So many of us live lives that are good, fine, maybe even appear to be fabulous to the outside world, especially in terms of social norms. Every day I learn more and more that this life is so much more than I ever knew it was... so much more than the picture perfect lives so many of us seem to be striving to put forth for others to witness, for others to give their stamps of approval, to nod and validate our hard work. I'm learning that life is a true journey, and I don't mean that in a la la la, whimsical metaphorical kind of way. I really see it now- that life is a journey of self discovery, of worldly discovery, of Spiritual discovery. Like that's the whole point! All the stuff that we do during that journey- the family parties, the relationships, the education experiences, the traveling, the drug and alcohol binges, the time in prison, the participation in a civil rights movement, the wealth, the poverty, the highs and the lows... all of it- is how we learn. All of the experiences we have are our teachers.

As an early childhood educator, I always view the environment as a teacher in itself, and the same goes for everyone's environment, regardless of age or school status. Just as young children learn best by hands-on exploration of toys, sensory experiences, real relationships, opportunities to solve problems important to them, opportunities to resolve naturally occurring conflicts with peers... so too do we learn our biggest lessons, our deepest Truths, through hands-on exploration here on Earth.

When did we as a people decide to take this playful learning process and make it so serious? When did we as people decide that there was some end goal that was better than some other end goal? There is SO. MUCH. MORE. to this Life Journey, than I ever gleaned possible in my earlier years. I so bought into the rhetoric that one of the most important things to do is decide what I want to be when I grow up- choose what to study in college, choose a location to live, find a high paying job and climb that ladder so that every year I would move up, make more money, hit another "milestone" of marriage, car, house, promotion, babies, pets, vacations, etc. About mid-way through college I began to discover that this wasn't all that it was cracked up to be, and as an opinionated young adult, and I guess just as ME, I told people about it, beginning with my family. I became the rebel. I became the odd one. I didn't intend to not hit those "milestones," but look! I didn't hit any of them! And I look at that now and I laugh and I smile and my heart is so full! I am on my Life Journey. And I KNOW it.

It's the season of beautiful sunrises and sunsets!  I love taking time to stop and look up and just relish the few moments of a painted sky when the opportunity arises.  It's a great reminder that nothing stays the same, and we can find total satisfaction in simply living in the moment, enjoying what is, here and now.  

I just looked at this blog, dormant since the last post in November 2018. A year ago I was poised to launch a family mindfulness playgroup and then.... well needless to say, it didn't happen as planned.  I'm not beating up on myself and I'm not even going to take that post down.  The blog is a part of my journey and I love the documentation of it all, getting to see how I am growing and changing every day.  I think its important to be transparent with others- to show the world that its okay to fail and then move forward with the lessons learned.  

I have learned so much over the last year and am more excited than ever to see what I will come up with to offer families next. I know that I am here to guide others on the Journey of Life, even as I continue to grow myself. What exactly that will look like continues to unfold... in this moment, and in this moment, and in this moment.  

If you're reading this, know that there really IS NO DESTINATION.  Of course we can and should have standards set for ourselves, goals and dreams that we know we want to experience in our lifetimes.  The best way to make them happen, is to write the goals down, focus on them consistently, and know without a doubt that we are already there. It is done. And when those dreams are accomplished, there will always be something else.  The treasure truly is in the getting there, so don't miss it! 

One of the most impactful things I've learned these last few years, is that it is possible to know what we want and then allow ourselves to get there simply by staying focused on presence. By being fully present, all the things that need to get "done" in order to achieve the goal will flow into life naturally and with an ease that seems unbelievable.  I have experienced this ease and the results are so much better than when I "try" really hard and insist on forcing what I think needs to be done- when I insist on being in control. Letting go of control can be hard, believe me, I know!  But with practice.... it just gets easier and easier and things start to fall into place in ways you cannot imagine. 

Thanks for reading today- I'm excited to be on this journey with you, Friend. 💖  

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If you'd like some ideas about how to start practicing Presence:

1. Sit in silence for 5 minutes first thing every morning for a week.  Sit comfortably with your back straight and your hands on your knees or in your lap.  If you feel fidgety, try putting a hand on your belly or your chest (or one hand on each) to help center yourself and focus your attention inward. Just notice your breath coming in and notice your breath flowing out. Do not alter your breath- just notice it happening.  When thoughts come into your head, and they most definitely will!, simply notice that you are thinking and then put your attention back on your breath.  Even if you get a great idea, trust that it will be there when your 5 minutes is over.  Watch any thoughts come and see them go.  Return again and again to your breath coming in and your breath going out.  

2. Grab a meditation or mindfulness app and commit to listening to a 5-10 min guided meditation/visualization each day for a week. If you need help choosing one, search "learn to mediate" or "beginners meditation." You can also reach out to me if you want some specific guidance. Some examples are Headspace, Calm, or my personal favorite Insight Timer. 

I've been using Insight Timer for five or six years and have watched it go from a simple timer tool to a huge database of guided meditations, courses, music and even an optional social network support system.  The creators are committed to keeping all of the main content free to everyone- the point is to get more people meditating! They only charge for extra premium content to keep the app going and to pay the teachers. I even became a teacher myself by uploading the Relaxation Story guided meditation for kids I created, and have met a ton of awesome like-minded people.

3. Choose one activity or type of activity to intentionally do mindfully each day for a week. Each time you brush your teeth, eat a meal, or wash the dishes, practice ONLY doing those things.  The way I really grasped this in the beginning was to narrate (sometimes because I was with children and sometimes it just helped me stay focused) exactly what I was doing- "I'm walking.  I'm stepping into the bathroom.  Feet on the ground.  Air cool.  Reaching for toothbrush.  Feels cool in hand. Reaching for toothpaste.  Put toothbrush down. Hear sound of toothbrush on counter.... you get the idea. 


When you get to the end of your week, reflect on your experience and commit to another week. Remember that it takes about 21 days for a new habit to get going in your life- the more you practice, the easier it will get the more you will feel a sense of knowing.  I'm not even going to say knowing what- just knowing.  Try it and you will see.