January 2023 Newsletter
Happy New Year friends! Thank you for being a part of my growing community. I am so grateful for each one of you. Each month I will share with you more of my personal journey and things I have been learning, teaching, reading, and loving. My hope is that you will find something that speaks to your heart and leads you toward healing and happiness in your own life. Please feel free to share this email with any friends or family who you feel may benefit from it as well.
What I am learning:
My word for 2022 was courage. As I have been reflecting on the last year, I see how much my word impacted my life this past year. I used so much courage to teach my first offering of my Mindful Life Course and hold my first Mindful Life Retreat. My courage guided me as I enrolled in voice lessons and later in a vocal awakening course to work on strengthening my voice and sharing from my heart. I began coaching for my mentor Sariah, offered my first mini retreats, offered my first three day Connect & Reflect retreat, and attended a women’s retreat in Hawaii where I knew no one upon arriving-each of these required a depth of courage I didn’t know I possessed at the time. This past year has taught me that when we focus our thoughts and energies on growth, healing and positive endeavors, we are expanded beyond our normal capacity and opportunities will present themselves in ways we might not even imagine. I am so grateful for the learning opportunities that were presented to me this year and for the growth and increased courage I have experienced. My words for 2023 are aligned, vibrant, and abundant. I am excited to see what learning opportunities will arise as I embody these words this year.
I would love to hear what your word was for 2022 and how it guided you through this past year and/or what your word for the upcoming year is.
What I am teaching:
My 10-day online masterclass “Foundations for a Mindful Life” is available online. It is a self-paced course that can be enrolled in at any time. In this course you will learn simple foundational practices that will invite you to begin living in a more mindful way.
My online course “A Mindful Life Method” is a more in-depth 6-week online course that will lead you on a journey of reconnection with yourself. You will learn tools to reduce stress and anxiety in your life and practices that will help you live a more balanced, joyful life. Registration is available on an ongoing basis and group coaching calls will begin in January.
Every Tuesday evening at 8:00 pm MST, I have an amazing group of ladies that join me for a yoga class with breathwork and guided meditation. We have built a beautiful community of women and I look forward to teaching them each week. This is an online class and we always love when new friends join. Cost is $5. Zoom link- Meeting ID: 882 9308 5896 Passcode: 988688
Once a month I host a free women’s hiking group for ladies in my local area of Southern Utah. Our next outing will be on January 14th at 10 am. We will be hiking in St George area this month, so we can enjoy the sun and warmer temperatures.
I am attaching the women’s hiking group schedule and mini retreat schedule for 2023 to this email. Please mark your calendars and join me on a hike or retreat this year.
If any of these classes or events are of interest to you, please reach out to me for more information or visit my website at https://www.joyfulbalancedhealth.com
What I am reading:
With the busyness of the holidays my reading has slowed down. I am continuing to read “The Book of Joy” and finding so many treasures within. One passage that stood out to me this month was a description of the Buddhist concept of mudita, which is often translated as “sympathetic joy”. “Mudita is based on the recognition of our interdependence, or Ubuntu.
The Archbishop explains that in African villages, one would ask in greeting “How are we?” This understanding sees that someone else’s achievements or happiness is in a very real way our own.” Instead of feeling envy or comparing ourself with others, we see that together we are are so much stronger. When we share concern for others well-being, rejoice in their successes, and work to develop compassion and love for others regardless of circumstance, we will find a depth of happiness and joy in our lives that we have not experienced before.
I loved this teaching about mudita and would love to hear from you “How are we?”
What I am loving:
This month I want to share with you two things that I am loving. The first is a workbook from Susannah Conway called Unravel Your Year 2023 and Find Your Word 2023. It is a free download and is a beautiful way to reflect on 2022 and embrace 2023. https://susannahconway.mykajabi.com/unravel-your-year-2023-download-page
The second share is a beautiful old-fashioned, on purpose planner by Jill Winger. I love the design and functionality of the planner, even if you are not a homesteader like her. There are spaces for projects, brain dumps, tracking habits, monthly and daily calendars, kitchen, garden, and farm sections and I love that I can support another small business owner with my purchase. Check it out on her website https://www.prairieplanner.com
What is a product or business you have discovered this year that you would love to share with our community?
Sending you all love and light,
❤Jessica