starting to put out my nutcracker collection. There’s a story behind them, so if you don’t yet follow me on Instagram, you can read about it here.

This cute guy on a rocking horse is here in Australia (and you can order online, but be quick…they sell out so fast!) Here’s a similar one on Amazon.

Today I plan to rest a whole lot, to make dinner with love for my crew, put a tablecloth and a table runner on the table and enjoy the things I have. The fancy glasses. The beautiful plates.

Lately, I’ve been considering this idea and it’s changed the way I approach my days.

So true.

Today, for me, it’s pure enjoyment of all the things in front of me. The good (family dinner, a table to set, a meal to cook, a cake to bake, a book to write) and the not-great (laundry, weekend copywriting to meet a deadline, and all the hard things we don’t tell each other but we all deal with every day).

Wherever you are, I hope you enjoy your day.

Love, Catherine x

P.S. New book out now!

Why would a woman love Small Steps Are Perfect? You can grab it when you feel a little down, and be inspired. Letting lovely new people know where to find it:

This is so much fun.

Hi to so many new friends who are joining us this week, and hello to everyone who has been here for a while. Thanks for sharing my Sunday! It’s Catherine (from Small Steps Are Perfect and The 10 Minute Fix) dropping in to say hello…

…at 4:37am on Sunday morning! Yep, couldn’t sleep, thinking of you.

Why?

This idea.

Ruby slippers. Red shoes. A metaphor.

I wrote about it in The 10 Minute Fix, but it bears repeating:

Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz could have gone home at any time. So can we.

We’re already wearing the ruby slippers…but we forget.

Let me give you an example in my own life this week. Please do go ahead and insert your version of fun in the place of mine. For me, dancing is so much fun. But truly, how many chances do you get to have a boogie? At a wedding? Maybe at a party. A couple of times a year at most, right?

Wrong.

This weekend I remembered I can dance any time I want to. I put in my earbuds. I pick a song I love. I shut the door. I can have a dance with me, for me.

Anytime. Several times a day.

It makes me so happy.

I know this is obvious, but be honest: how often do you actually allow yourself to do what’s fun?

I’m guessing you can probably go and do that thing right now.

Who is stopping you? You are.

Who was stopping me? I was. But not anymore.

If your life feels a little short on fun at the moment, HEY! We’re adults. We can give ourselves the gift of having fun, and being fun.

We’re already wearing the red shoes, my friends. Let’s hop up, put our phones down, and do something that we love.

Let’s LOVE our age,

Catherine xx

ps. Fun stuff for you…

  • Red shoes. Truth: I’m not a red person, but I would wear pink all the day long. Still, these are fun red heels. High, though. I barely do this anymore! Or cute with shorts or wow, red trainers. Okay, maybe I could wear red shoes :)

  • Why would a woman love Small Steps Are Perfect? You can grab it when you feel a little down, and be inspired. Letting lovely new people know where to find it:

5 Surprising Ways To Feel Better Even If You're Tired

IMG_1364.jpg

Hi, my friends. It’s Catherine from Small Steps Are Perfect and The 10 Minute Fix. Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Happy Freedom Day, New South Wales — we’re out of lockdown on Monday! For everyone from every country, thank you for being here with me.

We have 83 days left in the year, which gives us so many chances to do and be all the things we might have been in 2021.

That’s 83 sunrises and 83 night walks.

83 fresh starts.

When I was writing Small Steps Are Perfect, I learned five surprising ways to feel better — no matter what was happening in my life. If you’re like me, we’re ALL tired of Covid and being steeped in the daily tea of negativity and bad news.

I was also struggling with some personal bad news and setbacks, and ugh, I needed these tips.

In case you’re not able to get my book just now, I wanted to share them with you here.

  1. Failure can be a good thing. It can force us to get moving.

  2. Choose who you let sit at the judges’ table in your life. Everyone has an opinion. Should it matter to you? You can choose.

  3. Allow other people to be wrong about you. That’s it: just let them be wrong.

  4. Try not to miss it twice. If you’ve made a commitment to try something new — writing your book, exercising, having a day of healthy eating — missing once is okay, but try not to miss it twice.

  5. Sometimes a book can really help especially when we don’t want to share what’s happening. Like Beyonce with her Lemonade album (she turned lemons into lemonade), I wrote the book that I needed to read when I had a very hard year. That book is Small Steps Are Perfect. It cheered me on. It’ll cheer you on, too. It will also cheer on a friend who’s having a tough time.

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Small steps are perfect. They really are. We have 83 days to enjoy, to live a little, to do the things we wanted to do in 2021.

Love, Catherine x

PS. You can find Small Steps Are Perfect here:

An Easy Life Hack

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Hello, everyone! Welcome, new people…

How are you? How has life been this week? I’m double vaxxed, and was pretty sick from my second Pfizer but I slept for 13 hours last night and now I feel ready to take on the world and get moving.

I hope you’re finding a few new ways to nurture yourself this weekend. For me, this always works:

  • Making a special weekend dessert. Strawberries are in season—hooray—so for us it’s Strawberry Shortcake.

  • From The 10 Minute Fix, asking, “How is this working in my favour?”

  • Doing a gratitude inventory every night when I climb into bed. The soft blankets, the safety, these are my touchpoint to list all the things in my life I’m grateful for.

But today I want to share such a good Life Hack that I learned this week. Are you ready? It’s a total game-changer and it’s so simple. I heard it on a podcast and thought, wow.

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That’s it. Just allow other people to be completely wrong about you.

  • The family member who still thinks you’re the same person you were when you were 16 years old now that you’re 55? Deep breath. Let her be wrong about you.

  • The person who criticises your parenting, your home or your life choices? Deep breath. Let her be wrong about you.

  • The manager who doesn’t get how hard you’re working? Deep breath. Let him be wrong about you.

We’re not for everyone. I know this is true. But what I’ve learned is that we can just let people be wrong about us sometimes, and not have to argue it away, or defend ourselves, or even make it a big deal.

Sometimes people are wrong about us.

And that’s okay.

Hope you enjoy this beautiful weekend! I know there’s a lot going on in the world and in our lives, so let’s treat ourselves a little better today and find joy where we can.

Love Catherine x

PS.

  • Need a little comfort & joy? YAY, exciting book news for you next weekend…

  • Strawberry Shortcake, such a treat. I make mine as a cake (not individual muffins), in a 20cm round pan. Here’s a recipe similar to mine. Honestly, I don’t think gluten free flour would be very good... Perfect for afternoon tea during the height of strawberry season. It takes 20 minutes. Easy!

  • Reaching out to anyone impacted by lockdown, illness, or the terribly sad events in Afghanistan. I’m so sorry if things are hard right now. Try to take a gentle walk in the sun today if you can. I know it seems simple, but walking always helps.

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Let's Have A Big Catch-up

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Hi everyone! It’s Catherine…giving you a big wave from deep in the heart of lockdown in Sydney. We’ve got beautiful weather this weekend in our Aussie winter, and though so much is going on in the world — Afghanistan, Haiti, Covid — I’m going to do my best to spread some joy around if I can.

I feel like we all need a big catch up. Wish I could host a zoom party right now and ask you how you are. I’m sorry the world is in so much turmoil and I hope you’re doing okay. Me? I’m missing connection with all the people I love but we’re optimistic. We’ve sorted out every nook and cranny for space and flexibility in our home: the teen skateboards in the garage in between zoom school, my husband works in there or at the kitchen table, my uni son is talking Law and Business nonstop over zoom, and sometimes I think….this house has never been so well used. I can barely remember the days when I was here all week on my own! My last jab is Thursday, and I’m hoping it doesn’t make me feel sick like the first one. That’s us. How about you??

Deep breath.

Let’s talk about fun, frivolous stuff and take a little break.

Blue nail polish!

If you haven’t tried it yet and you feel kind of sad this weekend, please do. Just get some blue nail polish and see how it makes you feel. Blue is fun, and we all need a little more of that around here. My favourite is Essie Bikini So Teeny.

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In Canada, my family is celebrating a wedding this weekend (wish I could be there!). My sis, Dar (the gardener from The 10 Minute Fix and also the mother of the groom) sent me a photo of her gorgeous blue nail polish, which really made me wish I had the chance to dance the night away with all my family in the prairies at a wedding. I love to dance, and when I was a little girl I made myself the promise that if ever there was dancing, I would be on the floor. It’s one value I’ve held close to my heart for the last fifty years. If there is music on, I will dance.

(Photo source unknown…)

(Photo source unknown…)

Rest!

This week, I rested. I’m basically never sick, but this week I felt unwell so I actually spent some time in bed.

While resting, I listened to a really great podcast on comfort eating. (Hello, Covid Lockdown. Come in and let me just eat all my feelings…and while I’m at it, I’ll decide it’s a great time to start baking buttermilk biscuits…ha!) The host said something really interesting about how we often tell ourselves, “I just can’t seem to xxxxxx.” She suggested we flip that script to this.

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I love this idea! Does it inspire you like it does me? I’ve spent today flipping my “I can’t xxxx” into “I wonder if I can just xxx”

  • I wonder if I can just wipe out the microwave while my coffee is brewing?

  • I wonder if I can just have a mandarin instead of chocolate?

  • I wonder if I can put on a cozy knit dress and tights instead of trackies?

Pretty in pink.

Galahs always seem to walk down the street in my neighbourhood. Why do they walk? True blue Aussies, please tell me why. I’ve only lived here for 24 years…

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Okay, friends: blue nail polish, flipping the script, strolling galahs…that’s all I have for you today.

Thank you for being here, and for taking a little glimpse into my world.

See you next Sunday, and sending love.

Catherine x

PS.

If you’re Aussie and lockdown is hard, we’ve tried this:

  • setting up a puzzle on the living room coffee table (excellent conversation zone!)

  • making homemade pizza every friday night

  • regular coffee break walks around the backyard during the day (“Hey, let’s go walk around the pool…”)

  • reminding ourselves that older generations lived through war and loss (giving up their sons and lovers and so much more)

  • recognising that people in Haiti and Afghanistan are truly, truly suffering

  • reaching out with group texts and buddy checks on friends

If you’re overseas, wishing you a fabulous last week of summer before the glory of autumn sets in!

A Simple Pick-Me-Up

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Hi everyone! If you’re new this week, it’s Catherine writing to you (author of The 10 Minute Fix) with some weekend inspiration…

Yesterday, wow, I was tired. Tired. It was Saturday in Australia, we’re in what feels like Week Seven Thousand of lockdown, I’d been working frantically on a secret surprise—announced soon!—AND all the things needed doing. Laundry. Floors. The kitchen windows. Our bedroom.

There were dust bunnies, actual dirt, piles of shoes everywhere…gahhhh!

I’m a tidy person, but I hate cleaning. You??

Some people love cleaning and I made myself a coffee and thought about why. Then I remembered the famous Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hahn. He wrote about washing dishes as meditation (prayer).

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How often have you been sucked away into the future? For me, that’s pretty much every second of every day. Ouch!

I needed to “wash the dishes to wash the dishes” and notice what I have.

I started on my bedroom dresser. See it sparkling above?

  • I dusted my wedding photo and let my heart swell. My handsome naval officer husband! The sunny autumn day. The mother of pearl flowers in my hair from my own mother’s wedding bouquet, saved from 1952. Being so young and so happy.

  • I wiped off the “puppy” my then 7 year old son, EJ, sculpted in art class. He came home and gave it to me, wrapped in tissue, and said, “It’s pretty good, but I forgot that dogs have noses.”

  • I sorted and cleaned my pretty earrings. How lucky am I have to have all these “jewels”? If I could tell 7 year old Catherine that one day she’d have trays of pretty earrings, the little-girl me would have been SO excited.

I cleaned with love.

It made all the difference.

This morning I woke up to sunlight through the timber blinds, clean sheets, a beautifully organised dresser, scrubbed floors, a pristine bathroom.

In cleaning up, I gave myself a gift. I don’t know about you, but I think I learned the secret of why some people enjoy cleaning. It feels so good to love what we have, to notice it, to “wash the dishes” with intention and care.

Just a little something to think about as you enjoy your beautiful weekend. Let’s be here today, and not get “sucked away into the future.”

Love, Catherine x

PS.

  • Working on my fitness a little, and these are the best biker shorts on Amazon…you guys! I love these (so many colours), and I love this workout bra, too. I always size up a lot because I find they run small. So good for the price.

  • Oh, lockdown! As our worlds get a little smaller—we’re down to a 5KM radius of travel now—I’m thinking about all of you here. I hope you’re still able to work. Our family is okay (we can work from home), but many aren’t and I hope you’re able to find the resources you need during these tough times.

  • A photo from the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday…I appreciated the beautiful photography and thought all the overseas readers might be interested in seeing it.

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