hotel-xenia
  • Home
  • Team
Let's Chat
Menu
The One Question Oprah Wants You to Ask Before You Make Any Decision
image

To keep getting 8 Good Things, please add explorer@sojourn-intl.com to your email contacts.

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

Invite Friends
Sign Up for 8 Good Things

We curate 8 Good Things with you in mind. Please let us know how we can make this newsletter a better experience for you. Also make sure to scroll all the way down to see my upcoming trips and programs.

Quick Survey

Inquire About Travel Destinations

image

1Icebergs Can Be Emerald Green. Now We Know Why. This one is just because icebergs are so cool (pun intended.) I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to the bottom of the world twice. What stands out most in my mind are the icebergs as tall as New York skyscrapers and as long as city blocks. The “jade bergs” found only in Antarctica have captivated people for decades. It is that continent’s way of mixing blue and yellow together. Besides being beautiful to look at, these icebergs are iron-rich infused and provide nutrients that the algae need to survive.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

230 Adventures to Have in a Lifetime. Every traveler has a bucket list, which I instead call a ‘hit list’ – far less dire sounding! Near the top of Conde Nast’s list, at number three, is hot air ballooning over Cappadocia, Turkey. I have ticked this one off, and it is well worth doing! Five is climb Mount Everest. Well, I only went as far as Base Camp, and that was good enough for me. Nine is still on my hit list, canoeing the Okavango Delta in Botswana. What about you?

CONDE NAST TRAVELER

3Not Sure Where to Travel Next? Let Your DNA Decide. As more people are doing DNA testing for their ancestry, it seems to be inspiring ancestral travel, where you go check out your family roots. Several years ago, I sorta did this in Venice, where the Baltazzi family began, and it was profound. I only did it in terms of going to the city. I did not actually dive into any family archives. However, it was very moving to be in the Piazza San Marcos knowing that in the eleventh century some ancestor likely walked across the same exact stones. Maybe they even stopped at the local cafe to have an espresso shot, like me.

BRIT & Co.

Inquire About Happiness Mentoring

image

4The One Question Oprah Wants You to Ask Before You Make Any Decision. That question is “How do I use this in the service of something greater than myself?” I always ask: “Where shall I go? Who should I meet? What should I say and do?” I find asking these questions helps to open my awareness of the possibilities.

THRIVE GLOBAL

53 Tips from Harvard on How to Live a Happy Life. 1) Spend money on other people, and it does not have to be a lot. 2) Cultivate stable relationships, the quality of your closest friendships is huge. 3) Live in the present moment. True that! It is the only real moment that you have. In addition to this article, you can watch a talk on happiness and what science says about staying in the present moment.

ALETIA
TEDxCAMBRIDGE

6Why Saying “Thank You” Is Good For You. Consider developing a Happiness Hygiene Habit, aka being grateful. For two minutes a day, think of three things to be thankful for – this will help to train your mind to be more positive. I can attest to this being true. Science also says that doing this mental hygiene habit does make you happier. The article mentions keeping a Gratitude Jar as well, which I do at home. That jar was one of the most thoughtful gifts I received this past year (thank you, Dan and Robyn!) There is something nurturing about jotting down a note of thanks and dropping it into a clear jar that I see every time I come into my living room.

MEN’S HEALTH

Inquire About Media Partnerships

image

7Multitalented and Multisensory. The extraordinarily talented storyteller and multimedia artist, and friend of several years, David Van Eyssen, uses being a synesthete to inspire his work. If you are wondering what being a synesthete is like, it is a medical condition in which your senses intermingle; sight may mingle with sound, taste with touch, for instance. David believes we all have the ability to associate our sensory experiences if only we tune into them. His colorful imagery is always so striking to me. They seem to be so multilayered, drawing me in closer to see what is going on in a particular piece.

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY

8This Is Why You Always Struggle to Get Your Message Across. One way to stop struggling to get your message across is to begin by rephrasing what you are connecting your message to — especially if you are jumping into a conversation. I have also found this to be a great technique when doing interviews with people who have trouble cutting to the chase. This article offers three more effective strategies.

FAST COMPANY

” Thoughtful

“I never lose sight of the fact that just being is fun.”
~ Katherine Hepburn

Sojourn Experiences | Inquire About Dates

image

Photographic Safari and Mindfulness Workshops
8 Days | $11,295 pp Kenya | $12,090 pp Botswana | for 4 guests

View Kenya
View Botswana

Sail and Hike | Aegean Sea, Greece
9 Days | $6,775 per person for 6 guests

View Greece

Machu Picchu, Peru | Salkantay Horseback Ride
9 Days | $5,975 per person for 2 guests

View Peru

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

Sojourn Programs

image

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 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.

Learn More
Level 1 Happy
Level 2 Very Happy
image

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

DETAILS
CONTACT ME
image

Challenge

Start a New Habit.
Commit to it for the rest of the month.

~ scareyoursoul.com

? Reflect

What is most important to you?
~ myintent.org

Happy Weekend! Love,
Maria and Team Sojourn
Learn More | +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.

image

Maria Baltazzi, PhD, MFA, Founder
Purveyor of Happiness and Conscious-Centered Living


Emmy-winning TV Producer, Happiness Mentor, Transformational Travel Guide

About
The Sojourn Experience is made up of three ventures. Sojourn Explorers curates transformational experiences to extraordinary places around the globe. Part of the money for each trip goes to nonprofit organizations that we believe in. Through Picture Happiness: Take a Shot, Maria mentors professionals, helping them to uplevel the quality of their thoughts and habits. She designs Happiness programs and workshops as well as leads retreats. Finally, Sojourn looks to create conscious media partnerships with writers, producers, and directors to get their projects sold to production companies and various platforms.

The Sojourn Experience is made up of three ventures. Sojourn Explorers curates transformational experiences to extraordinary places around the globe. Part of the money for each trip goes to nonprofit organizations that we believe in. Through Picture Happiness: Take a Shot, Maria mentors professionals, helping them to uplevel the quality of their thoughts and habits. She designs Happiness programs and workshops as well as lead retreats. Finally, Sojourn looks to create conscious media partnerships with writers, producers, and directors to get their projects sold to production companies and various platforms.

Transformational Travel Council logo

Share 8 Good Things

Email Evernote Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

Follow TheSojournExperience

LinkedIn

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have
your permission or are required by law to do so. For more information, please visit our Privacy Policy.

Sojourn, Inc. 7095 Hollywood Blvd 843 Los Angeles, California 90028-8912 United States +1-800-869-0538

Once a month, we bring you eight big ideas to help you live better.

8 Good Things is a newsletter of insightful, inspirational articles, videos, and reflections you will not find elsewhere in one place that is simple and easy to digest delivered to your inbox as our gift.

  • Hidden
  • Before opting into our newsletter, please take some time to review our Privacy Policy.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Forgiving Is For Living
A Grateful Life is A Happy Life
Your Best Health Insurance Plan
The Science of Love
Living a Meaningful 2022
Merry, Merry! May Good Things Come to You
Thanksgiving Reflections
Go for a Walk
See More

Erin F.

“Your opening comments... ‘Let there be a pandemic of compassion, love, and gratitude’ made me a bit emotional and hopeful this morning.”

Jim B.

“I can’t think of a better time for your
8 Good Things.”

Anthony H.

“Maria Baltazzi is one of life’s angels, who is exceedingly generous with her wisdom and insight. Do yourself a favor and sign up for her newsletter.”

Arctic Quest

Slide 1

Reach the Unreachable

Slide 2

WILD AT HEART

Slide 3

QUALITY IN EVERY SENSE

Thirty-six hours that will change your life. This is no overstatement. Be among the first to land at our magnetic north in a modern airship that uses innovative technology that combines the best of fixed-wing airplanes, helicopters, and static helium lift. What is old is new and even better, and more sustainable than jets or vehicles.

Photos provided by Design Q
View North Pole
© 2022 The Sojourn Experience
  • 8 Good Things
  • Sojourn Explorers
  • Sojourn Wholebeing
  • Sojourn Media Group
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT