What is
Joyfulicity?

It's my made-up word for the art of living happy. And couldn't we all use a little more happy?

So glad you're here! My name is Laura. I'm a Mom of 9, writer, coach, podcast host, travel fanatic, animal lover, bookworm and yoga fan. I downsized and moved my family to the beach to pursue a more creative and joyful life. So glad you're here with me!

More About Laura

Now on YouTube

Welcome to the Joyfulicity Journey

Coaching you through the ups & downs, and twists & turns we so often encounter while navigating through this exciting discovery trip called life. Exploring the many pathways to joy, and the roadblocks we so often encounter along the way. Let the adventures begin!

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Northern Lights

Knowledge Valley

Gratitude Pointe

The
Wild West

Midlife Mountain

Eastern
Traditions

Body Beach

Money Bay

Southern Hospitality

• Plan to Play •

Live to Learn

Dare to Dream

The Joyfulicity Blog

Body, Mind,

& Spirit

Relationships

House on the beach with hammock and private swimming pool. The wonderful place for holiday

Home & Garden

Travel & Adventure

Books

Feeling Like Your Own Weakest Link?

3 Simple Secrets to Greater Happiness

Why Do I Write About Joy?

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Coaching

I would love to be your guide on this journey and help you discover the right directions for YOU. (Hint...you already know the answers)

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Schedule your FREE, 30 minute Discovery Session HERE!

Simple things are the sources of the greatest joys.

-time with friends and family.
-bare feet at the beach-
-the sounds of waterfalls and the rain on the roof
-the smell of coffee brewing and bread baking
-your dog running to greet you at the door so happy to see you.

Enjoy the simple joys life gives you today.

#simplejoys #thelittlethings #happinessisachoice #beachlifestyle

Halfway into my 30 day reduced sugar challenge and I am down 6 pounds! My headaches are greatly reduced. Less brain fog, sleeping better! Without changing anything else. And without restricting calories. I’m kind of amazed. I expected to notice a difference but this is surprising me honestly. I haven’t really added exercise or any other dietary changes yet either - intentionally so that I could see what cutting sugar would do in isolation.

My only rule has been that I can’t eat anything that has sugar in the first three ingredients. Everything else is fair game. This has been educational so far to see what a difference small changes can make. Can’t wait to see what the second two weeks brings.

Visited the arboretum in Jacksonville this morning. Sat by the peaceful pond and wrote in my journal. There’s just something about nature that soothes the soul.

Another day another hair color 😂😂 I decided to go back to dark brunette for a while, but with some burgundy. I’m having fun with this.

I’m in my playfulness phase again and it makes me happy. What little changes or fun things make you smile? Maybe do one of them this week for fun!!

Good morning! One week into my food challenge (no added sugars and no foods where sugar is in the top three ingredients) and it’s going great so far. I’m eating more often and more food than usual (no caloric restrictions) and have only added a walk around the block daily to my exercise routine but I’m down 4 pounds. I’m assuming it’s water as my body is shedding some inflammation. But I feel pretty good. Weight loss wasn’t the goal of this really, but I’m not sad about it. 😂

Cravings not terrible since I’m still allowed fruits and carbs. My headaches I expected to get worse but actually they are improving. In part because I got away from some environmental factors, but I’m sure the more deliberate eating is also helping. One of the biggest changes is that I’m eating breakfast. I had been skipping it for years!

Excited to see what the next three weeks do. After the month is over I won’t be as strict. But I do want the habit of consciously eating and fueling my body to stay with me. Fingers crossed but so far, so good.

What are your favorite go-to healthy breakfasts?

💙💙💙

This is the first Saturday I haven’t worked for awhile. (All of my jobs since moving to Florida I’ve had to work every Saturday) It was lovely. Went to the farmer’s market, lunch at a coffee shop with my daughter, trip to the library. Simple things I have missed having time to do.

For a whole variety of reasons I made the difficult decision to leave my job at my beloved flower shop (last weekend was my last day) and go back to freelance work. I will miss the people I worked with SO much and hope to still see them - such wonderful friendships. But one of the biggest reasons I made the change was to reclaim my Saturdays. I don’t have much time left with kids at home. My youngest son starts his senior year of high school next week. After 35 years of parenting that stage of kids being here with me is winding down and I don’t want to miss it.

Wish me luck in my freelance endeavors- coaching, writing, child,pet and senior care. It’s a wild time working for yourself - it’s what I’ve done most of my career in different avenues. So here we go again!! And I’m going to open the book I got today and continue enjoying the peace of this beautiful Saturday while I can.

💙💙💙

My goddess Lakshmi yard statue arrived today. I’m so excited!! I’ve been looking at her online for over a year. Last week my sister sent me a photo of the SAME statue she had in her yard. She had no idea I was wanting the same one. I don’t know…it just felt like a sign. So I finally ordered her and she is perfect.

She will ultimately live in a Butterfly Garden I’ve been wanting to create in my backyard. Knowing she was. Coming soon I ordered the stone for the garden border and it arrived this morning too. I have some work ahead to make it happen but it’s out of the dreaming stage now and into the becoming reality stage. And soon I’ll have the lovely butterfly garden I’ve dreamed of for so long. Funny how long we can hold onto unrealized hopes and dreams without taking action. But even the smallest step can begin the momentum needed.

To me she has long represented femininity, beauty and spirituality. Abundance, good fortune and insight. Welcome to my home Lakshmi. May you bring all of your gifts to my yard and my life, and may I create a beautiful space for you to dwell…literally and figuratively.

#lakshmi #spirituality #creatingbeauty

So I started a No Sugar for 30 days challenge yesterday. I can still eat fruit and carbs, just nothing with sugar listed as one of the top three ingredients. No refined sugars. This includes more foods than you would think. 🤦‍♀️ I’m 1 and 1/4 days in and so far so good. But I’m realistic that this is going to be tough. Not just detoxing from the sugar, but being forced to take the time to make conscious choices about what I’m eating. In this fast paced world we get used to fast and convenient foods as well. But our health isn’t thanking us for that.

I’ve been battling some mystery health issues that multiple doctors have struggled to figure out. It’s now being assumed to be environmental or food related (possible insulin resistance) so this is an experiment to see what, if any, effect lowering sugar could have. I figure it can’t hurt at least right?

Wish me luck. But what I hope most from this is to retrain some habits and mindsets I’ve developed while running so fast through life. Slowing down again and being more deliberate about my decisions generally. This isn’t new. I know this stuff. Heck I’ve written and podcasted about it. But as with most lessons of value it helps to be reminded of what we know when we got too sidetracked to remember. Here we go!!

I was reminded just now of the old Alan Jackson song lyric “hotter than a hoochie coochie.”

Not sure I ever fully understood what that meant until I moved to Florida.

That is all.

😬☀️#floridaheat #floridaliving

Reposting this here cuz I can’t stop laughing…it’s so true.

I need a lady to come clean my house and to do it right!!! 😑😑😑😡😡 I don’t like to speak badly about anyone BUT the lady I currently have is always tired🤦‍♀️ and she steadily gets distracted, goes off to pet the dog or do something else. When she does the laundry, it takes her a few days because she forgets to take them out of the washer so she has to keep rewashing them. If it’s about ironing clothes, no way, she is not doing it! Instead, she puts them in the dryer again 🙄

More than cleaning, she is always looking for what she can eat and she does the work slowly (reluctantly) and moves from room to room without finishing. 😡

BTW...That lady is me!!! 😭🤣
That’s why I’m looking for another one!!🤣 Cuz ya girl is TIRED!!!
Hey! A couple minutes of reading didn’t hurt! Too funny NOT to share 😂 Stop laughing! Go ahead & steal this post! I did 🤣

This story is everywhere…and so fast!! The internet is a powerful thing. That’s both good and bad depending on your perspective.

A few thoughts I’ve had on this:

-Yes I do think people deserve privacy even when they are famous or wealthy. However, if you choose to appear publicly, flaunting your behavior, you forfeited your privacy all by yourself. No one else is to blame for that. Again…the audacity.

-Reminder to all that whether we realize it or not, you’re almost always being filmed or recorded or at least that potential is there. But guess what? If you’re not doing anything sketchy that will likely never be a problem for you. Creepy nonetheless though.

-Let’s all please give the spouses and families the space to figure out next steps. THEY do deserve their privacy.

Those will likely turn out to be some pretty expensive concert tickets. Hope it was worth it.

#coldplayed #coldplaykisscam #ceoproblems

New life goal? I’m kinda here for it 😂😂😂

It’s funny how sometimes the circle of life gives you multiple chances to do the things you are meant to do. Many of you may recall that I’ve been in Toastmasters clubs off and on for many many years. I’ve enjoyed the varied aspects of club membership, from improving skills at public speaking (prepared and improv) the friendships I’ve gained and the creative outlet. It’s always been a loose goal I’ve had to attain the “Distinguished Toastmaster” title, but thus far due to time constraints and such I haven’t achieved that. There’s quite a lot to it. One of the requirements is to serve as a Club Officer for a year. That always felt beyond my bandwidth schedule wise. In my previous club I served briefly as the President of our chapter, but due to personal things, including a move, I had to drop out of that role fairly early on so it didn’t “count” toward my DTM requirement.

I’ve been fortunate to align with a wonderful local club again here in Florida (Destin-South Walton Toastmasters) and for this next term (the TM year runs July to June) I will once again be privileged to hold the officer role of club president. It feels full circle and I am grateful for the opportunity to fulfill what I was unable to before, learn the lessons meant for me, and help others on their toastmaster journeys as well. This will be a massive stepping stone on my road to becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster too, so I’m excited about that.

For any local people interested in improving your public speaking skills in a safe, warm, friendly environment, we would love to have you join us at a meeting. You do not have to be a member to come check it out, participate with us (or not) and see what you think of it. We meet in Miramar Beach on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month from 6 to 7 PM and we’d love to see you on August 5th (no meetings in July)

Message me with any questions you have about our local club or Toastmasters International in general.

#toastmasters #speakingskills

Florida problems = Looked cute…went outside for about 15 minutes…utterly destroyed 😂😂😂

It’s hot ya’ll. ☀️shoutout to the inventor of air conditioning. Florida residents thank you.

🧡🧡🧡

#frizzyhairdontcare #floridaheat #summerinflorida

Hey friends…I am setting up my podcast social media in advance of rolling back out soon. So wanting you to know if you see @thejoyfulicitypodcast it’s not spam and I haven’t been hacked. It’s actually me. 😃 My old episodes will be added soon and new ones on a TBD timeframe.

Come connect with me over there too! Love you and thanks for your support in advance as I bring this back into my life again. 🥰🥰🥰

When you know you know…right?

When it’s time to make a change. What you are destined to. The answer to hard life questions. If a job or activity or relationship is right for you.

You know the times when your mind is racing in circles. Yes or No? Stay or Go? And you remain in a loop of conflict that paralyzes you from moving forward. Wringing your hands and pleading with spirit for direction.

But if you’re truly and deeply honest with yourself, you actually DO know what to do. Almost always your heart and soul knows the path. Usually has known for a long time. These prayers have likely been answered many times. We remain stuck not because we don’t know the call. But either because something about that answer scares us OR because our head and heart differ on what makes sense. Or because we simply prefer a different path and figure that if we keep on asking the answer will change. We can go on this way for years. Sitting with the engine running at the green light, but not driving toward the destination. Idling.

You can deny and fight it all you want, but the truth remains. When you know you know. And a great adventure awaits when you learn to trust yourself enough to act upon that understanding. In faith and confidence. Believe me I know this is harder than it sounds. I also know though that it gets easier to move as soon as you shift into gear.

That’s the goal of my coaching - not to tell you what to do. But to help you find courage to follow what you already know. Message me for more information.

A little classic rock humor to brighten your day. You’re welcome 😂

I saw three of these bands live back in the day. Had most of their albums (or cassette tapes) Some of them may even still be touring? I really do feel blessed to have grown up in the prime time of Rock. And big hair. Miss those days.

Have a blessed day! 🎸

Ya’ll - have you ever walked away from something and just known you shouldn’t have? That was me a year and a half ago with my coaching. website, blog and podcast. I won’t get into all of the reasons I made the decision at the time to shut all of that down after so many wonderful years. In short, I felt overwhelmed with other things in my life and something had to give at the time. But I’ve never stopped missing that whole side of myself - the creative outlet, the connections with so many of you…just all of it. Ultimately it’s a part of me I just can’t let go.

So I’m bringing Joyfulicity back!! My heart is overflowing with happy even to say those words. It’s going to take a minute to get back up and running everywhere. Working on revamping my sites and such, but it’s all coming back. The site, the podcast, the coaching, writing, etc etc. I wasn’t fully me without them. And I know now that you can try to walk away from things essential to your soul…but your path always seems to lead you back home.

For now my social media names are all returning to what they were (and should have stayed) and the rest will come back in baby steps. But each step will be joyful for me, and I appreciate your friendship and support in advance.

Love you! ❤️❤️❤️

Today’s activity…kayaking with Haley from Eden Gardens State Park. So fun. We didn’t encounter any gators thankfully. 😂 no pics from out there cuz we didn’t want to tip over haha. But it’s beautiful. 🐊

I pray that we as a nation will find a pathway back to the values that we once held dear.

Equal rights for all. Safety from tyranny. Separation of church and state. Freedom of speech and the right to assemble. Caring for the elderly and the needy.

The Statue of Liberty - an iconic symbol of the American Dream that once meant hope to immigrants coming to our shores. Now we have official travel warnings issued by many other countries because we are considered hostile and dangerous. It’s heartbreaking to me - so much of what is happening under the current administration. But I still love my country. So I will continue my pleas to God, and to the human decency of our citizens, to halt this destruction before it’s too late. I sincerely hope we can.

If we’re going to be addicted to things…they may as well be healthy things.

Let’s be obsessed with beauty and nature. Oceans, mountains. Waterfalls and flowers.

Let’s be addicted to laughter with friends. Service to those in need, kindness to animals and holding hands with people we love.

Let’s light up to creativity. Music and learning new things. Meditative walks, deep conversations, the rush that comes from pushing your body to a new fitness goal, and drinking herbal tea while reading a new book.

Let’s be addicted to the thrill of being alive, and to all of the possibilities today can bring,

Taking a few days off of work to rest and recharge. Hang out with my family. I don’t think I’ve ever taken PTO before without a “reason.” Like a vacation or an appointment or something I needed to accomplish. It’s quite refreshing to take time off just because - with no activity agenda. Just to BE, and to tend to being a human.

Just being alive is enough excuse to take time off sometimes. 🧡🧡🧡🧡

Love you all.

Oh man…I WISH we had a Costco here. 😂😂😂

#genxhumor #genxagingdifferent #genxdating

Pretty sure I won’t have the discipline or emotional strength for any of this- but at least I’ll have the knowledge. Small steps are still steps!

#babystepstosuccess #babystepstogreatness #nutrition

Ya’ll- The misinformation being spread about DEI is driving me crazy. To be clear…affirmative action & DEI are NOT the same. DEI isn’t giving out jobs or advantages to anyone. It’s training & policy that disallows discrimination. It’s not giving special treatment…it’s making sure everyone gets equal treatment.

DEI doesn’t mean you have to hire someone unqualified because they are female, black, handicapped, or gay. DEI means managers can’t refuse to hire a qualified candidate simply because of those things. DEI doesn’t mean a landlord has to rent to an unqualified minority…it means they can’t deny applications simply because they don’t personally like black or Jewish people or don’t want a single mom in the neighborhood. It ensures they have to rent based on the same standards of income and consider all qualified candidates. DEI is NOT eliminating merit based decision making, it’s ensuring it.

If more women than men are getting into college now it’s not because men are being discriminated against. It’s because women are getting better grades & test scores. On an even playing field they’re being let in on merit. If a black person gets a job instead of a white person it’s insulting to assume it’s due to special advantage. Did you see the resumes? Hear the interviews? They got hired because the employer decided they were the BEST candidate. DEI didn’t get them the job. DEI’s role was to ensure their application was even considered. In times past it may not have been. Not long ago black people couldn’t vote, gay people couldn’t marry, single women couldn’t get mortgages or could be sexually touched at work with no recourse…etc. Is that the “great” time we want to return to? Those days weren’t that great for everyone.

Diversity
Equity
Inclusion

Say the words out loud. Why would any decent human not WANT those values to be promoted?

*related …the mountain was LONG known as Denali until renamed for no reason after a man that had never even been to Alaska. It’s Denali…the great one.

Just a reminder as things heat up for summer. Love your pet babies everyone. Take good care of them. They deserve it!

Happy weekend everyone.

Based on how warm it’s been, it’s already felt like summer. But tomorrow makes it official!

The longest day of the year. What do you plan to do with your extra sunlight?

I’ve always been a bit solar powered. The more sunlight I soak up the more I’m able to shine MY light too.

As we usher in the summer solstice, today let’s honor the sun and the fire element and give thanks for its warmth and light in our lives.

☀️☀️💛💛

This time I got the red I hoped for!! 🎉🎉🎉 No makeup today so don’t judge me 😂😂. But this is so fun to try for a while. Who knows what color I’ll do next month?

Have fun in life guys. Most things just aren’t that deep. Be creative and open and joyful. I mean…why not?

Love you. 🥰

Bought my first vinyl at a record store since way back before we called them vinyls. At the cutest little shop in Seagrove. It was so nostalgic looking through the old albums. Felt cozy and wonderful. Will listen to this with my tea tomorrow morning.

Happy Monday friends. 🧡🎶

Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads out there. But especially to this handsome guy - my father Tom Wakefield. He still can captivate a room with his amazing travel stories or renditions of long passages from Hamlet that he knows by heart.

I’m lucky to be my father’s daughter! ❤️❤️❤️

When things are going “wrong” in the world, in politics, in our love lives, anything really…those pain points often become all we are able to see, or bear, or focus on. If you break a bone it’s nearly impossible through the agony to give much thought to the other bones that are healthy and strong. But they are still there. Good and right and happiness still exists even in difficult or frightening times. We might just have to make the conscious choice to seek it out.

But this post message is that it’s ok to feel sad. Perfectly normal to feel angry in the face of injustice. Or despair in the midst of loss. Sometimes we are taught to ignore or cover over those feelings by putting on a false smile and pretending we are ok when we aren’t. I don’t think that serves anyone if it’s a lie. You feel what you feel inside no matter what mask you may wear, and sometimes those feelings are important to listen to, act on and process in order to change circumstances that need changing or heal fully.

Feel - you’re allowed. But reach for gratitude and joy simultaneously. It’s ok to feel sad, and also allow yourself to have a moment of respite watching a beautiful sunset. It’s ok to feel angry about circumstances and still stop to laugh at a funny joke or smile watching your grandchildren playing. It’s ok to appreciate beauty, count your blessings and have playful moments even when life is far from perfect. Joy and difficulty can exist at the same time. Like a complimentary dance on the journey of life. Fully experience them both when necessary,

For anyone struggling today…I see you. I believe in you. I love you. ❤️

In honor of Father’s Day weekend…I couldn’t help it ya’ll 😂😂😂

Happy Saturday.

You are my people - you know who you are. 😂😂😂

#midlifegardener #amateurgardener #gardeningforthesoul #ilovemygarden

Fun night at a Def Leppard cover band concert tonight. To be honest they weren’t the greatest band, but it beat sitting home watching tv ��😁 and we had a side quest to save a little frog from being trampled after he hopped onto our blanket. 😂 the majority of the audience were AARP members 😬

My friends…

I wish for you weekends that feel longer.

Wine that tastes sweeter.

Sunshine and belly laughs.

Hugs…lots of hugs.

The little things in life that add the richness and flavor.

I wish you joy.

❤️❤️❤️

My new baby!!! Isn’t it the cutest???

Slow dancin’…swayin’ to the music…

(If you’re old enough you know you sang that rather than read it)

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Just leaving this right here!

When you think of LGBTQ+ it’s not a random distant group. It’s your friends, family members, community whether you realize it or not. It’s folks sitting next to you on the subway or passing you in the grocery store isle. It’s human beings that deserve safety and respect and love as much as anyone else does. It’s people with hearts and minds and families and dreams and ambitions and feelings.

It’s fellow humans on this journey called life. It’s the neighbors Jesus commanded us to love. So love them! Love everyone. It’s really pretty simple.

🏳️‍🌈❤️

So basically I’m a soccer mom with only the slightest hippie twist. 😂 but when I hear there’s a Def Leppard cover band coming soon my answer is “Yes Please.” And my inner rocker chick is ready to come out and play. Getting tickets today hopefully.

Here’s the thing about personas and ideas of who we are and who we’re supposed to be….forget them. Throw them out of your mind and life and just be yourself. In all of the confusion and contradictions. In all of the questions and changes and explorations and curiosities. Don’t try to craft the answer to “who am I” - just BE and let it reveal itself to you through your joy. Your excitement. The things that make you want to dance and create.

Rock on my friends. Whatever that looks like for you. 🤘🎸 Be weird. Embrace it.

Saying it louder for those in the back 😂

Had so much fun showing my Dad, Chelsea and Tommy all around 30A area today. Perfect weather. Feeling blessed and happy. ❤️❤️❤️

Fun day on the water with family in town for the holiday - dolphin tour in Destin. Saw tons of them. Perfect weather. Blessed.

Happy Memorial Day weekend everybody.

Consider this your reminder not to “under” yourself.

-underemploy
-undervalue
-understate
-underestimate
-under appreciate
-under love and nurture
-under eat and sleep
-you get the idea…

I mean - of course sometimes you might as part of a deliberate life choice for a specific reason. I’m just saying don’t do it out of fear. Or self loathing. Or insecurity. Or because someone else in your life taught you to stay small. Or that you were undeserving.

Don’t allow anyone else to “under” you either.

You are beautiful, loved and worthy of all that’s good and wonderful in this world. Don’t forget it.

❤️❤️😬

Never gets old ya’ll. Sunrise and sunsets over the water, listening to the sound of the waves. Stars over the sand on clear nights. The salt air.

Blessed ❤️

Ya’ll I can’t…stop…laughing. I felt this in my soul. 😂😂

🤘🤘🎸🎸🤘👵🏻👵🏻👵🏻

My first little mini harvest from my garden. Lots more almost ready to be picked. Not sure why little things like this make me so happy…but I’m glad they do. 😁

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend full of harvests from whatever you’ve been nurturing and growing (literally or metaphorically)

And a huge thank you to all who took the time to wish me a happy birthday yesterday. Means a lot.

Today’s my 57th birthday. That doesn’t fully compute in my brain. 37 sounds better….but then again, does it?

I’ve changed a lot since 37. My 37 year old self would never have travelled the world solo. Or been brave enough to pack up the family and move to the beach.

My 37 year old self didn’t have the confidence to speak boldly about what she wants, needs, and dreams about the way I’m able to now. Or to wear a crop top on a hot day that shows a smidge of muffin top without giving 2 f$&s about what anyone thinks about it. She never would have pierced her nose. Or made passion and joy a priority over comfort zone. She barely knew who she was , so caught up in meeting the needs of others she forgot to tend to her own.

There’s an odd kind of freedom that comes as you age. When nothing has gone the way you planned in life anyway, so you stop worrying about perfection so much and double down on what actually matters (hint…it’s about people and experience over stuff…always was you just understand that better when you’re older)

Yeah the lines on my face show my age now - BUT 57 is beautiful and I LIKE my 57 year old self. I need to remember to tell her that more. ❤️

Accurate. Those were the days when me and my biggest crush (Jon Bon Jovi) had the same hairstyle.

I say we need to bring big hair back. Who is with me on this?

#80srock #80snostalgia

Mother’s Day is the busiest week of the year in a flower shop so it’s been an intense and crazy busy week! But rewarding.

Lovely to see all of the beautiful messages sent to honor mothers. To all of my kids…thank you for making me a mother. To my grandkids’ moms…thank you for being such amazing mothers to the cuties. To my mother, step mother and mother in law….i love you. You’ve all influenced me beyond words over the years.

Mother is a powerful word. A beautiful life mission. A symbol of love.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there. My plan for Mother’s Day is to get a little nap after this long week 😂😂

❤️❤️❤️

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