Make Time for Your Joy in the Chaos
On the simple delight of reading and jigsaw puzzles
Listen to me read the post above. ⬆️
Notes from a Kindred Spirit is a bi-weekly newsletter about embracing curiosity, exploring hobbies, living with chronic illness, and finding contentment in the everyday.
Hi friends,
The world feels a little chaotic right now if the news is anything to go by.
So, I hope you’re setting aside some time just for you to spend however you want. And if you have a tough time doing that, consider this a permission slip from yours truly!
Here’s what I’ve been doing
Listening to interesting podcasts (I added some recommendations at the end of this post)
Reading The God of the Woods by Liz Moore for my in-person book club, and re-reading Every Summer After for author Carley Fortune’s read-along hosted on her Instagram broadcast channel
Watching a new comedy called Deli Boys with my husband
Bought myself a cute colouring book by Coco Wyo that I plan to dig into this weekend
Watching Roaming Wild Rosie on YouTube as she renovates a cottage in Sweden on her own
Taking Chewie for lots of walks and admiring the spring flowers
Planning a road trip to visit my brother and his fiancée next month
We spend a lot of time thinking about and doing what we “should” do, but life is short, and the world won’t end if you set down the “shoulds” and do something you actually enjoy for a little while.
Is there an activity you enjoy that you can make time for this week?
Looking for more books to add to your TBR (to be read) list? Look no further than an author’s backlist!
If you fall in love with a book, make a note to remind yourself to look up the author (provided this wasn’t their debut novel) and see if any of their previously published books sound enticing.
It feels great to discover a new-to-you author to love, but it’s even better to discover they have other books you can read next!
The rainy spring season is in full swing here on the west coast of Canada, and that means it’s time to indulge in one of my favourite hobbies—jigsaw puzzles!
I grew up doing jigsaw puzzles with both sides of my family around the holidays. It was a great, low-pressure, zero-competition activity that encouraged us to gather around and visit while we placed pieces.
This tradition continued around the holidays, but during the early years of the Covid-19 pandemic, it became a year-round activity.
Now, I love to steep a cup of tea, put on an interesting podcast, and spend the rainy weekends working on a puzzle.
And, in case you’re wondering, my favourite puzzle brands are Cobble Hill (Canadian) and Ravensburger. The quality of the pieces really does make a difference!
🎧 2 podcasts I’m enjoying:
🎬 Hollywood Exiles delves into the campaign to rid Hollywood of Communism beginning in the 1920s. Hosted by Oona Chaplin (Charlie Chaplin’s granddaughter).
✒️ A Jane Austen Year, recorded at Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire, is a seasonal journey through her letters and novels. If you want to listen to something soothing, this is for you!
🖌️
shared “8 Easy Spring DIYs to Create a Cozy Home”🎮 "How 'cozy gaming' is taking mindfulness mainstream" from Mashable
🎭 Casting news for Netflix's upcoming Pride and Prejudice adaptation
Over to you! What activity or hobby can you make time to enjoy this week? Share it in the comments so I can cheer you on. And, if you have any podcast recommendations, drop them in the comments, too, so we can all find something new to listen to!
P.S. I have 3 digital products available in the Notion Marketplace!
📚 BOOK CLUB HUB for the book club host who wants to organize their club with ease so they can focus on the fun part—reading good books and chatting about them with friends! It’s perfect for small to medium virtual or in-person clubs.
📖 CURATED BOOK LISTS for the book club host or bookworm who doesn’t know what to read next.
🎁 GIFT PLANNER & TRACKER to help you organize birthday and holiday shopping and stay on budget.
I've been hearing the title God of The Woods everywhere, I might need to check it out! I also love a jigsaw puzzle. I do them with my father-in-law who even has a special puzzling hat with a built-in light so he can better see the pieces 😆
You're reminding me I have puzzles that need puzzling! I've also been reading and taking more walks when the weather is nice. You know how unpredictable Prairie Springtime is, have to enjoy the nice days in case it snows the next!