Cultivating Health, Happiness & Joy through
CULTIVATING HAPPINESS
Cultivating happiness begins with happy living. Happiness if an effect of doing things that create those feelings of happiness. It is not a destination one arrives at and remain at. There will be happy days and sad days. Happy living is the conscious building of practices in one’s life that create more of those feelings of happiness and less of the sad.
The Latest Happy Living Posts
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things – Part 3
This series on My Favorite Things has become a gentle practice of noticing—of honoring the small experiences that bring comfort, clarity, and calm. In this third post, I’m sharing a few more of the favorite things that help me feel rooted and present, reminders that...
Cultivate Moments: The Bird Who Reminded Me to Slow Down
This bird was paying no attention to me. He knew I didn’t have much to offer him. Instead, he looked to the fishermen off the Oceanside pier. He intently watched and waited for his free meal, patient and unhurried, as if the world were moving at just the right pace.He...
Eating for Chronic Illness: A Step-by-Step Guide
Let me be honest from the start: I feel a little hypocritical writing this right now. Our household has been under the Covid cloud. One night the only thing we could manage was a milkshake - and that was if we didn't prepare it. Some days, that’s just life. Some days,...
Tiki Taco Washington, D.C.: A Taste of Hawaii in Dupont Circle
I discovered Tiki Taco while on a recent vacation to Washington, D.C. It was conveniently close to our hotel, which made it an easy choice after a long day of exploring the US capital. If you love tacos that are a little different from the usual, Tiki Taco in Dupont...
Practical Art Exercises for Managing Emotions and Reducing Stress
Life can feel overwhelming at times, with emotions appearing when we least expect them. Stress, frustration, sadness, or even fleeting moments of joy can leave us feeling off balance. Finding a safe and effective way to process these feelings is essential—and one of...
What Is Art Therapy? How Creative Expression Can Support Emotional Healing, Reduce Stress, and Improve Well-Being
What is art therapy? It's a tender invitation to explore your inner world—not with words, but with colors, shapes, and textures. According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is a powerful approach that helps individuals, families, and communities...
Adrenal Cocktails: 8 Nourishing Recipes to Support Energy and Stress Resilience
I’ve actually used adrenal cocktails off and on for a couple of years, but I’ve recently set a goal to be more consistent with them. When I stick with them, I notice subtle but meaningful differences—especially in my energy and focus. Some days, it feels like a gentle...
50 Famous Soups from Around the World: Iconic International Recipes
Introduction: A Global Bowl of Comfort There’s something quietly magical about the many soups from around the world. Each bowl carries aromas, flavors, and stories from kitchens far and near. Steam rises in soft spirals, mingling with herbs, spices, and the rhythms of...
Healing Through Art: How to Build a Regular Art Practice to Nurture Your Mind and Heart
Why Healing Through Art Matters Art for emotional well-being is more than creating something visually pleasing—it’s a gentle, nurturing practice that helps you process emotions, release stress, and reconnect with yourself. For people living with chronic illness, daily...
How to Make Red Wine Vinegar at Home
If you’ve ever wondered how to make red wine vinegar at home, let me reassure you—it’s much easier (and more rewarding) than you might think. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching a bottle of wine transform into a rich, complex vinegar right on your...
Tarragon Vinegar: Benefits, Uses, Recipes & How to Make It at Home
If you’ve ever sat down to a meal that tasted just a little more elegant than expected, there’s a good chance vinegar—and the bright lift of acid—played a secret role. Chefs know that acid is what makes flavors pop: it balances richness, cuts through heaviness, and...
A First Look at Grappa’s House in Park City
Where history, architecture, and the promise of a memorable meal come together. One of the greatest joys of Artful Living is discovering places that stop you in your tracks—not just because they’re beautiful, but because they tell a story. That was my experience with...
Presence, Pasta, and the Permission to Slow Down
The flour felt like soft earth between my fingers—cool, light, and a little unpredictable. I scooped it into a mound on the counter, made a small well in the center, and cracked in the eggs. Not just any eggs—these had been gathered minutes before, still warm from the...
Nurture Your Spirit with Things You Love
There’s a moment in early spring when the tulips begin to bloom. You notice them before you even mean to—bright cups of color lifting their faces toward the sun, quiet and certain. It’s in moments like these that we find gentle ways to nurture our spirit, even when...
Dancing on the Edge of Dreams: What I Gained from a Ballet Audition
We arrived in droves—bright-eyed and ballet-bound—each of us clutching a dream and a number. The audition for Clara in The Nutcracker with Ballet West, a professional dance company, wasn’t just a chance. It was the chance. For young dancers, few opportunities shine as...
Club Wyndham Kingsgate Review, Williamsburg, Virginia
We stayed at the Club Wyndham Kingsgate resort during our trip to Williamsburg in August of 2021. While we focused primarily on sightseeing, the resort offered many amenities we didn’t have the chance to use. For guests seeking rest and relaxation, this property has...
Southern Utah Vacation: Zion National Park, Snow Canyon & Hidden Gems
It was October 2020—a moment suspended between the chaos of what had been and the hope of what might be. The world was cloaked in uncertainty, and so was I. Like many, I’d been tethered to the familiar walls of my home for months, yearning for a taste of something...
The Santa Clara Petroglyphs: Ruins, Rock Art, and Resilience
Petroglyphs. There's something about them, isn’t there? The way they speak across time, telling stories without words, sharing a thread of connection that stretches from the past to the present. They are a quiet invitation to pause and reflect, to listen to the...
Mindful Eating: From Traditions to Travels. Embracing Food with Purpose
By nature, I am a foodie. Food is more than just fuel – it’s a sensory experience that connects me to the places I’ve been, the people I’ve shared meals with, and the memories that make life so rich. Mindful eating has become my way of truly savoring each bite, paying...
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things – Part 2
Some things stay with us over the years, quietly weaving their way into the fabric of who we are. These favorite moments and simple pleasures have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, grounding me in a sense of gratitude and joy. In this second part...
Art Therapy for Chronic Illness: Healing through Art
Living with chronic illness is like wandering through a garden that is both beautiful and broken. There are moments of bloom, but there are also thorns—grief, anger, and fear—that seem to sprout unexpectedly. These emotions are often too big for words, too complex to...
Jamu Juice Recipe
Jamu juice, a vibrant and health-boosting beverage, originates from Indonesia, where it has been cherished for centuries as a traditional herbal remedy. Rooted in Javanese culture, Jamu is more than just a drink—it's a symbol of holistic healing, combining natural...
Snow Canyon State Park, Utah: Photos, Hiking Trails, and Tips for Travelers with Disabilites
Often, when I’m in the St. George, Utah, area, I can’t resist stopping by Snow Canyon State Park to soak up its beauty and snap a few photos. This park just keeps calling me back. It's peaceful. Snow Canyon State Park is one of Utah’s gems, tucked into southern Utah...
Visit to the Fredericksburg Battlefield
Visiting the Fredericksburg Battlefield was a moment I had dreamed of for years. When I was homeschooling my children, I envisioned taking them to the hallowed grounds of Civil War battlefields as the centerpiece of our three-month US History field trip—a journey...
