In this week's episode I'm sharing some insights I've noticed during my newest creative exploration into the world of ceramics. Trying my hand at pottery has been something I've wanted to do for decades but have only recently decided to give it a whirl. While it has stirred some joy for me, there's been a LOT of frustration and failure as well.

I'll be pressing pause on the podcast for the summer and will be off immersing myself in some other artistic endeavors but will be back in a bit with more tales to tell of my ventures into more right brain adventures.

In the meantime, you can keep up with me by following me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠

Well...better late than never, right? Six weeks after my return, I'm finally getting around to sharing highlights from the Finland portion of my recent travels. This trip ticked many more items off my dream list including witnessing a specular display of the aurora borealis. In addition to giving me a grand viewing the Northern Lights, it also gave me many opportunities for reflection--shedding light on some of my old ways of being and shining light on exciting things ahead.

You can follow me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠

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It's been a busy few weeks for me. Since my last episode, I finally had the knee surgery I'd been waiting for since last fall. Thankfully, all went well and I'm back to hitting to 10,000 steps again most days.

Today, I'm circling back to the topic of retirement--or my lane change in life as I like to call it. Retirement is supposed to be the well-earned reward you get after a lifetime of hard work. Sadly, some people don’t live long enough to enjoy the life they spent decades working toward. I am grateful that is not my story--though it easily could've been.

For me, due to a tsunami of simultaneous stressors, the "Golden Years" came a lot earlier than expected when all the pots on my "stove of life" bubbled over at the same time! One thing I absolutely know for sure is that If I hadn't left work when I did...I probably wouldn't be here right now.

In this episode I reflect on the end of my career, what led me to finally decide on to walk away from work and how leaving has impacted my health.

You can follow me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠

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In this week’s episode I continue to talk about my trip to Amsterdam and the coincidences that occurred while I was there (or as I mentioned last week, what Dr. Wayne Dyer described as things that fit together perfectly—not accidentally).

Especially these days, for my own wellbeing, I tend not to delve too much into politics. However, while in The Netherlands, a number of “coincidences” occurred that led me to consider more deeply all that is going on in the U.S. and what I can do to stand up for what’s right. 

By now you know that I frequently talk about what I’ve been learning in Happiness School. This week is no exception. My Happiness School assignments leading up to my visit to Amsterdam played a prominent role in the revelations I came away with about leadership, psychology and, if we’re not careful, how easy it can be to submit to authority even in the face of what you know to be right. 

Click the links below, if you’d like to learn more about the two experiments I talk about in this episode:

The Stanley Milgram Obedience to Authority Experiment (Yale University)

The Zimbardo Prison Experiment (Stanford University)

ECONOMIC RESISTANCE: One source for learning about upcoming economic blackout dates is ThePeoplesUnionUsa.com.

You can follow me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠

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Finally, I'm getting around to sharing a bit about my most recent global adventure. Just a heads up...had some tech issues with my microphone so the sound quality isn't the best but in keeping with my "do it messy" podcasting spirit it is what it is! 

There were a lot of "coincidences" for me on this trip. In today's episode I recount many of them. After recording this episode, I came across a passage in the current book I'm reading (Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer) on coincidences that says, the word coincidence "relates to the mathematical idea of angles that coincide. When two angels join in this way, they're said to coincide. Not accidentally--perfectly."

My trip was full of these perfect coincidences. Just take a listen and hear for yourself!

You can follow me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Not gonna lie...I've had a tough time this week getting my energy back. Since I haven't quite recovered from my global adventure, I am going to defer telling you my travel tales for now. But, fret not, they'll be worth the wait!

You can follow me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠

Click on this link to join Club Sandwich (the LITSZ Private Facebook Group): ⁠⁠⁠LITSZ_Club_Sandwich

In this episode I share my reflections on how far I've come since April 10, 2024--the day my youngest child attempted suicide. Never in my wildest imagination did I expect that my parenting journey would challenge me to face my deepest, darkest fears. But here I am...one year later, here I am, somehow finding a way to move forward and surprisingly finding joy and delight along the way.

In my travels to Finland, I learned about the Finnish term "sisu ". Roughly translated, sisu refers to extraordinary courage, strength of will, determination, perseverance or grit. It's the inner strength one taps into to face the storm even without being able to see the silver lining.

It's no coincidence that this life philosophy is intersecting with my life on this day--the anniversary of the hardest thing I've ever faced as a parent.

For those of you in the midst of your storm...keep going! Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Find your sisu! I love you...Keep going!

You can follow me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠

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In this week's episode I reveal the final destination of my current globetrotting adventure and share with you how this whirlwind escapade came to be.

If you are interested in learning more about my MA in Happiness Studies program you can click here to join me and my Happiness Friends in Happiness School through Centenary University.

You can follow me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠

Click on this link to join Club Sandwich (the LITSZ Private Facebook Group): ⁠⁠⁠LITSZ_Club_Sandwich

This week, as I get ready to head off on a new global adventure, I share some thoughts that stirred in me about traveling internationally at this moment in history. I also share some reflections on how Happiness School is helping me shift some of my old ways.

Here is a link to the law review article about my law school professor, Russell Galloway, Jr., and the lecture transcript I read from in this episode. Professor Galloway’s Lecture

You can follow me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠

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In honor of World Happiness Day, in this episode I reflect on my happiness journey, facing my fears and giving myself the gift of a better, happier, more joyful life.

You can follow me on Instagram at: ⁠⁠⁠@karen.e.osborne⁠⁠⁠

Click on this link to join Club Sandwich (the LITSZ Private Facebook Group): ⁠⁠⁠LITSZ_Club_Sandwich