JOYFUL GRATITUDE #4
We had a lovely team day with my colleagues to plan our activities for next year (and enjoy some energisers;). I had a really fun time and I’m so grateful for having such open-minded colleagues, with their creative ideas, constructive feedback and most importantly their great sense of humour! We were lucky to enjoy this spectacular sunset in the Westerpark as the perfect end to our day:)
Thanks a lot to Michaela A. for this pic of Eva and I being silly in the sunset!
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #3
In these cold autumn days, I love taking the time to make healthy vegetable soup. Peeling and chopping the vegetables is like a form of meditation for me. Last weekend, I enjoyed a cosy evening of chatting with loved ones over a warm bowl of pumpkin soup and toasted bread and cheese. Mmmmmm!
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #2
I think autumn colours were created just to distract us from the fact that the days are getting shorter and it’s colder and rainier outside. I love seeing how the leaves change colour!
Those red leaves are real!! I admired them in the Japanese garden in the Leiden botanical garden last weekend. Imagine if that species of tree were planted all around our cities:) It would be so beautiful in November! I think urban planners should consider such things… maybe an alternative career plan;)
My personal overview of the places I loved the most in Madeira:
Sao Vicente is a village on the Northern coast where we stayed for the whole of our trip. It’s a quiet village however it does have a supermarket, some restaurants AND two good bakeries (perfect to enjoy a bolo de arroz or pasteis de nata after a long hike).
I spent many hours watching the changing light over this sea view while Paolo attempted to catch the elusive bodiao, a typical fish from Madeira. With help from the local fishermen as well as trial and error, Paolo fine tuned his technique and managed to catch the bodiao on our last day!
Sao Vicente is surrounded by mountains, with the base of the hills covered with terrace cultivations of vineyards and other crops.
Good conditions for hiking in the mountains in Madeira are not a given, as it is sometimes sunny on the coast but very misty on the peaks. We took our chances one morning and were very lucky as it was sunny when we started on the walk from Encumeada towards Pico Ruivo.
After the steep hike up hundreds of steps on the mountain top, you are rewarded with breathtaking views and on the crest at times you can see both the sea of both the Southern and Northern coasts.
Swimming on the Northern Coast of Madeira is not always easy because there are large waves and strong currents. But luckily there are the natural pools of Seixal, where you can swim safely to the sound of the waves crashing on the volcanic rock. We practically had the pools to ourselves that day:)
I already wrote about it here… Best succulent garden ever!!
We discovered this village by chance and I immediately fell in love with its tiny winding pathways between houses and beautiful gardens. At the bottom of a steep stairway, you can access the peaceful rock beach which is perfect for swimming and chilling, and watching the sun set at the end of the day.
This was my favorite walk along one of the levadas (man-made waterways that cross the island of Madeira to bring irrigation to the fields and vineyards).
A headlamp is needed as there are several tunnels, including an extremely long one, where you have to squeeze yourself against the wall with only about 15cm for your feet and walk alongside the levada.
Not only was there a light at the end of the tunnel, there is the most stunning, secluded valley with rushing waterfalls, lush ferns, mosses and plants. Definitely worth it!
(Thanks to Paolo S. for the photo!)
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #1
Stopping what I was doing to watch the sunrise (even if it was from the windy rooftop of our office building after making early morning calls to clients Down Under)
One of my favorite writers, Brene Brown, describes in her book Daring Greatly how joy and gratitude are closely linked. What stood out for me in what she explains is how joy comes in the ordinary moments, when we are present enough to see it, and how being grateful for what we have is a way to tune into joy rather than focussing on scarcity and what we feel is missing.
I’ve been meaning to start a regular gratitude practice for a long time. So JOYFUL GRATITUDE is a series for myself, to highlight the little things that bring me joy. I consider it an experiment, as I always feel drawn to writing what I need the most. I’m wondering if I can carve this joyful groove into my nervous system, so that it becomes second nature and I can tap into it whenever needed.
Total height: 30 cm
Pot: 13 cm
Care: very easy, a little water once a week
Grows for years.
For more info email me at simplycultivatingjoy [at] gmail.com
Cultivating joy 