Send us Fan Mail

Ever felt the gentle sway of a hammock by a riverside? Today's guided visualization takes you on that journey of rest and renewal.

Summer brings a natural invitation to play, and we're leaning into that energy with our "Play it Forward" series. As your host Sally Burlington, I'm guiding you through alternating weeks of nature-based visualizations and whimsical storytime readings—all designed to help you reconnect with that lighthearted, childlike spirit we so often lose in the hustle of adult responsibilities.

Episode 129 features our Hammock Guided Visualization, where you'll drift into a peaceful riverside setting. Feel the gentle breeze, hear the trickling water and chirping birds, and allow your body to settle into perfect comfort as the hammock cradles you. This brief but powerful mindfulness practice centers around our breathing mantra: "breathe in possibility, breathe out gratitude." In just a few minutes, you'll experience how intentional rest can transform your energy.

The beauty of "playing it forward" lies in how this renewed energy doesn't stay with you alone—it naturally overflows to everyone you encounter. When we take these moments to breathe and be present, we bring a different quality of attention to our relationships and responsibilities. As summer unfolds, join us in this rhythm of playfulness and presence. The world needs more of both.

Ready for more? Subscribe to Create Harmony and tune in next week for another delightful story as we continue "childing instead of adulting" through our summer series!

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com 

Send us Fan Mail

Discover the beautiful practice of noticing tiny moments of joy hidden throughout your day in this heartwarming episode of Create Harmony. Your host Sally Burlington introduces a special summer series called "Play It Forward," designed to help you embrace a more lighthearted spirit that naturally spreads to the world around you.

Have you ever considered trading "adulting" for "childing"? That's exactly what we're doing in this episode as we inaugurate our summer story time tradition. Just like when you were in kindergarten sitting cross-legged on the carpet while your teacher read aloud, we're inviting you to reconnect with your inner child through children's literature. Sally reads "When God Made Light" by Matthew Paul Turner, a touching story that reminds us how we all carry an inner light meant to shine brightly.

By alternating between guided nature visualizations and children's stories, the Play It Forward series aims to help you shed your cares and worries, allowing your natural light to shine through and illuminate everyone you encounter.

Ready to reconnect with childlike wonder and spread that joyful energy to others? Listen now, then share how you're finding little moments of joy in your own life!

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com 

Send us Fan Mail

Ready to trade your serious adult mindset for something more playful this summer? The Create Harmony podcast launches a delightful new series called "Play It Forward," designed to help you reconnect with your inner child during the sun-filled, carefree days of summer.

Host Sally Burlington introduces this summer rhythm where we'll alternate between nature-themed guided visualizations and storytelling episodes. Today's visualization, "Dandelion Bloom," invites you to imagine yourself as a fluffy white dandelion, your unique gifts represented by countless seeds ready to drift into the world. Through gentle guidance, you'll release attachment to the past, embrace the clean slate of now, and visualize your positive influence spreading far beyond what you can see.

Whether you're seeking a mental reset, a moment of mindfulness, or simply a break from "adulting," this episode delivers a calming experience designed to help you embrace summer's lighthearted spirit. The guided meditation balances stillness with imagination, offering both relaxation and inspiration in under ten minutes.

.

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com 

Send us Fan Mail

What does "getting wild" mean to you? Far from reckless behavior, true wildness might simply mean living unrestrained and growing in your natural environment. In this heartfelt exploration, I share how my definition of wild—digging in garden dirt, feeling sunshine on my face—differs drastically from my college-aged daughters' interpretation.

As our lives become increasingly dominated by technology and structure, reconnecting with our wild spirit feels more precious than ever. This wildness doesn't require climbing mountains or taking risks; it's available in micro-adventures right in your backyard. Whether it's trying a new recipe, picking roadside flowers, or simply allowing yourself to go to bed before finishing all your work—wild is a spirit, not a specific set of actions.

Take a moment today to consider what wild needs to look like in your life. Where can you bring a tiny piece of unrestrained living into your day? These small moments of authentic connection might just be the key to finding the peace and contentment we're all seeking. Subscribe now to join our community of intentional living and discover more ways to create harmony in your everyday life.

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com 

Send us Fan Mail

Finding peace, contentment, and joy in everyday life becomes easier when we connect with nature through gardening and intentionally incorporate more plants into our diets. Plants engage our senses, lift our spirits, and provide enormous health benefits that support both mental and physical wellbeing.

• Transitioning to a sunnier yard has allowed for beautiful flowering plants like hydrangeas, gardenias, peonies, and foxglove
• Inheriting fruit trees and bushes has brought unexpected abundance with peaches, cherries, figs, plums, and pomegranates
• Growing plants benefits mental health by lifting spirits and creating joy
• Preparing fruits and vegetables immediately after shopping makes healthy eating more convenient
• Finding the right balance of plants and protein is key to a healthy lifestyle
• Staying curious about nature helps maintain wonder and may spark new interests

Keep growing something—even if it's just a small succulent on your desk—to experience the joy of nurturing life and discover peace through connecting with nature.

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com 

Send us Fan Mail

Dive into the aromatic world of herb gardening with this sensory-rich exploration of cultivating your own little patch of culinary magic. What started as a scaled-back garden plan turned into a discovery of how these versatile plants engage nearly all our senses—sight, smell, touch, and taste—creating an immersive connection to nature right on your windowsill or backyard.

From kitchen staples like thyme, basil, and rosemary to the visual appeal of purple-tinged sage and bright lime-green mammoth basil, this episode unpacks the diverse personalities of common herbs and their uses. Learn about the anti-inflammatory properties of rosemary, how mint aids digestion, why aloe vera deserves a spot in your home, and which sneaky herbs (looking at you, mint and lemon balm) will take over your garden if given the chance. Whether you're creating a caprese salad with fresh basil, cucumber-dill salad for summer gatherings, or infusing water with grapefruit mint, these versatile plants enhance everyday cooking while providing genuine health benefits.

Beyond cooking, discover how herbs can transform your wellbeing—chamomile for sleep and anxiety, echinacea for immune support, turmeric and ginger for inflammation and digestion. With practical tips on selecting vibrant leaves, proper storage techniques, and the perfect timing for adding herbs to dishes, you'll be equipped to start your own herb garden adventure. As we embrace the philosophy to "eat more plants," herbs offer an accessible gateway to bringing more plant-based goodness into your life while engaging all your senses in the process. Ready to rub some sage between your fingers and experience the multi-sensory joy of herbs? Your garden awaits!

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com 

Send us Fan Mail

Transitions mark the rhythm of our lives, yet we rarely give them the attention they deserve. Whether it's a career change, a child leaving home, or simply turning another year older, these pivotal moments reshape who we are and how we experience the world.

Sally Burlington opens up about watching her oldest daughter prepare to graduate college—a significant milestone triggering waves of emotion for everyone involved. As her daughter swings between enthusiastic anticipation and nostalgic reflection, Sally finds herself confronting her own evolving identity. What does it mean to transition from parenting younger children to guiding adult offspring? How do we honor who we've been while embracing who we're becoming?

The episode reveals a transformative practice for navigating transitions with grace: taking intentional time to bid farewell to your former self before welcoming the new version emerging through change. "I'm going to say goodbye to this person and I'm going to welcome in this new person," Sally explains, describing how this simple ritual helped her process complex emotions around transition. Rather than rushing through change with a hyper-focus on to-do lists, this practice invites us to acknowledge our feelings and honor both what was and what will be.

If you're navigating any kind of transition in your life—from the monumental to the mundane—this episode offers a gentle framework for approaching change with mindfulness and meaning. Listen now, and discover how reframing transitions might bring unexpected peace to life's inevitable changes.

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com 

Send us Fan Mail

We celebrate everyday joys and the beauty of nature in our busy lives, using creativity and imagination as ways of connecting with ourselves and our surroundings. This episode provides an update on our backyard transformation project, highlighting both challenges and triumphs in creating personal outdoor sanctuaries.

• Six months of pool construction finally completed, resulting in a beautiful lagoon-like pool with waterfalls and thoughtful landscaping
• Many decisions regarding materials, colors, and design elements were challenging but ultimately rewarding
• Garden plans had to be modified due to drainage issues, with a temporary focus on elevated herb planters instead of raised beds
• "Granny hobbies" like gardening, puzzling, and bird-watching provide mindfulness and peace in everyday life
• Guided visualization exercise helps listeners reconnect with childhood backyard memories through sensory experiences

Come back next week for more conversations about joy and gratitude as we continue exploring ways to create harmony in our everyday lives.

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com 

Send us Fan Mail

What if choosing joy could be your most radical act of resistance in a world fixated on fear and negativity? Sally Burlington invites us to reimagine our relationship with joy as something far more powerful than a fleeting emotion—it's a transformative force capable of changing not just our personal experience, but the experiences of everyone around us.

Through a captivating thought experiment, Sally reveals how our daily choices to embrace gratitude and positivity create ripple effects extending far beyond us. That morning cup of coffee savored with intention might give you the energy to help a neighbor, whose children then bring that lightness to their classroom, influencing their teacher's day, who then enjoys an evening walk where a chance encounter with a puppy sparks renewed joy for its owners. These interconnected moments of positivity offer a compelling alternative to the doom-scrolling narrative that often dominates our attention.

The episode provides ten practical, accessible ways to incorporate more joy into your daily rhythms, from gratitude practices and creative pursuits to mindfulness techniques and simple acts of kindness. Sally shares personal examples from her own life—taking up embroidery to reduce screen time, preparing colorful vegetables as an act of self-care, and turning chores into playful challenges—demonstrating that resistance through joy doesn't require grand gestures, just intentional presence. As Maya Angelou wisely advised, "Continue to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness." By choosing joy as your act of resistance, you become part of creating a more harmonious world, one ripple at a time. What positive ripple will you start today?

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com 

Send us Fan Mail

You know that feeling when your mind is racing, your notifications won't stop buzzing, and finding even five minutes of quiet feels impossible? That's exactly why creating a dedicated meditation space might be the game-changer your wellbeing needs.

In this soul-soothing conversation, we explore how to carve out a sanctuary within your home—no matter how limited your space might be. Whether it's a cozy corner in your bedroom, a repurposed closet filled with prayer notes, or simply a comfortable chair near a window, the physical environment you create can dramatically enhance your ability to find inner stillness. We dive into the elements that make a meditation space effective: from selecting calming colors and soft lighting to incorporating gentle sounds and aromatic elements that engage all your senses.

What makes this approach so powerful isn't just the aesthetic appeal, but how a dedicated space begins to train your brain. When you consistently return to the same spot for quiet reflection, your mind starts to associate that physical location with mental stillness—making it progressively easier to drop into a meditative state even on your most scattered days. The examples shared range from elaborate sunrooms filled with plants to the simplicity of a single chair with prayer beads, demonstrating that effective meditation spaces reflect personal preferences rather than rigid rules.

Ready to design your own gateway to tranquility? Listen now to discover how creating room for meditation—both literally and figuratively—might be the most important gift you give yourself this year. Your sanctuary awaits.

Support the show

To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com