how to be more intentional in 2021
( 3 minute read ) We don’t need to tell you that 2020 brought lots of challenges. What didn’t happen in 2020? Maybe the year’s biggest lesson was how badly things went for those of us who, a year ago, thought we had it all together. When so much is going wrong,…
15 TV shows sure to beat the winter blues
( 2 minute read ) Winter is nearly upon us—on top of everything else that is going on in the world. If you’re like us, you could use some cheering up right around now. As the days get shorter and the weather becomes cooler (and we spend more time indoors…
tips for better family decision-making based on science
( 3 minute read ) To say that this Thanksgiving is an unusual one is an understatement. For many of us, drinking, dining, and chatting—all of Thanksgiving’s cherished rituals—are happening over the phone or on video chat. Catching up, swapping stories, and sharing memories may not feel the same this…
6 ideas for your quarantine Halloween
( 3 minute read ) This year has been a strange one. And since many areas are still under some form of stay-at-home guidelines, Halloween will be mostly virtual this year. But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring! Here are some fun ways to spice up the spooky…
musings on friendship & how to be a good friend
( < 1 minute read ) The world is full of friends you haven’t made yet. Maybe not everyone will be your friend, but you can be a friend to everyone you encounter in life, and in doing so, you may form a friendship with yourself, too. We found some inspiration…
8 short but powerful quotes to energize & inspire
( 2 minute read ) It’s hard to find inspiration in everyday life, especially during times like these, where many of us are facing challenges we’ve never faced before. We firmly believe in living that #illumylife, which means finding what’s good amid all the bad. Here are a few short…
6 ways cats live the illumy life
( 2 minute read ) Cats are wise animals. They were worshiped by the Egyptians as gods, and humans who are owned by cats certainly understand why. They’re confident, graceful, and cuddly companion animals. Here are some of our favorite famous-people quotes that reveal the awesome relationship we have with…
super-happy fun times word-search puzzles (& solutions)
( 2 minute read ) HAVE YOU HEARD (well, seen)? We’ve started teasing your brains on Instagram with some fun word searches for you and your quaran-team to solve together. The first puzzle is live now, and we’ll release a new puzzle every week (a total of four at first), and they’ll…
100+ free things to do while sheltering in place
( 5 minute read ) [updated 11/25/2020] Quarantine, Part 2: Electric Boogaloo is upon us. As the latest wave of COVID-19 ravages the world, self-quarantine, shelter in place, and physical distancing are all very important things we can do to keep ourselves and our fellow humans safe. 😷 It’s a…
how to launch a virtual book club using illumy
( 3 minute read ) How have you been spending your time in lockdown? Maybe you took some suggestions from our list of 100-plus free activities, such as learning a language, attending an art class, or browsing digitized art treasures. As we researched that list, we saw no small number…