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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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19 of Europe’s Underground Marvels. For those of you who love underground exploration. Some of the world’s most beautiful sights do not always touch daylight. Europe has fantastic hideouts, tombs, cities – all beneath your feet. My top picks: Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern (the photo above.) Rome’s catacombs and crypts. The underground beer cellars in the Czech city that invented Pilsner. Find out the other six.

2Where to Find the Best Swimming Holes in the U.S. If the summer heat is getting to you, here are some stunning natural swimming holes you can soak in. Think waterfalls, nature-made swimming slides, and geothermal pools. I want to check out the Chena Hot Springs in Fairbanks, Alaska! The water there is 106 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. If you time it right, you can see the aurora borealis as well!

3Why Childhood Travel Makes Better Leaders. Millennial parents are traveling more and further, and taking their kids with them. Why? Because they think it shapes their children’s perspective of the world by exposing them to different cultures. Though I would argue that this applies to adults as well. Travel opens your mind. By regularly changing your environment, it forces you to break out of your shell, broaden your horizon. It builds the confidence to take chances. Travel changes who you are, the way you see the world. For me, my first trip to Africa many years ago profoundly impacted me. It was where I learned to care about our planet, value freshwater, and treasure wildlife. I still feel a deep primal connection to the earth every time I step foot on that continent.

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4The 12 “Commandments” of Successful, Lasting, and Happy Relationships. As much as relationships are fun, they take work. This article claims there are traits you need to maintain a healthy and enriching bond with someone. The top three are 1) acceptance 2) honesty and trust 3) and respect.

5The Human Skills We Need in an Unpredictable World. There is a difference between ‘efficient’ thinking and ‘robust’ thinking in business and leadership. In this TED Talk, you will hear the latter being more of what we need these days. As we get more buried by technology, we should try hard to keep in sight human skills such as imagination, bravery, and preparedness. Those skills solve problems, not technology. It is people who have ideas versus the data that technology measures. Since July, over 1,068,000 have watched this talk.

6Can the Moon Really Influence Your Health? August 15th was this month’s full moon. From sleep to mental health to menstrual cycles, it seems people believe in the magical powers of the moon. According to science…maybe, maybe not.

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7Oprah Winfrey Pays Tribute to Friend Toni Morrison: ‘Long may her WORDS reign!’ We honor Nobel Laureate author Toni Morrison.

8Happy. I only recently got around to watching this 2012 feature documentary about one of my favorite subjects, Happiness! If you have not seen it and are interested in understanding happiness a bit more, I suggest watching this film. The film’s website is a useful resource for books, links, and apps as well: thehappymovie.com

” Thoughtful

“Something that is loved is never lost.”
~ Toni Morrison, first African-American woman to win
the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993

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 $4,350 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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