SMARTPHONES

With the trend being about living consciously and staying present in the moment, I find that traveling keeps you mindful. When in unfamiliar territory, you have to pay attention to the streets and landmarks in order to navigate unfamiliar terrain. Or maybe, if you're like me, you rely on your smartphone to get you around.

Recently I found out just how much I've come to rely on my phone when I drove my cousin to the airport in her home town in the early morning hours and I left my iPhone in her house.

No big deal…so I thought! I had committed to memory how to get back from the airport. But one wrong turn and I was lost! I was surprised how vulnerable I felt with my companion.

When I stopped to ask directions, I couldn't even say where I was going…."Uh, do you know the way to my cousin's house?" No addresses, no phone numbers, no money for gas…which was running low because of my excursion heading toward a neighboring state.

Watching the signs of spirit support, I began questioning the direction I was headed when every single  street I crossed had me stopping at a red light. Then I began noticing street names that I knew were the opposite way from her house. Once I turned around, the lights were green all the way back. 

I realized how I've come to depend too much on all the many features of my smartphone. My daughter asked, "How'd you do it before smartphones?" "Easy, we committed things to memory!" I know only one phone number besides mine, without my phone! Amazing! I did make it back, but now I have to reevaluate the fact that I'm trusting my whole life's worth of information in one device.  (Yes, The Cloud, back up etc…but none of it helps without a device to access it.)

Out of your comfort zone....where magic happens!

After spending the past few days in Green Valley, AZ, I was surprised to hear that generally people thought that while I'm away, I'm out partying every night!

My daughter, a basketball referee, who spends many hours on the road during the season, runs into the same general comments. Basketball referee....you must party after all the games!

Uh...the truth: When traveling is part of your job and you get time off all you want to do is rest, veg out or sleep! While I'm "On assignment", I work really for up to 18hrs a day! I stay in unfamiliar places, I'm living around unfamiliar people and I'm always out of my comfort zone. 

While living out of my comfort zone, I find there are many challenges. It forces me to live in the moment and to be conscious. There is no 'zoning out.' I have to pay attention to where I'm going and where I've been. 

The truth for me is that when I'm out of my comfort zone, that's when the magic happens. When I'm not expecting anything and I have no preconceived concepts, I am free to watch and experience the little magical moments when Spirit Support manifests into reality. When this happens for me, there are no words....it just stops me in my tracks and I'm grateful to be a witness to it. 

Anything that takes us away from what is familiar to us has the potential for making magical things happen. When we're not doing what is familiar, we're open to seeing and experiencing things without any preconceived ideas or expectations!

Try it....take a different route home, go to a different restaurant...stop in to a store that you've never been or thought you'd find yourself...maybe a tattoo parlor? It's literally where magic can happen!!! 

WHERE AM I...AND WHAT AM I DOING?

"Where am I and what am I doing?" I could vaguely hear the words coming from the other room. It was early morning and my cousin had just returned from ten glorious warm (mostly) days in Florida with her husband. She lives a 'sandwich lifestyle.' A husband, job, adult children and aging parents consume most of her days.

Today as I woke up, I found myself wondering the same thing! "Where am I? And what am I doing?" 

After two weeks in IL, working with a client in transition, I spent this past week in familiar territory with friends in AZ who will play with me. They take me dancing and out to sing karaoke. Three of us old ladies, tried to sing Baby Got Back....it was a mess, but we had fun! 

Today, I'm heading to San Francisco to spend Mother's Day with one of my daughter's. Then to Grass Valley, CA and Vancouver, WA. 

Living life from a suitcase can keep things interesting but it also has its challenges. Where am I and what am I doing?....are two! 

  

FOLLOWING THE FLOW OF ENERGY

Hitting the road again....heading to Oakland, CA and then Grass Valley, CA.

Everywhere that I travel, people are always very supporting of me and the journey that I have chosen to be on for this part of my life....with all of its up's and down's. Thank you!

It's a long drive from AZ to Oakland...about 15 hours. However after getting a late start (a picnic in Madera Canyon, not to have been missed:) I decided to test the waters of travel. If there was a possibility for me to spend the night in Huntington Beach, I'd head directly west to San Diego. Otherwise, I'd head north to Bakersfield. 

Yes, to HB and so I drove across I-8 to San Diego. Following the guidance of my GPS, (which I don't always do) I found myself headed to Ramona and Santee (suburbs) which would then connect with I-805. It was unfamiliar territory for me, it was dark, and so it was unusual for me to follow the advice of my GPS. 

Ramona was a place we used to visit a lot as we were kids. I had an uncle who lived there. We thought it was on another planet...it was so remote. My ex-husbands sister used to live in Santee. As I was driving up over the hill to get I-805, I began feeling what I refer to as panty-twisting. An extreme energy surge filled my body. What's this about?  I began to ground myself, stay in my body and started deep, slow, conscious breathing. I remained asked the question to my guidance, "Is there anything that I need to know? 

I knew that I had been led by Spirit, in this area for whatever reason. I knew it to be an energetic healing of some sort. I also know that on this journey that I have chosen, I am on a need to know basis! I knew that I didn't need to spend time trying to figure it out. All that was required of me was the willingness to follow the flow of energy, consciously bringing love and light with me wherever I go. 

I'm thankful that I do have the courage to continue into the unknown and discover what God/The Universe has out there for me to uncover!  When you pay attention in your life...where is Spirit leading you? Where are you taking your love and light? I'm in great company!!!!

PS. Now I'm in Grass Valley, CA.