Happy Easter...a personal update!

Hello, friends!

Just dropping by to let you know I’m thinking of you right now. How are you doing with your ‘shelter in place’ and with all the changes in your part of the world?

If there’s sadness and loss, I’m sorry. Here in Australia, we seem to be doing a little better and I’m so grateful that our family is fine.

For anyone who misses the weekly encouragement from me, I’m blogging twice a week over at Love Our Age. You’re so welcome to join me! (That’s www.loveourage.com)

Since January, I’ve been writing about happiness and mindset, ways to celebrate and lovely things.

Readers’ Favourite posts so far:

• Why we should call ourselves beginners

• The little list of what you CAN control

• A quick and easy beauty hack

• Delicious raw gf df brownies

• The crazy idea that made me start Love Our Age

Today I shared my Easter cinnamon buns! Take a peek below. You’re so welcome to the recipe.

If you’ve missed me, come along on my new adventure.

I hope you and yours are well. Sending love from Sydney.

Love, Catherine x

Something NEW for you!

Happy 2020!

After taking a blogging break, I’m back — with a whole NEW website for you!

In the past 18 months, I’ve been thinking about living with joy. I’m an encourager at heart and I love to share what I learn. So I created Love Our Age (www.loveourage.com), where you’ll find Good Vibes everywhere!

I think age is a gift and I want to spread some joy.

You can sign up for weekly inspiration! Always free, always fun — a fresh perspective on life.

• Feel better.

• Be encouraged.

• Have some fun … and be fun to live with!

The best is yet to come,

Catherine x

PS.

• Psst…take a sneak peek NOW at www.loveourage.com !

What are your simple (family) pleasures on vacation?

Hello and happy Sunday…from the middle of a Sydney winter.

Right now, families in Australia are poised to head into a well-deserved term break from school. That’s three weeks without packing lunches or driving to sport, and plenty of time to enjoy the simple things in life.

And overseas, school is nearly out and summer beckons…

So when I read these three questions by Brene Brown, author, professor and researcher, I really wanted to share. Brene asked her family three questions to create the kind of vacation that truly inspired a “rest” for them.

Simple, but genius.

We rarely take the time to think about this. We do a lot of things that are supposed to be relaxing or fun, but sometimes this just means it’s fun for other people. And if we’re honest, it’s not what we love. Two examples: reading and travel. Supposed to be fun for everyone, but really they’re not.

What is fun for me? What is a “rest” for me?

It’s worth rediscovering.

Enjoy your weekend, and I hope you have some (real) fun today…

Love Catherine x

PS.

• Fun for me is cooking! I hope you tried last week’s Rosemary Lemon Cake or my apple pie!

• Book news: I’m excited to start chatting with teen girls at high schools about all the themes in my novel, Love Lie Repeat. So thankful for my two books this year.

Good Week, Tough Week?

Hello, everyone — and a huge welcome to all the new people!

I’m sharing two things with you today: a recipe and a conversation! First up, I was a guest on The Bubble Hour, a fantastic podcast all about recovery and sharing our stories. The Bubble Hour is hosted by my Canadian cousin, Jean Greer McCarthy. You’ve met Jean here before when I wrote about her blog, Unpickled. We talk about writing your own story, recovery, perfectionism and life. Jean is a wonderful person, wise and kind.

You can listen here!

Here’s Jean, me and Alana (L to R) — the three cousins who used to curl our hair in those pink foam rollers and have sleepovers at our farm. Man oh man, being part of a big family is fun. Memories! (I didn’t get the Greer Girl hair, but we ALL got the smiles!)

Thanks, Jean, for helping so many people with their recovery journeys.

Enjoy your weekend, and hug the ones you love.

Love, Catherine x

PS.

• Love Lie Repeat, my new novel, is perfect as a conversation starter for mothers and daughters. Authors love readers! You can buy a copy at your local shop or here with free worldwide delivery. Readers help writers create more books. Thank you.

• Recipes! I told you I’d deliver all April long and here’s the first one. It’s the Love Lie Repeat fruitcake from my book launch made by Jules Van Mil. You can get the recipe here. Jules did a beautiful job decorating it, didn’t she? The cake is divine!

My New Happy Ring...

Hey there!

Today I needed a little bit of good news. I won’t share the details, but let me say this: I went through the wringer this week.

I was seriously upset, but in the end, I fixed things up again. It was hard and painful and please don’t for a moment ever think that I’m sitting here in Sydney, sailing through life, telling everyone else how to chill and have a good time. Not always true!

Our lives are the same, yours and mine. Some things are GREAT (yay! new book coming out!) and some things are SO HARD I want to cry (but I make it through).

When things go wrong, what do I do?

1. Walk a lot.

2. Feel my feelings (This is new. I used to eat my feelings, or stuff them down. Now I let them in, take a look, and try to deal openly with what’s happening.)

3. Ask myself the best question in the world. How is this working in my favour? (I wrote about that here! Read it if you’re struggling this week…)

What you’ll notice is that I’m not a “retail therapy” person. I don’t shop for entertainment or to feel better. But this week, I took a shortcut.

For me, when I look down at my hands and see a pretty ring, I feel SO GOOD. Here’s my find this week from Collette Hayman (not a sponsored blog post!). I love this ring. It’s exactly what I would have bought to make myself happy when I was ten years old. And it was $2 on sale.

The flower ring makes me think this: how much joy can we access if we shift our attention to what makes us feel good?

It costs almost nothing to find some joy.

Rings are symbols, of course, and they also work well when you want to feel better in an instant. Why? We always look at our hands. Think about it: it’s the only jewellery you get to see yourself wear.

So, it may be silly but it works: if you want a little instant happy, remember that you don’t need a real diamond. You don’t need to wait. You can think back to yourself as a ten year old girl, you can give her something fun, and you can make her happy.

I hope you enjoy today, I really do! Have some fun, and as always, be fun to live with!

I appreciate all of you SO MUCH, more than you know! Your emails this week made everything so much better.

Catherine x

PS.

• You guys! Love Lie Repeat is out in Australia in 15 days! You can buy it at all good independent bookshops, like Libby’s at Beachside, at Big W and Target, and all the big chain bookshops, too. And online at Booktopia and amazon Australia. Personally, I love to support Indie bookshops!

• If you’re overseas, order here with free postage worldwide. I appreciate you SO MUCH! (We haven’t yet signed an overseas book deal, so this is the only way you can get Love Lie Repeat. The price is AWESOME.)

• And here’s a shout-out to Alicia in America — a sweet friend of mine — who launched Dorset and Pond. So pretty.
  

"Let's expect more from February..."

Hi everyone!

I want to announce the winners for last week’s giveaway at the end of this blog post, but for now…just look at what I found on my bush walk this week. Beautiful!

January was a busy month for me — lots of change, big resolutions, a return to healthy eating after the holidays, a re-commitment to moving my body more. I’m trying to learn to switch from chocolate and coffee to a walk or some meditation when I’m stressed.

Honestly, that’s hard for me.

It’s made me wonder — how are your resolutions going for you? Do you set any? Do you have some goals for 2019?

This week, Austin Kleon (an artist I love thanks to my American friend, Victoria from Being Me Movement) quoted a friend who said “We expect too much from January and not enough from February.”

It’s true, isn’t it?

We expect so much from January and so much from ourselves. But we have time: another eleven months to find our way and do the things we want to do in 2019.

Austin also shared his art and the words are beautiful:

Deep breath: we have more time. February is here and we can start again.

How?

Make a simple list. Jot down the things you want to achieve this year. Remind yourself that you have eleven months and today is the best day to start. Remember a gentler truth: you’ll accomplish so much more when you treat yourself with love. (Coffee? Chocolate? Or a bush walk? Try to make a good choice if you can, a choice that supports your own well being.) I heard some advice once and I think it’s true: when you feel awful, treat yourself how you’d treat a tired, overwhelmed toddler….with rest, good food, love.

So today, I’m sending you a fresh start and cheering you on from Down Under, where the bush walks are spectacular, even in the city parks.

Love Catherine x

Winners of last week’s giveaway!

The lucky winners are…

• Leslie B. from Canada, I’m posting you Love Lie Repeat! Congrats!

• And Sharon O. from America, I’m posting you my favourite (emerald) ring. Thanks to everyone who entered. (Rafflecopter chose random winners).

• You can watch me open my box of books here — Penguin sent me my author copies and the books are SO PRETTY. If you want to order, visit your local Aussie bookshop or order here for free delivery overseas. 30 days until release date!

One Trick To Feel Better Now!

Everyone, it’s your weekend!

I always feel like the weekend is filled with limitless possibility.

For all of us, there’s at least some time to do what we love:

• chat for hours

• get creative

• cook (try my favourite salad!)

• relax

It seems like a MIRACLE to me that we get a weekend every single week.

Aren’t we lucky? Despite everything that’s going on in our Not Perfect Worlds, even if we need to work a little, we get this space to pause.

All of us have something we’re worried about. For me, there are sons to raise, book sales targets to hit, a house to clean, work to do, a new part time job, a just-finished novel to give to my publisher (and a brain that will not stop fretting about it). There are sisters in Canada and Phoenix to miss, school fees to pay at the end of the month, and on and on.

My life is both easy & hard, probably a lot like yours. And that’s only on the surface, the things we share with each other. We all have deep concerns that we don’t share.

When I’m feeling less than great, I use this quick fix. It’s so simple I’m almost too embarrassed to tell you! I sing Pink’s lyrics to myself. Crazy, but I do. (Song is here). This is the line that helps me:

Today, no matter what hard things are going on in our lives, there are a thousand worse places we could be.

We have a weekend! We have the choice to do something that makes us feel alive. We have the right to enjoy ourselves, if we decide to.

Have some fun, my friends, and let’s be FUN to live with.

Love Catherine x

PS.

• Last week I heard from SO MANY OF YOU! Love getting your emails. Please share my blog with any friends who would like it!

• Love Lie Repeat is out 5 March! Which cover do you love? Here’s the ARC (Advance Reader Copies for reviewers) and the actual cover is below. So far, everyone loves both, but most people prefer one or the other. I feel SO LUCKY. Penguin’s running a competition for Australians to win an ARC! Closes 22 Jan!

And here’s the actual cover — books arrive in shops on 5 March!

If you’ve pre-ordered, thank you! It helps so much! In Australia, please support your local bookshop — like Beachside Bookshop — or shop online. Overseas people — you can order here! I appreciate your support more than you know. Thank you.

Holiday Goodies Just For You!

I’m sending holiday good cheer around the world to you this morning! (My family’s sleeping in from our late night Monopoly marathon; I’m up with my early morning coffee, admiring our tree.)

Anticipation brings joy, and I truly believe that you can have maximum fun with minimum effort, so for you — my list of holiday goodies to enjoy.

1. For families — Christmas Camp Out

   We started Christmas Camp Out when the boys were little and budgets were tight. We’re still going, 15 years later. On December 23, the kids open their Christmas pjs, then they drag sleeping bags under the tree and have an indoor camp out. Late night stories, lots of laughs. It was THRILLING for 3 year olds to sleep under the tree, and honestly — teenagers still love it.

2. Take a walk — alone or together

   For us, it’s a big bush walk. Walking is the perfect way to de-stress, to think about what you love, and to get your body moving. My teens chose a bush walk that was 3 kilometres down a cliff and 3 kilometres back up. Not kidding you. I’m sore this morning! Wherever you are today, take a walk and appreciate how beautiful the world is.

3. Enjoy your holiday treats

We all have a few holiday treats we love. For us, it’s old-fashioned Coconut Ice and Rum Balls at Christmas.

I use this recipe for Coconut Ice, and I always make Vancouver chef Diane Clement’s rum balls.

4. Always this: gratitude.

Because no matter what we’re facing this holiday — and I know, we rarely share the absolute hard stuff but we ALL have it happening — we need to take a little time to appreciate our lives. The old cliche is true:

5. Friends and family: reach out!

A one minute text message, a photo sent, a call, a hug, a minute to really listen. Give the gift of your attention. We can all do more of this. My big sister, Cookie, always says: “Is there a piano tied to your keister??” which makes me laugh every time. So unless there’s a piano tied to you, you can easily reach out to someone. We all can.

From me and my (tall) family, Happy Holidays. It’s an absolute privilege to say hello every week. Thank you for reading!

Thank you for being lovely.

Love, Catherine x

(We need to work out using the timer! But here we are…love from my family to you!)

You're Doing Better Than You Think You Are

As the year draws to a close, are you distracted by what you didn’t get done?

When I start down that road, I also begin comparing myself to other people…

Instagram.

Facebook.

Friends and colleagues in real life.

Sometimes we come up ahead, and sometimes behind. Often we think, “I’m so thankful I didn’t have to walk through THAT!” and often — if we’re honest — we also think, “Where’s MY good thing? When is MINE coming?”

But here’s the deal: comparison is the thief of joy, as Teddy Roosevelt famously said.

And I will add this:

This is the season to be jolly, not to blame yourself for things you didn’t get done. Life is twisty and some things take time; we don’t always know why events unfold as they do. My wish for all of us right now is this…

Slow down.

Enjoy.

It’s okay to take your time. It’s okay to let things unfold. And remember: you’re doing better than you think you are.

I love this quote from Morgan Harper Nichols:

So as the year ends, let’s enjoy it. Let’s celebrate. Blooming ever-so-slowly is still just fine.

Love, Catherine

P.S.

• It’s almost finished Jacaranda Snow-ing in Sydney! Kerri from Adelaide @asqueezeoflemon sent me this beautiful Jacaranda Snow photo! Thanks, Kerri!

• If you’ve read the Notes to my picture book, Jacaranda Snow, you’ll know that jacaranda seedlings were given to new mums in Australia when they left hospital, and that’s why we have so many beautiful jacaranda trees. This week, a lovely fan of the book emailed me to tell me that jacarandas were also given to young birth mothers at adoption. I love Australia and our jacaranda kids. (If your local library or school library doesn’t have Jacaranda Snow yet, please ask them to carry it! It’s so important for our history.)

One Minute Happiness

Happy Thanksgiving! I missed our Canadian holiday this year, so I’m jumping in with the Americans. Generally, I go where the party is.

In honour of this beautiful American and Canadian tradition (celebrated in November and October, respectively), I’m making pumpkin pie and roasting turkey.

And I’m slowing down and getting grateful.

Want to know my ‘One Minute To Happiness’ Trick?

• STOP.

• Imagine plucking all the problems from your life. Set them aside (just for a moment).

• What’s left?

• Be thankful for it.

What’s always left, when I pull out the problems?

People to love.

Warm beds.

A roof, food, books, board games, libraries, fresh air, clean water. Our ability to choose our thoughts.

When I pluck out my problems and get back to basics, happiness always comes to me in one minute flat.

Enjoy your thanks and your giving today!

Sending love around the world from Australia,

Catherine x

PS.

• See & listen to the String Quintet in our music room playing ‘Jacaranda Snow.’ The piano score is printed in my new picture book!

• Jacarandas are busy snowing in Sydney, and everywhere I go I’m hearing stories of kids who’ve read and loved my picture book OR from people who were jacaranda babies. It’s not too late to get Jacaranda Snow for someone you love! Overseas buyers can purchase here; Aussie buyers please purchase here. Thank you for your support! The entire project has been a labour of love. Helene Magisson’s illustrations are gorgeous, Alex Lau’s music is divine and Educalme’s FREE online growth mindset course is amazing,

"You Beauty!!"

Last night, zooming around Sydney with a fun friend in her sporty car, I was reminded of one of my favourite Aussie phrases.

“You Beauty!”

“You Beauty!” is what Australians call out when they’re pleased or excited, or when something really good (or mildly pleasurable) has happened.

Love it.

Yet so many people are uncomfortable thinking of themselves as beautiful, or calling themselves beautiful. I’ve never understood this because — honestly — I see beauty in people all the time.

Not perfection. Beauty!

I know many of you in real life or on Instagram, and you ARE (in fact) beautiful. I see your beauty. Faces, eyes, hands, talents, hearts. The way you influence, or care for, or create, or paint or write or sing or conduct or draw…the way you rock a child, or make banana bread, or give away cookies. The way your face looks. The way you organise a garage sale. The emails you write. Your mannerisms. Your smile. Your lanky body or cuddly body.

The way that YOU are you: I see this as your beauty.

We all have our days (weeks, months?) of feeling less than pretty. But this morning, I want to tell you: you are lovely. I know you are. One of my special gifts is that I’m good at seeing beauty.

If I were sitting with you, a coffee in hand, I could look at you and tell you fifteen ways that you’re beautiful, outside and in. The world needs to see more of you, not less.

We need to see you shine.

Last week I asked you a big question: If you could be the woman of your dreams, who would you be?

Today I want to say this: you are more beautiful than you know.

You are wise, loving, hard-working. You are trying your heart out to help or heal or grow or be or do or earn or love.

Well done, beautiful person. I’m glad you’re here, and that we’re all shining together.

Enjoy your Sunday, and be fun to live with!

Love Catherine x

PS

• Jacaranda Snow, my debut picture book, is out now…I’m posting copies far and wide this week. Watch Helene paint the cover here! Get your copy here. Available in retail shops in October in Australia.

• I’m going to buy Austin Kleon’s new book on creativity! Love his Steal Like An Artist Ted Talk.

• This baby of mine turned 18 in September. I love remembering myself as a young mum. Here’s to Catherine Greer at 34. Babies are beautiful!

3 (Realistic) Beauty Tricks

Ahhhh, beauty tricks! Today I’m sharing my top three favourites.

#1 Put chapstick on blisters

You’re out, you’re in new shoes and suddenly you have a blister and another eight blocks to walk? Grab the chapstick from your handbag and rub it over your blister. No, it’s not perfect and won’t work as well as a bandaid or changing shoes BUT it offers immediate relief. Reducing friction is the key. Also: yes, lipstick works and we all have that in our handbags. (Lotion doesn’t work as well.) You’re welcome! Feel free to share with all the young women in your life…

#2 Wear one colour

Not sure what to wear? Feeling insecure about your outfit or the fact that you don’t have anything new? I’ve been there, friends! I’ve found that if I wear all one colour — my go-to is all black or all white — I look pulled together, and I feel more fashionable, too.

#3 Slick on more face cream

Just my opinion, but my skin always looks better when I put on more face cream. I struggle with foundation so I don’t wear it. On me, I think it looks cake-y in my wrinkles and I just don’t like the way it feels. But face cream? Love it. This year I heard that L’Oreal and Lancome are made by the same parent company, and L’Oreal is so much more affordable. Want to try it? Step right this way for my favourite one. And if you’re wondering about my one beauty regret? I wish I’d been more careful in the sun.

#4 Bonus tip

You might be expecting something cheesy like “Smile!” Instead, let me say this: everything on your inside really does show on your outside. So when you’re worried or sad, take a deep breath and do this. Then relax your shoulders. You’ve made it this far, through every single one of your days. You’re going to be okay. Let your light shine in the world.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone! Sending you big hugs from Sydney in springtime. Thanks, as always, for reading … and hi to our new people this week. I appreciate you!

Love, Catherine x

PS.

More news on JACARANDA SNOW, my debut picture book — sorting out postal options now so I can post your pre-orders! Last night, I celebrated with Alexander Lau, the 18 year old who composed the companion piano quintet (piano score printed in the book)!

Here is the recording “Jacaranda Snow.” You’re listening to Alexander Lau (composer / violin), Yilan Yu (violin), Erik Rong (piano), Luke Poier (cello)…my son! Press play to listen. (Alex is 18. You’ll say ‘you knew him when…’)

3 Fun Things

Happy weekend, everyone, and hello to all the new people!

I've had a week of feeling overwhelmed, so today I'm bringing you a blog post with ONLY Fun Things. (The lifestyle blog Cup of Jo does this so well!)

First up, I love wearing beautiful rings. My philosophy is this: why wait until I can afford to buy a real Elizabeth Taylor-sized pink Argyle Diamond when I can have all the fun NOW for $12? And so can you! Available here.

Next: mint tea. I ordered this tea at Stanley Street cafe but you could DIY it at home. Look at all that mint! It was enormous. And delicious. Here's me on Instagram, pouring water on that mint and making the best tea ever. 

Finally, If I were Oprah, I'd be posting you ALL a package with these 3 sweet things that I love, love, love:

•  Youth Code by L'Oreal. I think it's better than Clarins and Dermalogica. My cheeks feel 23.
• Essie nail varnish in Matter of Fiction...perfect for a writer and I love the twisty bottle. 
• My beloved Palomino Blackwing 602 pencils.

I'm curious about what you'd Oprah-give me back...what a fun thought!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. Sending you love from warm winter Sydney.

Catherine x

PS.

• Thanks for reading! If you like my Happiness emails and you want to share the love, please tell your friends.
• If you're seeing this weekend email for the first time, you can subscribe here.
• It's winter in Australia -- here's my sister's Lemon Chicken soup recipe! Perfect for Sunday lunch.

The Secret to a Happy Marriage

When I arrived back home in Sydney from three weeks in Canada, this guy greeted me!

I feel so lucky.

Truth is, Luther and I have a really good marriage. There are things we do wrong in careers, parenting and life, definitely things we haven't achieved and OF COURSE we've made our share of mistakes, but at being married -- we're experts. We've always been really really good at it. 

Here are our secrets:

1. Pick the right person. (And yes, sometimes this takes a few tries!! Our top parenting advice is this: tell your kids how important it is to choose the right partner. It makes or breaks your life.)

2. Talk (& talk & talk & talk). It's our favourite shared activity. Twenty-two years on, we still have so much to say to each other. 

3. Tell everyone -- and yourself -- how lucky you are to have the partner you have. Appreciate each other.

4. Be kind.

And here's the surprise Secret to a Happy Marriage:

5. Be fun to live with. (Because...who wants to live with boring? And being fun starts with you.)

That's it. Choose well. Be kind. Do you what you love, together. Appreciate each other. Be fun to live with. I think the world needs a kindness revolution, and it's good to start with the people we love.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. I'm so happy to be home with my guy.

Catherine x

PS. 

• Got 99 cents to encourage 17 year old Aussie composer Alexander Lau? I bought this romantic piece and it's so pretty. (You'll scroll down & click on "Single" to buy. The song will go into your Download folder.) You can find Alexander here. (he's studying for Year 12 exams right now, and I'm sure he'd love the encouragement!!)
• Want to make mussels for dinner? Delicious and inexpensive!
• Ready to Write Your Book This Year? Join me in my online class for five weeks in August. More info here!

Hilarious, But True...

Welcome to everyone new this week!

I'm dying to show you my favourite photo of my (now) teenage son. He walked up to me, age two, and said, "DO YOU LIKE MY BAND-AID?"

Can you see it in his hair?

I laughed until I cried but also ... ouch!

I keep this photo on my office wall to remind myself of so many things. That kids are unafraid. That they love what they love. That they live in the moment and are just not fussed about whether something is a good idea or not.

They go for what they want.

Freedom.

Dreams.

(Sneaky band-aids! Applied everywhere!)

But we're adults and we get so caught up in all the shouldn'ts, don't we? We live ahead of ourselves or -- maybe more often -- we live behind. And we forget that all our joy is in the now.

So today, for you, here's an invitation...can we live with a little more YES and a little less SHOULD? A little more abandon? A little more chasing of what we love?

Please say you will.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone, and -- as always -- be fun to live with!

Love Catherine x

How To Have The Best Birthday

Another trip around the sun for me!

I celebrated my birthday this week and, for the first time ever, I shared it with everyone. My sweet friend, Victoria Buda at Being Me Movement podcast has this incredible tradition. Every year during her birthday month, she tells people My birthday is going to be awesome. So I did the same and it was. I mean, look at me! Dog and cake. Friends. Family. It doesn't get better.

Will you try it? Are you willing to let people show you how much they love you this year? 

Then I gave myself the best $7 gift: No Lights No Lycra.

I love to dance (kitchen dance!) and I've been meaning to try this for ages. Two Aussie women started No Lights No Lycra as a community dance movement and it's completely amazing, of course. The heart of the movement is the belief that everyone can dance. I went for the first time in Manly the night before my birthday. Imagine it -- one hour of incredible music in this gorgeous old community hall with dozens of women and all the lights off, everyone doing her own thing. No heels. All ages. High vibe. Complete freedom.

Magic! 

Want to see if there's one near you? If it's not in your city yet, anyone can be an ambassador. It would be a fun weekly side hustle / easy business AND it provides an awesome benefit to your community. Learn how to start one up!

And one last bit of goodness! I can't wait to show you Jacaranda Snow, my growth mindset / flow hardcover picture book published by Wombat Books. Jacaranda Snow hits the shelves in September. I wish I could share Helene's brilliant illustrations, but not yet. Let me just say that the book is so pretty I cried! If you want to pre-order, you can buy it here. Sneak peek of a detail:

And most important of all, for all the new people this week, welcome! I appreciate you! Thank you, truly, for joining us. If a friend sent you this email, you can get your own here. A weekly dose of happiness from Sydney!

Enjoy your weekend. And, as always, have some fun...and be fun to live with!

Catherine x

What I learned in America

I've been in America for about ten days and it's been wonderful. I stayed with my crazy-fun sisters in Phoenix, so there were late nights and lots of talks. Now I've moved on to Palm Springs with girlfriends before I head back to Sydney.

Family. I love it so much! And whenever I'm with my family I realise I still have a lot of growing to do.

Ram Dass says it best:

Again -- as always -- I learned so much from my sisters. For starters, they reminded me that I need to think more about when to say yes and when to say no.

I think we all walk the delicate balance between being agreeable and being authentic. We all do the dance of Honesty, Wisdom, and Letting Go.

For some people, yes and no are easier. They have a visceral reaction: I am this, I believe this, I say what I think. For some of us, it's far more murky: will I hurt you? Am I being childish? Does this matter? Am I being fair?

I wish I had an easy answer to share this evening, as I sit in a beautiful Mad Men-esque house in Palm Springs, gazing at a gorgeous pool, writing to you. 

But I don't.

All I have are questions . . . and questions are really really good.

Questions make us see the world in a different way.

Questions activate our brains, wake them up, and help us reveal our own truth.

Wherever you are right now -- Canada, America, Australia, all around this gorgeous world -- thank you for stopping by my little corner of the internet. And if you're new this week, hello and welcome! 

Sending you love from America.

Catherine x

Hello, from Phoenix!

Does your heart ever feel like this?

Like a 3,000 pound saguaro cactus, propped up by three tiny sticks??

The truth is, we all do.

Not just me.

Not just you.

I know this quote has been around so long that it's become cliche, but the thing about cliches is that they're true. We don't know what other people are facing. Sometimes we don't even think to ask.

Everyone around us is fighting a battle.

The real question is this: are we big enough to respond to people with love?

Happy weekend, everybody -- whether it's prickly or perfect. (If your heart's feeling a little sore today, remember how much you matter and what's in your control.)

Love Catherine x

P.S. I'm writing to you live from Phoenix, Arizona...where I'm bright eyed and bushy tailed at 3am with jet lag!

And here's a crazy story for you: at breakfast, my sister said, "Oh look! There's a COYOTE." As in, there are coyotes walking around the city streets, you guys. So I ran out the door on a wild coyote chase. I was hoping to get a shot of this:

But I'm too slow for city coyotes, apparently. Mine jumped over this wall into a back garden. Seriously. Can you imagine??? You're at the barbie and Hello, there's A COYOTE. 

Crazy, right? America really is land of the free :)

Sweet & Bright

Hearts are full this time of year.

Yours. Mine.

I'm thinking it will be lovely to slide into a quiet Christmas. 

Here's my wish for every one of you, in Europe, the UK, Japan, India, the Netherlands, Canada, America, South Africa and more...

May the last few days of December -- that pause between all you did in 2017 and all your dreams for the new year -- be sweet. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Everything.

Love Catherine x

PS. Just keeping it real...Luther opened the front door in the middle of my 'photoshoot' with my 13 year old photographer-son and said, "HEY, TRYING TO WATER THE LAWN AROUND HERE!!!" Friends, meet Luther (& Holly). They say MERRY CHRISTMAS. 

And if you're curious, here's my Christmas in Australia last year. (White beaches and a pretty DIY tree!)

The Perfect (do nothing) Homemade Gift

Joy! Presents! Parties!

Sometimes during the holidays we need help, people.

Every week I try to give you something to make your world a little better. Today it's this: the Perfect Do Nothing 12 Minute Homemade Gift.

Easy! Healthy! Lovingly made! Delicious!

1. Buy natural almonds.

2. Preheat oven to 180 C fan-forced (Australia) or 350 F (Canada & America).

3. Roast for 8 - 12 minutes. Sprinkle with Himalayan pink salt (or any salt). Cool.

Serve at a party. Wrap up as a pretty gift. Perfect with bubbly and appetisers, or with fruit and coffee and dark chocolate as dessert. Amazing in every salad you make. These are ridiculously better than store-bought Roasted Almonds.

Happy holidays. You're soooo welcome!

Have fun this weekend (and be fun to live with!)

Love Catherine x

PS. Some weekend favourites for you:

• The most amazing pipe organ in Sydney Town Hall!

• Cathedral bells at St Mary's are here.

• My favourite Christmas animation with GORGEOUS music (3 mins), watch "Walking on Air" from The Snowman here.