Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 108 of Life On the Brink!
This is the time of year when a sunny day versus a cloudy day can make all the difference; it’s that part of winter where I start to really crave springtime. It’s just around the corner, soon! But until then, even on the brink of a season change, I’ve been searching for ways to enjoy, embrace (or survive) the end of winter.
Today’s episode is greatly inspired by Meik Wiking’s very popular book, “The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living.” I'm sharing so many cozy ideas from this book, ways to embrace the spirit of hygge, as well as some extra things that I have personally been enjoying throughout this winter.
For the complete show notes, click here!
For full transcript, click here!
Site: lifeonthebrink.live
Social: @anna_on_the_keys
Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 108 of Life On the Brink!
This is the time of year when a sunny day versus a cloudy day can make all the difference; it’s that part of winter where I start to really crave springtime. It’s just around the corner, soon! But until then, even on the brink of a season change, I’ve been searching for ways to enjoy, embrace (or survive) the end of winter.
Today’s episode is greatly inspired by Meik Wiking’s very popular book, “The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living.” I'm sharing so many cozy ideas from this book, ways to embrace the spirit of hygge, as well as some extra things that I have personally been enjoying throughout this winter.
For the complete show notes, click here!
For full transcript, click here!
Site: lifeonthebrink.live
Social: @anna_on_the_keys
Welcome to Life on the brink, a lovely little place filled with inspiration and creativity that is dedicated to enjoying life one day at a time. I'm Ana. And together, we're exploring the beautiful things in this world that fascinate us, and often discovering something new. Hello, hello, welcome to episode 108 of life on the brink. I hope you're doing well. We are solidly in February now. And I appreciate your patience as this episode is being released a week later than the normal schedule. I did share a bit about that on Instagram when I decided to delay it and instead shared a blog post, which I'll talk more about later. But I want this beautiful project in this community to remain something that is uplifting and fulfilling and not stressful. And it was starting to stress me out a little bit because the the pregnancy hormones, at the time of this release, I will finally be in 23 weeks, 23 and a half weeks. And the hormones are such that this winter is really hard. And it's somewhat the inspiration for today's episode. Because it's been, it's been a difficult month, just managing new kinds of emotions, and still processing quite a bit of grief. And, and then you know, there's the winter, that makes things difficult. And so I decided to sort of take the stress off, and just push it back by a week. And so I appreciate this beautiful community and how patient you are. And it's something that is uplifting and inspiring for all of us. And so like I said this, this winter season has greatly inspired today's episode. And so hopefully, some of the things that I've experienced will not only help comfort me and inspire me this winter, but also you. Also, member I don't know if you recall from last week's episode or the last the previous episode that I mentioned, my next door neighbor is doing some construction. Well, they are back at it again. And they haven't been for quite a while. But today, the one day that I need to record this, they are back at it. So if you hear any construction noises, I apologize. That is what they're doing. Also, before we just jump into the content of today's episode, I just wanted to reflect for a second and say that Josh and I have lived in this new house for one year now. And it's been a really, really great first year, I think I may do a full like one year recap of all the renovations that have happened over the past year. But as of this podcast, all of the laminate flooring has been laid. So it was a total well every bedroom. So three bedrooms plus an extra room that is pretty much a bedroom. So we'll call it four bedrooms. One that's the office that I'm sitting in now, one will be the baby's room. One will be one is our bedroom. And the fourth is turning into a library. And so all of that is done. That's a huge project that has slowly been happening along with other things, but it's sort of a mile marker. And so I'm going to be pursuing a lot of painting for the rest of the upstairs bedrooms. And now it's time to get into bathroom renovation, which we haven't touched at all in this first year. And so that's about to be a wild ride, I'm sure. But I'm just so grateful for the first year for all of the projects that were accomplished in a way that things that we've been able to enjoy also the gatherings that we've had and so much time in the garden I can't wait to get back out there as it warms up and it doesn't feel like it's been a year but it has so if you're interested let me know I'm probably going to ask about it on Instagram or you can send me an email asking specific things about house and renovating and moving and settling in and that sort of thing. Because I will likely do like a one year recap because we are we've there's several projects that I hope to get done before the baby was born in June. And so we'll see. Also, as I said, I'm 23 weeks, and all as well, with baby girl. So far I'm feeling good. Aside from the emotional stuff. And occasionally, some pretty intense heartburn. It's been still pretty good, a few little aches and things here and there, but I got some very supportive shoes last week, and another pair are on the way, so that I can make sure I'm supporting everything. And if you're interested in more pregnancy information, the last episode was all about that. But just want to let you know everything's good. And now let us get into today's episode. Winter is generally the trickiest month to not only get through but to enjoy, because I've, I really do try and I'm sure you do as well try to embrace the the present the present moment, the day to not spend so much of the year wishing it was a different part of the year, which tends to happen towards the end of winter. And the end of summer for me when it's just way too hot. Or it's cold and gray. And I really want springtime spring, I've decided it is my favorite season. Like I love it. I really, really really can't wait. But in the meantime, even on the brink, if you will of springtime, is it possible to enjoy this time, it's a time of year when a sunny day versus a cloudy day makes all the difference for me. And as I mentioned, especially with this pregnancy, my mood tends to pretty much mirror what the weather's doing, even more than usual in the winter. And sometimes regardless of what the weather is doing. It's just hard to shake some melancholy or some just like, blow, or the the grayness, the sort of restlessness. Take your pick winter emotion. I know that many of you may be dealing with a similar sort of thing this winter. So how can we shift our perspective, or alter our environment to be gentler and warmer this winter? First by making a cup of tea, obviously. So I invite you to make yourself something warm if you haven't already, I am just drinking normal, plain old black tea but it's decaffeinated because pregnant, and just with a little bit of milk, but it's in one of my favorite mugs, and it's very warming to my body and soul. So whatever you're drinking, get cozy, because this is a very, very, very cozy content. In this episode, we're going to be talking about the book by Mike Viking very popular book called The Little Book of Heuga Danish secrets to happy living. You may have heard of this book. And I also mentioned this book. A few episodes ago when I was talking about wintery books to read. I listened to the audio book in which the author narrates it, and he does a fantastic job. I really love listening to his voice. And then I bought a physical copy soon after, which is not only beautiful to look at, like the illustrations are very Scandinavian, very clean and colorful and cheerful. But it's also filled with a lot of insight into the Danish lifestyle, and contains a lot of actual research from the happiness Research Institute, which is a real thing in Copenhagen. Which Viking the off the author of this book. He himself founded it several years ago. So throughout this episode, I'm going to be sharing some quotes and little tidbits from this book, along with some extra things that I have personally been enjoying throughout this winter. So first, what is Heuga? It's that weird word that you may have seen spelled H YG G. And the Oxford Dictionary defines it as a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment, or well being, and then in parentheses regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture. And the author Mike Viking describes Heuga in his own words in his book as well. I'm doing my pronunciation as best I can, listening to the audiobook. I heard it a lot and so I believe I'm saying it right. But you know, I'm not Danish digger with a grain of salt. But anyway, he describes it like this. hookah is the antidote to the cold winter, the rainy days and the duvet day of darkness. So while you can have Heuga all year round, it's during winter that it becomes not only a necessity, but a survival strategy. And then later in the book, he also describes it like this. hookah is about an atmosphere and an experience rather than about things. It is about being Hang with the people, we love a feeling of home, a feeling that we are safe that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down. You may be having an endless conversation about the smaller big things in life, or just be comfortable in each other's silent company, or simply just be by yourself enjoying a cup of tea. So you get the picture, probably by this point, this word doesn't have a direct translation to English. That's why we need like paragraphs to describe this thing that is such an integral part of Danish living. It's a cultural emphasis on coziness. That includes but not limited to, candles, warm drinks, good friends, hearty food, simple furnishings, gratitude, equality, safety, all those things rolled into one. So today I'm drawing inspiration from this mindset and sharing some ways I've invited this quote unquote, survival strategy as he describes it. Now before I get into it, I do want to just add a note, a disclaimer, that probably I don't know, six to eight years ago. Well, this isn't really a disclaimer, just some context. About six to eight years ago, I want to say I first started seeing the word Heuga in the US and it just like a craze came. And it was all over Pinterest and all over Instagram with the hashtag. And it could be found everywhere. And it only seemed to be like candles and blankets and like a sort of one dimensional representation of what hookah could look like, which obviously, these are visual media through which we were, you know, receiving this information. But it was first and foremost, a trend. And I don't think it was at all, we were very interested in having it within the Danish context or understanding all facets of it. And so Oh, and I also found it to be a bit unattainable. It was always very curated plush, luxurious environments, which is kind of contradictory to what hookah actually is, in some ways. And so I did not jump on that crate. And I think actually, in a couple a few years ago, I'll link the episode in the show notes. But it was episode 16 called cozy ways to enjoy winter days. That was based off another book by a British author talking about cozy which, you know, similar sentiments, but a different sort of vibe. And I contrasted who go with cozy as like a more attainable, more comfortable approach to the same thing because hookah had all of this, like image focused extra ness and like a pressure. And so I was very much like moving away from Hugo as it was in America because I was like this. That can't be what the Danes are all about, like this, this looks fake. And so if you've heard this word, and you're like, What in the world is this? Firstly, I would say buy this book. Don't take just my word for it. i It is lovely or find the audiobook because it's great. And I think that this book does a great job of putting the cultural context all around it and describing how language influences culture and culture influence influences language and, and how there are similar words in other languages, that mean slightly different things. But the closest thing we have in English is cozy probably, or the Canadians say homey as well. But after that, I'm going to try to do my best to bring some of that same essence into this episode. So that it doesn't feel pressure pressured or image conscious, but just comfortable, comfortable and cozy. And many of these things may be may seem trite, or, you know, maybe altering just the atmosphere or just a slight portion of your routine. And I'm not suggesting by any stretch, that lighting a candle will make everything better right away. And then like all of the problems and all of the emotions go away. I know that we have stresses in our lives, and sometimes there are way bigger things going on. Or perhaps if you are like me, you're feeling all of the pregnancy hormones. So I'm not saying that rather, creating an overall ambiance of comfort and an atmosphere of safety or perhaps a slower or less demanding rhythm. It makes it easier for my mind anyway to let go of the stressors of the day and enjoy the present moment. it, that's really all I'm trying to do is stay very present. Because lately when my brain tries to go big picture big perspective, it gets really overwhelming. And so I'm trying to stay very present. And so what can we do to help enhance the present moment to enjoy it a little bit more. That's all this is. So with that, here are ways to invite Heuga into your winter days. First off, I suggest trying to make your bed or your bedroom as cozy and warm as possible. And first, I'd like to share a quote from the book, it says the one thing that every home needs is a sugar call. I know I didn't say that, right, but I'm doing the best I can, which roughly translates as a NOAC. It is the place in the room where you love to snuggle up in a blanket with a book and a cup of tea. And okay, maybe this could be the couch for you, or nice cheer or another little note, but I have really been enjoying just making the bed really warm and cozy. I've focused some of my renovating well, more decorating into the bedroom over the past month. And I really, really love the feel of it. Now, fortunately, like the entire back wall is pretty much one huge window. And so in the morning, I can just open it up. And ideally it's sunny. But even if not just letting the natural light in. And I think investing in pillows that are really comfortable and soft fabrics. Honestly, I love my bed it is so comfortable to sleep in. I can't remember the mattress is some sort of memory foam thing. I think it was a term or Butik, I don't know. But it is very comfortable. And before this bed, I just put a mattress topper on top of our old bed. And that made it much more cozy. Having a blanket or other things to just help you wrap up. At the end of the day or at the start of the day, I have really been enjoying that space. And finally curating the look of that room has made it feel all the more inviting. It feels less transitional now and more like this is this is a whole mood right now. And I'm loving it. And that leads kind of into the next point, which is to enjoy the mornings. This is my favorite time of day, for most days in the winter, because it's often the sunniest and when I feel the most energized and comforted and I try to make the most of it, which can mean many different things. Either it means getting up and trying to move my body and do yoga and, and trying to set up my day for productivity if that's what's needed. Or it means taking it much slower sleeping a bit more reading with a cup of tea. First thing, you know, having either an energizing or relaxing morning or a bit of a mix of the two, I've actually been doing better than usual, about staying off my phone. First thing, I think that's, that's for me like a surefire way to just sort of not enjoy to not embrace to not be present in the morning. And there's so much darkness at the end of the day that I feel like I can just move some of that over there. But especially in the morning, I feel like that first hour, first two hours of the day, really sets the tone for the rest of the day. And sometimes you know, you just gotta get up and you got to get going. And that's fine. But maybe listening to some music that helps set the mood or just taking a few minutes to wake up and think about the day and try and be intentional about being present. So this one is less Heuga and more just me but enjoying the mornings. It's a big priority for me in the winter. Next up, I suggest to move, especially outside move your body. This is really the best time to go for a walk in the middle of the day perhaps or after the sun has come up. Because you're not going to get overheated, it's not going to be uncomfortable. You can go for a walk whenever you want. That's fantastic. And so I've been enjoying, especially like a mid afternoon walk a couple times a week, ideally, or a longer walk here and there before the sun sets just to get the body moving and sort of frees up my mind. Or sometimes I listened to an audiobook or something. And then when you come back inside, it feels cozy instead of like cloistering. Do you know what I mean? And actually only this part of winter, like just before spring, I noticed it probably in middle of January is when I can really start to see differences in the natural world. Fortunately, I have a great view from my head, the back of my house now, but I'm seeing the Camelias blooming. And now daffodils, and there's ducks in the pond like every day. And they're they're swimming in pairs. And so I don't know when mating season is for birds, but I'm seeing a lot of ducks and geese. And hearing the owls late at night definitely actually saw my first owl of this season this week, and it's just beautiful. And oh, the herons anyway, I'm talking a lot about birds. But you can start to see patterns in in winter, where it feels like everything is still dead. But actually things are brewing things are getting themselves together so that when spring comes, it's just this burst of life. And so I I love that my backyard has chameleon bushes as well, because they bloom during the winter. And I'd like to maybe see if I can find a few more winter blooms to incorporate into my garden. And so just getting out into nature really helps my mind as well. Moving on. Next on my list is to delve into longer reads. i If you recall, I mentioned a few episodes go I don't have a book goal for this year. I've had, what did I read last year, I read 40 books just barely, like right under the wire. But I decided not to set a goal because I have no idea what this year is going to look like in terms of schedule with baby coming. And I don't want to put any pressure on myself. And so I also feel quite freed up to read longer books because I'm not a part of a account, you know what I mean? And so I'm currently currently reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, which I started last year and then put on hold for like probably nearly a year. Because it's so long. It's almost 800 pages. And it's not like fantasy 800 pages. It's it's dense. It's immersive. And it's fantastic. And I liked on a tart. And I think finally, I can see where maybe there's some tension growing because I'm like, where's this going, but I'm, I'm over 500 pages now. And so it's going well. And I like that I feel I can take my time with it. And winter is the best time for this. Because not only are you home more, so you don't have to lug around a big hard copy book, you know, but I think it's nice for these long nights to just curl up and then it becomes cozy, then it becomes cute, you know, you're reading a book, it's not endless hours of darkness. No, it's so much beautiful reading time. And it's just a nice time to be able to get lost in another world because there's not necessarily as much going on in the current in the current one. Because in the summer, there's all kinds of events and things going on and you want to go back outside and you know, so consider picking up that big book that that maybe you've put off for a while. Next up is candles, just talking about candles. So this is something that was highlighted a lot in the book, The Little Book of hookah, because the Danes love candles, they burn a ton of candles, mostly unscented, it's just for the lighting. In fact, there's a whole chapter on lighting in the book talking about lamps and candles go right in line where the glow of fire basically it is soft, and there's movement to it and it's comforting and it just makes every room feel a little bit more homey. I also do like a nice scented candle. Sometimes when I'm working at my desk, or when I'm reading on the couch. It's just a nice little little something. But I have incorporated lighting unscented candles when I set the table for dinner because it just adds a nice little elevation. You know, I got a secondhand candle holder holds two candles and bought a bunch of unscented can't In fact, I got some tapered candles I think at Trader Joe's during the holiday season. They were there for Hanukkah maybe but you can find them many places and it just adds a nice little element. I've also lit tea lights in smaller containers if you'd if you don't want to do the tapered thing and the glow of fire light is so soft, romantic, it just helps to romanticize that moment a little bit Next on the list is to gather with others. This is one that was highlighted a lot in the book. So I'm going to share a couple of quotes here, from The Little Book of Heuga. First, this is the author talking about some of his research. He says, When I give lectures about happiness research, I asked the audience to close their eyes and tell them to think of the last time when they felt really happy, when I asked people to raise their hand, if they were with others in their memories, usually nine out of 10 do so. And then later in the book, he says, someone puts a hand on your shoulder gives you a kiss, or caresses your cheek, and you instantly feel calm and happy. Our bodies work like that. It's a wonderful thing. Touch releases the hormone, oxytocin, which helps us feel happy and reduces stress, fear and pain. And apparently, in Denmark, there's such a strong sense of community, and especially in like small pockets of having smaller groups where you can have very, very casual gatherings where no one is pressured to look a certain way. It's very casual, very egalitarian, and is a consistent part of life. And I think, especially in the winter, this is really, really important for me, even though I have a partner, someone who I see every day and who is so nice to be with. It's really important for me, I'm not even particularly extroverted, but just to be with people really changes things for me. And so, as many of you probably know, my family does a weekly family dinner on Sunday evenings. And the routine of that is really comforting to me. Even though I see the people, at least once a week, usually two to three times a week. It's just a very informal gathering, we just hang out. And it's some always really, really nice to me. And then at least like, once a month, I'm actually like, thinking of what can I do now, because I think it's nice to host little gatherings, informal things. Last month, I had a couple of friends over, and everyone made a soup. And so it was just lots of different soups, and you're just watching videos and hanging out and I made focaccia bread and a little cheese plate. But I it was so fun. And it was so nice to look forward to. And then in the same way, my sister, you know, we love to host a little party a little get together. And these have been very, very informal. But she hosted a little gathering for those of us in the family that crochet we had, we've kind of fallen off our weekly crochet gathering, but she had a special Valentine's edition, and decorated and made really cute little snacks, you know, themed for Valentine's Day. And it was very informal, open ended, just get together and eat and talk and crochet. But it was so, so nice. I looked forward to it a lot. And it was lovely. And so now I'm thinking I need to plan something, I need just like a little, a little something, not a high stress party just a reason to, to come together. And actually, there's several ideas for such gatherings in the book. So I'm gonna have have a look through. And, again, I recommend you pick up this book for some very nice ideas. But whatever the reason is, even if it's a birthday, or there's no reason at all, you just get together with people a game night, you know, a movie night, just to have a nice time together out of the cold. It's peak Heuga. And it does a lot for my emotional state. So next up is baking. This has been so far like one of my saving graces this winter. There's a whole chapter in the book about sweets, and cake. Like there's a high consumption of confectionery in Denmark and there's some recipes for some other sweets. But I in particular have been baking breads, cakes loaves, and it's been awesome. I really super love it. And and so in fact, last week when I didn't post this podcast, I did share a blog post, which I'll share in the show notes but you can find it on the website that's life on the brink dot live. And I just shared my go to recipes for this winter. So my favorite cake as of late that I made for a birthday and the focaccia that I mentioned before and a few other recipes that are simple. And I share which ones are the simplest in case you're intimidated by that but to make something sweet to then be able to share with others. It's delightful, and it's been a real, it's just able to pull me out of a mood in a very nice way. And I usually in those instances, don't listen to anything, if anything, maybe some music in the background, but I like to just take my mind out of it to just let my hands work, cooking and baking really does that for me. Okay, finally, I have two more on this list. And both are more mental rather than physical, perhaps, I have on this list to cut yourself some slack. While I'm not against self discipline in any way, or motivation, I don't think that winter is the time to really push those boundaries, to test yourself or to hold yourself up to a measure of productivity. Winter is meant for hibernation for restoration. And if that means being less productive, and more focused on rhythms that will restore and keep you through the season. I am all for that, honestly. And I think that in the summer, it's easier to do a lot of stuff to get a lot done, and to still enjoy what's going on. In the winter, it's much more difficult to do that. It's it's either pushing myself to get things done, or enjoying. Sometimes, you know, there's different levels of it. But cut yourself some slack. That's what I say. And I'd like to share a quote from the book in this vein, Viking says, hookah is charged with a strong orientation and a commitment toward experience and savoring the present moment. And that makes perfect sense. Because if you think about it, the Danes consistently, they rank as as a very happy people. And I know that you know, it's a quite a small country, it's more homogeneous than in population than perhaps other countries, they there may not be the same kinds of tensions, but they also have a lot of winter and a lot of darkness. And they're further north than I am. So they get even less sunshine during this time. And so that's where some of this research has come from, like what what's up with the Danes, why are they so happy all the time, as compared to other nearby European nations. And Heuga is a great part of that. And so a big part of Heuga, as we just heard, is a commitment towards experience in savoring the present moment. That's kind of in line with what you know, I've been talking about throughout this episode is just trying to be present. So finally, last on this list is to practice gratitude. So here's a huge quote, get ready. hookah is humble and slow. It is choosing rustic over new, simple over posh and ambiance over excitement, in many ways who get might be the Danish cousin to slow and simple living, who goes about giving yourself and others a treat. It is about savoring the moment, and the simple pleasures of good food and good company. More than anything, savoring is about gratitude. We often remind each other not to take things for granted. Gratitude is more than just a simple thank you, when you receive a gift. It is about keeping in mind that you live right now, allowing yourself to focus on the moment and appreciate the life you lead. To focus on all that you do have, not what you don't. I'm just going to leave that point at that. I'll leave a link to other episodes I've done specifically about gratitude. But I think that just about sums it up. That's really the essence of what I'm trying to capture in this season. And what I hope to share in this episode, is to focus on all that you do have, not what you don't. And the things that are within our power to tweak to make a little bit more inviting for ourselves for others. Why not, you know, and the things that we that are not within our control and not within our power. Just let those go. Focus on all that you do have, not what you don't. That perspective is a huge game changer for me. And so I hope that this list has inspired you to maybe read this book or if you'd like I will leave some other episodes in the show notes. Episode 16 Like I mentioned is cozy ways to enjoy winter days. Episode 17 is winter movie night an old classic with several films and ideas for such a night and podcast 47 From last winter is called Winter magic shifting perspective and embracing this season. And of course I've got lots of recipes in different episodes on the blog about or for I should say warm drinks and tea lattes and all that sort of thing. book recommendations, ox all kinds all got him so Feel free to check out the archives of this podcast if you're not caught up. And you can of course visit life on the brink dot live, to find pictures and all the show notes for all of this as well as the recent blog post with my favorite baking recipes. And now in the spirit of embracing all that I do have, I will be right back with this week's little joy this week's little joy is kind of two parts of a physical item. And then just a moment, the more nebulous one is the fact that I finally look pregnant, I think, especially in the right clothes, you can definitely tell that I'm pregnant, it's winter. And so I tend to wear a lot of big sweaters and looser clothes anyway, which has made you know, my wardrobe definitely last longer, but I have finally invested in some maternity specific pieces. And I can tell when spring comes and all these layers come off, it's going to be like, Whoa, how did you get so pregnant all of a sudden, but I definitely look pregnant now. And it's really fun. And I can feel the baby moving around and like it feels real. Now I'm also going to share as part of that maternity wardrobe, I got a pair of maternity overalls, and they are so cute, I'm going to share a link to them. It's from Target. So if anyone is pregnant or will be pregnant, they are just the cutest things because they the waist of it, quote unquote, waist hits, like just right at the bottom of my belly. And it couldn't be more obvious that I'm pregnant, it's so cute, and comfortable. That's what I'm looking for is maximum comfort and still trying to be cute and chic. And I just I feel like I'm gonna be able to stretch these overalls well into my third trimester. So that's my little joy. I, it's taken me a while to get used to my body in the shape. And I still have to get used to it sometimes. But when the clothes celebrate it, it's way easier to feel cute. And now that it's like obvious, it's a whole belly now. It's also easier. So that's my little joy. And finally, I'll leave you with a playlist of music that I personally have been listening to over the past week or so. It's just someone's personal playlist on Spotify, I'll leave a link to it. It's 22 hours long called dreamy classical Romantic era, I find that the spring is when I tend to listen to a lot of classical music. And I try to get back I don't try, it just happens naturally, I want to get back to more classical roots. And so I feel that creeping in, but maybe a tad more emotional, hence the romantic part of this playlist. But that was also for Valentine's Day, you know, but I like it. It's very stimulating to my ear to my brain. And it helps me to not be on my phone. If that makes sense. Sometimes, when you're on your phone, and it's just hard to get off the phone, it's nice to just open up the music, play the music, and then be able to walk away from it. And know that that's kind of maybe that's like a backwards process. But sometimes it works for me. And I just need to get away from the phone. And so I'm letting it be in the background. But I do enjoy this playlist and it's packed with music. So I'll leave a link to that in the show notes. And I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out congratulating me on pregnancy. And I really, I'm very excited and I'm so touched, when I hear where you listen to this podcast, how you listen to it, and where where you're from where you're listening from. And so if you haven't yet, feel free to leave me a comment on any of the blog posts. If you have more to add or send me an email, there's a link to it on the website. If you have an idea for a future episode, I have had a few people send me messages with ideas and I have got them on the list. So if you have questions or want to know more or have an idea for a future episode, let me know. And you know, leave Apple review Spotify review or you know the star rating all that stuff. Bla bla bla love you. I hope the rest of February rocks that this last month or so of winter is more lovely than you think it could ever possibly be. Have a nice cup of tea on me. I've got some exciting episodes coming so I will be back in two weeks with a new episode. Thank you so so much much for listening. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Life on the brink. If you're enjoying these episodes, please feel free to leave a star rating or even better leave a review on Apple podcasts to help spread the word. For podcast show notes and extra inspirational posts throughout the week, head to the blog at life on the brink dot live. And if you'd like a little extra dose of inspiration in your life, sign up for the monthly newsletter, which lights up your inbox the first Friday of each month. Thank you so much for listening. And until next time, friends, you have a lovely week. Bye