In 2020, I sensed that my time in Los Angeles was coming to an end, but I wasn’t sure where I wanted to live next.
One thing I did know was that I wanted daily access to nature without needing to drive.
This feeling began during lockdown when I developed a practice of driving to the beach each evening to swim in the ocean and enjoy the sunset while floating. I would drive home sandy, salty, and happily tired.
It was pure medicine for me during the chaos of that time.
While many LA residents spend lots of time driving, I had cultivated a schedule that didn’t require hours in my car. It was 12 minutes door to door to my favorite yoga classes and 15 minutes to Erewhon. Rush hour was rarely part of my life, except when I continued my evening beach trips post-lockdown. Most of my driving time was spent getting to nature.
Flash forward four years, and I now live in a beautiful place where each morning I step outside barefoot, surrounded by acres of flowers, trees, and butterflies.
We have a brook with small falls at the end of our driveway and larger, luscious waterfalls just a bike ride away.
It’s magnificent, and I am truly blessed.
And guess what? I’m dictating this as I drive 40 minutes to my favorite yoga class.
Yep, 3 times my yoga commute in LA.
If you’ve been in my world for a while, you’ve heard me talk about challenge and support, and how both are always present.
Nothing is all good; nothing is all bad.
A simple example is thinking that money will solve one’s problems, only to realize that having more money brings a different set of challenges.
But here’s the thing. Within every challenge, there is always something good to be discovered, or at least a way to make it better. There’s nothing terrible about driving 40 minutes to move my body with people I enjoy. I could complain about it. I could resent it. Or, I can be grateful and pay attention to how beautiful the drive truly is. I can creatively use my time.
So far during this drive, I’ve spoken with a client, my daughter, my CPA, and now I’m dictating my blog.
Last night, I told M, I’m far more productive getting the little things in my day done when I go to yoga consistently because I know I have that time in my car to complete things I might get distracted from at home.
I use it intentionally, and it feels really good not to have those little things carry over on my list to tomorrow.
And the real gift is more time in nature. Growing a garden, planting tubers for the first time, having a yard filled with peonies. The joy of waking up each morning to see what may have bloomed while I was sleeping. And the ability to step out my front door barefoot in the grass or just plop down and cry when I’m having a moment, knowing that nature herself helps me release any unprocessed gunk and repattern my nervous system in such an easy-peasy, glorious way.
If I were to leave you with one thought today, it would be to get outside, even if it’s just for a moment standing outside your car. Even better if there are trees, birds, and grass involved.
And that daily thing you find challenging — how can you make it more fun and pleasurable?
There is always something good to be uncovered in the muck, and the mundane is a really good place to begin that discovery.
Who knows? Maybe it’ll become the best day ever.
Love + Magic,
Amber