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.

You're My Kind

Hi friends. In case no one has asked yet, how are you today?

The news is terrible, and I know we all feel it. Today, though, I’m serving up a big dose of love, inspiration and positivity.

Are you ready?

Let me tell you a story about us. This is how we showed up last night for dinner at a friend’s house prior to a Queen tribute concert.

Do you see the resemblance to Freddy Mercury’s chest??

Yesterday when we were walking the dog by a dollar store, I got the idea that it would be super funny to wear wigs when we showed up for dinner, except the men’s ones were only meh. But they did have a chest with a great set of abs so…for $4, we added some crazy to this currently sad, sad world.

I know there is so much going on.

I realise we have to pitch in and help.

But at the same time, I know this:

In this lifetime, I want to bring the fun.

That’s why I write books, bake cookies, blog every Sunday, ‘be the party’ when I can, put on a dress, a wig, a smile.

I’m here to live through a lens of JOY.

If ever you’re tired from the news or your own circumstances, please remember: we can take a little control of our world right now, and be the joy for someone else.

Happy Sunday. I’m so glad you’re here, and so happy I get to call you friend.

Love Catherine xx

PS. Fun stuff for you…

  • An ad agency I work with has a wonderful T-shirt initiative to provide relief to women in The Ukraine and celebrate International Women’s Day. $10 from every purchase goes to the UN Women Australia’s Ukraine Emergency Appeal. Go here if you’d love a You’re My Kind t-shirt (available worldwide with free postage in Sydney).

  • Experimenting with eyeliner? The pencil is so, so soft on this Maybelline one in black (half price right now!) and I also like this one in Earl Grey.

  • The @National_archeology Instagram account — love it! Have you heard the black sand beaches in Iceland? Listen to the shimmer-sound. Wow.

  • Love history? Love Australians? The Harp in the South by Ruth Park is AMAZING. It’s an old novel (part of a trilogy) but you will be right in the heart of the Surry Hills slums with the immigrants and Catholics (now a glitzy suburb for start-ups and young-somethings-with-lattes). I would give this book a million stars.

  • Queen: do you remember Bohemian Rhapsody? A little before my time, but classic!

  • Amazing dancer Stargyal @afronitaaa — her t-shirt. We’re all someone’s hope.

Lift Your Spirits For A Sec...

Friends, you are so welcome here today in my little corner of the internet. I’m sending you something to deliberately lift your spirits.

A break, a laugh. Are you ready?

Those are not my legs, above.

They are the svelte legs of my new teacher of LINE DANCING.

No, I don’t like country music. Yes, I love to have fun. So at Christmas I decided it would be a brilliant idea to gift my husband a voucher for a Line Dancing class for us. Ha!

A friend challenged me to try something new, and a dance class was the quickest thing I could think of. Plus, unlike a regular dance class—Rock’N’Roll, Swing, Ballroom—you don’t have to spend the entire hour swapping around the room and holding on to other sweaty strangers.

You’re on your own, baby. (Even when you go with a partner.)

So many upbeat people are there…women of all ages! A few brave men.

The music (at least in my little class) is only about 25% country, so that’s really good news for me.

And it is FUN.

Honestly, if my brain had a tongue it would be sticking out through most classes. Our brains! Our brains are flabby, folks. Learning something new is the best thing for us amidst all the heaviness of the world.

Last night was our first “dance party” in a local hall. I’m not sure what you call them. Anyway, I thought it was a great idea to dress up because, in my way of thinking, it shows respect to the person who organised the event. I put on a favourite maxi dress and walked out of the bedroom. It’s big and blue and taffeta (weirdly), and my husband says I sound like I’m wearing a rain jacket. But I love this dress.

Our cool seventeen year old who somehow has the hair of a NYC rapper stopped IN HIS TRACKS. “Mum!” he said, “you look pretty. Love the dress.” Then he taught me his “skateboarding bro handshake” I guess to show me how much he appreciated my style. It was a parenting win, my friends.

But then I went to the study to say goodbye to our Law-Business uni student.

“ARE YOU WEARING A TENT?” he said.

Lawyers, right?

But on we went to our Line Dancing party. All we knew were four dances, and the women there were fabulous. So skilled, so upbeat. I was mesmerised watching them.

My point is this: sometimes we need to learn something new. Our spirits sing out for this. For change. For joy.

Can you take lessons in something you love?

If access or finances are tricky, remember YouTube: you can learn anything for free. How to knit or juggle, how to make croissants or line dance. How to do ballet as a beginner. Play piano or ukulele. Anything. It’s all there for free.

Enjoy your weekend, my friends. Take a little time to think about what new thing you’d love to do.

Love, Catherine x

PS.

  • Yes, this is Line Dancing at its world-class best. Remember the 80s movie Footloose? I’d LOVE to learn this dance.

  • We all know the world is suffering right now, and for me, my action is better than my sadness. Some ideas: it’s simple to book an AirBnB to send cash directly to people in the Ukraine. Here’s a list of other ways to help vetted by The Guardian.

  • If you decide to learn something new, let me know! I’m here on Instagram. You can listen to kookaburras laughing…have you ever heard them? Joy!

  • Thank you, beautiful Polly, for the Learn Something New challenge. I’m offering it to you, lovely people.

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.

Are you being fun?

Hi my friends, and welcome new people…again, so many of you this week! Thanks for spending a moment with me in my world, here in sunny Sydney Australia. I’m clinging to summer!

Here’s what I have for you today. A simple idea, but true.

Last night my husband and I were invited to a beautiful dinner party celebrating his birthday. I took these lovely flowers, but my friend had thought of everything. Ironed crisp linen napkins (love!), a birthday sign, card and gift, the most beautiful food and…atmosphere.

An atmosphere of FUN.

It made me think this:

Having fun is taking. Being fun is giving.

Having fun is what we want to receive. Being fun means we bring the joy.

When we attend anything at all — a zoom work meeting, an after school kid pick-up, a coffee date with a friend, an appointment, a dinner out — it’s always possible to BE FUN.

Having fun will follow.

If we’re not the joy, who will be? If we can’t appreciate the tiny good things in our lives, who will?

If you need a lift right now, consider this: be a little more fun.

Bring the fun.

It’s free, easy, and available to us every second, in every relationship.

Happy Sunday and 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.

It was a not-so-silent night...

Hi friends! How are you this beautiful Sunday? Here in Sydney it’s finally hot, hot, hot — and I’m having a thousand coffees by myself as the family sleeps in after our little Christmas party last night.

Best part? The live music! A pianist, a cellist, and a violinist all crammed in the music room singing Christmas carols. It was so much fun and reminded me of my Canadian home.

Then we stayed up until 2:30am talking with our young adult sons, just the four of us by the tree amidst the mess of plates and food and presents from friends. It felt like magic—one of those family Christmas memories.

Today I’m thinking about imperfection.

When we open our homes and hearts to people, we make beautiful things (not perfect things). Yes, there could have been cleaner baseboards, and it was so hot. I had about three seconds to get dressed for my own party because I was rushing to get the food ready. My original pianist cancelled last minute and my cellist son and his talented friends stepped in.

But friends showed up to bring the cheer.

Honestly, there are presents here today that I never even saw last night…little hostess gifts under the tree and sprinkled around the house. People sang and chatted and met new people and laughed.

In my heart, here’s what I’m thinking: people are so surprisingly lovely.

This Christmas, let people love you.

Sit for a minute and soak in your good fortune, like I did last night.

Nobody wanted us perfect, or our home to be any different, or the food better or the fun more fun. People just want to be welcomed in.

Nobody wants your worry—they want your love.

Wish you were here, and I’m sending you a heart full of peace. Breathe in, enjoy, make some magic this holiday season with whatever you’ve got in your own two hands.

Catherine xx

PS.

  • Ladies, these are great holiday party shoes! Flat, cute, comfy, a little surprising. Order your regular size and sparkle a little!

  • And thank you for gifting my books to women who will love them. Authors can only keep writing when readers buy books, and I appreciate you. You are the friends I treasure.

A Quick Rest For You

Happy Sunday, and hello from Sydney! It’s Catherine Greer writing to you — author of The 10 Minute Fix and Small Steps Are Perfect.

Eeeep! 13 days until Christmas, and I’ve been zooming around with work and writing and planning a Christmas party. I haven’t done much baking yet (and baking is my thing!) but I finished shopping in November so I can enjoy all the special moments of Christmas.

Except there’s this: I haven’t been enjoying. I’ve been rushing. You?

Let me tell you a funny story. On Tuesday, I decided to get our piano tuned. Haven’t had it done in seven years, and the tuner—a lovely guy—had one request BEFORE he came over in the evening.

“Please make sure the room is well-ventilated. ALL I NEED IS GOOD VENTILATION.”

Easy, I thought. I’d open both windows beside the piano and give him all the fresh air he needed.

But my son who’s at uni ALSO has this hobby of doing Texas barbecue and smoking meat, and he’d made (from scratch) this huge smoked ham that wasn’t quite cooked in time for a Christmas party he was attending, so he had to finish it off in my oven.

At 250 degrees (which is 482 F).

The piano tuner came. The kitchen started to look like this.

Then the whole house looked that way.

There was smoke BILLOWING from the oven, the piano tuner was humming, my husband was manually turning off all our smoke detectors which kept announcing “WARNING, SMOKE DANGER, ALARM WILL BE LOUD!” I was fanning smoke with a tea towel, my son was charging around late for the party waiting for this 10 kilogram leg of pork to cook, my husband was turning off smoke alarms and meanwhile we were trying to keep everything calm and VENTILATED for Andy, who was tuning the piano.

OH MY LORD.

I’m cry-laughing just remembering how funny and stressful this was.

The situation reminded me of Christmas. We rush around and we try to do special things and there’s smoke and food and kids and piano tuners and ho ho ho, merrily we go…making the magic and taking care of everyone and everything.

And maybe we’re tired.

And maybe we need a rest.

Remember the secret, my friends: you need to take care of you. Light a candle, enjoy the season, make a hot drink and laugh.

Here’s what I have for you today: my favourite Ram Dass quote.

On we go, bringing the joy this holiday season.

I’m so very honoured and happy to be here every Sunday, walking you home.

Love, Catherine x

PS.

  • Andy is the loveliest piano tuner and so reasonable. He gave me permission to tell you if need a tune up, please do give him a call in Sydney on 0408 979 819. He works so hard at his craft! I hope we can all give him a little Christmas cheer and a business boost. (Please don’t mention the SMOKE.)

  • White Chocolate Raspberry Berry Shortbread here (at my previous author website blog)!

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.

Who else wants FUN this holiday season?

Hello, friends…and a warm welcome to all the new people here today. It’s Catherine Greer from Small Steps Are Perfect and The 10 Minute Fix writing to you from…my side of the bed at 2:53 in the morning. Gahhhhh! Growing older and getting sleepless.

If you haven’t been asked lately, how are you? Really — how’s your world at the moment? Big plans, secret worries, feeling pretty okay, only so-so?

Here’s what I’ve been thinking this week: the holidays are coming, and we all know the truth: women make the magic.

We make it. There is never a stocking not filled by a woman (I’m pretty sure) and usually the ones with our name on it are the bedraggled slim ones, am I right? We plan the food, decide when it’s time to bring out the decorations and start the shopping, we think about the people who may need us (or need a little extra cheer).

We are women and we bring the joy.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get so busy bringing and joy-ing and starting that I forget this basic truth: I need to take care of myself while I make the holidays for everyone else. I need to make sure I’m:

  • drinking enough water

  • getting outside for lots of walks (I walk the dog every day, but I also need to walk MYSELF sometimes…move and feel better, move and think, move and relax)

  • sleeping (hah! my midlife brain is laughing at myself right now but…yes, I need more…please send help!)

I also need to remember an important truth.

We’re here now. We have this time to live our lives and enjoy whatever we can. Sounds completely basic, I know, but sometimes I need to remind myself to be grateful for every new morning. They keep coming like gifts.

I’ve decided to have more FUN this holiday season, so I’ve been whispering this to myself. Maybe it will also help you.

When I clean all those corners before we start to decorate the house: this is the fun part!

When I’m tripping over unwrapped gifts on the floor on my closet: this is the fun part!

When I’m tired from stupid hormones and not sleeping, and wake up grumpy but my family is there to love and the dog is forever faithful, waiting for me to notice her, and I have a home to live in and grass to cut and a dishwasher to unload and floors to sweep and work to do: this is the fun part!

We’re alive. We’re here. We’re breathing. It’s another new day, another one!, and there will probably be another one tomorrow.

Just think: this is the FUN part.

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone, and thanks for being here with me.

Love, Catherine x

PS. FUN STUFF! Gorgeous red coats & poems & books & more…

Green...are you feeling it?

Friends, hello! Hi new people…it’s Catherine from Small Steps Are Perfect and The 10 Minute Fix writing to you!

42 days until Christmas! Do you celebrate?

I’m getting into the spirit of green around here. Maybe it’s the influence of my latest book cover, maybe it’s just all the gorgeous green in Aussie shops right now.

How do you feel about green?

I found this lovely faux silk blouse from Zara…

It’s such a classic. You can’t tell from the photo, but the buttons are a pretty mother-of-pearl. (Sorry, couldn’t find it on the Zara Australia website but I bought it Friday…so maybe have a hunt around?)

Other than that? Ohhhhh, I landed on a new solution for sleepless nights.

I started getting up.

Really. I just started getting up and doing a few things instead of rolling around worrying about not sleeping. It was a tip from my mum, Katie…you guys know her from “yellow” in The 10 Minute Fix! She told me once, ‘If I don’t sleep, that’s okay…I’ll be a little tired tomorrow.’

I stopped resisting my own sleeplessness (which seems to be another gift of midlife—like a softer tummy, silver hair and changing skin).

I’m trying to believe that sleeplessness can be a gift. It gives us time to reflect and ponder. And if we’re a little tired the next day, well, it’s not as hard as so many things that people have to endure. Right?

Gift: a couple of nights ago, I had a beautiful middle-of-the-night-to-me text conversation with my cousin in Canada, Jean, who is more like a sister and a girlfriend to me than a distant relation. (You read about her in Small Steps Are Perfect!)

While sleepless, I started listening to myself.

Some people meditate or pray or make To Do (and To Don’t) Lists when they’re sleepless. Lately, I’ve been doing this thing that I feel quite sheepish writing about, but it works.

Hand on heart, other hand on tummy, and say this to yourself: “I love you. I’m listening.” Then listen to your own thoughts like a kind friend. Ask yourself how you’re doing.

Essentially it’s two lines from my all-time favourite meditation from Canadian Sarah and it’s free here if you have 12 minutes to spare.

When we tell ourselves we’re listening, it somehow accesses the tender parts of us that we so rarely share with others.

I’m listening to me.

Are you listening to you?

Try it tonight if you can’t sleep.

Wish I could send every one of you a pretty green shirt along with this email. If you love green, I hope you go out and find yourself a cute one. Green treat. We’re green and growing.

Happy Sunday,

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.

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: