The Simple Sophisticate - Intelligent Living Paired with Signature Style

The simple sophisticate is someone who prefers quality over quantity, sensible living over mindless consumption, personal style instead of trendy fashions, has an insatiable curiosity for life’s endless questions and a desire to live a truly fulfilling life rather than being led around by the nose. Inspired by her lifestyle blog The Simply Luxurious Life, Shannon Ables (the original Simple Sophisticate) shares with listeners tips on how to live a refined life on an everyday income, a life of true contentment. Founded on the principle of the art of living a life of quality over quantity, episodes explore topics ranging from creating an everyday life you love living, strengthening mindfulness practices, preparing seasonally delicious meals, building a capsule wardrobe, traveling the world (Francophiles and Anglophiles tune in as France as well as the Britain are favorite destinations), and living life to the fullest without breaking the bank because living well is really quite simple. *illustration by artist Sarah Löcker exclusively commissioned for the show

402: How to Keep Ourselves Healthy - Mind and Body - for the Rest of Our Lives (specifically for perimenopausal and beyond, but for all ages too) 04/16/2025

402: How to Keep Ourselves Healthy - Mind and Body - for the Rest of Our Lives (specifically for perimenopausal and beyond, but for all ages too) "With the right training, nutrition, lifestyle strategies, and the power of the mind, women in their fifties and beyond can still [accomplish amazing feats] . . . women prove every day that our best years can be ahead of us no matter how old we are now . . . you've accumulated hard-earned wisdom and power over the years. You're higher on the totem pole of life. There are countless opportunities that lie ahead." —Dr. Stacy Sims, phD, International exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist The beautiful gift of stepping into another year of life is that we have the opportunity, but not the promise, to enjoy the application of wisdom learned along the way. As someone who lives with awareness and pays attention to the reality of life, we know that our bodies need to be taken care of properly so that they can take care of us. Knowing how our bodies change as we age is crucial to knowing how to give it the care it needs for optimal quality of living. Which brings me to a reality that , an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, pointed out in a recent interview on (listen ), the majority, and arguably supermajority of all fitness studies and how the body responds to exercise for weight loss and strength building has been done with men as their test subjects, and the few studies that did involve women, were women who were pre-menopausal age. In fact, she points out in her latest book that in a 2019 study published by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings "found that of 177 resident physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, and even obstetrics/gynecology who were surveyed, 20 percent received zero lectures on menopause during their training. Fewer than 7 percent reported feeling prepared to help manage the care of women through their menopausal years." However, thankfully, awareness and discussion and knowledge are being more readily shared thanks to many high profile individuals - , , Naomi Watts, , Katie Couric, Maria Shriver and more. What is most important is understanding what we can do and how it will benefit us not only in the short-term but in the long-term. And as someone who has been active all of my life, and now am at the age of 46, I began to realize I need to learn more about what I can do to keep my body strong, reduce the symptoms and continue to enjoy working out while seeing results. That is why I was thrilled to be introduced to Dr. Stacy Sims, and I have a long-time TSLL reader and member to thank for this - Janet M. Janet sent me that essentially just blasts so many myths out of the water about how to eat, workout and think about what we do to ourselves as women as we step into the perimenopausal and then postmenopausal period of our life, which is the rest of our life - we think we need to eat less and work out more and the exact opposite is true. I cannot tell you how refreshing, validating and inspiring was, so I encourage you to listen to it so you can meet Dr. Stacy Sims and get an introduction to what we're going to talk about today and why I highly recommend picking up her latest book . With all of that said, I have simultaneously been reading a book about how to strengthen our memory to do all that we can, whatever our age, to prevent dementia and Alzheimer's, and what I discovered, which will not likely surprise you, is that so much of what we can do for our physical health that will also benefit our brain health and strong memory. So today's episode is the episode that will share with you 17 specific life habits, practices and approaches to keep both your body and mind healthy for the rest of our lives, specifically dedicated to women as we move through perimenopause, then menopause (which is essentially one day), and the postmenopause which will be for the rest of our lives. Why not discover how to thrive and enjoy this awesome time of our lives because as a favorite quote of my shares, "The climax of the story always occurs in the second act. It's the best part." as written for the dramatized show Julia about Julia Child. The other reason I wanted to bring this episode to you is because the more we talk about and celebrate and model how to live amazingly through this inevitable change, we destigmatize what has been for centuries seen as a negative along the journey of womanhood. No longer! And that can only change with women - the words we use, how we talk about it, how we live, etc. The mindset we bring, the attitude, the wisdom, the support, it will all make a powerful difference that not only will help each of us, but those around us and those who will arrive into the latter half of their life after us undaunted and eager to do so because of the women who came before who refused to be seen as less-than or a incapable of achieving amazing things. ~Find the Show Notes on The Simply Luxurious Life blog — /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/36164660

401: What France Continues to Teach Me About Living Well 04/02/2025

400: What I've Learned in French Class, So Far . . . : Part Neuf 03/19/2025

400: What I've Learned in French Class, So Far . . . : Part Neuf When beginning this journey back in September 2022, I never imagined I would feel comfortable speaking French without thinking too far ahead of myself nor caring if I spoke incorrectly (which is still quite often), but two and a half years later, it has happened! Imperfect French is being spoken and the fundamentals are more confidently understood than ever before. Wahoo! While having attempted to take a French language class here and there over the past two years beginning when I was 20 back in college, I never made it past the 103. It took me three attempts, but finally, I made it all the way to completing FR 204 with the instruction of . Back in September 2022 I enrolled at the very beginning yet again, and told myself that B1 completion was my goal, so finishing FR 204. As I shared in , in part four of this series, “On ne comprend jamais tout à fait une langue avant d’en comprendre au moins deux.” And finally, the phrase rings more true than ever. To learn a second language, if one doesn't know well their first, is to more fully know their primary language well. And appreciate their knowledge of it as well. Humility is a muscle strengthened while stumbling over the rules of a new language and not being able to speak near as well as a toddler in the language you wish to know. So with my humility taken to the workout gym regularly twice a week, every week (minus the two week and annual four-week break between courses), attempting to speak French is no longer fearful, but absolutely not perfect. However, as my instructor for the past three courses reminded us repeatedly, practice, practice, practice. That is how we acquire into our long-term memory a language, by using, however, imperfectly from time to time. And so on February 13th, just over a month ago, I celebrating concluding FR 204. What I would like to share with you today are the key lessons learned during FR 203 and FR 204 as our last part of this series - part huit - covered up through my FR 202 class conclusion. Tune in to the episode to discover the 12 things I Learned in French Class So Far . . . , Part Neuf. Explore the detailed Show Notes on The Simply Luxurious Life blog - /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/35518700

399: Eight Things I've Learned in my 46th Year 03/05/2025

398: The Simple Two Word Phrase that will Transform Your Life in Extraordinary Ways, as taught by Mel Robbins (and it's not on the cover of her new book) 02/19/2025

397: The Serenity of Savoring Being Single and the Abundance of Love that is Present 02/05/2025

397: The Serenity of Savoring Being Single and the Abundance of Love that is Present With Valentine's Day right around the corner, an annual holiday to celebrate love, those we love in all its different relationship forms, it can be helpful to be reminded that love doesn't have a hierarchy. One type of relationship be it a friendship, a spouse, a parent/child, a pet companion, a universal love for humanity, self-love - isn't more or less important, but merely other avenues of giving and receiving love. Love, when it is true, comes in a variety of forms. Shared in back in October about unconditional love, Andy Puddicombe reminds, “The very definition of unconditional love is it is not dependent on anything or anyone. So to experience unconditional love, we don’t necessarily need to be with another person. It doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy being with another person, but we don’t necessarily need them to experience it.” Zen Buddhist monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh wrote in his book , "In true love, you attain freedom.” He goes on to teach us that “To love is to recognize; to be loved is to be recognized by the other.” In my own life, one that the zeitgeist would label as 'being single', I have let go of the narrow perspective of how to welcome love into my life as well as give love to the world. Once I began to do this with more awareness and understanding, I began to feel more love and also be more loving without expectation to others and to myself in how I nurtured my everyday life and supported my dreams. I set myself free to trust my life journey, and it has made a powerfully positive difference to the quality of my life. But, and this is why I share today's episode/post, this is not to advocate for being single or to enjoy being single until . . . [whatever it is the culture we find ourselves approves or applauds]. When we let ourselves be labeled in such a way - married, single, divorced, widowed - it becomes cement that prevents us to live fully and partake in whatever life dance we choose to attend, for however long we choose to partake. Because the reasons for choosing the life we discover is most nourishing for our true selves will be unique to each of us, and cannot be fully understood by the outside world, not even those close to us in absolute entirety. In today's episode we'll explore four ways to understand what a life of love is and how it is invited into our life. Explore the show notes on The Simply Luxurious Life blog - /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/35151895

396: Why Living a Simple Life Involves Courage and 6 Ways We Can Harness Our Bravery to Do So 01/15/2025

395: 12 Balanced Living Ideas for a Great New Year 01/01/2025

394: Setting the Foundation for An Extraordinary New Year and Beyond 12/18/2024

393: How to Change Your Mind (literally), So You Can Change Your Life 12/04/2024

392: 10 Ways to Build a Strong (and healthy) Social Network, as taught by David Robson 11/20/2024

392: 10 Ways to Build a Strong (and healthy) Social Network, as taught by David Robson "In general, people who have more optimistic expectations about the possibility of forming a connection are more likely to overlook superficial differences, and wait to see if they feel the spark of connection. They tend to have more diverse relationships, while those with fixed assumptions tend to have more limited social circles. Our beliefs about social connection can become self-fulfilling prophecies." —David Robson, author of The quality of our social connections determines not only our enjoyment of our everydays, whether we are at work or in our personal lives, it also affects our health and wellbeing. While this news will likely shock nobody, what might shock us are the ways we unconsciously or unknowingly partake in habits that obstruct the opportunity for healthier, and thus more enjoyable connections with others, of all stripes. Based on cultural conditioning or insecurity within ourselves or what was modeled to us while growing up, we may have assumed there were certain ways to not only engage with the world, but what we should share and how much of our true feelings we should express about any given event in our lives. And so upon reading science writer David Robson's latest book, and discovering various research that dispelled previously held approaches as being helpful as well examples of how and why certain approaches were helpful or unhelpful, I took note not only while acknowledging where I could grow and learn, but wanting to share with TSLL community. Why? While Robson shares 13 laws of connection, each are multi-faceted, so based on what is working well for us now or conversely what we are struggling with when it comes to connection, we need worry less on knowing what the 'laws' are and more about ourselves and where we would benefit from applying new knowledge and thus learning new skills in how to connect sincerely, well and consistently with others to build a social network that elevates not only our lives but those who are a part of our social network. A two way street, as they say, and sometimes we just didn't yet know how to do that - to connect well, and that is where this book comes to provide the insights we can learn. In today's post I have pulled ten specific approaches and skills that caught my attention for cultivating and maintaining a wide breadth of relationships in our lives. Whether it is your colleagues, or romantic partner, child or parent, neighbor or friend, all of the skills below will enhance those relationships. Visit the detailed Show Notes on The Simply Luxurious Life blog - /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/34004207

391: 6 Important Skills and Abilities Gained When You Begin Living a Life of Contentment 11/06/2024

390: My Skincare Routine at 45 for Radiant Skin, Simplicity and Results-focused 10/16/2024

390: My Skincare Routine at 45 for Radiant Skin, Simplicity and Results-focused "Healthy skin begins the moment you start to take care of yourself." —Anonymous Healthy, natural, as well as radiant skin is something we can include as one of the most statement-making accessories in our exterior presentation. The questions begin though when we don't know what is worth investing in and how much is too much and just unnecessary. Alongside the food we eat, the exercise we regularly partake in and the healthy management of stress in our lives, how we care for our skin regarding the products we use and the practices we take regarding protection and hydration can have a powerful effect on our visage that we present to the world each and everyday for the rest of our lives. And thus how we feel when we go about her daily routine. Over the past few years I have been focused on two goals when it comes to my own skincare regime: ensuring I am investing and purchasing products that deliver on their promises, and only using the products I need for the results I want. In other words a simple approach, but no simpler, and a dependable results so I know my money is being well spent on this regular and on-going personal expenditure. Exploring products either to save money or improve the results, I have stepped away from items I once used to see if it would be worth doing so. In some instances, as I will share, I have found new products I love, but I have also confirmed the first product was worth using and paying for as the results stood out from their competitors even if I had to pay a bit more. Below I am sharing what I have promised I would share, my detailed skincare routine that after much experimenting as well as conferencing with experts in the skincare profession. Be sure to tune in to the audio edition as along with sharing the products (as listed below), I also share why I use them and where to find them for the most savings. Find the Show Notes for this episode on The Simply Luxurious Life blog - /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/33473582

389: The Importance of Gratitude and Celebration throughout our Everydays and along our Life Journey 10/02/2024

388: Why Not . . . Become the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of Your Own Life and Experience Financial Freedom for the Rest of Your Life? 14 Foundational Pieces 09/18/2024

388: Why Not . . . Become the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of Your Own Life and Experience Financial Freedom for the Rest of Your Life? 14 Foundational Pieces What I would like to share with you today are 14 foundational pieces that will establish and continue to grow your financial freedom. Whether you work for a boss or work for yourself, I will be sharing how to make your way to financial freedom and also remain financially free once you arrive without being stagnant. In other words, when we are financially free, we now have space, energy and opportunities that we didn't have before. Whether that is creatively because our mind is free to not worry about our finances because we have put into place systems that we trust and know work in our favor, and because we have space mentally, we have more energy to expend on what we love to do instead of what we have to do which leads us to more opportunities crossing our paths because we our present and fully engaged with the moment, bravely being ourselves and dancing with life instead of surviving and just making it through. Before we explore today's list, I will point out that this is not necessarily the typical list of save more, spend less - thrift, thrift, thrift! I will be sharing with you some examples from my own life that in hindsight demonstrate that playing it 'safe' isn't always a wise move if you want to make the gains (in any respect) that you desire. As well, while yes, we are talking about money, so much of the financial advice we read (but not all - i.e. Deepak Chopra and Kate Northrup along with others) focuses entirely on the logical and mathematical side of how to be financial free, and while that plays a powerful and necessary role - knowing how the monetary world works and basic math regarding interest, etc., there is also a part we cannot know entirely or with certainty and that is why knowing ourselves, living a life of true contentment and being brave enough to find and then is crucial to remaining financially free. Find the Show Notes on The Simply Luxurious Life blog - /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/33098727

387: The Importance of 'Hero' Pieces in Your Wardrobe and the 6 Core Components 09/04/2024

386: What I Have Learned So Far in French Class, Part Huit (8) 08/14/2024

386: What I Have Learned So Far in French Class, Part Huit (8) The learning continues, and the French language continues to become clearer and clearer with each word I hear. Granted, it is a slow journey of progress, but indeed progress has been made. As I sat watching both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Jeux Paris, I found myself for the first time actually wishing there were no translations as I found I could understand most of what was being said in French (admittedly, I may have paused and rewound a time or two ;)). To recognize words that previously were absolutely babbel to me in years past found me celebrating seemingly small, but, to me, grand progress. With that said, I am not proficient yet, and I have had frustrations, but I have continued forward and I am grateful I have. Part of the reason I want to share my French language journey with you is to encourage and reassure you that the journey will be long, but the progress will be great, and here is the paradox, only if we both run up against frustrations and keep at it. We can do it! I shared in (the 9th!) that international language institutes have found it takes approximately 600 hours of regular learning of a new language to become proficient (this is for the easier to learn languages, of which French is high on that list, being one of the simpler language to learn - yes, it is true believe it or not ;)). And when you break down how long it takes an average student to cover 600 hours, it looks to be about 2-3 years. Knowing this has eased my mind and reminded me to be patient and remain consistently engaged and surrounded by the language - through taking my courses, doing my homework, studying even when I don't have homework and attempting to speak French in class whenever I have the opportunity. Having concluded FR 202 this past June, two years of online study through are behind me and have found me much improved in both my breadth of vocabularly, pronunciation as well as comprehension and yes, even confidence in formulating sentences (however, simple) to carry on a conversation. The last post/episode in this ongoing series was shared back in February - , when I wrapped up the 100 level, so now I am back to share with you what I have learned during FR 201 and 202. On y va ! Find the Show Notes for episode #386 here - /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/32564387

385: Talking Finances & Contentment with Jill Sirianni of the Frugal Friends podcast 08/07/2024

384: 6 Things We Gain By Honoring Our True Self 06/19/2024

383: 11 Health & Beauty Secrets for a Better Second Half, as taught by Liz Earle 06/05/2024

383: 11 Health & Beauty Secrets for a Better Second Half, as taught by Liz Earle "My years working in wellbeing have taught me that it's about living life in a daily, achievable balance. The one thing that counts above all else? Consistency. It doesn't have to be much and it doesn't have to be hard, but it does have to be consistent." —Liz Earle, author of A Better Second Half With forty's arrival five years ago, I gradually began to see subtle, very subtle changes in my skin, hair and physical body; however, as someone who has always been curious at a young age about staying healthy regarding what I eat, how I care for my body and skin, etc., I wasn't necessarily surprised, but I also knew I wanted to become even more of a student learning how to best take care of my entire body and mind to prevent anything I did have control over, delay anything that while inevitable, need not be sped up by ignorant lack of care-taking, as well as prolong the quality of my living experience as cognitive and physical health and strength are key components to deepening the quality of everyday living, connections, opportunities, etc. Ever the student, I ask questions incessantly, of any expert in their field I have the good fortune to work with, interview or schedule sessions with, and when I don't know someone personally, I reach for books written by experts who have done research in their field of study. As well, reading content by someone, a woman, in this instance who has experienced and lived and is living through the changes of our body and skin and mind, has tried and knows what works in a healthy approach is very much looking up to a wise sister, aunt or mother. So when I learned that , a long-time veteran in the sustainable beauty and wellbeing arena beginning in the early 80s, she, now in her early 60s and not only looking amazing but is living an amazingly full and inspiring life (), had written a new book that is already a Sunday Times bestseller, but more importantly, it is worthy of that achievement because it is a book full of nuggets of valuable information to give you the keys to indeed living a better second half of your life, I purchased it, and read it in two nights. Now, I would like to share an introduction to 11 nuggets of valuable information she shares, and if these speak to you as well, I am confident you will appreciate all that the book includes. Explore the Show Notes for episode #383 - Learn more about TSLL's Contentment Masterclass - /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/31603642

382: Antique & Vintage Shopping in Barnard Castle, England + 5 Ways I Decorate with these Treasures 05/22/2024

382: Antique & Vintage Shopping in Barnard Castle, England + 5 Ways I Decorate with these Treasures You know you've found a quaint English town when the name of the town has a beloved nickname personifying it. Barnard Castle, or Barney, as the locals often call it, is a small town in County Durham, so in the northeastern portion of England, and the population rests just under 6,000. Now, when I began to make my plans to visit England for this particular trip, one of my top priorities centered around finding treasures for which had finally concluded, as I wanted to begin to add the polish, if you will. So antiquing and vintage decor shops were on my radar, and I could not have been more grateful for her recommendations (of which they provided many for everything, not just antiquing). So off I went on my first full day in the country, toodling about in my rental car for a 20 minute drive to Barnard Castle, and what I found was more than I could have hoped for, even if my luggage might not have thought so. However, I always pack an empty piece of luggage that is foldable, so I thought I would be able to figure it out. A story for another day, but after all was said and done, thankfully, everything made it home in its original form. (be sure to stop by the Show Notes to see oodles of photographs and a video of my visit to Barnard Castle) As promised, here are five reasons I love welcoming antiques and vintage finds into my home décor and have been doing so since I was able to decorate my own spaces, then apartments and then finally homes and houses. I will acknowledge, I am not someone who buys antiques just to have them. I don't have a second home to decorate or a large house for that matter, so what I purchase has to have a home, but that is part of the fun, taking the time to first know what you are in need of as far as finishing a space as well as functionality and then patiently waiting until you find it or should I say, your paths cross, and you find each other. :) Check out the Show Notes here - /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/31408472

381: The Power of the Clarity of Our Intention AND Where We Direct Our Attention: Understanding Our Mind 05/15/2024

380: How Rituals Enrich Our Lives IF We Choose and Engage with Intention 05/01/2024

379: How (and Why) to Be Your Own Best Friend 04/17/2024

379: How (and Why) to Be Your Own Best Friend "We are not born with the secret of how to live [well], and too many of us never learn it. There is nothing cold-blooded or mechanical about it, but there are many things we have to learn to do . . . the first thing is to realize we've probably been looking in the wrong place. The source is not outside us; it is within." —Mildred Newman & Bernard Berkowitz, authors of Befriend yourself and you have a friend for life. This simple saying, often expressed, while true, is often not understood as to how it can be possible. But the most awesome news I want to share with you today is that you have had the answers to so much of the peace, calm, and clarity you have been seeking traveling within you all this time. How to tap into and what exactly are you looking for? That is what we are going to talk about today. Inspired by a book that was written in 1971 Mildred Newman and her husband, both psychologists, Bernard Berkowitz, the title was originally How To be Your Own Best Friend: A Conversation With Two Psychoanalysts. Consisting of only 74 pages, their insights are shared, as this title suggests, in conversation form - questions followed by answers. While little known when the couple originally self-published, it was with the help of author, screenwriter and director , who upon reading the book quite liked it so she introduced the authors to her book agent upon which it then became a national bestseller (learn more about how she helped in published earlier this year). Picking up my own copy and zooming through it, I found common sense advice, grounded in approachable guidance sharing reminders and nudges of how we can help ourselves out but often are too timid to do so due to a variety of cultural circumstances and pressures. As I read, the overlap of choosing to be your best friend and finding and experiencing contentment quickly became apparent, and having just wrapped up producing all of the filmed lessons for TSLL's , as you will discover when you enroll, knowing ourselves and honoring what we find to be true for ourselves resides at the core of a fulfilling life. In the words of the authors, becoming our best friend is sage wisdom to follow. However, what does that look like? Being our own best friend? That's what I want to share with you today and the benefits of doing so. Let's get started. View the Show Notes on the blog: /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/30857233

378: Choose to Compost Your Past: How the Arrival of the Spring Season is a Metaphor for Life 04/03/2024

378: Choose to Compost Your Past: How the Arrival of the Spring Season is a Metaphor for Life "Composting what was into what will be." Mother Nature and the cycle of seasons provide endless life lessons and nourishing guidance if we are wise enough to heed her teachings. More specifically, spring's arrival, the season as we all know that introduces itself after winter, the latter season of which for many of us can be frigid, keeping us more home-bound and bundled up far more often than we might prefer as well as to cause us to take stock of our home environment most directly and intimately. It was upon hearing the statement above in a recent yoga class that I immediately smiled. Why? Well, there is much truth in this literal description of how compost is created and as to why it applies to our lives, it can figuratively be true as well. However . . . We have to choose, and thus remember, to compost in the first place! Spring gifts us with an abundance of wonderments and opportunities to apply what we have been investing in and working on during winter, or healing or resting in order to feel rejuvenated and reenergized. So not only do we need to remember to view winter as an opportunity to tend to what needs our attention, we must also be courageous enough to step forward into what that rest has given us. Simply because we plant, water and fertilize a new plant in spring, or pot up a dahlia tuber in spring, doesn't mean the beauty we hope to come will appear in spring. No, it will not. The dahlias take around 100 days to share their first flower, but once they begin flowering, so long as they have been planted in their right conditions and the gardener keeps dead-heading, the blooms keep on coming until the first frost in early fall. This is beautiful reminder to be patient with ourselves and the changes we have begun to put into place, or the steps we have begun to take that will eventually lead us where we want to arrive. Spring is the beginning of the new journey, but we may not arrive where we wish to go until Summer or early Fall, but we will never arrive if we don't choose to compost first. In today's episode we will explore eight instances in our life when unwanted moments have happened and how to compost them into something we do want. I welcome you to join us and tune in. Have a look at the Show Notes for the episode, #378 here - /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/30648878

377: The Slow Productivity Approach that will Elevate the Quality of Your Entire Life, as taught by Cal Newport 03/20/2024

376: Wise Investments: Understand the Difference between a Good Value and a Good Deal 03/06/2024

376: Wise Investments: Understand the Difference between a Good Value and a Good Deal The savviness of wise money management encompasses many factors, but one is an approach often overlooked or dismissed: Understanding the difference between a Good Value versus a Good Deal. Here in the states tax season is upon us, and so many of us may have money on the mind even more than we usually do; however, I often find myself at the beginning of the new year assessing my monthly budget, determining where I am gaining value or unnecessarily causing more tasks and draining money. Ultimately, whenever I sit down to assess my money, my goal is to do so less often, knowing I have invested well, so I can go about the living of my life that I love and trust that my decisions will stand a long duration of time offering the performance, purpose or function I purchased it for. In other words, I don't want to be shopping for my capsule wardrobe constantly, restocking and replacing worn out jeans that while a great deal, only lasted one or maybe two seasons. Likewise, I don't want to have to be taking my car to the repair shop frequently, or gassing up frequently or even replacing the car itself as frequently (more on what I am hinting at below in our discussion). When we invest well, and apply the wisdom of purchase great value rather than falling victim to a good deal, we deepen the quality of our overall lives because however we enjoy living them, we can do so without surprise expenditures frequently arising. Today, I would like to explore a handful of areas of our lives in which investing in Good Value vs. a Good Deal occurs, and to offer explanation as to why paying the large price tag upfront will save more money in the long run, as well as instances when a large price tag upfront is just welcoming more stress throughout the duration of your ownership. Let's get started. View the Show Notes for the episode here — /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/30243728

375: How to Become a More Skilled Participant in the Living of Our Life 02/21/2024

374: What I Have Learned in French Class, So Far - part sept (7) 02/07/2024

374: What I Have Learned in French Class, So Far - part sept (7) Bonjour à tous ! Just last week, I concluded FR 105 with Washington DC's Alliance de Français, a Zoom/online course that met twice a week, two hours each time since just after Thanksgiving. You may remember that Part Six of this series was shared during TSLL's Annual French Week which shared what I had learned through FR 104 and 103, and now it is time to share some progress! Thankfully, there has been progress and while I chose to take Everyday Situational French this fall due to my travel schedule, this once-a-week meeting provided me the opportunity to keep the French language on the tip of my tongue before I could dive back in to the regular course work. Some of what I share will be from the Situational French course, but most of it was learned during FR 105. I am tickled to share that while my French definitely has a looooooong way to go, the ease I am feeling constructing basic sentences with a few different tenses delights me to no end. Last year at this time I was nervous and hesitant to attempt to say anything slightly different than what I said the week before when the professor would greet us, but now I at least can speak without hesitation and share what I did over the weekend. With that said, with growth comes growing pains, and I had a few moments throughout the past 10 weeks of frustration when it just wasn't making sense; however, I have a new-to-me professor, she being French and also a long-time educator, I was and am so grateful for her expertise and professionalism. She pushed, but then lightened up and stuck with us when she could tell we were struggling. In those moments, she encouraged us to keep trying and then doubled down on reviewing that particular difficult piece of the language to ensure the concept was acquired. As a fellow educator, what I observed was a keen awareness demonstrating her skill of both the language and how to teach it based on where the learner was and not holding true to the lesson plan if the class wasn't ready to move forward. I am eager to step back into her class when courses resume later this month. I have made it to FR 201! (We now are enjoying a two week vacances.) Tune in to discover 13 things I have learned so far in French class. View the Show Notes — /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/29814108

373: How to Nourish Your Creative Being: Cultivate An Artistic Hearth & Home 01/17/2024

373: How to Nourish Your Creative Being: Cultivate An Artistic Hearth & Home "Part of art making is living your life in such a way that your work gets done, over and over—and that means, among other things, finding a host of practices that are just plain useful . . . a life lived within productive patterns. The life of a productive artist becomes filled with useful conventions and practical methods. And in truly happy moments those artistic gestures move beyond simple procedure, and acquire an inherent aesthetic all their own. They are your artistic hearth and home." —David Bayles & Ted Orland, authors of In unforced or unexpected moments, ideas, solutions and connections appear at the forefront of our mind providing a sense of relief, exhilaration and celebration we may have never thought possible. Such wondrous moments indeed do seem to the onlooker and to the unaware individual to appear magically, and while there will always be an element involved beyond our control, the good news is we have far more contribution to ensuring such ahas happen and happen more frequently than we may have initially thought. The paradox of being a professional creative in any field that must produce work outside of a robotic construct, so this stretches well beyond that of a traditional artist, although most certainly, this need of creating an artistic hearth and home is essential to an artist of any medium, is that the day and life needs to have structure in order to create the freedom to discover and then to bring to being that which is discovered by the undistracted mind. From writing to parenting, to teaching to engineering, to designing whether in clothing, décor or in the graphic arts and even to leading or managing people in any career field, creativity, remaining open to receiving the ideas that wish to be discovered, is present and powerful. And it is up to each of us to nurture an artistic hearth & home for it to be discovered on a regular basis. Because it can be. As we continue to move through the first weeks of the year, our intentions remain clear and all of our efforts, each small regular change of habit contribute to the bringing to fruition the change or outcome we seek. Most importantly, we must enjoy the journey in order to remain upon it which is why I wanted to bring today's episode/post to you. When we thoughtfully and with intention curate our sanctuary to be an artistic hearth and home, we not only provide security and safety for ourselves to reside throughout our days and in-between our trips to work and life outside of the home, we also create warmth which encourages us to grow, expand and evolve in ways we have never been but now know is the next best step, the step that keeps niggling at us to let be and to stop holding back out of fear and doubt. So how do we go about cultivating an artistic hearth & home? Tune in to discover the 10 nourishing ideas. /episode/index/show/thesimplesophisticate/id/29517843

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