Dear Friends,

We had a great call with Debbie Ford, author of the new book, “Why Good People Do Bad Things,” and you can listen to the MP3 file here. You can also learn more about Debbie and her work here. Thanks Debbie!

We have a new “Mother’s Day Special” in our webstore. This gift set includes our Lavender Lotion (chemical free and great for the whole body including your face!), the “Tuning In” CD (so Mom can relax and unwind), a deck of Self-Care Cards (so she can pull a new message every day), and your choice of one of our Hang-a-Heart ornaments (just to remind her of how great she is). The set of four gifts is $49.95 (save almost $15 dollars) and you can find it here.

Have a great week…

Love,

Cheryl

p.s. – Need a little Divine Direction? Use the “Touch of Grace” button on our homepage here: http://www.cherylrichardson.com.

“I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy.”

–C.S. Lewis

Topic of the Week – Finding Pleasure in Everyday Life

A few years ago, my friend Helen gave me the following quote by British novelist, Iris Murdoch:

“One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats.”

For some reason, this simple line struck a cord with me and I’ve kept it with me ever since. Over the last few months, it’s been a helpful reminder of how the little things we do that bring us pleasure can be an enormous gift of comfort during difficult times. This week, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite examples with you in the hopes that you find one or two new ideas that might bring you a little happiness, too.

Here are some of the things I do that bring pleasure to my life:

• Get lost in a good novel.
• Eat a really good piece of chocolate.
• Leave funny messages on a friend’s voicemail.
• Put a few drops of a favorite essential oil on my pillow at bedtime.
• Spend the day working in my pj’s.
• Stay up late and watch back-to-back episodes of LOST on DVD.
• Watch the New Earth webcasts on my laptop while in the tub.
• Buy a beautiful teacup at a local antique shop and use it when I get home.
• Sit it in the sun on the deck of our new house.
• Put lots of Nourishing Lavender Lotion on my feet with warm socks before going to bed.
• Sit by the window with a cup of tea and watch the birds, squirrels, and deer in my back yard.

These small acts of pleasure cost very little money (if any), and can easily fit into a busy day. If you take a few moments to think about it, I bet you can come up with your own list of pleasures — the kind of things that add joy to your day, soothe your heart, or calm your mind when things get crazy.

When we’re going through a stressful time, it’s easy to lose track of the things that make us feel good. So, years ago I made a list in a journal and copied it so I’d always have access to it. Over time, I’ve added to it as well. It’s a great exercise — something you could do right now. See our “Take Action Challenge” below and get a head start on adding a little more joy to your life. Remember, pleasure is good for the soul.

~*~ Take Action Challenge ~*~

What brings you pleasure? Stop for a moment and jot down four or five things that you do to make yourself feel comforted. Do you sing, listen to great music, doodle, or buy yourself flowers? Once

you have a few ideas in mind, do one of them today. If you have a hard time thinking of examples, don’t worry. It only means that it’s been too long since you’ve thought about your soul-care. Close your eyes and scan your past for clues. They’re there. Just wait . . .

In the News

• Have a question for Cheryl? Call in during her live Internet radio show, Coach on Call, on Mondays at 5pm ET (2pm PT, 10pm GMT) at www.hayhouseradio.com. Simply dial (866) 254-1579 if you live in the US, or for international callers dial, 1-760-918-4300 after your country code. Cheryl discusses a variety of topics related to practicing Extreme Self Care and living a high quality life.

• We have a variety of unique life-changing gifts in our webstore at www.myextremeselfcare.com. You can have books personally signed for you or a loved one with a note of encouragement or support, include a hand-written gift card with your order, or find a special item to support your own self-care. There are heart ornaments, books, audio programs, lotions, and our popular Mesmerizing Oggz Egg (you need to see it to understand :). Check them out here: www.myextremeselfcare.com.

• Listen to the free Practice Building Workshop telegathering on audio podium and learn to build your client base in a relaxed and authentic way. Whether you’re a coach, therapist, lawyer, massage therapist, or other service oriented business owner, you can learn about our program and the important steps for practice development by calling (405) 244-4000 – Box 104. For more info on our PBW audio program, click here.

Life Makeover For The Year 2008 (sm) is written and produced by Cheryl Richardson. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to: cheryl@cherylrichardson.com. © Copyright 1999-2008

Cheryl Richardson, P.O. Box 13, Newburyport, MA 01950. All rights reserved.