Here: Five Things

The early Summer round of Five Things begins June 1 and registration is open! You can join in at any time.

You can also explore The Best of Five Things, a new course I’ve created that is always available. It’s housed in a classroom over on Teachery. With this “Best of” edition I’ve gathered up 30 of my favorite prompts (mostly from 2022) for you to explore if you are new to Five Things or want to list during a month I’m not teaching a new round. Sign up here.

(Note that these two versions have sign-ups in two different places because of how they are delivered to you.)

Five Things gives you a simple month-long practice of making a list of five things each day. I send you a prompt and inspiration via email each day, and you’ll make a list. You might make this list in a notebook, in your art journal, with photos, as part of a scrapbooking project, or simply in the notes app on your phone. Then we gather in community and share our lists. I update the course throughout the year (usually in February, June, and October), so this will be a new batch of emails and inspiration.

Five Things is about giving yourself the gift of presence and connection for a few moments each day.

Your Five Things practice will become:

A connection to what is important to you
A chance to get creative
An opportunity to pause
A snapshot of this moment
A decision to pay attention to the beauty and truth around you
A bright spot each day

Join me in noticing and gathering evidence of who we are in the late spring/early summer of 2024, what things are important to us, what brings us joy and comfort as we make lists as a way to practice creativity and mindfulness for just a few moments each day.

Why Five Things?

I like this kind of list because it's just five things. And five things seems doable even if you have just a couple of minutes or when you've had a rough day. Doable self-care is a sweet spot we all need to be able to find as we move through the world.

Creative Ways to Make Your Lists:

Fill up a small journal with your lists.
Write your lists on index cards or even sticky notes.
Use your Tell It: Collage journal (if you’ve taken that class with me), and write your lists on foundation pages or make some new ones.
Add this practice to your scrapbooking projects.
Get a little artsy with your list in an art journal.
Keep them in a simple spiral notebook or even in a notepad app on your phone.

It’s a bit like a gratitude practice

A list of simple things helps us reach toward gratitude without insisting we must feel grateful. We make these lists in The And Spaces of our lives - where we feel joy and grief, hope and uncertainty. Even on the really tough days, the beauty is there, and making a list helps us connect with what’s important to us.

Connect with others as you make your lists:

Invite your partner and kids to join you (anyone in your household can come along for free). Use the lists as a way to connect over dinner.
Take the class with a friend and share your lists each day.
Gift the class to some friends and share your lists over your next Zoom Happy Hour or virtual book club.
Invite your family who you won’t get to see this fall to participate and learn more about each other.
Come into our Facebook group and make some new friends (and reconnect with others from previous classes) and share peeks at your corner through your lists.

I have run this course several times, and each time it is updated with an eye toward what has been happening in the world and includes all new daily poems, songs, and inspiration links. If you have taken the course previously, note that each time more than 75% of the prompts are new.

How it works

Beginning on June 1 you’ll receive a daily email for 30 days that will include:

A reminder to pause and notice the world within and around you.
A 5 Things list prompt.
A peek into my journals and how I get creative with my lists.
And a daily list of 5 Things to inspire and encourage you. From books to videos to articles to artists to playlists to poems and so on, I’m gathering up goodness to help you fill up your heart’s tank each day.

Optional Community

For those who would like to join in community, we’ll gather in a private Facebook group where you can share your lists each day.

Cost:

Two options are available:

1) Sign up for one spot: $25

2) Bring a friend for a discount: 2 spots for $40

Click on the button above to register. Emails will be sent to the email address you enter when you check out. If you’re purchasing a spot for a friend, please include their email in the notes section when you check out (and be sure to tell them). After you sign up, you should receive a receipt confirming your spot (be sure you’ve entered your email in correctly). Your Day 1 email will arrive within one business day.

What people are saying about classes from the HERE series:

I didn't know what to expect when I signed up, but Oh My Goodness!! This first email has so many treasures!
I love the poetry and the music (what a wonderful way to start my day) and the links
to so many amazing people. And, of course, the invitation to contemplate and write! What a glorious gift!!

{HERE} is already filling my days with noticing and intention. I love the combination of your thoughts and
gentle guidance to actually put pen to paper, as well as some poetry inspiration and a few places to look
at on the Internet. I have started a journal that is making me smile.

I cannot thank you enough for the gentle reminder of "noticing" the "Now."

Whether you decide to art journal, make lists in a simple notebook, or simply reflect on the prompts and enjoy the community, give yourself the gift of slowing down and noticing your life each day for 28 days.

More details

This class takes place online and all class material is delivered via email. Additional connection is optional through our Facebook group.
This is not an art journal class and you do not need to create an art journal if you don’t want to. That said, I will be sharing pages from my own art journals plus tips if you want to create one.

Did you take Here: Five Things previously? I update the course as I do each round with an eye to all we’re experiencing in 2024, adding in all new daily poems, songs, and inspiration links, and will be working in a new journal alongside you. If you took the course previously, note that more than 60% of the prompts will be new (usually it is close to 75% to 85% of the prompts). I always keep the prompts that I think we should revisit again and again or bring back previous favorites.

Supplies Needed:

This will really be up to you. Start with this: KEEP IT SIMPLE. Gather up a notebook or just your phone. If you feel called to get a little bit messier or play with some art supplies, add those and a journal to your list. You get to decide.

Here’s what I want you to remember: In this course, we’ll pay attention to the feelings, details, routine, senses, longings, and experiences of daily life. That’s the goal here. And we’ll do it together. You don’t need to make this a new creative project that has a few art supplies or a new journal, unless you want to! You choose, dear one. And just get in touch if you have questions.

(Photos of Liz by Lauren Oliver Photography.)