Yesterday, or, "Sunday, Monday, Happy Days"
“If you tell me to create a great life, I’m going to run away because that is terrifying. If you tell me to create a great day? I could probably create a great day.”
-Danika Brysha
Danika mentioned the above in her interview on Earn Your Happy with Lori Harder as my Reeboks pounded the city streets of Cupertino early yesterday morning. Danika expanded and elaborated on what a great day looks like for her, which made me think of my own life, and how much it’s changed since my unintentional awakening last October. On that day, I made a vow to sit in the driver’s seat of my life, to quit my job (one that I liked and that I was good at, but I knew wasn’t my true purpose), and to create an existence where high vibrations were the norm, smiles came naturally, and where I loved waking up each day. Essentially, I converted myself to Allie’s Church of Happy Days, Every Day. Cue the music and the poodle skirts.
As I began my run yesterday, I was not making good on that old epiphany. Instead, I was wearing a super shitty attitude. I donned a cloak of anxiety surrounding how I should invoice my clients, a pair of indecisive pants about how to schedule my time more efficiently, a trucker cap of lack mentality, and to finish off my look, I popped on a full face of, “Oh My God, why do I have to run? This is such a waste of time. I hate cardio.” Yep, I had on that kind of outfit. I did have the forethought to recognize my mood, and I offhandedly asked God to “show me a miracle” as I began my reluctant run. My whining to the Universe was akin to Fran Fine asking Mr. Sheffield for a day off (if you get that reference, you are my people).
Anyways, my mood was not getting the A+ I strive for, and usually maintain, each day. But, as I ran and listened to Danika and Lori talk, I shifted in major ways. I realized how lucky I was to have the aforementioned challenges I was working with in my life. Challenge=MAJOR KEY to change, and I have been on an exponential growth curve the past few months. I also began to recognize that I was experiencing those challenges because I am working on so many cool projects. The only reason I perceived the challenges as sucky, was because my attitude was sucky. Sucky interior projections equal sucky external reflections (I’m a wordsmith by profession, what can I say). I realized at that moment, “Dang, Allie, your life is so cool! Props, girl!” Which then made me question:
Have I made good on my end of that deal with the Universe? Those things about lifelong happiness, being your own boss, and being Mrs. Smiley Mc-Smilerson High Vibe Queen sound great, mid-euphoric epiphany, but where was I now, big picture-wise?
Well, I’m days away from turning my rough draft debut novel into a debut novel that I feel comfortable sharing with editors, agents, and publishing houses. Two days a week, I make my own hours and get to redefine individualized education the growing list of nuggets I mentor and teach. I’m working with my best friend on the podcast and creative empire of our dreams. I have time to write whenever I want. I feel inspired. I feel alive. I finally feel purpose-driven.
I realized, without a doubt, that I was creating a great life, through each and every one of my days, though I might not always be stepping back to be appreciative of it, due to the human mind’s uncanny ability to prioritize challenge and minimize victory.
That’s when I was almost hit by a car.
Literally.
Seconds after I came to the realization that I love and adore the life I’m making for myself, a gigantic black SUV ran a red left-turn arrow and came inches from hitting me as I crossed the freeway on-ramp.
My response? Naturally, I screamed the expletive that rhymes with shuck first. I’m human. But shortly after, I remembered the miracle I had begged for just thirty minutes prior. I am so lucky to have what I have, challenges and victories combined. There is a reason each of us get to have the experience of being human, at this time, in this version of the world. We are each here because we have something to offer the collective consciousness. God must have realized that in that moment, I needed to be terrified into admiring the beauty of my life’s composition. I needed a very clear reminder of how beautiful humanness is, and as a result, after screaming profanities, I ran home to the words “thank you.” Out loud, in time with my footfalls. Thank you, not only for the miracle of that vehicle missing connection with my body by inches, but thank you for every single thing that has come into my life’s pathway thus far.
In the end, I agree with Danika. We each have the power to make a great day, every day. Our mindset is our only limitation. I’m so glad that her conversation with Lori woke me up from yesterday’s haze, thereby allowing me to have yet another beautiful twenty-four hour hunk to add to my masterpiece. But, while we are working our magic, focusing on creating happy days every day, we need to pause and take a second to look back at the beautiful creations we’ve composed so far. When we step back and look at them, they are beautiful, eraser smudges, whiteout, do-overs and all. Props, girl!