Living Now

I've recently taken up stand up paddle boarding and I'm loving it!

It is such a meditative experience, and it calls to something very primal in me. A flash back perhaps to a time in human evolution when we lived off the land and fished for our food. 
I love the challenge of maintaining my balance against the waves and the wind while paddling, it's exhilarating, and I love how much it works my body and engages muscles that I rarely use. And then while I'm paddling as I look down into the water, with the sun on my face and the breeze drying the salt on my skin, all I want to do is fall off the board and get in water! 🤣

I go paddle boarding with a friend in the mornings when the weather is warm, and when I do I'm getting this glimpse of living the life that I've always desired. To get up and go to the beach in the morning, move my body, connect to with nature and then go home and start my day.
And It feels like I'm finally starting to curate the life I've always wanted to live.
That I don't have to wait till I retire, rather I get to live my ideal self now and embrace all these new experiences. Saying yes to the new opportunities that come into my life. 

When I reflect on the past 3 or 4 years of my life I have been very consumed with work and reestablishing myself and my identity post divorce. I was so focused on keeping my head above water that I feel like I forgot to truly live. 
I would have been so disappointed if I had died, because I was so busy existing, I wasn't living. And isn't that the point of being here in this body, to live and experience life?

This year I'm much more focused on investing in my future my 90 year old self. What do I mean by that? Part of it is that when I get to 90 and I am reflecting back on my life, I want to make sure I'm saying "I'm so glad I did that", rather than looking back and saying "I wish I had done that."

And the beauty of this is that no matter how old we are, we can always take steps to live a more fulfilled life. It's not always easy, especially when we have to step out of our comfort zone, and it might take longer than it did when you were younger, but the key is to do little things every day. Like going for a walk in the mornings just around the block, or watch some videos about a new skill that you always wanted to learn but put into the "it would be nice" basket.
And then every now and then maybe taking big leap, like booking the tickets the air fare for your next trip, or enrol in a course. 
Really the biggest limitations we have on our lives are ourselves and getting in our own way, when we get out of the way often the other limitations like finances and time suddenly find ways to not be so problematic.  

I encourage you to  take some time and reflect on your life.
Are there things that you wish you had done? 

Passions you haven't let yourself explore? 

Books you have always wanted to read?
A hobby you want to turn into a business?
Conversations you need to have with loved ones?
People you need to let drift away from your life?

This is the perfect time for you to take actions to begin to curate your ideal life. Chinese New year has just passed and astrologically speaking we have a lot of planets that are lining up to help you move your life in the direction that brings your dream life into your current life. It can also mean the letting go of some things that you know haven't been serving you, but you haven't been able to release. Don't be surprised if they just start to drift away. This is important so you can have room for this fuller version of you to come out and play. 

We are living through incredible times, and the news can be overwhelming. I believe the key is to keep coming back to ourselves. Doing things that nourish and make our hearts happy. It fortifies us to get through the craziness of our world!  

Much love to you and your families,

❤️

Catherine