Listening to a 5-year-old.....

So would you take advice from a 5-year-old?  You might want to consider it. I was doing some energy work with my friend Lynn yesterday, and she suggested I ask my 5-year-old self:  What would you like to do today? Hmmmm....

Been pretty caught up in learning my new job (which after being at my old job for 12 years, it's been an interesting experience getting my brain to fire up and learn a lot of new stuff) and in continuing to build my new life here in Arizona.

How often do we relax and just have fun for the heck of it? I've been discovering things here that I enjoy, and yet, I still default back into practicality and needing a reason to do something, you know, it has to make sense.  

The other day outside of the grocery story, I saw a woman around my age come out of the store with a full basket, and when she got to the asphalt, she pushed the cart really fast, jumped on the back and rode it all the way to her car. It looked like so much fun, and I was jealous of her.

So yesterday afternoon, I ask my 5-year-old self:  "What would you like to do?"

The answer I get is:  "Let's go swing!!!"

WTF?? Swing? Like on a swingset??  "Yes!!" Um, sure. Do they even have swingsets around here?? And it's the afternoon - we'd get 3rd degree burns from a sitting on a swing and grabbing the chains. "But it would be so much fun!!"  Well, I do have to admit, yes, it would be fun. So I get out my phone and look up parks with swings - and, wouldn't you know, there is a park about a half mile from my apartment with swings. OK. But it's still too hot. "When can we go??" Well, if we go tomorrow early enough in the day.....

What else do you want to do? "Let's get ice cream!!" So my adult self starts thinking about maybe getting a hot fudge sundae....mmmmm...  But, my 5-year-old self would have had a nickle cone from Thrifty's (yes, it cost a nickel, ten cents for a double scoop). Soooo.....off to the store we go.  

While in the store "Oh! Can we get crayons and a color book, too???"  Seriously?? "Yes!!" Um, OK - off to the appropriate aisle...."Oh! They have bubbles too!!!"

Do you know how much fun I had yesterday evening coloring, blowing bubbles off of my patio, and eating an ice cream cone???  

Then this morning, I roll out of bed, put on my "play clothes" (remember when you had play clothes?), and head over to the park. "YAY!!!" Do you know how much fun I had swinging? I think I actually giggled. Fortunately there wasn't anyone else in the park until I was ready to leave and a van that was full of kids pulled up.

I thanked my 5-year-old self for reminding how much fun it was to have fun! 

Then I decided I'd head over to my favorite hiking place to walk my trail before it got too hot. Instead of a focused hike, it ended up being a meandering walk seeing things that sometimes I would have walked past, and instead looked at things as if I were showing a 5-year-old the wonders of the trail and the surrounding nature. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

We tend to take everything so seriously. Yes, serious things happen, but most of what we fret about doesn't need to be such a concern.

Go have some fun today, tomorrow, the next day....just for the fun of it!!! Make it simple and easy. Find something that makes you giggle! I highly recommend it.

Sign, Sign, Everywhere A Sign....

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Five Man Electrical Band



If you don't know my story - a couple of years ago I took a leap of faith and left a 30+ year relationship, my home and most of my belongings, however I stayed in the comfort of my location (my beach!!), my friends and my job.

This second leap of faith has been much faithier. Packed up the cat and everything I owned into my Honda Fit (yes, everything I owned fit in a Honda Fit) and left my community, my ocean, my friends and my job to start something entirely new in the beauty of the desert.

The challenges rolled in. One of them was that I needed a source of income as the funds I had set aside for starting over were being rapidly depleted. Really questioned my sanity for taking the second leap. 

So why the reference to the song at the start of this post? Throughout this whole process, the more I pay attention and look around me, the more signs I see/hear that help keep me moving forward.

You know when you wake up with part of a song stuck in your head? It's only part of the song and it just keeps looping through your brain?? Super irritating, right?? Yeah, that happens to me a lot, and the only way to get rid of the song is to go to YouTube and listen to the whole damn thing. At some point a couple years ago, I realized the lyrics were actually speaking to me. Not the whole song necessarily, but typically one line would jump out and be exactly the message I needed to hear.  

I am no longer irritated when a song pops into my head and won't go away - instead I can't wait until I can listen and find the message. Sometimes it's fun and sometimes it's profound.

(Of course, when its Bohemian Rhapsody - maybe you just need to listen to some awesome classic rock and/or take a road trip....)

When you open up your awareness, signs come on license plates, billboards, in part of an overheard conversation, or the dialog in a movie....and sometimes a sermon.

The last few weeks I attended my outdoor "church" while it was still cool enough here in the desert to do so. Last night I decided I would go to traditional church this morning, but then I had a restless night, didn't sleep well for whatever reason, and ended up sleeping in late. Spent some time trying to convince myself I would just go next week, but there was a niggling feeling that I needed to go. I look at the clock - I only have 30 minutes. But I really feel like I should go. OK - throw on some clothes, hair in a pony tail, put on little bit of make up so I don't scare people, and jump in the car - arrive just in time.

The sermon was written for me.  

Passage today was the parable of the master handing out the talents to his servants. The prelude was "I Can See Clearly Now."

Back to my reference above about needing a source of income. After running the ridiculous gauntlet called job hunting, I was able to find a good administrative assistant/customer service job with some great people. I'm learning a new industry, but the types of tasks are well within the boundaries of what I have been doing for years.

OK, so what does that have to do with the message of the sermon? 

Message today was that we have been given many talents and abilities, and we usually have a calling of how they can be put to use. It is actually our responsibility to develop and share our talents. Follow our heart, look for the signs. Be inspired, be an example, and help others to find their inspiration.

I took a job that, while challenging because I'm learning new ways of doing things, it still is squarely in my wheelhouse and comfort zone. I am thankful and grateful for the opportunity, however, there is this part of me that isn't quite satisfied.

The person who packed up her life and drove across the desert to make a drastic change did not do that just so she could do what she was doing before.

I put reflexology and energy work off to the side because I needed a job for income and security, it takes a long time to build a practice, etc., etc., and I put all of my effort in the direction of finding an office job. Another message in the sermon: Sometimes in our fear we hide/bury our true talents in our search for security. Hmmmm..... 

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day.

Johnny Nash

Time to focus on the talents I really want to develop and share. Time to focus on the work I am inspired to do. Time to find a way to thrive rather than settle.
I love to help people relax, lighten up, and reconnect. I love being in nature. It is time to get my ass in gear to fill the time outside of work doing what I really feel called to do and see where it goes.

Turn left....recalculating.....U-turn at the next intersection.....recalculating....


The universe is always trying to get your attention. Open your awareness - follow your intuition or urges to do things. Sometimes a message was written specifically for you. 

Have fun with finding the messages - I know I am....

Thought you'd enjoy a couple of signs I pass on my way to church....no Toto, we are definitely NOT in Laguna Beach anymore....