Live the life you want to live

August 2, 2012 In BLR Play it Forward 2012, BLR Reunion Soccer Weekend 8/18/12, Illinois, Live the life you want to live, New York, Vermont, Washington DC, Wisconsin

epic august

The word “epic” has become very trendy and overused these days to describe anything and everything big time and cool. I’ll have to jump on the epic bandwagon here like everybody else, because I’m quite sure my August is going to be epic and them some. Here’s what this month has in store for Blue Lollipop Road and I:

*Major road trip action~ Chicago to Wisconsin to Vermont to Upstate, NY Finger Lakes to Toronto to Washington DC to Virginia

*A 34th birthday

*BLR PLay It Forward Event

I always end up doing some kind of fun adventure each year this month because It’s summertime and my birthday time.. This August though, I’m by far more thrilled about and anticipating than any other. It might be something about a bunch of great road trip time, feeling happier healthier, and more balanced as I get older, and hosting an event that means everything in the world to me. Yeah…that.

Here’s to august 2012 and living life like you mean it!

 

 

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April 17, 2012 In Illinois, Inspiration, Live the life you want to live, Photos

there’s no such thing as aimless wandering

I wander around alone in silence a lot.

I always feel incredibly powerful, capable, and hopeful when I take the time to.

People don’t believe me when I share that most of my hundreds of thousands of road miles have been spent in silence with only the sounds of the wind passing by my ears, but that’s the truth. There’s something that’s magical and empowering that happens when you let yourself wander and see your surroundings without interference.

Last week I was sitting at my desk, attempting to knock out a mile-long list of to-do’s and assignments and I was just not feeling in my groove. So? I got up and left my apartment to wander and get air in hopes for an energy boost. After a mile or two of walking, I became enamored with the bright sun, clouds, and blue sky reflecting off various buildings:

Downtown Chicago buildings with blue sky

Downtown Chicago buildings with blue sky

Downtown Chicago buildings with blue sky

Downtown Chicago buildings with blue sky

Downtown Chicago buildings with blue sky

Chicago street springtime flowers

(…and some bright spring flowers too.)

I got that energy boost I hoped for and then some, to go back and knock out that pile of work I had. Quiet wander time relieves me when I am stressed, inspires me when I can’t seem to get creative, and it gives me giant injections of anything is possible feeling.

As adults, we don’t encourage or allow ourselves to be curious, or to wander to take in that zap of often needed healthy energy. Why? What’s the cutoff age for curiosity anyway? Why do we push kids to try, try, try everything, explore that field of flowers, play that game for hours, or look up at that plane in the air to imagine where it’s going, but never look up at it ourselves?

Blue Lollipop Road promotes travel for education and self-empowerment. When we allow ourselves to be curious and wander (aka travel), we learn heaps of valuable information, and we become incredibly smart, resourceful, confident, and self aware. (Talk about a rock-solid foundation to build off!) Travel doesn’t have to mean far off lands around the globe. It could simply mean just getting up and out of whatever place you’re sitting in when you feel like you’re not growing or being productive. Just taking some time to step out and feel passion or re-energize. Like I did last week when I took this photos.

All who wander (and let themselves be curious) are definitely not lost.

 

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April 12, 2012 In Alaska, Inspiration, Live the life you want to live, News & Updates, Photos

oh the places you will go

As I’ve been working with my talented, patient, and generous web guy Bobby sending him information, photos, links, etc. for the BLR face lift we are doing, I found this link from A Skirt! Magazine issue I was featured in before I drove to Alaska.

My, my, the things that have happened since this photo and article. Oh the places we have been.

This BLR-mobile got different license plates, added branding on the bumper, it drove all the way up to the Gateway to the Klondike:

The BLR-mobile at the Alaska border in Skagway

…and went through the Inside Passage of The Last Frontier, then all the way down the west coast spending nearly 5 months total on the road with an extended work stay in Napa, back east, then a move to Chicago, travels back east again, back to Chicago, back east once more and just back to Chicago this week. (With so much in between.)

Phew!

I don’t think I’ve ever shared here after that Skirt! photo shoot, I left the east coast headed for Alaska with only $600, a fresh oil change, a few paper maps, and all my belongings in the trunk. (As in everything I owned.) If you do any sort of calculations on mileage and gas, $600 is not even enough money for gas to get to Alaska let alone any other expenses. I made it there and back and then some as listed above because at the time I wanted to make that journey happen so badly I would’ve walked there if I had to. Not only was I safe, happy, and did I have an amazing time, but I didn’t have to walk there. Why? Because along the way things just happened. 

It’s so fun to look back and have those hell yeah- I did that! moments.

When you take a step towards life (and work your ass off) the universe responds. That is no joke, and this photo above is a perfect example. There are no secrets or superpowers I have that you don’t have too.

Is there a “place” that you want to be so badly, you’d be willing to walk there? What’s holding you back from starting that walk?

This calls for a little Dr. Seuss moment:

Oh the Places You’ll Go:

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.  And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets.  Look ’em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don’t worry.  Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

You’re right Dr. S!

We have brains in our heads, we have feet in our shoes, and we can steer ourselves in any direction we chose!

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March 29, 2012 In Alaska, Inspiration, Live the life you want to live

i should pay starbucks…

…for all the unplanned and totally random, awesome connections and moments I have made while working from their billion locations.

Just now, business guy next too me updating friend: “Yeah, so my son graduated and he’s on his way to Alaska. He wants to stay there for the summer and be a fisherman. My wife is kind of freaking out.”

Of course I invited myself to butt in the conversation with: “Let him! Oh my god! Please! It will be the coolest thing ever for him to experience and will make him a better human. I really believe that, I have done this for a long time, I am nearly 34. You can even call my mother- she will tell you that by me travel and trying new things- moving to where I’ve known very few people and very little about, has helped me become a most resourceful and overall badass fearless person. Isn’t that what every parent wants?”

Bam.

I’m closing my computer and walking out the door of Starbucks now. Thanks Starbucks.

Hey business suit guy with the kid who wants to go fishing~

If you love him and want him to become the best kid you could dream of- let him go! I promise you’ll never regret it and neither will he. if you are reading this , send me an email or note here. I love sharing my “road” resources and I know some amazing people from my time in Alaska. I’m happy to help!

Here’s to one life. Do it while you can…:)

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March 20, 2012 In Live the life you want to live, News & Updates

happy first day of spring!

It’s been in the 70’s and 80’s in Chicago for the past 10 days. According to the weather report, it will be the same lovely record tropical temps for the next few days too. If you know me, you know this makes me very, very happy. My windows have been open 24/7, I’ve been outside “playing” (roaming the city, soccer, running on the lake, etc.) every second I possibly can, and I’ve spent lots of time unplugged and planning for the future. I’m wrapping up a job that takes me away from my goals and time here. (Unacceptable!) T-minus 10 days until no more toxic work environment! More on that soon…

My thoughts for the day after just getting back from a long lake trail run in the sun:

If you can put off tasks that can be done after dark, or when it’s raining- do. Get outside in the air and light, wander somewhere alone, leave your phone at home and explore what’s around you for free. If you are not learning or becoming a better person doing the work you do, make a change. If you are in an unhealthy place- get the hell out.

Seize the sunny days, save the dishes for later, and lets all spring forward together.

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March 7, 2012 In Great companies, Inspiration, Live the life you want to live, People, Videos

what makes you come alive?

Check out my friend Sean, Founder of One Week Job:

Today is a prefect day for me to share this, as I have made a big decision in this theme of coming alive. I will share all about it here in 3 weeks, so stay tuned.

If whatever you are doing with your time isn’t making you come alive, the time is now to make a change.

Thanks for being an awesome inspiration Sean!

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March 5, 2012 In Live the life you want to live, News & Updates, Thank you

thanks for the thanks!

Last week was like summertime at the cottage in Upstate NY + a huge road trip + warmth and sunshine + flip flops and sundresses + booty shakin’ + soccer + running + Vermont in the summer + prosecco, cheese, fresh coffee + laughing until my stomach hurts, with Oreos, Nutella and blue lollipops on top. (I could go on!) In other words, last week was REALLY fantastic- just like some of my favorite things in the whole wide world that I just listed above.

Why?

Because I was in a big ol’ awesome travel article on Forbes.com?

Yes!

Because I have had buckets of family, friends, readers, supporters, fans, followers, strangers, and other pouring in to thank me, congratulate me, send love, support, and tell me they are proud of me?

Of course!

Because the mission of Blue Lollipop Road to step towards life keeps spreading, and I see that by fearlessly doing what I love for all these years really does make a difference and inspire people to do the same?

Most definitely.

Finding that thing for yourself that makes every once of your body want to scream with joy from the rooftops- that thing you do all alone, in silence for hours, and love it so much that you lose time is awesome. When you don’t care if anyone else might think you are weird, freakish or geeky for loving something as much as you do, you’ve you know you’ve found your thing.

Blue Lollipop Road is my “thing”, and I am so happy to be able to continue to share it all here and elsewhere. Thank you for sharing back and appreciating what I have to say!

Here’s to running towards life because you’ve only got one…

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March 1, 2012 In Honda, Live the life you want to live

what are you leaping for?

I’m sure you all have seen the fantastically awesome new Honda commercials for the CRV the Leap List. There are lots of good ones, but my favorite is Ferris Bueller of course! Gotta love his last line:

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Here’s my current leap list. I’ve already checked off things like running a marathon, working at the Olympics, road tripping across the country and spending time in all 50 states, whitewater rafting on the Grand Canyon, Hiking to Half Dome at Yosemite, skydiving, etc. but there’s always room for more.

Make your Leap List here today and start jumping. There’s always a safety net on the other side. I promise.

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