The Fun Habit by Mike Rucker, PhD

From the blurb:  "So why fun? If happiness is a mirage, then fun is your backyard oasis. While happiness is a state of mind and a reaction to your circumstances, fun is an action you can take here and now, practically anywhere, anytime. Research has shown that pursuing fun is enormously beneficial to our physical and psychological well-being."

 

3 Favorite Quotes:

"Happiness is a state of mind, but fun is something you can do. It doesn't require education, money, or power. All it requires is intentionality. Fun is immediate. And it is uniquely yours."

  

"When you fill your life with fun and novel experiences and feed your brain lots of new information--learning, traveling, meeting new people, trying new activities--you look back on life in general with greater satisfaction."

"Extraordinary experiences require us to make deliberate choices. Transformative moments don't often fall out of the sky, but there are definitely ways to increase their frequency. Choosing fun every day in small, seemingly superficial ways can, over time, lead you to new patterns of behavior--new and better choices. What starts as a dance of whimsy may lead to you discovering The Mystery, with joy lighting the path. How might your life improve after a month, or a year--or ten years--of making fun a habit?"

My thoughts: I love Rucker's premise and the exercises he suggests, and totally agree that we all need to have a little more intentional fun in our lives. Everyday. Even if it's something small. It's something I intend to work on this year. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Happy Reading!

P.S.  I've been having trouble getting my comments to go through on some Wordpress blogs; I don't know why. I've never had trouble before. But suddenly my comments are disappearing. Are they lost in the limbo of spam? Who knows. But Helen, Susan, and Lisa...if you don't see any comments from me on your most recent posts, that's why! I'm not ignoring you, I promise. And hopefully it sorts itself out soon. 

Welcome to 2025!

 

For me, the beginning of a new year is always a time for self-reflection. A time to consider if I'm where I want to be, what changes I may want to make, and what goals, if any, I want to set. And it's a time for me to reset my focus for the upcoming year. Because if I don't clarify my thoughts and write down my goals, dreams and intentions, then I won't accomplish anything. And there are definitely some changes I'd like to make in my life, because I am still a work in progress. 

So, here's the short list of things I want to be more Intentional about doing this year:

• Self care
• Being mindful in the moment
• Breathing
• Seeking God, and trusting Him
• Having fun!
• Kindness (towards others, but also towards myself)
• Gratitude and Gladness
• Connecting with others
• Being open to new adventures

Mostly, I hope that 2025 turns out to be a good year for all of us. 

Happy New Year!

12 Favorite Reads of 2024..

 

I already posted my favorite romance reads of this past year. Here are the rest: 12 Favorite 5-Star Reads of 2024. (Because 10 is never enough.)

The Unlikely Thru-Hiker by Derick Lugo

The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong

Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz

One Last Shot by Susan May Warren

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

Tap Code by Col. Carlyle "Smitty" Harris, Ret.

Crow Talk by Eileen Garvin

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

Midnight Creed by Alex Kava

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs

The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby

Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith

I posted about most of these books on my blog, so you can check out my reviews if you want to know more about any of them. Otherwise, know that they are all excellent reads. And I loved all of them. Here's hoping I find just as many 5-star reads in 2025.

Happy Reading!

12 Favorite Romance Reads of 2024

I can never seem to narrow my list of favorite reads down to just 10. So this year I decided to divide my list into two parts, and post my 12 Favorite 5-star Romance Reads of 2024 today. Here they are:

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

Romancing the Grump by Jenny Proctor

Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham

Love, Naturally by Sophie Sullivan

A Season on the Wind by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Miles Bailey Gets Down on One Knee by Jen Atkinson

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Love on Camera by Dana LeCheminant

Until Next Summer by Ali Brady

One Last Play by Annah Conwell

Under Your Spell by Laura Wood

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler

I loved all of these books for their enchanting romances, appealing characters & happy endings.

Happy Reading!

Merry Christmas!

 

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

This week, I plan to spend time with my family, read, drink some hot chocolate, listen to music, sleep in, play in the snow, try to get caught up, and take some time to just be quiet.

So, I won't be around much, though I do have two Favorite 2024 Reads posts scheduled.

 And I'll for sure see you all in 2025.

Peace and Joy to Everyone!

My December glad thing....

I was driving to work two weeks ago when my tire pressure sensor sounded. It's never a fun sound to hear, but it's happened before in cold weather, so I was hoping that's all it was this time. Boy I was wrong! The fact that I made it to the elementary school parking lot where I work before my tire went completely flat was a true miracle. Then my sister, who has AAA, offered to call them and come meet me to help get my tire changed. That was the second blessing of the day. After work, I headed over to Discount Tires fully expecting to have to buy a new tire. But they told me my tire was covered under my road hazard warranty--something I don't even remember purchasing--and that they would replace my tire for free. If you're counting, that's blessing number three. And I struggle with anxiety on a good day, but despite all the stress of this one, my anxiety stayed very low, which I count as another small miracle. Through it all, I felt very watched over and helped, and could see the hand of the Lord in my life. And for that I am truly grateful!

Two Quick Recommendations...

 

An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka

This urban fantasy novel picks up right where An Inheritance of Magic leaves off with Stephen Oakwood meeting his mother for the first time. He's also looking for his father, trying to find wells of Essentia and master the magic of Drucraft, and survive the ambushes and attacks coming from new enemies and members of his own aristocratic family. It's fun and full of action. I really like Stephen and his friends, and can't wait to read the third book in this captivating series. I'm only sad I have to wait at least another year before it comes out. 

(I also really love Jacka's Alex Verus series!)

The Night Woods by Paula Munier

I bet you can guess one of the reasons I love this mystery series. Mercy Carr and her Belgian Malinois, Elvis, are favorites of mine, as are her game warden husband, Troy, and his Newfoundland, Susie Bear. Despite being eight months pregnant, Mercy gets drawn into a murder investigation, which doesn't make her mother very happy. Then a billionaire out hunting goes missing. And someone's threatening Mercy. Plus, there are wild boars loose in the Vermont wilderness near their home. It's another compelling and entertaining novel from Munier.

(I highly recommend checking out the first book in this series, A Borrowing of Bones.)

Happy Reading!