Today's guest is Gemma Thompson. Gemma is an award-winning writer, podcaster and specialist in solo female travel. In 2014, she published the popular anthology ‘A Girl's Guide to Travelling Alone’, and has also recently launched a podcast of the same name.

We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show.

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Join The Spark Joy Club today by heading over to our website, and clicking Join The Club!

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

• Gemma’s favorite adventure: The Great Barrier Reef

• Why it’s a good idea to try solo traveling at least once

• How to stay safe while traveling solo:
  -- Be aware of cultural differences
  -- Be aware of civil unrest

• How a door wedge can keep you safe: Security Door Wedge

Tips for a great solo trip:
-Make sure the things you want to do most are accessible from where you are staying
-Plan your route beforehand at least from the airport to your hotel
-Make sure you have a couple of alternative routes to the hotel just in case
-Have the address and route written out on paper in case your phone doesn’t work
-Have a currency conversion chart and common words translated ("please," "thank you," "how much?")

Tips for eating alone:
-If you want to go to a fancy place, lunch is a good option to feel a little more comfortable
-Don’t overthink it. People aren’t really paying attention to you
-Research spots first to find the most solo friendly places
-It’s ok to take a book
-But, try not to look at your phone the whole time

What Sparks Joy for Gemma:
Her daughter!
The joy of waking up in a new country.

To connect with Gemma Thompson, you can find her at:
girlsthattravel.com or on Facebook and Instagram

Gemma's podcast: A Girl's Guide to Travelling Alone

Gems:

"The best things happen when you're just wandering around."

"Doing the research is absolutely key when you're traveling alone."

"You have to respect the culture of the city or the country you're going to."

"Once you've eaten out on your own a couple of times it gets easier and it doesn't feel awkward."

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Special Guest: Gemma Thompson.

Our guest, Gemma Quinn, is Australia’s first certified KonMari Consultant, but she also practices worldwide!

She's also a KonMari Consultant Evaluator and works with future consultants during the certification process. Her KonMari approach is informed by over 15 years of experience in business operations and human resources management within the design and creative industries.

We want to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show.

While you’re there, sign-up to join our Spark Joy podcast community and get notified when each episode airs. You can also join the Spark Joy podcast community on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at the handle @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

-How Gemma's grandfather sparked a love of thoughtful organization.

-Gemma's introduction to the KonMari Method and how it changed her life.

-Find a book that spoke to Gemma from the Tim Ferris Book Club review here: The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday

-How Gemma helps her clients determine what sparks joy even if it involves a mundane household object

-What a KonMari evaluator does and how she works with KonMari Consultants to ensure that the quality of the Konmari practice is consistent

-Gemma’s international practice as a traveling consultant

-How Gemma conveys the guiding light of the KonMari practice to clients regardless of where they live. (Spoiler alert: she doesn’t believe it really changes from place to place

-Gemma shares home and lifestyle differences around the world including the confusion around baking ingredients and how many blankets should be on the bed

-Read a blog about duvets in Germany! Two Duvets are Better than One! Sleeping the German Way

Gemma's favorite tidying tip:
"Grow your sensitivity to knowing what sparks joy for you. It will change your life. And... use boxes! Try to get to the point that every item in your house has a box."

What Sparks Joy for Gemma:
"People! The engagement of people in my life and work. They bring me so much joy."

Gemma's parting words of wisdom:
"Start by writing out your list of categories and subcategories and just get started with the KonMari Method. We are here to support you!"

You can find Gemma at: Gemma Quinn or on instagram and Facebook at: @gemmaquinn.konmariconsultant

Gems:

“The act of joy checking and thinking about my ideal life allowed me to connect and engage with my belongings far more than I ever had.”

"The risk was minimal because being able to help someone lead a life of joy was a risk worth taking."

“We are there to help them manage that risk and to be a supporting hand guiding them to help them through this so that they know they are not alone.”

"Knowing what will bring you joy does change from culture to culture."

"Engaging with other peoples and other cultures personally brings me a huge amount of joy."

"Some cultures have more difficulty expressing their feelings. So I try to help clients find ways to be truthful, but still will bring them joy."

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Special Guest: Gemma Quinn.

Our guest today is Lanecia Rouse Tinsley. She is an abstract expressionistic artist whose work includes photography, painting, teaching, writing, and speaking. She is the owner and creator of LARArt Studio and works out of Studio D at Hardy & Nance Streets Studios.

In addition to her own work as an artist, Lanecia partners with the Holy Family Church in Houston, TX, serving as their Artist-In-Residence, as a Spiritual Director and Consultant for the Arts for Project Curate.

Lanecia has been exploring the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi and the related art forms within her own work and the work of her workshop participants. Lanecia hosts workshops exploring the related art form of Kintsugi and has written about that experience on her blog. Wabi Sabi is an ancient Japanese philosophy that honors the imperfect, the humble, the hand-made and the impermanent. It seeks to embrace the beauty found in the changing of seasons, things, nature and in our own lives.

To connect with Lanecia, you can visit www.larartphotography.com and follow her on Instagram, and Twitter @larartstudio. You can also purchase her work online by visiting www.society6.com/larart

We want to hear from you. Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. You can also join the discussion on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

• Learning about the Holy Family Church HTX in Houston, TX

• Hearing how Lanecia asked for love to show up while she grieved a painful loss

• How the LAR Art Studio was envisioned and grew over the years

• How Lanecia discovered the art of Kintsugi:
  Essential Information on Kintsugi

• How Lanecia teaches the Wabi-Sabi expressive art form during her workshop:
  The LAR Art Studio Mended Wabi Sabi Pottery Art Experience

• How Lanecia's work with her students has surprised her and informed her work

• How Mark Nepo uses poetry to express feelings of being broken open

• How the process of breaking pottery into pieces and putting it back together as a new object is a powerful exercise

• How the workshop process enabled some participants to make significant life changes

• The parallels between the ancient philosophy of Wabi Sabi and the newer KonMari philosophy

What sparks joy for Lanecia: All the precious moments she spends with her husband, Cleve! Working with her camera and exploring photography as well as listening to music.

Her Parting Words of Wisdom: We all have the capacity to create beauty.

Gems:
“Art was big enough hold my tears and also to hold my vision and hopes for what could be.”

“I’m just throwing out into the universe the dreams that I have.”

“In living, life is going to break our hearts.”

“We are all more powerful and capable than we believe.”

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Special Guest: Lanecia Rouse Tinsley.