Trust the Timing of the Universe

“Even when you think you have your life all mapped out, 

things happen that shape your destiny

in ways you might never have imagined. ”

― Deepak Chopra

hEy aLL!

One thing that has been getting my attention lately is the fact that THINGS ARE NOT ON MY TIMELINE . . . (huh? I thought I was in cOnTrOL . . . not). I mean, I can have the best plans for any particular day, and then shIzzLe happens and what I thought my day was going to look like tOtaLLy changes@!!$%^

But that’s okay . . . I’ve learned to go with it . . . well, most of the time . . .

What’s nOt oKaY and what makes me absolutely mIserAbLe, is when I can’t go with the flow. In other words, I can’t be mAd at LiFe for not happening MY WAY (or the highway . . .) —which brings me back to . . .

LeTTinG Go . . .

gOiNg with tHe fLoW of mY beAutY-FULL LiFe

and LeTTinG Go(d)

(or the Universe)

be in charge

sToRy oPPorTunitY: One day two summers ago was going to be pretty complicated. I was supposed to have a meeting, pay bills, go to the doctor, bLaH.BlAH. bLaH! --and when I started feeling overwhelmed, I cancelled an appointment at 1:00 at my school so I could get some breathing room and hang with my kids. Well, in the morning my kids reminded me that they were going to help me set up my classroom anyway, (I teach 8th grade English - - -YeaH!). So, we headed to school.

Well, about a mile from my school, my engine light went on and my car jerked suddenly. My kids were freaking out, (and so was I . . . but they didn't know it, 'cuz I'm the grown up, right? and I can fake it . . .). I know that my oil change light started going on a couple of days ago, but I was secretly kind of ignoring it until my kids were with their dad (I don't like to run errands when I have my kids). Another thing that mad me anxious is that I didn't want to be late for dropping off my kids at their dad's (I hAte being Late!).

A few blocks away was an oil change station, and it happened to be three blocks from my school also, so I drove (heart beating . . . well, POUNDING!) into the station and told the guys that my light went on, and I needed an oil change.

Guess what! They were super nice, told me they would change the oil and do a diagnostic on my car and call me when they were done. Meanwhile, we walked to my school, set up my classroom, and I even got to meet my teaching partner for a few minutes!

So, here's what I was reminded of: The timing of the Universe is much better than mine. Here's why (note secret gratitude list that I actually said out loud in front of my kids):

• My light went on at the perfect time--
• not when I was traveling hundreds of miles last weekend
• not on the highway this morning
• but thankfully 1/2 mile from my school-
• I could take care of the oil change and get my schoolwork done
• I could walk to school with my kids
• I was able to meet with my teaching partner--aWeSomE!
• I was able to role model gratitude with my kids!
• My kiddos got to their dad's in time for lunch! Yeah! 

Funny thing--I actually would have been SUPER SMART to plan it JUST THE WAY IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED . . . but guess what? The timing still worked out perfectly without me being in charge of it! Thanks Universe!

WheW! I'm gonna stop working so hard . . .

HeArts to yOu!
SuPer LuCky giRl (aka dana)

I have exactly what I need!

Hey there!
 This blog may be a bit weird because I am writing it from my phone for the very first time. I wanted to share something that happened  to me this morning, and it has to do with synchronicity.
I was at the post office with my daughter sending some letters and a package and I wanted to get rid of my change along with a couple of dollar bills and so I took out $2 and emptied out my little change purse and the woman told me I owed $4.17. I dug around in my change counted out the dollars I had exactly the correct amount of money that I needed . . .  $4.17! I couldn't believe it and it was just a reminder that I have exactly what I need at every moment.
What a wonderful synchronous reminder that the Universe has my back!

gOt tAb?

Hey Y'all--

Sometimes we need to TrUsT in something biGGer than what we know... (and trust, is hard...cuz alot of times, we only believe in what we can see, touch, smell, taste, etc...)

I used to have a hard time with tRuSt. But here's kind of a cool and raNdoM (surprise, coming from me) story: 

Once I asked to the Universe to show me a pink can of TaB (which is old-school soda); I didn't think it was made anymore, and I hadn't seen a can for like, 25 years. Four days later, my teacher-friend Mr. R walked through the computer lab (where I had my English classes). 

He smiled and announced, "I am going to the get myself a TaB." And I was so psyched! 

I asked, "Do you have a can for me?"

And he told me that he only had one left, and that I could have it.

Arrival or TaB!

Pretty amazing, huh?

Thanks, Mr. R!

Yu r an (m)angel?!@3#W$%&#

;)d

bE aFrAid (not)!

"Do one thing every day that scares you."

~Eleanor Roosevelt

Hey All fUn&fRee feArLESS pEoplE:

Be aFraid! be very afraId . . .! 

Are you scared of being scared? I am. It makes me want to run away and try to control or forget the yucky stuff that scares me. As Eleanor Roosevelt recommends, we should do some (one)thing everyday that scares us. Which, really means, that we must try to tune in to what we are scared of--AND INTENTIONALLY DO THE THING THAT scArEs us The MoStEsT!  . . . seems kind of counter-intuitive, doesn't it?

For me, the scariest thing lately (as in, for the past 10 years), is speaking my truth and sharing my feelings.

I've never been very good at this. You see, I never thought my feelings were right (have you ever heard of right feelings? OMG), and I never got that my voice was, well, worthy of being heard, truth be told (why did I believe my voice was less important than anyone else's?). 
I never got that others valued what I had to say, and that is what caused me to take my feelings
     U
          N
               D
                    E
                         R
GROUND
and even medicate myself with unhealthy behaviors, attitudes, mindsets, and patterns. I am so, so lucky, that the important people in my life are willing to hear the truth, albeit SUPER KLUNKY most of the time. . .  (namely, Keith, Max & Chloe, Mom, Chris, Shelley, Celia, Alana, Brenda, Edward, Diane).
     

HEAR ME NOW,

funfreepeople:

FEAR

(in disguise)

IS OUR

BEST

FRIEND

as in,

our best opportunity for growth.

A mentor of mine, Mastin, has taught me that my fear informs me what I MUST to do next--like a signpost or a roadmap. For example, if I'm scared of telling my friend how I feel or share what I think,  it's EXACTLY what I need to DO!  OMG! It's the total OPPOSITE of how I've lived much of my life. I'm so lucky and blessed that I (sort of) get it now. . .

"Go to your fears, sit with them, stare at them.

Your fears are your friend, their only job is to show you undeveloped parts

of yourself that you need to cultivate to live a happy life.

The more you do the things you're most afraid of doing the more life opens up.

Embrace your fears and your fears will embrace you."

- Jackson Kiddard

So, according to this amazing quote, we are suposed to be friends with stuff that scares the CrAp out of us--and, (what the heck?)--our fears are FRIENDS--they show us what we NEED TO DO--WHAT WE MUST DO-- TO GROW.

Story opportunity: My daughter, Chloe, told me she saw a book called Courage (Waber) that she wanted to get--so, we went down to our awesome neighborhood bookstore called the Wild Rumpus and bought the book!

                     

So weird! When we got home, I received a package from UPS delivering a book that I forgot I had ordered a few months back. 

Guess what it was called? Courage (Ford)! 

We had both wanted the same book? AND they arrived on the same day! 

Coincidence? NO WAY! Synchronicity? YES WAY!

SO what exactly is synchronicity?

English teacher moment:

syn = same

chron = time

icity = the quality of

So, it basically means the quality of occurring at the same time. I also call these magical moments, awakening calls, fairy whispers, Universe knocks, GodWinks, and signs.

They call: HEAR ME! PAY ATTENTION. THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE.

These moments happen to me almost every day now, because I have learned to pay attention and listen. It could be a stranger's conversation, a piece of paper I find, a bug or an animal, or a hug from my children. 

Have you faced a fear lately? Or, have you ever experienced a synchronicity that u were aware of? Let me know in the comments!

No coincidences, yo! So much love!

;0) Dana

Amazing Synchronicity Today!

The Durst Quadruplets

Born in Buffalo, MN

06.05.17.

Today I was taxicabbing my daughter and her friend after their slumber party, and I had some time to spare. I usually have my computer and/or my phone with me, or something to read, but after I dropped the girls off at Caribou, I hung out at the Target Starbuck's until they walked over to shop for a bit.

I realized I had nothing to do, and my first thought was to buy a People magazine so I could occupy myself. Then it occurred to me that something cool might be presented to me if I just participate in my surroundings--and BE, not DO.

And it did!

Being the chatty 8th grade teacher-type that I am, I noticed two girls who looked really similar to each other, and I asked them if they were twins . . . One of the girls said yes, but that they were missing the two others. They were actually quadruplets! Huh? I had never met anyone who was a quadruplet in my 51 years on this planet. HOW COOL!

When I asked them what the chances were of quadruplets being born, one told me that the chances were over 1 in a million. We chatted a bit, I asked them about schooling and life, and then when they left I told them it was really great to meet them.

I got home and Googled the stats on identical quadruplets being born, and I was shocked to see that it close to 1 in 13 million. And when I Googled their names, I found a Star & Trib. article about them and their lives as quads: CLICK HERE!

"Four of a Kind"

I thought it was amazing to meet two of the quadruplets; they even had their own reality show called "Four of  Kind" back in the 2011. I'm glad I was open to this experience today and I wasn't on my phone, computer, or reading People magazine.

Grateful!

aLL is weLL . . . On pURpoSe . . .

05.19.17.

"With Synchronicity,

all the resources we need are made available to us

at the precise moment that is appropriate.

The people who come into our lives are the ones we need at that moment in time.

Everything is perfect.

We only need to recognise this to tune into the flow.

Everything happens for a Reason and Every Experience is a Learning Experience."

 - Alex Chua

This past couple of days I've been remembering a Celtic symbol that showed up in my life a very long time ago, and how it has supported me in my journey all along . . . but especially in the past few years--maybe cuz' I have been increasingly present and open to the Universe.

I started out with one of these symbols to keep in my pocket, to serve as a reminder to me that I am loved and there is a Higher Power working in my life. But one day, my token went missing out of my pocket . . . I looked for it everywhere in my house, at my job, and in my car, . . . even in my yard; it was nowhere to be found.

I actually took losing my token as a sign in and of itself--that I was not paying attention and that I needed to get more conscious. I prayed to find it at the right time, and continued looking for weeks and weeks.

One morning, I was one my way to school and I decided to stop at one of my favorite coffee shops, Dunn Bothers, which was kind of strange because I was already running late. I just was kind of bummed out and lonely, and hadn't been in for months--and wanted to touch base with my coffee shop peeps whom I've known for years (what up Clare and Paul!).

I ordered my coffee as usual, chatted with Clare, and as I looked down to leave a tip, I saw the very same coin with my symbol on it sitting on the till. I got the chills. I asked Clare where it came from, and she said someone had "accidentally" dropped it into the tip jar in the past week (it couldn't have been me because I hadn't been there, and you know I don't believe in coincidences!). 

I told her it was the symbol of my Celtic rune that I'd lost weeks before, and she gave me a big smile on her face and pressed it into my hand saying, "You can have it. It's yours. It was totally waiting for you, Dana." I was so speechless. I walked out of the coffee shop with my special (but not my original) Celtic symbol safe in my pocket, and I pledged to become more present so I wouldn't lose it again.

Have you ever experienced a synchronous event? They can be some of the most powerful life-changing experiences we have, and guess what? 

WHAT IF we lived our lives as if EVERY EVENT and EVERY RELATIONSHIP were a sacred confluence, created uniquely FOR us to get our attention and to help us learn (even the painful stuff . . .)? 

WHAT IF we could be grateful for it ALL, even if we aren't clear about the agenda or the Universe's plan for us?

Remember, we are only humans and our vision can be limited, at best. The Universe, however, may just have bigger plans for us that we can even imagine.

Ask and We Shall Receive . . .

05.09.17

This morning at school I was talking to my good friend and colleague, Tara (yo girl!), about some new health habits we would both like to commit to . . . and we decided that we are going to drink more water, cuz I usually drink coffee and tea--which sometimes leaves me headachy at the end of my workday.

I went to get some water from the staff lounge, and I put my $1.25 in the machine and as I pushed the button for water, I thought to myself: 

I wonder how many bottles of water 

I need to drink each day while I'm at work? 

The machine rumbled a bit, and one bottle of water was sent down to the opening . . . followed by a second bottle . . . followed by a third !  All for the PRICE OF ONE!

Guess that was my answer! Three bottles of water each day. And 333 is my magic number!

Coincidence? Of course not. Time for a water break. 

Thanks, Universe!

Love, Dana

Message from the Uni-Verse!

Dear Ones--

Have you ever noticed that the right message from the Universe seems to arrive exactly when you need it? You can probably see the card I got this morning from one of my besties, Alana.

I feel really stressed and pressured by all of the expectations I put upon myself. This morning I opened a manila envelope with this message: 

YOU ARE

EXACTLY

WHERE YOU

SHOULD BE

YOU ARE DOING

EXACTLY

WHAT YOU SHOULD

BE DOING

I was relieved to get this reminder. The (not so) hidden message for me is this:

• Your best is good enough.
• You don't have to be perfect.
• You have enough time.
• All is well.
• Breathe.

I often get caught up in running around like a crazy person . . . but in the next couple of days, I am going to try to jUsT bE instead of dO. Try to enjoy the relationships I have, and be grateful for the time well-spent with those I love. The gifts don't mean so much, after all. What I want to give most is my presence--I think that's the best present of all.

Love Be-ing A TeacHer!

I'm so lucky to be a teacher!

hEy tHeRe!

Many teachers and kids do the countdown to summer toward the end of the school year--so excited for summer, right? Well;, I'm at work this morning as an 8th grade English teacher at Valley Middle School and guess what?

I LOVE IT!

I mean, what could be better than 

hanging out with kids all day?

(the groWn-Ups are okay, too, I guess . . . LOL!)

Honestly, I feel super lucky and blessed to have a job I love, and to tell the truth, teaching actually found mE. Here's the super no-coincidence story:

Once upon a time in my twenties after college, I was in my room late at night reading a college course catalog (yes, I was working at a department store in the mall with a 4-year degree, living at home with my parents . . . and that's okay . . . I just didn't have a direction, or a focus, and I wasn't sure what to do with my life, hence the college course catalog). I turned a page open and vwah-lah (is that how you spell it?), out popped a section in the catalog for a teaching license program for English (which was my degree in college).

I was like WHOA! COOL! I could be a teacher! and looked farther down the page. I needed two letters on reference from college professors, a copy of my college transcript, an essay explaining my interest in the program, and a filled-out application form. Not a problem, really . . . but then I looked at the deadline: 

iT was 

DuE the

vEry nExT dAy at 5:00 p.m.

I didn't know it at the time, but this was one of the very first times I felt the Universe leveraging itself for me. I knew I was going to be a teacher after I saw this program, and I knew I was going to meet the deadline.  

So, I stayed up all might long writing my essay and filling out the application, and in the morning right away, I called two of my favorite professors the and asked for references THE VERY SAME DAY. They agreed! (of course) . . . 

That very same day (fewer than 24 hours since I had read about the program), I headed down to the University of Minnesota with my application; I picked up the references from my two professors; I went to the transcript office and got an authorized copy of my college grades; AND, I hand-delivered my entire application at (you guessed it!) around 4:55 p.m.

I made the deadline!

Anyway, that is the story of the beginning of my love affair with teaching. I feel so blessed to be a teacher and to have a job that I absolutely adore. Deepak Chopra, in his Seven Laws of Spiritual Success describes The Law of Dharma in this way:

"Everyone has a purpose in life . . . a unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals."

Do you think your work is connected to your dharma?

Let's continue tomorrow!

Blessings!

Dana

EMERGE!

Happy Sunday All!

Since it's been the holiday season, transformation and redemption is on my mind. Also, just so you know, I feel very drawn to forgiveness during this season. I've been writing a lot about cocoons in the past couple of days, and the butterfly reminds us about biRtH and reBiRtH and also gently whispers to us:

The only constant in 

life is 

cHaNGe! 

Sometimes in my life, I have felt downright awkward, sluggish, and well, kind of wormISH, in a way. If I think about caterpillars, they are kind of the same . . . gross and not-so-good looking, perhaps? Can you believe that yucky wormy caterpillars transform themselves into beautiful and amazing butterflies?

DO you think caterpillars realize their existence in the dirt with the other worms and bugs is actually preparing them for their most miraculous life above the ground in free flight? Can you imagine the view--the difference in perspective?! (gOoSeBuMp alert!)

What if yoUr existence now--with all the fab stuff and the yucky crap, too, is doing the same: preparing you for yoUr most miraculous life above the ground in free flight?

Here's a reveal of a butterfly's

first emergence

(nice outfit!)

If you've ever watched a caterpillar spin a cocoon and emerge as a butterfly you may have noticed a couple of things: the process of transformation takes time; and trUst that nAtUrE knows what it's doing!

Sweet dreams!

lOve,

Dana

iMaGinE iT aLL . . .!

trUst in bUtTerFlieS!

hEy aLL-

Have you ever had an animal friend keep showing up for you over and over until it gets your attention!?  Interesting (and no co-InKY-dInK) that bUttErFLieS have been showing up for me again lately.

Sometimes animals can be called totems--- Webster's Dictionary defines a totem as: "A natural object, usually an animal that serves as a distinctive, often venerated [respected] emblem or symbol, usually a means of personal or spiritual identity." 

The butterfly is a symbol of transformation and change (yiKEs! cHaNGe scary!@$@!@#$# but not really . . . remember the You-niverse catcHes uS?) 

The butterfly is also a totem of trUst . . . in yoUr gUt and yoUr heart and the butterfly reminds us that we have the ability to transform in our lives; in other words, we get to change the crappy stuff that doesn't work for us anymore--like relationships, behaviors, patterns, and stories that no longer serve us and become something from our most amazing possibility and iMagInatioN! 

go(o)D news: WE GET TO CHOOSE! Will you answer the most important cALL? yOUr own? hOneStlY. . . I may have put mySelf on CaLL WaItinG for quiTe awhile waiting for mY tImE! I jUsT wasn't ready!

WAKE UP CALL: 

The only thing in life that is constant is cHaNGe! 

(English teacher need to note iRoNy, here).

and

TraNsfOrMaTiOn

takes time

and

 trUst

that nAtUre

KnOws WhaT it'S

dOing.

Anyway--we are all butterflies. Find your flight pattern!

Hearts!

dana

LiOnS aNd TiGerS aNd bEaRs, oH mY!

The lions and tigers and bears of time and space, Dana Lynne,

are really the angels and fairies and unicorns that followed you here,

in disguise, from world's beyond,

agreeing to poke, unnerve, and awaken you

should you ever begin to forget that you're making it all up

-- your life, that is.

Now that's love -

The Universe

Dear fun&frEE PeePS!

Home can be a lot of things, actually. It can be a place where you live (like a house), your very own special room (a secret fort), it can be the comfort of a smell (like when you're at your grandma's house), or even your favorite activity like running or hockey...

I was remembering that Dorothy thought she couldn't go home without the help of the Wizard . . . when she really had the power all along: her ruby red slippers! She just didn't realize her gift was right in front of her, because the surround was seemingly unfamiliar.

My thought is that many of us search for home all of our lives . . . and we often get confused and lose ourselves on and off along the way. We encounter evil (like the Wicked Witch, for example), and we also encounter our fears, disguised as "lions and tigers and bears." 

OH MY!  

Luckily, we can choose the meaning we want to assign to our fears, and our fears can actually become our friends, helping us select the next piece of our development or transformation. In other words, our fears can point us to our next informed piece of action.

Otherwise, we can go around our fears . . . 

don't worry, though; if we choose to ignore our fears, they will keep returning until we learn the lesson we are supposed to learn.

FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS.

dang. 

 
For every unexpected bump, turn, or squiggle on the path of life, Dana Lynne,
you pretty much have two choices:
Accept it as if you yourself had meticulously planned it and as if you're being
watched by 10,000 cheering angels who love you so much,

you're pretty much all they ever sing about.

 
Or, accept it, kicking and screaming,

as if it were some freak accident or random mistake that had befallen you by chance.

 
I know which I would choose,  

The Universe

I had a friend who had something, well, seemingly terrible happen a few weeks back. It was all my friend could do to gather up strength, surround herself with others who think she is AMAZING, and keep from defending herself for . . . well, nothing, really. Turns out the thing that happened was a super well-timed (perfectly timed!) reminder of one of her most important lessons.  

What if we could be in a state of continuing gratitude for whatever is in front of us . . . as if I "had meticulously planned it out?" 

What have you looked back on in gratitude, that was seemingly terrible? What cool jiggy stuff did the Universe secretly have in store for you? Leave us a comment and share your story!

Cool beans! 

Dana