Strolling Down Life's Path

Be where you're at. Be who you are. Be enough just as you are today.

These are things I say to myself a lot. Things I openly use to encourage my friends and coaching clients. Things I try to embody everyday.

And what I'm realizing is that sometimes it's a lot easier to sparkle with the shine of "where you're at" on the days when "where you're at" looks pretty great.

But on the days when "where you're at" maybe involves a wee bit of fear...mixed in with some tears...and a dose of self-doubt...suddenly it feels a little less exciting to be there.

But guess what?

These are the days, I'm finding, when it is more important than ever to love yourself through the gunk...through the funkiness...through the fog.

Because if you really believe that the Universe is perfect (which I do), then it means that this perfect confusing moment is here to teach me something...here to guide me down my path...here to equip me to better help those whose journey one day takes them around this same turn.

Journey mentality has been a shift for me this year. As much as I always thought I understood the concept that life is about the process...about the path....I still held this crazy belief that I was getting somewhere. That I was ultimately arriving at the bright shining light at the end of the road, and that I would spend the rest of my human life just partying and whooping it up in the light. For me I equated that light to things like "great job," "great marriage," "great body," "great house."

Great....but.....Not. True.

For me life these days is 100% journey and 0% destination. Sometimes I'm putting one foot in front of the other with a skip and a whistle. Other days I'm quite literally dragging my feet. But no matter what, it's one foot in front of the other...forward motion...progress.

Another step. Another moment lived.

And the cool beauty of it all is that I'm realizing the power inherent in choice. I get to choose. Do I celebrate that step? Do I appreciate that moment? Or do I belittle my progress and bemoan my slow speed on the tough days?

I'm choosing to celebrate today. My strides may not be as long and as peppy as they've been on other days. But this is where I'm at today. And I'm going to lace up my comfy shoes, bundle myself in a big soft blanket, sip on something warm, and take the kind of steps that feel right today.

Achievement-oriented Kayla always felt the need to run. Love-oriented Kayla feels the need to walk at her soul's pace. And today that's a quiet, confident stroll.