Hey, joyful humans!

Thank you so much for being here.

My grandfather turned 101 this past Sunday, and I only want more time with him.

I appreciate the privilege of that sentence—we should be so lucky to be that old! You've had him around your entire life; you should be grateful for the time you've already had.

I am grateful for my time, but in all honesty, I didn't really know him until he was 90.

He was a grandfather of a few English words as he preferred to speak in a language I didn't understand. He had a wall up that no one could penetrate - heck, after being a Ukrainian prisoner of war in World War II and having to immigrate to a country you know nothing about, I would have one of those walls up, too.

But then, on his 90th birthday, it was as if that wall made its first crack, and we slowly learned more about him: how he met his wife, his childhood, and the crazy things that happened when he worked in manual labour.

As he's aged, he's become softer. Now, when he talks, he looks you in the eyes. When you kiss and hug him, he leans into it more. While I wish I had experienced this more in my youth, I'm grateful for it now.

But not everyone gets this time to become soft and open up. Some people leave Earth before they have the chance.

So today, I ask you this: Please do not let the world harden you. I know it's easier to get mad and cynical about life. The pain and anger can wrap around you so quickly that it's not until you know no other way that it feels too late.

But it's not.

Good things happen every day. There are flowers to smell and your favourite coffee to drink - plus, we literally talk about the good news happening worldwide every week. There are so many good and courageous stories within you that must be shared.

People want to hear your stories, even if you feel like it's too noisy and no one cares. Your stories and your happiness matters to more than just you. You have a responsibility to share it so that when you leave Earth, you know that people know the true you - the one with joy and pain and all the messy parts in between.

Let people in now and watch the joy multiply.

Let's work together this year!

If you have big dreams for your health and wellness in 2025, let's see if we can create magic together.

Joyful Movement Club IRL Classes

• REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! We start on Monday at 8 pm. Holy heck. Get your passes here—buy four passes and save!

Let's bring our best foot forward for 2025.

• My self-paced mini-course Reset & Restore is perfect for folks who want a clean slate and need tangible takeaways to create a solid foundation for their health and mindset journey. We cover mindset strategies, habit development, creating a joyful movement routine, and how to make life more fun! It's like this "Your Joyful Year" series but with more takeaways and worksheets to implement what you're learning. Plus, it includes ten workout videos and the opportunity to work with me to help keep you accountable.

Let's become fitness besties while we achieve YOUR goals!

• Looking to take your health more seriously in 2025? I'm on a mission to help support more amazing people like you and am currently opening three 1:1 health coaching spots for free. Together, we'll create a strategy to get you to your health goals, including customized workouts, nutrition support, bi-weekly Zoom sessions and chat support so you always have me in your corner. Fill out this form to start today - and don't worry, it doesn't tie you down to anything; it just lets me know you're interested in taking this next step.

I can't wait to make this your happiest and healthiest year yet. ❤️

Song of the Week

Rushmere - Mumford & Sons

Happy song, happy band - what more could you ask for?

Rushmere Mumford & Sons PREVIEW   ​

Find this song and all the others on the ​Joyful Beats playlist​ on Spotify!

Video of the Week

Joy is an act of resistance. It finally clicked for me a couple of weekends ago, and I hope it clicks in for you now.

While you're at it, follow me on Instagram!​

Good News Wednesday

Check out the good news around the world! In our fast-paced world, it’s important to remember “the helpers.”

• The death penalty is officially banned in Zimbabwe!
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• Overdose deaths in the US fell almost 17% from July 2023 to July 2024! It’s the largest reduction in recorded overdose deaths in history.
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• To help the local pregnant seals in Finland, its residents are building snowdrifts to help them raise their young!​
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• Finland is the first in the world to ban cargo ships from dumping waste water in their coasts.
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• A new bill promoted by Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin will fund AEDs and CPR training in the US after he was saved by a well-trained medical staff and AED device two years ago.
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• 86% of UK pubs now offer zero and low-alcohol beers to be more inclusive!
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• ​Dylan Mulvaney started a book club! Plus, she’s working with Rainbow Book Bus to donate queer-banned books to communities impacted - upwards of 10,000!
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• ​Meet Charlotte the Sea Turtle! After a 2008 boating accident, which caused her to be paralyzed, Mystic Aquarium created a 3D-printed harness that helps her swim again!
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• Fun Fact: Scientists discovered that sea otters eat invasive marine species, including one of the most invasive ones - the green crab!
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• Boston just recorded its lowest number of homicides in one year for the second year in a row!

Book of the Week

​Calm Your Mind with Food - Uma Naidoo, MD​

I recently discovered that after eating a lot really late at night, my anxiety would spike. I had heard of this book and knew I needed to read it - and I was right. While she doesn't talk about what time of day to eat, she shares so much that it feels like everything else came together so well. Discovering which foods to eat in this book is a game changer - plus, since she's also a chef, she has calming recipes at the end for you, too! Thanks to her, I'm eating more mindfully, and coincidentally, I haven't had an anxiety spike since.

Book Synopsis

In this groundbreaking guide, Dr. Uma Naidoo presents cutting-edge research about the ways anxiety is rooted in the brain, gut, immune system, and metabolism. Drawing on the latest science on the connection between diet and anxiety, Dr. Naidoo shows us how to effectively use food and nutrition as essential tools for calming the mind.
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In Calm Your Mind with Food, you'll learn:

• How inflammation affects everything from anxiety and depression to Alzheimer's disease
• How the trillions of bacteria living in your gut are key to controlling anxiety
• The six pillars for calming the mind
• What to eat to balance leptin, a key link between the central nervous system and metabolic processes
• How to incorporate anxiety-busting foods into your diet, from the obscure (ashwagandha) to the ubiquitous (vitamin C)
• The best diets for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression

Along with guidelines for creating your own personal anti-anxiety meal plan and dozens of supernutrient-forward, delicious recipes, Calm Your Mind with Food will help you boost your immunity, reduce anxiety, and enhance your overall mental well-being.

Share the Joy

Are you enjoying being a part of the Joyful Human Club? It would mean so much to me if you forwarded this to a friend or colleague so we can share the joy!

If you’re that forwarded friend or colleague, join the fun today by ​subscribing here!​​

Support the Joy

If you liked this newsletter and would like to show your support, please consider donating to the tip jar. Your support is not necessary but greatly appreciated.

In gratitude and thanks,