Who are you? Leaving out any specifics of your human and ego identity, YOU are a singular, perfectly unique, limitless ball of potential. You are so far beyond what I lovingly call your “meat suit”. Don’t get me wrong, your physical identity is beautiful, clever, cool and stylish. But I’m talking about the higher YOU. That calmer, all-knowing, confident and focused YOU. That part of you who remembers: You’ve been a 280 foot Sequoia inside a 4 mm seed since conception.

YOU are the living, breathing incarnation of what Deepak Chopra calls “pure potentiality”. We all are. When challenges arise, no one can get in your head and trigger your memory on this. Only YOU can. When you factor in the unique social advantages you were born into, and better yet the disadvantages you have overcome, your singular value to the rest of us explodes. Nature and nurture continually refine your offering. THAT is how important you are to the rest of us, and to the expansion of All That Is.

The only problem is that we get so hell bent on not believing any of this. The world around us is determined to hook our attention, and mold us toward its own ends. Part of us wants to believe the fear mongers, the haters, the well-intentioned worriers, sworn “protectors” of our well being, and the media. All of that noise can seem really compelling, and important. But it’s only distraction from our potential.

Marketers will tell you you’re ugly and then sell you beauty. Tell you you’re ill and sell you wellness. Tell you you’re limited and sell you a sense of freedom. Tell you you’re aging and sell you youth.

We are blessed to have family and friends who love us, who typically see us for who we really are and what we’re trying to become. I love and appreciate all of their input, encouragement, and critical advice. It has helped shape, influence, guide, and improve me.

But I can’t help feeling like Dr. Emmitt Brown at the end of the first Back to The Future. I blast back down the street, process some of the world’s garbage in my Mr. Fusion home energy reactor, and start hovering. Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads. My parents couldn’t hand me a fully charted course, because one didn’t exist.  I probably love them more for that than the countless opportunities and gifts they’ve given me. We get to swing our machetes like crazy fools in this jungle every day, carving out our own path. “Oh, but that sounds hard, and scary.” But doesn’t it also kinda ROCK?

Your success can only be personally defined. My favorite, most simple definition of success comes from Earl Nightengale. He was one of 12 surviving Marines aboard the USS Arizona that was attacked by the Japanese in Pearl Harbor in 1941. He went on to become a world famous broadcaster and motivator, writing and performing more than 7000 radio broadcasts. His most famous audio program, entitled “The Strangest Secret” is considered a cornerstone of personal development and was ripped off for the Law of Attraction DVD “The Secret” a few years ago. Its premise is simple: “We become what we think about most of the time.” Anyway, Nightengale defined success as “the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” Here’s the Lesson: only YOU can evaluate and measure your progress, and only YOU can define your worthy ideal.

There are a lot of well-meaning people who think they know what’s best for you, but they are wrong. You must draw your own map. You must write your own score. This is your immense, singular gift to the world. This is your contribution. You should be wide open to new knowledge and opportunity. You should listen lovingly to the input of your parents, teachers, and peers as they share their dreams for your life. Genuinely thank them.

And then ask yourself if the input they’ve offered truly resonates with YOU, based on your own continued assessment and reassessment of who you really are. Think critically from your deeper place of knowing. I swear to you that YOU are in there somewhere. I see YOU when you laugh your ass off, close a big sale, when you rock the house, ace a test, and fall in love. That part of me can’t help but notice the 1.21 gigawatts of YOU, because it’s the dragon I’m chasing. It’s all I try to look for.

A 300 foot Sequoia tree produces 11,000 cones on average, each of which contains hundreds of seeds with that ridiculous potential. Only a precious few achieve that height.  It takes a delicate chemistry of earth, oxygen, water, and fire. Even the park rangers let these 3000 year-old trees burn.

Once you spot your opening in the canopy, sink your feet deep in the ground. Welcome the fire. Welcome the wind and rain.
It’s all here to help you remember who YOU really are.

Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.

——————————

Please leave a comment with any ideas on my next topic. Thanks.

There are days and weeks when I can ratchet myself into such an insane level of good feeling vibes, that opportunity and synchronicity shine in every peripheral corner. It can be unsettling to tell you the truth, like when you want to start crying because life is that freakin beautiful. I’d rather be committed to the nutterhouse for these reasons than for all the others. Leaving the gym yesterday morning I was hovering in some sort of slow motion, completely outside of time and demands. There was a grin on my grill, and sunshine was everywhere. Is it out of the ordinary to feel the vitality of  every cell in your body, adding up one by one to the whole of you?

We feel that way when we experience new love, or a remembrance of true love in our lives, the promise of a new little life on the way (we’ll hear our ultrasound today), or even in the loss of someone close to us. It’s the stripping away of all extraneous noise and clutter in our heads, leaving only the essence of something All Powerful. I judge the quality of my life by how often I can sense the presence of whatever that is. Lately I’ve been getting some beautiful emails from friends, clients, and coworkers. My favorite phrase, or the currency of my relationships: “that made my day” or “you made my day.” We’re only hear to mix up and combust with other peoples’ energy. You make my day all the time.

It’s funny how something simple like moving your bulletin board can stir up so many thoughts and emotions. The bulletin board in my office has become the keeper of  big ideas, big plans, or big sources of pride. It would probably give the best indication of who I’m trying to become, or the things I love to anyone who didn’t know me. If I happened to fall off the shitter while hanging a photo for instance, hitting my head and subsequently sketching the means of time travel (ie the flux capacitor), I’d likely hang that sketch on my office bulletin board. It’s where my brain vomits coal and my soul fashions diamonds. In times of trial and error, I can’t even bring myself to look at it for fear of not living up to ideals published in more inspired moments. Yes, total and complete, beautiful madness.

Yesterday I unearthed 21 Suggestions of Success, which I sent around to our company. Today I found a couple expressions of condolences, one written by my Grandfather for his best friend whose son committed suicide. The other was a note I drafted for one our best friends who lost her young niece in a tragic car accident. I am so eager to get into my scramble this morning, with so much to “get done” before this or that needs to happen. It just never ever slows a bit. Rereading these stopped me dead in my tracks though. I’m taking pause to reflect on all that matters to me, the profound appreciation I feel for every emotion that tears through the heart.

These are the magic moments of my life. I’ll hear our new baby’s heartbeat in an hour, I’ll shake off the work of the last few weeks and bask in its rewards. Everything is truly improving immeasurably despite my effort or resistance. I couldn’t work hard enough today to make my life any better than it already is. Inspiration carries us infinitely further than we plan on going anyway.

The pieces below may seem sad, but the sentiment felt really good to me today. Everyone and everything shines on and on and on, because there is no death. All these spirits visited me in this moment and reminded me of The Mission. We’re the eternal expression of something All Powerful. Never stop creating. Never stop expressing. Never stop inspiring, and never stop being in Awe of the beauty around you.

I felt you reading your own words through my eyes this morning Pops. I’m doing something right if I can connect with your level of energy. I miss you so much partner, but your message & example will flourish through my continued practice. Internal/Eternal.

How comforting is that?

Damascus – One Day in May
A Sonnet from the Heart

Handwritten :: To Bayard for Roland – valued friendship with irrepressible pride; Natural, unspoken conversation with feeling and Love… But this time tainted with tears. – LEB

This was the hardest thing of all to bear.
That no bird ceased its singing when you died,
That bees and myriad insects strummed the air,
And children’s laughter filled the valleys wide,
That men and women walked their usual ways
And talked and sang as though you not lay still -
No interruption to their active days.
Your ashes strewn on a river past a lonely hill,
But no gray, grieving shadow dims
The brightness of the sun; No bright star tore
The blackness of coming night; the radiant sun rims
The darkening hills in splendor as before.
Yet so hushed is my heart at the thought of your restful river bier,
It seems the universe could be pausing here.

- Luis E. Bejarano

Condolences for Gwena McCormick
2009

There are no words to properly convey
the depths of our condolences, our regrets,
our sympathies, or our empathy as parents,
your friends, and your extended family.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Gwena’s
Beautiful young life. It’s beyond comprehension.

Yet, if this pain is the price of knowing someone
so precious, of having been witness to
her bountiful joy, and the love and comfort
she brought to your family in your Father’s passing,
our hope is you’ll find peace in time.

We’re lucky to recognize these angels passing through.
We’re lucky to have known pure, unconditional love,
and to have the blessing of giving love in return
to such a beautiful young girl.
We’re lucky to have known her, if only briefly.

Our hearts are with you always, with unending love
and support to the McCormick, Grandolfo, and Cataldo families.

With love and hugs,
The Carters

When my list is longer than the day I have to complete it,
I’ll take it as another sign that I’m getting everything I’ve asked for
My life is expanding in ways I can’t comprehend
I can either whine about how busy I am, how little time there is
Or I can acknowledge all the treasures around me
The vast majority of which are your beautiful souls
With your love to share
And I’ll remember that this life — this very second
Is 1000x more amazing than anything that ever
made it on some list to be worked out and checked off once complete
Because it’s in the incompleteness that more opportunities arise
for us to shine on and on and on
Changes and challenges will remain relentless
It’s how we bob & weave, sway & flow
And most importantly, how we keep laughing at all of it
Because you have got to admit, it’s pretty fucking entertaining.

Hahahaha.

It’s Thursday night, which means I’m back playing tonight up on the patio at Lockview. Come on down, rain or shine. The food is great, the beers are great, the vibe is great. The music is always TBD but I’ll tell you at the moment I’m feeling pretty, well, GREAT. Is that so wrong?

Check out my uber-talented brother Kirk Olmstead’s website. He drops an original drawing every week, and they keep getting more ridiculous.

I may have not been able to relax much this weekend, but the undeniable rewards of our hard work surround us. There is evidence of progress everywhere. My time with any one individual (including myself) may have been limited, but it was time well-spent, and our impact on one another was powerful. It always is.

And so it is Monday morning too soon, and I am in another time zone by 6 AM, relocating my own zone. Raise your mugs with me:

Keep me grounded and stable today
Hold the knowing of my creative prowess
Wear the love of my family on my sleeve
Live through the experiences of my incredibly talented & beautiful friends
Acknowledge that we are all fingers on the same giant hand
and that my success is your success
and vice versa
Once again when we reach that pocket of time when we both
can share and inspire one another
We can laugh and celebrate
These lives well lived
These times well spent
These rippling vibes of knowing that
we’re all in this together
And we are so so so lucky to know one another

If you’re reading this, I’m talking to YOU. Be strong and press on little soldier.

At the end of the day, all we need to ask ourselves is if we’re making choices that support what we truly want, or if we’re creating more distractions that keep us from what we truly want. Clearly defining what we want seems like a logical first step. Most of us wing it, occasionally tripping over something that deeply resonates with us and thinking “that must be what I want.” Left to the mercy of “reality” and ingrained beliefs around us though, we pull away from the magic and head straight back to distraction: gotta pay these bills, gotta work that job, gotta watch this show and drink this relaxing beverage. I keep a foot planted firmly in both of these worlds, and most days it works out pretty nicely. Other days send shock waves.

The past couple days have gotten a little testy. It hasn’t even been a week since I laid down bass tracks for 16 new Hamell songs, and in that week I’ve traveled back to Chicago, reconnected with a few friends, ridden bikes and walked through the woods with my family, and had quite a few other indicators of thriving. Has it only been a week? What a wild ride. I keep making the mistake of thinking that once I get to some new milestone that it might slow down for a minute, allowing me to celebrate and reflect, or maybe even figure out wherever I’m trying to get to next. It just doesn’t work that way though.  I’m trying hard not to whine here, because really, what the hell do I have to whine about?

There are no concrete arrival points, because we’re always in a state of arriving. Each morning I pick up where I left off, and it feels like a bigger stick than the day before. Everything I want on one end, and everything I fear on the other. Pop quiz: Which direction does it make sense to focus in?

My grandfather and his brothers planted trees in their backyard as boys, and those trees grew like gigantic monuments for 90 years. We wove our family gatherings in and around them, laid on our backs and looked up through their canopy, and they adapted to every chin up bar, swing, bird house, and hook. Wood swallowed metal and made it stronger, & certainly more beautiful and profound. These were our roots shooting deep beneath Lynbrook NY, far over the roof lines, casting cool shade in every direction.

I thought about these trees often, especially since Pops passed away. Just another piece of the legacy. The thought of nurturing a yard like that over 90 years is beyond the dreams I have for my own family. Just having access to that is enough for the rest of us. But the winds blast through, upheaval arrives, and constant change persists. It’s not our job to label it as good or bad, because change inevitably makes room for something new. You can try labeling any of the new stuff as good or bad, but the divine plan isn’t here to satisfy the likes of you. There is just room for more, room for more, room for more.

People close to me are moving away, again. My work is relentless, my desires are bottomless. But I’ve never felt more connected to myself and everyone around me, more on top of my different jobs, more in control of and excited by the thought of the manifestations in my life. Every issue, every experience is the two ended stick. I’ll keep turning toward the direction that feels like elation and peace, ignoring all that shit on the opposite end.

I accept upheaval in all forms, because I notice that beauty blossoms out of the chaos. It has to, right?

I’ve been all over the road this past week, literally and emotionally. It’s already been an incredible year and it’s only February 2nd. Have you already done or accomplished something in 2010 that you’ll remember the rest of your life? It’s an important question to ask ourselves. I’m not going to go into my own personal lists here because it feels self serving. What I am going to do is offer some tips on creating some lasting memories out of seemingly mundane routines or obligations.

Interpersonal.

The people in our lives are a mirror of the love we are putting out there. Are they feisty and hard to please? Are they loving and accepting? Are they just happy to see you? This is definitely an area where it’s hard to stay fully conscious, especially if you consider yourself to be a “busy” person. When you approach your time from a place of scarcity versus abundance, all of your interactions feel forced or rushed, and you perceive people as wanting to take time from you. If you feel this way about anyone in your life, I advise just staying away for the time being. You clearly don’t have enough to offer them, and vice versa. However, if you consciously focus on their positive attributes and the amazing contributions they’ve made to your life despite your internal drama cycle, you’ll be surprised how the interaction goes. We need to make constant deposits into other people’s emotional bank accounts (7 Habits), not from some needy place of attaching karmic strings to our good deeds. Why not just be a helpful, cheerful, good person to be around and express your love and respect to the people closest to you? I mean really, what else do we really have except for the people we love in our lives?

Service.

This is closely tied to the interpersonal,  but we need to approach every relationship from a state of service. What can I help you with? What are the ways that I can contribute to your life right now? By attending to your needs I’m not denying mine. That thinking takes you into some negative, scarcity mentality. I want to help you just because I’ve figured some of this stuff out, and I know you’ll reciprocate.  I’m not trying to make myself feel better, or stock pile the favors you owe me in return. Do unto others as they would do unto you is kind of outdated. Hand me a giant knot of Christmas lights, your litany of troubles and worries, your momentary bad attitude. It’s my job to serve our relationship even in these moments. If I’ve uncovered any solution that you may use, how would it serve me to hold it back? Here’s my time and my attention to your problem, let’s both move onward. You don’t even need to thank me because it’s understood. I’ll be honest if time is an issue. Sometimes we help each other by politely declining so others can find the real solution they’re looking for. If you only give me problems however, it’s clear that I’m only enabling you and you have some work to do before we can play together again.

The state of service cannot be underestimated. We often do only what the ceiling on our compensation justifies. “Screw that, they’re not paying me to do this…” If you explode your level of service, your value explodes as well. It’s universal law that you will be compensated accordingly. Money is only one (arbitrary) measurement. What about emotional rewards like more love, respect, reverence, and inspiration? What about opening  doors to new opportunities, access to new people who inspire you in exciting new ways? We are leading one another forward through our focus on service. I can’t quantify the number of hours I’ve worked on Hamell’s site, or his career in general. I just don’t notice the time. In fact, I’ve never done it to punch some stupid time sheet. I’ve done it because the ride is exhilarating, and in moments when it’s not, I know it’s time to do something else. This is how you can look back at 6 months with awe of what you’ve accomplished. I’ve gone from not having the time to do it, to scaling some pretty large mental mountains.

We’ll continue this train of thought tomorrow. Enjoy yourselves.

Oh yes, I thought I’d post this. It’s a quick little 2 minute video of my client outing from last Friday. I took some people Extreme Snow Tubing. Needless to say, whenever you can laugh and scream together, you walk away feeling noticeably more alive and happy with the state of your relationships. I’m not here to sell shit. I’m here to whip up torrents of good vibes. Recognize me when you’re able, which is something I need to remember myself on the occasions  I come unplugged.

Your over-arching philosophy for how to approach your life drives your attitude, your actions and your results. Have you ever tried to figure yourself out on paper? Do you think it’s corny? Do you think that people who affect many lives and accomplish incredible things have a good idea of how they approach their life?

This was my first attempt, and it seems to resonate well with me. It reminds me to continually find my way into a state that allows this philosophy to thrive. Hand me contrast, difficulties, obstacles, bad weather and blind-sided catastrophes. In my consciousness I can come back to center and avoid any knee jerk negative response. Step back into my zone, and remind myself of who I truly am:

I joyfully expect everything to work out.
I entertain and inspire others out of my love for them.
I consciously pursue excellence in everything I do.
I laugh and have fun.
…And that’s what I do, every single day.

Knock it and snicker my little ego, but I wouldn’t expect it to budge or compromise.

I tend to agree with all of the personal development and spiritual gurus I’ve consulted in the recent years: Merely taking action for action’s sake is a complete waste of time. The trouble is, so much of our culture operates on the myth that success is only achieved through hiking up your boot straps, hard work, suffering, struggling, and on and on. It’s a complete crock of shit.

I’m spending the month of January in becoming acutely aware of who I want to be in December. What does that person contribute to the world? Who do they hang out with? What is the quality of the work they create, how fulfilling is their family life, what level of abundance they generate, and most importantly: How much joy and happiness do they feel on a daily basis?

Why is it that it takes someone getting sick or dying, or a cyclone of work to complete the day before a vacation for us to pull back from the nagging distractions and do what we should be doing, or what we are here to do? If a salesperson presents you with a crappy offer, it’s pretty easy to ignore it or tell them to go away. What about a boss, a client, or a beloved family member? We get buried in shit we don’t want to do all the time, and then suffer out of obligation, guilt, and on and on.

I’ve already learned that 2010 will be a Year of Polite Decline: I’m flattered, but no thank you. The last thing I want to sound like is a person whose time has become too valuable to be bothered by such things. The first thing I want to sound like is a person who lives 90-100% in their major-definite purpose, doing what they are here to do because they love doing it, knowing that it is by far the greatest value they can provide to anyone around them. Just because you’ve had to learn a great many things over the years doesn’t mean you need to do them for me on command, or even as a favor, or even for money. You have to figure out what it is that brings leverage to all that you are. If what I’m asking of you jives with that, let’s play together.

In going through one of my goals exercises last year (the same one I’m doing this year), I defined my major/definite purpose as:  “Entertain/Inspire”. That is the over-arching goal, mission, and blueprint for my life. It’s what resonates with me on profound levels, and it’s what I can trace back any bit of happiness or success to in every area. When I was younger I was positive that it was only “entertain”, which proved to be only a fraction of my potential. It was too limited, and although I have mad love and respect for all who have entertained me, it felt like a lower-value mission than when coupled with Entertain/Inspire.

In reviewing last year, or even the entire last decade, I could immediately get hard on my self for not doing enough entertaining and/or inspiring. Technically, I’m not making a living at either. They are not what puts food on my family’s table, and they are not the reason why I own so many suits. Or are they?

I can feel my very essence in those words, and I know that all who have ever crossed my path (who weren’t somehow repelled ) see those attributes in me. It could’ve been stocking shelves, or depositing their money at the bank, painting their house, studying together for an exam, on a stage, on a web page, in a sales meeting, or on a dance floor. When I break through the dull layer of soot this world lays on me it’s what always shines through. It is what I have to thank for merely surviving, let alone our children thriving, or anything I’ve sold, written, or created.

I’m not here to sell you shit. I’m not here to only be a clown, although I really do enjoy that. I wish I had more time to only be a clown, but Gayle and the kids don’t need a clown 100% of the time. I’m not here to write clever songs, or build pretty web sites that sell things like art or ideas.

I’m here to express my divine gifts for the expansion of All That Is. To entertain and inspire myself first, and in doing so potentially influence others to do so for themselves, or those around them. My time here is not evaluated on how I monetize or count up how often I perform acts of entertainment and/or inspiration.

Our time here is evaluated on how often we actually feel like who the hell we really are. I’ve been blessed to see the evidence of the details getting worked out in the process. Contentment follows, money follows, exhilaration and adventure follows. Incredible people and interactions follow. There is no more important work you can do in these coming weeks than reevaluating your definitions and conditions. Trust me, the distractions are only here to guide and challenge you.

Who do you want to be this year?

I want to be a great Dad, a strong and capable man and provider, a traveler, adventure seeker, a marathon runner, and artist and musician, a healer, a life coach (for myself and others), a digital strategist, a strong seller, and just an all around happy mofo. That is all.

Give me only  “happy mofo” and the others will be done and done.

Beware out there, because I’ve just run a few miles, lifted a few weights, showered, and secured yet another cup of coffee, in determination to make this one stellar fucking morning. Congratulations young Kristoffer, you have arrived. Welcome. It’s OK if it didn’t quite start off this way. I can’t be expected to wake up with rainbows blasting out of my ass. My friend Ed likes to think this is the case, and even if it does happen on occasion, it’s only because I’ve worked hard to figure out where the hell TRUE NORTH is before I go to bed.

Sometimes when I drive through the cities I visit (Chicago, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cinci, Lousiville, etc) I look down the alleys and through the industrial wastelands and wonder if I’d be able to find my way home on foot. What if I somehow woke up in that alley and didn’t know where I was? Why do I think these things? Every morning is a similar scenario, in that I must determine my location relative to where I should be, or want to be, or need to be to plow through what I need to get through.

Like most people I prefer to hit the pillow at night when I’m ready/overdue for restful sleep. What if you got there a few minutes earlier, lay there in silence and just review all the amazing things that happened that day instead? Do you think it might set you up for a better morning the next day? Try hard to not think about what you have going on the next day in terms of lists. It will only make you wake up in a panic. On my craziest, busiest days, I try to think only of the completion of things, of laying in bed the following night in peaceful review. The doing or the how’s only inhibit the completion. It’s not like anything is ever really done anyway, you silly Christmas goose.

Today is one of those curious days before a long weekend, when most people are already either physically or mentally checked-out, making shopping lists, etc. There’s always plenty to do, but I feel like should make some effort today to orient myself toward gratitude. Our little Frankie turned 1 yesterday, Elliott is a reading machine, we have a low key day tomorrow with my parents coming over, and our house is full of just about every thing we need to have a good time. I could say, “but there’s no front walk! There’s no garage! Our grass in the front is jacked!” I could also acknowledge the literally thousands of tiny manifestations that are all around us, reminding me that life is infinitely better than it was a year ago.

So many jobs lost, foreclosures, new illnesses, deaths, tragedies, and challenges in 2009. So so so so much more to be grateful for. You’re still up right, which means there’s a purpose for you in the sifting through these shiny coins and razor blades. You can point to the unthinkable, the terribly awful or sad. You can also focus just beyond it toward its true meaning: somewhere in there is the lesson, the appreciation, the calling you forward. You may not think so, but you’re actually more beautiful with these scars, and we’re far from complete. I won’t get caught up in worrying about what comes next at the expense of connecting with you here and now.

I’ll be easy to shop for this year. If you see me out and about, anywhere… Just give a brother a hug. Everything else is taken care of. Trust me.

Effervescently and spiritually pre-pubescently,

me kc fer inc

There are mornings where I wake and those sketchy, negative thoughts and worries immediately start pouring in. Do you ever open up your puffy, heavy eyes and think “oh shit. Really?” It can feel like people burying you with dirt.  I’m not a morning person by any stretch, but I’ve needed to make considerable effort in not taking that shit from my brain as I wake up. I almost typed regain consciousness, which really isn’t accurate.

We need to spend a little time reconnecting and rebooting each morning. I think of it as finding my self. You can call it your higher self,  or your connection, or your inner-unicorn (which I know is what MFDC calls it). Many mornings lately I’ve literally NEEDED to run a 4-mile round trip through some trails, with some sort of breathing or meditation thrown in there. This has been crucial to the unforeseen (and profound) growth I’ve needed to experience lately. At some point, I hope to fill you in a little more on that, for no other reason that part of me needs to demonstrate that This Life Stuff isn’t easy for anyone. The last 3 weeks have felt like someone handed me the unitard Hulk Hogan wore in Rocky III and said “KC, we’re going to need you to fill this out.” Again, I hope to elaborate more fully in the near future.

So how else can you possibly manage extreme growth spurts without reconnecting to your self, your goals, whatever it is you’re trying to create? I’ve reached my highest levels of clarity out on those trails, on the bridge above the river, listening to the seasons and crazy shit drifting through. My 2 miles back to the car are infinitely more connected and carefree than the first 2, when I’m still shaking those negative turd thoughts like a deer outruns the flies.  At some critical point, when you push yourself to make it to church (religion completely optional), once you actually plug in you break the inertia. Your troubles and worries can’t follow you here. Your vibe is just too high. And it’s not about how long you can retain it, because it’s not supposed to be permanent. You need to get back out into clarifying what the hell it is that you want.

In the past couple weeks, there have been mornings where I hit the trail feeling like a tightly wound ball of worry, and returned feeling like some sort of Amazon Warrior. Clear, happy, gliding, vital and alive. A big ass wacky grin on my grill as I sprint the last 1/2 mile.

Always, always, ALWAYS :: Eager to get back once I find myself. Like I’m excited to reintroduce myself to the world around me, because I’m sure as shit that nobody needs the grumpy old troll I wake up as.

This year is somehow exploding to a close, and as it winds down it continues to speed up. All it means is that we need that much more balance, introspection, and solace.  Anyone interested in making THAT a gift to ourselves this year?