Jenn Scheinkopf Memorial Challenge

Explaining the video. We have had a challenging summer holiday. This is my youngest letting off steam playing soccer in the sea as if no one is looking... A man walked past us He said who is entertaining who We both said "he is entertaining me" Then all 3 of us laughed....

In my daily routine, I usually try to be as productive as possible and avoid procrastination, so playing games isn't something I even consider. After all, we all know how easy it is to get distracted and spend way more hours than planned on a game! But for this challenge, I allowed myself to play. In fact, I actually planned ahead to set aside time exclusively to do something I enjoy, without needing a direct productive reason, and it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable things I've done in a long time. Usually, when I get distracted by a quick game, I feel a sense of remorse for procrastinating. But this time, playing Wolvesville was completely different because there was no guilt—I simply allowed myself to have fun. Wolvesville also holds a special place for me. It’s a game that accompanied me back in 2023 when I was going through some personal challenges, serving as a distraction that helped me emotionally self-regulate. Lately, though, it had been sitting untouched on my phone for a long time. Going back and playing a few matches brought back the good memories I had with it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a productivity robot either 😅 I genuinely enjoy what I do every day. But usually, that happiness comes more as a consequence of moving toward my goals. Having a moment, even if brief, where having fun was the main focus felt really good. This challenge made me stop and reflect. I don't know if I'll completely change my routine to include more moments like this—I still have several projects I need to develop—but it was great to take a breather. Plus, I actually won the match! 😆

I decided to challenge myself to reach out to old friends who live far away. Life has a way of pulling us into the daily grind, and before you know it, time slips by and those connections fade. I didn’t want that to happen with the people who have been there for me through thick and thin. I started small, just sending a short text once or twice a week. Little things about what’s happening in my life and asking about theirs. Then I took it a step further and mailed handwritten cards to let them know how much they mean to me and to thank them for being my friends. Those tiny gestures sparked something bigger. One of my oldest friends and I even started a two-person book club. I now have a standing weekly phone call with another friend, and I’m texting almost daily with another. These friends are more like family, and even though kids and busy schedules had made us drift apart, it feels amazing to have them back in my life almost every day. Even if it’s just a quick text, a short call, or a snap, it keeps us close. I may not get to see these friends often, but they are some of the most important people in my life, and making the effort to stay connected has been so worth it.

I’ll be dancing today at a big House music festival and - since it’s pouring rain today I’ll walk (dance) part of the way there under the falling rain drops. All the while carrying Jenn in my heart. I included a photo from the last “I Remember House” dance party. 👯‍♀️

I overcame the urge to “get something accomplished” and spent the day lost in a good book. It was nothing heavy, nothing political or newsworthy—just enjoyment during a rainy day. I don’t spend enough days like this!

I took the dust cover off of my beloved drum set and sat down to play. Because of dealing with hearing issues, it’s something that I have neglected big time. Got myself some professional musicians earplugs. Put ‘em in and it turned out great. I may not be able to play my drums out in the rain, but it’s a great feeling as well.

Living outside of the US (or even just away from the East Coast) it can be a challenge to find good bagels. Did I mention I really like to eat bagels? A few years ago a friend gave me a bagel recipe, and I started learning the art of boiling and baking. This past year I've been able to increase production, which gives me the opportunity to occasionally surprise friends and new acquaintances with a random bagel delivery. People really like getting (good) surprises, and baked good seem to fall into that category. It's not too much effort to get a few extra in the batch or add a bake into the schedule, so I plan to continue delivering Bagels of Joy. Dancing in the bagel rain I suppose. Best wishes at Burning Man!

1) Just Be Nice: I have dear friends whose mother was to undergo brain surgery a few days following my return from a work trip abroad. I often bring candy home with me, as I prefer it to the US options and ingredients. I knew they along with their relatives were very worried about her surgery, and would be accompanying their mother in the hospital. Normally, I am quite stingy with what I share from the candy stash (One to two items per close friend, typically). I decided to change that and instead assembled a varied stack of options to offer for their waiting time. Thankfully, the mother's surgery was a success. My dear friends and their relatives now have a new candy favorite, too! 2) Pure Joy: Last week, I was in Weeze, Germany for an EDM Festival called Parookaville. Attending these events are what bring pure joy to me, as the music is incredible, people want to be there, and it is very easy for attendees to be themselves. The best part is when you make new friends, share the electric rhythm, and dance your hearts out! Admittedly, I have discovered these venues more recently, and wish I had discovered them sooner! May Jenn's joy live on!

A couple of weeks ago, I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude—I finally got to play golf again. After a long, stressful year and multiple surgeries, stepping back onto the course felt surreal. As I sat there reflecting, I snapped this photo. Golf has always been a huge part of my life, and being able to return to it after so much uncertainty was deeply emotional. I had a smile on my face the entire day—and I’m smiling again as I write this. It even rained a little, but that didn’t dampen my spirits. My only regret? I didn’t dance in the rain. Thank you for the challenge. :)

I have been falling off my morning routine and have made my days somewhat of a mourning routine lately. It's difficult to get back in the habit when you've fallen off to today I did a short yoga session and breathed in my affirmations: I am a PsyRen, I am a sphinx, I am a bell. Thank you for Jenn''s challenge. 🫶

Last week while I was volunteering at Phoenix Children’s Hospital I was called to the Emergency Department to watch a baby who was taken away from his parents due to neglect. The baby was around 9 months old and was quite distraught especially after the nurse had to place an IV into his tiny hand. I tried all of my baby calming tricks trying to help console him but nothing worked. As my shift ended, this child was still quite hysterical and the nurse said I was not to worry as the baby will eventually wear himself out. Well my heart would not let me leave this child and for the next 5 hours I sat rocking and singing to the baby despite his continued hysterical crying. I gave him as much love and care as I could well into the night and although he was unable to calm down, I made sure he wouldn’t be alone in the ED room and stayed until he was admitted to and sent to a room in the hospital. I came home late that night and cried as I told my husband of this tiny person’s struggle and how my heart broke for all he had gone through.

Hello! I chose to do something that brings me complete joy and that is taking my family to the lake and enjoying every minute that we can with family and friends while we are there. Attached is a picture I recently took of my 3 kids on a tube :)

I have been fighting with myself to understand why my son that have a son 5 months ago decided not to live with the mother, just be a father. Now I have a grandson that I visit once a week, enjoy my time tring to talk with him, but the relationship with my son still is not the best one, as I still do not accept his behavior. Last week I start learning that happiness does not come from other people- event your son - doing what you expect, You need to love them, wishing their happiness and respecting their freedom. This has been a mental breakthrough that at the end provided me a bit of mental health happiness.

Sometimes it’s just the little things that make you smile and connect with others. A simple smile or a short conversation with the cashier can make all the difference for me. I enjoy walking away smiling and feeling like I related to someone. It can carry me through the rest of the day. There is one person in particular I enjoy seeing. Someone I would not otherwise have met. She is a person at the gym. Our trainer connected us. Now we schedule our sessions together. We try to work around each other’s schedule and look forward to seeing each other. For me, I leave the workout uplifted, and it is not just the endorphins. I make sure I ask about her family and the most recent activities she had with them. We encourage each other during a particularly difficult set, and she laughs a lot, making me laugh. It takes very little to ask people about themselves, it makes them feel good and, in the end, when they smile and laugh it is uplifting. Putting others first makes everyone feel better.

This challenge itself warmed my heart and filled me with joy for the simple appreciate of the love that surrounds us everyday. Lisa has always been such a caring person and I am not surprised that she is inspiring all of us to take this opportunity to see things from this beautiful perspective. I am simply thankful for health and relationships that give me the true meaning of life.

Was just walking my dog and it started pouring. I was going to wait under a tree and then remembered Jenn and decided to dance and sing my way home. Jenn continues to make the world a better place to live. Sending very wet but happy hugs!!

First and foremost, I feel incredibly lucky to have my Auntie Lisa in my life. Auntie Lisa and my cousin, Jenn, have taught me so much about living life to the fullest. I am deeply grateful for the time I spent with Jenn, who was genuinely joyful and kind-hearted. One of my favorite activities during the hot Chicago summers is visiting the Montrose dog beach with my dog and my husband, Josh. Despite the occasional chaos of numerous dogs running around, playing frisbee and frolicking in the water brings me immense joy. Just last week, we made two trips to the dog beach with some friends and their dogs. The sun was shining, the water was warm, the dogs were playing, and I felt truly happy. These visits to the dog beach fill me with joy and gratitude for the simple moments in life—being with loved ones, both human and dog, and enjoying the beauty of nature.

My feeling has always been that the things that give us the greatest joy are the things we do to help others. One of my current "joys" is mentoring I am doing with a young person (22-ish) that I met in the Orlando Airport during a long layover. This individual is facing all the stresses of a young adult hoping to make there way and struggling to find answers. They are in a family business where stresses are high and this person is expected to take over someday. Their parents are very jaded and operate in a way that gives this individual a lot of anxiety. They want to do things different but don't have a role model or anyone open to new ways of thinking. The mentoring I'm doing is what I get paid for, but this one is without charge. Meeting a bright, curious young person who just needs someone to believe in them, to help them see possibilities, is a blessing for me. I can see a growing confidence and a positive change in their well being that is so heartwarming. I've had great mentors who did the same for me and I see any opportunity like this as a chance to pay down a debt that will never be settled. Truthfully I get great joy from how this engagement helps us both grow.

In thinking about something that I've been doing lately that brings me joy, I have been spending a lot of time sitting on my front stoop and reading for enjoyment! That's not something that I can do most months of the year in Chicago along with the fact that I often do not read books for enjoyment as frequently during the school year.

Lisa emphasizes that thinking better is deeply connected to our humanness. What a beautiful message from a TOC icon! Logic, emotion, and intuition function inseparably. Neuroscience teaches us the importance of keeping our "logical machine" well-calibrated. Investing in our humanness impacts our performance just as much as rational development. So, what better way to end a challenging weekend than enjoying a smoked Old Fashioned and a good cigar with my loved one?