3 DAYS IN

We are just 3 days in to our new location and I have to say it has been beyond extraordinary.  We are over the moon excited about how this space has turned out which trickles down to our ability to serve you.

The space is airy and cozy and solid and grounding and healing and absolutely lovely.

So many people are astounded by our ability to get moved over and create seamless transitions for our patient crowd.

Here is all I know.  We closed our doors at our Leroy location on Thursday, September 13th at 6pm.  We had until Best Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - 3 Days In - Dr Erica Peabody (810)69-6023Monday, Septmeber 17th at  10am to get up and running.

Mike would say over and over and over…. “Just pick the critical path, just the critical items that you need to get your day started and be able to endure patient care at the level they have come to expect.”  …and so in and amongst a weekend of family obligations we made it happen.

Thursday at 6pm is when the anxiety set in.  How long will it take us to do this?  and is 3 days enough?  It was a little like jumping off a cliff because, although I have moved my business a few times in the past, it had been 8 years and as I mentioned in a Facebook post, I am a pathological underestimator.  I underestimate everything and commit 100% and somehow figure it out.

It was a weekend of moving furniture, unplugging computer systems and wires all throughout the office.  It was filled with wires going every which way and plugging things in and praying.  It was a weekend or rearranging chairs and sweeping floors and dusting everything from head to toe.

Mike had to leave with his children around 6:30 on Sunday evening and head back home to be sure they are all ready to start the week.  I spent 5 solid hours on each adjusting station from one side of the place to the other and into the reception room.

The computer system was working, the music wasn’t.  The tables were ready, the rugs couldn’t be put down because of the finish on the floors.  The front desk was ready, the massage rooms were ready, the air conditioners were working, toilets cleaned and floors swept.  One more faucet installation around 9:30 and we were prepped for my realtor and his team to show up for the unveiling of the signage and the start to our first day!!

https://www.facebook.com/JohnWentworthRealEstateGroup/videos/729294227406651/

We did it!  It was a push but we did it and made it happen.

…and here we are just 3 days in and more inspired than ever before.  Follow your dreams, listen to your heart and that small voice inside as it will lead you in the right direction.  This truly feels like home and we are so glad to be here!

 

 

I HASH TAGGED AN OFFICE SIGN

This morning I hash tagged an office sign!!!!!

That cracks me up how far we have come on social media!

I wanted to share few details about the office schedule as i head off on my trek a week from today March 2-12!!

https://www.facebook.com/erica.peabody/videos/10155049886893792/

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Let us know!!!

It still cracks me up that I hash tagged an office sign!

 

NOTHING

“Nothing” is my answer.

I was at a family party last Saturday night.  Of course at this age, everyone wants to know how my dating life is and of course, most also know that I am working on building a house, so they are asking about my house.

I walk in the door and greet my cousin (who is sort of in the same boat as I am in life) and her and I discuss much deeper topics and catch up for a few moments.

The next corner I turn, I run into another cousin and the question is “What’s going on with your dating life?’

I respond, “Nothing.”

“Oh really?  Ok.  Well then tell me what progress you have made with your house?”Chiropractor Fenton Michigan Dr Erica Peabody - Nothing

“Nothing”  And honestly at this point in time I don’t really feel like talking about it if that is all I am to this person.  So I cut that conversation quickly and turn the next corner of the house and run into an aunt, “What’s happening with your dating life?  What’s going on with your house?”

“Nothing.  Nothing.”

“No really, what is happening?”

“No really, nothing.”

I turn the conversation around on them and ask some questions about life but it was almost like I had sort of put the kibosh on the connection by answering my truth, which is “nothing”.

I turned yet another corner and a family friend started the same conversation with me all over again.  And then of course is the ever so cliche comment of “How is someone like you still single?” which I constantly hear from every corner of my life.

“Who knows.  Good question.” …and I really mean that.

So here is the deal, people, I am FAR MORE than who I am dating and where I am living!  In fact, I believe the contrast on that particular evening was so strong because I spent the entire day leading up to that party at a most incredible and enlightening seminar on “Developmental Neurobiology” and although I couldn’t necessarily convey all of the information I learned that day in that seminar, I could have shared some.  I am also working on a full Pediatric Chiropractic Certification which is far above and beyond the normal chiropractic degree and is a 2 year post-graduate program put on by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association that I am incredibly passionate about.

I also have started taking an intense kettlebell class that is changing my entire physical makeup and spending my time at some of the coolest yoga classes.  I also have done a ton of reading and lots of writing, hung out with some great friends and am planning or just went on a trip most of the time.

I also am a pretty awesome Aunt E and I could share lots of stories about my amazing nieces and nephews and the time we have spent together.

But to these people, I am defined by who I date and where I am living.  And quite frankly, since NOTHING is going on with either of those, to them, maybe I am nothing. ..and that is ok by me.

Maybe these people, as we all do from time to time, are looking for some juice somewhere in life that they can share out in the world somehow and in someway.  I don’t really get it.

So I decided that I would sit down next to an interesting friend of the family and chat about running a ski resort, which is what he does, and I learned a LOT!!!  Then I moved on to a couple I haven’t seen in a while but really enjoy to chat about the year just gone by and the year ahead; plans, experiences, travels, fun, laughs, work…all those kinds of things.  I have decided that one or two good conversations in an evening like that is worth way more than trying to get around to everyone and stay as the “single homeless girl” (exaggerated description but you get the idea).

In saying all of that, I am also not really all that skilled in small talk to begin with.  It is not my strong suit as many of you already know.  That is definitely one of my faults but I’m alright with that.  I also realize and am so very grateful that I get to live the blessed life that I do, this is not talking negative about any of that.

Someone said to me the other day, “You know, you have a lot of dating experiences that you should share a little bit about sometime…and I thought to myself that maybe I will.  Stay tuned for maybe some stories over the next phase of this blog as hopefully my “nothing” will start to transpire into an incredible SOMETHING!!!  …or at least that is my hope, on many fronts, but house and relationships in specific. l.

 

 

 

 

 

DEVASTATED

Election day has come and gone and I am left feeling devastated.

Before we go much further, I want to make it very clear that I am not devastated because of who won and who lost, I am devastated because of the friction I have seen increase among our communities.

Let’s be honest and straight forward here, that campaign was the nastiest I ever remember.  I blogged about Tuesday and what it felt like even going to the polls.  But something else was happening.  I made the assumption that Tuesday would be the end of the friction or at least it would begin to subside.

I had NO IDEA that it would actually ramp up!!!  Really people?!?!?

I went to sleep around 9:30 on Tuesday night (you are welcome Cafe of LIFE chiropractic patients, I wasn’t going to be tired for you in the morning over staying up to watch the results).  I figured what is done is done and I slept well knowing I did my part.  I feel a similar way about sporting events, my team will either win or not win and it really doesn’t depend on whether I am watching.Chiropractor Fenton Michigan Devastated

I woke up in the morning and when I came around I realized what day it was, the day after the election and certainly by 6:30am the results would be in (although really got questionable there for a while).

I checked my phone, something I try not to do right out of bed, but this day was obviously a little more special than other days.

Trump won.

“How do I feel about Trump winning?” was my first thought.  “What if Hillary would have won?” was my second thought.

You know that emoji with the face that looks like “concern” and is mostly teeth?  And the other emoji with a straight face and big bulging eyes?  That pretty much sums up my feelings.

I went about my morning and heading in to serve my people at the Cafe at 7:30 like I always do on Wednesday.

I sent a text message to a good friend of mine to chat about the results with someone who thinks similar to me and I moved along with my day.

That was one of the heaviest feeling days in a long time and I know I am not alone when I say that.

Social media completely took over and opinions were flying left and right (no pun intended)…and haven’t stopped since.  I have seen some things that I am absolutely shocked from people I would have never suspected.  I am not at all saying that is a bad thing because we are all entitled to our opinions.  Being that aggressive has gone so far overboard and is so incredibly unproductive it is astonishing to me.

Someone said today “I’m confused, aren’t protests used to voice displeasure for something that can be changed? And if you protest something that can’t be changed aren’t you just bitching in large numbers?”  Hmmmm…very interesting point!!!

And FOR WHAT?!?!  This isn’t something that can be changed at this point.

So let’s get back to work, and when I use the word “work” in this way, I mean let’s get back to our individual work of being good humans, being kind and making our corner of the world a better place.

There is a time of grieving for some people after election day this year.  Ultimately, what is done is done and it is time to move forward.  Fighting fear with more fear gets us even more fear. Trying to fight anger with more anger gets us even more anger.  We need to switch gears.

Extend love and compassion to your neighbors, friends, people in the grocery store, restaurants, and out on the roads.  This is the only way to make the change we really want to see.  Step up and take a stand by extending gratitude for the contrasting opinions.  We are not promised a tomorrow, let’s move on with our lives NOW!

I have felt devastated for what has happened in and among our communities since the election.  It is time to get back to work.

 

 

TOMORROW

Tomorrow will come no matter what.

In the meantime, I want to share what I felt walking into the precinct this morning.

It was a feeling of power, anxiety and suspicion all wrapped into one.

Presidential election years feel so different than the other election years.  And since they roll around once every 4 years, I have such a stronger appreciation for them than I did just 4 years ago, along with a stronger appreciation for all of life in general.

This morning as I got out of my car, I stood up a little straighter, was a little more mindful and walked a little prouder…because I am an American and I have the right to vote.  THAT IS A BIG DEAL!!!!Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - Tomorrow

As I approached the building, a little anxious wave came over me because, although things take a while to actually change, the trajectory of our country is on the line.  When anxiousness comes up for me, I realize I am future-projecting stress and I know I need to just bring myself back to the moment and the day, mostly because nobody is actually guaranteed a tomorrow anyway.

When I am standing in line next to the other voters in my precinct (my neighbors essentially), I am a little suspicious about my vote even counting.  Of course it counts, however if the very next person votes exactly opposite of me, then it sort of negates the whole thing, doesn’t it?  Also I have heard so much about voter intimidation this time around, a concept I haven’t really been aware of before.  I am curious if any one of the humans in that building today would do something like that?

So tomorrow is coming no matter what as we all know.  Today is a day of division and tomorrow we all move forward together.  Every single one of us.  Those neighbors with signs in their yards that are directly in opposition to your beliefs, they will still be living next door to you.  Those businesses in town that have strong opinions one way or another, will still be the same businesses serving this community tomorrow.  The cars with big and small bumper stickers that are directly opposed to your choices today will still be sharing the same roads.

I was in a local business this morning at 8am and there were some, what appeared to be, regulars sitting there chatting it up.  One of the presidential candidate’s name was brought up and one guy threatened to throw his scone at the other guy.  It was silly and juvenile and precious, and all at the same time being his truth.

We all have our truth.  We all have things that we stand for and some beliefs that guide our lives and decisions on a daily basis.  We also live and work among those that directly oppose those beliefs.  I think that is one of the greatest things about our country is that we can live and work among those that believe different things…and that is allowed.

Tonight will be exciting.  Tomorrow we go back to our lives and take the next right step for ourselves to move us along in our own progress.  Tomorrow we will encounter those neighbors that have/had those signs up in their yards.  Ultimately tomorrow we all wake up together and are here with each other, and it was designed that way for a reason.

Spread some love.  Make a new connection.  Reach out and help someone.  None of us have the right answers, we all have our own answers and the contrast and difference between our answers is what makes this world go round.

Tomorrow we wake up together no matter what today brings.  Remember that.

GRATITUDE PROJECT

It is the month of THANKSGIVING!!!  The best holiday of them all in my opinion.  We have a GRATITUDE PROJECT going on in our office for the final months of the year.

“What we think about and thank about, we bring about.”

The world proves to us over and over again that what WE FOCUS ON, EXPANDS!!!  So let us get back to focusing on GRATITUDE and what we are grateful for.  Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - Gratitude

Our lives are blessed in so many ways.  Seriously so, so, so many ways.

I want to challenge you to sit for 5 minutes, set a timer even, and think about all the different things you are grateful for.  Make a list in your mind.  Can’t fill 5 minutes of time?  Look harder, you are not paying close enough attention.

I am so very grateful for my office Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic and the ability to serve this community!  I could not imagine my life any other way than spending my days doing what I love.

I also LOVE LOVE LOVE to fill this space with GRATITUDE!!!!!!!!

GRATITUDE PROJECT:

Each day you walk into the Cafe of LIFE, you will make sure to stop by our GRATITUDE STATION.  There are leaf cut-outs ready for you.  Write one thing you are grateful and tape it to our tree on our window.  It becomes the biggest and most beautiful gratitude tree in just a few short weeks, and we just keep going.  It is simple and super fun and such an awesome way to build GRATITUDE ENERGY!!!

And if you are not a patient here at the Cafe of LIFE, feel free to swing by and just fill out a leaf and join our mission.  The more GRATITUDE, the BETTER!!!!

In saying all of that, I want to take a moment to extend my GRATITUDE to you, my readers, family, friends and patients, for being part of my life.  My life and heart are filled up because of YOU!!!  Thank you.

 

CRAWL FIRST

We all need to crawl first!
I get messages from my patients at Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic all the time. Lots of wonderful messages about healing and growth and clearing their lives and feeling better.
I saw a 9 month old girl yesterday and mom reported that she has been starting to stand up to furniture but hasn’t crawled yet. Some parents would be so ecstatic that they were standing but without crawling, its presents a Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - Crawl Firstchallenge. There are reasons why babies go from crawling to walking, it is a primitive developmental stage (the cross crawl movement is vital to so many other movements as well as neurological development) that leads to the next thing and to the next thing. Its stages, and normal development happens through those stages. When a child appears to be skipping a stage, it is concerning to me as a chiropractor.
So I checked her spine and nerve system and got her adjusted. I have been adjusting this little one since birth however more sporadic than anything and they had a busy summer and hadn’t made it in in the past 2 months.
This is mom’s text message to me this morning (yes some patients text me directly) “Just wanted to let you know that “L” is crawling around everywhere today!! …and getting on her brother’s nerves!!! Glad I finally brought her in, she obviously needed it.”
I did not push a “start crawling” button on little L, there is no such thing. I simply asked some questions, adjusted her spine as I normally I would for any child, and her body righted itself, got the nerves connected correctly and started crawling…apparently REALLY CRAWLING!!! For a child to go from stationary to crawling after her adjustment is an incredible shift in life. She is now ready to progress and will probably take off on foot very quickly.
This is not the first time I have seen this happen…many reports over the years but just finally had a moment to sit down and write this out for you.
Some people have a perception of chiropractic care is a “cure” for pain.  Was that 9 month old in my office for pain? Not even close. Using chiropractic for pain only is like using your iPhone to text message only. It is SOOOOOOOO MUCH MORE THAN THAT!!!  It is about life and living and how the body is working and healing and growing and developing and handling the days.
It is about LIFE!!!
I am honored to be little L’s chiropractor. I wouldn’t have my life be any other way.

I’M CONFUSED

A few weeks ago I was at a seminar in Toronto and there was a sign on the bathroom door of the convention center and I thought to myself “I’m confused.”

This is what the sign looked like.Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - I'm Confused

Most of you know that I do not have a TV at home and mostly listen to music and read on my downtime.  Because of that, I generally get most of my news from Facebook and all the hype about Target and their bathroom policy had many up in arms.

For a day and a half during the weekend, I walked by this bathroom in search of a “women’s” bathroom and all the while was wondering what it would be like to go into a bathroom that was marked as above.

Would there be urinals in there?

Would guys be required to go to the bathroom inside of a stall?

Will I be walking in on someone or something that I do not want to see?

So I passed by this bathroom option all weekend and pondered it over and over…what is going on behind that door?  This is Canada after all and maybe they just do things differently here.

As I watched that particular bathroom door all weekend, I did notice that perfectly normal, and un-traumatized women were walking into and out from that door.  Men too!

And then on Sunday afternoon I decided I would take a chance and head through that door.

Once I got to the other side of the door I started laughing.  There was a set of stairs that went up with a sign for men’s bathroom and another set of stairs that we down for the women’s bathroom.  The women’s bathrooms down that set of stairs had zero lines.  The other set of women’s (marked as women only) bathrooms had long lines every single time, as many women’s bathrooms do in this life.Chiropractor Fenton Michigan _I'm Confused

Once I crossed through that door and started laughing, I thought what a great metaphor for life: things are not always what they appear and are usually less scary than we think if we have the courage to cross the threshold.

As a culturewe really need to start paying a little closer attention to the sensationalism that is the news, and even the news on Facebook.  We need to be conscious of all the things that slip by our filters and get lodged into our minds and beings.  I am not exposed to news a whole lot, however even that whole Target thing, and I am sure that is not the only thing, got planted in my own mind without me even aware of what was happening.

Our subconscious runs most of our days for us without us even paying that close of attention.  We need to guard ourselves from a lot of what the media is promoting and learn to originate our own ideas, decision, perceptions and actions.

“I’m confused” may be a theme when moving through the next door that is marked in an unfamiliar way.  But I know and trust to drop my guard sooner and venture in just to see what is on the other side.  Maybe you will want to try that too!!!

 

I SAID YES

Quite often I receive emails that sound like this “I see you are on an adventure out on a boat in the Lake Michigan.  How did you get involved in that?”  My simple answer, “I said yes.”

When I get invited somewhere, I figure out if it is at all possible to say yes and if it is, I do.

When I was 10 years old, I said yes and was given my first horse.

I said yes and ended up moving across the country for school when I was 19 years old.  Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - I said Yes

I said yes and moved up to Anchorage, Alaska for an awesome 3 year adventure.

I said yes (to myself and my abilities) and opened my own chiropractic practice Cafe of LIFE that thrives still today.

I have said yes and ended up away from my family for the holidays but with great friends and that has led to some awesome trips over the years.

I said yes and purchased a condo, a building and a home.

I said yes and have a second business that has been running and successful for years.

I have said yes and got on planes to not one, but 5 different first dates over the years.

I said yes and ended up in some really incredible relationships (though none have gone the distance…just yet anyway).

I said yes and found myself jumping out of a plane.

I said yes and signed up for and ran the Chicago Marathon.

I said yes and ended up having some of the greatest times of my life.

And just last weekend I said yes and ended up on a boat along the shore of Chicago to watch the America’s Cup Qualifying Race.

I am sharing all of this because as I am sitting on a boat in the water and under the sunshine and with a beautiful view of the city of Chicago last weekend, I was so grateful.  I have had many experiences and in that moment, I am proud of myself for having the courage to just say yes and get out there and live life.

In the past, I have also gotten email messages inquiring whether I had some sort of terminal diagnosis and why I was making so many different things happen all the time?  “The tragedy in life is not death…but what we let die inside while we live.”

Brush fear aside, step up and have the courage to say YES to your life!  I promise you will find great adventures along the way and open up to really living!!!!

Next time I see you, I want to hear from you that “I said yes and…” and then tell me all about your adventure.

 

 

I AM HONORED

 

I am honored.

Getting “written up” as a child was not such a good thing.  Getting “written up” as an adult is quite a compliment.  I am honored to be part of a Today’s Chiropractic Leadership online in a section called “Innovators and Entrepreneurs

To read the article, click >>>THIS LINK<<<

I am honored to be acknowledged in the same section and on the same page as some of my greatest mentors.

I am honored to be considered worthy enough to grace the pages with some of the greatest and most influential world changers.

Chiropractor Fenton MIchigan - Honored - Dr. Erica Peabody

I am honored to be on the same page with some of my good friends and colleagues.

I am honored to be respected and acknowledged by LIFE University, the world’s largest and most influential college in the chiropractic profession.

I am honored to be able to serve Fenton, the community I grew up in.

If you are reading this, I am honored to be part of your life in some way big or small.

I am honored that you have allowed me to serve your family and check and adjust your babies.

I am honored I have been the one called to your bedside as your are delivering your babies or are within minutes of bringing them into this world because you understand how important that first adjustment is.

I am honored to be part of such an incredible profession, one that assists with core healing from deep within.

I am honored with every single referral you send and have sent my way.

I am honored to be chosen as an instrument to facilitate healing and be able to use my head, hands and heart as my tools.

I am honored to own and run my beautiful office Cafe of LIFE Chiropractic.

I am honored to have such an incredible team working with me on a daily basis.

I am honored that my own family visits me to get their spines checked on a regular basis.

I am honored to be your chiropractor.