
Christmas In TWO Weeks
Got your attention?!? Good! No, I didn’t make a mistake.
findingJOY in the holiday season is taking a stroll down Antique Alley, the local mom-and-pop outdoor mall, to see the lights, enjoy a hot chocolate, and explore for homemade goods. The big-box marketing frenzy, holiday hype causes me stress, and that’s why I complete most, if not all, of my holiday shopping by Thanksgiving Day (that makes me thankful!). Want more holiday anti-stress insight? READ ON….

Dribble. Pass. Get Dunked.
“Mom, I need someone to help me work on my basketball skills. Meet me in the driveway. You just need to dibble and pass, and I’ll practice shooting.”
My instinct and desire is to say: “No. It’s 2 o’clock on a sunny August afternoon in Louisiana… Hot! And I don’t know how to dribble and pass. And I’ll need appropriate shoes.” All excuses because I’m ‘super-busy’ doing things that are not important. But instead, I say: “Ok. I’ll help you improve your game if all I have to do is dribble and pass.” Then I tell myself that I’ll take a 5-minute break from my writing to spend quality time with my youngest son and I meet him on the driveway in the blazing sun.

Christmas In Seven Weeks
Got your attention?!?
Good! No, I didn’t make a mistake. My internally imposed Christmas shopping deadline is just seven weeks away. So, it isn’t too early to talk about Christmas gifting.

Shoveling poo for a week
The year 2020 has been a trying time for the world. Regardless of who you are, where you live, or how much money you have, you’ve been impacted. Everything from feeding your family to social isolation has caused anxiety and stress. Divorce rates are increasing, teen-suicide is at an all-time-high, mortgages are in default, and unemployment has impacted almost every household in one way or another. But I’m here to tell you that anyone can shovel poo for a while.

The ONE THING
So, who is Traci Canterbury?
As I navigate this new lifestyle, I’ve vowed to find and appreciate simple joy in everyday life in and through the things I love: art, literature, gardening, hospitality, healthy active lifestyle and travel. I have so much to say and want to get it out of my head …starting a social media feed seems a natural outlet.

An awe-moment
findingJOY in life is about balance. Our challenge in modern society is identifying those things keeping us out of balance (stress on the job, over-extension on the volunteer project, perhaps family strife) and taking the steps to bring them into harmony. Into equilibrium.

Joy is finding equilibrium
findingJOY in life is about balance. Our challenge in modern society is identifying those things keeping us out of balance (stress on the job, over-extension on the volunteer project, perhaps family strife) and taking the steps to bring them into harmony. Into equilibrium.

Lemon. Aid.
Lemons are tart and require a particular sense of taste to enjoy eating one like one would eat an orange. Yet, when balanced with the sweet flavor of sugar lemons become refreshing and pleasing to the taste buds.
I have not fully made my batch of lemonade, but I’m slowly adding the sugar and have my glass of ice ready. As I slow down, hunt for simplicity, and bring my life into balance, I am findingJOY.

Make. Every. Day. Count
The dragonfly is symbolic for spiritual change and transformation, adaptability, self-realization and understanding the deeper meaning of life. There is nothing more perfect than the dragonfly to represent my hopes for the inspiration and content of findingJOY.

Finding Joy. Life
So, who is Traci Canterbury?
As I navigate this new lifestyle, I’ve vowed to find and appreciate simple joy in everyday life in and through the things I love: art, literature, gardening, hospitality, healthy active lifestyle and travel. I have so much to say and want to get it out of my head …starting a social media feed seems a natural outlet.