News & Updates

freedom friday is coming

Announcements.

Updates.

Big time news.

And more.

Be there. (Here that is.) This Friday, March 30th.

Carpe Diem baby!

from a great friend after a long chat today:

“The worst thing that you can do with your life is not to fail, but to succeed at something that doesn’t matter.”

ever have those times?

You know those times when something happens around you or someone says something and you think to yourself: Whoa. This is weird/crazy/ironic.

Then you think: Maybe not so much- I guess this means I’m exactly where I am supposed to be, and I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. 

I just had one of those.

After running a quick errand which ended up being hours walking around the city, I stopped at a Starbucks for a few minutes. An older gentleman (Vic) struck up a conversation about my coffee cake of all things. As we were chatting, he glanced to another table near us and saw a young woman (Rachael) reading a book he then inquired about. Our trio couldn’t have looked more different (or come from more different backgrounds) but sure enough during our chat, we found we all had very similar outlooks on life and some very specific things in common. Chalking this meeting up to another one of my awesome random coffee shop encounters when I explore, I said my goodbyes and started wandering home, smiling. Those seemingly random (but maybe not) interactions, continue to make me want to explore and wander everyday whether I am in my own city or out “traveling.” Never fail, strangers become my teachers and feel like I teach them too.

As I made my way to my neighborhood, I thought about Vic and Rachel. I thought about what I’ve been working on for BLR that I have not announced or shared with many of you yet. I thought of these “random” interactions, how many moves and transitions I’ve made, and how I’ve gotten to where I am. I thought about how excited I am for the big shift here on BLR that’s coming and how now is the time to use my experiences to support and coach others who are transitioning and making big changes in their lives. (Ok, now I am starting to give away what I’ve been working on…:)

As I got to my building and into the elevator, I am off in Neverland zoning out about all this. Two gentleman I have never seen before step in the elevator, the doors close on the three of us. (The following happens within 15 seconds):

Guy #1 looks at me and asks breaking my day dreaming session “Have you ever heard of the word peripatetic?”

“Hmmm…no I haven’t” I replied.

Guy #2 looks at his friend guy #1 and says: “Come on, you are making that word up.” (Clearly they had been talking about this word before getting on the elevator.)

Guy #1 says: “No I’m not, it means someone who’s moved around a bunch, or made a lot of transitions and teaches along the way.”

Guy # 2 looks at me and says: “You were thinking like nomad or something right?”

They both look at me at the same time now, and I know I have that: This is weird look on my face.

Me: “Um, This entire day has been spent thinking about how many transitions I’ve made, how much I’ve moved around, and the clarity I finally have about the teaching work I want to do.” (Scrunching my eyebrows studying them.) “It’s odd you just asked me that.”

Ding! My floor.

They both smiled, waved and said: “Have a great day!”

I stood there for a minute bewildered as the doors closed.

How do you explain all the above types of “chance” meetings?

You don’t. You just take them all in and allow yourself that fulfilling feeling of- yep, I’m spending time doing exactly what I need to be doing.

There are no “chance” meetings.

I believe 1,000%, if you follow your heart, share your experiences and expertise, and spend time doing what you love, you’ll naturally keep moving in the right direction.

What are you spending time doing?

By the way, the definition of peripatetic according to Dictionary and Wikipedia.

I’d say it’s crazy but I know it’s not.

coming this week

1.) Photos and stories from my quick but majorly fun road trip to Wisconsin this weekend.

2.) Updates on the BLR Reunion Soccer weekend event.

3.) 2 work announcements that are very exciting.

…these things and photos of the mayhem festivities for St. Patty’s Day here in Chicago I’ve heard about. 4 days until the river is turned green and I’m celebrating the above and more with good friends and an ice cold Harp in hand!

some VERY exciting work news

An opportunity I’ve been in talks about for a while now has come to fruition this week. I am doing the happy dance! I should be able to share after tomorrow, but for now I will give you a hint:

It’s about finding your passion.

What I have been taught for sure once again- is that if you leap, there will always be a safety net on the other side to catch you. The key is, you have to actually leap…

humble pie

I had a thought about a new page I could add here along the lines of the BLR Daily Awesome called the Daily Humble Pie. The Daily Humble Pie would be stories for those times when your day is going silky smooth. Yes, those everything is going my way baby! Then you get regulated real quick.

Those times like yesterday:

I was feeling all fresh, clean and sassy with a full day of up-and-atem cleaning my apartment, returning emails, crushing jump rope boot camp class, and major progress on some client work. Freshly showered at 4pm I walk downstairs 5 minutes early to catch the bus. (Yesss! I thought.) As I stood there patiently all happy and on time, the bus approaches and flies by not seeing me. (“Sh*t!”) I tuck my purse under my arm, curl my toes to grip my flip flops so they will stay on my feet, then sprint after it like a wide receiver heading for the end zone. I didn’t catch it of course, because for the first time in Chicago history, every light was green, green, green. (Hello! when does that ever happen when you actually need to get somewhere fast?) After my bus vs. Diane 6 block race, I gave up I walked 2.5 miles to work sweaty and peeved. (Really laughing mostly because you just have to.) This same incident has happened about 20 times now. Ahhh public transit. All that potential I’m going to attempt to look cute getting places thing flew right out the window when I started participating in this daily city rat race a year ago. Never a dull moment. I don’t even wanna talk about the time I tore like a lunatic by bare foot on these Windy City streets after taking my heels off chasing a town truck that had chained up my car in 2 point nothing seconds and taken off. I was not a happy camper to eat humble pie that day. (Now I laugh of course, like we all do.)

Apparently I don’t run as fast as buses or tow trucks even though I have this fantasy that I “crush” things like jump rope boot camp.

Humble pie is so yummy. Who’d have any good stories without eating some?

BLUE LOLLIPOP ROAD IS ON FORBES.COM TODAY!!!

I told you I had some exciting news and surprises coming!

To check out what I have to say about why solo travel is a great option click HERE.

Thrilled?! Oh you have no idea…:)

Champagne anyone?