Image via pen_friend

Devan and I just spent ten days exploring Maui. My parents spent time there years ago during my dad’s windsurfing days. It was so cool to visit and feel their presence in certain areas of the Island. However, a common trend of travel for me lately is taking my mind out of the beautiful present and focusing on what’s out of my control.

Just before leaving for this trip, the word “presence” kept entering my mind. It’s easy to get caught up in “future thinking”, as my life coach calls it. We all know that…be present, live in the moment, blah blah. But seriously, when we are too caught up in our thoughts and not enjoying what’s in front of us, we miss out on a lot…

Devan encouraged me to try out Headspace, since I have been very inconsistent with my own meditation. The app has been a great way to sit down every day and tune out from the world for only ten minutes. It also gives you the option to have reminders sent throughout the day, with different facts and quotes regarding mindfulness. I think the best way to stay consistent is through routine–adding just ten minutes of meditation to a normal everyday routine, such as brushing your teeth.

Not to mention..how cool is it that my boyfriend keeps me in check with mindfulness and meditation? I love this element of our relationship, and am so grateful to have someone like him!

Another component to let go and be present is to forgive yourself. Yes, let yourself off the hook! We aren’t always perfect–I can tell you that considering I spent a lot of the trip future thinking. So on one of our last days, as I sat on the beach watching the surf, I forgave myself and it felt like a weight was lifted. I felt my feet ground into the sand, I focused on the waves and the setting sun, and I just clicked into the moment. And then, just like that, things started falling into place. Pretty soon after, (and after some trial and error with other housing applications) a housing opportunity came up and we decided to make the move to Encinitas! This move to  the San Diego area has been on our minds, but I think just going for it was the best thing for us to make a decision.

I had this post drafted before leaving Hawaii, and of course it’s taken me this long to post! So now I’m sitting in my new kitchen in beautiful southern California. Somehow we got here, and I am so content with that. Our nest is coming along and I love seeing the progress.

However, I have felt disconnected in some ways during these memorable days. I know it’s time to get back into a routine and embrace this new chapter in our lives. As we were leaving Colorado, I felt like I was in a haze. I knew these moments were memorable and tried so hard to take them all in.

My biggest takeaway from leaving though: I met some pretty awesome people this past year that will continue to be a part of my journey, and I am so lucky for that!

I’ve started to understand synchronicity as a real and powerful thing–a lot of us are experiencing some of the same feelings, ideas and/or revelations at the same time. I am so grateful for my synched up tribe, and can’t wait to meet more people out here.

My thought for today is: why not just be you? What is actually holding you back? It’s usually your own self, and I say that because I do the same thing. But when we align ourselves with our own truth, let our own guard down and just trust the universe, life starts to shift in the right direction.