Feast for the Eyes: El Chaltén in Southern Patagonia

For when you're in the cloud

I learned something very valuable over the weekend.

R1 is a great partner in bouncing things off the wall.

She brought up being able to use the tried and true, improv move of

'yes, and'

When obstacles come up, or there are reasons why-not, then all you have to do (that phrase makes it sound easy, although it's a muscle that you have to work), all you have to do is say, 'yes AND'.

So, I'm going to give it a try. When you don't know which way is which, and you need something do move you in any direction but down.

Say - Yes, AND...


-Rachel

Tentative plans

Landing in Lima

Cusco
(clase de espanol)

Ecuador

Galapagos - I'm on a boat

Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia tour)

Chile

(the whole length)

Argentina

Buenos Aires
Mendoza
Wine drinking
Tango

PATAGONIA

I'll write more later. This is tentative plan as of 9/29/2014

-Rachel

I intensely dislike lying - aka what a relief that 'work' now knows I'm jetting

I had the conversation with my bosses last Thursday.
I didn't get firm no, and neither did I get a hell yes.
I asked for a sabbatical.

By asking, what I got was the opportunity to be brave.
It's the difference between 'need' and 'want'.
In my heart, I had nothing to lose. In my head I had to ask.
It's a great skill to be able to look at my 'ask' from the business perspective.

In not saying yes and not saying no, I am FREE.
I don't have any guilt, any reluctance to do the things that I want, in the order that I want, and if that means not setting an alarm to come back...

Well that sounds gorgeous.
Gorgeous like mountains, and Tango and ceviche, and Malbec.

-Rachel

flowingflowingflowing

new year: remember it’s never too late for new beginnings. shed the weight that burdens your shoulders and go boldly forth into this new day, into this new year. tomorrow is yours; make of it what you will. the future is yours. tell the world what your future will hold, never the opposite. you are the master of your own world, and the owner of your dreams. remember to live, to laugh and to love with great intensity and infuse all of your days with passion. remember that you are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful and your life is full of love. just open your eyes to it and you’ll be sure to find it. remember that nothing makes you feel warmer than someone’s name beating through your heart, keep those names, those pretty birds, keep them flowingflowingflowing through your veins, and remember that your love for them and their love for you keeps you strong. they’re your white blood cells and they’ll help you ward off the bad. every day is a good day to realize that you can change your life and that you can mold it into whatever shape you want it to be, but the beginning of a new year is an especially good time because the whole world is reminding you that new beginnings are always possible. happy new years lovelies, with love, we can all work together to make this next decade a good one.

Feast for the Eyes: Sweden's Sarek National Park

I catch my breath. It stops. And my lungs fill. 

This is beautiful Sweden. Sarek National Park. 

Saying your piece

I'm processing a break-up. It happened a year ago.
I think that I just got healthy enough in my head to actually look at what happened. And that's a whole thing.

It's what my actions were.
Where they came from - where in my history has taught me how to do/communicate/express myself like that.
I'm also looking at what I was feeling.
What I need now.

I needed to say my piece to him.
I acknowledged my part.
Expressed some anger about where I hurt, and what part I felt that he contributed to - both knowingly and unknowingly.

I feel clear.
I don't feel any shame.
I don't feel the burn of being abandoned and let down.

I know what to expect.
I know my place - even if that place is no place near.


I am Grace. I am Bold. I am Compassion.
I learned a lot.

-Rachel