shift – Page 5 – We Only Get One Chance

10 000 FEET

“We have now reached an altitude of 10,000 feet and it is safe to use approved portable electronic devices.”

Hmmmm….10,000 feet. WAIT!!!! 10,000 feet!!!! That is how high the plane was I jumped just a few weeks ago!!! HOLY CATS!!!

I am in a window seat and I take a glance out of the plane and the feeling comes rushing back to me since my very last plane ride was on was the one I jumped out of. I have a slightly, what some would call “photographic memory” and the image I just experienced when looking out of this window was like my brain went to rewind mode and took me right back to that moment i jumped.

WOW! WOW! WOW! and WOAH!!!!!

I am absolutely floored and filled with adrenaline again. I can contain it because it is not appropriate to interrupt my neighbors as one is reading her book and the other is browsing through SkyMall magazine.

I am in absolute awe of flight every single time I get on a plane. I fly a lot and some would think that maybe I would become desensitized to how amazing it is…but I never do.

As we were sitting in line a few minutes ago, waiting for our time to take-off, I could see the plane that was taking off just ahead of us. There is a HUMUNGOUS metal tube, on a few itty-bitty wheels, with 2 wings, filled with people and luggage, and at a certain speed, it gets just the right amount of lift and takes off INTO THE AIR!!! Are you kidding me!?!?!!!!

I was a science major and physics was a big part of my curriculum so I understand conceptually how it all works, but I am still amazed. Those Wright Brothers were geniuses!! Not to mention the logistics that go into making air travel possible for the average Joe.

And do not even get me started with helicopters…

Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to fly a helicopter. I remember one day when I was around 8 years old, I watched a helicopter land about 150 yards from where I was. I thought it was the coolest thing ever at the time. I don’t know if my desire to fly a helicopter came from that moment or some other time but I remember that clearly.

So about 6 weeks ago, I was on another amazing adventure that took me to Sedona, AZ. I didn’t have any place to stay and no plans so I stopped into a tourist center to get some information. As the kind woman was setting me up with a room for the night, I thumbed through “Red Rock Helicopter Tours” brochure. Wait…they only want that much for me to get on a HELICOPTER??? That’s it??? Those machines are so complex, I never thought it would be a reasonable price to get on one…and in Sedona, nonetheless.

When I arrived at the airport the next morning, the helicopter landed shortly thereafter and they proceeded to TAKE THE DOORS OFF!!! So now let me get this straight…I get to be in the front seat of that helicopter, with the doors off and FLY OVER SEDONA?!?!?! Seriously, this is an absolute dream come true!!

They get me situated in the seat and give me a headset. I think the company was smart for putting me in a headset because I had to consciously push a button in order to speak to anyone. I don’t even remember taking off because all that is going through my head was “THIS IS SO FREAKIN’ COOL!! THIS IS SO FREAKIN’ COOL!! THIS IS SO FREAKIN’ COOL!!”…and that would have been what would have been coming out my mouth too if people could hear me and we didn’t have to have a headset on.

In the 45 minute flight, I did press the button a couple times just to let the pilot know that I thought the experience was “SO FREAKIN’ COOL”. I think I cried during most of that flight, had tears of excitement and gratitude just simply because I was in that helicopter…it was that freakin’ cool to me.

It truly was. Even to this day, when I think about that flight, that experience, I well-up with tears.

I do not know exactly where my love and fascination for flight came from or where it will take me. I don’t know if I will pursue flying helicopters or not. I have thought about getting my sky-diving certification and purchasing gear. Though now I have done it and realize it is quite safe, I don’t think spending my weekends skydiving is exactly appropriate as a chiropractor, business owner, daughter, aunt, cousin (I am pretty sure one of my cousins will intercept my car on the drive there), and friend.

I do know one thing though, I will keep flying around, traveling and having some awesome experiences, and sharing them with you.

I think it is pretty freakin’ cool that just a few minutes ago, when the flight attendant said “10,000 feet”, it was like I was brand new in this life again. Though I am not new, I have a renewed excitement today that only something like getting way outside my comfort zone and skydiving can create. I know I will hear it often and it is really freakin’ cool that the phrase “10,000 feet” has such a profound new meaning to me and is an anchor I will use to life live even more fully.

A ROSE

The rose is known for it’s beauty and energy. It is a symbol for “love and beauty” and different colors mean different things. I remember growing up, when I got a rose that was white, it meant something similar to the “like” button on Facebook, yellow meant “friendship” and red meant “love”. When roses were delivered in high school from someone, the color truly was significant…but the bottom line was everyone loves roses.

This evening I was having wine and a bite to eat with a friend, and since it was Mother’s Day, the restaurant was giving red roses out to all the females…basically making the assumption that they were mothers.

One of the servers at the restaurant taps me on the shoulder and says “Ma’am, would you like a rose?” Instantly, and based on my assumption that “roses are for mothers only” I said “No thank you. I don’t deserve one. I am not a mom.”

WOAH!!! HOLD YOUR HORSES!!!! …now all of a sudden I have made an assumption that in order to “deserve” a rose, to be “worthy” of receiving a rose from a random restaurant server, I must have birthed a child into this world or somehow married into a step-mother role.

When absolutely ridiculous statements like that fall out of my mouth, a HUGE red flag goes up indicating it is a good time for me to take a step back and evaluate where on Earth it came from.

The friend I was sitting with was just the perfect person to have this conversation with as he reminded me that I am worthy of a rose…and so much more. “You are like a palm tree in the North Pole…you give hope and you give life and put a smile on people’s faces”. “Leaders and movers in the world were never placed on a yacht in the Bahamas, they were always where hungry and thirsty souls are.” and “Bloom where you are planted.”

Thank you my dear friend.

So I took the rose and I placed it on my purse and it became the center of conversation and a focal point for the rest of the evening.

Have you looked at a rose lately? If you sit and are really present with a rose and you take the time to check out the intricacies of it’s structure…it is truly magnificent, a beautiful natural work of art. As I brought the rose up to my nose for a smell, I was taken back by the beauty of the layers and layers of pedals that created this amazing thing…and to think all of that came from a very small rosebud is absolutely astounding.

In its infant stages, all of that gorgeous structure was already planned and mapped out. A rosebud holds so much potential that is only expressed if it is nurtured and given what is necessary for growth. …and the same holds true for each one of us. There is such a magnificent, grand plan that will unfold in perfect timing and perfect beautiful structure if it is nurtured and given what is necessary for growth. And if you look around, you will find this is also true for everything around you.

So let the beauty of a rose remind you of your inborn, INNATE potential to be magnificent and grand and beautiful and loved. When you walk by the floral department in your local grocery, take a second glance at the beauty that is the rose in all of its gorgeous shades. But do more than that…pick one out of the group, buy it, take it home, put it in water and place it by your kitchen sink. Let it be your early morning reminder, your lunchtime reminder and your after dinner reminder of the beautiful potential that is you. Nurture that potential and give yourself what is necessary to grow…and then get busy blooming where you are planted.

LET THE SUN SHINE IN

As I walk around enjoying an outdoor music festival today, I realize how much the sun effects people, especially in this part of the country. We had a long, cold winter and it is now time to let the sun shine in!!!

It is a perfect, beautiful day to spend time outside listening to music. The Waterhill Music Festival is a sweet little festival where all kinds of bands and artists perform from the front porches of homes within a neighborhood as a whole slew of people walk the streets. People are happy. They have shed layers of clothing in exchange for sunglasses and smiles and the energy is amazing.

I am fortunate to spend the afternoon with a few of my most favorite gals and we catch each other up on life as we lay in the grass listing to live music.

We dance around a may pole, do lots of people-watching and enjoy a little bit of dancing ourselves.

Last summer I got a convertible…well sort of a convertible. I have a Jeep Wrangler and it is really simple to removed the tops directly over the front seats and let the sun shine in while driving. The tops have been off for about three days already and the next few look sunny and 70s as well…which automatically means that there is going to be a super happy undertone to everything that happens this week! I had no idea about the joy a convertible brings but am slowly realizing that there are some really sweet moments created by mixing loud music, sunshine, a breeze and a long country road.

I took the long way to get to Ann Arbor today driving all back country roads. What would normally take forty minutes to drive on the expressway, took almost two hours…but the time was absolutely blissful. Sometimes there isn’t much that is better than taking the long way just for the sake of taking a long drive.

Spring is a happy time, a time for growth and renewal, and it is palpable in the people that I have been hanging around…those that I know and so many strangers that I shared the sidewalk with today at the music festival. It is a bustling evening here in Ann Arbor, definitely a great sign of spring and It is absolutely time to let the sun shine in to your life!!!

AM I REALLY LIVING?

I physically connect with a few hundred different people per week through service at my chiropractic office Cafe of LIFE, my book club, the gym, the yoga studio and other things that I am involved in. A large portion of those people are connected with me through Facebook as well and I make a conscious effort to share my life experiences along the way through that medium. I get a lot of feedback and people say things like “Wow! You are all over the map!”, or “You are so free and do so many things!” or “You are always doing something fun.” or…well you get the picture. I absolutely live a blessed life and am always trying to be involved in rich, rewarding experiences. But am I REALLY living?

You may ask yourself, “what exactly does she mean ‘REALLY living’?”

I was reading a book about 3 weeks ago which presented this new-to-me concept of what it means to REALLY LIFE life. To REALLY LIVE life, I need to find myself stepping outside my comfort zone so that I can expand my ideas, concepts and limitations so that I may continue to grow and evolve.

I spend a lot of time by myself and I love going on adventures and make it a point to look at most experiences as great adventures…but lately I am asking myself, how adventurous am I really?

I have a lot of free time and sometimes I will see an event posted somewhere that I think will be really fun to attend, I have the time free and I really want to go…but I hold back because I don’t want to be the one to show up alone. “What will people think if I am there by myself?” “What if all the seats are in pairs and I am sitting there with an empty seat next to me?” “What if everyone is talking in groups and no one wants to strike up a conversation with me and so I awkwardly stand off to the side alone?” “If only I could find a friend to go with me and I will be comfortable.”

I also come across events happening in places I have never been and I am held back from going by thoughts like “How am I going to be able to navigate traffic and parking?” “What if I have the wrong shoes and end up having to walk a long distance?” “What if I don’t want to participate once I arrive?” “What if it is a really bad experience?”

If I only participate in events that I know exactly what is happening when I get there and who will be in attendance…am I REALLY living? If all the details are already known, and everything plays out as anticipated, how am I going to grow, expand and evolve from that experience?

When I heard this idea, just 3 weeks ago, that maybe I was not REALLY living, I vowed to myself that if something came up that I really wanted to do, and I couldn’t find anyone else who could or would want to go, then I will still go anyway. I will show up alone, to unknown places, and unknown people and get involved in activities that I do not know all the details ahead of time just to see what will happen and how it will pan out. Why not? I have nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain!

So I have started…I began with a new yoga studio that I had heard about and have wanted to try for some time now…and ended up having the most intense and amazing yoga experience of my life thus far. While I was at that class, I was inspired to attend a class at the same location just a couple days later that turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences of live music and yoga I have been involved in thus far. So now that I have had such great reward from stepping outside my usual and customary routine in life, I am inspired to do so much more…and I can tell this is going to snowball since I have only lived in this new thinking pattern for 3 weeks…which is a really great thing and gets me even more jazzed up about life than I already was so WATCH OUT WORLD!!!!

I am looking forward to more great adventures and trust me, when they present themselves…I am jumping because I AM REALLY LIVING THIS LIFE!!!! Do you have a recent story that helps you relate to the idea of REALLY living life? I would love if you would share and be an inspiration for me and others to keep stepping outside our comfort zone, since that is where life happens. We only get one chance…

“HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!”

“HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!” is such a familiar greeting in my childhood. “Mom, why does grandma say ‘Hello’ three times when we walk in?” my 7 year old self would ask as we walked into my grandmother’s home who lived just one mile down the street from where I grew up.

I just heard that familiar greeting as I am sitting in the living room at my grandmother’s home in her golf oasis in Florida as a few of her friends arrive for a visit. I have been here all weekend with some other family members as my grandmother moves nearer and nearer to THE final destination. Yes, she is dying. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not this week. Probably not next week or the week after. Within a month or two she will leave this earthly plane but in the meantime she is alive and living the best that she can and we are here to experience some of that.

I feel fortunate to be privy to some of the stories that are shared in such an intimate setting. I always knew my grandmother was strong, powerful, full of life and opinionated. However, as I sit and listen the stories this weekend (and of course stories I have heard over the years) she is also a real person with real life experiences, has had many ups and downs, has shed a lot of tears, has found love and happiness and has the most contagious, roaring laugh on the planet.

My Mom is here, a few aunts and uncles, with other neighborhood friends of my grandparent’s stopping by during the days. Grandma is spending most of the day relaxing, reminiscing and resting. We have done a lot of sitting and talking, literally hours of sitting and talking. We have all shed tears, shared stories, asked questions and done a ton of laughing. In fact, the first morning I woke up here, I thought to myself how great it is to be awakened from sleep by roaring family laughter, especially considering these circumstances.

During this time, we have drawn out the family tree. My grandmother birthed 10 children. My grandfather, who isn’t my grandfather by blood but has been “Grandpa” to me for close to 30 years, has 7 children of his own. There are layers of grandchildren and great grandchildren and the total count of immediate family comes to 96 people total. WOW!!! Isn’t that an absolute monstrosity of a family!!!

“It’s a myth that a big family is always happy. We have our share of tears, but there is a network support system that always goes into gear in time of need. My children were the reason I got up in the morning” a direct quote from my grandmother back in 1981 when she was voted “Mother of the Year” by the local Fenton newspaper at the time.

That “network support system” has always been a central idea to how our family was run and I see it in my generation, especially when it comes to my own siblings and nearest and dearest. That theme is a powerful part of what my life was built around especially considering my dad was one of his own natural support network of 9 children.

There is nothing like family, absolutely nothing that can replace these blood connections. When family gets to these numbers, there are good eggs and bad eggs, however we are all connected and always will be connected in a way that runs strong and deep behind the scenes…and largely due to the ideas of the amazing matriarch that started this show.

My grandmother is a legend and one of my heroes. I know she will never truly grasp in this lifetime the extent of her extraordinary life and contribution to this world. She will never realize what an amazing person she is, her beauty, her strength and how much good she contributed while she is here. But her faith is strong and I know she will figure that out as soon as she sheds her current failing body.

When she leaves this earthly plane, she will travel effortlessly to wherever she believes Heaven is and I know God will know when she arrives because he will hear her roaring laughter and her infamous “HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!”. May peace be with you in your process of transitioning, Grandma, and thanks in advance for watching over all 95 of us from the other side.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I hope this post finds you gearing up to have an amazing 2013. I know I am. It has been a while but I am still here. I have been MIA dealing with some personal stuff. I sometimes find it incredibly therapeutic and other times very difficult to write while processing. This time around it has been very difficult. It isn’t bad stuff by any means, my foundation got completely rocked and it has been emotional. Then add to that the stress of the holidays and to use the word “intense” doesn’t do it justice.
I can finally see the light and each day brings a more and more clearer view of the greatness in the Universe. It is moments like these that I can feel my foundation rebuilding and it is rebuilding in a different way, a different formation, which is a good thing, but it taking time to do so.
I wanted to write to wish you a most glorious New Year! I am grateful to have a clean slate and a brand new year to work with. I have set some intentions and plan to set some more over the next couple weeks. What are your plans? Any big goals you are going for in 2013? What kind of shifts are you making? I would love to hear what is happening if you want to share.

Happy New Year!

THERE IS A FEELING

There is a feeling…an “out over a cliff” feeling. It is uncomfortable and exhilarating all at the same time. It is a really unfamiliar place for me to be in because I usually am not one that “jumps off a cliff” so to speak. I am more of a “let me figure out my footing before I take a step” kind of a person. Although when I need to move on something…you will not find me dragging my feet. I move forward when necessary no matter what it feels like to do so and that uncomfortable feeling soon becomes the new normal.

I love that about life. We get stopped and stay steady in our comfort zone and something or another will inspire us to move forward, we do so, get really uncomfortable and as the days go on,

we contract and then expand to integrate the move and create a new normal. Then we stay steady there for a while, get inspired, move forward, get uncomfortable, contract then expand to integrate and find a new normal again. It is a beautiful process of ebb and flow and such a necessary part in order to really live our life!

Over this past summer, I made my way down to Cedar Point to spend a day riding roller coasters. I love roller coasters…I love the ups and downs and twists and turns. Going up the hill there is the excitement of what it is going to feel like to go down the other side. Then at the top of the hill that feeling builds as the cart travels over the top and heads down. For me, the butterfly feeling as the cart drops down the hill is the best part. In essence, it is the same butterfly feeling when getting involved in a brand new situation or meeting a new person. That feeling is undeniable, intense and sometimes lasts for a few minutes, hours, days, weeks or even months.

For me, this flock of butterflies has been with me for almost 2 straight months now. There was a moment back in October that I knew my life had changed forever. I didn’t know how it would manifest, what it would look like or when, but it had changed. I even announced it to a few friends that were standing around in that moment…and since then, I have had this flock of butterflies with me during my every move.

Its exhausting, and exhilarating, and nerve wrecking, and peaceful, and uncomfortable, and nauseating, and mind-boggling, and insomnia producing, and constructive, and destructive, and makes me happy, and causes massive emotional break-downs. All of this is my body’s way of integrating. An opportunity presents itself, we act on it, get really uncomfortable, contract then expand in order to integrate and find a new normal. I sure hope the new “normal” is on its way really soon! There is a feeling…

WHAT A WEEK!!!

To say this past week was incredible would be a complete understatement. I am not sure if I can find the words to do it any justice but I will attempt.

It has been exciting, exhilarating, perfect time and perfect place, talking, connection, love, growth, reading, developing, email, introspective, travel, peace, writing, heart-centeredness, exhausting, awesome, long hours, talking, Skype, sharing, Internet, love, books, friends, family, hungry, bliss, planning, creating, nurturing, staring, introducing, hugs, sounds, video, discussions, parents, happiness, pictures, flowing, riding waves, flowers, notes, work, p

Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - Dr Erica Peabody - What a week

lay, counsel, ideas, music, kisses, movies, voice, Facebook, Hey Tell, random facts, quotes, scrapbooks, house, lake, ice, snow, conversation, celebration, glowing, communication, energy, vulnerable, open, raw, wounds, opportunity, practice, planting seeds, simple life, pure, days, one week, favorites, feeling of readiness, special, percentages, names, togetherness, news, unpack, concerns, highlights, tremendous growth, breath, appreciation, thoughts, truth, thinking, greatness, settling in, luck, promises, responses, pleasure and singing.

It feels as though the stars have aligned and they are all on my side. Because of a few different things and my own desire for growth and evolution, and the work I am doing on myself, I can honestly say that January 12th, 2012 was a pivotal point in my life. It is as though my life can be described as “before Jan. 12th” and “after Jan. 12th”. It goes way deeper than a love connection though that is a significant part of it. Where is life heading? I know what direction it is going, however I have chosen to surrender to the fact that “I will ride the wave where it takes me”. It is uncharted territory for me, unfamiliar and uncomfortable. All I can do is trust that “As I take a step, the next one is revealed”.

Have you had an event or a culmination of events that has led to a significant shift in your being or your life? Is there a date or a time frame that you can look back at and see an obvious shift? For me, being able to share my story brings me so much joy. Maybe you feel the same way…we only get one chance in this life. Do more things that make you happy!

EVERYONE….MEET CHOCO!!!!

Everyone…meet Choco!!!! So I have decided to get a dog. This is Choco and he is a 2 year old chocolate lab that I cannot wait to get. Choco lives in Colorado Springs right now with a family that loves him however they are so busy with life they do not get enough time to be with Choco and he needs attention. My intention is to bring Choco into the Cafe of LIFE with me on a daily basis to be part of our LIFE parties that happen everyday. I am glad he is already 2 as he will fit into my life better than a puppy at this point. Choco will love some of the places that I hike and will get me back in my running sneakers. HE will have the lake to explore at my mom’s house and 200 acres of orchard to explore at my dad’s house and a cousin named Walter to play with. He will arrive in Detroit by plane around December 1st. You will meet him very soon!

ELECTION DAY 2008 – FINALLY!!!!

It’s election day 2008-finally!!!

I do not get caught up in it all as I stay away from watching TV on a regular basis. I only watch one show per week as a ritual with my parents. And through this election season, I am very happy my life doesn’t revolve around the TV. We are completely bombarded by so many ideas through the media it becomes difficult to decipher between what are your own thoughts and those that were planted there by the media and advertising and campaigning. HOWEVER, in saying all that, it is important to vote and make the difference that you can. It may seem small, however you never know how far reaching voting today will effect your life and others. So get out there and make it happen. ROCK THE VOTE!!! (I love that phrase)

“You never know how far reaching something you think, say or do today will effect the lives of millions tomorrow.” -BJ Palmer

Celebrate Election Day 2008!!