Making it through the school year can feel like running up hill with weights every day.  It’s rare that a teacher ever feels ahead of the game, and it’s also too rare that they are truly acknowledged for the multi-tasking, the endless patience and the juggling of many hats they perform from.  And, yet, a teacher’s job is incredibly important and the influence of a teacher is broad in scope and substance.

So, this month, I’m reaching out to teachers.  I’m offering coaching support throughout the semester and I’m inviting teachers to enter a nourishing, supportive and reflective conversation with me.  It’s important that teachers stay balanced and healthy through the school year, and I’m not just talking about maintaining a strong immune system or avoiding the latest flu or virus. No, I’m talking about intellectual, emotional and spiritual health.  It’s from that place that a teacher is passionate and powerful!

Click HERE for more details on my Back to School Coaching special, and if you aren’t a teacher, or a school administrator, send your teacher-friends my way, or purchase a coaching series for your child’s teacher.  Wouldn’t that be gift worth giving?

*****

Below is an excerpt from the book The Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer that inspired and challenged me as teacher!  It’s in this spirit of respect and reflection that I make my offer!

“Teaching, like any truly human activity, emerges from one’s inwardness, for better or worse. As I teach, I project the condition of my soul onto my students, my subject, and our way of being together. The entanglements I experience in the classroom are often no more or less than the convolutions of my inner life. Viewed from this angle, teaching holds a mirror to the soul. If I am willing to look in that mirror, and not run from what I see, I have a chance to gain self-knowledge–and knowing myself is as crucial to good teaching as knowing my students and my subject.

In fact, knowing my students and my subject depends heavily on self-knowledge. When I do not know myself, I cannot know who my students are. I will see them through a glass darkly, in the shadows of my unexamined life–and when I cannot see them clearly I cannot teach them well. When I do not know myself, I cannot know my subject–not at the deepest levels of embodied, personal meaning. I will know it only abstractly, from a distance, a congeries of concepts as far removed from the world as I am from personal truth.

We need to open a new frontier in our exploration of good teaching: the inner landscape of a teacher’s life. To chart that landscape fully, three important paths must be taken–intellectual, emotional, and spiritual–and none can be ignored. Reduce teaching to intellect and it becomes a cold abstraction; reduce it to emotions and it becomes narcissistic; reduce it to the spiritual and it loses its anchor to the world. Intellect, emotion, and spirit depend on each other for wholeness. They are interwoven in the human self and in education at its best, and we need to interweave them in our pedagogical discourse as well.”

It was.  In the first half hour of my journey, I navigated my way from Gold Line to Red Line to Blue Line.  At Union Station in downtown LA, a suave man in mirrored aviator sunglasses took on the self-appointed role of “Jessica’s Guide to the Metro.”  He made sure that I read the wall map correctly, that I caught the Red Line as it swooshed through, and that I knew which stop to get off at in order to catch the Blue Line.  Once I finally got on the last rail, I settled in with earbuds and ipod, mindlessly watching the platforms pass by at each stop: Pico, Washington, Slauson, Florence, Compton, Artesia.  People got off and on, and I settled into my internal world of thought, enjoying the ride.

Because I wasn’t sitting near a map of platform stops, I’d checked the GPS on my iphone and realized how far I was from Long Beach.  It had been over an hour and I was already late.  Oh well, I thought… I’ll get there.

The rail stopped again and people were exiting.  The last man leaving the car waved at me.  You have to get off, he said.  Why?  The announcement says the rail is out of order. We all have to get off.

Thanks, I mumbled gratefully, just a bit embarrassed that I’d been so oblivious to the speaker system.  Getting off, I texted Sharnette:  Just had to exit.  Train out of service.  I guess another one will be coming?   I’m at Willow platform, I told her next as I looked around me.  She called immediately: That’s the one I told you to get off at!

What?  Really?

So, there I am, standing on the platform I was aiming for, and the only reason I got off was because the whole rail went out of order right there.  I walked across the parking lot just in time for Sharnette to swoop in, pick me up, and take me off on our own adventure-evening of food, talk and shopping.

We laughed hard about my obliviousness and the coincidence of a break-down at the right platform.  Thinking I was still a good ways from my destination, I was prepared to be on that rail for a long while.  I could have done that and she would have found me, and we still would have had a nice evening, but how much more convenient it was to actually get off at the right stop.  And how did that happen?

I’m not actually advocating obliviousness, but I am proposing that it’s okay to give up a certain level of anxiety and control.  Somehow it is entirely clear to me that, no matter what, I am well taken care of, watched over, and that everything flows in an order and harmony that is far beyond my control or conception.  Sure enough, the whole Universe conspires to get me where I need to go.   And it does so easily.

So, here’s what I know, when I remember to remember:

1. In order to adventure and journey, I have to say yes to the invitation and then get myself on the path and in the flow.
2. The journey can be stressful or relaxed! Whatever mood I choose is fine, but the journey will be more fun if I trust the process, stay open and make friends wherever I go.
3. Whether or not I know how to get from here to there when I start out, I’ll be okay on the journey.  There are guides and signs all around me.
4. Even when I’m not paying attention, the Universe conspires to get me where I need to go.  I can trust that!

And the fact that all of that is true on a Thursday evening in LA reassures me, because that’s just one adventure in my big life.  I’m on other journeys of self and soul, and I don’t have a map of how to get from where I am to where I want to be.  I’ve said YES to visions and dreams that are far beyond my experience and knowledge, and I often forget to pay attention.  But I do enjoy the journey of my life, I do make friends wherever I go, and I am open to the guides that appear for me.  Plus, I have a deep and solid trust.  I trust that the Universe looks out for me, that my yes is enough, and that as long as I stay the course, I’m going to get there.

And that, my friends, is the adventure!  See you on the train!

I’m from Alaska, Sharnette’s from Jamaica, and it’s not likely that we’d ever even meet, but I swear we’ve known each other for lifetimes!  Soul Sisters for sure, and when we are together, magic happens, inspiration strikes, and laughter rolls!

***

All this reminds me of two of my favorite novels, The Pilgrimage and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.  He’s probably the first one to teach me that when you say YES and begin the journey, the Universe conspires to help you.  Trust that and then witness how it’s proven true in your life.

When was the last time you said YES, gave up control and planning, and let the Universe conspire on your behalf?

This morning Kathleen, an amazing Dr. Hauschka esthetician and friend, showed me the new spa space she is now working out of.  It’s Cote d’Azure, in a lovely upstairs suite of an old brick building in Pasadena – a beautiful and energetically good feeling space!  She was excited to show me the place, because as she described it, it’s a place of integrity, run by a woman who lives her healing values, and Kathleen feels at home there: respected, supported, at ease.  That’s important to Kathleen, because it allows her to show up fully and powerfully for her clients without energetic struggle.  In our conversation, Kathleen used the word integrity repeatedly and then observed that the word never used to mean much to her, but now, it’s encompassing and relevant to what her business and her life are about.

Integrity is alignment.  It’s when our values, beliefs, actions, and words are all consistent and representative of our purpose and intention.  It’s a state of being, a representation of our character, and the space from which good, lasting, and loving relationships are birthed.  Kathleen is rebirthing her business in a space of integrity with people who partner in integrity.  How can she not be successful?  Integrity is attractive.  It’s safe.  It’s lasting.

My friend Jenny, a highly intuitive and gifted bodyworker, was describing a new sense of integration she’s experiencing – a compassion and acceptance of all parts of herself, and a broader perspective on people and situations that expands beyond any former judgments, labels and fears.  That’s powerful!  From that space of integration she tells me that her intention in relationships is simple – to be in integrity with herself.  For that she’s checking in with herself to know what she wants to do now, and she’s creating a spaciousness around plans and within relationships to give herself room to know her own soul’s desire.

That’s big work!  The work of integrity is the work of integration. It’s a simple work of awareness and a commitment to know oneself, to give up hesitation and rationalization, and to live what is true.  Slipping out of integrity is easy when I haven’t checked in to my mind, my body and my spirit.  But when I integrate these parts of myself, I KNOW what I know!  I know what is right for me, I feel what my next step is, and I am clear on what I have to say.  And, that is a place of aliveness and joy!  It’s a space others can trust.  It’s a space from which I have much to give.

Within my community of friends, I’m seeing that integrity is no longer optional.  It’s a necessity for the work that we’re about in the world.  Whatever is out of integrity is starting to show up faster and demand re-alignment. So be it!  Yes, it’s work. Yes, it can be uncomfortable. Yes, it requires vigilance. And yes, it’s worth it!  The rewards of fullness, strength and power aren’t just personal; they ripple out to create this world we live in.

“If you are not living in joy, you are out of integrity with your soul.”  Reverend Michael Beckwith

• Where in your life are you living out of integrity?  Where in your life is your integrity strongest?
• What parts of yourself would you have to honor in order to live more fully in integrity?
• What is the cost of living out of integrity in any area?
• Where do you feel your integrity guiding you?

And this year, my new theme blazed a path through my spirit and out of my mouth with a force that surprised me:  I am who I say that I am. That’s my theme. That’s my choice.  I’m 37 years old and I am high-vibe happy with my life.  I do what I want, when I want, and with people I love.  I have all the components of a great life, and I am heart-full aware of how much I have to be thankful for.  From the outside, I might look like someone who is easily pleased and I might sound a little Pollyanna-ish, but let me tell you, I’ve worked darn hard to get the place where I can be as grateful as I am for what I have, and my happiness is not fluff or based on rose colored glasses.  It’s a skill I’ve worked to obtain.  My life isn’t perfect and yes, like anyone else, I have problems.  I worry about money, I stress out about bills, I want things I don’t have and I get confused about how to get them.  The things most people complain about aren’t absent from my life, and, still… I’m happy.  Happiness isn’t defined by the absence of problems.  Happiness, to me, is defined by my ability to appreciate and enjoy my life despite any external circumstance. And, that is my choice.

I’m not saying that I’m perfect at this game of happiness, but I’m noticing that somewhere along the line, it’s become a by-product of some deep internal work.  In the past years, I’ve faced the deepest things I’m afraid of, and I haven’t gotten lost.  I’ve walked through my own internal muck of fear and shame and sat with the hurt inside me that’s come from failed relationships, disappointments, and loneliness, and while I haven’t fixed or solved or healed all my fears, I’ve made friends with myself in a deep way, and I’m on my own side.  That’s the skill that I’m talking about, and more often than not I’m remembering to be compassionate and at peace with my own self.

So while in past spaces of total loss and confusion I’ve clung to the prophet voices of friends and teachers to help me know who I am, something in me has grown and a deep voice within me now declares with certainty – I am who I say that I am.  There’s no need to think less of myself than serves me.  There’s no need to play in the field of fearful uncertainty. And there is no need to look to others to tell me who I am.

Instead, I take on the power of definition. I am who I say that I am.  I am happy.  I am fulfilled.  I am a great coach.  I am a great friend.  I am full of love for everyone who enters my life, and I have more than enough to give.

I am who I say that I am.  My words create my life.  My definitions create my reality.  And I know the power of declaring who I am.  It’s the power we all have and to use it well requires deep courage.

I am courageous.  I am powerful.  I am happy.

Who do you say that you are?

Are you courageous enough to define your own self?  Can you declare your own identity?   Try on your own definitions and remember, you can re-choose at any point.  That’s your power and your right!

***

All is yours.  Do not go seeking for that which you are.  Appropriate it, claim it, assume it.  Everything depends upon your concept of yourself.  That which you do not claim as true of yourself cannot be realized by you.

– Neville Goddard from The Power of Awareness.

(The day after my birthday I was at an Agape Conscious Community Gathering and this was part of the reading we discussed.  Neville is talking my language! Perfect!)

It was an interesting observation.  I shrink, but give other people a lot of space?  I could dissect that down to an interesting why, but more relevantly; I looked at the what.  What good did that do for me? What did I get out of doing that? And finding not a lot of good in answer to those questions, I started to look at the other what question – what else did I want?

Well, it took a little time, and space, to explore that question, but I can now tell you what I want besides being small. I want to take up space. I want the world to know that I am here.  I want to be heard, seen and fully self-expressed.  I want to dance.  I want to be an active, participating partner in my relationships and appreciated for it.  I want to know what I want for dinner, I want to ask for that, and then I want you to help make that happen.  And, let me tell you, these aren’t selfish requests, because being bigger doesn’t mean I have any desire to cancel you out – I want the same for you!

And sometimes, I want space alone.  I want to take naps when I feel like it. I want to have the whole house to myself for hours on end.  I want to take walks by myself.  I want to meditate, and be quiet, and have the time and space to hear myself.  All that space helps me remember who I am enough to be fully there when I’m with you.

I also want a lot of space to be my complex self.  The space to be happy in, the space to be sad in, the space to be contradictory in, the space to be in a space of not knowing how I feel or what I want, and the space to figure it out in.  I want the space to be wildly successful and the space to make mistakes in.  This is the toughest space to give myself, the deepest space, and the most satisfying.

In my coaching, this topic of space shows up as a continual theme.  It’s an unfamiliar topic for many of us who have spent our whole lives trying to be good, right, acceptable, lovable, attractive, and well, darn right perfect.  And it’s exhausting, it’s tight, it leads to headaches, crankiness, numbness, apathy, stress, and depression.  I’m speaking from experience here!

Yet, change the pattern a little, cut something out of your schedule, spend an afternoon entirely alone, let yourself feel and acknowledge that you feel grief, or overwhelm, or restlessness, let go of a relationship that no longer serves you, speak one of your truths out loud that you’ve always been afraid to say – and you’ve created new space in which to be yourself.

Sometimes the space is scary.  Sometimes we create space and then immediately want to fill it with something else – often someone else – so we feel cocooned again, smothered back into the constriction that is familiar.  Feeling into space is to feel into possibility; to allow space is to allow for something new to rise up, emerge, and grow.

That’s it in a nutshell.  Give yourself some space, and you give yourself room to grow. I’ve yet to talk to someone who isn’t longing for that.

***

Here’s a list of empowering questions to sit with.  Journal out your answers, or sit with a friend and have a powerful conversation together as you explore answers.  Your consideration of these questions opens up space inside you… notice how that feels.

• Where in your life do you feel constricted right now?
• Where in your life are you playing small?
• What kind of new spaciousness can you allow yourself to have this week?
• What small shifts can you make to open up space in your life to simply be?
• Where have you stifled your own growth by filling in all the space so there is no room for expansion?
• What would you have to say if you gave yourself more space to express?
  
• What relationships in your life currently feel spacious and enlivening?
• What activities are you making room for that help you express yourself?

Your comments are always welcome, and if you’d like to continue the conversation WITH me, I’d be happy to make space for you.   Blessings!

Those kind of people fascinate me!  Those kind of people are my kind of clients! And those kind of people are my kind of people, because that is who I am.

The way I see it, some of us outgrow our own lives.  No judgment on the lives we’ve created.  No judgment on the structure, pattern or routine that has previously served us.  But what I know is that when who you are on the inside has so outgrown what you’ve created on the outside, the choice to jump feels like the only choice there is. If you don’t make a big leap, something inside you will die.

That sounds a bit dramatic, I admit.  But, there’s something in there.  I’ve felt that twice in my life.  Once was when I left a marriage.  The next time was eight years later when I left a career.  I specifically remember walking in to my work one day two years ago thinking to myself, if I don’t leave, I’ll die.  Yes, yes, not literally, but figuratively – something in my spirit HAD to have change.

And, how grateful I am that I listened and leaped.  Each leap was the biggest risk I had ever taken in my life up to that point, and while each experience was uncomfortable at best and downright scary at worst, I have absolutely no regrets.  Each leap was the biggest journey of growth I could have called forth for myself and yielded more meaning, more fulfillment, more inner connection and outer satisfaction than I could have imagined before that point!  (Whew – I’m inspiring myself here as I remember!)

By interviewing my clients, and the kinds of people who represent my clients, I’m realizing that I’m not alone in that experience.  There are a spectrum of similar experiences out there in the people I’ve been having regular conversations with, and that excites me.  Each person has been defining for me a turning point or climaxing dilemma that for some felt like crisis and for others felt like clarity—a point of knowing that if they didn’t make a big change, let go of an old way of being, and step off into the unknown to become the next greatest version of themselves, something in their spirit would shrivel up and blow away.  How’s that for cliche?  How’s that for true?

So, these are my people.  They are the people I thoroughly enjoy having powerful conversations with.  And, what excites me is that no one I coach or converse with is recreating their life to be selfish or greedy.  No, these people are seeking more meaning and fulfillment and a way to contribute to societal, even global change.  Rock on!  I’m talking about rampant, passionate idealism finding practical form through conscious life changes and choices.

I’m behind that.  I support that!  And in coaching, my job is to be the support, the rational sounding board, the vision holder, and the cheerleader.  I help people ground their vision into reality, find the next concrete absolute step to take, and create an articulate description of who they are and what they are about in the world so they can enroll others in their big dreams and mission.

And that, my friends, is what recreating my whole life has been about.  That was a big leap worth making!

***

If you are on the verge of a new great reinvention of yourself and your life, call me!  We’ll start with a free 30 minute talk for clarity and connection.  From there we’ll design a coaching program that fits you right where you are.

As I work with my clients, I see them enter different seasons that are a bit more intangible and harder to define, especially from within.  A season of growth, a season of change, a season of rest, a season of sadness… What I recognize is that life exists in ebbs and flows.   Expansion and contraction follow each other as naturally as the inhalation and exhalation of our breath and the summer and winter of our year.  When we remember that, we can more easily recognize where we are, and remember that it’s simply where we are right now.

Sometimes in the consistent routine in our life, we forget to notice the turning of a season.  Months can pass without our awareness of what we have planted and harvested, what has flowered and passed, what has shifted and changed.  And, yet, when we pause and pay attention, we become, as good stewards of our lives, more able to celebrate and embrace the gifts of each season.

This month, I look at Nature’s order and am conscious of the feeling of spring — the awaking from winter’s sleep, the growth of energy, the thaw and flow and break up of winter structures into summer’s growth.  Back home in Alaska, I know that this month the snow is melting, the days are the lengthening, and the people are shedding layers and rediscovering anything left in their yards before the snow fell last fall. It’s the season of ‘break-up,’ and it’s exciting!  Here in sunny California, I’m paying attention to the rapid changes of spring along my favorite hiking trail – to the yellow flowers that in two weeks time sprang from below my knee to over my head, to the delicate purple daisies that just appeared, to the sweet smell of flowering jasmine.

Feeling the parallel of this season to what is naturally occurring internally within me,  I pause to feel spring in my life.  I’m conscious that it’s a time to plant seeds and wait for their growth, trusting that the soil is ready and that the seeds will sprout in good time.  I’m conscious that winter’s dormancy is giving way to new energy in my spirit.  And, I become purposeful in my remembrance of this season.

And, because Powerful Questions build a sense of purpose and awareness, I have a few for you:

• What seeds are you planting in your life this spring that will benefit you in a few months?
• What new energy do you feel like activating for yourself this season?
• In what areas of your life do you feel yourself thawing and opening up?
• When you think of getting really creative and trying something new in your life this season, what comes to mind as a possibility?
• What have you learned this past winter that you are now integrating into yourself?
• What is an area in your life that you look forward to growing in?
• In what direction do you most notice your creativity and energy flowing now?
• What values do you want to make your priority for this season?

***

Some of my clients schedule Seasonal Coaching sessions with me.  A once a month or once a season coaching session can be a great tune-up for spirit and mind.  Would you like to book a “Spring Cleaning’ coaching session?  Email me to set up a time.

There’s a positive momentum in coaching – a looking at what is so right now, and then a looking forward to what’s next.

I enjoy that.  And over and over, I see how transformative it is to stop beating one’s self up in the moment of now.  When I simply take an inventory of what is so right now – of who I am and of what I have created in my life — then, I’m not imposing the past on my future in doom, fear or guilt.  I also see that when I listen from a space of acceptance, my clients can more easily enter that space for themselves; it’s then that I see them make powerful choices and dramatic changes of direction.

I also know that taking a life review is useful.  It’s interesting to look at the journey I’ve made to become who I am right now.  It’s interesting to look back and recognize choices that served me or didn’t, that represented me well, or that were based on pretense or pressure.  It’s interesting to view my habits and patterns.

Sometimes it’s informative to do so.  And, yet, having all the information doesn’t constitute any automatic change or magic.  Shifts in self come from the present moment of now.  They come when I stop defending myself, guarding myself, denying what is so right now, and making excuses.  Then I can make a fresh choice of a new place of being.  And I can do so with power.

The ability to accept ourselves and to own who we are right now, isn’t something that we’ve necessarily been taught how to do.  Early on, we’re instructed in who we should and shouldn’t be.  And early on we learn to defend and hide and pretend.  It’s a survival mechanism, and it’s not easy to turn off.   Yet, as we evolve and let our lives be guided from spirit rather than fear, we’ll find it’s worth doing!

Sometimes having someone loan you a space of acceptance, is what it takes to get there.  Having someone listen without judging is itself healing.  That’s where a life coach can be helpful.  That’s the space I’ll meet you in.

***

What experiences have you had in which giving up your defenses and excuses, and accepting who you are, brought about a powerful shift in your life?  Share your story with us, or share with a friend for a powerful conversation that is guaranteed to boost your energy!

She committed to seeking out and creating room for those kinds of conversations in her life, because in the lack of them, she found it hard to keep her momentum going.  It’s easy to get in a rut with your coworkers, family members and friends of talking about the mundane.  It’s easy to get in the mode of the six o’clock news and to see only what isn’t working in the world.  And, it’s really easy to talk about what’s going wrong.

I read something recently about how the biggest factor in depression is that of a loss of hope.  Lose hope and lose energy.  See possibility and gain it.  Perhaps that’s simplistic, but it’s something I notice and respect.  When people ask me what I do as I life coach, I tell them – I have powerful conversations with people that shift and their inner and outer worlds in a positive way.  And, a great side effect is that the powerful conversations I have with my clients enliven and inspire me, too!  You see why I love my job?

While a life coaching session will empower and energize you, powerful conversations can be had anywhere and with anyone.  Recently my parents were visiting me, and I introduced them to TED talks.  TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, and is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.  At periodic TED conferences, leaders and innovates give twenty minute talks about what they are excited about in their fields.  I download TED talks to my ipod and listen to them when stuck in traffic on the freeways of LA.  In between listening to these talks, my Dad, step-mom and I had some pretty deep and lively conversations about topics ranging from seed banks to alleviating global poverty to new technological advancements.  We talked about subjects we normally wouldn’t, and we enjoyed it!  The beauty of TED is that chosen speakers are absolutely passionate and excited about their role in their field.  They are innovative thinkers and their enthusiasm is amazingly catchy!  I share this as one source for powerful conversations.

Or try asking powerful questions to get powerful conversations going.   Ask your friends what’s really working in their life right now.  Ask new acquaintances what they are about in the world, or what they are most passionate about.  Find things that inspire you, and share them with others.

The world is hungry for inspiration– not for a Pollyanna spin on serious issues, but for creativity and hope.  And that starts with people choosing to engage in discussion about what is working, what floats our boats, what gets us excited about life.   When those discussions fuel our worlds, what can we not accomplish?

***

If you haven’t yet met TED, check out www.ted.com.  Pranav Mistry, Sir Ken Robinson,  Nicholas Negroponte, Sugata Mitra, David Gallo, and Jacqueline Novogratz are just a few of my favorite speakers!  I’d love to hear who yours are!

I’d also love to hear your thoughts.  Leave a comment and share with us about the powerful conversation you’re having in your daily life!

During our six day trip, a great deal did not go as planned.  I am somewhat joking when I say that almost everything that could go wrong did, but the statement isn’t far off the mark. Between missed flights and bad weather, closed roads and a ridiculous rental car, no street signs and difficulty navigating, language barriers and miscommunication, we had a good number of close calls and mishaps in our few days in country.  Even coming home was difficult for both of us. My luggage was lost and Corrie’s connections were delayed.

Yet… I’m not complaining.  In fact, I had the best time!  Corrie and I laughed hard every day.  Our adrenaline was high and the trip was an adventure.  It was as if we were flying by the seat of our pants the whole trip, and in truth, we usually were.

This is the beauty of becoming the traveler.  The step outside daily routine, structure, and predictability brings, to me, a heightened experience.  When I travel, particularly in a foreign country and as a budget traveler, I am in the flow.  I have to be! I’m not in control of anything and there’s not much to grab on to beyond whatever I am observant of in the moment.  How am I going to get from this town to that?  Not sure, but I’ll be figuring it out!  What are they saying?  Not sure, but I picked out a few words, and if I try intently, I bet I can communicate what I really must.  What  is tomorrow going to bring?  I have no idea!

And in that alertness and presence, I am in trust.  I trust that all will be well.  I have no choice but to trust.  It’s a reliance on the Universe that gets me very clear, very fast.  And, I open up to the moment and to what it might bring.

This trip brought many unpredictable gifts.  There was the afternoon on a spit of sand outside the beach town that we couldn’t get to because the road was washed out.  On that beach, I played in the waves with 10 year old Manuel, and then started a game of catch with coconuts washed up on the beach.  I usually avoid a game of catch, but that day I started it!  There was the morning of horse-back riding with Efrain in which we suddenly found ourselves in a pasture herding cows.  It didn’t take much to catch the hang of twirling the rope and whooping away as any good cowboy might.  And the cows did what I directed!  There was the hike in the rain, the accidental splits I did in the river, the daily treks in muddy boots, the coconuts, guava, and macadamia nuts fresh off their trees, the tequila toast in a local bar, the amazing meals Vivian served us, the work of finding fishing worms, and the multiple stilted bilingual conversations in which we stopped to ask for directions.   All moments in which I felt joyfully alive and present.

And then there was the moment on the last day that I learned that there was a breaker switch to flip for hot showers, when I’d thought the farm only had cold water!  How did I miss that???

And, that’s what I love –

The unpredictability and the fact that the Universe takes care of me, wherever I am!   And so again, I come home remembering… go with the flow, allow the joy, be in the moment.  All is well.

Can you tell that we are completely rain-drenched? And, check out our super fashionable rubber boots!

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Interested in a week long retreat with Corrie and I in Costa Rica?  Check out Finca Rio Perla’s website to see where we’ll  be hosting  it:  www.fincarioperla.com.   More details to come!

Meanwhile, leave a comment and share what you are reminded of when YOU travel!