Not surprisingly, the dove embodies the symbol of peace in my mind whenever I have the opportunity to see them out and about. And on that particular morning and ever more since officially ending one chapter (teaching) and stepping wholeheartedly and excitedly into another I love (TSLL), I feel more peace than ever before from the beginning of my days to the end.

We usually cannot predict when the steady wave of contentment washes into our lives, but when it does, it is not a fleeting occasion. Peace is a primary component of contentment because it is something that grows from within and manifests out toward the world, not outward in. When our lives are grounded in peace, knowing how to find calm, knowing how to navigate through difficulty, knowing how to translate what our minds are doing and keeping the mind in the passenger seat while we remain at the wheel, contentment begins to flourish. And just as the roots of a strong oak take time to grow and run deep into the soil, when we cultivate contentment in our lives, it is not easily washed away or removed.

During this month of July, I have savored being able to write a Monday Motivational post each week during this month as the podcast took its summer holiday, and as you will see below, there is a theme that runs through these posts, and it always tends to drift back to the idea of contentment. 

While such a skill as contentment takes time to understand and then strengthen, when we do, the quality of our lives shifts significantly for the better.

The month of July is nearly in the past for 2021, and as I reflect on the content shared on the blog during the past four-plus weeks, I didn't realize how many posts were published. But that is to your benefit, and I am tickled to have had the opportunity to do so.

No doubt, this newsletter will keep you busy, but there are a few announcements to note that I want to make sure you don't miss:

• If you have been considering becoming a TOP Tier subscriber and are not one already, August, during the week of French Week (8th-15th), is your time to take advantage of the once-a-year discount. Be sure to stop by the blog early in the week to learn about the savings.
• The beloved TSLL Weekly Newsletter has returned! And you are already subscribed. You need not do a thing. :)
  • The monthly will continue as it has - arriving on the final Friday of each month (such as today), and you can remain subscribed to both.
  • If you would like only one, the subscription preferences are at the bottom of each newsletter. Click the link and you will be taken to a page to choose your preference. 

Now, it is time for me to wrap it up, and let you peruse at your leisure. 

Thank you very much for choosing to subscribe to TSLL's free monthly newsletter. Wishing you a lovely weekend. 

To explore every post you wish to read, be sure to become a subscriber to one of the two tiers - BASIC or TOP as non-subscribers can only read five posts a month (it will reset on the first of each month). 

Until Friday August 27th, I will see you on the blog.

—Shannon