North Carolina

just. start. driving.

We all talk. We say we want this and that, we pretend we’re fully committed, we make ourselves feel good by chipping away tiny line items on our never ending to-do lists, years pass, and we never get anywhere, or at least anywhere close to where we actually want to be.

Squirrel!

Am I talking about you? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Me too.

We swirl in this purgatory place of half-committed, because life get’s in the way…of life; money, kids, relationships, laundry, rinse and repeat. We ignore the truth, our true desires, we busy and distract ourselves, we worry, we help other people first, and there we are 10 years later.

As in, quite literally, 10 years later.

Blue Lollipop Road kicks off year #10 on October 16th. (TEN YEARS!) When realizing that upcoming birthday during the past few months this summer, along with looking at what my work life had become, (off track from what I’ve really wanted and been trying to do all these years), I decided to call bullshit on myself, and draw my deepest line in the sand yet. I’m a big believer in accountability and willingness to publicly embarrass oneself. Want to light a fire under your own ass even though you know you have the capability of doing “it” on your own? Tell the world you’re going to do something big. Hopefully your world will continue to call you out regularly until you do that thing. (You better believe if you ever tell me you have a burning desire to do something, I will poke you and give you positive grief until you do it. I expect the same in return, so thank you to those of you who always give it right back to me.)

Vacant Apartment

Vacant Apartment

As you can see from the above now empty living space photos, Elvis (Diane) has left the building. Why? To go where? You’ll just have to keep following here to see what’s next.

Would you believe this minimalist, who cares about a space it is only a space and I can make home anywhere! – threw two temper tantrums during her move the other day? Two! As in crying and throwing fists in the air with frustration looking and sounding like that spawn of Satan child in the Target check out line who’s mom said she couldn’t have the M&M’s. It was slightly horrifying. Thank goodness only one person saw, and luckily he still wants to be around me. Who knew I had fallen so much in love with my cozy comfort zone space and habits. All the more reason to jump into a new controlled fire, to keep that light under my ass burning hot. Want to make things happen? Sacrifice, baby.

Crazy how we all like so much, to stay snuggled tight under our warm blankets of complacency, not nearly as alive as we think we are.

As I sit here in my new fire, 110% committed to my one big career goal that maybe should’ve been completed years ago, but probably couldn’t have had the chance to be as great as it will be until now, those annoying little negative, fearful, I must be crazy, worry gnomes are trying their hardest to get a ticket to my party again. Sorry bitches! Ain’t no room for you up in my celebration station anymore! I just took a blow torch to that cozy comfort zone blanket soiree, so I could stand here awkwardly naked, strong and proud, ready to put back on only the layers that fit completely authentically.

Soon I will launch a sparkly new writing project here. I guarantee you’ll dig it, and be able to see a lot of yourself in what’s to come. Happy almost birthday to my sweet baby blue!

I hope you go out today, and get all kinds of naked. Nobody has this life perfectly figured out. All you can do is strip yourself down to your core and hop in the car. Somehow the road is always right there.

#LessPlanningMoreDoing #LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #TodayIsTheDay

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because you never know who’s watching

I just went for an early morning run through the blue-skied city:

Charlotte City Skyline

About halfway through beating feet, a guy walking toward me pulled a cigarette out to light up. When our eyes met, he looked at the cigarette and back at me a couple times. Right as I passed him, he put it back in the box.

Yahoo!

Maybe it was a coincidence, and maybe he lit that stick up two seconds later. Either way, I’m hoping our unexpected quick interaction made him stop and think for a minute about smoking.

Happy Monday!

Want to make a positive impact? Keep going out into the world and doing what you love.

#LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #HopToIt #TodayIsTheDay

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attached to people, not things

I might have to start crediting my friend Michele for my whole life. (Kidding Mom and all my other amazing peeps, just trying to be funny here!) Michele is constantly sending news clips, tips, articles, blog posts, links- you name it, attached with “worth the read” or “read this!” notes. They are always on point with where my head is and what I’m interested in. Did I mention she introduces me to fabulous people too, and throws a damn good party? This woman is giving me a run for my money.

(I have to side note here that I’m just pinching myself at this point in life. I’m 38 and I’m surrounded by SO MANY incredible gal pals, near and far, who are just ridiculously badass and so good to me I can’t even believe it. I never thought girls could be this easy, fun, and no bs. My tribe rules! I LOVE YOU, LADIES!)

Anyway, this just popped in from Michele. She knows me well. A couple of my favorite lines:

~ “The best way to remember is to “DO.”

~ “Figure out the 10-15 things you want in your bag before you die tomorrow.”

~ “This is the problem with self-help books. They seem to be written by someone on a pedestal giving advice without having any blemishes.”

…but the best in this above article is his last question and answer.

Thanks for the read Michele! And all of them, always. And! To all I’m so lucky enough to have in my ultimate girl tribe, like 80 year-old Grazia:

Grazia Walker & Diane Peacock

…yes EIGHTY with that hot pink hair and fashion sense! – thank you for continuing to help me feel young and energized, so I can keep kicking all those doors to laughter and joy wiiiiiiiiiide open.

#NeverWaitForPermission #Freedom #FindYourTribe

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the next big thing

It’s happening.

The next big thing

There’s more than coffee brewing over here on this Blue Lollipop Road! The doors blew off my life last week. Big time. I AM SO EXCITED. I am also determined to help you blow up the things in your life that aren’t working by constantly blowing up things in mine that aren’t, and sharing them here with you.

After boogying for about 10 hours over the holiday weekend in the mountains at a big ol’ blast of a life celebration, this summer’s ride is soon on it’s way to catch some waves, a lot of fresh perspective, and a new passport stamp, far south. After that, road tripping north will be the game, to where this all began. We can never forget where we came from.

There’s no time for anything but living my friends! Get clear on what matters to you, take all your filters off, and respect the clock.

#BlowUpYourLife #TodayIsTheDay #HopToIt

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kicking off the week

Good food and time with good people are my key to a good life! (Those, and not having a bunch of crap in my space I don’t need or use:)

Here’s what we business brainstorm Monday noshed on today, lunching in the sunshine:

Zio Charlotte

Zio Charlotte

If you haven’t been to Zio yet, I highly suggest you make your way there to dine in deliciousness sometime soon.

What do you eat?

#Feast #Collaboration #Community

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tonight I went cloud chasing

Sunset Clouds

BLR Mobile Sunset

By “chase” I mean I walked out of a long day of being packed inside on a major downsizing project, saw this amazing looking sky, and drove toward it for a bit like an excited kid on a treasure hunt. What’s that they say about never losing your sense of wonder?

Always looking up…that’s how I stay unstuck.

Where do you find your magic?

#LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #Sunset

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challenging

I have a new client who’s stuck. He’s completely capable, experienced, smart, kind, aware, etc., but something hasn’t quite clicked for him for his next phase. It’s all good, it happens, and usually a few times in a life span, reminding us that it’s time to pivot. I have full faith in what he will do, so I challenged him to set a goal with a completion date of April 25th. Then I threw myself in the mix of the challenge. If you’re going to ask someone else to do something, you should put your own money where your mouth is, right?

I had an epic sleep last night (yes, I know that word is incredibly overused, but it fits here, so?) which is pretty rare for me. I woke up feeling like a million bucks. As I got dressed for my run, I set a pretty big tall order kind of intention for my day. (Don’t roll your eyes! That stuff works, people!) Let’s just say there was a little extra pep in my step and I ran like the wind. (Ok, now this is getting really cheesy.)

Anyway, after run snapshot, the power of Diggidy:

Team In Training

(Ask me about this old nickname sometime if you want a good story.)

I’m convinced if EVERYTHING you wear/have/own/do in your life actually has some kind of meaning, things just feel better and flow better. This includes ratty old running clothes from a gazillion years ago like this jersey from my 2004 marathon in Phoenix.

This life ain’t easy as we have established many times here. As much as it’s up to us as individuals to kick our own asses each day to make things happen, shouldn’t we perhaps stick on this team in training, together?

This is #1, K! 9 more to go for me by 2 weeks from today. Hope you’re cranking on your end!

#CarpeDiem #TodayIsTheDay #GetIt

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speed racing

Hey girl, hey! (Lynn, that opening is dedicated to you.) I’m HERE!

Whew. How do you peeps with fido’s and kiddos do it? I have no pets and no little nuggets to run after and my days still fly by like the Blue Angels in an Airshow.

Lately I’ve been at auditions for Dancing with the Stars, HELPING MY CLIENTS GET RID OF ALL THE CRAP IN THEIR LIVES THAT’S KEEPING THEM STUCK, and pretending that I’m a Barker’s Beauty at black tie gala events:

NASCAR Girls

(Ok, only two of those are true. Did I mention I scored my dress for ten bucks? #LessSpendingMoreFreedomHappyLife, baby!)

Behind the scenes I’m always up to something when I disappear from here for more than a few days,  so as usual, I appreciate your patience, your support, and you following along. If you continue to stay tuned, I promise to give a shout out thank you and I love you style in my book of life. The big kahuna is coming!

Happy Thursday.

#DanceTheNightAway #Celebrate #TodayIsTheDay

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remember, celebrate, live

I’ve always been known as the “energetic” one. That “Boy if you could bottle that energy and sell it, you’d be a millionaire!” gal. That friend that “we just can’t keep up with.” I don’t feel like a freak of nature, but sometimes I have to remind myself that in fact I’m not, when I hear the constant barrage of:

“I’d love to hang out, but I know you can stay up all night.”

“Good lord, where did you come from? How do you have all that energy?!”

“I’m sure YOU don’t need sleep, but I do.” 

Can’t a girl just be herself? It’s tough not to get a little insulted over here, when these “compliments” are regularly hurled at me. I have some very disappointing news:

I don’t stay up all night, I’m from a tiny town in Vermont, not space, I cannot explain how I have the energy I do (Mom, can you tell the people?), I actually need sleep like you, and no, I’m not a unicorn, Ewok, or other worldly being. I have shitty days. For instance, the other day I cried during a meeting with my accountant at Panera (yes, as in Panera Bread, in public), and it had nothing to do with finding out I’m not a billionaire. I already knew that and I don’t care. If you really want to know where the tears came from call me, (804.339.6514) I’ll share anything.

In an effort to solve the energy mystery right here, right now, after much reflection, I have come up this:

I CHOOSE TO CELEBRATE, PEOPLE. I AM JUST FREAKING CELEBRATING THAT I AM ALIVE.

Put that in your I’d rather stay miserable and quiet about it pipe and smoke it.

We’ve all been beaten into a life happens pulp. Do we need to recap on that again? So what do we do about it? Stay in the drone zone, or wrap our wounds with whatever we’ve got left, own and accept our crap, and drag our asses out of bed everyday in the never ending search for those few last tiny beautiful things that are left?

I refuse to wait for a weekend or big event to wear my sassy shoes:

Sassy Shoes

(This photo was taken on a Tuesday after stopping into my friends office to have coffee. I think that’s all I got dressed for that day.)

…I don’t say no to invitations to road trip to beautiful places with good friends:

Amelia Island

…I don’t save treats for only special occasions:

Dessert With Dom

…I always play like a kid and jump for joy at sunset:

Sunset Jumps

…and while things are often better shared with good company, (and oh my do I love a lot of humans!) If it’s 86 degrees on a random Tuesday in March like this week, I’m not afraid to sit outside at a picnic table to enjoy an after work beer in the warm and sunshine, alone:

Beer at a picnic table

I don’t have too much energy. I JUST ALLOW MYSELF TO BE ALIVE BECAUSE I AM, and I fully plan to continue celebrating the bleep out of this life while I have it.

I’ve never asked anyone to be like me and I would never dare. You do you, dudes and gals, quiet, loud, whatever you are…I accept all of you! You’re always invited to my party over here, but if this sparkly blue lollipop is “too much” for you, please walk on. I’m only interested in those fellow tribe members who might roll their eyes or shake and scratch their heads a little, but simultaneously are thrilled about getting smothered in glittery, energetic, life-celebrating love as we run down this steep, wondrous, rocky road together.

I’m off to my Friday morning dance party. I’ll see you and Beyonce in the soul train line…

#ShineBright #TodayIsTheDay #LessMiseryMoreLaughsHappyLife

*(This post is dedicated to everyone in my tribe (I LOVE YOU GUYS, you know who you are, but particularly Maria, Brandy, Leslie, Katie, Sam, Joe, and Grapa. I will forever be inspired to keep smiling and dancing because of you.)*

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