Our New Home on Wheels
We have found our new-to-us motor home for our full-time living! We’d been looking every day on RV Trader and Craigslist, comparing floor plans, models and miles. Marika and I spent a morning at a dealership a few weeks ago, walking through many vehicles to see them in person. We were still deciding between a Class A and a Class C.
A Class A is like a bus with a full window across the front. Class A’s are taller, wider, and roomier. A class C is built on a truck/van engine so the front driver/passenger section is normal width, like a car, and then the rest of the RV is wider behind. We needed to drive an A to see if we could be comfortable driving something so big and wide, and, after the test drive, we knew we definitely weren’t.
So now that we were clear about wanting a Class C, we could narrow our search. We made a list of must have’s and wanna have’s, and I kept looking online every day.
Two weekends ago I found a model I had never seen before. It’s a 2013 Fleetwood Jamboree Sport 31N with only 7600 miles.
In addition to the walk-around queen bed, sofa and dinette that both convert to sleeping spaces, there are bunk beds. I had been eyeing other models with bunk beds, thinking that we could take out the bottom bunk and put in a desk and sitting space so that I’d have a designated work space that wasn’t in the main living area at the dinette.
This model already had the work space! They call it a bunk and breakfast – the top bunk raises into the ceiling and the bottom bunk is a second dinette!!! EXACTLY what I need for my office, and we don’t have to do any modifications!
We drove 30 miles to east Mesa to see it that Sunday, but the dealership was closed. So we walked around the coach, opening up the outside compartments, and talked with a man who was also looking around the lot, about living simple and free.
The next morning I drove back to the dealership after my morning client and the RV was still there. A man pulled up next to me and walked toward the sales office, pointing to the rig, while I walked toward the RV with a salesman behind me and we went inside the coach.
It was spacious and clean and immediately felt like home. The other man came in and looked around, but I had claimed the space with my energy and no one else came in to look around, even though they were waiting outside.
I looked in every cabinet, pointed out places where something needed to be fixed. We turned on the generator and ran the a/c. And I sat in the bunk office and felt like it was mine. I called Marika, who was at home getting the house ready for the Open House, and we Face-timed so she could see everything I was seeing.
And then I took it for a test drive. This RV is 32 feet long, our current one is only 24′ and Marika and I were both concerned that it would be too scary to drive something that long. But it was smooth and easy, even when I made a three-point turn. Sure, it took two tries to feel how much longer I was, but the rear and side cameras helped, and I know it will only get easier with practice.
I negotiated a fair price with Doug, the dealer, and put $1000. down to hold it so that Marika could come see it the following weekend, and I left, knowing that we’d found our new home.
And then it got even better. A Facebook friend, Rick, who is an RV technician, offered to do a complete inspection. And Doug was more than happy to accommodate him. Rick gave us a detailed report which I gave to Doug, and Doug assured me that every single thing would be fixed before we drove off the lot.
Marika and I spent last Saturday back in the coach, again, looking everything over, sitting in the different living spaces, asking more questions.
We walked around the kitchen and living room, considering storage options for the dog food, a trash can, her pots and pans and baking supplies. I measured the inside cabinets and the outside compartments, confirming that they are wide enough to fit our chairs, a grill and firewood.
I sat in my bunk office, looking down the hall to the sofa and the dinette where Marika was sitting, making notes on her clipboard, and I really felt like I was in a separate space. It was so wonderful, even more amazing than I had imagined. And Marika couldn’t believe how clear the picture was on the TVs.
We took it out on the freeway for a drive. Because the RV has been sitting for 16 months, the tires created a lot of vibration. Doug said he will take it over to the tire dealer for a full inspection, rotation and alignment and see if that fixes things. Otherwise, we will get 6 new tires.
We are also having him install automatic leveling jacks to give us more stability when we’re parked, and it will make it easy peasy to level the rig when we’re camped.
And the kicker – Doug is buying my old RV AND my RAV4, applying $10,000 as trade-in, a fair price, and now I don’t have the hassles of selling them privately.
When things go this smoothly, I have to believe that forces bigger than us are in play. That this is “beshert,” “meant to be” in Hebrew. Even Marika is seeing how everything is unfolding with so much ease and help and support and joy.
This is what happens when you set the intention and keep showing up, letting go of control, and staying open to goodness and gratitude!
We’ll pick up the RV in a week or two, after all of the repairs and add-ons are done. Then we’ll be able to start loading it up, moving in, and, as soon as the house sells, we’ll be on the road!
If you need some support, guidance or motivation to begin living your own dream, let’s set up a coaching call!
How To Take Action
I’m often talking about how NO ACTION is the best step to take. That we need to sit in stillness and silence so that we can get clear about what the truest action step is to take.
Like most things in life, it is a delicate balance of listening and responding, waiting and moving, stilling and taking action.
The more we tune in to our hearts, our intuition, our authentic voices, the clearer this becomes.
Sitting in silence and listening is not the same and sitting and idly waiting.
A lot of people think they can’t DO something until they are inspired. They think that if they wait, inspiration will come and THEN they will do that great thing they thought of. The truth is, action comes before inspiration.
The Law of Attraction requires action.
If you want a great new job, you begin with that Intention. But you must also tell people about your job hunt, create an amazing resume, ask colleagues for ideas, suggestions, introductions. You must take action!
The Universe is happy to meet you half way, but you must take the first steps to prove you really want something.
Many people say they get their best ideas in the shower. Or when they are walking or swimming. If you think about it, I’m sure you’ll agree that inspiring ideas do not usually come when your body is slumped over your keyboard, waiting.
Your great insights usually happen when you are doing something physical, when you are out of your head and in your body.
So get out and DO something!
Take a walk.
Climb a mountain.
Go for a bike ride.
Turn on some music and dance.
Take that first step in your body and move toward joy and the next action step will be revealed.
“Adventure calls. Blaze a new trail. Cross a continent. Dare to discover. Escape the routine. Find a fresh perspective. Go slow. Gaze absentmindedly. Savor every moment. Have some fun! Invest now in future memories. Keep a journal. Leave prejudice and narrow mindedness behind. Make for the horizon and meet new people. Navigate the unknown. Observe, and open your mind. Pursue a road less traveled. Quest for truth. Rely on yourself. Sail away from the safe harbor. Take a risk. Unleash your curiosity. Venture further. Why wait? Expect the unexpected. Say Yes to adventure….journey with Zeal!
~ Robyn Waters
How do you take action? How has the Universe responded? Please share your story by clicking the Comments button below.
Connections
Last week I attended the first of 8 sessions of an Intro to Improv class. I signed up, wanting to do something I’m not great at. The day after the first class I realized that the intention has nothing to do with the actual improv work, but being in a class with people who, on the surface, aren’t like me.
There are 9 men and 4 other women, all under the age of 35, most under 30. I’m 57. The women are skinny, energetic and single. The men, well, for one of the exercises, someone suggested the phrase “morning wood” and I had to ask for a translation. One 23 year old guy doesn’t like old movies – anything before 1995. And I wondered, how can I possibly relate and find ways to connect to these people through the work.
If this were in a sit-down, book learning class, it might not matter, but this is a class about trusting your stage partners, vamping off of each other’s ideas, forming bonds and becoming friends with your fellow players.
And on that first night all I could see was how different I am from them.
Fortunately, friends encouraged me to focus on how we might be similar.
And the more I thought about the night’s experience, the more I saw places where I DID connect. In one of the group exercises, I absolutely loved that there were other people to carry the ball, to throw in ideas, to support me on the stage. And this is what I crave most. Belonging to something bigger than myself. Having fun. And laughing. And finding new ways to connect with my body.
And so, despite the fact that it would be easier to drop the class, I am going back again this week to challenge my preconceived ideas about young people, to stay open to our differences and find the places where we are human together.
And to open myself up to having some good old fun!
What have you done lately that has challenged your comfort, your beliefs, your core? Please share in the Comments below.
Stepping Into Your Glorious Light
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we’re powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you NOT to be?
Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
~Marianne Williamson
Spring is a time of birth and renewal. Things that were dormant all winter are budding and blooming and, with each day, there is more light. On the surface, this means longer, brighter days. Deeper, it can be an opportunity for our own selves to shine brighter.
Does that idea scare you?
Does the thought of standing in the light push you further into your own shadows?
As children we may or may not have been encouraged to shine. And so as adults, we may have to learn some new behaviors–to brag a little, to declare our talents, to claim our own light and then shine it into the world.
So, how do you begin to even see your own light?
Everyone has a unique set of talents and interests. We all have capabilities that we are passionate about and that can be used to create value in the world.
Many of us have been taught not to brag about what we’re good at, or what we love.
So here’s a chance to try it.
Take out a blank piece of paper, take a deep breathe and answer these questions about yourself.
Then be brave and ask your friends for their input, too. Getting another person’s perspective is so helpful to get a clearer picture of who you really are and how others see you shine.
What are your talents and abilities? What are you good at?
This could be playing with your kids, adding numbers in your head, cooking delicious meals, pitching a tent, diffusing a tense situation. List EVERYTHING that comes to mind, even the little things.
What words describe you?
Are you funny, honest, compassionate, patient, smart, intuitive, feisty, creative, determined, reliable, helpful? List EVERYTHING you can think of.
What do people count on you for?
Companionship, nurturing, support, honesty, a good laugh? List EVERYTHING you can come up with.
What other distinguishing features do you see about who you are?
Are you organized, a collector, inventive, good with older people, a leader, a planner, spontaneous, an adventurer?
Now read through your answers. Add more things as you think of them.
Now imagine yourself, standing in the light of your talents and abilities.
How does it feel? Do you feel the slightest bit proud and in awe of yourself?
How can you be more of this amazing person?
How can you share your unique gifts with others to spread the light?
How might it feel if you dared to shine?
Please share your thought, your LIGHT, by clicking on the comments below.
The Healing Balm of Tall Trees
Marika and I spent last weekend camping. Instead of a staying in a campground, we opted to check out the dispersed camping area in the tall Ponderosa Pines of the Prescott National Forest.
We drove about three miles down a winding but evenly graded dirt road to a clearing in the trees. After several attempts, I was able to level the RV in the uneven dirt and we settled into three days of quiet. The dogs loved sniffing and running off leash. Marika was enthralled with the variety of birds- woodpeckers, white breasted nuthatch, ravens, flickers, even bluebirds.
But I was unsettled, because I had nothing to DO.
I realized how busy I stay, with work, checking Facebook, watching TV. Without these distractions, I panicked about what I would DO all weekend.
On Friday, our first morning, I lingered in bed till almost 10, cuddling with Cody and Mabel, while Marika sat outside watching to see if any birds would find the seeds she had scattered on a tree stump.
She was content to sit and watch, look things up in her field guide, and watch some more.
I took my coffee outside and joined her and she pointed out movement in the trees, read out loud how the nuthatch stuffs nuts into the bark and then uses its beak to break open the seed. While this was fascinating information, by lunchtime I was bored.
We walked the trail that cut through the pines to a grove of winter white aspens. We crunched our hiking boots in random patches of snow around the boulders. I fed Cody some fresh snow, then scooped some into a ball and tossed it to him to catch in his mouth, midair.
But the 5500’ elevation was hard on my breathing, so I also sat a lot. I watched the clouds in the sky, listened to the wind in the trees and imagined it was the ocean. I even reveled at the pair of Western Bluebirds flitting from branch to branch.
Friends drove up in their off road quad for a Saturday morning visit and it was delightful to sit and talk under the whoosh of the wind in the trees. But after they left I was bored again.
And then I remembered that I had a book to read. It’s been so long since I’ve sat with a paperback, feet up, no distractions. And it was heaven. Marika even brought me a lap blanket so that I would be warm when the sun hid behind the clouds.
For the first time in so long, I was able to turn off all of the voices in my head and get completely involved in the people on the pages. By Sunday morning, I was finally feeling lighter, calmer, more open, more grounded.
We drove back to Phoenix on Sunday morning, ahead of big winds and possible rain. We had our traditional back-from-camping Chinese food dinner, but I was too tired to go out, so Marika picked up take-out.
And the next day, back to work with a favorite client, I was sharing what has been going on since we got to town in January. That we are really doing this full-timing in the RV! That we may be camp hosts in the next 12 months, maybe even at a lighthouse in Oregon. And that the house is closer to being ready to rent.
The new floors are in and they are gorgeous. We’ve talked with one property manager and will interview a few more. We’re getting a bid for the pool fence that seems to be a requirement for renting, even though the laws don’t apply because the pool is grandfathered in. And we’re looking at all kinds of used RVs to find the floor plan that will suit our life on the road.
Being away, living a weekend in nature, reminded both of us how much we love this way of life. It refueled us to move forward with the next round of things we have to do to make it happen. And I remembered how much I love to read.
Lesson of the Bamboo Tree
When I returned to the beach in September after my four month cross-country Heart Sparks Road Tour, I had every intention of sitting right down and writing about the adventure.
But I didn’t.
After two months of not writing I realized it was too soon, that I hadn’t yet lived beyond it, to know what story I really wanted to tell.
Then I thought, well, I could at least get started on the book proposal.
But I didn’t.
And I’ve been beating myself up big time for the last six months because I still haven’t started.
And yet, this book proposal, this book, is a key component to the future I’m visioning.
And so I bombard myself with questions: Am I being lazy? Why am I avoiding this? What is the resistance to this thing I want most?
And then last week, on my yoga mat, I set an intention for patience and compassion. I’ve been cranky with others and realized it is because I’ve been cranky with myself.
And I stepped back into the observer role and examined the book proposal with a bit more compassion.
And I realized that just because I am not sitting down at the computer with a document titled Book Proposal, doesn’t mean I am not working on it.
I AM working on it, I’m just not writing it yet. Because I don’t have all the pieces.
But each time I tell the stories, each time I remember a campsite or a person I met, I get a bit clearer about the book that I want to write, the story I need to tell.
And I remember about the bamboo tree.
The bamboo tree is one of the strongest plants in the world. It is also one of the fastest growing plants in the world. Some species can grow as much as 4 feet in 24 hours.
But when a bamboo is first planted, there may be no visible growth for the first 3 -5 years.
This is because the plant is establishing it’s root systems so that it can support itself when it begins its phenomenal growing spurts.
We may not THINK anything is happening, we may not SEE any progress. But that’s what building a foundation is all about.
When we plant a new seed in our lives, we don’t know how long it will take to grow. But if we want it to bloom we need to water the seed, give it light and love and tend the ground around it so that it has the best possible growing conditions.
And we need to have patience and faith that, like the bamboo, it will, indeed grow.
I remind myself that the seeds have been planted for this new book and, by taking this time to see the bigger stories, I will write an amazing story.
What seeds have you planted?
How do you maintain patience as you wait for it to bloom?
Would you like some support and coaching? Email me and well set up a session.
Letting Go of the Fear of What Comes Next
When I was a kid, Spring was my favorite season. We could play outside during recess, bright bursts of colors appeared all over the neighborhood, and, oh, it was also my birthday. I loved the smells in the air, the promise of rain and green grass and always a family trip somewhere during spring vacation.
After living in Arizona for so many years, Spring became my least favorite time of year. Even though flowers and trees bloomed, the temperatures were a lovely 70° – 80°, and it’s still my birthday, I was all too aware that soon after mid-March, summer would blast in, a furnace of heat and dryness and six months of being sequestered in the air-conditioned indoors.
For many years I wasn’t able to appreciate any of the joys of Spring in the desert because I was already dreading the coming of Summer.
And then, a few years ago, something shifted. Maybe it was that day trip out to Boyce Thompson Arboretum, where we counted thousands of wildflowers blooming along the highways. Maybe it was riding my bike on an early April morning and feeling the cool air on my bare arms. Maybe it was just being more present in all places in my life.
Somehow, I was reminded how much I love that new light that comes in the Spring. How the season is all about birth and new growth and saying YES to being awake and alive and present.
Sure, it’s going to get hot. That’s what summer is in Phoenix. But it’s not hot today. And today is all that matters.
Is there something you dread that keeps you from enjoying WHAT IS?
A massage therapist friend had a client who could never enjoy her massage because she didn’t want it to be over.
A traveling friend didn’t want to go to the place of her dreams for fear of the disappointment of having to come home afterwards.
What are you missing in your life by not being PRESENT to WHAT IS?
How To Avoid Something And Still Get It Done
We all avoid something.
Going through that stack of mail. Making an appointment with the dentist. Getting on our bikes and riding around the block.
My biggest avoiding is Getting New Glasses. Big capital letters kind of avoiding. Just the thought of it makes me want to run and hide.
I’ve been wearing glasses since I was four and every single time I get fitted, it’s a struggle. My eyes are so sensitive to even the slightest bit of crooked or discomfort that I usually end up in frustrated tears because the glasses are too close, too far, too high, too low, too tight, too loose.
I have tried affirmations – this will be easy, effortless and a good fit.
I have breathed and meditated and visualized a successful fitting.
But so far, it hasn’t worked.
And so I’ve avoided Getting New Glasses for three and a half years and I really can’t put it off much longer. My neck and shoulders are sore from using my bifocals to see the computer screen, the scratches on my lenses make distance reading a challenge and I can no longer read the tiny print.
But before I can even begin the process, I have to know the reason I am doing this uncomfortable, challenging thing.
I remember what it’s like when I finally have a new prescription and a good fit – how crisp and clear and beautiful everything looks. And I know I am very ready to see my world like this.
And when I remember that life is lived here, in this small present moment, I remember to breathe. And in that space I realize that Getting New Glasses is no longer this One Big Thing that I have to avoid.
It is really a series of small, present moment actions. Baby steps. And slowly, willingly, I am able to break it down into small, do-able action steps:
getting my eyes checked for a new prescription
finding frames that I love
getting measured
getting fitted
getting the fit tweaked and fine tuned
as many times as that takes
When I break it down into small, manageable, do-able actions, I bring myself closer to the outcome I want, which is SEEING CLEARLY!
And each time I complete one small step, I reward myself, either with a delicious dinner out or today, after my eye exam, a new pair of socks.
And I know that, if I breathe before each task, and breathe between each step, I will have the courage and energy to move forward to the next small step.
And before I know it, I will be seeing clearly again!
So,
What are you avoiding?
What story is associated with this thing? Is it true?
Why are you doing it in the first place?
How might you feel once you are on the other side of it?
What can you do to make it less traumatic, maybe even fun?
Can you break this Big Thing into small, do-able action steps?
How will you reward yourself for each step you take?
What is the first small action you can take to begin?
I’d love to hear how you use these questions to get it done! Please share by clicking on the Comments below.
The Wisdoms of Cupcake Laurie Foley
My friend Laurie is dying. While I have lost two childhood friends to cancer, Laurie is the first friend who I have walked the path with, even if it has been mostly virtually.
I met Laurie Foley online in 2012 through a network of Martha Beck coaches. She was a branding expert with a very smart blog that helped me see new possibilities for marketing my business. When she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she shifted her writing to the journey she was living.
In October 2013 I met Laurie in person at Patti Digh’s Life is a Verb camp. Laurie had just finished a year of surgeries, radiation and chemo and Patti had invited her to speak about The Courage to Be Mortal.
I saw Laurie at the Friday night Welcome Party, standing near the skewered shrimps and mini quiches. She was much taller than I expected and her hair was a stunning spiking gray. She walked toward me, offering a hug. I said, “Wait, this is special.” I took a big breath in then out, and then we hugged, full on and tight, like we’d know each other for years.
The next day Laurie shared her story. Click on her photo to hear her wisdoms about our power to transform the energy of terror into commitment, and entitlement into hope.
Laurie continued to live and share her journey online through another series of treatments and complications and finally, remission.
She wrote a month of meditations, her personal experiment in returning to simple prayer. She posted photos of her latest knitting projects, often a much-coveted pair of multicolored socks, and videos of her son Arthur’s yoyo competitions. She was excited that she was going to be there for his high school graduation. And that he was going to her Alma Mater, Georgia Tech, where she was the first woman to receive a PhD in computer science.
And then the cancer came back.
When I was in Atlanta last May on my Heart Sparks Road Tour, Cupcake Laurie, my new nickname for her, drove up to my campsite for a visit. It had been a few weeks since she finished her last round of chemo and she was feeling better than she had in months.
She sat at the dinette with Cody at her feet and we talked about Arthur, and Georgia Tech and the best place to get bagels. She was full of questions about how the RV plumbing worked, and the solar panels and all about my life on the road.
When I offered her a Little Debbie Nutty Bar from the freezer, she grinned like a five year old. “Oh wow,” she said. “My grandmother used to give us those as a special treat. I haven’t had one in years.” We split a package and it was as good as she remembered.
We sat down for lunch at her favorite Mexican restaurant and I realized that I hadn’t been trying to impress her, or coach her, or get her to like me. We were just two smart, funny women, talking and laughing and wondering about life out loud, together.
I said, “You know, I thought you were just being nice, coming to visit me. But you really like me, don’t you?”
“Oh my God,” she said, her soft southern voice sounded like she was talking in bold type. “Are you kidding?”
After lunch we checked in about her energy level and she was still feeling good, and she wanted to go to the used bookstore. She found a thick historical novel and I got a couple of Lillian Braun’s The Cat Whos. We got gas and an iced tea and she still had enough stamina to take us to the Dekalb Market, a warehouse exploding with fresh produce, meats, cheeses, teas, spices and even a bakery. After she gave me a quick lay of the store, we agreed to split up with our own carts to quick shop, and meet at the coffee bar before checking out.
It was so very fun to pass her near the lemons, again by the bread and again at the day-old cakes. And each time, I’d say, “Why, Laurie, how nice to see YOU here!” And I’d give her a big, good to see you hug.
I sent her a postcard from the road, made from a Little Debbie Nutty Bar box, with the words “living life one sweet bite at a time” typed on a section of index card and glued across the front. I hope it made her grin.
Last fall, remission turned into a fractured hip and more cancer. Laurie met it aggressively, hopefully, and she continued to post her cancer haiku’s and CaringBridge updates on Facebook. In December, her sister took over the updates.
Laurie entered hospice last week. The pouring out of love and grief on Facebook has been nothing less than holy. People from all over the world are posting photos of Laurie, sending prayers and love and thank you’s.
And I am allowing myself to cry and feel the collective sadness, the collective love, the swirl of giant love energy that I am called into whenever I think of her.
Laurie has always been a generous woman, connecting others, mentoring, always leading with love. Even now, through this transition, she has opened up a space for us to feel and share our sadness and loss and love for her and her family, and we are all following and liking and reading and sharing and saying I love you in our own ways.
For me it is by telling my Cupcake Laurie stories. Just the few I have, but they are full and rich and tender. And they connect me right back to her and the giant swirl of love.
“I hope that you’ll remember whatever really raw ingredients life may bring your way, you have the power to choose and transform them into something sweet, into something loving, and profoundly hopeful.”
~ LAURIE FOLEY
What Are You Listening To?
I’ve been thinking lately about what seemingly subliminal messages we expose ourselves to every day, with TV commercials, billboards, extraneous conversations.
And what about what we consciously CHOOSE to listen to?
So what are you listening to? What’s playing in your iPod today? On your car radio?
Do you listen to the lyrics? Do you sing along?
Are you singing about power and beauty, and meeting your vulnerability head on? Or are you singing about how the world owes you or that someone did done you wrong?
Giving voice to words is a powerful thing. Even if it’s “just singing with the radio,” your words are impacting you on a subconscious level.
So why not chose to sing what you want to believe, what you want to come into your life, what you want to be and feel?
Many years ago I bought a cassette tape with all kinds of original songs about the cartoon character Gumby. Remember him? That rubbery green fellow with a bump on his head and his orange pony pal named Pokey? Well, last week I got one of the songs from the cassette stuck in my head. But I could only remember one line:
“…Be humble and respectable, above all, just be flexible..” Great words to live by, I thought. And then I wanted to know the rest of the words.
So I found the CD on Amazon. And now I am singing loud and proud,
“We all are Gumby.
We want the world to be so happy
So when you’re down and feeling crummy
Think of Gumby
Be humble and respectable, above all, just be flexible.”
–from “We All Are Gumby”, by Flo and Eddie
Here’s a link to hear the song--maybe you’ll want to sing along, too!
I’d love to hear your comments. Just click on the Comments button to add your own.
