Get Happier

Can you receive?

Hello friends — so many new people here this week from England and Canada! It’s Catherine Greer writing to you from wintery Sydney, Australia, where the camellias are in bloom. I tried to take a selfie so you’d know who’s writing to you, and also so you could see the camellias on my street.

If you’re new, I’m an author, a mum, a wife and a lover of everything beautiful: outdoors, sunsets, baking, flowers, shoes (!!) and yep, poetry and books, too.

Today, I want to ask an important question that women are NEVER asked:

Let me tell you a story: two years ago, I went on a weekend away with some girlfriends and I took a little gift for each of them. I bought them each a lovely Crabtree and Evelyn hand cream wrapped in my favourite paper with ribbons. (I love, love, love wrapping gifts.)

Some women squealed and opened their gifts straight away. They dove in and slathered their hands. Some women tentatively unscrewed the tops and sniffed appreciatively. But there was one woman in our group who—bless her—just wasn’t able to receive my gift.

She couldn’t even bring herself to unwrap it.

She was the most giving of all of us, the most routinely sacrificial…but she had an impossible time receiving.

That’s why I’m asking you to take a second now and think: can you receive?

Can you say YES to good things and beautiful opportunities?

I think the key is to slow down a little in almost every way: walk more slowly, consider your responses slowly, move with some grace…and take your time, my dear.

Take your time.

Allow the world to give you a few things today. Look for the gifts. Receive them. Pause and say thank you.

Let’s give it a whirl on this beautiful Sunday.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

How's the Real You doing?

Hi friends, and hello to all the new people this week! It’s so good to have you here. I’m Catherine Greer, author and mother of two young adult sons, baker and optimist living in Sydney, Australia. You’ve signed up for my Sunday newsletter and I’m so happy to pass along a few good ideas if I can.

Today — let’s talk about the real me and the real you.

Not the Work You, or the Parent You, or the friend or partner…but the joyful part of you that’s authentic and not an identity you’ve created over time to fulfil a role you play in your life.

What does she love to do?

How does she like to have fun?

Can you do a little of that today?

Not what’s good for you or what you’re supposed to be doing, but what you love…

Kitchen dancing, taking a walk, the perfect cup of tea in a favourite tea cup, a square of chocolate. Crunching through leaves in your autumn backyard. A solo shopping trip. Sleeping in. Getting up early. A lemon drop, slowly savoured. Replaying your favourite memory. Cleaning something and feeling virtuous. Putting your feet up.

Whatever it is, promise you’ll do one thing for her today — the person that is the authentic core of you.

The joyful you.

Getting closer to our authentic selves can be surprisingly quick to do.

  1. Consider what you (truly) love. Choose one small, simple thing.

  2. Do that now.

  3. Savour the feeling of being true to yourself.

Let me give you an example: for me, joy is always as close as my ear buds and iPhone. I put on a favourite song and have a kitchen dance all on my own. It always brings me back to myself—the little eight year old girl at my first family wedding, where I spent the whole night on the dance floor and didn’t want to sit down because I didn’t want to miss out.

I’m guessing you already know quite a few things that bring you joy, and I hope you can do some of them today. Remember that who you are—the authentic you—also needs a little TLC. It’s easy to forget about that woman in all our rushing around and doing.

Because this is true:

Happy Sunday! I hope something amazing happens to you today.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • This season’s pink boots are a little brighter and taller, but gorgeous.

  • Do you know Wendell Berry’s gorgeous poem, “The Peace of Wild Things” from 2018? My favourite lines: I come into the peace of wild things / who do not tax their lives with forethought / of grief…

  • I’ve made this flourless, decadent chocolate cake for my friend Jenny’s birthday.

  • A song to make you dance, especially if you’re a 66 baby like I am.

  • New friends — my best loved book, The 10 Minute Fix, is here in Canada, in America, in the UK, in Germany and in Australia. I’m busy writing a sequel. If you love to write, there’s a beautiful 6x9 inch The 10 Minute Fix Journal too, and every page is different, with over 200 writing prompts. You can get your journal here in America, in Canada, in the UK and in Australia.

Where we're at right now

Hi friends — and hello to all the new people this week! I’m Catherine Greer, author and compulsive baker, lover of little dogs, mother to two adult sons in uni, wife to a guy who loves beach walking like I do, eater of chocolate, Sydney-sider 🇦🇺. Lovely to have you here for a quick hit of inspiration and fun…

If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll remember this hot pink tankini I found online. I promised I’d report back about whether or not it was worth it.

Well…see that crazy strap on the top? I took this suit to Adelaide, South Australia, with me a couple of weeks ago, and I could NOT get into the darned thing. Really. I couldn’t figure it out. My brain was all, “WHAT goes WHERE??” Then I got in…and it was so tight I couldn’t get out.

My husband looked at me with these quizzical John Howard eyebrows and said, “Um, I think your HEAD is in the wrong place?”

(I am almost crying and laughing while I type this.) It’s true: my head was in the wrong place, the suit was SO unusually tight for a size L, and I was stuck. In my own new tankini.

So anyway, I tried again…and if felt like building IKEA flat pack furniture. Too many parts, too few instructions. 🤣 That shoulder strap is surprisingly complicated. But in the end, I think it looks pretty good. The ruching is lovely…and here I am, in all my imperfect glory, modelling my new swimmers in a hotel bathroom after getting them on right.

But what’s the point of this crazy story?

We need to laugh.

And we need to be real, online and in our lives…so I’m sharing beautiful and crazy, imperfect me. Laughing at myself. At my age. In midlife.

Here’s what I learned from my new swimmers…

We need to love ourselves where we’re at. You are who you are. I am who I am. No matter where we want to go, or who we think we’ll be when we get there, our future selves will still be us.

Whether it’s good news or bad news, a fresh start or a setback, a move to a new city or a new job or a new relationship, our selves come along with us.

If we don’t learn this, we’re not going anywhere.

This is why we need to love ourselves where we’re at.

I don’t know about you, but I always flip-flop between sizes — sometimes up and sometimes down. I have a serious problem with directions and pattern recognition, and it really hit me when I tried to get into these swimmers.

But I honour that Catherine—with all her crazy flaws and funny ways and inabilities. And strengths!

And I hope you honour yourself, too.

Sending you so, so much love this weekend. Have fun loving all the people you’ve been given to love…including your one-of-a-kind, remarkable self.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

When was the last time you did this?

Hello, friends. I have an inspiring story for you…

Last night, I was asked to do something I NEVER would have done without being asked.

A young friend of the family who is without a mum in her life asked me if I’d go to her very first sports match where she was competing. She wanted to feel like she had a full family there, and be like the other girls.

And it was boxing.

You guys know me (and I probably know you, too). I’m guessing very few of us have ever been to a boxing match—but of course I went to support her. I sat in the front row, and hid my face in my hands, and screamed with everyone else, and watched this intriguing sport that I thought was all bloody and demented like the Rocky III movie, but was actually beautifully skilled athletes dancing, throwing combination punches, and showing the most amazing sportsmanship.

And I understood why this teenager needed to build herself a family.

Other boxers had cousins and grandparents and siblings carrying them from the ring hoisted high on shoulders when they won.

She had just a few of us: a ragtag ‘family’ she gathered together.

She was the underdog—and then she won.

Apart from the fact that the match was amazing—a sport, not too aggressive, with lots of headgear, and proper rules, and caring coaches—that spotlit room holding an audience of hundreds was filled with love.

I never would have gone.

So here’s my question for us today:

When was the last time you electrified yourself seeing something for the very first time?

For me, it had been ages. I couldn’t even remember when.

But there’s so much to learn about ourselves and the world. Doing something new gives us energy and perspective and growth.

If you get a chance—if someone asks you to step outside your routine—please say yes. Go do the unexpected. Watch what happens.

Even a tiny change (a shirt you thought wasn’t you, a different grocery store, music you don’t listen to) might surprise and delight you. And if you’re lucky, it might actually change you.

Growth is so good for us. Doing the unexpected is the quickest way to feel like we’re truly living.

Enjoy your weekend. I hope something wonderful comes your way.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

From Adelaide, with ❤️

Hello, friends. Just dropping into your weekend from Adelaide, South Australia—land of beautiful buildings, fabulous food, and lovely wineries. So many amazing spots to eat and dream and walk and explore!

The night skyline is gorgeous. How can you not be in love with a city like this?

My husband’s travelling with me, so we’ve had an amazing chance to reconnect.

Whatever your plans are for this weekend—celebrating mothers, doing jobs around the house, spending a little time building your dreams—I hope you have a chance to relax and remember that you count, too.

Put yourself on the list.

Put your feet up.

Spend a little time doing something you enjoy.

(And if you ever get the chance, put Adelaide on your travel bucket list…such an optimistic, lovely old university town, filled with beauty).

See you next week, when I have a little more time!

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Do you do this often enough?

Hi everyone, and Happy Sunday!

Today, I have a question…how often do you genuinely appreciate yourself? Not others, not your good fortune or blessings, but just you, for who you are?

I was driving home from the fruit and veg market yesterday morning when I had a surprising thought. This was it: “I’m good at making ordinary things feel like a special occasion. I’m good at doing a lot with a little.”

Let me give you an example or two:

  • If I know my son who loves watermelon is coming home from an overseas trip, I pick up the best, juiciest watermelon and drop off a freshly-sliced plate of it at his desk while he’s catching up on an essay.

  • If I feel a bit worried while I’m working from home, I’ll wear sparkly shoes at my desk…because they’re fun to look at and they cheer me up.

  • If one of my family members is out at night, I turn on the porch lights, put on some beautiful music and light a candle so that “home” smells nice when they return.

Anyway, while I was driving and thinking these things, I had a little moment where I appreciated myself. I appreciated that I often seek joy. I appreciated that I know how to do a lot with a little. Quietly, in the privacy of my own car, I took a moment and appreciated myself for how hard I try.

I’m 100% certain there are so many quirky, lovely things you do—and are—too!

So again, here’s a question for you:

When was the last time you appreciated yourself?

The you of you—the amazing, irreplaceable, unique you—when was the last time you appreciated that person?

Maybe it’s your grit.

Maybe it’s your way of loving.

Maybe it’s your talent, or your style, or your beautiful way of listening to people when they talk to you. Maybe it’s your skill at leading (or following), at singing (or knowing when to wait for someone else to speak) or being the one to be fun at a party. Maybe it’s something else entirely…

Whatever those things are for you—please take a sec this morning and appreciate yourself.

I used to love the advertising slogan from the Virginia Slims cigarette ads (of all things!!) in the 1970s — I thought it was so glamorous and true. I must’ve been all of about seven years old, but it struck a chord in me. It felt so…empowering.

Do you remember it?

Hey, you. You!

You’ve also come a long way, baby.

Today’s a great time to appreciate yourself, and all you bring to make this place a little more beautiful.

Enjoy your weekend!

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The fun stuff!

  • Remember my son’s concert? Composer and violinist Alexander Lau’s gorgeous piece, The Narcissist Trap, is now on Spotify. Listen and follow here. 🎻 Alex is such a huge talent!

  • Favourite light pink nail polish.

  • A science hack that works when you’ve lost your car!

  • Still missing our beautiful shih tzu, Holly. But then I saw this, and remembered it’s so true. (It also applies to pets, right? Right.)

The solution to pretty much everything.

Hello, friends all around the world! How are you?

It’s been a whirlwind week for me, so this weekend I plan to rest. I started a new short-term, full time project in the city, so I’m busy learning, learning, learning before I can use my expertise to help a major corporation.

Have you been in this position lately…where you have to learn someone else’s system before you can share your ideas?

It’s a bit scary, frustrating and humbling…all at once.

It’s so easy to want to rush in and change things.

But. But!

It’s always a good idea to press pause.

Why?

Really.

Whether it’s me, hoping to add value and improve a situation at work, or my colleagues, rolling out a system that, to them, seems natural, or maybe all of us on the planet, when we disagree with each other—none of us can see what we don’t see.

Until we listen.

I snapped a photo of this illustration above of a waratah, an Australian native flower. I’m not sure of the creator—this image was on a wall in a shopping mall in Sydney—but isn’t it gorgeous?

It made me think of a favourite quote, which I also can’t find the source for…but I love it.

That’s the solution to pretty much everything, isn’t it?

Pause. Listen. Sow a seed of love.

That’s my work for next week and beyond. I hope it resonates with you in your life, too.

Happy weekend, everyone — I hope you find a way to get some rest, pause as much as you can, and sow your own seeds of love.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Look for these moments...

Hi everyone — and hello to the new people this week. ❤️ I’m Catherine, author and Sydney-sider, and I’m here to drop a little positive inspiration into your inbox every weekend!

This week, I’ve been thinking about happiness and the easiest way to feel better now.

Here’s what I do:

A few evenings ago, we took a night train home and passed by Luna Park—stars in the dark, lights on the water. Isn’t the photo pretty? That was a micro-moment of happiness for me.

Then last night, we attended a massive 500-person dance party, and there was this moment when our dance teacher sort of shepherded all of us in her class together—like little ducks—and helped us out with a dance in our own corner of this enormous hall. As I watched her take care of us, I got absolutely tear-y. It was a micro-moment of intense happiness because…when was the last time that YOU, as an adult, felt that someone (not family, not a partner) was taking care of you?

We need to find the micro-moment of happiness.

Rather than relying on the big wins, the huge happiness, those rare times when every single thing falls into place, the micro-moments of happiness are always around us—if we pay attention and look for them.

Quick—right now, while you’re reading—is there something near you that gives you a tiny jolt of perfect happiness?

For me, it’s hot coffee, my favourite pink mug, fuzzy slippers, a household of sleeping family.

The little things are always available to bring us joy.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • This made me laugh until I snorted. Can you relate?

  • Do you ever have a day when you want to pull on gorgeous black trousers that also feel “kind” to your body and look great? Hard to tell from the photos, but these wide-leg, super comfy black pants are lovely. Size down, my friends. (They may be long if you’re under 170 cm / 5’7”).

  • Cello. Always gorgeous. I listened to hours of Bach while my son was learning to play.

  • My sister (I’ve written about her in two of my books!) calls these moments “holy moments” of divine inspiration. If you’re a person of faith, you might enjoy this book about it.

  • Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver: a novel about the opioid crisis in America, and a riff on Dickens’ David Copperfield. It’s graphic (language and content warning) but such an interesting book.

  • A song from our dance party—a groovier Elton John smash-up of four hits. Cold Heart remix is here, and the Aussie dance teacher’s routine is here.

A few thoughts for a lovely long weekend...

Hi everyone!

It’s a lovely, long Easter weekend, and I hope you’re enjoying it. It’s been a whirlwind around here!

First up, I thought I might share the delicious recipe I found for cinnamon buns.

Take a look at these…yum! I made them on Friday and they were gone by Saturday morning. Then I started another batch this morning. I’ve linked the recipe for you below.

Next, a little encouragement if you’re facing a tricky time just now.

People can be both blind and unkind, especially when they think they’re simply sharing “the truth”. If that’s happened to you recently, a little hope and happiness is coming your way…from me to you. When things feel hard, I love this note to self:

Finally, a reminder: take a little time to rest and reset this weekend. You deserve it! I hope you have fun loving all the people you’ve been given to love.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Happy Sunday!

Hello, friends. It’s a gorgeous morning in Sydney, figs are in season (hooray!), we’ve slept in with daylight savings and a soft rain is falling.

I read such an interesting article this week about gratitude. Hillel Einhorn, a famous psychologist, once got a fortune cookie that said, “Don’t think about all the things you want that you don’t have. Think about all the things you DON’T HAVE that you DON’T WANT.”

That list is long, and it’s a list of gratitude. For example, here’s what I don’t have (that I don’t want):

  • illness (I’m healthy)

  • trying to find a place to live in a rental crisis environment (we have a home)

  • an unwell and suffering pet (our pup passed away suddenly—tough on us, but also a blessing not to suffer)

This is the 2x2 Happiness Matrix by David Epstein to visually explain the concept.

Luckily, we DON’T HAVE so much of what we DON’T want. That thought makes me grateful that my life is so very good.

Here’s to enjoying a wonderful weekend. We have the chance to rest, and to love all the people we’ve been given to love.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • Seraphim Strings’ Charity Concert was last night and it was gorgeous! Thank you for supporting our son and his friends. With your help, they raised $2,000 for charity. Loved seeing Sydney blog fans there, and I’m so grateful many of you bought and donated tickets from afar. You’re the best. Venue is gorgeous, built in 1883, and reasonably-priced. Booking info here.

  • Have you ever made your own butter? I was raised on farm-fresh, homemade butter! Here’s an easy way to do it at home with one ingredient. Plus salt.

  • Trays of figs are in season at Harris Farm.

  • Black studded boots — so cute in person and nearly sold out. I love mine.

Your little reminder to do this.

Hi everyone, and hello to all the new people! I’m dropping in with your weekly inspiration. Thanks for all the messages, comments and emails—you’re the best, truly.

You know how life is both up and down — the silver heels and the worn slippers?

Well I’ve been feeling a bit flat and disoriented so far this year, and when that happens to me, I follow down the track of comfort eating (hello, chocolate!) and too much rumination (hello, 3am!). I no longer have a little furry pal to keep me company when I’m up in the middle of the night, and one thing has sort of led to another.

Maybe you feel the same? A little flat?

Or maybe your year has been amazing…and if so, that’s so good. I love the peak of the waves of life, and really hate the troughs. But for me, so far 2023 has been a trough.

That’s why I’m sharing a little reminder for us all:

You know what I mean:

  • Book the check-up

  • Restock the fridge with some healthier options

  • Do a free mediation (I love the one below…)

  • Lotion up your legs and feet before you go to bed at night, and when you get up in the morning

  • Go outside with the purpose of noticing something beautiful

  • Practice some wild gratitude

I’m calling it quits on the sadness and blah.

I’m asking, “How can you take care of yourself here, Catherine?”

I hope if you’re reading this today, you ask yourself if you need to take a little better care of you, too. Notice the good things, eat something green, take a deep breath, pat yourself on the back, close your eyes and breathe, remember that you contribute something beautiful to this world.

Happy Sunday. The weekend is always the perfect time to begin.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • Even if you can’t be in Sydney, would you like to support these young musicians and their charity concert? Bossa Nova, Tango and Spanish music played by Seraphim Strings…my son’s the cellist. You can get tickets here. Saturday 1 April from 6-7pm—perfect before dinner! The venue is very close to Town Hall station. Even if you can’t be with us, every cent of your $30 purchase will go to charity. Thank you. ❤️

  • The most beautiful, free meditation by Canadian Sarah Blondin. 13 mins.

  • Do you know about Be My Eyes app, where you can “see” for blind people? Here’s how it works.

  • My silver shoes. My fuzzy slippers. (I know someone’s going to ask!)

For absolutely everbody...

Hi friends! Thanks for joining me — today I’m up and writing from sunny Sydney. I’m pretty excited about a new development: later today, we’re going to try an in-studio yoga class to see how it goes. I only ever took a class once, and literally could not wait to get outta there, but I was younger and so impatient! Then I did a class or two online — see the link below — with beautiful Adrienne. But today I’m going to give it a whirl in person.

I love trying new things. For me, it’s the best way to get out of a funk. We’ve been so, so sad about losing our beautiful best friend last month, and what seems to help is shaking up my own routine and learning new things.

If unexpected death of a loved one has taught me anything, it’s this: you never know the burden other people are carrying.

Have the best weekend, and take the time to love all the people you’ve been given to love.

Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • For better balance: try brushing your teeth standing on one leg at a time. (I always forget to do this. I need a sticky note on my bathroom mirror!)

  • For endlessly hungry teens at my table: quick and easy cheesy garlic bread from Nagi at Recipe Tin Eats. I don’t have her cookbook yet, but I need it! What a gorgeous Aussie!

  • For cleaner floors — I’ve never tried a Dyson, but I absolutely love my new stick vacuum. I grabbed it on sale, and it is worth every penny.

  • For free, lovely yoga — try Yoga with Adriene.

  • For beauty’s sake: remember Sonnet 116? “Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds…”

Being Fun

Hi everyone. Yesterday my husband and I took a drive to our favourite beach, and on the way stopped for a delicious brekkie at Kiama, a seaside town.

As I looked across the road, I saw these teens living life to the full. A sunny Saturday, an airbrushed tattoo, why not?

It made me think about how often I’m fun.

It also made me think about how often the people I love are fun.

Because here’s the truth:

Your life may be a lot different to mine, but we’re all pretty serious around here: we’re focused and goals-oriented and the appointments for teeth cleaning are booked. We run after our dreams and we’re responsible.

But are we fun?

Maybe not as often as we could be.

So here’s the challenge for me (and maybe for you): this weekend, I want to bring some FUN to the table. Being fun takes a little planning, a switch in attitude, and a playfulness that it’s so easy to lose in our busy lives.

  • Do something unexpected. (Choose one: bake a cake when it’s no one’s birthday. Put on a pretty dress for dinner. Wear the flashy earrings. Put on a tablecloth, dig out the good china. Visit a different town or suburb and take a walk.)

  • Let yourself have fun. (We’re so serious—but what’s fun for us? Play music you loved in high school. Sing along? Watch a comedy routine on Youtube and let yourself laugh?)

  • Delight someone you love, unexpectedly. (It might be as easy as their favourite chocolate bar set beside the chair they always use. It might be a beautiful text to a friend. It might be a big, huge, unforgettable gesture—send them a book in the mail, a present, a pot of flowers at their door, a trip, a duplicate of something they’ve seen you wear and you know they love).

It’s so important to remember that having fun is always about BEING FUN. Usually, it take a little effort—and this weekend, I’m ready to bring it. I hope you are, too.

Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone. See you next week!

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • One of my sons needs this: how to reliably stop hiccups, with Andrew Huberman from Stanford University.

  • This activity for toddlers. Keep them busy!

  • I’ve heard so much about this candle-warmer: scented candles last so much longer, with no open flame.

  • These amazing young musicians are selling tickets for their charity concert — are you able to come? Bossa Nova, Tango and Spanish music played by Seraphim Strings…my son’s the cellist. You can get tickets here. Saturday 1 April from 6-7pm—perfect before dinner! The venue is very close to Town Hall station.❤️

A useful tip for you ❤️

Hi everyone, and hello to the new people who’ve joined us. I’m Catherine…author and writer of weekly inspiration for women around the world. Thank you for being here.

And thank you for all your messages from last week about my sad news. Hearts are healing, of course, and our routines are changing, but I want you to know that I lingered over every single email from all of you, and they were so, so healing.

Today, I want to share something I’ve talked about before—a tip that always works for me. And it’s Latin, so that means it’s extra-cool and memorable.

It may be something you’d like to try.

For me, as soon as bad news hits, I’m out the front door and walking. I’ve always been this way as long as I can remember: a walker and a thinker. There’s something about the walking that seems to resolve the pain, and help with confusion and sadness.

Life will roll on with good news and bad for all of us; no one magically has a perfect life. That’s why I like to have an immediate fallback when things go wrong.

I take a deep breath.

I put on my shoes.

I get outside and walk. And walk. And walk.

Solvitur ambulando. It is solved by walking…or if not solved, exactly, at least the movement of my feet feel like I’m heading into my future, trying to sort out my next steps.

It’s a good first response: when life bowls you over with a wave of bad news you weren’t expecting, remember that walking gives you a healthy way to move forward, even if it doesn’t change what’s happened.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. Hug your friends, yourself, your kids and your beloved pets. This beautiful life of ours is so, so temporary.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

I love this idea.

Hello, friends — and hello to all the new people joining us this week! (I’m Catherine Greer, an author living in beautiful Sydney, and you’ve signed up for my weekly newsletter for a little inspiration and FUN.)

Let’s get to it.

This week I’ve been thinking about two ideas that collided. Ready?

  1. Negative thoughts are addictive. This came via a neuroscientist, and I forgot to save the link to the article for you — so sorry! — but the gist was this: our brains LOVE negative thinking because we believe it will keep us safe. Optimism is frightening because it has no “warning” and though pessimism feels terrible, it also feels like it will protect us from danger. It feels wise to be pessimistic.

  2. It’s safe to ask this question.

If your mind is stuck on a worry loop today — and your worry and pessimism feels like it’s keeping you safe — remember that your brain is just doing its job: trying to protect you.

But it’s okay to ask a different question.

Deep breath.

What if it works out?

I hope this helps you like it helps me—just a little reminder that life can ALSO be “gorgeous, fabulous, beautiful” and it’s safe to expect good things.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. Thanks for being here. I appreciate you!

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff.

Tearing Down and Rebuilding

Hi everyone (and hello to the new people here). This week I’ve been thinking about renewing relationships and connecting with the people we love. Our family recently took Canadian cousins on a whirlwind tour of Sydney’s CBD, and I snapped this photo of my beloved Queen Victoria Building.

I love beautiful buildings, and QVB is incredible: built in 1898 and designed by a 28 year old architect, it was essentially a make-work project in the middle of a recession so the government could employ out-of-work craftsmen. Take a peek inside…

The QVB is a survivor. Built for a purpose, and reinventing itself over and over—even saved a couple of times from being torn down—the Queen Victoria Building still stands. As of 2010, it was preserved as a historical site.

Here’s what it makes me think about my own life, and possibly yours: we’re built for purpose, but that purpose keeps changing.

I’m in the middle of changing from a mother of teens to a mother of men. In fact, I’m behind…and wow, there’s pain in that. After a few sleepless nights, I realised this week that I need to catch myself up to my current reality.

Maybe you do, too.

Is there something in your life (a role you play, a relationship you have, a skill that used to work) that’s just no longer working?

The biggest challenge I’ve faced lately is that we need to allow each other the space to change.

We need to allow ourselves the space to change.

When the old “fit” no longer works, or feels off, the best thing to do is this:

Allow, allow, allow, allow.

In our relationships, it’s okay for us to feel behind, or out of synch.

We may be wrong about people (especially as they change).

Other people may be wrong about us (because we’re changing, or even because they never really understood us to begin with).

With every iteration of ourselves, with every new year and new set of experiences, the way things worked before may not work in the same way now. And that’s life, right? It’s a cliche because it’s true: the only certainty is change.

Allow, allow, allow. Have the courage to try something new. Reinvent your way of thinking. Test it out. Keep discovering what might work better now…and keep on walking.

I’m wishing you a weekend full of rest and unexpected happiness.

Love Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Simple tips to make your home a little nicer

Hi everyone. 2023 is off to a racing start around here — so today I’m sharing random ways I like to zshoosh up my home a little.

If we think of our personal spaces as a nest we create, we usually have the two resources we need to make them a little lovelier:

  • A tiny touch of creativity

  • A dollop of care and attention

Our homes are so important.

The ancient poet Rumi reminds us of this truth about ourselves and our homes:

No matter how simple or grand, our homes often impact how well we feel.

We are all imperfect, with imperfect nests, but there are small ways to make ourselves a little happier at home…

  1. Remember that real people live here. This means your home doesn’t need to feel like a magazine…it needs to feel like YOU. But does it reflect what you love? For me, that’s books, too many family photos, poetry, cozy blankets, a garage gym.

  2. Turn on lights for the people you love (and you!). If I know someone’s coming home at dusk or dropping by during the day, I race to the front door and turn on the hall lights, light a scented candle, and put on some peaceful music. I’ve always done this, especially for our sons coming home from school or work. I don’t know if it matters to anyone, but it matters to me; I want people to walk in and feel welcomed with light, warmth, peace, music. Not a dark entryway.

  3. Use The 10 Minute Fix—the main idea from my best-loved book. So many tiny, irritating jobs can be done in just 10 minutes. It’s true. Set your timer and organise a drawer. Sweep your entryway. Tidy a cupboard. Do the thing you’ve been avoiding. Show your home a little love.

  4. Say thank you. We have a place to call home when so many people on the planet have fear and distress.

  5. Invite someone in. Nobody expects perfection. All we ever want is love.

Enjoy your weekend! I hope you find some time today to feather your nest to make it more uniquely yours.

Catherine x

PS. The Fun Stuff!

  • Did you know you can reflex roses? See the lovely roses above, a gorgeous gift from my friend Claire at New Year’s Eve? The arrangement was huge, and a week later it needed some TLC. The older roses look beautiful when they’re reflexed. It’s so easy to do!

  • Do you need a knife sharpener in your kitchen? I use a simple one, and look—it’s not fancy and who knows it this is the “proper” way to do things BUT when I can’t cut a tomato, I’m so irritated. I pull out this one for two secs and bam. My knife is always sharp.

  • Have you separated your plastic lids from the containers? I store my lids like this attached to the inside of my cupboard door with a 3M hook or try a holder for the cupboard.

I find this quick tip helpful...

Happy Sunday, and hello!

For all the new people this week, I’m Catherine Greer, author, mother of young adult sons and wife living in beautiful Sydney, Australia. I love to capture photos of tiny, usual things — little moments of beauty like this rainy carpark with cloudy skies.

Today let’s talk about worry.

We all do it, right?

Whenever I feel worried, overwhelmed, tired, dispirited — I whisper some words, written more than six hundred years ago.

They were written by Julian of Norwich (1343-1416). It’s important for women to know about Julian (sometimes called Juliana) because she was the author of the earliest known English language writings by a woman.

Isn’t it incredible that a woman was allowed to write at that time?

Isn’t it amazing that her writing survived and can still reach us today?

The repetition (called anaphora, in case you love writing and language like I do!) is what makes Julian’s words so beautiful and memorable.

Whispering “all shall be well” is so much more helpful than diving into worry or fear. If you’re keen, try it now and see how you feel…but use the anaphora, okay?

Say it like Julian wrote it — three times.

It’s simple, but it works.

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.

(Not some, but all. All manner of things…kids and work and finances and health and life and death and sorrow and joy and uncertainty and pain…)

In the end, all of it shall be well.

Wishing you a beautiful Sunday filled with unexpected, tiny joys.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Focus on the sweet

Hello, friends, and welcome to all the new people this week!

I’m Catherine Greer, living in Sydney, writer and mother of two young adult sons (one on the verge of graduating from high school…yay!), wife of a guy who loves to read as much as I do, baker of cakes and macarons, lover of little dogs, and expert at celebrating everything. Honestly, if any little good thing happens to you, call me: I’ll be there to cheer you on.

It’s finally feeling like summer in Australia, and though the weather’s been heating up, I’ve been tired and worried.

If you’ve been struggling a little like I have, here’s a quick tip for BOTH of us today.

Let’s look for some joy. Here’s how:

The sweetness is always there. (So are the flaws.)

Today I choose to focus on the sweet.

Happy Sunday, everyone. In case you haven’t been told today, remember three important things:

  • You’re probably doing a better job than you think you are.

  • You have a beautiful heart.

  • Today is all yours to enjoy and savour. How? By searching for the sweet.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

Have a gentle Sunday...

Hi friends. Thank you for all the beautiful emails this past week after my sad news. I appreciate you all, even though I didn’t have the emotional energy to respond and be present for my family. Thank you for your virtual (((hugs))) and thoughtfulness, flowers and cards. It meant the world to me.

For your Sunday, here’s something I read worth sharing. It’s a reminder from Dr Caroline Leaf on our desire to control the future.

That last line struck me as true: you need to trust your future self to handle future problems.

That’s why, right now, we can relax. Our future self will handle future problems. And also—perhaps even more importantly—that’s why we need to take our shot, and do the thing that scares us.

  • Make the call.

  • Send out the book proposal.

  • Reach out to a potential new friend (new partner?)

  • Sign up for the class.

  • Step outside the comfort zone that your mind has built for yourself, where you are safe, and the same, and you’re trying so hard to control your security.

It’s a cliche because it’s true: all the magic and growth happens outside our comfort zone.

Your future self will take care of you, no matter what happens: if you’re rejected, if you feel embarrassed or ashamed…and even if, like my beautiful sister and her family, you experience loss that seems too devastating to face.

Your future self will be wiser, stronger, and there for you.

I hope you have a beautiful Sunday.

Love, Catherine x

PS. The fun stuff!

  • For sisters everywhere: this made me laugh so much, and I needed it.

  • I told you I’d report back on these shoes. The verdict? I love them for summer. They’re a bit narrow, so I used my shoe stretcher and it worked so well. Why are they good? Because they’re flats that look like wedges. You could walk for days…

  • But I also love these stacked wedge sandals available in Australia—brilliant for wide feet—and so, so comfortable. The photos don’t do them justice. Affordable, not leather, but so comfortable and cute.

  • If you want a fun middle grade novel for a Christmas present, my English writer-friend Susie Bower just released her third book and it’s fabulous. Find it here — also pictured with our beautiful Violin & Cello on sale today for $19.99. (If you could rate and review, that really helps authors!)