I just came out of Topanga Canyon; my second trip this journey in California. And wow, do I love Topanga. I love the quietness, the potency, the quirkiness, the heat, the dust: all of it.

I almost picked the practical (again) over the potential. I almost rushed in and out, missing the point that was loudly fortuned  as I drove into the Canyon. 

 But, like I recently shared, I am turning back to my course quicker and quicker. I am listening to the whispers and I am allowing fun.  It can be as simple as that three letter word: FUN. Feeling Unlimited Now.


How are you finding the Journey? Where are you meeting up with FUN?

DAY 26: Seek fun & play. Feel Unlimited Now.

Fun on Red Canyon Road. Thanks to Dodie of Shae Creative for our soundtrack and to I Nourish Me, for their constant support. 

Yes, I have noticed that my posting in here has been a bit erratic. I noticed that I started the 40 Days of Inspiration at time that I was hopping between time zones (no excuse) as a commitment to keep sharing and growing my ideas and observations. I am so glad  I did. 

Why? Because commitments are containers for growth, especially when the focus is a commitment to your Self.

And I am so thankful for the tribe that I have around me that keeps me accountable. I actually have accrued some badass peeps that each bring a color to the spectrum of clarity that helps me run (and not run away from) my Life.

Who is your tribe? Who do you go to for cheerleading, for complaining, for feeling small and declaring BIG?

Take a moment to look around + thank those silent (and maybe not so silent) hands. 
If you feel like you haven't gotten anyone, remember this isn't limited to people. Just find one spot of support and share the LOVE! 

PS
The tribe changes, morphs, grows and shrinks. That is okay. When you are in the moment, just allow the support, and see what happens next. Try it. I dare you.

Day 22: Walk as if.....
Thanks, Guru Singh!

Does that look like persistence? It is. This pup, three years ago, sat in the Kauai Humane Society for three months without a home, even though very well loved by volunteers, waiting. Waiting patiently. And it worked. 

But was her waiting passive? I don't think so. She was so loving; she caught the eye of a good friend who would bring her into office work everyday, keeping this black pup on the forefront of her mind for home placement, which she did personally place this dog, now known as Ahonui, in my home. 

Day 21: Do. Do. Do. Cause you can.

Day 20: Trust + Grace + Allow the Fun = Formula for 38th trip around the Sun

I recently sat with the intentions I have for myself for my year ahead.
All that kept coming was: fun.
What? No time for fun, I said. I need to do.
Fun.
I heard, have fun.
I read this: "Play is a magical meditation of the heart. When we allow ourselves to play, our heart allows a space to open for serendipity and magic."

Oh, that's right. I remember. We are allowed to enjoy.

So this year, I intend to trust the grace of life and allow myself unadulterated fun in this one precious life.

"There is a secret in our culture, and it's not that childbirth is painful. It's that women are strong."
- Laurie Stavoe Harm

Day 19: Listen to your feminine wisdom, whether you are male or female.

I got an email today that my credit card was compromised. I patiently waded my way through the caller cycle of telling and retelling the errant email I had received, prompting my call.

After the third, patient retell, I got the confirmation that all was well.

"And, Kate Brenton," the clerk said into the phone.

"Yes?" I replied tentatively.

"Don't forget to smile."

And sometimes, it is that easy:  such a small kindness, such a larger power.


Day 18: Be Kind

What is lomilomi?

The day of the Super Moon, I stood next to a client on a ridiculously expansive deck in Topanga Canyon, overlooking the mountains, when she asked, “What do you get out of doing bodywork, Kate?”

I stood silent: In that moment, it was merely days after I had not so easily left my hometown, Philadelphia, and merely 48 hours after I had cancelled my flight home to Hawaii on a hunch, and here I stood in the sun, my first day of Topanga, and I thought: “This.”

I never intended to be a bodyworker.  I did not move to Kauai to be a massage therapist. I often kid that I actually ducked and denied the invitation more than once; I am a little resistant to change you could say. But change found me because even though I may drag my feet, in reality I am an entrepreneur.

Did you know that in Sanskrit, “Antha Prerna” (which sounds close to entrepreneur) means “Self motivated?”  Being motivated by the voice inside has taken me to the most amazing places, some of them external, some of them internal, some in the presence of such sweet love that I have wondered what I could have done to receive such a friendship, mentorship, tail wag, or sun kiss.

Why do I share lomilomi? Because lomilomi was shared with me. And in that sharing, I found a craft that can help people feel better about themselves and that is a motivator for me in my life. It was my favorite aspect of teaching high school English; it is my favorite aspect of client interaction, and it is something I try to achieve even in a coffee shop.

Yes, lomilomi practitioners help relieve the muscle tension, relax your shoulders, and rebalance your nervous system so you can begin the rejuvenation process, but any bodyworker worth their salt extensively uses one tool: Love.

What do I get out of lomilomi? I get Love.



I would like to share a special thank you to HIllary Branoff of I Nourish Me, an amazing Ayurvedic Practitioner and friend who hosted us.