juicing the long days for every drop of goodness

This is the summer of my life. If you had to choose a word to emphasize in that phrase, "my" might be it. It's less of a statement where you are 18 years old and about to drive across the country with your boyfriend, and you're going to have the summer of your life taking pictures of yourself at Car-henge and The World's Largest Ball of Twine. It's more about me choosing, me doing things that I've been reluctant or afraid to do, me keeping it real and lively and engaged, me coming out of a long winter of struggle, me honoring everything in my life that has led up to this moment by doing my best. It's that kind of summer.

What am I up to? I just had my first Rolfing session an hour ago. Rolfing is a form of deep tissue massage designed to loosen up and realign your body's structure to move more freely, upright, and in harmony with our design that evolved under gravity's constant presence. It's 10 weekly sessions, and it's really intense and painful sometimes. But I feel great already, and I'm psyched for more.

I'm going to travel down to San Diego and learn to surf with my friend Sam. I hope to do this on a roadtrip with another old friend, living the American dream of Californiating myself in the sun and sand. Perhaps we will pop in to Mexico and say hi.

I'm doing a Gestalt therapy intensive weekend session in August. Gestalt therapy is working with a group of other people, facilitated by a few leaders, so as to become mirrors for each other. In doing so, we build trust to allow others to see us more clearly and also share our insights about them. I have read the pioneering book about it that lays it all out (from the 1960s) and spoken with a practictioner in Toronto who's been in a group for a few years. It really speaks to my soul, I think, so I'm eager to check it out.

I'm going to increase my tai chi practice, with the aim of learning to be a full on teacher. Tai chi feels so important and relevant to me that I really want to share it with the world effectively. I have thought about this for a few years, and I'm glad to be moving in that direction.

I'm working on writing an essay that I want to get published in a magazine. I can't say more, for fear of taking the wind out of my own creative sails, but I'll let you know when it happens.

I want to do a wilderness backpack trip, either with a small group or solo, to reconnect with the wilderness. I like the idea of a challenge by heading out on my own, and I also like the idea of doing it with friends. If you're interested, contact me.

I've started a weekly group doing meditation and pancakes. Saturday mornings, if you're in the Bay Area. Check it out in Palo Alto.

These things all spring from my desire to show up for my own life. Someone once told me that is the secret to life. I like the idea of it - showing up for your own life. I've definitely had times when I've shirked being an active agent in my own life, and let the tide carry me where it wanted. I like the feeling of engagement much more, and I'm really getting a lot of mileage from facing my fears and doing these things anyway.

Which brings me to my challenge to you. (This is where you sweat nervously and wish you had never taken that stupid advice to always sit in the front of the classroom so as to learn the most.) Because I'm a co-dependent friend with you if you're reading this, I want to challenge you to do something you're afraid of this summer. I'm thinking less about risky daredevil adventures and more about something you've been putting off doing for yourself for a long time because... of whatever reason you have in your head. Take that class, learn to make pottery, ask that barista for a date, whatever it is, do it. Feel that fear and do it anyway.

In tandem with my own summer work, a friend of mine and I are launching a website in the next week about shaking up your life. (Okay, realistically, I sort of spun out this idea while we were chatting and then he had the ganas to go home and set up the website so that when I looked at my email the next morning, it was fully up and running. He's that kind of guy.) I'll make a product launch here on this blog by July 1st, because that's my commitment to myself. It won't be flashy, but hopefully substantial and usable.

Wishing you all beautiful summer days, wherever you may be...