She said goodbye to her former life many months ago and yet every day she still feels like she's letting go.  With her new wings gently unfolding, learning to soar takes time.

I've decluttered and downsized.  I've reconsidered and reorganized.  In the past seven months, I've paid more attention to what's most important in my life and I've procrastinated more than I have since my college days.  I've moved 2654 air miles from what's been known as home for the past thirty-five years to an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

I've relished my solitude in my new surroundings and I've savored the sweetness of the in-between time.  I've needed to cocoon for awhile to consider what being a butterfly here in Maui means. 

It means just being me.

That's it.  

I knew that and it's funny how challenging that can be sometimes.  

The time was 1:59am on my computer.  Unable to sleep with something brewing inside my head, I sat down in front of the blank screen and just sat there.   

And I sat there.

At 2:30am, the thought occured to me that I could go back to bed.  My body said, "Oh yes, please!" My head said, "Nope."  And so I continued to sit. 

And then around 3am, the something that encouraged me to get up an hour earlier appeared and this is what resulted...

You are free.

Free to Be.

Free to make choices and changes that say who you are and what your life is about.

Free to believe one can make a difference, anything is possible and everything matters.

Free to live your life in such a way that joys will be many and regrets will be few.

Free to lead others to greatness and be inspired by your own greatness within.

Freedom isn't yours to give, it's yours to live, but will you be free?  

When life is hard and times are tough…

Be free.

Free to be hopeful in the face of adversity and face challenges with faith in a better day.

When someone shuts you down or shuts you out…

Be free.

Free to be honest and share how you really feel without being attached to that someone opening up to you.     

When everyone else says "No" or "I can't" or "I won't"…

Be free.

Free to be able to say "Yes" and "I can" and "I will" because you have time to give.  

When your worries and what scares you most try to convince you not to care or dare…  

Be free.

Free to be fearless, bold, and determined to make all your dreams come true.

When your heart is broken into a thousand pieces and sadness reigns over…  

Be free.

Free to be loved again and again in spite of the pain because so many people in your lifetime are going to love you.

When you think you're not good enough or aren't capable of something or you doubt your beauty and brilliance…   

Be free.

Free to be yourself without any judgments, excuses or exceptions.  

When a stranger looks into your eyes and asks for help…

Be free.

Free to be kind instead of cruel and turn towards those in need rather than turn away.

When the cries of humanity are almost too much to bear…  

Be free. 

Free to be ready and available to help make our world a better place for us and for all those who will follow.

And when you take your last few breaths here on this Earth…

Be free.

Free to be released from everything you've ever known, embraced by the Mystery, and welcomed home.

Whenever I'm considering buying an experience (a book, a meal out, a workshop or retreat, etc) it's not so much the details (the what) that get me excited or that convince me to spend money, it's the reasons I want to have that particular experience (the why).  The more I'm in touch with why I want something, more often than not I'm happier with the decision I've made to invest in myself.   

I want you to be a part of the movement retreat I'm having in September.  In sharing my reasons why I want you there, I hope they'll encourage you to consider why you might want to have this kind of experience. 

• I want to dance with you.
• I want to see what happens when you are encouraged to unleash what's wild within you.  
• I want to know what's most important to you and help you remember what it is if you've forgotten.
• I want you to have a long weekend of fun and delight playing outdoors.
• I want you to have the opportunity to meet other lovely and lively people like yourself.
• I want you to be moved by your own creative expression and by what you observe in others. 
• I want to see how being out in nature brings out the best in your nature.
• I want you to do something that excites you, intrigues you, and perhaps even scares you a bit.
• I want you to have an experience that will be meaningful and memorable.
• I want you to really get how beautiful you are.  Your light.  Your dark.  All of it.

Why do I want all these things for you?   What's the number one reason why I'm having this retreat and why I want you there?    

I want you to feel free.   

You already are free.  Free to make your own choices.  Free to love.  Free to live your life.  Free to be and do pretty much anything you want.   Come to Cannon Beach this September and take part in an adventure that will give you plenty of opportunities to be and do what makes you feel most free.

***For all the details about NATIVE, click here.  Receive a $50 early-bird discount by registering for the retreat by July 31!***            

I've always been in love with the ocean.  The wide expanse of sea and sky.  Different hues of blue.  I'm always amazed and moved by the power and beauty of big water.   More so than any other element of nature, I am drawn to the rhythms, the colors, the randomness of the never-ending waves.   

When I first moved to the beach in 2001, I felt more in tune with the natural world than I had in a long time.   For the first few months, every time my feet touched sand or surf, my body reacted as though it had just been caressed by a long-lost lover.  I remembered thinking to myself many a time, "Can one be physically turned-on by Mother Nature?" Yes, one most assuredly can.

Fast-forward ten years...I'm currently on the beautiful island of Maui for the next month and the sensations I experienced a decade ago continue to stir me in delicious ways.  As I stood along the shore in Kihei looking out to the horizon, a familiar feeling paid my heart and spirit a visit.  Without a doubt, I knew I was home.

What element of nature are you most drawn to?  

When and where have you felt at home in the world?   

In September, I'll be leading a movement-based retreat called NATIVE.  We'll be dancing in and amongst the elements of nature.  Come discover what turns you on when you're outdoors.  

I've been a playful spirit for a very long time.  As a kid, I was an imaginative and energetic girl.  I loved playing in general and never missed an opportunity to have fun.  Some things never change...

As an adult, I brought that childlike enthusiasm and sense of wonder to my work as a life coach.  With my clients, I saw how often grown-up responsibilities and worries created an "I don't have time to play" outlook and attitude.  That was all the affirmation I needed to know how I could help others lighten up and live life more joyfully. 

And so I created a website called The Playful Spirit and I coached, wrote and spoke about the importance of play.  Play means different things to different people and how we play by ourselves and with others not only speaks volumes about who we are, but also says something about how satisfied we are with our own lives. 

One of the ways in which I play is to dance.  Even though I never took any lessons as a child and I only took one modern dance class when I was in college, I have always loved to move my body to a rhythm and a beat.  Dancing makes me happy and feel alive.  The art and act of playing has an overwhelming tendency to bring on good feelings.  My hope was that in sharing with others the way in which I play, goodness would expand and more people would recognize the need for more play in their own lives.

And so I opened up a dance studio and created Beach Dance and for the past three years I have seen and heard that playful spirit in each and every person who has participated in a class or event I've facilitated.  That makes me very happy and it also affirms the changes I've made regarding my online presence have been the right ones.     

So this new website of mine really isn't a new beginning.  It's more of a continuation of what I've been doing for the past 42 years of my life.  This new website continues the work and the play I know is so needed in our world right now.   The Playful Spirit may no longer be a visible website, but it's still my email address and my very essence.  I believe the Playful Spirit is alive and well in all of us.