What excites you? [2024]
Every once in a while, I like to read back through my older writings and see if the message from my past self still rings true. The post below from April 2019 popped up on my radar, and I thought I’d give it a 5-year update.
Kindness, Friendships and Books – What Excites Me
Back in 2019 (in the post below), I tagged my buddy Nancy O. and directed you to one of her blog posts about Kindness Week. I value kindness, but there are days when I feel like we live in a world where kindness is a lost and forgotten art and skillset. Her writing reminded me that what you focus on grows. The more I look for kindness, the more I see it.
But perhaps more profound was her callout to the idea that “The Pebble Never Sees The Ripples!” Bear with me as I describe a pebble and the ripple from this week.
I’m innocently scrolling through Instagram when bam! A post from my high school buddy Maureen caused me to stop the scroll. I’m a sucker for a photo of the page of a book, with underlines and highlights and notes written in the margin. She had arrows and stars and hearts and even an exclamation point. A girl after my own heart. The title on the page she shared is “Day 64,” and it opens with, “Maybe this phase of your journey is supposed to be about preparation.” And while Moe was sharing something she was learning and experiencing from her life, it immediately touched and rippled to mine. I have recently been feeling stuck, like I’m in a season of waiting. Some days I feel discouraged and others I feel exhausted. When I don’t see change or movement, I wonder if I’m on the right path. This brief paragraph my friend shared reminded me that maybe I’m not supposed to be “there” yet. Maybe there are still dreams inside of me that have not yet come to light.
Sisters – What Excites Me
My sister is on a similar journey, so I quickly shared the post with her while simultaneously reaching out to Moe to find out the source of the inspiration. It is from the book The Pivot Year by Brianna Wiest. My sister and I both purchased it for our Kindles, and I went one step forward and said, “Hey, do you want to go through this together.” She, of course, said yes, setting us on a path for the next 365 days where we’ll be reading the same passage and sharing how it impacts us. I’m thrilled that this “pebble” allowed us to form a connection over a shared season and message. I also was blessed to reconnect with friends.
And I’m sharing it with you, my audience. So was the pebble my friend Nancy who posted about the pebble and the ripple? Was it my friend Moe and her Instagram post? Can we credit Instagram? Or does it go back further to author Brianna Wiest? While Nancy and Maureen may be reading this and realizing how their “pebbles” rippled into my (and now your) life, it’s not as likely that the author will ever see this particular ripple from her pebble. (This is where book reviews are so critical to the life and heart of authors!)
Writing – What Excites Me
As a fellow author and writer, I can only hope that people share the ripples of their lives that began with the pebbles of my writing. I’m not a writer who writes every day. I write more seasonally when the spirit moves me. But sometimes, I get so far out of the habit of writing that I forget how much I enjoy it. Then something reminds me that writing is part of who I am:
“If you’re called to preach, you will preach. If you’re called to write, you will write. If you’re called to sing, you will sing.”
~ Divine Disruption: Holding on to Faith When Life Breaks Your Heart
by Dr. Tony Evans, Chrystal Evans Hurst, Priscilla Shirer, Anthony Evans, Jonathan Evans
There are still books inside me I want to write, so I’m optimistic that the next one will come out of incubation and back to the top of my mind soon!
Biking – What Excites Me
Many of you know I was a runner for over 25 years when I met my husband, Jim. He convinced me to try cycling, and I’ve loved it ever since. There were times it was therapeutic, and there were seasons of racing competitively. Some days, I had something to prove, and other days, it was simply a date ride where I was out doing something I loved. Sometimes life gets too full and exercise and self-care, unfortunately, are the first things that fall off my schedule. When I’m feeling angst, I check in with my wheels to wellness and remember what I need in my life on a regular basis: the things that excite me.
Stand-up Paddleboarding (SUP) – What Excites Me
As a human who loves the water, I sometimes wonder how I ended up living in the desert. New Mexico has its own beauty, where I’m blessed with a beautiful mountain view, in addition to brilliant sunrises and sunsets that I get to experience almost every day. The water still calls to me, and as we look to vacation later this month, I’ll be looking for ways and bodies of water where we can get out on our boards.
So now I’ll turn it over to you. As you read through this original post, I encourage you to think about what excites you, so that you can do more of what makes you happy. Our world needs more people turned on and lit up with passion and purpose. What’s yours?
When you get to the bottom of this post, you may wonder about my certification as a POUND® Pro. Unfortunately, shortly after getting certified, I started experiencing unbearable pain in my hip and IT band. It’s probably a chronic and old injury, but the movements involved in Pound fitness classes aggravated it. But I still encourage you to give it a try yourself if you’re ever in an area that hosts a class. 🙂
What excites you? [2019]
- What is something you dream about doing, something that makes you smile or laugh, or maybe it is something you want so badly but have given up on?
- Is there something in life or our world that makes you cry?
- What did you LOVE doing as a child?
I’ve asked these questions in front of a live audience, and I’m sad to say that I often get the “deer in the headlights” look from the people gazing back at me.
It’s as if they’ve waited so long for someone to ask them questions like this… for someone to truly see them, dig into their soul, and fully listen without judgment. As they begin to share, it’s as if they are working out the details and speaking their dreams into existence.
Often people respond with “I don’t know.” Life has gotten so busy, and they are so caught up in “adulting” that they have forgotten earlier dreams of what they really want.
And, maybe you don’t know what you want, but I dare say you do.
- You just aren’t taking the time to get quiet and listen to your heart’s desire or
- You know your heart’s desire and you’re scared that people will judge or criticize you, tell you it’s not logical, or even make you feel you need to defend yourself and your dream.
“Things that aren’t logical are the things
that make our dreams come true. “
~ Jessica Mull
Stay In Your Power, and I will Support You 100%
Stay In Your Power, and I will Support You 100%My husband and I recently had a profound conversation. It was about some big life stuff. He said something like, “I don’t care what you want to do. I don’t care what you decide as long as you do it from a place of power. Stay in your power and I will support you 100%. I got you!”
To say that statement was life-changing is an understatement. Too often, I’ve moved into a disempowered perspective. The one where I’m wearing the victim hat and I’m filled with excuses, being overly dramatic, leaning into the sadness, and doing more than my share of complaining, blaming, and whining.
That’s never who I want to be. It doesn’t serve me, and it doesn’t help me to serve or inspire others.
Follow Your Bliss
Since that conversation, I’ve promised myself to live this year genuinely following my bliss and doing more of what makes me happy. I’ll be taking giant leaps of faith and trusting that opportunities and solutions will appear.
When I’m in the water surrounded by God‘s beauty, I feel all the world’s tension and noise and problems melt away. This year, I’ll spend more time on my paddleboard.
I’ll spend more time on my bike where I can feel exhilarated and exhausted and free.
I’ll write more. Another epiphany that came recently during a Sit (my form of meditation) was that the book I’m planning to write about Life Lessons from the Bike doesn’t have to be so profound. It can be fun and playful and whimsical. Cycling Shorts can be a collection of short stories that bring a smile to people’s face as they reminisce of their own childhood. It can be “Chicken Soup For the Soul” but all from me and all about biking! Thanks to Nancy O. for the confirmation as literally just moments later, she asked me about this book. She reminded me that she is waiting for it and can’t wait until I write my next book.
Enjoy Food, Friends, and Family
I’ll enjoy more food with friends and family this year. Food, diet, and healthy lifestyles can be highly diverse, and we can overcomplicate them. It doesn’t have to be that way. Burger bars, shish kabobs, salad or green bowls, and even pizza can all be presented buffet style in a way that meets everybody’s needs, from gluten-free to dairy-free, soy-free, Paleo, Keto, and caveman!
Finally, I am releasing my inner rockstar! A few weeks ago, a friend introduced me to POUND®. I immediately fell in love. I took over eight classes in just over two weeks.
Then last Saturday, I traveled to New York City to get certified as a POUND® Pro.
This summer I will be teaching POUND® classes as part of the follow my bliss project. I wasn’t sure where or when or how it would unfold. I still don’t. But I reached out to my friend and fellow author, Buddy Valentine. We’ve been cheering each other on for years over our writing.
Well, Buddy is also in charge of scheduling the fitness classes at BSP in Kingston, NY. I emailed him describing POUND® and asked if he’d consider adding it to the schedule.
His response?
omg yessss!
So you’ve heard about me and what excites me. Now, back to you.
- What are you doing to live in TRUE HEALTH?
- Who are you showing more LOVE?
- How do you get your daily dose of LAUGHTER?
- Where can you create more FREEDOM in your life?
- When will you BALANCE your life with more PLAY, more REST and LESS work?
- Why are you doing every single thing that you’re doing?
That last one is a game-changer.
Do an audit of yourself and your life. Is what you’re doing exciting you? If not, then isn’t it time you found something that does?
