We trace the rush of a full season and offer a gentle way back to presence with a guided meditation from Jess Hooper. Listeners move from breath and body awareness into a riverside visualization that restores steadiness beneath the surface noise.

• naming the weight and wonder of busy seasons
• permission to reconnect without waiting for life to slow
• arrival through breath, grounding, and body awareness
• compassionate body scan with no fixing or judgment
• visualization at the May River to mirror inner depth
• a question to open space: what lies beneath the surface
• closing ritual to carry stillness into the day

Looking for more moments like this?
Connect on Instagram @jess.creativecurrent or getcreativecurrent.com

The holidays can feel like a sprint with no finish line, but they don’t have to drain your well. We unpack six practical gifts you can give yourself—presence, recovery, connection, boundaries, nourishing fuel, and compassion—to help you slow down without losing the joy that makes this season meaningful. Through personal stories, gentle prompts, and simple routines, we show how to trade frantic schedules for intentional pauses, late nights for sleep that restores, and endless small talk for one conversation that actually matters.

We start with presence: one daily pause, a short walk in gray weather, or a three-line journal entry that brings you back to what’s real. From there, recovery becomes a shield against chaos—sleep curfews, scaled-back workouts, five-minute morning meditations, and the grounding reset of yoga nidra. Connection gets a refresh too. Instead of chasing every invite, choose the one person who keeps you steady and build a moment that goes deeper than holiday chatter.

Boundaries tie it together with buffer time, honest scripts like “Let me get back to you,” and permission to schedule a day with no plans. Fuel and hydration keep energy steady when routines wobble: balanced plates with protein and vegetables, one festive favorite with tradition, planned meals so you don’t crash at night, and water always in reach. We close with compassion—letting go of perfection, softening self-talk, and remembering that joy should not depend on circumstances. Gratitude expands what’s good; pressure shrinks it.

Choose one gentle gift to practice this week and feel the difference. If this resonated, subscribe for new Wednesday releases, share with someone who needs a calmer season, and tell us which gift you’re choosing. Your one habit could be the memory worth keeping.

We talk with head pro Tony Gottlieb about how pickleball grows players and community at Palmetto Bluff, from first lessons to leagues and DUPR ratings. Practical coaching tips show why patience, positioning, and the soft game beat raw power, and why inclusive, social play becomes a movement.

• Tony’s journey from tennis to pickleball pro
• Why the kitchen and underhand serve level the game
• Palmetto Bluff courts, vibe, lessons and drop‑ins
• Coaching pillars: positioning, technique, shot selection
• Two quick fixes: keep paddle visible, move less
• Defense mindset: soft resets and patience
• Practice vs play ratios and drilling focus
• DUPR ratings, leagues and competitive pathways
• Tech trends, safety and sport regulation
• Wellness as habit, joy and community
• Turkey Trot growth as proof of movement

If you enjoyed this conversation, we’d love to hear from you

A mid-80s runner shares how a Waffle House conversation sparked a 31-year daily streak and a lifetime of health, joy, and community. We explore practical routines, race memories, and the mindset that turns consistency into purpose.

• daily routine that removes excuses
• the Waffle House spark and year-one streak
• running through illness, injury and travel
• mental clarity, problem solving and stress relief
• scenic routes and trail variety at Palmetto Bluff
• camaraderie in clubs, pub runs and relays
• Boston Marathon memories and qualifying at 50
• aging strong through simple, morning habits
• commit to yourself and choose your trail
• reflection on the inner few and checking in

Remember to be grateful for the days, the breath that we have, and soak in that time with your friends and family

We explore spiritual health as the often-missing pillar of wellness and show how simple daily practices build resilience, clarity, and peace. Marilyn shares close calls that reshaped her outlook and we connect gratitude, nature, and music to better choices and a richer life.

• the X metaphor where spirit meets the physical
• cross-cultural views on body, mind, and spirit
• role models of compassion, courage, and service
• nature, breath, and music as quick resets
• morning routines that compound resilience
• gratitude rituals at home and work
• adversity as a catalyst for spiritual awareness
• training the spirit like training the body
• time awareness and creating meaningful memories

We break down protein from the ground up with registered dietitian Lindsay Ford, turning hype into clear numbers, practical timing, and simple food choices. We set realistic targets for active adults, explain complete proteins, and show how to plan meals without crowding out carbs and fats.

• calculating protein minimums using grams per kilogram
• examples for a 180-pound active adult
• benefits for muscle repair, recovery and satiety
• complete proteins and essential amino acids
• digestion, absorption and the role of cooking
• animal versus plant sources with practical swaps
• vegetarian planning, volume needs and micronutrients
• macro ranges for protein, carbs and fats
• timing strategies after training and before sleep
• grocery picks and simple whole-food choices
• debunking the one gram per pound rule

We walk through bone and cartilage 101 with Dr. Gray Stallman, from Wolff’s law to why hips and spines fail, and how smart stress restores strength. Practical tools, from strength training to DEXA scans and nutrition, show how to slow loss, manage arthritis, and regain function.

• bone as living tissue that adapts to force
• articular vs fibrocartilage and healing limits
• osteoporosis risks, menopause, and fracture impact
• DEXA timing, spine changes, and posture decline
• use it or lose it applied to bone and muscle
• strength training, impact, and running mechanics
• nutrition basics for bone density support
• arthritis types, symptom drivers, and options
• injections, pros and cons, and surgical pathways
• mindset, technique, and consistency for long-term gains

Be sure to join us next week. We’re going to sit down with a registered dietitian that you know really well. Her name’s Lindsay Ford. And we’re going to talk about all things protein, how much you really need and how to use it to support your training and recovery.
We’re going to go ahead and put those in the show notes. This might actually be our first time doing that, but I’m excited that we could finally pitch some show notes.

We map a practical path to resilient soft tissues with a systems view: muscle, tendons, ligaments, and fascia work together, and strength training is the most reliable protector against everyday strains. We outline a weekly plan, explain smart warm-ups and stretching, and separate proven practices from trendy therapies.

• Four soft tissues defined and why they matter
• Why progressive strength training builds durability
• How tendons, ligaments, and fascia adapt to load
• Movement quality and risks of hypermobility
• Weekly plan using six foundational patterns
• Dynamic warm-ups before; static stretching after
• Daily fascia care with rollers and balls
• Evidence check on PRP and stem cells
• Practical recap to reduce injury risk