Reflecting on how my thoughts create my reality….
Hey there! Thanks so much for reading my blog. It really means the world to me that you are here because I know there is a LOT of noise out on the internet but you choose to be here so from the bottom of my heart, a big BIG thanks!
Over a decade ago I started to recognize a personal trend.
August sucked.
As in, this was the time of year, for an entire month, that I truly struggled. I hated being stuck in Atlanta. It’s miserably hot, school is starting so traffic is attempting to get in sync, clients are constantly rescheduling appointments (I totally get it) and it’s just a hot mess on so many levels. So I decided long ago that I would take an extensive vacation, ideally 2 weeks or more, in August. There is no other month that I suffer as much as I do in August. And since I love to travel, that sounded like the perfect solution to end my misery.
When I first met Tim, our very first vacation together was a 2+ week snowboarding trip to Chile. All I needed to hear was, “you plan it” and I went to work organizing a dream boarding trip during my worst month of the year. And we couldn’t have timed it better because Atlanta was sweltering with 100 degree plus weather while Chile was getting pounded with the best snow in over 25 years. It was so epic that Shaun White, Olympic snowboarding champion, was in South America at the same time. In the same hotel. On the same slopes. With us.
So essentially Tim & I are at breakfast in our hotel restaurant one morning, fueling up to play in the amazing pow-pow for our first trip together as a couple (which half our friends said, “wow that’s amazing!” and the other half said, “oh dear this could break you!”). Tim about drops his fork and starts mumbling something under his breath, trying to make sure I’m being cool but no avail. I’m shaking my head going “who’s here? I can’t hear you!!” And he’s like, whispering in that annoyed tone I wasn’t familiar with quite yet, “Shaun. White! Don’t turn around don’t turn around…” But I did and there he was, the Red Tomato, the legend, with his boarding entourage, staying in our hotel. I don’t get star-struck, but he’s a bad ass. And then it dawned on me; they were the ones who were totally going nuts on the mountain the day before. So after breakfast, we stalked him on the mountain, trying to be cool. Can I just say he didn’t strap into his board while riding down to the lift while we most definitely did otherwise we’d be in the hospital with a broken leg. He smoked us in about 4 minutes in a red-hair blaze of glory. But he was easily identified when he would go flying past us doing flips and fancy Olympic moves.
Oh what I wouldn’t give to be in his body on the hill for just a day in super fresh powder!!! If they ever set up a virtual reality game, I hope one is with Shaun snowboarding because THAT would be my very first VR game I’d choose for certain! See, I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I’ve bungee jumped off a bridge in Hoopa, California on an Indian reservation, I went sky diving for my sister’s birthday in Atlanta and I don’t have much fear around cliff jumping. OR driving the car a bit too fast. I have my grandmother Elsie’s lead food. But on the mountain – I don’t go crazy. Anymore that is. I’ve even stopped boarding as fast as I used to just because I really don’t want to crash hard. I’m part tomboy, part girlie-girl and learned how to board with a bunch of dudes. Which means I prefer to fly as fast as I can, but it’s kinda time to slow things down on the slopes and be safe (sad face emoji).
So my point is that August, energetically, is a really rough month for me. And the solution that’s worked for 10+ years now is —> we get the %$&# outta dodge. Each year we run away from the internal and external chaos by exploring another corner of the world. Each year we take a long break and recharge with the goal of coming back a better version of ourselves. Each year we look forward to August, instead of dreading it. This is the best form of self-care + solution oriented problem-solving!
This past year we went on an Alaskan cruise with Tim’s family and it was, in one word, magical. Adding yet another feather in our traveling cap that forever has changed us for the best! It was interesting practicing my mindful eating skills because the staff would comment on the way I was eating and/or my food choices. And that is for another post on mindful eating…
Don’t be surprised when I’m out of pocket in August (including the blog) – I’m on my spiritual sabbatical! May you discover your own peace of mind techniques and solutions to the struggles that we all have the opportunity to grow and evolve from!
