Get Happier

How Beautiful is Melbourne?

Hello, friends (and hi to all the new people this week)! I’m Catherine Greer, author and copywriter, lover of hot coffee in the morning, books that make me laugh, and long in-person chats with girlfriends…especially when the chats involve cake.

This week I travelled to Melbourne for work, and it’s a beautiful city. Cold in the winter—for us in Australia, cold is somewhere around 5-10 degrees C—but oh, so lovely.

The cafes!

The hot coffee!

The bookshops!

The people!

My trip made me think of a superpower we can all have, no matter where we live or what we do. We can choose to love things.

It’s true: I like to love things. It makes me so much happier than criticising something.

And the best news? We can choose to like most things.

  • Business trips that start at 4am and finish at 9pm two days later? I can choose to love Melbourne.

  • A sink full of dishes that somebody left in the kitchen? I can choose to love that I have a kitchen, hot running water, time to wash up (and the ability to stand and wash up).

  • Exercise that needs to be done? I can choose to love that I’m well enough to have exercise on my To Do List.

I was up and heading to the airport at 4:45am this week. And you know what I kept telling myself? I LOVE AIRPORTS. PEOPLE ARE SO EXCITED AT AIRPORTS. I decided to choose to love it.

Yes, I know it’s all a bit irritating….and I’m not telling anyone to just smileeeeeee and get on with it when things are truly terrible. But I do find that criticising always makes me feel worse. Loving things makes me feel better. And choosing to love something? That’s a superpower all of us have.

Enjoy your Sunday. I hope you can give this idea a whirl today and see how it goes for you.

Love Catherine x

P.S. The Fun Stuff!

Solo Joy

Hello, friends. And hello if you’re new this week!

A beautiful reader sent me an email last week that gently suggested, “Recommendations on how to have joy solo would be appreciated.” Sarah, you’re absolutely right — and this one is for you.

Solo joy. It’s so possible.

Here’s how I would approach it.

  1. Learn what is fun for you. Hint: it’s not necessarily the same as what other people find fun. We need to think about finding our flow: what lights us up? What makes us lose track of time? For me, that’s writing and revising books. It’s baking cakes. Doing a puzzle. (It’s not going to new restaurants or travelling…but that might be fun for you.)

  2. Plan a joyful treat for yourself just so that you can look forward to it. Spend some time in pleasant anticipation, and set the scene beautifully for what you want to do. If you love to cook and enjoy a special meal, plan it for a few days from now. Anticipate it, and remind yourself you’ve planned a treat just for you. Choose music you love, set the table the way you like it, light the candles, cook (comfort food or something new or takeaway). Savour it. The planning and anticipation make it special.

  3. Be where your feet are. Feel the experience and appreciate it. Talk out loud if you’re at home. Speak words of encouragement and joy over your own life. Say what you love about the experience you’ve created for yourself with so much care. (“I love this! I love treating myself to a brand new novel and a hot cup of tea.”)

  4. Revel in the peace of being with yourself. So few people have peace and it’s completely under-rated. Our nervous systems need it: the calm nest we can create, the beautiful music, the deep breaths, the feeling that everything is okay.

  5. Top and tail your day with joy. For me, that’s hot coffee first thing in the morning and reading in bed at night (especially if I heat the bed up first with an electric throw in this chilly Aussie winter!). I love to create tiny sparks of joy for myself: the ritual of finding the next good book in the library or the bookshop, discovering my favourite coffee pod for the little Nespresso machine, using my favourite coffee mug, sitting in my favourite chair.

  6. All of us are solo in our own brains. Take a moment to ask yourself this: how am I talking to myself? Am I encouraging and kind? Do I love my own company? Here’s an important question: are you spending too much time being the mean version of yourself to yourself—Mean Catherine, Mean Juliana, Mean Helen? Or are you kind and grace-filled towards yourself, like you would be to a friend? (I need to work on this!)

It was good to be reminded about our solo friends that join us here every Sunday, so thank you for giving me the loving nudge to write about other ways of living.

It’s fair to say I write most things about my own lived experience, but that doesn’t mean I should forget about the experiences of others. If my life seems happy and full of family and moving parts, it is—but it is also hard and uphill, too. So uphill sometimes! If only you knew! On the internet, we tend to share a tiny sliver of what’s going on, and I like to be encouraging and upbeat. But I know sadness and pain, and so do you, my friends.

Solo: life can be hard. In a family: life can be hard.

My mother likes to tell me the story of everyone wearing a backpack filled with their problems. They’re able to walk into a huge room, lay the backpack down, pick up someone else’s backpack without knowing what’s inside and walk out. Whose backpack would you take? Probably your own.

This is what I know for sure: living solo is a full life. Carrying a family is a full life. All of us have people we’ve been given to love, even if it’s the neighbour next door who adores our carrot cake, commuters on the train, or the stranger who looks like they need a kind word in the fruit and veg market. We’re all connected. We find our joy where we plant it. We do the best we can with what we have in our own two hands.

No matter what you’re currently carrying, I hope today is beautiful for you. I hope you fill yourself to the brim with deliberate joy. I’m thinking of all of us around the world, flying solo and together.

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The Fun Stuff!

  • Sitting at my desk writing to you this morning, no makeup, freezing cold. Hiiiiii - it’s perfectly imperfect me.

  • The most beautiful way to do a simple task with love.

  • Aussie friends…I love this cable knit jumper so much. Sharing it again! The beige is even softer than the grey. Sold out in so many stores. A total winner.

  • Twice I saw a lyrebird when I was on a bushwalk one morning. Amazing.

  • You will laugh (especially if you read the caption…). I cried laughing.

Come Over for Coffee...

Hi my friends, and hello to all the new faces around here. Wish you could come over for a coffee at my house in wintery Sydney! It’s time for a quick intro and a photo, so all the new people see who’s writing to them.

You’ve signed up for this Sunday newsletter from me, Catherine Greer, Canadian-Australian, author and mother, wife and small dog lover. I let my hair go grey at 49, which was a bit radical at the time. I love shiny stuff (fun rings, pretty dishes, crystal glassware) and I’m so glad YOU are here today.

How has your week been? How are you really?

I’ve been uneven.

That’s to say: my workout and weights routine has gone haywire, I haven’t been as consistent with walking, and I’m feeling a bit like I’m on the downward slide.

When my life gets like this, three crazy things help me. So simple that they’re embarrassing. Are you ready?

  1. I take a sec to do my hair — wash and blow dry.

  2. I make everything smell beautiful (scented candles, perfume, the nice body lotion on my hands, legs and feet).

  3. I get outside in nature (a bushwalk, not the city streets).

And I remind myself of this. Take a breather, Catherine. Consider what really matters. Because as soon as I get stressed, my stress is what flows out of me. I get short with my family. I think too much about myself, my own worries and concerns. I ruminate. I worry until I tire myself out. And then…I speak unkindly to the people who matter most—to the people I’ve been given to love.

Because this is true:

Just for today, I’m going to be full of LOVE.

I have a Sunday to enjoy, and people all around me in this house and suburb and city who could use a little lightheartedness. It’s time to speak some FUN. To speak some joy. To be more encouraging to myself and everyone else.

I’m going to give that a whirl and see where takes me. I hope you have a beautiful Sunday, too.

Love Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

  • The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe is coming in March 2025. If you love to read for joy, and if you want a book that makes you feel good and have a laugh and see what it’s like to live in Australia, this one’s for you.

  • Breathtaking! Do you also love white sand beaches?

  • If you can’t sleep, here’s my favourite free meditation. This one works for me! 14 minutes.

  • Love this cute travel outfit.

  • The most wonderful Aussie cookbook. Easy, practical recipes. Everything is good. So worth it!

All the Fun Stuff

Hi friends. It’s been a whirlwind week…or maybe a tornado week would be a better description. That’s why I am so excited for the weekend. It’s time for some Deliberate Fun.

It’s easy to sit back and hope that fun will happen to me, but usually I find the best way to have a good time and experience peace and joy is to BE the good time, and BE the peace and joy.

Today, I’ll use a few simple tricks that I know will bring happiness right into our home:

  • I’ll pop a gorgeous, bright tablecloth on the kitchen table.

  • I’ll make a delicious Sunday dessert.

  • I’ll learn something new — today it’s so simple: homemade mozzarella.

  • I’ll stop for an afternoon at-home coffee with someone I love.

  • I’ll go for a walk in the fallen autumn leaves in our suburb.

  • And I’ll notice every single thing we DO have.

I found a little quote a long time ago, and I loved it and kept it. (Apologies — not sure of the source.)

I hope your Sunday is filled with all the joy you can bring to it.

I hope you and your loved ones are well and safe.

I hope you have a house full of love: sunlight and friends, fresh air and new mornings, work and joy, people who need you and know you.

Love, Catherine x

P.S. More of the Fun Stuff!

How to Deal with Overwhelming Emotions

Hi friends. I hope your weekend has been filled with rest and peace…and some unexpected fun!

But if it hasn’t — I wanted to share my easiest trick for dealing with feeling overwhelmed. For years now, when too much is going on at once and I feel stuck or unsure, I use the One Piece of Paper Trick. I wrote about it in Chapter 23 of The 10 Minute Fix.

I take a huge sheet of paper…you can use anything, even A4, but I specifically bought one ream of A3 paper for this, and I am slowly using it through the years. I like something BIG for big thoughts and plans (and problems).

On the paper, I brain dump everything that’s going on, and I place those things in categories like Family, Work, Books, Health and Fitness, and any other topics that are on my heart and mind. Then I make lists of what is working, and what isn’t.

It helps so much to see everything on one page.

Try it for yourself and see — it’s the best way to plan and feel like you have a bird’s eye view of your life. You can group all your worries and joys in one place. A simple paper of paper can help you breathe a little easier, I promise.

And yes, I do still use my own book! I wrote it for others, but also myself, and it’s a collection of ideas I need to move forward with happiness, confidence and far less worry.

Enjoy this beautiful weekend. I hope something unexpected and lovely happens to you!

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The Fun Stuff!

  • I’m trying to improve my chocolate chip cookies. I don’t know if it’s my oven or what, but my cookies are just not as good as usual. I’m going to try this recipe. Tips?? Let me know.

  • Remember this gorgeous line from Emily Dickinson? I am out with lanterns, looking for myself…

  • I know, I know, the photo looks pretty terrible, but I’ve seen this dress on so many women online and it looks AMAZING. I’m tempted to try it. (Note: they were all a bigger size, too, not super slim.)

  • A favourite song for table dancing (you know, when you’re all sitting around playing a game, or having some snacks and you shimmy your shoulders and bounce in your seat?). Also great for cleaning the kitchen. It’s the song that makes everyone sing along…wah, wah, wah….here on YouTube and here on Spotify.

A Fun Thing Lately

Hello from beautiful Sydney! Here’s a picture I took recently of the Opera House at dawn — isn’t it lovely? If you’re from overseas and haven’t visited here yet, you should consider Australia for your List. It’s such a beautiful country.

Now, onto some fun!

Lately my life has been extra Life-y, and you already know my favourite trick. When things are hard, I try to throw some good right back into the world. It somehow makes me feel like I’ve got more control that I really do. The “good” is often simple (running over to my elderly neighbour, Robert, with a piece of carrot cake, doing an adult son’s laundry when he’s extra busy, or smiling at someone in a shopping mall who looks like they need a lift.)

But here’s the other thing I’ve been trying recently.

I’ve been working on expanding my joy. When I feel happy, I try to focus on that feeling for a full minute — savour it and enjoy it.

I think of it this way.

Whatever is lovely or makes me feel happy, I imagine shining a metaphorical flashlight at it, so I can notice it and focus on it.

Does it make the worry go away? Not really.

But it makes me feel better and more balanced, and it makes me remember that life usually holds moments of peace and relief and happiness, even when things are hard.

If you’re in an extra Life-y season right now, I hope this helps you, too. And I’m sending all my thoughts your way for something beautiful and unexpected to happen to you today.

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The Fun Stuff!

  • Do you love to dance? Sharing with you a picture of… Ta Da! Our garage. Hahaha! Here’s the reason our garage is so fun. During Covid lockdown, we needed more space, so we started parking our cars outside and now we have a ‘gym’ and my favourite thing in the world…’a dance studio.’ This little string of lights from Bunnings and the peel and stick wall mirrors from IKEA make me so happy. Yes, it’s where my husband and I practice our dancing — and that’s exactly what we did for an hour on Saturday night. It’s my joy. I took a photo of it to shine a flashlight on it.

  • Open Door, Open Heart. A dear friend from Canada taught me how to make my own iced tea. Genius! Why have I never thought of this?? You can follow along here. She has the most beautiful heart.

  • My winter Aussie friends — this Kmart jumper dupe is so fantastic. Size down as it’s really quite big.

  • Wow. I’m sharing one more time because it’s AMAZING, I love the Shark Hairstyling tool my beautiful cousin gifted me for my birthday. I cannot get over how great it is. It’s pricey, but if that’s in your budget…you will not regret this. Link is here. Worth it.

A little hit of happiness for you today...

Hi everyone — and hello to you if you’re new here. I’m Catherine Greer, author and baker, Sunday dinner dessert maker, corporate copywriter and trainer, mum to two adult sons AND a stubborn little shih tzu pup. (You’re getting this email because you signed up at Love Our Age, probably after reading one of my books. Thank you! I am so, so glad you’re here.)

Today I have a little happiness tip for you, and it’s something I’ve always done with my own family. I think this is because I have sons — and they can be a bit light on the emotional details when we talk. Over the years, I’ve drifted into the habit of asking them two questions that cause the defences to tumble down.

First I say, “How are you?”

And then I say this:

Try it with someone you love and see what happens.

They’ll soften. They’ll look at you — and open their hearts.

The older I get, the more I realise that connection is the best and most beautiful thing we have. (Think about it: when was the last time YOU were asked “How are you — really?”) How does it make your heart feel to be asked that by me now?

If life is tricky for you today, I hope you have ways to give yourself a little break. I’m going to put some links to do-able things in The Fun Stuff below. Cookies! Hot chocolate! And if you need to heal or improve a relationship with someone you love, take a moment to ask them how they are…really.

Enjoy your Sunday. I hope you find all the peace you need today.

Love Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

  • First up, a tiny thing: this sugar free hot chocolate. Oh my goodness! It’s fantastic — even if you make it with water. Run to the shops and get some for yourself. It. Is. So. Good.

  • Take at look at my hair in the photo today. Guys, I have okay hair normally — it’s not my best feature by any means. BUT my beautiful cousin gifted me the BEST EVER styling tool for my birthday and all I can say is WOWWWWWWW. If you can afford this, I’d definitely invest in it. I feel so lucky to be given one, and I’d give it a million stars in my review. So good. So easy to use. In the photo above, I used the curling wand attachment and it’s just fabulous. Link is here. Worth it.

  • These gluten free cookies. Amazing, amazing, amazing and just three ingredients. You could whip them up in under ten minutes.

Hello...I'm back! And I missed you. 🩷

Hello, my friends.

After a four month break to recharge and reset, I’m back with regular Sunday morning (in Australia) emails straight to your inbox. If you’re not sure why you’re receiving this, I’m Catherine Greer, author of books including The 10 Minute Fix and Small Steps are Perfect, and you signed up for my weekly newsletter.

I have so many new thoughts and ideas to share with you!

Today, though, I just wanted to catch up and say that I’ve missed you. And I’m leaving you with this little question about your worries.

It’s always better to live high-vibe. Right? Right.

Enjoy your beautiful weekend. Have some fun, and be fun to live with!

Love, Catherine x

P.S. What you can expect ongoing…

  • So many of you are NEW here - hello, and welcome to all of you who’ve signed up in the last four months! I’ll be writing to you weekly with upbeat inspiration and hints and tips about wellness and happiness.

  • I’ll share new or old recipes I love - this one I can’t wait to try.

  • Little skills that look fun. I’ve always wanted to be able to do this. 🩷

This is happening lately...

Hi friends! A quick intro for the new people: I’m Catherine Greer, lover of shoes, kitchen dancing, finding joy, making Sunday desserts and writing books. Thanks for joining me for a little weekly inspiration. You’ll hear from me every Sunday morning in Australia (Saturday night overseas). If you need a reminder of what I look like, I’m a silver-sister, here on Instagram but I haven’t posted in ages…

I had a realisation this week and it really shook me, so I’m sharing it with you.

Maybe it will help?

Here’s the story: as well as writing books, I also work in Australia’s finance world as a copywriter and communications specialist. This means I write all the things — books and blogs (adult novels, picture books, young adult novels) and also executive speeches, business articles, presentations, advertisements and more.

I was struggling with a presentation — trying to make it look good, trying to find the right words — and suddenly the simple solution just came to me.

The problem with how I approach things is that I plow ahead, diligently, doing MORE of the same thing until I get the results I want.

And I made a coffee that morning and thought of the famous words that are usually misattributed to Einstein (but probably came from an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting — see link below): “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

So I made a promise that I would spend the week like this:

It sounds so simple.

My results were amazing.

I don’t know how long my comfortable brain has had me stuck in so many areas of my life, but now I’m changing it up. From the simple to the complex, I’m over here trying EVERYTHING differently.

  • The type of dishcloths I use get so smelly when the boys just leave them wet in the sink. Now: sponges.

  • My morning routine: it has always been slow chair time with hot coffee. Now: I want to be the one to walk the dog in the fresh morning air.

  • Eyeliner: watch a YouTube video.

  • Gift wrapping: try another way for bulky packages - link below and it’s fabulous.

Every single thing I’ve done differently has worked so much better.

I wonder if it will do the same for you?

Sending you good vibes and all the blessings this weekend. Next week, I promise we’ll race towards the holidays togather.

Stay tuned for favourite recipes, lots of baking and more!

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

Let's take a break...

Hello friends! Hello to the new people — and a quick intro so you know who’s writing to you. I’m Catherine Greer…from Sydney (via Saskatchewan, Canada 🇨🇦), mid-lifer, author, serial baker, mum to Evie the cute shih tzu and two adults sons. I believe in celebrating everything, Sunday dessert and dancing in the kitchen whenever I remember.

I’m also…a little tired.

Are you?

As we run up to the last 29 days before Christmas, have you been juggling all the things? Me too.

In the midst of that, our family is in the throws of change. I can feel it coming, and sometimes I want it to happen but other times I don’t.

So I’ve learned to ask a question lately that’s been helping. Here it is:

That question — “I wonder what will happen next?” — has helped me remember that change is life. It can bring fresh air, joy, hard work, a shake-up, a refocus and the next stage.

If life is getting extra life-y for you, too, try this today: make a tea or coffee, put your feet up and rest.

I hope something unexpected and lovely happens to you (and to me, and to all of us. Remember…we’re here, and we’re in this together! 🩷)

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

I’m pretty good at bringing the holiday joy, and it involves a little pre-planning. Here are my top tips so far:

  • This year, I bought this very quick game for all ages — fast paced, easy to pull out, over in a flash, fun. I bought this set but should’ve ordered the set for six. Or you could just make your own for the same price by grabbing this set for 10 people. What’s better than all the friends or family sitting around playing a game? Not much. 🩷

  • Wish I’d started this tradition when my kids were young. I’m going to try it now anyway, to see if it sticks. I love it with my whole heart!

  • I want to learn this for Christmas - today when I rest, I’m going to give it a whirl.

  • If you want your own HAPPY THANK YOU MORE PLEASE t-shirt from The 10 Minute Fix, you can get yours here. I love mine.

Wow, this question is soooo good!

Hi friends…and all the new people this week! A quick intro…I’m Catherine Greer, owner of this sweet new pup, Evie, wife and mum living in Sydney, author of several books and the upcoming Bittersweet Bakery Cafe — yay, my first novel for adults!

Every Sunday, I share a happiness tip or some encouragement for us. This week, the news continues to be 💔, so I’m showing up with a little joy.

Lately I’ve been dealing with a lot…which leaves me sleepless and worried, which leads me to putting off tasks that normally aren’t that hard. But sometimes the hard tasks feel like the last straw when you’re under stress, and that’s me just now.

Life rolls in waves and troughs—we all know this—but when the troughs come, it can be hard to activate and do anything extra.

I’ve been procrastinating on a couple of things.

But here’s the truth — doing the extra thing is never that hard once I start it. It’s the dreading and leaving it that makes the whole task feel like a junk room in a hoarder’s house. Gah!

Last week I read the best question.

Ready?

Thinking about what’s unlocked on the other side <of the not-fun activity!> has truly, truly helped.

I’m trying to remember that on the other side of the hard thing is something I’m doing for me.

Hope this helps you, too, as you enjoy this beautiful weekend…and love all the people you’ve been given to love.

Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

Icebergs

Hi friends…and hello to the new people this week. I’m Catherine Greer, author and copywriter, baker of beautiful Sunday desserts, mum of two adult sons, wife and little dog lover living in Sydney. I’m so glad you’re here. 💖 You’ll get a little newsletter from me every weekend…and I keep my promise about this.

Today I’ve been thinking about icebergs. I’m up early, and the household is still asleep…and I’ve been thinking that every single person is this photo above.

I am.

You are.

The people you love are.

The people you barely know are.

And mostly it makes me feel a little lost and sad, but also compassionate. So much is under the water. There are so many things we hold alone.

Our icebergs are why we need a little more kindness in the world.

I’ve written a few nonfiction books on happiness hints and tips. I’m working on another one right now (stay tuned), but so far, The 10 Minute Fix is my favourite.

If your iceberg is especially heavy today, I hope you remember this: you can start over. We all can.

Here’s what I do on the hard days:

  • I chuck some good back in the world.

  • I listen to this song, below. It reminds me that I can choose to hope, no matter what.

If today feels fabulous, have a listen. And if today feels hard, also listen.

Wishing you so much relaxation and peace this weekend. Here in Australia, we’ll be swimming, and for you it might be fall. Wherever you are, I hope something surprising and beautiful happens to you today.

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

Here's some quick courage for us all.

Hello from beautiful, sunny Sydney!

Yesterday I attended an event at the Museum of Contemporary Art, and this is the view from the outside deck: our beloved Opera House, iconic and forever beautiful. In fact, the opening of my new novel takes place on the steps of the Sydney Opera House at dawn.

People asked me yesterday, what does it take to write a book? And I started to answer this:

  • Love and patience.

  • Self-belief.

  • A willingness to keep at it, day after day, whether things are going well or not.

  • Thick skin. An acknowlegement that you’ll put your voice into the world and be told it’s “Wonderful!” and “Terrible!” over and over and over.

But this is what you’re already doing now. Writing a book or any big project takes the qualities you’re also using in your own life when you love people.

Your family, for example, takes love and patience, self-belief that you’re doing a good job, and a willingness to keep at it when you’re not. It takes guts to love your people, and courage to keep loving when things aren’t perfect.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately because we all have dreams that feel hard.

You do. I do.

But here’s what I believe: loving anyone or anything is hard — but it’s also worth it. And you’re already doing it.

So…

If you have a dream in this third act of your life (improve family relationships, make or do something new, find like-minded friends, be willing to make a change), the key is always love.

Be kind to yourself.

Turn your “I shoulds” into more curious and loving “I coulds.”

And have a go, my friend. See where that takes you.

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

  • Can we talk about this book? If you’re in your third act, it’s amazing. I started reading it and immediately got my husband to buy his own copy so we could discuss. WOW. It’s about legacy, career transitions, living with purpose and planning our lives post-50.

  • Cardamom Tres Leches cake. I love cardamom — my favourite spice. This looks divine.

  • A Latina friend showed me the best, easy concealer for under-eye circles. Love this one. Comes in five colours, so you’ll have to give it a try in store to get the right shade for you.

  • The prettiest vegetarian zucchini pie for a girlfriend lunch. Wow.

  • Cute new sneakers for summer — with skirts and dresses. I love these! So comfy and great for wide feet.

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!