Happy Friday! Happy Month of Love! Here is this week’s 8 Good Things. This is my year-long weekly gift that is meant to be helpful, inspirational, aspirational, and informational. If I miss a Friday, it is because I am somewhere with no access to the internet 😉 Please keep scrolling down to see our upcoming Sojourns!

Sojourn Explorers

1) Wow, researchers just discovered two lost continents called Zealandia and Mauritia. 94% of Zealandia is submerged underwater east of Australia, and Mauritia once formed part of present-day Madagascar and India. Read these articles from USA Today: Researchers Discover New Underwater Continent Zealandia | Lost Continent Mauritius Indian Ocean.

2) Did you know that reading is an excellent stress and anxiety reducer? Well, it is according to neuroscientists. It also stimulates creativity and can improve brain function. A fantastic read that is near and dear to my heart is: Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone written by my friend, Martin Dugard. This book inspired a series I developed and Executive Produced a few years ago for Mark Burnett and the History Channel.

3) Animal print cake rolls! Bake a cake fit for a safari, all covered in spots and stripes. Check out this fun recipe.

4) Find out how an American girl spontaneously bought a one-way ticket to Istanbul after losing her job and volunteered to work with refugees. The experience profoundly changed her concept of happiness and the true meaning of human connection: read this story.

Picture Happiness: Take a Shot

5) Follow your heart! When it comes to being busy, there are ‘Three Questions You Should Ask Yourself’, according to NY Times bestselling author Rachel Macy Stafford. We often commit way too much time and energy to things that will take us off track.

6) 7 Things You Can Do Every Morning To Stop Stress From Taking Over Your Day. Creating time to relax is one thing, find out the other six.

7) Free couples therapy? Yeah, try meditating together 😉 This is good to do with other family members too. I taught my mom to meditate, which we now do together when I visit her in Ohio. It’s done wonders for our relationship.

8) Before you give away your leftover Valentine’s Day candy, I would keep the dark chocolate for yourself. It’s good for your brain. Research shows there are multiple healthy uses for your guilty pleasure: 7 Healthful Reasons to Eat More Dark Chocolate.

Upcoming Sojourns

Bali, August 1st – 7th. I am doing my 2nd annual Happiness Meditation Retreat in Bali at the award-winning Floating Leaf Eco-Luxury Retreat. If you want more life balance, and less stress, then this retreat is for you. You will leave feeling more centered, and in control of your daily life. Learn how to master happiness, using practical tools that will make your days more joyful and meaningful. Primordial Happiness.

Argentina, December 18th – January 6th. Where can you climb one of the seven summits and drink great wine? Mt. Aconcagua (22,841ft.) and Malbec pair nicely in Argentina (well, pre or post climb!) This year we are doing a climb in support of the Green Beret Foundation. The climb is being led by world-class climbing guides, Willie and Damien Benegas. Here is what they have to say: “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 here: Sojourn Explorers Aconcagua.

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

P.S. check out my Happy Friday Messages, snapshot ideas under 8-minutes on bringing in more happiness. This week: Loving Compassion

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