Lessons from the C4 Ranch
Cozy State of Mind
By Dr. Glenn Fox, PhD
C4 Foundation Chief Science Officer
Sidle up by the fire, put on your robe and slippers, open a book featuring far away lands, and settle in: it’s cozy time. Coziness is something we yearn for this time of year, in the short dark days of winter, where shelter is enjoyed, holiday cheer brings people together, and we grant ourselves the chance to imbibe delight. 

It turns out, that there is an entire philosophy around coziness, brought to us from the Danish people. They have a unique term just to describe this warm feeling of abundant snuggles — it’s called Hygge (pronounced something like, 'hoo-guh'). Interestingly, the word comes from a Danish word meaning “to give courage, comfort, and joy.” The term hygge is having a bit of a moment: in recent years books, videos, and lifestyle advice has raised cultural awareness of hygge as a vehicle for happiness and mental respite.

Hygge is about giving ourselves permission to enjoy life’s small splendors. What is beautiful about hygge is that it is devoid of scrolling on our phones mindlessly, or comparing our lives to what we can imagine they’d be like if only this or that were fixed. Hygge is about noticing what is around us, and deeply and intentionally savoring a momentary delight. Hygge reminds us to keep life simple, find the smallest, most pleasant thing and hold it close in our minds for however long we can. There’s no pressure in hygge, only taking what is good and focusing on making small delightful decisions to enjoy life. 

Our C4 F.R.O.G. program, and the C4 Ranch itself is built on something like hygge, which we refer to as “gratitude.” Hygge and gratitude are close cousins. As the research on gratitude has shown, it is less about waiting for external events to dictate our happiness, and more about shifting our frame of reference to what we have in abundance, however modest. Hygge is the action of creating tiny acts of self-gratitude, it’s about setting aside good food, a warm pair of socks, a long shower, a nice book, or even a moment to ponder the stars above. Hygge keeps us close to self-compassion, and reminds us it’s okay to treat ourselves to the things that help us feel relaxed, safe, and in the right place at the right time — just as it should be. Make this the season of hygge; embrace the art of the cozy mind.

Thank you all for a great year at the C4 Foundation. We have made progress on every front, and have only been able to do so with friends, family, and everyone that has supported us. We look forward to an amazing 2022. In the meantime, get cozy everyone.

Written by Glenn R. Fox, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, The C4 Foundation
HOPE
By Jennifer Cooper, MS
C4 Foundation Director of Programs
If you are anything like me, you love this time of year. Especially, the month of December! It symbolizes the beginning of winter, the excitement of the holiday season, and of course, the anticipation of family gatherings, crisp weather, and gift giving. I recall as a child the great feelings of expectation around Christmas. That expectation and anticipation grew as the daily countdown to Christmas Day ticked off. The days were full of wonder back then. As an adult, I feel like some of that magic is still alive, but I also can’t help but notice that some of the delight of December tends to get lost in the busyness of things.

December can be exhausting. Between the endless parties and gatherings, gift shopping and spending, and holiday events and planning, it is easy to become overwhelmed and depleted in the days leading up to Christmas. Once these things are added to our already packed daily schedules, our focus can quickly turn from the holiness and joy of the holiday to the list of to-dos on our calendar, and this can drain the cheer out of the season faster than you can say “bah humbug”. While we are eagerly trying to maintain our hectic schedules, we lose sight of what the Christmas Holiday truly represents: Hope.

Jesus was born into turbulent times, in an obscure village, under humble circumstances. To complicate matters more, He was conceived by a young un-wed girl, and ultimately raised by poor working-class parents. Yet, within 30 short years His impact and message of Hope and Peace transformed generations and changed the world. Christian or not, the story of Jesus can resonate with anyone. For those of Faith, Hope is found in the birth of Christ. That all things are indeed being made new. For the non-believer there is still inspiration to be found in the message that Jesus delivered. When we feel broken and overwhelmed by our circumstances, Hope can be found in a new day, in the love from those in our lives, and in the light and beauty that can be seen all around us. When our focus turns to these things, we take the stress and hurry out of Christmas and replace it with what the season symbolizes: Hope and renewal.

Written By: Jennifer Cooper, MS Psychology, C4 Foundation Director of Programs
Upcoming Events
NATIONAL WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA DAY is December 18, 2021

Join us at

Every December, Wreaths Across America carries out their mission to Remember, Honor, and Teach about the sacrifices of our American heroes by coordinating wreath laying ceremonies at over 2,500 locations in all 50 states at sea and abroad.

Our ambitious goal each year is to place a wreath on every single hero’s gravesite. Everyone is welcome to join us at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on December 18th, 2021. 
The C4 Foundation proudly supports
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. Our goal is to place a wreath on every grave.
SEAL Family Testimonial
Below is a Testimonial From One of Our SEAL Families
"Eeyore" the Mini Donkey

"Thank you for giving back to our community and the warriors of NSW and all the SEAL Teams. This has been a truly memorable weekend for our family, one we will always remember. The sacrifices that we have all made and the ultimate sacrifice that the Keating family made will never be forgotten. Our community continues to set the bar when it comes to support for one another and the families that sacrifice those they love for the duty we volunteered for."

"My favorite part about the weekend was seeing all the donkeys and the pig." - Avery (6)

"My favorite was the goats and the donkeys and the horses." - Hadley (3)

"Our favorite part was the Tub! and off-roading in the 4X4 with the girls." - Mommy & Daddy + Jacob (10 Months)  
Foundation News
New Roasting Pit at the C4 Ranch
We are so excited about our new roasting pit at the C4 Ranch! We broke it in a few weeks ago and the food was delicious. Just another feature the C4 Ranch provides to promote and strengthen SEAL family relationships.
December Chuck Heavy Giveaway!
C4 Foundation Swag Bag
This month's Chuck Heavy Subscriber Giveaway is a collection of C4 Swag
just in time for the Holidays!

Rules to Play:

  • Must be a CHUCK HEAVY Subscriber (Click HERE to join)
  • Must have a US based mailing address
  • Must comment on this post on Instagram
  • Must follow our Instagram account
  • A lucky winner will be chosen on December 17th announced on @C4 Foundation Instagram just in time for Christmas!
Thank You
Josh Scott Holds Fundraiser for
C4 Foundation
Scottsdale's OTTO Car Club!
Thank you Josh Scott for the amazing fundraiser at The OTTO Club in Scottsdale, AZ! We are so grateful for our collaboration. Josh Scott's latest song, “The Bottle” which he wrote and performs, was recently named the song of the year by the I Heart Radio Jack Daniels Battle of the Bar Bands contest! We look forward awesome events with you in the future to raise money and awareness for The US Navy SEALs and their families.
Thank You Scott Vickery from
Expressions Home Gallery
We are so thankful to Scott Vickery from Expressions Home Gallery for his help with getting a new oven at the C4 Ranch. We are so grateful for patriots like Scott who continue to help our SEAL families!
Corporate Retreat Weekend at C4 Ranch

We had a great time with Lars Harrington and his staff at the C4 Ranch Corporate Retreat. Mr. Harrington was the winning bidder for the retreat at our live auction held last May in Scottsdale, AZ. We welcomed Lars and his team to the Ranch where they learned about our FROG and Warrior Reset Programs that focus on wellness, gratitude and resilience for SEAL families. Thanks again Mercury Trading Co!
Thank You Ben Lindquist and the Phoenix Fire Dept for the Fundraising Event
Thank you, Ben Lindquist and your team, at the Phoenix Fire Dept for sponsoring their annual Hawaiian themed fundraiser, "Get Lei'd for Kenny" (GLFK) at Shady Park in Tempe, AZ. Ben reached out to us and asked if we would like to benefit from their annual event. Keeping in step with the Aloha spirit, we naturally joined forces. Music provided by Josh Scott and Cousin Curtiss.

Since 2012 the GLFK event has honored the memory of Army soldier Kenny Schall who made the ultimate sacrifice in 2005. GLFK also featured many other fallen warriors from all US service branches. Thanks again Ben, Scott and the rest of the FD Rover team!
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C4 Foundation Leadership
The C4 Foundation is a 501C3 national non-profit charitable organization. Tax-ID: 82-2075362.
It is a non-federal entity and is not party of the Department of Defense or any of its components.