The Path to Joy

I always thought those moms who said their kids start pulling away before college were talking about their kids -- not mine. Well...they were right. Today I'm sharing the story of our annual beach trip, which, spoiler alert, ends on a true cliffhanger!
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!

My mom is moving! If you know my mom, or you attended one of my retreats in 2025, you know this is a really big deal. I'm so excited for her. Honestly, it feels like she's one of my kids who studied for months, aced the exam, and just got the best news ever. She is absolutely over-the-moon, and I couldn't be happier.
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!

Today's episode is all about a New York Times monthly challenge that invites readers to spend ten minutes looking at a painting. The idea was inspired by an assignment from a Harvard art history professor (although her challenge was three hours!). There's also a little test in today's episode to see if Andy actually listens to this podcast!
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!

My grandparents lived in a retirement community called Century Village. My childhood joke was that you had to be 100 years old to live there. It's not quite as funny now that I'm getting closer to the age where I could probably move in myself. 
 
They lived in a small two-bedroom condo overlooking a man-made lake. For them -- especially for my grandfather -- it was absolute paradise.
 
Today I'm sharing a few stories about them and a little about paradise, too.
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!

Don’t be turned off by the title of today’s episode! Yes, there’s a little physics talk -- in honor of my dad -- but today is really about miracles. Miracles that exist within the natural world. We don’t have to force conclusions or make tenuous connections -- we just have to be patient and let science keep catching up with the wonder all around us.
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!

Don't worry -- I promise I'm not about to rank our favorite family games. This episode is about one very special game -- one that turned out to be the greatest gift Andy or I have ever received. I'm talking all-time, best-ever gift. And it all started with a trip to Staples!
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!

No, I didn't get some time away. But someone in our family did. Today's episode is about Ben's first trip away with his friends -- and how I went from 'there is absolutely no way this trip is happening' to watching my child do laundry...voluntarily. Miracles do happen.
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!

Even your joyful, fearless (if you've listened to ALL the episodes about my absurd fears of ice and falling, you're probably shaking your head at that one!) podcast host can feel overwhelmed sometimes.
 
Today's episode is a little about that overwhelm—and how I planned my way out of it.
 
For all my list people out there, this one's for you.
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!

Sometimes you never know what something is going to be like until you are in it. Right? We had a new dynamic this week -- just me and the twins for a night -- and it surprised me. I love being surprised and I love the reminder that I shouldn't always try an anticipate an outcome. 
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!

And here we are at graduation. I keep trying to wrap my head around the fact that my oldest child will no longer be living in my home full time in just a couple months. It's not really sinking in. Today, let's talk about processing (or not processing) big things!
 
Thanks so much for listening! I love helping people change (and improve!) their perception of their lives -- aka find more JOY.
 
Here are links that I mention in the show!! 
 
🌱 Create the Life You Love Living Retreat (for women only)
🌱 Melissa Bloom's JOY SCHOOL!
🌱 Free workbook Your Daily Guide to Finding More Joy
🌱 Stay Connected Newsletter
🌱Schedule a 20 minute call with me for FREE!
🌱Check out my website
 
If you'd like to check out my book, The Path to Joy, on Amazon, click here!
 
If you'd like to connect, share your thoughts on the show, suggest a topic to discuss, etc.  please feel free to email me at: connect@melissabloom.life. I LOVE connecting!
 
Enjoy the journey!