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'TOOLBELT FOR LIFE' EDITION
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Welcome back to the October Issue of our Toolbelt For Life Newsletter.
October has always felt special to me. It’s my birthday month, and every year I use it as a reminder to consciously celebrate joy. Not the fleeting kind that depends on everything going right, but the kind that grows quietly beneath the surface - the deep, soul-level joy that sustains us through all seasons.
It also happens to fall in my favourite time of year. I adore autumn, the blaze of colour in the trees, the crisp, cold mornings that give way to bright, sunny afternoons, the feeling of wrapping up warm while nature begins to rest. There’s something deeply grounding about this season of change, a sense that joy can be found in both letting go and beginning again.
When I wrote last month’s The Other Way, the celestial theme for October was Grounded Belonging that invited us to root into truth, connection, and presence. So as we move through the month, that energy evolves. From belonging, we move into blooming. From rootedness, we rise into joy.
So as the leaves turn and the air sharpens, this issue is my invitation to join me and explore how joy takes root in everyday life. From laughter to wonder, from small moments of play to the way beauty lifts the spirit, this month is about remembering that joy isn’t something we chase. It’s something we grow. |
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In Alchemist's Alcove, we delve into the world of our founding alchemists, exploring their personal journeys, passions, and unique approaches to transformation. Discover the tools, modalities, and insights that shape their practice and inspire change. |
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Charlotte - Rooted in Joy |
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Joy, I’ve learned, isn’t something we stumble upon, it’s something we plant. Over the years, I’ve built small, intentional rituals that remind me joy can take root anywhere.
Some days it’s laughter that resets me - a funny clip in the middle of a busy day, a light-hearted pause that lets my nervous system breathe again. Other days, it’s the quiet magic of playing fetch with Luna, feeling the wind, or watching the sun slip below the trees. And sometimes, joy finds me in awe: standing before a majestic waterfall, being lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, or simply feeling the sheer wonder of being alive.
These aren’t luxuries; they’re lifelines. The more I make space for them, the more I notice how joy transforms not just my day, but my way of being.
Joy reminds me that even in uncertainty, there’s always something to return to, laughter, beauty, connection, the small, sacred moments that root me in gratitude and bring my soul home. |
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In Practice Prompt, we offer a bite-sized ritual or reflective question to bring the theme of the month into your daily rhythm. These simple yet powerful nudges are designed to help you pause, recalibrate, and listen to the quiet wisdom within. Because real change starts with one intentional breath. |
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Letting Joy Take Root
Joy doesn’t always arrive in big, sweeping gestures. More often, it’s the tiny sparks that appear when we slow down enough to notice.
So, today’s practice is simple: Joy Spotting.
Take one minute - right now if you can - and look around you.
What’s one thing that makes you smile, soften, or feel alive? Maybe it’s sunlight catching on glass, the rhythm of your breath, or a memory that warms you from the inside out.
When you find it, pause. Breathe it in. Notice where you feel it in your body, your chest, your belly, your shoulders, and let that feeling root itself there.
Because the more we notice joy, the more our body remembers how to find it again. |
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In Modality Moments, we introduce you to a unique modality each week, sharing its significance, why it’s worth exploring in our Wellness Wiki, and a personal insight to inspire your journey. |
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Laughter Yoga – The Science of Joyful Release |
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We often think laughter follows joy - but in truth, laughter can create it. Laughter Yoga (yes it's a real thing) blends intentional laughter with breathwork and gentle movement, turning a simple giggle into a full-body release.
What begins as a playful exercise quickly becomes real joy as your body takes over. Laughter floods your system with endorphins, reduces cortisol, and signals safety to your nervous system. It reminds you that joy isn’t something to wait for; it’s something you can activate anytime.
You don’t need to feel funny to start - just the willingness to let go, breathe deeply, and allow sound and silliness to work their magic. The result is lightness, connection, and a quiet kind of peace that lingers long after the laughter fades |
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In Product Pick, we spotlight a curated item from our store each week, featuring recommendations from our alchemists and insights on why this product could enhance your journey toward wellness and transformation. |
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Unlock Your Joy – 30-Day Laughter Challenge |
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Ready to laugh your way to a lighter, calmer you?
Our 30-Day Laughter Challenge ebook invites you to make joy a daily ritual. Each day brings a simple laughter-based activity designed to reduce stress, lift your mood, and reconnect you with the playful side of life.
You receive a printable weekly calendar and gentle prompts to help you reflect, reset, and weave laughter more naturally into your day. It’s an easy yet powerful way to rewire your nervous system - lowering cortisol, boosting endorphins, and reminding your body what happiness feels like.
Because laughter isn’t a luxury - it’s medicine for the mind, body, and soul.
💛 October Offer: Enjoy 50% off this month with code JOY50 at checkout.
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In Tool Time, we highlight one practical tool designed to support your inner alignment and everyday well-being. Whether it's a downloadable guide, a journal prompt, or a boundary-building aid, each spotlight offers something tangible to help you take your transformation from theory into practice - one tool at a time. |
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Where Joy Hides and How to Find It – with Ingrid Fetell Lee |
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I love a good TED Talk - there’s something magical about distilling a complex concept into just a few minutes of pure clarity. And this one, Where Joy Hides and How to Find It by designer Ingrid Fetell Lee, is one of my favourites.
She explores joy as something we can access through our surroundings - through colour, light, texture, and form. It’s a fascinating reminder that joy isn’t only an inner state, it’s also a sensory experience that we can invite into our lives through how we design our spaces and days.
Lee’s talk bridges science and soul, showing how joy can be sparked by the physical world, not just by thought or emotion. It’s a beautiful complement to this month’s theme, Rooted in Joy, because it reminds us that joy isn’t abstract or elusive. It’s right here, hidden in plain sight, waiting for us to notice.
You’ll find this talk, along with many others, in our newly upgraded Resource Centre - now complete with topic filters (including Joy) to help you explore more ways to bring lightness and vitality into your life.
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In Transformative Tales, we share stories of personal transformation - from our own experiences, our readers' journeys, and inspiring narratives from around the world. These stories aim to ignite hope, spark inspiration, and demonstrate the incredible potential for change that resides within each of us. |
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The Joy of Wonder – Nature’s Overflow |
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Every few years, nature surprises us with what’s known as a mast year. A season when trees and plants produce more fruit, seeds, and nuts than usual. Acorns and Conkers blanket the forest floor, rose hips burn bright in the hedgerows, and the air hums with quiet abundance.
Scientists tell us this is nature’s way of ensuring survival - feeding the animals who depend on her while guaranteeing new life for the years ahead. But to me, it feels like something more. It feels like joy. The kind that comes when we’re so grounded, so connected, that giving becomes effortless.
Walking through the woods this autumn, surrounded by all that richness, I can’t help but see it as a mirror. When we root deeply into belonging and nourishment, joy becomes our natural overflow. It spills out through our laughter, our generosity, and our awe.
Joy, like nature, isn’t meant to be contained. It’s meant to be shared - a living reminder that when we’re rooted, we bloom not just for ourselves, but for the world around us.
Reflect: What moments of wonder have reminded you of life’s quiet abundance this month? |
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As we move deeper into October, I hope this issue has sparked moments of laughter, lightness, and wonder. Small reminders that joy doesn’t have to wait for perfect conditions. Like the trees outside, we can let go of what’s heavy, trust our roots, and still find colour in the turning.
Joy, after all, is cyclical. It grows quietly in the pauses, reappears in connection, and deepens every time we share it. So this month, whether you’re laughing with friends, walking beneath gold-tipped branches, or simply breathing in a crisp autumn morning, notice how joy shows up for you, and let it take root there.
Thank you for being part of this journey and this community. If something here resonated, a story, a tool, even just a phrase, let it land gently. Take what feels true. Leave the rest.
If you found value in this edition, consider sharing it with someone who might be feeling foggy, stretched, or simply ready for something quieter.
You can forward this email, or send them the link to subscribe.
Until next time,
Charlotte |
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