The most amazing thing just happened in my Cafe of LIFE. A severely behaviorly impaired 2.5 year old came into my office for his first visit running and screaming down my halls. He hasn’t been listening or speaking to his parents or anyone and is rather “glassed over” when you try to make eye contact. My CA and I were strategizing on how to get this little guy adjusted and knew it was going to have to be a chase him around to make it happen because I will not restrain unless absolutely necessary (which I havent found it necessary yet) I chatted with his parents about what has been going on for him for a while and discussed that I am not going to force him to do anything which means that we may or may not be able to get a good adjustment in today. I wasnt even going to present him with the idea of getting onto a table. I left and adjusted another person in another room and when I returned to the room he was sitting with his back to me on his mom’s lap. I started to do really light force work and watched his body unwind. He was fine with that for a bit and got tired of sitting…with zero prompts from me and no information at all about what to do on an adjusting table, he jumped down off his mom’s lap and climbed right up on the kids adjusting table and went face down as if to say “I know you are good and I know you can help me…let me make it easier to access my spine and nerve system”. It was the most beautiful expression of Innate Intelligence I have ever seen. Life is amazing and being a Chiropractor is just icing on the cake.
I HAVE A STORY TO TELL
I live a very blessed life. It has changed for the better this past month and I know that you can probably tell that is true through my posts. I am amazed, in awe and disbelief that life could possibly be like this. I could try to phrase 
the story in a way that would make sense on here but it would take pages and pages. Instead…when you have about 20 minutes and a box of tissues…go to http://www.ridenthewave.us/ and you will see a post called “Happy Valentine’s Day 2012” and 4 videos…that was my Heart Day present from my beau this year and I just wanted to share.
I have had an image in life about what I wanted my relationship to look and feel like. I have to admit that over the years, with all that I have been through, it has gotten a little bit jaded. Now when I look back, all the lessons I have learned along the way were totally worth it. “People are put in our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime”. Many times in the beginning it feels like it is for a lifetime, and then things change. Often things are hard to figure out in the moment, however if we stick with it long enough, the reason usually reveals itself in retrospect. I see it now. I am not naive enough (though I am hopeful) to think that what is happening now will always stay this way…however if the foundation is strong, the ground can stay steady enough to be able to weather the storms together. I think that is what love is really all about.
IT’S A MATTER OF THE HEART
It’s a matter of the heart…yet so much more than that. I want to ask you so many questions to see if any of your experiences match up to what is happening in my life right now, however I do not know what questions to ask that would even give a hint about the happenings.
It feels like this…
I have had a full life already…a life of experiences, living in all kinds of places, hanging out with all
kinds of people, doing a ton of traveling and always in search of rich, rewarding experiences which, along the way has lead me to surfing. I am very athletic and though I do not know if I can really call myself a “surfer”, I can say that I have surfed and more than just a few times. When I was growing up, my family and I would travel to Oscoda, MI and rent cabins on the beach for a week every summer. We would play for hours in Lake Huron, well hours as long as the waves were not too high. When I first learned to surf, I had to get over that concept of “if waves get higher than this, it is too dangerous to be in them”. I had to re-learn how to be in the water, maneuver the waves and find peace in the chaos as they crash over me. In order to surf on a surfboard, it was important to have much larger waves than that. So I learned to work “with” the water…
Then, with some help of a dear friend, I was able to learn to get out past the break carrying a very large surfboard with me. It is challenging when this board is at least 3 feet taller than I and I am trying to “woman-handle” this thing out past the crashing point. I lost many, many battles and it was tiring to go against the tide. I was able to get up and catch a few decent waves. With help from another, I was able to learn to read the water and to even allow for the rip tide to assist me in conquering the break. Encouraging words and actions and I gained enough confidence to catch my first HUGE wave. I was such an exhilarating experience to paddle into it, catch it, stand and slide down the face of this monstrous wave. It actually was so exhilarating and my body was in such disbelief I was riding such a big wave that I bailed after just a few seconds. Memorable…for sure.
I haven’t really had much of a chance to actually surf lately, however when I look back on my surfing experience up to this point, it directly correlates with what was going on with my romantic relationship at the time. During our first Cafe of LIFE Book Club meeting of 2012, I drew a card from a stack that was to answer whatever question I had intentions of getting an answer for. I chose to ask about a romantic relationship for 2012. The answer I received was “You have done your work. It is time to sit back and enjoy the ride.” In relating to my surfing analogy, the card said…”You have done the paddling, now just wait for the wave and this time STAY ON THE BOARD AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!”. Within just a few days from really taking in that notion, I caught a wave…and I have to admit, this has been the wildest, most wonderful and amazing ride of my life! It feels really good to be “going with the flow” of life and seems absolutely effortless.
So tell me…have you witnessed the ebb and flow in different areas of life? Have ever given up fighting the ebb and found yourself in the flow? Have tides unexpectedly changed on you? Have you been swimming with the current or against? I have found that the more I share the intention I have and the direction I want to go, the more life smiles on that. I have turned a corner in my life and have decided, in the poetic words of Eddie Vedder, “I’ll ride the wave, where it takes me!!” We only get one chance in this lifetime…what is in your heart?
BROTHERS
I have told you about my brothers before but I don’t think that I have told you lately how much I love them. We have such a fun, unique relationship now that is pretty rare to find in the world these days. I didn’t always feel this way mostly because while grow
ing up, I found myself on the short end of 3 against 1 on almost a daily basis. We have all faced challenges, have lived full lives and somehow along the way became really close. I think it also helps that 2 of them married some of the most amazing women which have also helped to grow our relationships.
Last night was a celebration of family…well a celebration of the winter season and ice, with a huge helping of family on the side. The four of us balance each other really well. We make each other laugh, help each other out and have a real strong appreciation for what each of us brings to the table. There is a loyalty that is like nothing else on Earth. We all feel really lucky that we have made homes within 10 miles of one another and this lends to some good times together. I am glad we are on this journey together, and though I didn’t always feel this way, I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
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
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!
BEST YEAR YET!!
Happy New Year!!! It has been pretty busy and hectic start to the year…all good things. Over the past couple years, I have spent a little time brainstorming with a few friends about a “theme” for the year. For example “Life is Zen in 2010” or “There Will be 7 in 2011” or “Life is Heaven in 2011”. So we were talking about 2012 and honestly, besides the word “delve”, not much rhymes with 2012. I was working it out and trying to figure out a cool catch phrase for 2012 and…it is just not happening.
So I look back at the past and I ask myself “Was life really ZEN in 2010?” NO WAY!!! What about 2011…”were there 7 in 2011?” Yes there were 7 this and 7 that, but nothing that was significant that pertained to that number. “Was life HEAVEN in 2011?” NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! I was seeing a pattern and I began to think that though it is super cute and catchy to make something that rhymes, maybe the rhyming part was the problem…limiting.
This past Saturday, I spent the entire day at a Women’s Retreat over in Oxford. It was a day for women, all things women, and lots of local practitioners with interesting topics about things that pertain to women and issues surrounding women’s lives. It was a day to escape normal life, hide out in this great little place tucked back in the woods and get reconnected…and I enjoyed every moment of it! It was such great timing with the beginning of the year and such an awesome time to set an intention for the months to follow. So I began to think about this “phrase of the year” thing again. I was eating lunch and writing a short little note to a real special person and it hit me…THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE!! It just struck me, just like that and I thought “HOW PERFECT!!!”. Since Saturday, that idea has been stuck in my head and resonating in my being. I had to tweak it a little bit to “2012, THIS IS THE BEST YEAR YET!!!” that way I am open to even better years in the future. Actually I think every year is better and better and I think it is a great time to sit for a moment and be grateful for that fact. Each year reveals to me a little more about me, and the more I know about me, the better.
How about you? Have you set any intentions for the year? What kind of a feeling does 2012 give you? Any plans, moves, changes? Is life how you want it to be or is there something or some role you need to step into? Let’s get going…we only get one chance…lets make it THE BEST YEAR YET!!!
DELIBERATE ACTION
“Hey Erica! There is a sloth right outside our window!” comes from the bedroom of the bungalow I was staying at in Costa Rica. In that particular instance, the girlfriend I was sharing a room with happened to look out the window. It was that particular instance she spotted him, however I am thinking that it is quite possible that she could have looked out at any point that entire morning, and maybe that entire day, and that sloth would have still been there. The
y do not move fast.
y do not move fast.I saw a cartoon a few weeks back that this guy had gone to the doctor to ask why he was turning green. The doctor said something like “I would suggest you start an exercise program. You are growing moss!” The sloth is the same way. You cannot see it from this angle however the fur on his back was green, literally growing moss because he moved so slow! The picture you see is taken with my iPhone and though my arm is extended as far as it will go, the picture itself is not zoomed in. This sloth didn’t have a care in the world. We opened our window and then our screen and talked to him, made fake sloth noises (whatever those are), took tons of pictures, made a movie (its a sloth movie and incredibly boring or I would post it) and it is really true, you cannot scare a sloth!
So I sat and watched him. He just hung there, would reach out to grab a branch or a leaf in what looked like a slow-motion movie. I watched him sniff a couple leaves, then open his mouth and bite down on one, then let go of that branch and go back to chewing and hanging around. We had plans that morning which interrupted our sloth-viewing session or I would have stayed and watched for a while. They move so slowly and so deliberately, or so it seems. Their moves seem so well thought out, every millimeter planned and executed with precision. We later learned that they only go to the bathroom once a week and to do that they come down from the trees.
They are interesting creatures and have a rather mysterious feeling about them. I would say there is a real sense of the present-time consciousness when it comes to the activ
ities during their days. There didn’t seem to be much wasted energy on stuff that didn’t matter. It reminds me of moments when I find myself really present. Its that “work smarter, not harder” idea. Be deliberate with your time and energy. Many people walk around in life almost asleep. Have you ever driven your car and arrived at your destination without even knowing what route you took to get there or what you saw along the way? Have you ever finished dinner without even knowing what the food tasted like? Have you ever logged into Facebook, turned on a video game, or sat down in front of the TV and gotten up hours later wondering how 4 hours passed without you noticing?
ities during their days. There didn’t seem to be much wasted energy on stuff that didn’t matter. It reminds me of moments when I find myself really present. Its that “work smarter, not harder” idea. Be deliberate with your time and energy. Many people walk around in life almost asleep. Have you ever driven your car and arrived at your destination without even knowing what route you took to get there or what you saw along the way? Have you ever finished dinner without even knowing what the food tasted like? Have you ever logged into Facebook, turned on a video game, or sat down in front of the TV and gotten up hours later wondering how 4 hours passed without you noticing?This sloth reminded me of being present, making conscious decisions, and taking deliberate action. It is the idea of the “herd mentality” and taking a different path then the rest of the pack. I was standing in line and waiting to bathroom before a 5k this past weekend. I was 3rd in line for what appeared to be a full 3 stall bathroom…or full because the doors were shut. After waiting for the rotation of stalls to clear, I began to notice that the 3rd stall was skipping the rotation. Breaking free from the “herd” to deliberately walk up and check to see if the door was locked revealed a free stall. Who knows how long it had been free, however the line could have moved 33% faster if we were being a little more awake, aware and deliberate. Take the next 24 hours and check in with yourself during all the activities you participate in and make sure you are awake and really living life…maybe be a little more “sloth-like” and deliberate. We only get one chance…
DONDE ESTA LA PLAYA??
Most of you know that I spent Thanksgiving in Costa Rica…and many of you are waiting to see some pictures. I am waiting to get some pictures from a friend, however until then, I do have a few to post. The trip itself was amazing! It was 10 full days of great friends, new friends, laughter, great conversation, beaches, a beautiful bride, her handsome groom, great chiropractic adjustments, loads of walking, dancing, a few drinks, great Costa Rican food, lots of monkeys, a few sloths, live salsa music, down time, play time, jellyfish stings, monkey bites (yes, the father of the bride got bit by a white-face monkey), surfing, exercising, boat rides, zip-line canopy tours, great accommodations, amazing service, time for journaling and reading, sun-bathing, swimming in the ocean, kayaking, reconnection, silent contemplation, sleeping, music, shopping, delicious fruit, rain, humidity, crazy frizzy hair, girl-time and sunsets. I am trying to think of all the things I did with my time off and that pretty much sums it up. 
Some things that were absent: a set schedule, time commitments, a cell phone, text messages and emails continually following me around, bills, layered clothing, goose down, boots, socks, driving, car that needed gas, laundry (although it was piling up), not many hair products (they didn’t do any good anyways), and negativity was absent as well. 
I find it very easy, once I make it on time to the plane, to settle in and get out of my everyday mode. I am grateful for the ability to leave it all behind, however that is made possible largely because I know that my practice is taken care of by my amazing staff and anything that could potentially come up in my personal life, my family would step in and help out. I am grateful for my life and all those that are in it. I am very grateful to be able to step away and have the ability to have amazing experiences with some really awesome people. 
I am not one that obsesses about sunsets…it’s not that I don’t love a beautiful sunset, I just don’t necessarily go and seek them out. That all changed while I was there and I am sure you can see the reason for that…absolutely beautiful!!! The area we were in was very hilly, or maybe more like cliffs. The views were absolutely spectacular and these are a few from the bungalow I stayed in and the beach we played at.
SUPER HERO CHRISTMAS
Last night I bought a wimpy Christmas tree. I say wimpy because it is only an 7 foot tree and looks so small. Over the last few years, I have been used to my 20+ foot ceilings and I would get 10+ foot trees because I had just the perfect spot. This year I am back to standard 
8 foot ceilings and that is very limiting outside of cutting a hole in the ceiling. One of our favorite couples came into the Cafe this morning and I got laughing so hard as I was reminded me of a Christmas tree incident that happened last year. It goes something like this…
8 foot ceilings and that is very limiting outside of cutting a hole in the ceiling. One of our favorite couples came into the Cafe this morning and I got laughing so hard as I was reminded me of a Christmas tree incident that happened last year. It goes something like this…
I cannot remember exactly what the evening consisted of, however I know that there was some sort of drama involved that left me feeling a little “run over”. I remember pulling into my garage after midnight with a distressed feeling and ready to go to bed and start the next day new. I walked into my house, set my keys down, kicked off my shoes and was heading upstairs when I noticed that my 12 foot Christmas tree had taken a tumble and many ornaments were smashed on the floor. “Where is that dog?!?!” …oh, right, he is still in his kennel being a good boy. There weren’t any earthquakes so the only one I could blame it on was the little physics wizard inside of me that was on vacation when I put it into the tree stand…apparently off balance. Then my inner comedian chimed in with “If a 12 foot Christmas tree falls in a living room and no one is around, does it make a sound?”
I quickly accepted the destruction and decided since it was already after midnight and nobody is around to help…this is the PERFECT time to remedy the situation. So with one big heave, I was able to get it mostly upright…well upright as long as I was holding it there…but if I was holding it, who is going to re-do the screws in the tree stand so that it won’t tip over again????? BRILLIANT ERICA!!!! Your SUPERWOMAN complex is really getting you into trouble this time around!!! So next decision to make was… 1. Let the tree fall again and go out on a limb and ask for help tomorrow, or… 2. Be grateful for long arms and find some of that SUPERHERO strength and somehow make it happen. Let’s put it this way…you all know which one I chose (I mean really, if you have been following this blog at all, you know me quite well), I dove in waist deep in pine needles, it was a dumb idea, and I was sore for days!!! …and if you do know me, I am sure you can get the visual and have probably let out a chuckle and the ridiculous-ness.
Moral of the story…if you are one person, don’t try to do a two-person job! Learn to ask for help when it is appropriate because helping others is human nature and if you ask, I can guarantee someone will step in and be glad to. Running my chiropractic office, I have people coming in all the time because they tried to do a two-person job on their own. Learn from my mistakes…or just buy smaller Christmas trees!!! ‘Tis the Season!!!
ITS THE TIME FOR GRATITUDE!
Some people on facebook are writing status updates about things they are grateful every day through the month of November up until Thanksgiving Day (the 24th). I decided I would do them all at once this way instead. 
1. I am thankful for my health.
2. I am thankful for my family.
3. I am thankful to be living and practicing in Fenton, MI. I love this little town.
4. I am thankful for my practice
5. I have so much gratitude for the amazing staff at the Cafe of LIFE.
6. I am thankful for a clear mind.
7. I am thankful to have buddy Choco, my chocolate lab, in my life.
8. I am so very grateful I have the opportunity to be an aunt.
9. I am over the top grateful for the amazing yoga studio/community I am involved in.
10. I am thankful for good friends, and amazing experiences with said friends.
11. I am so grateful for the ability to travel.
12. I am grateful for all the lessons I learned though my relationships.
13. I am grateful for a special someone who is out there right now…you know who you are:)
14. I am thankful for music and the way it can shift me.
15. I am so grateful for the people that are committed to the Cafe of LIFE Book Club.
16. I am thankful for clothes on my back, food in my belly and a roof over my head.
17. I have so much gratitude for the lady that cleans my house and makes life easier for me.
18. I am grateful to have been born into a HUGE extended family!
19. I am grateful for summer weekends on the lake passing the hours with my family.
20. I am thankful to have been introduced to snow sports at such a young age that has led to my love of winter.
21. I am grateful to have lived in many parts of this country.
22. I am so very thankful for the picture window in my office that overlooks the river.
23. I am grateful for beautiful sunsets out said window and the ones at home.
24. I am grateful for my life…at times I forget how big.
This list could go on and on. What are you grateful for?