Stitching Your Sanity Quilt

 

April 5, 2026 Regenerate Your World  Build the future you want to live in. I know these times aren't the easiest for all of us, but I am an optimist - I see the glass as refillable instead of half-full or half-empty. To brighten up your days, I publish the Regenerate Your World newsletter coming to your inbox on a bi-weekly basis. Let's Get Empowered!

Stitching Your Sanity Quilt A cozy room at a B&B in Vermont. I was taken by surprise by having a moose in the room! Even the mightiest among need a place to rest. What's holding you together these days? Greetings, Empowered Reader, During a recent stay at a charming B&B in Vermont, I was greeted by an unexpected roommate, a stuffed moose, perched right there on the quilt. I laughed out loud. And then I thought: of course, there's a moose on the quilt. Because lately, life keeps reminding me that the most delightful things are the ones we never planned for. That little moment is exactly what today's newsletter is about. Drawing from the wisdom of author, coach, and sociologist Martha Beck, we're exploring how to build what she calls a "sanity quilt", a patchwork made of small joys, beloved people, and the places that truly support you. Ready to start stitching? Let's dive in. Let’s talk about quilting. I myself am not a quilter; however, I have friends and family members who quilt, and I admire their handiwork.  If you think about it, life is a lot like a quilt. We each stitch together activities, work roles, relationships, and favorite spaces, often following tried-and-true patterns handed down to us: loyal employee, perfect parent, good citizen, or all of the above. For many, those patterns work well enough. For others, they might feel limited. But here’s a twist, in my observation, quilters have two ways to work. Some follow patterns, carefully matching and trimming the fabric so every piece fits the plan. Others make what’s known as a “crazy quilt” ( not my preferred terminology): gathering scraps that catch their eye, stitching them together by color or feel, creating something unique, beautiful because it reflects what delights them, not what’s prescribed. I learned about the approach from Martha Beck; she and I prefer to call it a “sanity quilt.” When you break out of patterns that don’t please you and start piecing together a life from activities, people, and places that bring you joy, that’s not “crazy,” that’s sanity. That’s how a life begins to feel tailored to your true self. Your Empower Possible Quilt: Make It Your Own Here’s a reflection exercise to try as you design your week: Start by jotting down five things you really, truly enjoy doing. List five people you love being around,  Write five places that make you feel alive List five items of clothing that bring you comfort or joy. On a new page, write all your upcoming plans and commitments for the next few days. Now, look for matches: Where do your favorite things show up in your schedule? Where could you add a patch, maybe a walk in a place you love, a quick call to a friend, or wearing that favorite scarf to a routine meeting? Every time you intentionally include one of your top fives, people, places, activities, or comforts, your week (and your life quilt) becomes warmer, more vibrant, and more resilient. Tips for Stitching in Joy Add small joys to your day, bit by bit, wear those fuzzy slippers in the morning or share a thoughtful text with someone you care about. Step outside for five minutes, curl up in your favorite chair with tea, or savor music, a page of an inspiring book, or a quick sketch. Build up your “life quilt” patch by patch. Keep each new “patch” for about four days before adding another. It quickly feels like a natural (and rewarding) part of your life, just like quilting a beautiful piece into your sanity quilt. Over time, your days and eventually your years can shift to better reflect your real passions and strengths. You don’t have to follow anyone else’s pattern. The quilt you create is uniquely yours. Reflection Questions Ask yourself: Which favorite people, places, activities, or comforts show up in your schedule and which are missing? What’s one small change you could try this week to bring more of your favorite fives into your routine? How could these joy-filled choices help you feel more authentic, grounded, or energized, especially during times of change? Your Affirmation “I honor my unique patchwork of connections, comforts, and joys. Every intentional choice helps me stitch a life that feels true and abundant.” Carry These Practices Forward As you complete our seven-day journey, meeting anxiety with kindness, sparking imagination, and designing daily moments of joy, remember that every breath, every creative act, and each chosen connection helps you return to peace and well-being. Treat these practices as patches in your own sanity quilt, weaving them into your daily life. What’s the biggest shift you’ve noticed in yourself, or the practice you most want to carry forward? Share your reflections with me via email, info@empowerpossible.com  A special thanks to Martha Beck, who was the inspiration for this newsletter. Take care, dear reader,  Julie Zaruba Fountaine  Founder, Empower Possible A "joy patch" moment — a trip to Cafe Aqui in Rochester, MN.  Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Click here to get your own subscription. Scan the QR Code to sign up to be notified when the next Mountain 10 workshop is offered.  What is Mountain 10?                                                                                                                                                         During this three-hour workshop, we will focus on accessing your inner wisdom to bring about the changes you deeply desire in your life. We will use the Mountain 10 process, a proven, new technology for deep reflection on human change. It is based on the conviction that every person has the most important answers about direction, purpose, and calling within them. This directed reflection process leads you through four terrains of exploration, stopping at points on the journey to consider key questions about awareness, letting go, vision and realization. The terrains of your journey will take you into deeper observation of your feelings, thoughts, and images. You will explore what you need to let go of as you truly seek what you really want. We will open a space for a new vision and consider the practical steps to actualize that vision. We will deepen our insights in small circles of trust. Journaling and guided reflection will be used throughout the journey. Summer Day By Mary Oliver As you carry these practices forward, I'll leave you with the question Mary Oliver poses at the end of her poem The Summer Day — a question worth sitting with as you design your week: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" (Read the full poem at poets.org)

Kind Words from a Coaching Client A special thanks to one of my coaching clients for sharing a few kind words about her coaching experience. In The Media Where can you find EMPOWER Possible? Besides posting on my own social media I also collaborate with other entrepreneurs.  Thank you to Jessica Osborn for hosting me on your podcast in April. Below is the episode description.  Feeling the burden of non-stop hustle? We've all been there—caught in the to-dos, trying to keep the burnout at bay while chasing success the way we've been told you have to - working longer and harder than anyone else. Well, what if you DON'T have to do it that way?For every story of hard work and grind ... there's another story of reaching success by working LESS! Why do we seem to tune into the ones that tell you success is the result of sleeping very little and spending all your time chasing goals? Even if you take a moment to think about this - it makes no sense at all! You already know you're much more productive when you're energized and highly focused. That means your brains need sleep, rest and space. Short bursts of work where you can focus on the important things. So... it's time to talk boundaries, joy, and finding your stride in the rush of work-life challenges. By pressing play on this episode you'll discover: - Why we often find ourselves struggling to utter the simple word "no," and how it impacts our path to joyful success - What signs scream "it's time to move on" from your job and craft the role that truly aligns with you? - The absolute value of self-awareness in writing your own story of personal and professional triumph. - How can setting boundaries revolutionize the way you work, live, and maintain a sense of self? Click HERE to check out the podcast Interested in catching up on our previous podcast episodes? We invite you to explore our library of past recordings, where we delve into a diverse range of topics related to happiness and well-being. https://empowerpossible.com/podcasts/

Connect with me on social media! Copyright © EMPOWER Possible  Northfield, United States EMPOWER Possible is dedicated to empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to organize and act together to regenerate our world through Self, Social, and Systems transformation.  info@empowerpossible.com \ Website \ Mission You are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in my work—thank you! You can change your email preferences or unsubscribe at any time.  Disclaimer: This newsletter contains content that has been modified and inspired by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. While we use ChatGPT to enhance our content, it should not be considered professional advice. For specific concerns or decisions, please consult with a qualified professional or trusted source. The newsletter authors are not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided by or inspired by ChatGPT.

Peru and the Empowerments

 

March 15, 2026 Regenerate Your World  Build the future you want to live in. I know these times aren't the easiest for all of us, but I am an optimist - I see the glass as refillable instead of half-full or half-empty. To brighten up your days, I publish the Regenerate Your World newsletter, coming to your inbox on a bi-weekly basis. Let's Get Empowered!

Peru, Empowerment, and Regeneration A view of Machu Picchu, built around 500 years ago, this network of terraces, palaces, plazas, temples, and homes becomes even more astonishing when you realize the Inca built it without iron, steel, or wheels. Dear Empowered Reader, Over the past two newsletters, we have walked through the first two empowerments of Empower Possible together. I have shared the Empowerments through the lens of my travels throughout Peru, with our National Geographic Journeys tour group.  The first newsletter focused on the first Empowerment of Empower Possible, Engage Your True Self. I sent the invitation to honor our inner world with curiosity and compassion, while the second newsletter focused on the second Empowerment of Empower Possible, Catalyze Your Social Networks. The newsletter highlighted the power of community and mutual care.  The natural next step and the focus of this newsletter is the third Empowerment, Systems Awareness, where we explore the systems we live and work within.  In Peru, systems became especially clear during our time at Machu Picchu, which we reached after an early train ride from Ollantaytambo and an 8-mile hike along the Inca trail, through sacred ruins, and up the mountain to the “Lost City of the Incas.” My husband and I are enjoying the view of Machu Picchu. Standing among the terraces, stone dwellings, and temples of Machu Picchu, one of the most striking impressions was how seamlessly the site is integrated into the surrounding landscape.  The terraces follow the curve of the mountain, the water channels work with gravity, and structures are placed in relation to both the terrain and the sky. The Incas designed with an understanding that they were part of a living system, not separate from nature, but in relationship with it.  This kind of systems awareness is something many in these modern times struggle to understand: building processes that honor natural rhythms instead of pushing against them. As our Peruvian tour group moved through the site with a local guide, learning how architecture, agriculture, and astronomy all fit together, I found myself thinking about the systems closer to home. In our families, workplaces, and communities, do our policies and routines support well-being, inclusion, and sustainability?  Or do they unintentionally create burnout, disconnection, and short-term thinking?  Touring Machu Picchu, it’s impossible not to feel awe. As I looked through the windows of the ancient homes, I was struck by how precisely they aligned. I can hardly hang a picture straight, let alone imagine building an entire city of perfectly balanced homes in the mountains  Systems awareness asks us to notice patterns, not just individual moments, and to ask brave questions about what we reward, what we ignore, and what we are willing to change. With that in mind, here are a few questions for you to consider:  Where in your life or work do you sense that “the way we do things” no longer supports the people involved?  How might you map the relationships among people, policies, and habits to better understand the patterns at play?  What is one small shift you could advocate for that would make your environment more aligned with your values?  A tool I’ve used is a systems-mapping exercise. The idea is to visually map out all the moving parts of your organization (or relationships), roles, routines, communication channels, and even the unspoken norms that drive everyday behavior, and then draw arrows showing how they influence one another. This creates a living snapshot of how work actually happens, rather than how it’s supposed to happen on paper. For example, during a digital transformation project I led, our team used this approach to understand why adoption of a new collaboration platform was lagging. When we mapped the system, we noticed that communication around the project flowed primarily top‑down through formal meetings, while the actual influencers, the mid‑level managers and subject matter experts, shared updates informally through chat channels. This imbalance created a hidden gap: the people doing the day‑to‑day change work weren’t getting consistent messages or feedback loops.  Once we visualized this, it became clear we needed to embed those informal influencers into the official project communication plan and create routines for cross‑level feedback. Adoption rates improved once the “invisible” dynamics were accounted for in our system design. Just as we were taking in the sights of Machu Picchu, a llama wandered up the terraces!  It was as if the llama was there to remind us that life still moves through this ancient place. An affirmation to anchor this work:  “I am part of systems that can evolve toward balance and wholeness.”  While drafting this newsletter. Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese, came to mind.  The poem calls us back into our belonging with “the family of things.”. When we combine inner work, nurturing relationships, and thoughtful attention to the systems around us, we create conditions where change is not just possible, it is sustainable.  As you move into your next season (the first day of Spring is on March 20), may you feel empowered at all three levels: within yourself, in your networks, and in the systems you experience each day. Take Care, Dear Reader, Julie Founder, Empower Possible Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Click here to get your own subscription. Wild Geese by Mary Oliver You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile, the world goes on..... Read the rest at https://www.poetry.com/poem/123017/wild-geese

In the Media Where can you find EMPOWER Possible? Besides posting on my own social media, I also collaborate with other entrepreneurs.  Thank you to The CEO Mindset for hosting me on your podcast.  By pressing play on this episode, you'll discover: How to change your life with systems, goals, and design a personal blueprint.    Are you ready to change your life? I am not sure if I know anyone who isn’t in some form or fashion.   In this episode of the podcast, we talk about the relationship between systems, goals, and my personal blueprint.Click here to listen. Interested in catching up on our previous podcast episodes? I invite you to explore our library of past recordings, where we delve into a diverse range of topics related to happiness and well-being. https://empowerpossible.com/podcasts/&nbsp Upcoming Events Mountain 10 Workshops What is Mountain 10?                                                                                                                                                         During this three-hour workshop, we will focus on accessing your inner wisdom to bring about the changes you deeply desire in your life. We will use the Mountain 10 process, a proven, new technology for deep reflection on human change. It is based on the conviction that every person has the most important answers about direction, purpose, and calling within them. This directed reflection process leads you through four terrains of exploration, stopping at points on the journey to consider key questions about awareness, letting go, vision, and realization. The terrains of your journey will take you into deeper observation of your feelings, thoughts, and images. You will explore what you need to let go of as you truly seek what you really want. We will open a space for a new vision and consider the practical steps to actualize that vision. We will deepen our insights in small circles of trust. Journaling and guided reflection will be used throughout the journey. Click HERE to sign up to be on the waitlist for the next workshop. I will reach out once a workshop is scheduled that meets your availability. Please reach out if you have any questions, info@empowerpossible.com

Connect with me on social media! Copyright © EMPOWER Possible  Northfield, United States EMPOWER Possible is dedicated to empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to organize and act together to regenerate our world through Self, Social, and Systems transformation.  info@empowerpossible.com \ Website \ Mission You are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in my work—thank you! You can change your email preferences or unsubscribe at any time.  Disclaimer: This newsletter contains content that has been modified and inspired by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. While we use ChatGPT to enhance our content, it should not be considered professional advice. For specific concerns or decisions, please consult with a qualified professional or trusted source. The newsletter authors are not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided by or inspired by ChatGPT.

Familia para la Aventura: Wellness in Community

March 2, 2026 Regenerate Your World  Build the future you want to live in. I know these times aren't the easiest for all of us, but I am an optimist - I see the glass as refillable instead of half-full or half-empty. To brighten up your days, I publish the Regenerate Your World newsletter coming to your inbox on a bi-weekly basis. Let's Get Empowered!

Familia para la Aventura: Wellness in Community Our National Geographic Journeys travel group. At the salt mines in Peru. Dear Empowered Reader,   In my last newsletter, I shared how my time in Peru invited me to “engage my true self”. To really notice what my body needed at altitude, to slow down, and to listen to what my mind and body needed. As I focused on being present, something interesting happened: it naturally created space for a different kind of connection with the people around me. From the moment our small tour group gathered in Lima at 6 p.m. that first evening, it was clear that we each arrived with our own stories, hopes, and worries. Over shared meals and long bus rides through the Sacred Valley, a sense of community began to form, one conversation and experience at a time. Our local guide welcomed us with a phrase that stayed with me: “We are 'familia para la aventura', a 'family for the adventure'. It felt like both an invitation and a reminder. Within days, this group of strangers became a circle of support. We shared snacks and sunscreen, checked in on each other’s energy at high altitude, and passed around extra gear when something broke.  Offering what we had and asking for what we needed. It showed me that empowerment isn't always about total independence; sometimes it's about opening up to ask for what you need, receiving care from others, and finding real strength in those connections. One of the most powerful moments came when we visited Parque de la Papa and later the Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosqo. Community members welcomed us not as spectators, but as participants in a living story of preservation, resilience, and reciprocity. As they shared how their work sustains both the land and their livelihoods, I felt how essential shared purpose is to genuine connection. Hearing their stories showed me how we are all interconnected, how we can all help carry forward these traditions by sharing what we learn, supporting sustainable efforts, and bringing that spirit of reciprocity back to our own communities. As we traveled through Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Urubamba, those lessons were reinforced. On the long bus rides between mountain villages, it was the small gestures that built a sense of belonging among our group: a supportive word before a hike, a reminder to hydrate, a shared handful of coca leaves. These moments were an example of what it means to catalyze our social networks, small, intentional acts of presence that help others feel seen, supported, and safe.  In many of my past travels, my reflection has happened mostly in solitude. This trip felt different. It invited me to widen the circle, to remember that meaningful change often emerges in relationships. Whether we’re on a mountain trail or in the middle of a typical workday, connection rarely happens by accident; it’s something we practice. Reflect on and practice.  As you think about your own well-being and relationships, you might explore: Which communities or relationships are currently sustaining and energizing you? Where might you need to ask for support instead of trying to carry everything by yourself? How could you be a “weaver” in your circles, someone who thoughtfully connects people, ideas, and resources for the good of the whole? Try this weekly connection check-in:  Pick one person in your life or work and send them a genuine note of gratitude, encouragement, or curiosity. No strings attached, don't expect anything in return. Affirmation Together, we are capable of meaningful, connected change. If you’d like to go deeper with this reflection. The poem by Naomi Shihab Nye, Kindness. It’s a beautiful reminder that true kindness and true community often grow out of our willingness to acknowledge both our own pain and the pain of others. When we honor our stories and make room for others to share theirs, we help weave a larger tapestry of transformation. Read the poem below.  In the next newsletter, we’ll step into the third empowerment: Activate Systems Awareness, drawing inspiration from the Incan terraces and the design of Machu Picchu and exploring how they can help us imagine more life-giving systems in our own lives and organizations. Take care, Dear Reader, Julie Founder, Empower Possible Spending the day hiking to Machu Picchu across challenging terrain was made easier with the group. We cheered each other on and supported one another throughout the hike. Hiking the Inca Trail is one of my favorite travel experiences ever.  Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Click here to get your own subscription. Scan the QR Code to sign up to be notified when the next Mountain 10 workshop is offered.  What is Mountain 10?                                                                                                                                                         During this three-hour workshop, we will focus on accessing your inner wisdom to bring about the changes you deeply desire in your life. We will use the Mountain 10 process, a proven, new technology for deep reflection on human change. It is based on the conviction that every person has the most important answers about direction, purpose, and calling within them. This directed reflection process leads you through four terrains of exploration, stopping at points on the journey to consider key questions about awareness, letting go, vision and realization. The terrains of your journey will take you into deeper observation of your feelings, thoughts, and images. You will explore what you need to let go of as you truly seek what you really want. We will open a space for a new vision and consider the practical steps to actualize that vision. We will deepen our insights in small circles of trust. Journaling and guided reflection will be used throughout the journey. Kindness Naomi Shihab Nye Before you know what kindness really is you must lose things, feel the future dissolve in a moment like salt in a weakened broth. What you held in your hand, what you counted and carefully saved, all this must go so you know how desolate the landscape can be between the regions of kindness. How you ride and ride thinking the bus will never stop, the passengers eating maize and chicken will stare out the window forever. Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness you must travel where the Indian in a white poncholies dead by the side of the road. You must see how this could be you, how he too was someone who journeyed through the night with plans and the simple breath that kept him alive. Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside, you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing. You must wake up with sorrow. You must speak to it till your voicecatches the thread of all sorrows and you see the size of the cloth. Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, only kindness that ties your shoes and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread, only kindness that raises its headfrom the crowd of the world to say It is I you have been looking for,and then goes with you everywhere like a shadow or a friend. From Words Under the Words: Selected Poems. Copyright © 1995 by Naomi Shihab Nye.

Upcoming Events LPHA Virtual Training March 6th Title: Your Next Best Step: Leadership Reflective Practice Session description: Reflective practice is the intentional process of examining our actions, experiences, and decisions to gain insights and foster growth. In noticing how we are “united in passion and purpose”, we walk alongside others through their most vulnerable moments, and reflection becomes a vital tool for processing our emotions and understanding the true impact of our work. This workshop invites participants to engage in structured reflective practices. Together, we will explore how ongoing reflection not only helps us notice the ripple effects of our actions on others but also reveals how our work and those we serve shape us in return. Registration Link Coming Soon! Mountain 10 Workshops  What is Mountain 10?                                                                                                                                                         During this three-hour workshop, we will focus on accessing your inner wisdom to bring about the changes you deeply desire in your life. We will use the Mountain 10 process, a proven, new technology for deep reflection on human change. It is based on the conviction that every person has the most important answers about direction, purpose, and calling within them. This directed reflection process leads you through four terrains of exploration, stopping at points on the journey to consider key questions about awareness, letting go, vision, and realization. The terrains of your journey will take you into deeper observation of your feelings, thoughts, and images. You will explore what you need to let go of as you truly seek what you really want. We will open a space for a new vision and consider the practical steps to actualize that vision. We will deepen our insights in small circles of trust. Journaling and guided reflection will be used throughout the journey. Click HERE to sign up to be on the waitlist for the next workshop. I will reach out once a workshop is scheduled that meets your availability. Please reach out if you have any questions, info@empowerpossible.com

Connect with me on social media! Copyright © EMPOWER Possible  Northfield, United States EMPOWER Possible is dedicated to empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to organize and act together to regenerate our world through Self, Social, and Systems transformation.  info@empowerpossible.com \ Website \ Mission You are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in my work—thank you! You can change your email preferences or unsubscribe at any time.  Disclaimer: This newsletter contains content that has been modified and inspired by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. While we use ChatGPT to enhance our content, it should not be considered professional advice. For specific concerns or decisions, please consult with a qualified professional or trusted source. The newsletter authors are not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided by or inspired by ChatGPT.