We really enjoy the playfulness Mike Dooley brings to important messages in his
Notes from the Universe Cards on Love and Connection (the reverse of this one is at the end of this newsletter).
Play is so valuable! It keeps us exploring and creating in safe ways, and it brings joy and lightheartedness to our human experience.
In the store, we encourage playfulness with clothing, jewelry and accessories as a way of trying on the different aspects of our multi-faceted selves. We know that there are times when a customer knows exactly what they want, but there are also times when a little 'playing dress-up' can re-frame far more than someone's wardrobe.
Come and play with us!
The new season's delights are packing the store right now. Here's a taste of what's new:
Pretty, patterned, fine-knit tops, sumptuous and soft
faux-shearling jackets and vests, and a
huge selection of distinctive and jaunty hats.
Do you think they've spotted the osprey with her fish?
Gorgeous woolen gloves from Spain, with lovely little details and cute colors.
A whole assortment of
cotton-blend tops speckled with charming dots.
Fun as well as functional Alpaca socks from Peru. Fair trade, incredibly soft, twice as warm as wool and less allergenic. We have two sizes, 5-9 and 10-13 so everyone can have cozy toesies!
Author Gretchen Rubin dedicated a year of her life to what she calls her Happiness Project, which she chronicles in this book. She used the time to test-drive the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happy. She dedicated a whole month to 'Be Serious About Play'. Here's an extract:
Preoccupied with my work, distracted by my running mental to-do lists, I'd become more humorless than I used to be. Many of my resolutions were aimed at gaining control of my temper, but that wasn't enough. A happy atmosphere isn't created merely by the absence of nagging and yelling but also by jokes, games and tomfoolery.
Studies show that in a phenomenon called "emotional contagion," we unconsciously catch emotions from other people - whether good moods or bad ones. Taking the time to be silly means we're infecting one another with good cheer, and people who enjoy silliness are one third more likely to be happy.
As you go through your day, look for opportunities to see the ridiculous side of things, to enter into the spirit of playfulness, and goof around!
