balance – Page 5 – We Only Get One Chance

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE

Welcome to the future!!!

Do you remember 1985 when the movie “Back to the Future” came out? I was quite young at that point however it was an age that I can remember life and some of the specifics.

The main thing I remember is thinking that the date they were heading to in their time machine seemed like it was so far away!! “That is forever from now!” I thought.

I also remember being in first grade and our neighbors were in fifth grade and I thought that was so old and thinking the moment I graduated from Fenton High School that my life was over. Chiropractor Fenton Michigan Back to the Future

When we are young, it seems like those things are so far off, however here we are today!!!

When I think back to 1985, I was 8 years old and in third grade at State Road Elementary. Life was simple back then and school came easy for me. I remember some of the most stressful things happening on a daily basis would be deciding between pizza or a cheeseburger for lunch and that was it. I remember wearing parachute pants (because I would only wear clothes my older brother wore first) and always being one of the only girls on the soccer field for recess every single day.

The span of life between then and today “the future” has been quite an adventure. I obviously finished and graduated from Fenton High School, went on to Michigan State, transferred to Boise State University and finally graduated with my bachelors degree from University of Alaska in Anchorage. I started my doctorate at Life University in Atalanta, GA and finished at Sherman College in Spartanburg, SC.

During that time, I married and divorced, I lived in many places all over the country, studied my little heart out and moved home to open my practice. Since then I have started a business, traveled to many parts of the world, been on a mission trip, ran a marathon and many half-marathons, completed triathlons, been on numerous dates, bought a condo and then a home. I became an aunt. I have nieces and nephews I have watched grow and have helped them learn about their world, adjusted thousands and thousands of people, made money, lost money and made investments. I have been diagnosed with a heart condition but otherwise have had good health. I have added many friends and lost a few, added many family members and lost a few of those too.

A LOT has happened from that time to now!

Sometimes life can feel as if it is not moving and nothing is getting accomplished. But if you really stop what you are doing right now and see if you can remember back to the time while watching that movie for a first time (I assume everyone has watched it, its such a classic), truly you have come so far and accomplished so much. The good, the bad and the ugly, take a moment to have gratitude for all of it. If it didn’t go the way you really wanted it to, then take another moment and figure out something you can you do from this point to make a change. Instead of waiting to make a New Year’s Resolution, how about resolving to do something today that will change your trajectory in life?

There is no time like the present since today is “the future”. Welcome to the future!

MY HOUSE

Many people are asking about my house.

Back in the beginning this year I wrote a blog called “I’m Not Crazy” about how, in spite of all kinds of different ideas and opinions everyone has about moving from a lake home, I had plans to sell my house.

I think it is so interesting how life works sometimes.

Very shortly following that final decision to sell, I met a really interesting man. Most of you know that I have been single and dating for years, sometimes what seems like years and years. This guy came into my life and just a couple weeks later I got a great offer on my home. He and I were playing with the idea of keeping the house in case we Chiropractor Fenton Michigan My House went the distance together. It was so early in our relationship that we really didn’t know much about our future. It got down to the wire of having to counter the offer or take the house off the market. As the minutes ticked by, I was in sheer panic trying to figure out if I should really sell and move on or keep it and stay put.

As the final minute to counter that offer approaches, I pulled the house off the market. It was a heart-centered decision about my life I was ultimately really happy with my choice. The couple that had made the offer came up with another offer meeting me half way from their original offer and the asking price. My response remained “it is not on the market anymore.” Then they came within $3,000 of full asking price…but I remained happy with my choice.

That particular gentleman and I didn’t end up going the distance. However, months later, I am still so grateful for him being in my life at that moment when that decision needed to be made.

Today I sit and write to you while overlooking the lake. It is fall and it is time to get the boats out of the water, roll up the docks, and batten down the hatches to take on Old Man Winter. I face west and that unencumbered west winter wind is absolutely brutal from here most of the time. I have a few new windows ordered to replace some old cabin windows, some insulation and other fall chores to be done and a new incredibly sweet handyman in my life ready and willing to help me tackle it all. For all of that and so much more, I am grateful.

Life takes twists and turns and I have chosen that, instead of trying to force decisions, I can get quiet, look around, listen to my inner voice, check in with my heart and make that next step.

From what I mentioned above, I am sure your mind goes to the question of “Is that ‘incredibly sweet handyman’ going to be it for me?” I can say one thing for sure…for right now, I am so very grateful for his presence in my life. That is all I know.

Seems as soon as I try to make some sort of plan for my future; home, relationship or otherwise, I get blind-sided and spun around in a completely different direction. For now, what I am certain about is that I am staying in my house.

When you look back on your life, can you see key moments and people or experiences that significantly changed the course of the path your life was moving on? Boy, I do. It is sometimes so hard to see through all the energy of the moment, however in retrospect it seems 20/20. For now I will sit back in my house, breathe, have gratitude and trust the next move will be obvious when it needs to happen.

TUESDAY MORNING

TUESDAY MORNING “COULD-DO” LIST:

Work out
Prepare food for the week
Read
Blog
Work on my book
Run errands for my personal life and the practice
Grocery shop
Practice piano
Rest
Laundry
Organize my home
Online courses
Marketing
Breakfast with my mom
Visit my nieces and nephews
Snowboard
Yoga
Walk and catch up with friends

Many people have asked me what I am going to do with my Tuesday mornings since I will not be adjusting and serving my patients at the Cafe of LIFE. The above is a list of normal things that I fall behind on during my regular week. I have not had the balance I need to sustain my lifestyle and all the things that I need to make happen every single week. I have been tired and if I really own up to what is happening for me, I am slowing down a little bit. I can own that. It truly is what’s happening.

6 months ago I began to have this hunch that life was getting out of balance. I could feel it in my body and mind that it was a challenge to keep my energy levels up all week long. I scoured my weekly activities trying to figure out what would be the very best, for both myself and the Cafe of LIFE, way to balance the week. All of the hours at the Cafe of LIFE are busy and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I then realized that Tuesday morning is really the only chance to take away from the Cafe without effecting anything happening there. Chiropractor Fenton Michigan Tuesday Morning

It has been a challenging decision to actually step up and scratch those hours off our weekly schedule. It has been a lot of internal turmoil. Then, one day, I just decided I have to take a step forward into that new idea and present it to the practice. I was concerned that there would be a lot of disappointment.

What I found is that there is a lot of support in this decision. So many of you have stepped up and let me know how proud you are of me to take what time I need to keep it all balanced. “It’s truly a win-win because you get more “you-time” on a weekly basis and we will get you and your service for many, many more years to come.”

That is truly a win-win.

So I have just set my alarm for tomorrow morning at 8:30 and instead of getting up and showering and proceeding on with my morning preparation rituals to get ready to serve my patients at 10, I am going to put on workout clothes and go and take a step class at my favorite gym. Then I am going to come home and work on laundry and continuing education credits. Then I am going to do some food preparation for the week and then shower and be so ready to serve you at 3pm.

Tuesday morning is going to take on a whole other feeling and purpose for me. But because Tuesday morning will be redirected, Monday will be even more productive knowing I have a chance to catch up with myself on Tuesday morning. Then Wednesday will roll around and I will have far more energy to get up and rock the morning out at the Cafe of LIFE at our usual 7:30am. All of this with hopes that when I leave the office after a busy Thursday, I will have energy enough to go to the gym, bike or meet up with some friends.

My creative energy turns up high at night and so even though I do not have to work in the morning, I do need to finish this, shut the brain down and get in a good rhythm with my Monday nights so I can maximize the potential of Tuesday morning.

Good night! See you tomorrow at 3pm!

LIVING FULLY

To me, living fully is the most important concept in running my daily life.

If I get an invite somewhere, I take it.

If I get an opportunity to do something, I say yes and make it happen.

If I have an idea, I try it on and see if I can make it work.

To live fully is to take every opportunity to say “yes” and explore life!

When we got orders to go to Anchorage, Alaska, the decision was literally made on a “why not?” philosophy. Why would we go? Why not! I have to tell you it was one of the most incredible experiences that has shaped my entire life from that point forward. Going back to revisit was amazing.

Humans get involved in analysis paralysis, stuck in our thoughts and in our heads. We think too much and it stunts our movement forward. I want to challenge you when the next opportunity presents itself, see if you can answer it with a “YES!” instead of thinking too much (of course as long as it is safe and reasonable). Take the opportunities that help us live fully. We only get once chance to live this life. Let me know how it goes!

I THINK I CAN

I headed over to Grand Rapids a few weekends ago to watch my friend run the River Bank 25K. He is not used to someone being interested enough in the road race scene to want to travel the distance to sit for a couple of hours and watch. What he is learning is that I am interested, however, I am not going to just sit and watch. There was a 5K and a 10K option for that morning and I figured I could easily pull one of those off.

You all know that I run for medals. I don’t always need a participation medal when I am finish a long distance race…wait, yes I do. I knew there was a rather large and fancy medal involved for the 25K, that is 15.5 miles and kind of a big deal! Maybe I could finish that distance? “I think I can.” The seed of “25K finisher possibility” was planted and my mission became to find out if there was a medal for 5K and 10K participants, and if so, how big?

Chiropractor Fenton Michigan 25K finish 2 We walked around the expo and picked up his number. They were still taking registrations for all 3 races however I found out that the 5K and the 10K finished with an “oversized lapel pin”. I am not sure what size “oversize” is but I did know that the 25K medal, if I could finish it, would be totally worth the trip to the west side of the state, and the seed of “25k finisher possibility” started to grow.

So I sat down to fill out the registration form and since the seed had been planted and was growing, when it got to the place that I had to check the box for which race I was going to run, I checked the 25K box. I figured there is a chance that I cannot finish that distance. There is also a really good chance that I COULD finish it and HUGE PAYOFF of getting to sport that medal around my neck for the rest of the day. “I think I can.” I have run a marathon, many half-marathons (13.1 miles) including one last fall, however the longest distance I had recently run was only 6 miles.

I was nervous. I was very, very nervous. My friend and I started the race together and I told him “I am pretty sure I am in over my head right now.” He looked over at me and said “I bet you will surprise yourself. See you at the finish line.”

So I started. “I think I can.”

And I kept going. “I think I can.”

And going. “I think I can.”

The miles were ticking down. The 11-minute-mile pacers passed me at mile 8. From that point I was determined not to let the 12-minute-mile pacers pass me no matter what.

At mile 12, just when I thought I couldn’t go on anymore, I saw a woman running with a metal stick in her hand. When I looked closer, I realized it was the 12-minute-mile pacing group. They were not going to pass me. I would run with them but they are not passing me. That is just the simple facts here, they are not passing me. “I think I can.” Chiropractor Fenton Micighan 25K finish 1

I allowed my strides to be determined by the woman holding that sign. She was one of the most excited and upbeat people I had seen all day and I was so very grateful for her enthusiasm. I needed it.

If you have ever run that particular race, it finishes in the downtown area with an uphill section leading to the finish line. There are moments in all of my long distance running that I find myself in tears of gratitude just for the simple fact that my body allows me to do something like that. I got to that hill and that tears-of-gratitude point all at the same time and I began to hyperventilate. I am running and training almost everyday, but was in awe and disbelief that I could run 15.5 miles with so little long-distance training (this is not something I recommend) and feel good. The hyperventilation forced me to slow my pace and lose that 12 minute group but I could see the word “finish” stretched across the street so I just let go. “I can.”

Finishing that race is a really proud moment in my life. Overcoming the limitations of what I think I can’t do is a big deal to me and is what makes life so rich. We have to brush up against our limitations in order to really push them and having those 2 phrases “I bet you will surprise yourself.” and “See you at the finish line.” are just what I needed to make that happen that day.

I want to leave you with a question…What limitations have you put on yourself and have you ever tested to see if they are accurate?

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.” -Henry Ford

I think I can.

IT’S BEEN A WHILE

This is one of my favorite artists…

After reading this a couple of days ago, it struck me that over the past 2 months, I have sat still and listened. This life I am leading is very different from even just 2 short months ago.

My entire being has shifted and let me explain what that actually means for me.

I was pretty content in living a life of service. I have spent the past 10 years really happy and fulfilled in being a chiropractor and helping people daily in my practice Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic.

I LOVE being a chiropractor. There is absolutely nothing that I would change about how I spend my days in this wonderful community…giving, loving and serving. I get to see miracles happen right in front of my eyes. I get to be part of families in the community and get to watch them grow. Truly every single day I am blessed and honored to be part of people’s healing process. It is a calling in my heart and in my soul to do the work that I do at the Cafe, a place that is truly a second home to me.

In my personal life, I have had hopes and dreams and visions of my future. I choose to spend most of my time in the present moment, however I am always headed in the general direction of a well calculated destination. Life happens in the journey, in the mundane of the everyday, and not once you reach the final destination.

AND…as soon as I think I have a really great, well-calculated plan and a really awesome destination and an incredible vision for myself and my life, I get broadsided by the Universe and sent on a different trajectory.

When I talk about hopes and dreams and visions for myself in my personal life…I have BIG ONES!!! HUGE ONES!!! I have to say that it is one of the reasons I spend a lot of time traveling and exploring and discovering more and more of my world around me, and therefore discovering more about myself.

This particular trajectory I am currently on is SO GRAND, FAR MORE GRAND than I could have ever imagined for myself. It is wonderful, wait, that word doesn’t do it justice. Actually words really dilute the experience because it really is a feeling, a healing and an evolution.

It’s been a wild ride and it has changed so much for a better, sweeter and more fulfilling experience. I am ready for the chaos to settle but am grateful for all of it. Every. Single. Bit. Of. It.

I am grounded in Fenton and this community more than I have ever thought was possible. There is chaos around right now, but that is the breaking down of the old to build a new foundation that will support and sustain something super incredible. This is applicable on so many levels.

Not to worry, I am not going anywhere. In fact, travel will always be part of who I am, however there is so much fulfillment in this new travel to the inner space of myself and who I am that the need to explore far-off lands sort of fizzles…unless, of course, he can go with me.

Beyond that, have you all noticed how cool Fenton is becoming? HOLY COW I am grateful to be in this community right at this time!!!!

What I realized from these past 2 months is so profound. We have no real control of our lives. We cannot control what others say or do. We can have a destination in mind however when everything is up in the air, it is so important to find time to sit quietly. There is so little time to be idle in life anymore, in fact, I think the concept is lost for future generations. Nobody spends time just sitting and thinking and listening to that little voice inside that has the answers we are looking for.

It has been a while since I have written. It is not because I haven’t thought about it, it’s because I am having a hard time quieting my mind at the end of the day as it is. Writing inspires me, opens up new channels of possibility and can keep thinking late into the night after I publish a blog post. For that very reason, and the fact that the Cafe is so busy to begin with, I have saved as much energy as I can and put it towards restful sleep at night instead of stimulating myself by creating.

Tonight, I just couldn’t help it anymore. This had to come out.

Rest well my friends. See you sooner than later!!!

I AM NOT CRAZY

I know what you are thinking, “what is she up to now?!?!” I have to write this post and just globally announce that I AM NOT CRAZY!!!!

I am selling my house. Yes, I have been so grateful and blessed to call a cozy place on a beautiful lake south of town “home” for the past 3.5 years. SO. VERY. VERY. VERY. GRATEFUL.

As I was headed out the door for a run 3.5 years ago, my mom called me to ask if I would ever consider living on the lake (they live on the other side of said lake). The very first thing that came out of my mouth is “that would be great if I had somebody to do that with.”

I pondered that thought for my entire run and it became very apparent that very thought was an incredibly limited belief about myself and my situation. I called her right back and said “YES!!!”…and the rest is history. Fenton Chiropractor Lake 2

So fast forward 3.5 years later, with a for sale sign out in front of my house, and everyone is calling me CRAZY!!! “You have got to be CRAZY to move off the lake!” “Are you nuts, you live in a beautiful home!” “I heard a rumor your home is for sale, are you out of your mind?”

All of you know that owning a home is a lot of work. Adding the word “lake” in front of that word “home”, adds a lot more work on top of that. I am not one to shy away from work and I have a lot of maintenance things hired out to keep my life simpler.

My biggest challenge is that everything on the lake weights 60-80lbs or more and there are so many routine things that I cannot do at all because things are so CRAZY heavy. I am just one single gal and I truly have to call people over to help me on so many occasions.

Everyone will say “Oh, but that is simple for you…you have 3 brothers to help you with all that stuff.” Well there is some truth to that and they step up every single time they can, however, they have their own lives and families and it is tough sometimes to coordinate schedules to make things happen.

I absolutely love the lake I am on and I practically grew up here though we didn’t have a house right on the water. However, like I mentioned above, my Mom and step-dad are on the other side of the lake and in the summer, my brothers and their families hang out there almost every weekend. Therefore, I am rarely at my house at all. I would much prefer being with everyone else and playing with the kids as they learn about their world, about the water and how to swim. We spend hours and hours chatting, playing, listening to music and the squeals of the children, and making and sharing food together. That is what I want to spend my time doing and the greatest part of this is that I do not have to give any of that up. My family will live in the house they are in for many, many, many more years to come.

I have a beautiful pontoon boat that I keep at my house. It is a running joke on the lake, and some think I AM CRAZY that it never leaves my dock. I took it out a total of 3 times last summer and 4 the summer before that. If my family is out on my parents boat, why would I undo my boat and be separated from them? Trust me, I AM NOT CRAZY!

I have a family home and I do not have a family. I AM NOT CRAZY for making this decision, I am just one single gal and that is too much house for me anymore.

It is true that I will miss my view and my garage. I am down-sizing and moving into town really close to my practice. I AM NOT CRAZY, I have plans to eventually live on another lake down the road sometime. For now, this is the next right move for me. Fenton Chiropractor Lake

It seems backwards and so strange when I tell others of this move. I always feel like I have to justify the fact that I AM NOT CRAZY and then I go into my long list of reasons that I am choosing what I am.

I will absolutely miss this house. If you know me at all, you know I have put some blood, sweat and tears into creating a home here. Homes that are loved show you they are loved, that is apparent to anyone who walks in my front door.

I remember moving out of my last chiropractic office location and into the location where the Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic lives today. When I left that location, it had been a chiropractic office spot for over 50 years. I didn’t buy the office from someone, it just so happened they were moving their practice out when I was moving my practice in. When the final day came in that space, it was incredibly emotional for me. It just so happened to be the spot my brothers and I would go to see our chiropractor while growing up. As a child I ran through those halls I was now serving in. I also knew that we would be able to offer such a superior experience with so much more space and a better fit in our new building and that is exactly what has happened.

This feels a lot like that move. It will probably be even more emotional because it has been a sanctuary for me, a refuge at the end of my day and a nest to settle into at night.

In retrospect, maybe it would have been great if I had somebody to live in this lake house with Maybe that would have made it simpler and easier, or at least I could have had built-in help for carrying heavy things. (On a side note, I would allow all of you to call me CRAZY if I married someone just so I would have help carrying things). But I also know and fully trust that it is the next right move for me and it is going to lighten the load, free up my time and allow life to be so much fuller and richer in my new spot, right in town, right by my practice. That will become my sanctuary, refuge and nest to settle into at night.

Ultimately I did choose to live here and though the seed was planted by someone else, I let it grow and become my current reality, which truly is beautiful and I am so blessed.

I also have found that when life gets a little uncomfortable, that is when the magic really happens.

Yes, I am in tears, this is incredibly uncomfortable. It is so much simpler to stay in a place than to move It is so much more comfortable to not make waves and shake up my life and have to pack everything up and unpack a home of boxes on the other end. But I hope you can hear in my words that I am stunted here in this most beautiful place I call home right now and it would serve me better to let go and move forward. It is also well thought-out and I rest peaceful knowing that, though it looks like a strange move from the outside, I AM NOT CRAZY!!!! Rather, I am just doing my best to live my fullest life possible and I HOPE YOU ARE TOO!!!! …and as a side note, there is a really great, very loved home for sale on Runyan Lake if you are in the market.

THE TIME WE HAVE

This short clip is talking about the time we have and is represented in jellybeans. It is a brilliant picture representation of our life.

Watch until the end…profound, profound message about what if today was the only day, what would you do?

Let me know what you think about the time we have, the time I have, the time you have. It is all so very short. I have been attending an online course and realizing actions steps need to be taken TODAY!!! Get out there and make it the kind of day you want! The kind of life you want!!! We only get one chance…

10 YEARS TODAY

It is “Throw Back Thursday” and exactly 10 years today that I graduated from Chiropractic College. From the time I started college to finishing with my doctorate was also 10 years.

It is very clear that decades go on in the blink of an eye and it truly is important to take each day lightly and have fun. I have had so many incredible experiences and memories, and have learned so much in this past decade.

In the last 10 year:

I graduated from Chiropractic College with these great guys and loaded up my things and moved home to Fenton, MI.

I moved in with my parents, moved into an apartment, bought a condo and bought a home.

I started a practice, Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic at 110 Trealout Dr, moved my practice to 114 W. Caroline Street (where Crust is currently) and we found permanent digs in 2010 at 521 N. Leroy St.

I have celebrated the marriage of my mother to my step dad, and 2 of my brothers to 2 very beautiful women.

I have welcomed 4 nieces and 3 nephews, and watched my brothers become fathers.

I have been to countless birthday parties, holiday parties and spent hundreds of hours at the lake with my family.

I have had 5 extraordinary women help me run my practice…Thank you Lauren, Rachel, Vickie, Angie and Alyssa.

I have had 7 of the greatest massage therapists on my team…Thank you Rachel, Teri, Kelli, Rachael, Toni, Kel Leigh and Nicole.

I have traveled a lot and have some fun stamps on my passport.

I have participated in a Chiropractic Service Trip <<–YouTube picture book (Peru August 2014).

I have run a marathon, Chicago in 2006, many half-marathons, Crim 10 milers and other races.

I have finished 4 triathlons.

I have been to hundreds of yoga classes, maybe close to a thousand.

I took yoga teacher training and doula training.

I have been in love, been loved and fallen out of love.

I have done a FLASH MOB, jumped out of an AIRPLANE and taken a ride in a helicopter.

I have had health challenges, sports injuries and have more faith in the body’s ability to heal than ever before.

I have attended births, I adjusted women before labor, during labor and immediately after birthing their babies.

I have checked and adjusted too many babies to count, more kids than I can imagine, and I can’t even fathom how many adults.

I have adjusted people minutes after birth and hours prior to death, and those who have just lost someone important.

I have laughed more in the last 10 years than ever before in my life.

I have had more fun than ever before in my life.

I have cried so many tears of joy and sorrow.

I have never loved life so much as I do at this point right now.

I have made so many great friends, lost a few and learned so much from connections with others.

I have learned to embrace the moment, be present to the day and squeeze as much juice out of life as I possibly can.

I am so grateful, so very very grateful to be of service to a community that has given me so much.

I am so freakin’ grateful for my support system of people near and far and grateful to have people in my life that help me keep my flame lit.

I had no idea when that picture above was taken at my graduation that all of this stuff would have happened.

It has been quite a ride, I look forward to seeing what the next 10 years will bring.

10 years today. Truly unbelievable it has been 10.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDi7nW_l_Pw[/youtube]

GRATITUDE

The month of November is such a great time to bring our focus back to gratitude.
We have a gratitude project happening at Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic this month. There is a gratitude station set up in the reception area and every time you come in, we are asking you take a moment and think of something you are grateful for. It could be something really big or super small. It could be something from today, or something from years ago. Absolutely anything you are grateful for, write it down on a leaf and we have a “gratitude tree” painted on our big windows that you can tape it to.
The only other thing we ask is that you take an extra moment, maybe 5 or 10 seconds to consider what it is that you are grateful for.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4tzY6xbzXs[/youtube]

It is one of our favorite activities of the year, literally planting seeds of gratitude in our reception area that grow and flourish. I have to say, honestly, day after day after day of that really builds some incredible energy. With the Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner, what perfect timing!!!
We have had some teachers come in and borrow that idea to take it back to their classroom. I actually got the idea from a friend of mine who did it on their window at home and allowed the entire family to participate.
What are you grateful for?
One Monday, one women said “I have so much to be grateful for, how can I pick just one?”
Take a moment every single day for gratitude. Truly we are blessed beyond what words could express if we really take a good look.
While we are on this topic, I would like to express my gratitude to you for being in my life. If you are part of my practice, part of my family, part my circle of friends, a colleague, someone who is following this blog or a perfect stranger that has stumbled upon this post by chance, Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! When I count my blessings, you are one of them and I want to take a moment to express my gratitude.