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Why Science Says Helping Others Makes Us Happier
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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.

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Featured Sojourn

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Picture Happiness: Take a Shot in the Rainforest
July 06 – July 12, 2019 | 7 Days | From $905 per person
This July I am offering a mindfulness photography retreat in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica. The good news is that you do not have to be a photographer to enjoy this retreat. It is really about how you use your camera or smartphone as a lens to explore your inner and outer world.

Also, joining me is the Founder of Wholly Organized!®, Lynne Poulton, who has a very personalized approach to decluttering one’s world. She listens, shares stories, and brings lightness to organizing challenges. She will talk about Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up method if you ask!

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
Enter code COSTAPHOTO at checkout to receive 10% off. The code expires February 19th.

TRIP TRIBE

Inquire About Travel Destinations

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1Orion Span’s ‘Luxury Space Hotel’ Is Taking Reservations. You are reading correctly. A twelve-day stay starts at nine and a half million dollars! It is a bargain price considering that it has historically cost twenty to fifty million to get into orbit. First guests could be as early as 2022, though they will have to start training three months before their launch date. Anyone who has been following 8 Good Things knows how excited I am about this. Still working on manifesting my intention to go into space during my lifetime. Eighty thousand dollars will get you on the waitlist, which is now open!

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER
WAITLIST

2Queen’s New Horizons. Speaking of space. If you saw Bohemian Rhapsody this year, you will have learned that Queen’s lead guitarist, Brian May, studied to be an astrophysicist. Well, at the turn of the year, Brian honored his science roots by doing a musical tribute to NASA’s twelve-year New Horizons journey as it set out to do the most distant spacecraft flyby in history, some four billion miles from Earth.

QUEEN OFFICIAL

352 Places to Go in 2019. A starter kit to escaping into the world this year. Santa Barbara, which is just up the coast from me, is number three on the list. It is considered the American Riviera. If you have never been there, it is worth the trip. One of my favorite summers was spent in SB taking French classes in the morning and sailing lessons in the afternoon. It was when I first came to California, just as I turned twenty. Las Vegas is listed as number thirteen. Personally, unless you have a reason to go there, like a convention, I would either skip this one or bundle it with a trip to Santa Barbara afterward. Las Vegas is a super fun place to lose your mind for about 48 hours. Then you are done because you have not slept. Surprisingly, New York is thirty-one and Los Angeles forty-one, respectively, on the list. Another surprise is seeing Columbus—which is in my childhood home State of Ohio—at number forty-seven! At fifty-two is Tahiti, where I spent one magical New Year’s on the island of Bora Bora.

THE NEW YORKER

Inquire About Happiness Mentoring

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4Why Science Says Helping Others Makes Us Happier. It has to do with a “Helper’s High.” An article I originally wrote for the inspirational LightWorkers OTT that they then shared with the folks at Arianna Huffington’s (still new-ish) online platform aimed at helping people change for the better. Their mission is to end the epidemic of stress and burnout, which I completely align with.

THRIVE GLOBAL

5I Simplified My Home—And It Ended Up Changing My Whole Damn Life. “You are NOT your belongings. Once you realize this, your life will change. I promise.” I have been a badge-carrying minimalist for years. Too much stuff is distracting and time-consuming to take care of or store. This article offers good tips on what to do, starting with “choose one area of your life to tackle at a time.” Also, if you have not read Marie Kondo’s bestseller on just this subject, would suggest it for inspiration, especially if you have a hard time letting go of stuff you do not need. Her book is now a hit show on Netflix as well.

MBGLIFESTYLE
MARIE KONDO
TRAILER

6Valentine’s Day 2019: The History Behind the Romantic Date. Seems to have all started as ‘Courtly Love’ in the Middle Ages when knights wanted to woo women. Some things don’t change.

THE TELEGRAPH

Inquire About Media Partnerships

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7You Can’t Go Wrong With These Romantic Movie Picks for Valentine’s Day. If you are still celebrating the day of love over the weekend with a movie date, my pick is Crazy Rich Asians listed at number seven. Then I would say, close behind, it is the article’s number one choice, When Harry Met Sally. All-time favorite Harry quote: “I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

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CRAZY RICH ASIANS
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY

8Netflix’s Our Planet. The other night I saw a television critics’ screening of this new documentary series. It is touted as “an unprecedented journey through some of the world’s most precious natural habitats, narrated by Sir David Attenborough.” Wow! is an appropriate descriptive. Truly, the visuals are lyrical with music to match. After the episode, they showed a behind-the-scenes making of the series. Best moment was when the British filmmakers took a moment of glory to reflect on their teamwork capturing an enormous iceberg calving. Watching it in the episode was breathtaking. They ended their savoring moment with, “wow, okay, the kettle is on.” lol, in true understated British fashion. Mark your calendars for this one, April 5th.

OUR PLANET

” Thoughtful

“God is in the details.”
~ Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians

Sojourn Experiences | Inquire About Dates

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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

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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
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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
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Challenge

Express your deep gratitude. Call one person today
and tell them you are grateful to have them in your life.
~ scareyoursoul.com

? Reflect

What does success look like 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.

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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 I believe in. Through Picture Happiness: Take a Shot, I mentor professionals, helping them to uplevel the quality of their lives. I design 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.

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

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Reach the Unreachable

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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.

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