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Live simple. Do more.
November 17, 2015 In Freedom, grow, Live the life you want to live, News & Updates, Uncategorized

Freedom!

Hello, hello and welcome to the all-new Blue Lollipop Road!

I am SO EXCITED (did I mention excited?) about not just a fresh and different look for my site, but for finally  sharing about a huge shift I’ve been focusing on for a while now.

First I have to give huge props to my branding company, Big Ring, for taking 7+ years of everything I’ve worked so hard on and putting it in to an online presence that looks amazing! I’m happy to report all the photos you see throughout Blue Lollipop Road are my own, nothing stock photo here, just all from years in travel and everyday life. The photos we chose to use from my archive of about 10,000, are some of my all-time favorites. If they give you any sense of freedom or feeling that anything is possible, then we have done our job!

So onto this new BLR:

You will see freedom as a theme throughout this new site and everything in my work. Many conversations I had during my years on the road over coffee or dinner with friends or strangers, and now in home base life have the same theme; people feeling like they just don’t have enough time, space or money (translation – freedom) to do things like:

A.) What they really want to do for work or a hobby.

B.) Spend time with family or friends.

C.) Work out.

D.) Travel.

E.) Go back to school.

Many, many more.

This great world is spinning and we’re running around like chickens with our heads cut off because there somehow ends up being so much to do and think about in a day. I’ve never understood why it always seems to take some kind of tragedy, for us to slow down and think about what really matters, so I created a business that helps people take back time, space, and money so they can do more of what they love. That’s what life is supposed to be about, right?

This means I work with people in any kind of transition, or ready to make a change; Everyone from people moving/relocating, for work (managing everything from moving company to handyman and all in between), for fun, or for things not so fun, (Divorce, death in family), to people who are busy with their careers and kids who’s homes have become cluttered and need reorganizing, to people who want to downsize and live simpler, to people who need to reassess their baseline bills (when’s the last time you checked to see if your bank offers a lesser interest rate or why the cable company is charging you hundreds of dollars for basic cable and internet services?), to people who need systems implemented to make their homes function better, to people to want to make a huge life shift (quit job/start a business/start training for a marathon…), to people needing family vacation plans made, to people wanting to sell no longer needed furniture because they are remodeling, moving, or have just sent the last kid off to college.

All those kinds of projects and more.

I facilitate and manage whatever chaos and busy is going on and help you put healthy breathing room back into your life.

And I make the super stressful times, fun.

Boom!

When clients write or call to tell me they could focus on work because they knew I was taking care of everything with their corporate relocation, or when they tell me they are now working out regularly and cooking with their kids because they could find the cook books, or that they have time to actually go to the gym because they feel more organized in their space, it makes me happy. Like clap up and jump up and down happy. It’s like being able to gift a sense of freedom, balance, and perspective for at least a moment, or a day in this big world of madness swirling around us.

I love it!

I hope reading this post and meandering through my spankin’ new pretty site makes you feel like you have a little extra pep in your step to go for that thing, that person, or that moment you’ve been missing. Let’s live simple, and do more of what we love and with who we love. If you have a hard time getting there yourself, call me. I’d love to help you get rid of the physical, financial, or personal “stuff” that’s weighing you down. We can tackle your busy beast/lift your burdens/exorcise your demons.

Life is short. Freedom awaits.

#LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife #LiveSimpleDoMore #TodayIsTheDay

PS ~ Please scroll down to the bottom of this page and sign up to get my blog posts via email! I will be regularly posting great tips & tricks on how to live simple and do more- and of course continuing to share about how I make adventure in my everyday:)

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October 1, 2015 In Articles, grow, Inspiration, Links, Live the life you want to live, Operation Charlotte, People, Photos, Thank you, Today Is The Day

shutting up and being grateful

I ran across this today. A good read. I’d like to hang out with the author, Mark.

On my soap box, especially lately, I’ve preached the word practice a lot, and still don’t understand why yoga seems to have stolen that word from everything else in the world. Why don’t we think about practicing every aspect of our lives, not just yoga, or sports in general? Shouldn’t we be practicing everyday, to be a good sister, daughter, friend, employee, neighbor, or just a good, fun, productive & generous human who’s nice and friendly just to be nice and friendly?

I just walked into Starbucks to hunker down for an afternoon of work and was greeted extra cheerily by a very overweight, nerdy, scruffy, awkward-looking barista guy. This particular Starbucks is in the center of the city and never fail, is always 110% filled with the most strapping looking fit businessmen you could imagine. (Occasionally these groups of men are sprinkled with an equally gorgeous high-heeled business woman or two.) It looks like the J.Crew or Abercrombie & Fitch catalogs exploded in here and the people on the pages came alive. So here’s this barista guy with the biggest smile in a scene of go go go perfectly coiffed, seriously focused executives, who aren’t smiling- throwing in his cheery personality, clearly practicing to genuinely enjoy his work and not be intimidated by this otherwise potentially intimidating scene.

As it becomes my turn to order:

Him: “Hey hey hey! How are you today?!” (in the cutest, upbeat tone)

Me: “Im great- thank you, that was the nicest greeting! Thank you!”

Him: “Why, you’re welcome- what can I get for ya?”

I order, he asks for my name, I tell him Diane, he thinks I says Diana and I roll with it.

Him: “That’s Wonder Woman’s Name! Spin around!”

To his surprise, I spin around.

We both laugh.

Me: “If only I could spin around like that and fix all the problems in the world!”

We laugh again, and agree “yeah…”

I thank him, turn to walk away, and he exclaims- “Have a great day, Wonder Woman!”

So totally adorable.

By a landslide, this very overweight, nerdy, scruffy, awkward barista guy is the most attractive, impressive, magnetic man, in this otherwise model-looking crowd I’m among right now.

In the article above, the author writes “I’m the last one to pretend everything is unicorns and rainbows.” I’m with him on that. It’s often hard to see the forest through the trees, and even harder to be grateful during sad times. It’s not easy to shut up (at least it hasn’t been in the past for me), It’s not easy to keep thinking your minutes will add up to something when you’ve felt like you’re getting nowhere fast. It’s not easy to say goodbye, It’s not easy to feel alone/lost/stuck – most things are not easy, but we all must push and motivate to practice each day, being grateful for the tiny beautiful things.

Let’s practice together!

Right at this moment I’m grateful for the luncheon I just went to with delicious food, the new people I met and connected with. I’m grateful for the notes, check-ins, and congratulations during the past few days from friends & family about a big event I had yesterday. I’m grateful to be able to work from anywhere and do what I love. I’m grateful for the huge challenges I’ve faced during the past 6 months and the lessons I’ve learned. I’m grateful for the few late hours I spent with a good friend last night scrubbing, vacuuming, and sweeping out the last bits of her apartment for a move, as we both exhaustedly and filthily stuffed our faces with a pizza-on-paper-towel party, and laughed about the chaos. I’m grateful that I could still laugh at myself, and this crazy life, as I sweat my butt off in my little car, looking like The Clampetts yesterday while talking to my little brother and almost getting pulled over by the police:

Moving…again

I’m even grateful for the wrinkles around my eyes in this photo. They mean I have smiled a lot:) Mostly today, which kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month- I’m incredibly grateful to have called Kaitlin McLellan not only a tried and true friend, but a very best one, and for many, many years.

Lucky, lucky me. So, so, very grateful.

Enjoy it now, and be grateful my readers- this life, this amazing, nutty life…is far to short not to.

Thank you, Mr. Barista, for making me spin around and bringing extra sunshine to me on a day I’ve been missing my dear friend. I won’t forget it.

#AlwaysLearning #AlwaysAdventuring #AlwaysGrateful

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October 1, 2015 In grow, People, Photos

this is how excited I am this week

New beginnings, new offerings, new people, and BIG things for BLR!

Sometimes things pop out of the sky that you never expect and It’s like boom. Add that with what you’ve been working your tail off on for a while and…magic happens.

After what has been a most incredibly challenging summer,  Mr. silver lining has come to visit, on a bright, shiny silver platter.

Holla!

I cannot wait to share more here soon. Here we go, life 2.0!

What are you excited about?

#Believe #FindYourPassion #DontWait

Good things are coming

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September 26, 2015 In grow, Inspiration, Links, Live the life you want to live, People, Photos, Quotes, Recommended reading, Today Is The Day, Videos

stop screwing, start doing

This TED Talk popped in my inbox this morning. (Thanks, M!) I watched it as I sipped my coffee on the porch, cheering YES! and laughing through the whole video.

This woman is awesome. I’m a big fan of people who cut straight through the bs:

TED Talk

This makes me think of one of the books I just wrote about in my top 5 read this now list; The War of Art. I wholeheartedly agree with the theory that every single one of us has incredibly special things about us and unique ideas that can change the world.

Let’s all keep forcing the covers off to spend our days going for what we want.

“Get outside! That’s where the magic is.”

#Jump #CarpeDiem #BeMoreThanJustFine

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September 18, 2015 In grow, Inspiration, Links, Live the life you want to live, Today Is The Day, Videos

“it’s all about doing something that matters to you”

Oh man do I love this guys TED Talk! I feel like he stole words out of my mouth; the ones I stand on my soap box about all the time. Ones that he obviously has put together more eloquently than me and then been invited to TED talk about.

I’ll get there someday. For now I have this little platform on the Blue Lollipop Road to shout from.

Some of my favorite quotes from this piece:

“I wanted to find the work I couldn’t NOT do.”

“Everything wasn’t possible until somebody did it.”

“People are giving a middle finger to this scripted life.” 

My favorite minutes is probably at the 10:30 to 11:50 mark.

Like this guy, I have “corrupted” people to quit their jobs and start anew- not because I thought they should, but because if someone ever comes to me and tells me they want to do something that burns in their soul- of course I am going to tell them to call an eff it and do it. What kind of crappy friend would I be if I listened to someone tell me about what’s burning inside of them and not tell them to go for it?

Living on a treadmill speeding a million miles an hour, en route to the drone zone is a terrible waste of a run for any of us.

I had my aha moment this spring, at nearly 37 years old, that made me realize exactly what I wanted to do for work. I thought this would never come. If you know me, I have probably driven you bonkers over the years with endless “what should I do with my life/what is BLR really/why can’t I figure out what I really want to do/what is wrong with me” conversations and questions. (Thank you for listening and trying to help when I was impossible to help not realizing all the answers would be inside of myself. I owe you all big time.) I now feel like the weight of the world has lifted off my chest because I’m finally doing work that matters to me and I’m getting paid for it after YEARS of searching. It has been a painful process, but every step was needed and worth it. I just kept trying, believing in myself and following my instincts and it happened. I now have a business that helps people organize and downsize their physical, financial and internal lives- so they can do more of what they love.

It is awesome.

(New BLR website launching in October by the way. Woot!)

My work life typically looks something like sporting crappy old clothes as I pull things off dusty shelves or out of old boxes, sort, schlep, managing movers/handymen/donation trucks, etc., host Craiglist sales, sit in piles of bills organizing and game planning for clients. (Sounds glamorous, right? Not glamorous at all, but I love every minute of it.) Most of my clients have hit a forced “have to do this” place because of an impending move, death in the family, divorce, and some just want to take control of their space back. Whatever the reason, I know I truly help them feel more freedom during often crappy/sad/stressful times. It’s incredibly rewarding.

In my adult life, I’ve always felt like a freak of what the hell do I really do with career that means something and I love?! – nature, this work has changed my life. I cannot encourage you who are reading this enough, to quit until something feels right, move if you feel like you need a change, quit again, move again, whatever you need to do to get to a place where you find that work that means something to you whether It’s working for a big fat fancy corporate bank, or starting your own trash company. (I went to high school with a guy, Trevor in my teeny home town who started a trash route in about 11th grade, and 20 years now later, he is crushing it. Good for you Trevor!) Trash people, trash! And in a tiny town! Anything’s possible.

Whatever your thing is- It’s out there. Trust yourself and drive your life in the direction that feels right, or at least the direction that’s away from what doesn’t. It’s OK to leave anyone who discourages you, in the dust.

“Everything wasn’t possible until somebody did it.

Spending time doing work that matters is so hugely important for a happy life. Please go for it. Take that spin on the wheel and don’t look back; you will find exactly what you’re looking for whether it takes 10 days or 10 years, and it will be so worth it. I promise.

Today is the day. What are you waiting for?

TED Talks

#WorkYouLove #WhatMatters #LiveYourLegacy

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September 5, 2015 In grow, Inspiration, Links, Photos, Today Is The Day

keep climbing and celebrating

A portion of what I wrote via email to someone this week:

Real is real and that is all I care about. Transparency is a beautiful thing. Lost is a normal feeling. All the things both you and I have each felt/are feeling are what everybody feels- It’s just that most people don’t ever share it. They’re afraid to, and they continue to live in pain. I share my pain through BLR and it has literally saved my life over the years. No one realizes that when I write, I write to myself. I’m not a magical happy unicorn of positive messaging because life is peaches and cream; I write, and push, and try, and believe because I have to– to stay alive and thrive. That is no joke. I am so bruised up, just like you and everyone in this world- but time is far too precious to feel sorry for myself/torture myself/think about all my mistakes/beat myself up/be alone, etc. 

It drives me nuts (especially lately) when I’m told I’m “lucky” or when people think it is easy for me to do what I do with my time, work, travel, fun, friends, family, etc. because I supposedly have some big/great personality or mystical power. I’ve been told things are “easy” for me. I wish. Might I remind everyone of THIS, THIS, AND THIS for example. (Yes, please click on those three links and read, but no, please don’t feel sorry for me for one single second- everyone has their own stuff.) Those links are just illustrations of why my life is much like yours; not even close to always easy-breezy. I know for certain I have it far better than some, and far worse than others. I also know life is not some kind of competition of who’s loss or heartbreak is worse. If you feel heartbroken, devastated, used and abused, knocked down, don’t know what the hell to do with the rest of your life, awful just feels fucking awful. I hate awful just like every other human, even though I do things like go to Napa to see my friends and sip wine and stuff my face with good food, say yes when invited to sit on a river house pier and watch the gorgeous sunrise, and have adventures around the world.

Many times I write here, or you see me smiling big in photos at some tropical beach, in my car on a fun road trip, or at an alumni soccer game- my heart is heavy, as in a ton of bricks live on top of it. Have I ever lied to you or been fake, family, friends, and readers? No. Have I ever put on a tiny white lie happy face because I’ve felt that was necessary for whatever situation at the time? Sure. Have I ever absolutely forced myself to see and feel the good- not the bad, when I’ve felt like the world is crumbling around me and I’m so sad It’s debilitating? All the time my dear friends. I have to– to stay alive and thrive, just like you. And because life is too short not to celebrate.

What kind of life would life be, to sit around for days on end feeling awful even if you should be allowed to or have the right to? What is life for, if not for living fully, saying yes to opportunity for big adventure, and smiling even if during those big adventures our heart often feels incredibly heavy?

After a few minutes/days/weeks of sitting around feeling very, very sorry for ourselves (for any awfulness, self-inflicted or not), when bad things happen- continuing that it is simply wasteful and no way to live. Doing necessary, healthy pity-party things like feeling rock-bottom, swearing, kicking, screaming, slamming, smashing, snotting & crying, binge-eating, letting dishes or laundry pile up, not brushing your teeth or showering, or even getting out of bed are Ok, short term, but…

When life kicks our ass, we honor ourselves, and those not with us anymore by getting up and going out to KICK LIFE’S ASS BACK.

If you’ve got health and time on this earth, you’ve got everything, baby. Everything. Honor that, and rock out your existence on this planet doing what fuels you. 

So what do we do when we don’t have the faintest clue about what to do and sadness is taking over? We take one itsy-bitsy baby step, even if that feels like it couldn’t possibly make a damn bit of difference. Here are a few options for today, Saturday September 5, 2015, if you feel like you’re living in the game of clue(less.):

1.) Read this and start. My favorites are #’s 5, 11, 12, 13, 19, 21 and 29. (25 is what I do to actually pay my bills, so I love and agree with that one big-time of course:)

2.) Clear enough cloudy brain space or dry the tears for just 10 seconds and think about a menial task or errand you can manage. (For instance, after finishing this I’m go get coffee so I’ve got some to brew in the morning, then I will stop at the ATM to make a deposit. WOW big monumental things, right?! Yep, today for me- it is. I’m still in pajamas, It’s 2:44pm, and I’ve had an intense week that should by all means put me on the couch all day, but I know as soon as I accomplish my big time get coffee and go to ATM to-do list, I will feel better and that will lead me to the next thing to feel good about.) Just do one thing you can manage.

3.) Share/give, even if whoever else on the receiving end may never receive it. (Huh? And Wtf, are you kidding me, Diane?! I can’t see straight and you’re suggesting I share or give?! Yes.) Call one person and tell them you’re thankful for them. Genuinely compliment the checkout guy/girl on his or her hair/earrings/smile/shoes/service. Turn to the person sitting next you and tell them you appreciate their friendship/them being a nice coworker/neighbor. Write to someone you love even if you know you will never send it or they won’t ever get the message. (A couple weeks ago I sent a text message to my friend Katie who passed away a couple months ago that said. “I miss you.” Certifiably insane? No. I just missed my friend and couldn’t keep my feelings bottled up anymore so I typed on my phone and pressed send. Bottled up is no bueno.)

If you’ve ever felt like a billion degree hot mess freak show of a person who is incredibly depressed, lost, pissed, or like you have no idea what to do about anything, if your heart has been ripped to shreds- welcome to the party! My hope is you’ll read this, and know there are people out there (in here) just like you. You are not nuts, and you are not alone. We are all in this together. Whaddya say we keep taking itsy-bitsy baby steps to continually spit delicious things back on life when she continually spits disgusting things on us? We can do it.

Inspire yourself. Keep pushing. Be a Mojo Warrior.

Keep Climbing

#RememberCelebrateLive #Fearless #Truth

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August 13, 2015 In BLR Memorial Travel Scholarship Fund, BLR Play it Forward 2012, BLR Play It Forward 2013, BLR Play It Forward 2014, BLR Play It Forward 2015, Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Scholarship, grow, Inspiration, Links, Thank you, Travel, Vermont

go get ’em, girls!

I feel like such a proud Mamma today.

Long ago I hired a mousey, quiet, seemingly timid college kid named Crystal to work for me. I saw something special in her I knew for sure most people missed. In the 10+ years since then, I’ve watched her do amazing work in the communities she’s lived in and grow into this strong, intelligent woman who knows exactly who she is. She’s this perfect mix of sweet, kind, and silly, but serious and driven too. One of those watch out, you’ll never see me coming in all my awesomeness, but I’m going to continue changing the world into more of a positive place kind of people. She posted something on Facebook this morning about her new adventures on the west coast and a new job she’s starting. She decided she wanted to move there, made a plan and just did it. No surprise she’s already “making it”- she believes in herself and goes for it. Love that girl and her spirit. It has been an honor to tell her potential employers over the years they’d be fools not to hire her because she’s the best.

I got an email today from one of my BLR Play It Forward year #1 scholarship winners, Raheema. She graduated in June and told me she was going to SUNY Cortland in the fall. She’ll be majoring in athletic training, and doing indoor & outdoor track. Though I’ve only seen her in person a couple times since 2012, I can sense how much she’s grown and I have no doubt she will do amazing things. According to my hometown Mount Anthony Union High School 2015 yearbook, she’s Most unforgettable:

Unforgettable Raheemah

I agree! Another person I’ve been lucky enough to come across who embodies that undeniable zest for life that always makes everyone she meets, smile.

Then there comes other BLR Memorial Scholarship winners Mercedes Chen & Jami Mathers who came bounding into Willow Park last month for our Alumni Soccer Game portion of BLR Play It Forward, 2015 – with big grins, words of thanks, and gifts for me from their trips they took with their earned scholarship funds:

BLR girls

Unfortunately I didn’t get to spend but a few seconds with them as I was running around trying to make sure to cover all my event organizer bases, but I could feel from their thanks, and see from their excited faces in the short time we had together- their lives are never going to be the same. They’ve seen new parts of the world and new parts of themselves. That was precisely my hope, my biggest goal and dream when starting the Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Life gets crazy, It’s not always easy, there are good times and bad, and you wonder if you’re ever doing anything right. Then days like today happen and you truly feel the gift that it was indeed possible you made a positive difference in someones life. This is a beautiful feeling.

I’m so proud of these young ladies, so thankful to all the ladies in my life, (some still on this earth, and some in  other places), who’ve inspired and supported me always. I can’t wait to do more to give back for all that’s been given to me.

#Unforgettable #PlayForwardGiveBack #Believe

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July 11, 2015 In BLR Memorial Travel Scholarship Fund, BLR Play It Forward 2015, Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Scholarship, Do good, grow, Links, Live the life you want to live, News & Updates, News articles/Links, Photos, play, Press, Thank you, Vermont

today is the day; play it forward 2015

Huge thanks to The Bennington Banner for this article about our event today!

Play It Forward is so much bigger than just a soccer game. It is about bringing people together, honoring loved ones no longer here, and celebrating memories and time together. It is a reminder about what’s important, where we came from, and is meant to inspire us all to truly live while we are living.

All hands in

This is year four, and I can’t believe it! Countless hours and efforts have been put in and I as I type this with a big smile I could not be more proud. I am humbled and honored to host this event, and so thankful for all the love, support & help from so many friends, family, alumni and community members.

BLR Play It Forward 2015…here we go!

Remember. Celebrate. Live.

#PlayForwardGiveBack #StrongMojo #Community

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February 16, 2015 In grow, People, Photos

dear chicken shit, do you need a hug? :)

Yes, I am talking to you who posted this comment in my inbox anonymously on Saturday:

“You’ll never write a book of any worth because you can barely write a sentence. Also, there’s a fine line between celebration and exploitation. Just being, you know, unfiltered.”

It sounds like you need some love in your life, my friend! Maybe I should go find this guy again and send him your way:

Hugs are better that hate

So sad you’re hateful and wrong Mr./Mrs. comment leaver. I feel sorry for people like you. I think you need a hug! (And a backbone.)

While you continue hiding behind your computer, sending opinions and judgments (with no name attached) that are so far from the truth they may as well be in Siberia, I’ll be out loud & proud here, living it up, unfiltered and transparent as always. I will continue celebrating my friends, and everything/everyone I love, and I’ll keep doing good work giving back to my community.

You should really get a life and find more positive ways to spend your time. There’s a whole big, fat, huge awesome world out there…

Love,

Diane

PS~ For someone who thinks I can’t write, you sure have spent a lot of your time reading and poking around here! That’s pretty hilarious. I know you’ll be first in line to buy my book:)

#DontBeJealous #GiveAHug #Celebrate

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