...In the strangest of places, if you look at it right...
Life is funny sometimes. Not everything is the coincidence that it may appear to be.
Sometime ago, I had the crazy idea of opening up a lemonade stand. Mostly for fun but, also to make a little extra money just to help afford me some of the things I wanted to do that my primary income could not, like travel. Today, I run a full-scale business. I've grown from just serving lemonade to also offering my homemade granola, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, and back by popular demand, canned Pepper Kisses (my own pickled jalapeno recipe) that was a HUGE hit at the summer festivals and market events.
I don't talk about this to brag or boast. I talk about it because it's important for me to show you that you can do it too. I struggle and I fall, just like everyone else. But I don't quit. I get back up; I keep learning and move forward. Every moment in life teaches you something. Even the good ones. Over the past few months, I have learned that you need to take a step back a look at the whole picture. Even when things are happy and running smooth, there is still a lesson to be learned. Don't make decisions based on fear of sacrificing your peace or because it seems comfortable standing still. If you want more for yourself, you need to keep moving. For a long time, I found myself in an unhappy place. While it is easy to push blame, a lot of it is on me. I reacted to things in a way that I could have handled differently. I chose to keep quiet for the sole reason of keeping the peace. I chose stability over temporary discomfort and inconvenience. By continuing those actions, I allowed those things to keep happening. In turn, I was only doing myself a disservice.
This past year has taught me a lot. About myself, who I am, and what I deserve. The very best choice I made was choosing me. I chose to walk away from people, places, and situations that no longer served me or brought me joy. I started making decisions and choices that were best for me- not for everyone else. Once you accept that the only person who can make you happy is YOU, life begins to shift in ways you used to dream about. It is a guaranteed method to living your best and happiest life. I suggest finding a partner or support person/people that align with you and the life that you want. Not that will tell you what you want to hear, but to call you out when you're acting a fool. Someone(s) that will talk things through with you, not tell you what you should or shouldn't do. Someone who listens and will hold your hand through the fire so you're not alone. Most importantly, someone who makes you feel safe. I am fortunate enough to have both in my life. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't take a moment to thank the Universe for giving me these people and bringing them into my life when I unknowingly needed them the most.
I talk about support a lot. It's something we all need even if we don't think so in the moment. In full transparency, I don't think I could life without some of the people in it. A little over a year ago, I came to know someone who is now a huge part of me. This person came into my life unexpectedly and at a time when I wasn't my best self. They showed me, that it's okay to not be okay sometimes. I genuinely didn't know that this is what true friendship, love, and support meant. They didn't disappear when conversations and circumstances got hard. On days that felt heavy, they made them lighter. I've never been shamed for making a mistake. There isn't anything I am afraid to tell them. I know, without hesitation, that I never have to walk through anything alone. That is what I mean when I say, "someone who makes you feel safe". Everyone deserves a person like this in their life. I'm the luckiest girl alive that mine found me.
The title of this comes from a Grateful Dead song (shocker, right?). One of my favorites, actually. I chose it because it is a song about a chance encounter with a free-spirited woman who becomes a lesson about love, desire, perception, and personal growth. It's meaning has been interpreted in many ways, but to me it has a lot of undertones and themes of letting go, accepting uncertainty, and finding wisdom in unexpected places. One of the song's most famous ideas (hence the title) is that some of life's greatest insights and adventures can come from surprising experiences and encounters.
"Scarlet Begonias is a song about a chance encounter with a captivating woman that becomes a deeper reflection on love, freedom, and moments that teach us life's most meaningful lessons." ~Bob Weir
Life is meant to be lived. Yes, we all have to work to survive, but don't forget to live in the process. Take the trip. Buy the dress. Shit, take yourself out to dinner (in your new dress...) Time cannot be replaced. You don't only live once. You have the opportunity to live everyday if you take it. Ask yourself this...if it was all over tomorrow; would you be happy with how you lived today? It truly puts into perspective the concept of living each day like it's your last. Personally, I have found that I prioritize things differently and make more intentional choices. I go to bed each night knowing that I made a difference each day. Every morning when I wake up, I show gratitude believing that any day could be my last. Try it. I promise you'll see a shift and suddenly, the happiness you have been looking for in the little things, will show up when you need it most.
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