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

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1Visit the African Park That Inspired “The Lion King.” The visual landscapes that inspired “The Lion King” really do exist. They are in Kenya’s Rift Valley, specifically Hell’s Gate National Park. However, you are not likely to see Simba there. The park is known for its lack of predators, which means you can do really great walking safaris amongst the herds of other animals. Something you are not likely to be able to do in many other African parks. I especially love walking near the giraffes. They have such a graceful prehistoric look to them with such sweet faces and long eyelashes.

I recently went to a screening of the “The Lion King” at the Director’s Guild in LA. Afterward, the Director of the Spider-Man trilogy, Sam Raimi, interviewed the Director of “The Lion King,” Jon Favreau. Did you know that the only live-action shot was the one that opens the film? Everything else was created in a virtual world. The other thing I thought was amazing is that Favreau used the same workflow as you would on a typical film set. This included how he worked with his Director of Photography. In this case, it was the legendary Caleb Deschanel, “The Passion of the Christ,” “The Right Stuff,” “The Natural.” In a virtual world, he set 10Ks like he would on any of his films. Can you imagine directing an entire film sitting in a chair wearing goggles?

2You Can Mail a Coconut to Anywhere in the World from This Post Office in Hawaii. This is a fun and unusual way to reach out to loved ones while on vacation. If you happen to be on the island of Molokai in Hawaii, visit the Hoolehua Post Office. People on the island donate fallen coconuts to the post office to be used as the island’s version of a postcard. You can even decorate the coconuts using the permanent markers that are available. They send out an astonishing 3,000 ‘Post-a-Nuts’ a year.

3The Best Trips for Introverts, According to Introverts. This article notes that an introvert traveling is not about wanting isolation; rather, it is about wanting a meaningful connection to the place you are experiencing. I am in this boat, for sure. Several fantastic suggestions throughout the world. Top of the list is in my home state of California, Siskiyou in the north. The mountain there is said to have a ‘spiritual vortex.’ My kind of place!

4Luxury Travel’s Latest Frontier: Getting Lost, For Real. Over the last year or so, I have been highlighting articles about a growing trend in travel, Transformational Travel, where the point of a trip is more about an evocative experience. The destination inspires what happens on the inside. One of my travel partners, Explorer X, is taking this concept to the next level. They are now planning ‘mystery trips,’ where the travelers do not know where they are going until they get their tickets.

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5Watch This Every Day and Change Your Life: Denzel Washington Motivational Speech 2019. Another reason to love Denzel. “Dreams without goals are just dreams.” Dare to dream big. Dare to fall forward.

6I Moved from a Walking City to a Driving City—Here’s How I Get My Steps Now. The article’s writer went from walking to work in NYC to driving there in LA. She writes about the toll it is taking on her body, which I can totally relate to, TOO MUCH SITTING! Health risks from sitting are the new smoking health risks. The writer suggests some good solutions, which I do every day. To name a few: 1. Take walking meetings. 2. Do walking business calls. 3. Park further away from the door of your office. 4. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Though the question is how many steps do we need daily? Well, many sources will tell you 10,000 steps. Some are saying as much as 15,000 steps every day. However, even for me, who walks a few miles most days, that can be a daunting daily number to hit. So, I was relieved when I read a Time article that said 7,500 steps is a good minimum. This number makes more sense to me—especially in light of the Mayo Clinic’s suggestion of two and a half to five hours of moderate aerobic activity per week.

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713 Amazing Photos You Missed This Week. “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

8Coming Soon: The Mindfulness Movement Documentary. I recently reconnected with a colleague, award-winning filmmaker Rob Beemer, and found out that he has been producing and directing a film on mindfulness. As many of you know, I am an advocate for this practice. Rob has interviewed an extraordinary number of mindfulness luminaries and trailblazers. The film has been shot and now needs funding to complete the edit to have it ready for theaters this January. I urge you to join me in supporting Rob’s vision.

” Thoughtful

“If you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
~ Yogi Berra, Former American Professional Baseball Catcher

Sojourn Experiences | Inquire About Dates

For years, I have been producing large and small-scale television shows around the world. Today, I also use my producing skills to curate tailor-made adventures.

Walking the Camino de Santiago | Spain
In partnership with Explorer X, small group adventure specialist
9 Days | Sept 10th – 19th, 2019 | From $3,950 per person

Unforgettable Africa | Kenya
In partnership with Nomadic Africa, private luxury safaris
12 Days | From $18,735 per person for 8 guests

Machu Picchu, Peru | Salkantay Horseback Ride
In partnership with Peru EcoCamps, luxury geodesic domes
9 Days | From $5,975 per person for 2 guests

*Pricing varies based on the number of guests and time of year.

Sojourn Programs

Insight Timer App | Silent Wisdom Meditations
As many of you know, I teach meditation. I have been a long-time fan of the practice. Why? It is scientifically proven to reduce stress, control anxiety, promote emotional health, enhance self-awareness, lengthen attention span, reduce age-related memory loss, generate kindness, help to fight addictions, improve sleep, help control pain, decrease blood pressure; and you can meditate anywhere! Meditation is about as close as one can get to a wellness silver bullet. Recently, I started recording meditations for Insight Timer. I hope you enjoy these free guided sessions. Please follow me on the Insight Timer app.

Happiness: The Art of Life Balance
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 help professionals, especially those in the media, to get out of the crazy and into the happy (and yes, I still produce television shows). I have put together a program that can fit into anyone’s schedule and can be joined anytime.

Happy Weekend!
Maria and Team Sojourn
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