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8 Good Things is a curated newsletter of inspirational and informational articles, videos, and quotes sent twice a month by Maria Baltazzi, PhD, MFA.

Please make sure to scroll all the way down to see my upcoming trips and programs.

Inquire About Travel Destinations

1See How the Fall Equinox Is Celebrated Around the World. “From early-morning gatherings at Stonehenge to torch-bearing revelers parading through a city in Spain, people around the world herald the seasonal change in myriad ways.” The fall equinox marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Already our nights are starting to grow longer and the days shorter. Candidly, I am not ready to have less daylight, though autumn is a favored time of the year. Love the crisp air, the quality of light. It is even noticeable in Los Angeles. So, thought you would enjoy these images of the fall equinox.

250 Unusual Travel Facts You Need to Know Before Planning Your Next Vacation. Like, did you know? There are NO rivers in Saudi Arabia, one of the few countries where this is true. Folks in Switzerland eat an average of twenty-two pounds of chocolate! One of the most culturally diverse countries is Papua New Guinea, where over eight hundred and twenty languages are spoken. And when was the last time you heard of the Republic of Naura? Land of the most obese people in the world. This is kind of a fun list to read. Take it to the bathroom with you, makes for good potty-time reading.

3How Travel Agencies Avoid Extinction and Become a Luxury Service. “Millennials are using travel agencies. Yes, really.” What this article actually speaks to is the continuing desire for travel to be both curated and transformative. The Millennials seem to be leading this charge. Fifty-five percent of this group of sojourners are more likely to reach out to a travel expert to plan their adventure versus the Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. Happy to help if you are someone who would like a designed experience, regardless of what generation you belong to. These days, I am also using my television producing skills to curate and lead extraordinary adventures. I work with Explorer X, who are highlighted in this article.

Inquire About Happiness Mentoring

46 Ideas for Bringing More Laughter into Your Life. One of my fond memories as a kid was reading through Reader’s Digest: Laughter is the Best Medicine, and boy did I laugh. It felt good to let my belly roll because I was not always a happy camper as a young one. Quite the opposite of how I feel today, thankfully. My content researcher, Astrid, came across this blog article about humor, which made think about how laughter has helped me through some dark times. The six ideas mentioned are good ones to consider doing. My fav is number two, “Don’t forget to laugh at yourself.” Life can be serious. However, you do not always have to be, indeed better if you are not.

5The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. You have heard about spring cleaning. I suggest trying a booster during the fall. If you have not experienced this book about tidying, I recommend it. It is a simple and useful read, especially if you have a hard time getting rid of stuff. I have been a minimalist for years. I am constantly looking to declutter. Too much clutter disrupts my thinking. That said, I do not have a clean desk, far from it. Though on balance my things are neatly organized. There is genuinely something liberating about freeing yourself from ‘stuff.’ You do not have to dust it, store it, make room for it. For me, it makes life simpler.

Inquire About Media Partnerships

6Quincy. This recently released Netflix documentary was co-directed by the musical legend’s daughter, Rashida Jones. Watching the story of Quincy Jones’ career unfold is like getting a lesson in pop music history. The volume, the variety of work that he accomplished, the ‘other’ legends he performed with through his seventy-year journey is extraordinary. There were also intimate moments that I think only a daughter could capture, which gave you a real insight into this man’s off-stage life. I saw a screening at Dolby Laboratories in Burbank under the most perfect of conditions. The image resolution and color were a visual treat, especially for a documentary with a lot of archival and home-shot video. If you love Quincy’s music, then watch this film. My one caveat is that it is too long, two-hours, four minutes. I would not have missed twenty to thirty minutes of its footage.

712 Important Storytelling Lessons That Came from Unexpected Places. From a high school orchestra to an equestrian workshop, you never know where your greatest lessons will be learned. I especially like number five, “Keep Your Ego in Check,” and number eleven, “Get Back Up and Keep Trying.”

8There Is No Fall TV Season Anymore. “Technically, a new fall TV season [began] Monday, September 24, but in an age with streaming services, we have an endless timeline of content.” TV times, they are a changin’, and have been for a while. I cannot remember the last time I looked forward to the new fall line-up. Then again, I no longer own a television set either. I stream or watch the screeners that are sent out around award voting time. Binge watching has replaced appointment television. Event television is becoming more the norm than conventional television. The good news in all this is that the quality of storytelling is going up. Thank you HBO, Nat Geo, Netflix, and Amazon. While I do not look forward to season premieres as I once did, I do look forward to original, innovative programming, like the Nat Geo TV’s Genius, Netflix’s The Crown. At any rate, I am featuring this article for those who wonder what happened to fall premieres.

” Thoughtful

“I love people who make me laugh.
I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh.
It cures a multitude of ills.
It’s probably the most important thing in a person.”
~ Audrey Hepburn

Sojourn Experiences

Phoenix, Sedona, Scottsdale | December 29th – December 31st
Bring in the New Year with two-time Grammy-nominated Songwriter Jim Brickman. I am joining Jim on his Fan Trip. I met Jim when I was producing a pilot for ABC. We used one of his songs in the opening of our show, from there we became friends. My role on the trip is to guide people in setting intentions for the coming year. Jim’s role is to entertain everyone with his beautiful music. We will spend three days touring and planning for 2019 by day, and enjoying great food and music at night.

The Holy Land | December 13th – 23rd, 2018
***SOLD OUT***WAITLIST ONLY***
This holiday season I have put together an extraordinary trip to the Holy Land with the Very Reverend Father John Bakas of Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles.

Photographic Safari and Mindfulness Workshops
Kenya | Botswana | Inquire About Dates

I took this photo on the last morning of a trip to Africa this past November — my favorite place in the world. Great Plains Conservation’s Wild Studio was started by award-winning National Geographic filmmakers Beverly and Dereck Joubert. This is an experience that I put together. It combines learning the secrets of great wildlife photography from a Wild Studio pro along with my Mindfulness teaching. Please join us on a uniquely curated safari that will tap into your true inner-photographer. This adventure can be shared with a group of friends or done as a solo sojourn.

Sojourn Programs

Happiness: The Art of Life Balance | Fall Special
As a longtime television producer, stress was my middle name. I have spent more than a decade studying what to do about it. Now, I work with professionals, especially those in the media, to help them get out of the crazy and into the happy (and yes, I still produce TV shows). I have put together a program that can fit into anyone’s schedule and can be joined anytime.
40% off my program. Use promo code: OWA40

By Appointment
Offering private sessions in Mindfulness, Primordial Sound Meditation, Contemplative Prayer Meditation, and Restorative Yoga. Available in-person, or on Skype and FaceTime.

Special Shout Out

61 Series
If you are an art collector, you may want to check out the recently released 61 Series by the award-winning commercial director David van Eyssen. Directing is only one of his many talents. His current series was inspired by a book of family photos. There are two components. One is 61 Live: Video Projection (with audio from the John Schlesinger documentary, Terminus, 1961). To access the video, click the button below and type the password ’61’. Second is a series of prints, which are also available for sale. If interested in buying, contact me, and I will connect you to David.

Happy Weekend! Love,
Maria and Team Sojourn
Learn More About Us | +800-869-0538

Special thanks to Astrid Martin, article and video content research, and Michael Tobias, editorial review and formatting, for their ongoing contributions to 8 Good Things.

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