BY: Julie Slater – “The Lotus Flower”
Have you ever felt like you were sitting back while someone else was driving your life? I don’t mean someone dictating what you’re doing or controlling you. Instead, you’re simply witnessing a new person at the wheel. Same height, same weight as you, but different. This person attached to your body is thinking in new ways and feeling something unique deep inside. There is definitely some unfamiliar type of confidence and swagger going on. I’m not exactly sure who this new me is or where she came from. But I’ve poured a whiskey drink and placed it on the table for her – just so she knows she’s welcome.
Welcome to my life, September 2018.
I’ve really been getting along with my new me. She’s super chill, easy to talk to, and has a great sense of humor 😊 . I alluded to this new lady in last month’s blog – talking about how suddenly there is this calm that has enveloped me. One that tells me everything is in its right place. Which reminds me of this photo I took when I was in Italy in 2014:
Have you ever thought about how every single decision you’ve ever made has led you to this moment you are in now? Every single yes. Every single no. Has led to…right here.
Have you ever watched the movie – SLIDING DOORS? If you took one side step, left for that meeting two minutes later, perhaps your entire life would be different right now? It’s some heavy stuff.
What’s even heavier is what I heard the other day. I was driving down the 405 listening to a podcast. It’s called: Don’t Keep Your Day Job with Cathy Heller (https://www.dontkeepyourdayjob.com/). I had met Cathy when she was a guest speaker at a UCLA Extension course. She’s super inspiring. Cathy is someone that not only writes music, but she gets it placed in films, TV, and commercials. She runs a company that helps others get their music placed. And now she does a super successful flippin’ podcast about living out your dreams and being the best you!
I was listening to her “How to Stop Overthinking” episode – August 27th. In it, she said these devastating words:
“You are living the exact life you think you deserve.”
I almost swerved my car off the road. Holy crap. I was stunned. OF COURSE, I thought! Talk about a truth bomb. That is when I decided it was time to do something about this life I deserve. Basically, I decided to go for it. To believe in myself and my talents. I will not let anyone make me feel less. Ever. And I will whole-heartedly build a life that brings me joy. I deserve more. And damn it, I’m gonna go get it.
A few days later, I was working on this audiobook (narrating). And there I was reading aloud basically the same idea. That we are all given gifts/talents. And it’s up to us to believe in them and ourselves and the magic will follow. I got chills reading this book because it’s as if this book was written for me to be reading at this exact moment in my life. You know, how “every step I’ve taken in my life has led me here now.”
Let me be the guinea pig here. I keep hearing if you go all in, set your intentions, and completely believe, that what you want WILL happen – that you will suddenly start seeing incredible things transform before your eyes.
It goes along the lines of – what would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? If money were no object, what are your dreams? These are very intense questions to ask yourself. But only you know the answers.
Has there been something that you’ve always wanted to do, but talked yourself out of it? Told yourself it’s too hard to do, or that only so many people get work doing that, etc. What if you flipped the switch and changed that old story running through your head. What if now is the perfect time to go for it? What if you actually let yourself drop the protective suit and just took that leap???
So, my fellow Feelers: about 20 months ago, I was thrown off a cliff – by being let go from a job. NOW, I’m the one taking the jump. I have officially leapt. (Net appearing somewhere underneath me soon.)
Until next time. Reporting from the field, mid-flight!
Namaste.
(P.S. I haven’t exactly done all that purging I talked about in last month’s blog, but it will be a big part of my current journey!)
Julie Slater, aka THE LOTUS FLOWER, looooves music. Besides being a musician, you may have heard her DJing on top stations: 92.3 K-Rock in NYC as well as 100.3 The Sound & Alt 98.7 in Los Angeles. She also curated & hosted a new music/indie show called Out on a Limb on 88.5 FM in LA.
When she’s not at concerts, you can usually find her in the kitchen. And she has a slight obsession with deep, dark caernets & a well-made Old Fashioned. Cheers!