I am a to-do list creator. My lists aren’t to-do “the laundry” or to-do “my taxes.” I make lists of dreams every couple of weeks or so. When I take time to read back on my scribbles from years past, I chuckle to myself, sometimes in awe and sometimes baffled, my dreams came true…they actually happened! There is a magic behind saying it out loud, behind writing in down with intention. For sure. Handstands have been on my dang list for weeks. This summer, whenever I was in a pool or in the ocean, I dove right into the best handstand my whimsical heart could dream up. Total joyride, people. I’m talking addictive feeling of awesomeness. Now if only I could pop right up in my weekly yoga classes, which are not, in fact, in water. I hear that going into crow pose is a good step in the process. My ego would tell you I am a crow master. My essence knows there is no rhyme or reason except for being in the moment, focused on one’s breath. A handstand means surrendering the head below the heart, engaging the core and trusting oneself. Last night, my yoga teacher walked by me and gently whispered: Jenny, let your feet leave the wall. 

You guys, sometimes there won’t be a wall there to catch you, and that’s okay, because guess what? You are everything you need. You are your own truth. You will catch yourself. No force necessary. Be free. Go up in the air and handstand the heck out of your life.

Image via L’Optimum (yes, the sculpture in the photo is a headstand, but it still feels right for the post. xx, JBD)

Sometimes, although something looks or sounds or feels foreign, it may, actually, be the exact amount of butterflies-in-your-stomach, take-a-chance, why-not-try-it-out recipe to set you free.

I’m fishing here a bit, with the Kerið reference and all (nod to me almost falling into a volcanic crater lake), but the point is real. Go deep. Fall in. You have nothing to lose except for the experience, for the story, for the epic goodness that is you.

Image Credit: Megan Alvino

My best friend is always asking: what does it all mean? She usually sends me a text with the acronym WDIAM, most often following a funny experience in this thing called life. It always makes me laugh. What does it all mean? I swear, I’m not even going down an existential road here. I just recognize all of these moments we breathe in. Do we really breathe them out? I sure do hope so. I think that is one of the keys to unlock the door to your own yellow brick road.

The past few weeks shook up my little world, ultimately for the better, that’s for sure. But it was a mini moment, as I stood in line for a coffee while wearing red sandals, when the simple magic of now showed up. A sweet young girl with big blue eyes tugged on her mom’s hand, gave a wide-eyed gaze at my shoes and exclaimed:  Are you Dorothy? It’s really Dorothy! The mom and I shared a look and the next thing I knew I was clicking my heels three times in a row, smiling right back at the cute kid. Sometimes all you need is a bit of wonder to get to the meaning of the moment.

Image Credit: Kympham

Where do you go when the going gets tough? Do you have places and people and good habits that remind you of YOU?

A few weeks ago I had a health “scare.” It took me out of my body and into a cloud of silent panic, at least for a few minutes. But then I began to breathe. To move. To listen. To learn what caused it and to learn what I could do to move forward and heal. Everything is connected – in our bodies and emotions, in our daily interactions with loved ones and strangers alike. I remembered to remember. I remembered to remember to be fancy free. I remembered to remember to set boundaries with people who haven’t yet cultivated self-awareness. I remembered to remember to do more of the things I love to do. Catching waves in salt water, strolling through Spanish moss, and being with my family got me to my center. On those shores of South Carolina, where my heart grew as a child, I remembered how dang lucky I am to be alive. Oh, and I did whole lot of yoga because I love it. Open your heart to the world. Do what you love. Don’t wait another single second.

Image Credits: Jenny Graham