"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein
This quote has always been one of my favorites. I'm all in for option #2 as we step into this new year. I'm also committed to helping you make it your best year ever.
Picture this: Thom and I packed up our truck the day after Christmas and headed to Southern California. If you’re like me, camping in the wintertime does not sound fun, but we chose Anza Borrego desert, about 40 miles from the Mexican border. Trust me, I have no regrets.
This trip was pure magic.
Photo taken at 1:00 am...completely untouched
We're big fans of dispersed camping, where you can set up anywhere on BLM land without reserving a campsite months in advance. Anza Borrego, although a state park, lets you camp almost anywhere. Want to build a fire? Just use one of those cool round metal containers. We did build a fire every night.
Our little fire became a source of warmth as the sun dropped behind the mountains.
On the first night, as this 73-year-old and her 85-year-old partner climbed down from our rooftop tent at midnight to pee, we were greeted by an unexpected site.
I unzipped the tent “door,” and the moonlit desert landscape unfolded before us. At first, I thought, did we oversleep? The night was so bright, like daylight and I discovered later this was the “Cold” full moon, named by Native Americans long ago.
When you experience something like this, you realize moonlight can stop you dead in your tracks. I was mesmerized and couldn’t stop thinking about how few times I’d seen this in my life and whether I would ever see it again.
The view from our campsite at midnight
I walked around in my sleeveless nightgown, feeling no hint of cold, trying to capture this unique situation on my iPhone. It was startling to believe I could capture images of the bright stars, the moon, and shadows.
This energy…the moonbeam kind of energy will light your heart up. Later, I discovered that this moon represents completion, abundance, and the height of power.
The moon had a message for me, and I'm passing it on to you. This is what I heard her say to me:
It was like a cosmic pep talk, urging me to believe in endless possibilities.
We went on to experience two more magical moonlit nights under the stars, and each time, I felt the wonderment of being alive, standing underneath the stars and the moon.
Are you living in wonderment? What's your intention for this year? Have you bid farewell to 2023? A new year is like a fresh canvas, telling us, "We can begin again."
If you're not living the life you desire, or if there’s any part of you thinking, I can’t have those things I long for (it’s too hard, never happens to me, not enough money, not enough time…) I want you to know one thing. You can create what you want. If I can create the life I love for myself, you can, too.
But…you have to be intentional. You have to #1 believe you can have the best life, and #2 you must do some work.
Read the latest on my blog for inspiration and tips to live your best life.