toward or away?
You know that feeling when you plan something way in advance and then the day comes and you suddenly have a list of 70 reasons why you can’t make it? I’m a homebody, and on the days I work from home even going to a yoga class where someone might want to start conversation seems like a lot. Other days I’m out there in everyone’s face ready to be social. Last Wednesday was a quiet day, as 6pm got closer I thought of every excuse to skip the networking event I had committed to months ago.
“It’s kinda far from my house...” “I might need to get gas on my way there so that’ll make me late, I shouldn’t even try.” “I’m already in my pajamas.” “My body probably needs rest.” Now, I’m all about self care and saying no to things when I truly needs rest and nourishment, but this didn’t feel like that. I sat in silence for a bit and I tried to gain clarity on what was really going on. My gut loudly said, “go to the event!” I opened my eyes and grabbed yesterday’s sweater from the floor, threw it on, and ran out the door just in time to make it there by 6pm.
I walked into that room filled with great energy, delicious snacks, and amazing people who are all developing their businesses in a kind, conscious, compassionate way. The focus that evening was storytelling - we shared stories about courage, trust, heartbreak, and just like that, we were a bunch of lifelong friends sitting around a campfire (aka a table with fake candles). Community, warmth, connection is exactly what I’d been craving recently and there was an abundance of it in that room.
That evening I met a woman who booked a Badass Portrait Experience and we shared inspiration for our upcoming session together. We got excited about making photo art with gold body paint and wild hair/makeup out in the desert. She told me that earlier that week she had decided that she wanted to capture photos of this transformation chapter she’s experiencing - we agreed that we were both meant to be there in that room that evening.
I also saw a woman there who I had met a couple months prior, and this time she invited me to a full moon gathering which I attended this week. At that gathering I immediately felt supported and seen by the other women there - also something I’d been seeking, sisterhood. The effort to throw on a sweater and get to that event has already brought so many gifts into my life. Those brief moments that I took to sit in silence before leaving my house wondering if I should go to this thing or roll into bed early, turned out to be wildly impactful. Not only did my decision impact that specific evening, it has rippled into this week and beyond.
The very thing we desire can be so incredibly close, it’s up to us to get out the door and make the first move. A simple tool for making a decision to step out of our comfort zone, it to ask ourselves, “is this going TOWARD or AWAY from what I truly desire?” The line between toward and away can be faint or it can be a loud clench in our gut telling us to get our ass out the door and make it to that networking event. In this particular instance, it was clear to me that staying home would have been a form of staying small and in my comfort zone. Going to that event was a way to put myself out there, be seen and heard, and open a giant new door of opportunities. 100% TOWARD everything I want.
Often times my clients hesitate to book a photo session at first because they’re waiting until they’ve figured out exactly what they’ll use the photos for or when they have “something more special” going on in their lives. And often times, the photo experience itself is the very thing that sets those things into motion. A lot of times we stay home from events because of the silent hesitation of being seen out there in the world, when truly, sharing our energy and putting ourselves out there could be the ignition we’ve been waiting for. Getting out there can be the very thing that connects you to that community you’ve been craving or opens you up to that fresh new opportunity you’ve been waiting for.
A Badass Portrait Experience is like that - it’s a place where you get to SHINE, step out of your comfort zone, set into motion new creative ideas, and decide what qualities and themes you’d like to embody more. It’s also a very beautiful way to be seen, and most importantly, see yourself.
Would an expressive photo session move you TOWARD or AWAY from the mission you’re on? Would you benefit from seeing yourself in all your light?
📷💛
rfg
Photo of Katharine Chaney of Pure Joy Acupuncture
Photo of Katharine Chaney of Pure Joy Acupuncture
Photo of Natalie Harrison
Photo of Natalie Harrison
noticing, staying open
©Regina Felice Garcia || San Francisco, CA
To LISTEN to this story scroll down and click play. To read, view below.
I remember this day. I walked out of the yoga studio where I had been at teacher training all day. We practiced bandhas that day. The teacher was adamant about the integrity of our breath and the engagement of our muscles. She kept reminding us to release expectations and simply engage in the practice, and most importantly, “stay open and notice.”
I cant remember why I didn’t ride my bike that day, but after class I decided to walk a few blocks before hopping in a Lyft to my house across the city. I observed the world around me as if I wasn’t part of it, yet feeling like WAS IT all at once. Noticing, staying open.
The majestic views ahead and the way the light grazed the buildings, pulled me closer to the stuff beyond our bodies. I felt connected to the sidewalks and sounds of the city, and I never reached for my phone to call that Lyft. Or for anything for that matter. I knew the destination, I paid little attention to the streets I turned on to get there - the way I got there didn’t matter, the HOW I got there did.
The how in this case, was noticing myself expanding past my skin. It was seeing the rays of sun piercing through the thin layer of fog hovering over the city in the summer, and knowing deeply in that moment that I am made of that also. Noticing, staying open.
I wanted to be even more in that moment, if at all possible, to hold it longer and squeeze it tighter. Whenever I feel this, it becomes a decision of staying in it fully with my entire being and without distractions, or reaching for a camera to capture it. I held off on reaching for the camera most of the walk, until I made it a few blocks from my house and knew that I wanted to have a bookmark for this day.
My phone had run out of battery but I found a barely-charged camera in my backpack. I took a deep breath inhailing this sensation into my memory, *click*.
Noticing, staying open.
∞ ♥ rf
there's no "I" in success
Photo by Charity Yoro, Lux Central, Phoenix, AZ 2018
Photo by kind stranger, Lux Central, Phoenix, AZ 2018
Charity Yoro at the dinner table, Phoenix, AZ 2018
I sprained my foot while taking photos on Saturday and I quickly learned that there are two types of people in my world - the ones who react to the news with, “Oh no! That sucks, you better be careful.” And the ones who’s immediate response is, “so did you get the shot?” Much gratitude to all those cautious friends looking out for my well-being, and also big ups to those on the latter end who get it, that a few days of recovery from an art injury are one hundred percent worth it, because you can also trip while you’re walking doing something completely feelingless, so you might as well trip or step wrong or twist your ankle doing something that feels worth doing. And by “you”, I mean me, because jumping off a truck outside a vintage shop in witch boots flashing a super rad feminist t-shirt with my best friend was the only thing that seemed right in that moment and you bet your fine ass we got the shot. (<— Coming soon!)
I’ve been hopping around on one foot, with what my friends are calling Potato Foot because I hadn’t had any sign of bones in my foot all week - until yesterday when I went to acupuncture and walked out with space between my toes once gain. Moving that chi is no joke, the 15 minute transformation was wild.
Aside from the rapid healing I can also appreciate that this injury has been pushing me out of my “asking for help” comfort zone. I have to actually ask people to do things for me, little things, big things, things I am only used to doing myself. My soul hermana, Charity, happens to be in town this week and has been an incredible angel, filling up my water bottle non-stop, bringing my coffee cup to the table, making dinner, washing the dishes, and the list goes on and on and on. It’s an interesting reflection of how I get by in other areas of my life.
While I do all the physical things for myself regularly... all the other stuff by no means is due to my own doing alone. What I mean is that emotional, spiritual, career, and mindset growth for me do not happened alone. Sure, I ultimately have to decide to make these changes and do the actual work myself, but I would not be here today without all those friends who lend their shoulders and ears, without the teachers and healers who hold the space for exploration, growth, and processing, without the colleagues who share business advice and inspiration, without all the other artists out there sharing their work and their voice, without the humans who encourage me to be fully me and continue pursuing my path however it may unfold.
We don’t get to places on our own two feet. We get there with the support of many other humans. Even if you feel like you’re alone or have climbed yourself to the top of your own mountain without the assistance of anyone, take a look back at all the things that needed to happen in order for you to get here.
Perhaps you don’t have specific friends or teachers in mind that you can identify as great supporters on your journey, but what about that driver who let you go before them in traffic when you were running late, or that person you just met who rooted for you at that job interview or referred your services, or that person who published that piece of information or reflection that completely shifted your perspective on something, or that stranger who smiled at you and for that brief moment shared in your joy? If you think you’ve made it to the top or wherever you’re standing right now by yourself, you’re missing the whole point. We don’t win alone, we win together.
Who are some of the people that help you fill your water bottle, take coffee to your table, and help you take the next step in more ways than one? Give them a big hug and lots of love because damn, baby, look how far you’ve come together. Look how far we’ve come together. I am so grateful for each and every one of you who have in some way contributed to my journey and my growth. I appreciate you and I want YOU to win also.
❤️🔮💫
new year, same you, please.
Photo of Sterlingsilver Tabasa from a Badass Women Photos session ©Regina Felice Garcia
There is nothing wrong with you, or the way you’ve been doing things up until now. There doesn’t need to be a different version of you being born with the new year. You are enough, as you are. Sure, eating more vegetables and moving your body a few more minutes a day might help you embody a version of yourself that you want to fall deeper in love with, but I don’t buy this New Year, New You stuff.
It takes more than a year for us to grow fully into who we are becoming - it takes our entire life to do that because we are constantly evolving. And it often takes a short moment to make the changes we truly aspire to make. You can wake up on March 4th and decide to go to the gym, or you can become a vegan any day of the year. We have control of our choices every single day. So while the start of a calendar year might feel like a great time to get your butt in gear, this opportunity is really available all year long.
Before I photograph a new client, I ask them to fill out a self-reflection form - one of the questions is “what do you love and appreciate most about yourself?” I find that time and time again the things women love most about themselves are the little things that are already a unique part of their essence, or that they’ve spent years putting into practice. Like, “the kindness I share with strangers.” And, “my drive to accomplish my career goals while still being present for my children.” No one has ever responded with, “going to the gym every single day” or “gaining 5 new clients every month.” As humans, we fall in love with essence and connection, not bullet points.
Why do you love the individuals in your tight circle? It’s likely not because they make a certain amount of money or have traveled to exotic locations - it’s likely because they make you laugh, or because they’re great listeners, and they support you. These things we fall in love with are available all year round, and they often don’t make the big reflection list at the end of the year. These are the things I strive to capture during Badass Women Photo sessions - the things that make you YOU. The things we may not acknowledge on a day-to-day basis but that are truly impactful and shape who we are now and who we are becoming.
May you have a year filled with little strengths and practices that may seem insignificant at the time but that add up to the version of you that you’ll fall deeper in love with. Cheers to the details.
rfg∞ ♥
home is everywhere
The last time I visited Arizona before moving there again, I wrote this on the plane ride home to San Francisco: “I want to startle the mystic of the Arizona desert, and the cozy San Francisco fog.” Growing up in Arizona and Mexico, the Bay Area had been the only other place I’d lived for a long period of time. The first 2 years I lived there, I’d visit the Southwest for the holidays and I’d refer to it as “going home” for the holidays. Around year 3 in SF, I flipped the script and when I was in Arizona for the holidays, it felt like I was away from home - San Francisco was home. That feeling of landing on that runway surrounded by water and entering that magical bubble of glowing fog, that was home. Fast forward to year 6.5 having written this line on that plane ride...when I landed I didn’t feel the same. Had I left home or arrived home? There was no shift, the lines were blurred.
Home is everywhere.
There was no difference in the sense of home, aside from the fact that my apartment, my things, and most importantly, my community were in San Francisco. I spent the rest of the summer doing a deep-dive check-in with myself. What’s most important to me? Is San Francisco still the place for me right now? What’s up in my career sector? Revisit connections, time management, boundaries, behaviors, ALL OF IT. I didn’t come up with any solid answers, but something needed to change, and big transitions are not always a breeze, it’s letting go of a lot of things we love. And it’s trusting.
At the end of the summer, I took a trip to Iceland and spent a week in an Airbnb. I noticed how quickly that geometric loft turned into a home. The minute I stepped in, I scoped out the water coloring station and laid out my art supplies. I placed my clothes in my room and located the French press in the kitchen. I learned the most scenic route to downtown and found sweet parks to enjoy coffee and naps. That place was home immediately. It especially felt like home when I ran 13 miles around Reykjavik, getting intimate with its waterfronts, alleyways, and neighborhoods.
Home is everywhere.
I spent the next 4 days jamming around the island in an SUV, grabbing snacks to keep driving, and finding safe-from-the-roaring-wind spots to park the car and sleep in it. That car became home too. A slightly more compact home with sleeping bags and stinky socks, but home none the less. It even had Wifi! Iceland's got it goin' on.
I made the decision to move from San Francisco to Arizona while I was in Iceland. So when I arrived back to that 3rd floor flat in North Beach, I found myself with a long list of things to let go of. Damn, breakups are hard.
It was time to let go of the things that made my relationship with the city of San Francisco one of my most spiritually deep and heated love affairs. Our sunrise bike rides across the Golden Gate Bridge, our hours of walking together and singing into its jaw-dropping picturesque streets, our coffee dates, our random “work from park” Tuesdays when the sun was out, our jogs along the Embarcadero. It was letting go of the rainy I'm-a-local-so-I-don't-carry-an-umbrella days and of the never-a-dull-moment street vignettes. Our run-ins with friends and neighbors at least once a day. Our head-over-heels romantic solo-dates, to the beach, to hula hoop in parks, to capture sunsets on rooftops. Our heavy HEAVY dose of synchronicity. Leaving San Francisco was letting go of the way we so perfectly met one another needs.
But I was ready to step out of comfort, and into curiosity and trust. I was ready to step into more space and take up even more of it. To expand. I wasn’t, however, ready to leave my communities and my sweet Bay Area connections. I wasn’t ready to break up with walks across town to Yoga To The People on Friday evenings, followed by dinner at Beloved Cafe. I wasn’t ready to stop teaching the sunrise yoga class at the all-girls high school. I was certainly not ready to give up the cycling playground of dreams that happens to be the entirety of the city and beyond. I didn’t want to not pass by those places every day and wave to the same people who worked there - most of us never talked, but through our passer-by non-verbal interactions, we had solid friendships going.
By the time I finished packing up my UHaul, I had let go of a lot of shit. I made a few donation boxes, filed through old paperwork, and changed addresses. I was leaving with a lighter load - a car filled with plants, art supplies, bikes, and a curated version of the things in other rooms of the house. Letting go of things that didn’t matter, allowed me to see the opportunity to keep things that do.
I can’t let go of the things that matter, because things that matter stay with us, they become a part of us. I can let go of an apartment with a monumental view, I can’t however, let go of the growth, deep connection, love, romance, and the sense of “I gotcha. I always will,” that I have with San Francisco. I get to keep connections because those stay with us for as long as they need to, and Southwest Airlines flights are cheapAF.
I get to keep my fairytale walks and chats with the streets of San Francisco, we get to keep our deep and casual passionate connection when I visit. It’s certainly letting go, but it's not breaking up - San Francisco and I get to pour our hearts onto one another when we’re together. I️'m currently on a flight headed to California, and I can’t wait to kiss those streets again (extremely figuratively because germs).
“We’re always together, sometimes we meet.” - Luke Kreinberg.
As far as community and connections, there were no breakups there either. In fact, it’s wild how much the magnitude of a connection can be reassured with distance. The cool thing about connections also, is that they multiply.
I was so afraid to leave the community of Badass Women that have helped me grow my career and have referred my photo experiences to their friends and colleagues. I️ was afraid to lose everything I️ had build there. But the love and magic of the women I️ work with, and this movement to help one another level up, spans past any geographic boundaries.
When I shared my December Bay Area photography dates I felt that it might be a shot in the dark because I wasn’t physically in the Bay Area anymore - but NOPE, this community showed up more than ever and spread the word... and BOOM!
In the upcoming weeks, I’ll be photographing 6 badass women (and 1 badass man 😉) in the Bay Area. 3 of these women are returning clients - you can view photos from our previous sessions below. I can't wait to capture their radiance again and again and again and again!!! I feel so incredibly grateful for this sense of location independence, strong soul tribe connection, and the opportunity to share Badass Women Photos with the original Badass Women Photos Bay Area community, and also beyond that - in Arizona, in SoCal, in Mexico, in Iceland, anywhere.
In summary:
- community and connection go beyond physical location
- when we let go of shit that doesn't matter, we can keep what does
- we can’t break up with growth, it’s part of us
- Southwest Airlines flights are cheap AF
- look out for more Badass Women photo dates and locations soon
- anddddd.....
HOME IS EVERYWHERE.
Thank you, fam. I love you.
San Francisco, see you soon, you sexy beast!
LIA PINELLI
LAUREL WILDE
JORDAN YOUNIS
Are you thinking about your own Badass Women Photos? Let's chat about it. I want to celebrate YOU.
greetings from the desert
I kept putting off sharing this note about my relocation from San Francisco to Phoenix, Arizona. Partly because who cares?! And partly because I felt like I needed to have a solid explanation to justify leaving the vibrancy of San Francisco for the dryness of the desert. And I don't have that. Since I made the decision to move a few months ago, I've gotten mixed reactions - there are those who freak out that anyone would consider anywhere outside of San Francisco a decent place to live, and then there are the ones who get it. Like my grandma. I called her on my drive down the I-5 and she asked what my reasons for moving were. I was honest with her and told her my reasons were many and none at the same time - I felt it in my gut.
Her response was epic, because that woman seriously gets better with age. In her matter-of-factly way, she claimed that I don't owe anyone an explanation about why I'm moving and that the reasons don't really matter, because what matters is that I trust my intuition and get out there and explore, even in those places where others might not think to go. She gave me the important reminder that now is always the time to try things we're curious about. And most importantly, she gave me her blessing.
All this to say that if I don't owe my grandmother an explanation about my life, I certainly don't owe it to anyone else. Often times we don't need reasons, convincing, or hard facts - we need only to listen to that thump in the center of our being telling us to go for it - and trust that it's enough. As I settle into my life in the desert, I imagine I'll learn more about why I chose to move here. But for now, here's this poem to sum up what I do know.
NOW I'M HERE.
The desert called
and now I'm here,
in Arizona.
I’m not really sure what for,
but I’m here to listen
To crickets and birds
And Spanish.
To bathe in holy-shit-look-at-ittt
sunsets and sunrises.
To get some dust on my trail shoes
first thing in the morning.
To bring our backyard grass back to life.
To dance to vinyl for hours in the living room
To sweat every drop of what doesn’t serve me,
onto my yoga mat,
down my shirt on walks around the city,
and up red rock mountains.
To rediscover roots.
To connect with family.
To explore this mystical, weird-ass territory.
To take one from the book of the desert land
and allow myself to crack,
break,
open,
seep in more love,
shine more light.
To take up space.
To expand.
The desert called and its magic pulled me
out of my picturesque apartment in San Francisco,
out of my sparkly magic city comfort bubble.
It pulled me down highways for 778 miles,
on a 13 hour one-day, one-way road trip
rocking out with my plants in my car,
following a Uhaul with all my art supplies,
driven by my best friend.
Maybe I do know what for.
To mix it up.
To GROW
With the flow.
Now I'm here.
∞ ♥ rf
© Regina Felice Garcia, 2017, Pinnacle Peak, Arizona
© Regina Felice Garcia, 2017, Pinnacle Peak, Arizona
© Regina Felice Garcia, 2017, Self Portrait
YESTERDAY WAS DIFFERENT.
©Regina Felice Garcia, 2015
It was. I didn’t get much sleep. At morning meditation, our teacher asked us to write down how we felt before and after the practice. All I wrote down before was “neutral.” What does that even mean?! That’s how I could best describe how I felt – it was so unlike me. Then we practiced asana, a very deep asana (thanks Jean). I wrote down ‘happy’ in the after section in my notes. What does THAT even mean?! Happy. Can you be more specific? I didn’t have words for it, but I took a last minute detour on my way home and remembered I had my camera in my backpack.
And it happened again. I fell in love with San Francisco. ∞ ♥
©Regina Felice Garcia, 2015
©Regina Felice Garcia, 2015
©©Regina Felice Garcia, 2015
©Regina Felice Garcia, 2015
RIDE, BABY, RIDE
I had my bike stolen last weekend. I loved my bike, it took me absolutely everywhere and we made great partners for a little over three years. I felt empowered as soon as I jumped on it – it was a big speed upgrade from the cruiser I previously had, and the fact that ‘non-athletic and uncoordinated’ me could ride a fast bike like my fast cycling friends, whoa! It was huge.
The speed was cool, but I fell in love with way more than just that. It was a mix of using my own strength to continue pedaling up giant hills, it was the deepest most perfectly paced breaths, the sound or lack-there-of of wheels on pavement, and that thump of the heart when the cleat clips into the pedal. All this combined with nature and city and cosmic energy zooming past me on every side was absolutely mind blowing – how much I could discover in such little time. How I could feel so much yet nothing at all, one with everything yet completely alone.
A few months after I got that bike, I flew over my handlebars and broke my chin open. I felt there were only two options after the accident; either generate a fear of cycling and retire my bloody handle bar tape forever OR take the lessons that my bike offered and keep pedaling. I chose to take the lesson – the big ol’ thirteen-stitch wake up call on my chin. I’d been sitting on some changes that were piling up dust, and there was nothing like a nice pavement sweep to help me clear those off.
I took a closer look at the relationships in my life – with work, partner, friends, alcohol, and of course, with myself. It put an end to a few of those and committed to loving myself – and loving myself meant getting back in the saddle. My cycling tribe was fully supportive, as they know the flow that comes with pedaling, and they held my hand as I got comfortable with my wheels again.
When my bike got stolen last weekend, I knew there were only two options; to see this as a set-back, financially and to my routine, OR to take it as an opportunity to upgrade my ride and continue experiencing the thrill of feeling fully alive as I balance a geometric frame on wheels down the not-so-trusty backside of Hawk Hill and beyond. I went for the ladder – recognizing it as an investment to my overall wellbeing, because cycling feels so damn good.
I picked up this gorgeous CAAD10 Cannondale yesterday and took it for our first spin today in bright pink lipstick and some stretchy pants, because I love looking snazzy on a first date. Oscar Martinsson captured this gorgeous shots as we sped through Golden Gate Park and onto The Great Highway. We made a mandatory coffee stop at Andytown and I was back home ready for a photo session at 10am. What a gift to begin a morning like this – I can’t wait for more upcoming adventures with my Ramona.
Stay tuned. Stay spinning. ∞ ♥
Photo by Oscar Martinsson
PERSPECTIVE CHECK: SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA
A few days prior to this camping trip, I had a dream that I was flying. I didn’t have wings so it was more of a superhero glide over a coast. There was ocean to my left and land to my right. I was using the length of beaches to guide me because I knew exactly how long the sand stretch looked at my home – which evidently I was flying to.
On my way I stopped on a bench swing that was hanging from thin air. I sat there as I talked to my dad on the phone, laughing our loud cackle about who knows what. Once we hung up I was on my way again and that’s the last thing I remember.
I was telling a friend this story as we drove down the coast to find a space to experience the vastness. When we arrived, I dangled my feet over the edge of the coast from my flying dream. I remembered it so vividly, it felt so real – it felt like this. There was no one around and I could see all my thoughts and make them go completely silent. I could easily let myself feel.
It feels so good to get outdoors and zoom out to see just a little bit more of the bigger picture. My heart is full.
Thank you, California.
STAND ON MOUNTAINS & KEEP CLEAN MIRRORS.
©Regina Felice Garcia, 2015
Surround yourself with individuals who stand on mountains, regardless of where they are.
Feeling the powerful FLOW. The thing that happens when you open your heart and focus your energy on what you believe in – when you step up to the plate, when you build up the courage to do YOU, the best you – when you realize you’re holding the pen to your own story.
I’m so incredibly proud of my amazing tribe that constantly inspires me. Today has been filled with moments of, HOLY SHIT LIFE IS SO GOOD RIGHT NOW. We’re doing it – we’re creating opportunities, we’re doing the work, we’re pouring our hearts into it, and we are supported.
Today I witnessed the fruits of what my *soul family has been pouring their everything into lately. Here’s to thriving in careers, to creating new opportunities, to healing hearts, to offering new perspectives, to making everlasting connections, to beautiful skylines, to surprise notes from the universe, and to taking leaps of absolute confidence and faith.
I believe our relationships are merely reflections of ourselves, and the mirror was extra shiny today. So much love. And GRATITUDE, always infinite gratitude.
*Soul family: the individuals that immediately connect to our soul, as if we’ve know one another forever (because we have), and from that moment, our lives are forever intertwined.
∞ ♥ rf
LIVE SIMPLY. SIMPLY LIVE.
"25 has been a weird year." - Me
"You've had 2 weird years, Regi." - A truthful friend
Indeed. It's been a time filled with rapid change. A lot of figuring out what I'm doing and why. I'm learning a lot about myself, about what resonates and what doesn't. I’m making decisions quicker about what fits my life and forever exploring. Practicing packing light in every aspect and listening inward. Crashing on couches, traveling, sharing rooms and spaces with all sorts of wonderful people.
These past few months I've reassured that peace comes from within and you can take it with you anywhere you go. I often bank on things to make me feel settled or ready to act. "When blank happens, then I can start doing blank." Like, "I'll start working out when I move closer to the gym." Or, "when I have a perfectly peaceful space, I'll meditate." Why wait?
I went to a Kundalini class recently where our teacher pointed out that this behavior is sort of redundant, because the point of meditating is to find that peaceful place within yourself, in the adversity of it all." Eye opener right?! I practiced this for the past 2-3 months as I rode the YesMad* wave, which I believe to be a crucial stage in every free-spirited human’s life.
Now I’m settling into my beautiful new room with all my stuff that had been in storage for a few months. I got really good at living out of a big brown suitcase in various corners of the world, but I'm ready for a home base. Except that now, I have a new perspective of my own space. It's not a place to store things that I never use, or simply have my own bed to sleep on, it's more about creating an environment where I can feel light, creative, and inspired.
As I sit at my new old desk, I’m feeling pretty darn grateful for the roller coaster of an experience the Universe embarked me on. I mean, that was fucking FUN! Sure, there were times where I was like WHAAAA why is EVERYTHING up in the air and change is frustrating and what the hell is this all for?! But they were balanced out by times of YESSSS this is the best opportunity ever, I GET to see a million people that I love all in a short amount of time because EVERYTHING IS UP IN THE AIR, so therefore, so will I. Flying through life like a fairy in watermelon shoes, until I found my ground.
I’ve reached the ground and I’m ready to walk it barefoot. Welcome home, feel rooted.
Things I've learned in my few months as a YesMad:
1. Peace lives within. Close your eyes and meditate, anywhere.
2. If you wanted to do something, you'd already be doing it, regardless of where you are. (Eat healthy, working out, painting, working on that one project, etc)
3. Be open to receiving love and support. We all have more angels on Earth than we know and it's obvious when they take you into their homes and nourish you with great vibes.
4. Adventure is always around the corner, don’t just sit there!
5. If something doesn't make you the happiest ever, why keep it around? (This applies to all things - clothes, people, habits, career paths, food, everything)
6. Go with the flow. Let the small stuff wash right off you without making it a big deal.
7. Look every stage of life in the eye and embrace it, hug the shit out of it because it’s happening for a reason and there’s no point in resisting change.
8. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Love YOU.
9. Home is where you are, so BE HERE. Welcome yourself home and realize you’ve been here all along.
*YesMad: a more positively vibrated word for Nomad.
