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Here is this week’s 8 Good Things. This is my year-long weekly gift containing everything from articles to books to quotes to videos that are meant to be helpful, inspirational, aspirational, and informational. Please make sure to scroll all the way down to see our upcoming Sojourn Events!

Sojourn Explorers: Trek. Fundraise. Inspire.

1) I love cloud formations!! Excited to share: 11 New Cloud Types — First in 30 Years..

2) My kind of people. Here are 11 inspiring stories of people who were done with their 9 to 5 lives and took the leap to travel the world.

3) So romantic. Watch this, travel will never be the same for this woman.

4) Do you love coffee as much as I do? Having a ‘cup of jo’ is universal, though how someone drinks it depends on where they live. While Mexico simmers their coffee with cinnamon, Finland pours theirs over cheese curds…! Read more.

Picture Happiness: Take a Shot

5) Money ≠ happiness. According to the latest World Happiness Report, we have gotten richer over the last 50 years and less happy. We now rank 13th compared to other countries’ level of happiness. Why Americans Have Gotten A Lot Less Happy Over the Past Decade. Read more. (Side note: other research has shown that spending money on life experiences, travel and/or time with loved ones significantly brings up the ‘happy meter.’)

6) According to Forbes, feeling grateful can actually make you more successful: “experiencing gratitude can positively impact both your mental-emotional state and your ability to achieve the life you want.” Read more.

7) “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more, if you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

8) On that note… 11 Beautiful Ways to Say Grace.

Upcoming Sojourn Events

Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 18th. I am leading an evening Prayer of the Heart Meditation session, 7:30-9 pm at the Huffington Center. These sessions are held every two weeks when I am in LA. We start with a topic discussion, followed by a guided meditation. This session’s topic: “Gratitude During Challenging Times”. Details: Picture Happiness Facebook Page.

Malibu, Saturday, April 29th. Join us for our first Sojourn Explorers’ fundraising hike! Malibu State Creek State Park, 8:30 am – 12 pm. All donations will go to Stand Up To Cancer. Minimum $10 payable through our Crowdrise page | Meet-up details here.

Bali, August 1st – 7th. I am doing a Happiness Retreat at the award-winning Floating Leaf. If you want more life balance and less stress, then this retreat is for you. Details: Picture Happiness.

Argentina, December 18th – January 6th. Mt. Aconcagua (22,841 ft.), the second highest mountain in the world. This climb is in support of the Green Beret Foundation, led by world-class climbing guides, Willie and Damien Benegas. “We could not be more proud to be working with this great organization, looking forward to sharing this upcoming Aconcagua trip with you all.” Details: Sojourn Explorers Aconcagua.

Happy Weekend! Love, Maria and Team Sojourn Sojourn Explorers l Picture Happiness: Take a Shot

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