Where are you heading?

Stop for a second.  

Think about your life at this moment.

I'm thinking about mine.  

We often ask ourselves, "Am I where I want to be?"  

While this is a valid question, I think the more important question is, "Am I heading in the right direction?"  

When I think about where I want to be one year from now... five years from now... ten years from now, am I positioned to end up there?  

This can apply to your work/career, health, relationships, personal growth, every aspect of your life.  I'm of the opinion that we don't accidentally stumble upon a lasting marriage, a fulfilling, successful career, a healthy body, or deep friendships.  

We invest in these things.  

Make decisions.  

Act. 

Daily.  

"If you do not change direction, 

you may end up where you are heading."  

~ Lao Tzu

The good news is that it's never too late to change direction.  What will I do today?  How about you?  

Take a risk?

Slow down?

Ask for forgiveness?

Eat your veggies? 

Get moving? 

Believe?

Whatever it is, know that it's bigger than today.  It will change your tomorrow.  

Kim 

Reflections from the Garden

It never fails. 

For the last year and a half, our garden has been my teacher.  On Labor Day, as I watched my husband and daughter plant our fall/winter garden, the lessons kept coming.  

There is a joy that comes over my daughter when she digs in the dirt - purposeful, yet curious. She loosens the soil, digs, makes a home for our food.  I watch her little fingers grasp her shovel, wonder what she's thinking, thankful that joy comes so simply.  

It's crazy how the most important job in the world is something we are never trained for.   And yet, every day we have a chance to guide, encourage, lead and nurture these little ones into the people they were created to be.  So very thankful.  

I love beginnings.  Birthdays, New Years, Weddings, Seasons.  I think it's the hope - the possibility - that gets to me.  And today, it doesn't matter how our spring garden did or what we got out of our summer harvest, we're starting over with new seeds, new possibilities.  I love that.  

And that's life.  

There is always a way to start over.  

To be refreshed.  

To grow and live and reach your potential.  

It really doesn't matter what happened yesterday, last year, or in your childhood.  What matters is what we choose to do today.  

And there's no better time to start than right now...

As she planted this one, she looked at it and said, "Grow big, little kale."

A sweet wish.

A simple blessing.

And there it is.

A new season.

A fresh beginning.

And while we look forward to the harvest to come, it's this moment that I'm soaking in.

This is enough.

With love, 

Kim 

36 while 36 - revisited

A friend emailed me the other day asking me how I'm doing on my list.  I had no idea what she was talking about.

Your list.  You know?  The one.  The list of things you were going to do this year.

Oops.

I forgot about the list.

And 37 is just a couple weeks away.

I'll admit, I had to laugh a little when I read it again.  Most of the things I did this year weren't even on the list.  Just never know where life is going to take you.   Let's revisit...

Paint something (I'm terrified of art and not very good at it - so I need to try:  a canvas, a table, a wall, something, anything.)  Hmmmm... does watercolor during arts and crafts count?  Yes.  I say it does.  I'm crossing this one off.  

Dust off my guitar and play again (it may only be for 10 minutes at a time but that's better than nothing).  Took it out a few times.  Not enough to build up any callouses though.  Thus, the dust collection.     

Go country line dancing.  That would have been fun.  

Write letters to old friends and mail it (like with a stamp).  Yes!  This, I did - and will continue to do.  

Play in a poker tournament.  Nope.  I even went to Las Vegas last month, but for very different reasons.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm down for some Texas hold'em any day.  

Plant a tree (or two).  I'm not 37 yet.  This will happen.  :)  

Write - my story.  Okay, well I guess I sort of am - maybe that's what this is all about.  

Eat at new restaurants.  Easy one.  

Drink hot chai tea in the snow.   Check!  

Pick apples.  Barrels and barrels of them.  

Write a song (and sing it).   Ha! 

Allow spontaneity.  Yes, and this came in the form of choosing fun over laundry, last minute road trips over summer house projects.  Lesson:  there are a lot of things in life that really can wait.  

Raise awareness for AS.   I guess in my own way I have.  This one will be a process.  

Laugh at myself.  :)  

Create irresistible vegetarian meals.  It may depend on who you ask.  

Refurbish some furniture.  I'm over it.  

Write - something to be published.   To be determined...  

Wear more colors.  Sure did.  

Sing (either in a microphone or in the shower - just sing) Nothing beats singing with my girls.  Nothing.  

Become a better gardener.  Let's face it, my husband grows the food.  I pick them and eat them.  It's a good arrangement.  

Pray without ceasing (and believe without ceasing).  Still believing...

Listen to live jazz as often as possible.  Not even once. Just a lot of Coltrane on Pandora.  

Stomp on grapes at a vineyard.  Yes!  It's on the calendar for later this month.  Can't wait.  

Write - a song.  Oh my, apparently I was really into writing last year.  Sorry, no songs here. 

Make jam (or jelly - I don't really know the difference).  I'm not doing so hot on this list.  

Learn how to knit (or crochet - whichever is easier on my hands)  No, my but 4-year-old daughter did.  Does that count?  

Embrace the rain - walk in it, play in it, splash in it, LIVE in it.  YES! 

Make pumpkin pie out of the pumpkins in our garden.  Not exactly. I used the pumpkin in my smoothies instead.  Delish!  

Dance in a flash mob (seriously, if anybody knows how I can go about doing this, please let me know.  this is a non-negotiable, must-do!!).   I'm still looking for one!  One of these days...

Read poems to my children.  Love.  

Stay in a cabin in the snow - embrace winter!  Giving myself 1/2 point for this one.  

Be kind to myself - set lofty goals, but allow myself time to get there.  Who would have thought that this vague point would end up taking up most of my year.  

Take water aerobics.  Taking my 2 kids to the pool should count for this one.  I'm crossing it off.  

Go snow sledding!  YES!  

Walk in a "Race for the Cure"   I was out of town.  Next year...

Choose joy - because each day is a gift and I won't take a single one for granted.  YES! YES! and YES!  

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A year ago when I wrote that list I had no idea what 36 would hold.  I never would have thought it would look a little more like this:

- Start a health and wellness business.  

- Decrease medication by 75%!!  

- Travel to other states helping others build their own businesses and have so much FUN doing it.  

- Take the girls to Disneyland.
- Spend one month in Hawaii.
- Become stronger, healthier and more determined than ever.

I'll have to spend some time in the next couple of weeks thinking about where I want to be when thirty-eight  rolls around. Be careful what you hope for, having a vision is a powerful thing.

To living life,
Kim