What, you may wonder, do baby chicks have to do with living from your essential self?  Well, I’ll tell you…..

This week my almost 10 year old daughter and I were offered the opportunity to raise 10 baby chicks until they are 8 weeks old.  My first thoughts were “No Way!  Too much work, huge mess, we don’t have space, our cats will eat them, I can’t bring messy smelly baby chicks into our house, blah, blah, blah…”  I was going to say no thank you, but every time I went to respond I felt a familiar tightness in my belly.   A feeling that I have learned means that the action I’m about to take is not on the path to my most joyful and authentic life.  Like a GPS programmed with the destination of my North Star, my essential self is telling me to “return to the highlighted route.”  So. I took a closer look at the thoughts that were going through my mind.

I noticed that my thoughts were all based on lack and fear (mostly things like, there’s not enough time, help or money).   I  recognized that they were stories I was telling myself that weren’t true and they were drowning out my desire to allow my daughter to have an opportunity to revel in her joy, as well as the part of me that wanted to play with adorable little chicks.

I asked myself the question…In 10 years which will I remember…keeping my house clean and avoiding the overwhelm, or a joyful and crazy opportunity to raise chickens in our bathroom?  Well, as you’ve probably concluded from the above photo I said yes to the chicks…..and to my essential self.

Deciding whether or not to raise baby chicks may not seem like a big life decision, but every action that we take that is in line with our essential self strengthens our muscle to do it again.  It’s actually little decisions like this that create the lives we want to create.  My small decision to pay attention to what felt freer and more joyful in my body has had big results in my life.  I actually feel less overwhelmed and happier.  I’m having a joyful and bonding adventure with my daughter…..right in our bathroom! She’s taken full responsibility for the chicks and is in absolute heaven.  I get a chance to see how grown up she is and what she’s capable of.  Yes, they are smelly and messy and our cats are going crazy, but I’m having more fun, feeling more joy, am more connected to my daughter, and more inspired in my work.   Sometimes things that seem small do make big differences in how we feel and experience our lives.  Especially when those small things are things that are on the path to our best life, our North Star, our JOY.  It reminds me of my favorite Abraham-Hicks quote…..”JOY first, and then anything else you have time for.” Listen to what your body is telling you.   You may be surprised just how easy it is to live your joy now.

Love, Laughter and Bliss,

Lorraine