I thought I knew what “taking one day at a time” meant, but it was a lesson I had to repeat till I actually got it.
This blog post is personal.
The reason I am sharing it is because there might be someone like me that needs to hear it.
I am a big believer in being prepared for the worst and hope for the best. It's a concept that I have learned when I was younger and that has helped me all of my life. But it has also taken things away from me, mainly the ability to be present in the moment. The ability to enjoy the ride/process/journey or whatever cliche shit you post, pin or save on your social media. And I understand that this can also be a trama response in some situations, something I'm accutely aware of, being closely tied personally and professionally to the military during the OIF and OEF conflicts.
But I have sat back and reflected on this. And this is what I have learned.
It's about keeping those things in balance, being prepared and present.
I am writing to you after one of the busiest months of 2023. Not only did I evolve my dream job with my dream clients, I got the opportunity to expand it and collaborate with a creative group of specialists that have come together to make a whole community, An Optimal You.
With this collab, I get to learn and teach within this supportive space and reach many many more of my dream clients. With opening a new location, there's a ton of back end work that needs to be done, marketing, creating a space that I can work in, and so much more. It's more then just opening the doors and saying,”Come on in!”
I also had a dream come true this past December. I taught a masterclass for a sport that I love, live and breathe. Ya’ll know I'm a pole and aerialist at heart. Shoot, I taught pole for 4 years!!! So this was the chance to take what I've learned as a practitioner and instructor and create a class that will change the industry. It is an instructor training designed to help create safety, and injury prevention for instructors, students and Elite Pole Athletes.
And throw it in that I personall moved in December, to a whole new residency literally right in between masterclass, new office, and Christmas, one of my favorite holidays. And New Years!
So I packed stuff in boxes, sorting out my life and decided if I really needed all those dang coffee mugs, Mix in social gatherings for Christmas, and it's a lot on my plate.
Don't get me wrong, I was excited out of my gord!!! But, in all of this exciting stuff, there have been sleepless nights and stress. There where days, as I was driving home, I had to take some big breaths because I was feeling so stressed, trying to be prepared for all of it.
I felt like I was so stressed and, I was missing the magic. I was missing the damn journey. I was missing the joy of planning the class curriculum. I was missing picking out the details and vision for the new office. I was stressed and not having fun and thinking to myself, “I'll feel better once I get there.”
But, I started wondering to myself, why wait till I get the house moved in, the office set up, and standing in front of my audience in my workshop. Why not just take a breath? Take a moment to get prepared for it, get the game plan. Then take it one day at a time, one project at a time. And enjoy crafting each and every part and piece. I did exactly this in my pole journey last year. I didn't have any expectations, but just the desire to get better. I hired a coach, told her I had one goal by December, and that was it. I wanted it to be challenging, pushing me waayyy past my comfort zones, but that was it. And now I stand here 12 months later flabbergasted as to what my body can do, and curious to see what next year brings.
So, that's exactly what I did. I took it one project at a time. Some days I wanted to raace ahead to next week's project. But it qickly felt overwhelming, and I had to mentall tell myselft. “Dude, just focus on this project this week. Just focus on what's in front of you. You'll get to it all. And don't let perfect get in the way of good.”
I had to take one week at a time. And in that time I got to really enjoy each experience. And as much as it was a test on my patience, I am so glad it unfolded this way. I'm sitting here relaxed, writing to you with a hot cup of apple cider, and taking the monment to soak it all in. I didn't miss the expressions and light in the eyes of my instructors. I got to celebrate Christmas with new and exciting traditions, and see my family. I got to be truly present for it, all the laughs and yummy food. Things had I rushed and over prepared and catastrophically overthought, would have left me too exhausted to make those memories.
New office launch happened, almost perfectly. But that's ok. I found joy in all of it. And wouldn't have had this any other way.
I'm sharing this with you because you might be or know someone just like me. And this is a letter to myself, for those days that I'm in that catasrophic mindset. Lorae, ”You got this. Sit back and take it one day at a time. Take a second to make a plan then take a breath and look around you.” Take a mental picture of that sunset. Be present to what you're doing, and as cliche as this sounds: be here for the journey. Enjoy the shit that was once wildest dreams, that's now reality. Don't miss a single moment of it. Take it one day at a time.
So this letter is to you, me, and future Lorae. Because, I wonder what all of this will lead up to in the years to come. Let's all practice the art of being prepared and present. Just being here for it. Remind me if I ever forget it. Cuz, I might and this is why I am sharing this with you.
Be Prepared and Present.
Oh and I figured out 2024’s word of the year. Unstoppable. Just like Sia sings it. See you in 2024..
“Be prepared for the journey ahead, but be present and enjoy where you are right now. Where you are right now, was a just a dream a little while ago. ”