Meanderings with Trudy

Laughter! That's the focus of today's meander, as we explore the third last chapter in Martha Beck's book, “The Joy Diet: 10 daily practices for a happier life.” We visit a laughter yoga class from 2023 on Australia's sunshine coast and hear from two laughter yoga teachers about the benefits of such a thing. There's good science behind it too, that Beck explores in the book. I hope you'll have a read of that, and explore her invitation to increase your quotient of laughs per day.Feel free to share your thoughts with me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. I'd love to hear how your work is going as we meander through these daily practices.Episode links:You can find "The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life" by Martha Beck at Indigo in Canada, and at local bookstores near you, like Books on Beechwood.Learn more about Martha Beck.Laughter Yoga, edited, care of ABC Australia, Laughter Yoga InternationalBaby laughter, child laughter, royalty free, with thanksMy friend Richard Godin shot this beautiful picture of the water lily.  I use it with permission. As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

In this chapter on play, I feel like I have really “shown my work.” I liked this chapter, and the invitation to make all that you do in your life feel like play. The exercises are great, and I walk through my answer to what my real career actually is, and if I am living into that in my every day. Sneak peek: I am! Feel free to share your thoughts with me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. I'd love to hear how your work is going as we meander through these daily practices.Episode links:You can find "The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life" by Martha Beck at Indigo in Canada, and at local bookstores near you, like Books on Beechwood.Learn more about Martha Beck.My friend Richard Godin shot this beautiful picture of the water lily.  I use it with permission. As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

...Welcome to Lac Nominigue in Quebec for a summer soundscape by the water.In early August, my family and I took some time at a friends' cottage to regroup and recharge. It was a gorgeous, hot week and we thoroughly enjoyed being by the water. When I collected this sound, the lake was a little riled up, just perfect for capturing for this soundscape episode. I hope you enjoy the sounds from this paradise!Please like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And drop any feedback to me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.  As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

Treats! Everyone loves treats... and they can be a crucial tool in supporting you in the joy diet. They can help offset the inner challenge of taking a risk, and they can reinforce good habits.I hope you enjoy this meander as I share some of the things that I think of as "treats." It's more than chocolate and pizza, I can assure you! I hope you'll take some time to consider what a treat means to you. Beck calls treats things that make you smile, so what's your list? Feel free to share your thoughts with me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:You can find "The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life" by Martha Beck at Indigo in Canada, and at local bookstores near you, like Books on Beechwood.Learn more about Martha Beck.The iconic song, "My Favourite Things" from the epic movie "The Sound of Music" is used here with great thanks to Julie Andrews and Fox Family Entertainment.My friend Richard Godin shot this beautiful picture of the water lily.  I use it with permission. As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

As the saying goes, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Risk is the pathway through something that you fear, which paradoxically, helps you grow. Risk is a skill you can practice, and this chapter helps you find your way through. I hope you'll enjoy this episode. Please, share my work widely, and give the podcast a review to tease the algorithms. If you have comments or questions, please send them to:  meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. Episode links:You can find "The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life" by Martha Beck at Indigo in Canada, and at local bookstores near you, like Books on Beechwood.Learn more about Martha Beck.Comfortable Hiking HolidaysZion National Park, Angel's LandingZion National Park, The Narrows on the Virgin RiverMy friend Richard Godin shot this beautiful picture of the water lily.  I use it with permission. As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

Creativity is this week's focus in chapter 4 of “The Joy Diet.” I found this chapter really helpful and I encourage you to grab a pen and a piece of paper so you too can work through the exercises she offers. She doesn't as much talk about creativity as much as invite you into a few practices that help you explore yours, in relation to the desire you may have articulated in the previous chapter. In today's episode, I show my work and talk about what I learned about taking steps to make my desire a reality. I hope you'll enjoy this episode. Please, share my work widely, and give the podcast a review to tease the algorithms. If you have comments or questions, please send them to:  meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. Episode links:You can find "The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life" by Martha Beck at Indigo in Canada, and at local bookstores near you, like Books on Beechwood.Learn more about Martha Beck.My friend Richard Godin shot this beautiful picture of the water lily.  I use it with permission. As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

After five years podcasting around joy in the every day... what have we learned?As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc. Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma Life live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

We're always told to live our best lives, but what does that really mean? In this book, coach Beck introduces us to the 10 daily practices that she believes will help us live more joy-filled lives. We're on chapter three, which dives into finding your heart's desire.Today, I meander with you from the hot tub, the site of my daily meditation practice. Truth be told, I've been struggling with this week's practice on Desire. I had a whole script written, but instead, by instinct, I set it aside and just spoke from my heart. You'll hear the hiss from the hot tub's filtre for a while, then the sound of the wind brushing the mic and the birds tweeting in the background. It's all real, I promise you! After that, I share with you what I have learned about stillness and how it has applied in my life. I keep coming back to this first practice as it is just that pivotal. Then we turn to the book and the topic of desire and how I have worked with that practice. I'm hoping you are reading along  and so will learn also from Martha Beck herself as I stray a bit away from her work in this meander, and into my experience with it. I hope you'll enjoy this episode. Please, share my work widely, and give the podcast a review to tease the algorithms. If you have comments or questions, please send them to:  meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. Let me know how this practice lands for you.Episode links:You can find "The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life" by Martha Beck at Indigo in Canada, and at local bookstores near you, like Books on Beechwood.Learn more about Martha Beck.My friend Richard Godin shot this beautiful picture of the water lily.  I use it with permission. As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

We're always told to live our best lives, but what does that really mean? In this book, coach Beck introduces us to the 10 daily practices that she believes will help us live more joy-filled lives. Today, we're looking at chapter 2, called “Truth.” The practice in this case is all about getting quiet enough in our body and mind to hear what is true for us in this very moment. Beck walks us through just how we can do that. I also weave in a bit of my favourite Indigenous author, Richard Wagamese with a few excepts from his book “Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations.” If you are interested in reading along, you can buy her book from your local independent bookstore and join me each week to explore her offering.I hope you'll enjoy this episode. Please, share my work widely, and give the podcast a review to tease the algorithms. If you have comments or questions, please send them to:  meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. Tell me how exploring your truth has worked for you!Episode links:You can find "The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life" by Martha Beck at Indigo in Canada, and at local bookstores near you, like Books on Beechwood. Same thing with “Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations” by Richard Wagamese.Learn more about Martha Beck.My friend Richard Godin shot this beautiful picture of the water lily.  I use it with permission.  As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

We're always told to live our best lives, but what does that really mean? In this book, coach Beck introduces us to the 10 daily practices that she believes will help us live more joy full lives. We are starting this week with chapter 1, habit #1: do nothing. In this episode, I explore this practice a bit with you, talk about how doing nothing has helped me live a more balanced life, and invite you into the practice using Martha Beck's directions.  If you are interested in reading along, you can buy her book from your local independent bookstore and join me each week to explore her offering.I hope you'll enjoy this episode. Please, share my work widely, and give the podcast a review to tease the algorithms. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. Tell me how doing nothing has worked for you!Episode links:You can find "The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life" by Martha Beck at Indigo in Canada, and at local bookstores near you, like Books on Beechwood.Learn more about Martha Beck.My friend Richard Godin shot this beautiful picture of the water lilly.  I use it with permission. As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

While May 2-4 weekend (we still celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday in Canada, on the third weekend of May, typically called "May 2-4" after our cases of beer that hold 24 bottles or cans) marks the beginning of summer in Canda, nothing marks summer like the end of school followed by Canada Day, on July 1. The festivities were great this year, our new national motto of "elbows up" seems to have sparked national fervor that had wilted in the recent past. A few days later, we woke to a cooling rain, which the gardens and farmers enjoyed. I hope you will too. All comments can be sent to me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.   As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

In this final meander of the season, I spend a little time and go back over my work these past five years to see if I can articulate a more satisfactory definition of joy. Not the noun or the verb, but the concept of joy. With help from a few dictionaries, and a few poets, as well as my many guests, I show you where I've landed. I'm keen to hear what you think about this, so please take note, and send comments to me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. I read everything you send.I hope you enjoy this episode. Please subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts, and share this episode widely. See you in October!Episode links:This podcast is supported by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Poets I mentioned: Mary Oliver, “Don't Hesitate”; Khalil Gibran, “The Prophet”; Brené Brown's epic TedTalk, “The Power of Vulnerability”; “Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words” by David Whyte and his on-line class, Three Sundays Series; Richard Wagamese, “Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations.”Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

This is a great summer read, light-hearted and fun, just perfect for a read at the beach or on a dock by a cottage somewhere. I hope you enjoy the antics of Angus and Daniel, but more, this book makes me think a bit, giving thought to the kind of politician Angus proves to be. What if we had more like him as leader? What if, indeed?At any rate, please send comments to me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. I read everything you send.I hope you enjoy this episode. Please subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts, and share this episode widely. See you in October!Episode links:This podcast is supported by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.The Ottawa River HouseThe Library of Parliament, Ottawa Canada“The Best Laid Plans” by Terry FallisRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

Today, I'm talking to my friend Donna Scotten. To say that Donna is a world traveller is an understatement. She and her husband Jim have travelled extensively for their whole lives, from the beginning of their relationship, then with their son in tow, and now, as retirees. “We're free spirits, we love adventure and variety...” is how Donna explains the spirit she shares, and continues to share, with her husband. We talk about how travel was different then, ~40 years ago, pre-Internet – how it took trust and courage to step into the unknown in times when we didn't carry a computer in our pockets. Donna has written a blog about their travels, and Jim's photos adorn every post… a true collaboration of kindred spirits. This meander was a lovely review of a travel-life well-lived. And there's more to come from Donna and Jim, I have no doubt.I hope you enjoy this episode. Please subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts, and share this episode widely. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:This podcast is supported by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.KatimavikYou can read Donna's blog here, and see Jim's photography here and hereRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma As always, this podcast is sponsored by the guests who give of their time, and by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is gratefully received and is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaLife live joyfully, and always let kindness guide you.

On this, the last PauseCast episode for the season, we talk summer… what we hope to do, or be, for the coming summer break. Considering summer from a place of intention. But also, how to find our way into rest, and joy, and experiences that enrich our lives and memories to sustain us through those long winter months.As David Whyte says in his great book “Consolations”: “Rest is the conversation between what we love to do and how we love to be…”. With this, rest is the great enabler of returning to our balanced self. Summer allows times for languishing, for watching clouds and the shapes they make; sitting under deep velvet night skies and catching fireflies. Angie and I wish this for each of you, whenever summer lands in your place in this world. And Angie will embark on a summer of “Re” – re-reading, re-turning, re-membering, re-experiencing languid summer days.The thumbnail of our episode this week is a peony from my garden… to honour Angie's love of this perennial flower.Please, share our work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Trudy's company, Chapman Coaching Inc. sponsors this podcast.You can hear Trudy's son Callum Lurie on his YouTube page. He's playing in Grand Bend and in Penetanguishene, Ontario with the Dreyton Theatre Festival.Books we mentioned: Maggie Smith “Dear Writer” and “You Could Make This Place Beautiful;” “Bird by Bird” by Annie Lamott; “On Writing” by Stephen King; Michael Ondaatje “The English Patient” and “In the Skin of a Lion;” David Whyte's “Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words”; “Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times” by Katherine May; anything by Alan Alda but we mentioned “Never Have Your Dog Stuffed” and his podcast “Clear and Vivid”You can read more from Angie on her Substack, called “the bigger picture”Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

One of my favourite things about summer is sitting outside at a cottage in the early morning and listening to the world come alive. That's what I'm bringing you today on this bonus episode.Bruce's university friend owns this cottage on Bob's Lake, just outside Minden, Ontario. Allan lives in the UK but returns to Canada several times a year for his fix of "home." Bruce and Allan met as young men and have sustained a quiet friendship over these many years. Both from Winnipeg, Manitoba, they share my love of nature. Allan gives us occasional use of his place while he's not here, and we take full advantage whenever we can.Mornings by a lake are so peaceful; they take me away from any worries I hold, and just support me as I bath in the sounds of the world.I hope you enjoy these early morning sounds of nature, awakening.Episode links:As usual, this podcast is sponsored by my company,Chapman Coaching Inc.Minden, OntarioRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

It's been a cold May, and I'm hoping for a warmer June. We're getting ready for our summer break but first... on today's podcast we do a little review of where we've been this season, and offer a taste of where we are going in the month to come. It's the last month of regular programming, with a summer break from July to September coming in which I will rest, and travel, and think of new things to show joy in the every day. Do stay tuned as I will likely drop a few soundscapes over the break, just to keep you connected.I hope you've subscribed to us wherever you get your podcasts; please, share my work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars, it really does help. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:This podcast is supported by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

This month's book review looks at life and choice, through the eyes of a woman contemplating leaving her marriage, or staying put. She meets up with a woman of incredible wisdom and understanding, and with her guidance and support, our author moves through this transitional time, back into her own self.This book, "Tales of Wisdom from an Unconventional Woman: A Walk on the Beach" by Joan Anderson, came to me in the early days of my recovery from my divorce, long before my coach training. I can now see what a pivotal part this book played in becoming the me I am today. I feel such gratitude for this book and its support at this vulnerable time in my life.As I experience it now, I realize how much of Erikson's tidbits of wisdom I hold to, even now. Things like: Always be willing to dance. And know that no matter how hard you dance, not everyone will clap.Make time for play.It's a gift, being your own person.We grow from emotional conflict.Do something with your hands when you seek clarity.By being open, welcoming, and ready to receive, grace happens.And live the dash. You'll understand this one after you listen to the episode.I hope you've subscribed to us wherever you get your podcasts; please, share my work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars, it really does help. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:This podcast is supported by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.A GoodReads review of “A Walk on the Beach” by Joan AndersonA GoodReads review of “Wisdom and the Senses: The Way of Creativity” by Joan EriksonRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

It is my privilege to meander today with my friend Cheryl Marita, and we explore her book “Touching the Veil: End of Life Stories Through the Eyes of a Nurse.”This podcast looks at joy in the everyday, and Cheryl's work as a hospice nurse does that for her… it brings joy to her everyday, that's clear. After a career spanning almost 60 years, and at 79 years of age, she continues to work as a hospice nurse two days a week because not doing so, well, it's just not possible for her. In her book, she talks about the beginnings of her career, in the early 1960s, and her entry into supporting people to their natural death at a time when death meant "failure" to the medical professionals. Since she started her career, we've come a long way in human-focused care. Cheryl's book shares some of those stories. It was a pleasure to meander with Cheryl; I hope you too enjoy this episode.I hope you've subscribed to us wherever you get your podcasts; please, share my work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars, it really does help. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:This podcast is supported by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.You can get Cheryl's book, "Touching the Veil: End of Life Stories Through the Eyes of a Nurse" via her blog, "Morsels of Marita" or via Indigo if you're in Canada, or via your independent book store You can read her blog on Medium “Good Trouble” and the history of John Lewis in the fight for equal rights in the US“Anne of Green Gables” by Lucy Maude MongomeryThe origins of the quote I used: “Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'." is Viktor E. Frankl, from "Man's Search for Meaning"; Hersh Goldberg-Polin modified it to help himself and his fellow hostages find hope while in captivity in GazaRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

Angie and I regularly look at what we consider are the ingredients of joy. Ritual is one we go back to again and again. Today, I ask: what happens when ritual becomes empty? When Easter weekend, past just last month, is no longer connected to its Christian origins? When Christmas is all about the presents, not the love we all have capacity to share or the birth of a child, born to die for our sins (again, a Christian idea). And what does religion have to offer anymore anyway? Angie would say religion offers a container of teachings and practices that ground us in our belief; rituals help us remember what that's all about.This is a good wrestle between Angie and me. And we don't wrap it up in a bow, but come at it from different places, landing in a more explored place of seeing ritual and its importance.Please, share our work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.You can read more from Angie on her Substack, called “the bigger picture”Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

Today, you'll hear from me as I launch this month of May. I recap a bit of where we are going, and I leave with you a taste of summer to come… via a walk on the beach I took in Lagos, Portugal.Please, share this around, and if you're of a mind, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts; and give us a review. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:As usual, this podcast is sponsored by my company,Chapman Coaching Inc.This month's book to be reviewed will be: “A Walk on the Beach” by Joan AndersonRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

The forest across from us teems with life all year, but no time is more magical than the spring when the frogs mate in the forest swamps. We don't always time it right to hear them, but this year we got lucky! I hope you enjoy this bonus episode...Episode links:This podcast is supported by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

Cleats bite into the icy path and the ice snaps in response. The forest path, packed down by months of winter boots, is slick, and slippery, even with the cleats on.It always amazes me how the different types and depths of ice and icy snow make all kinds of crunchy sounds as I walk. You can hear the stream as it flows, coming to life with all the water running off the forest and into the creak. It's lovely, and kind of magical. Just a wee taste of life in Ottawa as the world reawakens, birds tweet and geese honk.I hope you've subscribed to us wherever you get your podcasts; please, share my work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars, it really does help. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:This podcast is supported by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

It's a relevant topic for our stress-filled times of economic and political upheaval, and for our every day “hurry hurry” lifestyle, so the topic seemed apt. I've faced burnout in my past, and I talk about some of that here as we unpack the stress cycle and what to do when you're stuck in that space. I haven't talked much about this before, so this is a new experience for me. I hope you'll find this helpful, and will pick up this book by the Nagoski sisters, “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle.” They go into the science and the “how to” of restoration in much more detail than I do here.I hope you've subscribed to us wherever you get your podcasts; please, share my work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars, it really does help. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:This podcast is supported by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Nagoski sister's websiteInterview with the Nogoski sisters on “Unlocking Us,” Brené Brown's podcast Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

These novels are seeped in Canadiana – set in Montreal, Quebec in 2012, the novel explores the emerging fentanyl problem in Canada and the havoc it wrecks on people in Denny's life. The first in a series of detective novels, this is a great tale, I read it in a few sittings. With a background in poetry, Chris has a deft hand in painting scenes, truly bringing us into feeling the scenes he's painted. It's a good read.We also talk “inside baseball” about the process of publishing a book, independently. The big benefit – you have total creative control. There's good insight here if self-publishing is on your mind.I hope you enjoy this episode. Please, share it around, and if you're of a mind, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts; and give us a review. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.If you'd like to buy his book, look for “The Freelancer,” by C.J. Fournier in your favourite independent bookstoreOne of the authors Chris mentioned was Graeme Greene“May 2-4 Weekend” in Canada is a play on words. 2-4 refers to a case of 24 beer. And the weekend celebrates the birthday of the colonial British Queen, Victoria. The weekend also marks the beginning of summer in Canada.Book cover designed by award winning designer, David Drummond of Salamander Hill design studioSome background about Canada's war in AfghanistanRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

On today's PauseCast, we catch up with Angie as she shares with about her father's passing. And in this conversation, we talk about all the things that make life precious to us – love, loss, community, ritual, grace, honour, and so much more.Please, share our work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.The music here is offered joyfully by Olive Tree Hymns, and I so appreciate their offering. They are a small team of young Christian volunteer musicians from Australia devoted to the worship of God through song and you can find them on YouTube. The song: "God Be With You Till We Meet Again."Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

So, I decided that this month, I'd look at the issue of burnout. In Canada, like the rest of the world to varying degrees, we're facing a sea change with America no longer willing to play the role they've played since the end of World War II. With tariffs applied to our long-standing trade, and threats to annex us, Canadians feel this new threat to their core. And people simmer in the stress of it without any real awareness of the havoc this is playing in our nervous systems. In today's episode, I'm sharing a few thoughts, and some found music from Lisbon, Portugal. I hope it helps you find some calmness in your day.  And a word of gratitude for street musicians all over the world, but particularly those in Lisbon who have unknowingly contributed to this episode. You all Rock!! And you make the world a better place as you share your talents. Thank you.Please, share this episode around, and if you're of a mind, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts; and give us a review. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:As usual, this podcast is sponsored by my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Meander with Maddalena Molina from December, 2022, and her company, Comfortable Hiking HolidaysInside Lisbon was the company our Lisbon tour guide Pedro worked for, and learn more about his work in Ukraine with UNESCORoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

This gentle book explores the deep knowledge coming out of the Indigenous way of living on the land. Using stories coming from her Potawatomi ancestors, Dr. Kimmerer shares traditional ways of gardening and harvesting, as well as some of the origin stories of her people. She then weaves these together with knowledge from botany and Western Science, showing us that both traditions have legitimacy. She underlines practices of gratitude in how we live on the land, and reminds us that we live in reciprocal relationships with our world. I especially love the chapter on language and how it holds the world view of the speaker.Dr. Kimmerer lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology, and the founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. I hope you enjoy this episode. Please, share it around, and if you're of a mind, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts; and give us a review. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc. and the blog post I mentioned about how to find balanceHere's Dr. Kimmerer talking about the spring, and in it she speaks in her Anishinaabe language“Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall KimmererRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

While he'd started soaring as a teen, Ian sought it out again when he immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1980. In reconnecting with the soaring community, he built lifelong friendships, now more than 40 years old. His life is richer with soaring in it - the connection to nature, the challenge of an ever-changing environment of wind and temperature, and the alchemy of mixing science and creativity, art and whimsey, keeps bringing him back to the sport year after year. It truly lights Ian up to be in the air, travelling with the birds, that much is clear. It was such a joy for me to chat with him about his passion.I hope you enjoy this episode. Please, share it around, and if you're of a mind, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts; and give us a review. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Sole sponsor of this podcast is my company, Chapman Coaching Inc.Gatineau Gliding Club at the Pendleton Airdrome near Wendover, Ontario, the small club from where Ian fliesSoaring Association of Canada2023 National Soaring CompetitionJonathan Livingston Seagull, by American author Richard Bach Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

Episode NotesEpisode link:Chapman Coaching Inc.

Discerning happiness versus joy is where Angie starts, as we wrestle with these big questions. “But happiness is a short-lived drug when it comes from outside of us,” she reminds us. And we meander from there, landing in a formula of “love is a noun and a verb + begin again + community” as one tonic for getting through these perilous times.I hope you enjoy this wee chat. Please, share our work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Book by Mark Nepo “You Don't Have to Do It Alone” Netflix documentary, “Join or Die” based on the book by Robert Putnam “Bowling Alone”Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

It's about choice. Knowing who you BE, understanding your habits in who you are, how they get in your way, and how to develop a way to choose.We all have habits of being that were grooved into us long ago. In how we were raised, in who we are when we're born, and in what we go through in our lives. These are unconscious, and help us navigate our world. Just as we outgrow our jeans, we can also outgrow our habits, but we don't often realize that this has happened.So how do you gain awareness of this, so that you can stop getting in your own way and choose a life of intention? How do we manage to  feel steady enough to see who we really are, so that we can ask these questions of ourselves? Well, I think, joy is key. It supports us in our humanity, in seeing ourselves without judgement, and in seeing the humanity of others as well. It enables both hope, and grace. Hope in something better, and grace for lapses in ourselves and others.All this is why, in my fifth year, I'm doing these podcasts. These topics matter. More than ever.Thoughts and comments are welcome. Send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

My break went well, full of writing, and a little travel. I talk a bit about that.  I also explore how I find calm, and make way for joy, despite the crazy that is so much of our world right now.As usual, I've dipped into "Embers" by Richard Wagamese, and also “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” for inspiration. Coming out of that, I have an invitation for you to consider… What beauty do you care for in your life? And how does it enhance your world? Drop me a note and share what you find... I read everything you send me.I hope you've subscribed to this wherever you get your podcasts. Please, share my work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars, it really does help. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.“Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations” by Richard Wagamese“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by Charlie MackseyAlison Wearing, a writer and teacher I've studied with this past year, who is helping me grow as a writerBook by my friend Cheryl Marita, the friend I visit in New Mexico, “Touching the Veil: End of Life Stories Through the Eyes of a Nurse”Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

Episode link:Chapman Coaching Inc.

Today I offer you my year end/year beginning ritual, which is how I stay on track all year. I also offer a wee recap of how I think things have been going on this podcast this year… and I talk about what I'm planning for my break between now and the first week of March when I return with new material.Invitations and housekeeping, that's mostly what I have for you today, but that's ok, sometimes such things are a necessary part of our relationships… running a podcast is no different really.I hope you'll return to my podcast after my two-month break… I'll have a new episode on the first Tuesday in March, and I'll let you know how my writing has been going. With any luck, I'll have some new blog posts up, maybe you'll have read a few... you can find them under "blog" on my website. Fingers crossed! Please, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts; and please, share my work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars, it really does help. If you have comments or questions, go ahead and send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. I read everything you send!Happy New Year to us all. May 2025 bring kindness, and grace, and yes, joy, to your life. Thank you for listening.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.CJ Fournier, “The Freelancer” is the book I mentioned and the author I hope to interview this coming season, and a review of his first mystery novel on goodreadsRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

In this fourth week of the month, I'm offering you another book that I love. This week I bring you a rip roaring tale about the early years of the 21st Century, and how a driven journalist finally found his way into a more calm and balanced life through mindfulness meditation.This book plays two roles for me. First, it's just a good story about affairs as they unfolded in the US in the early days of the turn of the century. 9/11, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, all told by someone who covered them on the ground. Secondly, Dan shares with us how he managed to shift from hard-driving journalist into a more balanced version of himself. His invitation into mindfulness meditation via his app helped me find my way into a more relaxed version of meditation that I follow to this day. He's a guy out there truly doing good in this world, and I appreciate him. And this book is great.If you're of a mind, share your thoughts with me about this, or any, book review at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. If there is a book you recommend, let me know and I'll give it a look, no promises though. Episode Links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Dan Harris' Ted Talk about how he became less of a jerk to himself – I laughed, and cried, when I watched this one.The revised app is called “Happier”And his podcast is Ten% Happier with Dan HarrisPoem “'Twas the Night Before Christmas” just 'cause it's traditionThe book, reviewed on Good ReadsRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

I met many lovely women while on my writing retreat in Tuscany this past October. Jacki Rowe was one of them and I'm grateful to her for sharing her heart and her festive traditions with me on this wee meander.While I've met Jackie as a writer, she also ran a very successful company for 25 years, an occupation which kept her away from home and occupied more space in her life than she might have liked. Now that she's into the next phase of her life, she's tending to her family in a much different way than she had time for while she was working. She writes – memoir and poetry – and cooks, and paints… We talk about that and a whole lot more on this episode.I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Please, share these episodes widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. I read everything that arrives in my in-box.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Jackie's company was The Garlic Box and you can learn more about it here. It's now been sold, so the tradition lives on!Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

We meander around beginning again, around little monsters that join us when we engage in a meditation or a “sit,” around what Advent offers to us as we prepare for the coming holidays… It's a nice complement to my solo meander from last week, and I hope you'll listen to these both in that understanding.December, at least in the northern hemisphere where we live, gets increasingly dark, the days, shorter, until the longest day of the year, Dec 21, and the Winter Solstice. In December, hope, peace, joy and love are centered week by week as Christmas approaches… which is an invitation for Christians and non alike to name what is in the dark, and turn towards something life giving… hope, peace, joy and love... and begin again. And yet, life includes a lot of fear these days… mostly of the unknown. So, in the face of this fear, naming that, pausing, and turning towards… hope peace, joy and love…. Forgiveness, and trust too. This and more we cover in this meander. I hope you enjoy this free-wheeling exploration. Please, share our work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Angie's Substack channel, “The Bigger Picture”Thomas KeatingBlue Rodeo, “Try”The Tragically Hip documentary, “No Dress Rehearsal”Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

I start with how I build and tape my podcast… the technical components and the space I work in. We also talk about other inside activities, like how we can prepare our hearts for the coming holidays with families, for family dinners that spark both joy and, sometimes, dread... Certainly sparking old habits of behaviour that no longer serve our relationships or reflect who we are, now.I hope this lands well for you. Share your thoughts with me too, I'd love to hear from you, please write me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. I hope you've subscribed where ever you get your podcasts. And please share this widely to spread these conversations about joy in the every day. Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Reading page 115 from Richard Wagamese, “Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations”Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

Deceptively simple, it is a story of courage and friendship. A reminder that it is love for each other that makes life feel rich and full. This book reflects themes that I explore often in conversation – love, community, courage, risk – and how they enrich our lives.If you're of a mind, share your thoughts with me about these book reviews  at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. If there is a book you recommend, let me know and I'll give it a look, no promises though. And… if you tried sitting with nothing and it became something, tell me about that too, I'd love to hear about your experience. Episode Links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Good Reads reviewThe movie it became has been world renown. You can see the trailer here.Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma 

Nancy was first on the podcast in January of 2022 and we just talked about what brings her joy. Today, she shares with us her love of playing in the mud, shaping it, painting, and firing it into things of beauty…. Functional, useful, sentimental and beautiful.  We talk about the meaning that she derives out of the potting; you'll see what I mean when it comes up.Nancy is an effervescent spirit, and it is such a joy to meander again with her on this episode.If you're of a mind, shoot me a note at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com and let me know how this episode landed for you. Please like and subscribe where ever you get your podcasts... and share widely, to spread the joy that comes from these conversations that matter.Episode Links:Chapman Coaching Inc.The soundscape at Lac NominiqueNancy's previous meander with meCapital Pottery, Nancy's one stop Ottawa shop for pottery suppliesRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-HumaPlease send thoughts and comments to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com

It's funny how our lives spiral around certain themes, and while Angie is a storyteller at heart, bred in her bones also is teaching, mentoring, and supporting others, or as she calls it, being a "human-evoker.” She talks with us about the invitation she's had to move into a different role in her organization, as well as the things she's learned through all this change she's experienced this last year. As this is a meander, we also flit around ideas like grace, and hope, ritual and joy. And love. And as Angie is back in the US, the thrust and parry of being a US citizen right now, and how in the end, we are all human beings worthy of respect.As always, this being human is best supported by presence. Being present to our selves, and each other. To love and be loved. Simple. And not, too.I hope you enjoy this update as we reconnect, again, with Angie.Please, share our work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Donor Network of Arizona, where Angie now worksRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

This week, I'm all about fall and its bounty. Not the vegetable harvest as much as the opportunity to start again… that kind of bounty. Fall is a natural time to consider where I've been, and where I am going, and that's some of what I'll meander around today.I hope this lands well for you. Share your thoughts with me too about how the fall bounty shows up for you. I'd love to hear from you, please write me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. I hope you've subscribed where ever you get your podcasts. And please share this widely to spread these conversations about joy in the every day. Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

Episode Links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

Today, we are exploring "Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations" by Richard Wagamese.Wagamese died in 2017, leaving behind 16 books. The bulk of his writing was fiction, telling stories about his people, informed by his experience. These are hard reads sometimes for they are full of heartbreak and challenge. His first book, "Keeper'n Me" tells the story of Garnet Raven, a story that parallels Wagamese's own life experience.  It's worth your time too.Two of his books are autobiographies, and several others explore Indigenous spirituality and wisdom. "Embers" is of that latter type, offering us hard-won wisdom about how to live a fulfilling life. I like to pick this book up and just open it up to see what is alive for me in that moment. I've never been let down. Also, it is beautifully laid out, a feast for your eyes!I've read from "Embers" countless times on this podcast, particularly on the PauseCast in conversation with Angie Arendt, so it seemed like the right place to start.Episode Links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Richard Wagamese biography"Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations"Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

This week, I speak with weaver Jane Perry about her love of nature, and how she finds joy in working with natural fibers as she pulls wool threads into beautiful tapestries. A retired forester, she's been able to spend her days creating and playing on her loom in her studio in a gorgeous log cabin in the forest, west of Williams Lake, BC.I'm a little rusty and forgot to remind you to please subscribe if you haven't already, and share my work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Jane's company is Cariboo Handwoven Petra Fisher Movement and Yoga with AdrieneRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

You can't make this stuff up,  the gunshots that landed just as we started to meditate are one of the happenstance occurances that happen in "live to tape" podcasting. I left them in there because they made me laugh, and the reflect life at it's crazy best.I hope you liked this all the same. Please, share it around, like this one your favourite social media, and subscribe where ever you get your podcasts. All feedback welcome at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.  Episode Links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Royalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

On this episode, Angie fills us in on what she's been doing now that she's moved to Arizona and her new work helping people after facing a catastrophic loss. We also explore what we'd like to do for the coming fall season.Please, share our work widely, give us a review or a drop us a few stars. If you have comments or questions, please send them to meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com.Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Donor Network of Arizona, where Angie now worksThe Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, by Charlie MackesyThe poem Angie read was “Good Bones,” by Maggie SmithRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

This short soundscape is dedicated to those who lost their lives, and those who lost their souls, last year on October 7.I wish us all a better year to come, a return to our humanity, and a return to our sense of collective and mutual responsibility. Oh, and a reminder to find joy and beauty in your world.Episode Links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Fattoria del Colle, Trequanda, ItalyRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

In this episode, I'm all alone... explaining to you what you can expect from this fall and winter season. How I plan to give you a little more of me with the first episode of each month me alone, sharing whatever comes to mind. Week two, we're back to the "PauseCast with Angie Arendt." We'll explore more of the elements of joy in the every day. Week three each month goes back to the roots of this podcast - talking with regular people about joy in the every day. And week four is new... I'll be doing a book review of books that hold meaning for me. For any extra week in the month, like we have in October, I'll give you something special, maybe a soundscape, or another interview with a regular Jane or Joe, we shall see!I hope you'll find this a worthwhile way to spend some time together.  I sure do enjoy meandering with you, and playing with sound. Comments are always welcome; please send them to me at meanderingswithtrudy@gmail.com I read everything. And please subscribe and share this episode widely so we can all be reminded to look for how joy shows up for us, in our everyday worlds. Thank you for listening, I know there are many options out there. Thank you for spending this time with me.Episode Links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Dead Dog CafeRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma

Good morning from Horsefly Lake, BC! It's our usual summer visit to northern BC, to this glorious spot at Horsefly. Horsefly is a small town with a big heart and we enjoy our trips here every year to visit family and explore what the Cariboo region has to offer. Enjoy!Episode links:Chapman Coaching Inc.Horsefly, BCRoyalty free music is called Sunday Stroll – by Huma-Huma