365 Days of Wonderful – Day 118

365 Days of Wonderful – Day 118

Today I am grateful to be strong, capable, and resilient. I am grateful for my optimistic outlook–which can get me into trouble every now and again. We optimistically took our boards to Nordland and launched at Mystery Bay State Park. Our plan involved a quiet, sheltered bay… and a sweet paddle…

Honestly, we knew the tide times, and we could tell there was a pretty good incoming tide and current, which would carry us into the bay–for half of our journey. There was a lovely the blue sky, and a light breeze…so we launched on optimism and adventurous spirit. As we crossed the channel, it was apparent the the incoming current was pretty strong, so we tucked in around the point. We could ride the tide without any efforting at all. We paddled into the bay and toward the Nordland General Store. We rested on the dock for a bit, and laughed at the wind, which was picking up speed.

It is only 3/4 of a mile or so up the road, to the State Park… we mused about hitch hiking, or walking up the beach. We thought that the wind might pick up, so we embarked on our return adventure. The water was choppy, and the wind was strong in our faces. We knelt on our boards, to increase our stability. Right off the dock, I had a heck of a time turning into the wind. I had to do a complete 360 to get the nose of my board heading toward the boat launch.

I shouted into the wind, “I AM IN CONTROL OF THIS VESSEL!!” and I dug in strong and paddled like mad. I kept Grace in front of me, tight to my body, and paddled for all I was worth. My left rotator cuff was feeling the burn, I had to paddle to the right of the board to keep us on course in the wind and current. I ended up paddling closer to shore, as I thought that looked a tiny bit calmer–it may have just been a mirage! As it got shallower, I used my paddle on the bottom and poled my way up the shoreline. Hey–I thought about the relative comparison cost of the paddle to my rotator cuff… you do the math.

We made it up the shore line, and I heard a ker-splash! My sweet Fella tumbled into the bay! Can I just admit, that I am completely grateful that it was he, and not me! I generally prefer to stay as dry as possible–unless it is a hot day!

The piece for me here is that I would not be bested. I chose to Be In Control. I could have shucked it all, and focused on all the things not in our favor–least of all the prevailing winds. But, I chose to give it my all–and see what would unfold. Yes, I could have pulled ashore, and walked up the beach, but I chose to keep paddling, and paddling, and paddling… It did help that the shoreline was advancing. AND I am super grateful to say that we made it–through human propulsion!

My big take away for the day: I do prefer to check currents, wind forecasts, and tides BEFORE I launch. If we had done that bit of homework, before the onset of our adventure, we may have chosen a calmer spot in a different locale. It is always smart to evaluate a trip, see if we need to make any adjustments…next time. After my last beach adventure I ascertained that I should travel with a knife–as one never knows when one might run into a bit of beach rope that one might like to collect… There was a knife in the car–but I digress.

I am grateful that I am in good shape. I am grateful for my will, and my willingness. I am grateful for the adventure, and I know that I will always have the story of the windy day on Mystery Bay when I would not be bested.

“I AM IN CONTROL OF THIS VESSEL!” _________________ 365 Days of Wonderful ~ A daily gratitude practice for re-framing life with a slant toward the positive.

I am a Wellness Coach, and a Transformational Life Coach. Thanks for tuning in. I help people clarify their purpose, figure out what gives them passion and meaning, and coach them toward making empowered action steps, while helping them identify what is stopping them, so they can get more of what they say they want.

I believe the necessary component is to listen to our hearts–like a well calibrated compass, and do more of what makes us happy–in order to transform our lives into something we LOVE. When we focus on making better wellness choices, and we begin to feel better–then every aspect of our lives transforms–for the better.

IF you are ready to make changes, willing to dig around in beliefs, and if you are ready to show up for yourself in a big way–then coaching may be right for you. IF this resonates with you–I offer a free 90 minute Empower Wonderful You Clarity Session, message Monika Adams for information or to schedule. ______________ Individual Inquiry: Where in your life do you need to dig in and shout “I AM IN CONTROL!” ?? Are you aware of your dominant ways of being? Are you an optimist? Are you an adventure seeker? Are you a Yes person, or a No person? Do you generally have a back up plan? Are you the type of person that is willing to try and see what happens?