Take Time for Yourself...
Ignite Your Wanderlust

The last few weeks have been dizzying... bizzy, bizzy bizzy... I’m sure all of us are experiencing some sort of overload, our day to day responsibilities to our children, career, businesses, parents, finances... Where are we in this mix? We fend off the bombardment of negativity broadcast daily on TV, the internet... etc.
OH my God!
What’s his name is testing nukes and missiles, Osama Bin Laden is spouting more BS threats (I still can’t believe they can’t find a 6’5” guy on dialysis with a satellite phone in the desert), GM is bankrupt, Chrysler is sunk... and so on and so on...

What Do You Do for Yourself as Not To Go NUTZ?

A lifelong friend of mine called me the other morning out of the blue and said “We’re going to lunch at 12 noon, I will pick you up.” CLICK! I’m glad I had awaken at 5:30am and was finish with all my work projects and responsibilities for the day... talk about divine timing...

Off we went to steal the day! It was a beautiful day, clear and in the high 60’s as we headed up the coast... Just perfect! We parked on the side of the road, took a few deep cleansing breaths of the ocean air as we exited the car, all the stress melted away in almost an instant, and we went into the quaint little fish place. We ordered a delish lunch of grilled fish, salad and potatoes a bottle of Chard and found a table under some palm trees on a cute private deck (only because it was more of a walk than the main deck) ... As we ate and chatted, we were both amazed at how we both had allowed life and all it’s “IT” to suppress and almost kill the creative inner child we both once exuded in all our glory a few short years ago... caregiving of a parent, restarting a business, civic obligations and in her case caregiving of a parent and her family and her job. When did WE, of all people, get so serious? Hours later and after another bottle of wine with dessert, as we wandered the local corner boutique, and the canyon... We made a pact, not only are we setting aside a day a month to just hang out, but that we, from this moment on, will rebirth our inner child and act on our creative impulses. Man! that was the best therapy ever and cheaper too. Oops! it’s 6:30pm and we were late picking her kids up from school....that darn traffic! Back to reality.

I had been in the process of getting back to me, expressing my creative side... But now it’s not just an option on the back burner, but a need as great as air to my Soul. I am in the process of converting my dining room into my art studio where I can bring the outside in and why not? I can’t wait to play!

She’s Baaaack! Ain’t nothin’ but a “G” thang bay-bay!

© Gail Oliver 2009

Ignite Your Wanderlust

Wanderlust – in its original translation from German, this word meant “to enjoy the hike.” In English, we’ve borrowed this term and altered it a bit to mean a “desire to journey.” So you could say our entire life is one long journey with each moment extending into the next, building upon what has already been created. With each step we venture forth into an unknown realm; with each word, each thought, and each action, we participate in the unending creation of the universe. Life’s impressions flow through us, and we distill them through our intellect and define them through our ego.

We get to choose our interpretation. Sometimes our life conditioning clouds or influences the moment, our interpretation, and our response. But nevertheless, our own individual view of life is the only interpretation we have. Our personal journey is THE journey and we have a choice: dive in and celebrate the journey or back up, freeze, or complain about it. When we find ourselves feeling constricted, jealous, or fearful, or we are looking outside of ourselves for answers, it is evident that we have chosen to view the journey with a less-than outlook that comes from an interpretation of lack or scarcity. When we find ourselves feeling expansive, abundant, and affluent . . . then it is clear that we are seeing our journey from the perspective of love.

Regardless of our interpretation, in each moment the journey continues . . . and we have the opportunity in that instant to take a step towards abundance, expansion, and wanderlust – to learn as we grow, to see each moment as a guidepost of the journey, and to know that only from a place of openness does our world grow.

Right now you probably know someone in a state of constriction (it may even be you). They are in pain and fear; they feel doubtful and they do not believe in themselves or in the divine god or goddess that rests within. They may be exhibiting panic, stress, anxiety, greediness, selfishness, aggressiveness, or just plain meanness. Know that in any moment, this could be any of us. The antidote is unconditional love. The remedy is finding out what your heart is longing for. The cure is wanderlust . . . opening to the unknown, if just a little bit at a time.

The true journey is learning to see the world with fresh eyes. This is our daily path to freedom and expansion. Enjoy your journey . . . wherever it leads.

Staff, Deepak Chopra Wellness Center © 2009