An Adventure That Went South (West)!

Mountain biking on Antelope Island, Utah.  That sounded like a good item to check off my 50 for 50 list.  I had been to Antelope Island before but never mountain biked there.  Sounds fun, right? Let me give a little history on Antelope Island.  The island has an area of 42 square miles.  It is the largest of 10 islands that lie within the Great Salt Lake.  Antelope Island has natural scenic beauty and holds populations of pronghorn, bighorn sheep, American bison, porcupine, badger, coyote, bobcat, and millions of waterfowl. The bison were introduced to the island in 1893, and Antelope Island Bison Herd has proven to be a valuable genetic pool for bison breeding and conservation purposes. The bison do well because much of the island is covered by dry, native grassland. [Excerpt taken from Wikipedia.  Lots more history there is you desire a deeper understanding.]

Bikes on car, helmets and water packed.  Let's go.  It's about an hour and half ride from Park City.  Before I knew it, we were there and ready for some adventure.  I suggested that we stop at the Visitor's Center which is one of the first stops when you get off the Causeway onto the Island.  The center is a cement building perched on top of one of the highest points on the island.  As I exited the car, I realized that there were swarms of gnats.  Little tiny, annoying bugs that fly right into your ears and nose.  Okay, this should be interesting.  Perhaps the plan might have to be modified.

Pushing forward onto the island, we decided that Buffalo Point would be a great trail to do.  It's about a mile round trip and is overlooking the Great Salt Lake.  I suggested we hike in a bit to see what the terrain looked like since I had my son with me.  He is a great mountain biker on flat trails, but this one looked a little challenging.

Once we exited the car, it became very apparent that the gnat issue was not going to get better.  Undaunted, I suggested that we abandon the bikes, but still hike to the topmost section of the  hill.  Bad idea!  Anytime we stopped, we were absolutely swarmed.  If ever a person were to go completely insane, it might be in this instance.  They were everywhere, moving with us as we ran faster and faster back towards the car.  My son was screaming, I was screaming….

After finally getting back to the car, and getting whatever gnats were inside the car out, my kid declared that he never, ever wanted to come back to this island again.  Can't say as I blame him.

As we started driving again, I realized we still had not seen any bison or antelope.  One cannot come to the island and not see one of these animals.  When I promised to not stop the car at all, my son agreed to continue down the road to see what wildlife we could see.  We were rewarded with a herd of bison lounging on the beach and antelope prancing through the tall grass.

Antelope Island is very scenic and beautiful.  I am sure there are times of the year when the gnats don't swarm.  I, for one, am not ready to venture back there again.  However, the day was not lost.  We soaked in some beautiful scenery, turned the mishap into a funny story and ended up giggling the whole way home.  My kid was re-naming it Gnatelope Island and kept saying we got "Gnatomic Bombed".  It turned out to be a great bonding adventure.  We were met with adversity and turned it into a great day!

"When adversity strikes, that's when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on." - LL Cool J

Until the next adventure,

P.A. Walker

As always, you can follow me on Twitter or my Facebook page, Kiva Wellness.

The Power of Words

Today there have been many messages about the power of words.  Words can change so many things.  Words can bring a whole understanding even with just one.  When I say the word magical, it tends to give you an uplifting feeling.  When I utter the word murder, it brings an entirely negative meaning. Today's new thing in my fifties is to listen more closely to the word, to listen just for the sake of listening and not just to respond. Why?  Because this will make me be more aware.  Why is it important to be more aware?  When the question was asked of several people, what came up is because it brings brightness and future possibilities.

I was with a group of ladies the other day and I just sat back and observed.  It was very apparent that no one was listening to what the other had to say.  They were listening in order to respond.  They were literally waiting to respond instead of listening closely to what the other had to say.  Unfortunately, I think this has become a norm in our society.  As has the art of texting.  I can be texting someone all day.  I will stop and pick up the phone to try and actually call them and guess what, they don't answer.

Instead of sitting in judgement of others, I have decided that it is time for me to be the change.  I am going to be the one who listens carefully.  The one who doesn't respond until I know someone is truly finished with their thoughts.  I am excited to see where this leads.  Will it lead to those uncomfortable bouts of silence that no one seems to like?  I am hoping that it will lead to someone being truly glad that I actually took time out of my day and listened and valued what they had to say.

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. - Bryant H. McGill

What words mean different things to you?  Are you on a path of becoming more aware?  If so, why?  I would love to hear some of  your stories.  I promise I will listen!

Until my next adventure,

P.A. Walker

Today The World Was One Big Family

How does one even explain this new adventure? Fate, universal love, karma, not quite sure what it is called. Last week brought with it an amazing first for me. I have never had the opportunity to attend a Hollywood premier. On April 1st, no fooling, that all changed. Let me back up by saying that about two weeks ago, I was standing in my kitchen and the overwhelming feeling that I was about to go to Los Angeles overcame me. Why did this happen? Not quite sure. I just thought to myself, I am going to be going.  I am really learning to trust my intuition, so I proceeded with my day with the understanding that I would be taking yet another trip. I happened to jump on Facebook that same night and messaged a dear friend of mine and told her that I was going to be going to Los Angeles. She reminded me that the World Premier for the latest installment in the Fast and Furious franchise would be taking place right around that time.  I just felt in in my bones. I told her that if it was meant to happen, tickets to the world premier of Furious 7 would just manifest. Again, remember I was now an authority on living the Secret after listening to it for ten hours. Well, I am here to tell you that this stuff really works.

Speed up two weeks, one frequent flier ticket later and a link that once it was clicked sent me into the world of “Congratulations, you now have a ticket to the World Premiere of Furious 7” on April 1^st in Hollywood, California.  It's a long story on how this all evolved.  I won't go into it, just stay tuned for the book…….

The Big Day Arrives

The morning of April 1^st I boarded a plane with an overloaded carry-on bag containing three outfits. After all, what does one wear to a movie premiere?   I also boarded the plane not having seen Fast and Furious 2 through 6. I had speedily watched 1 after learning I was going to be going. It was suggested that I at least get to know the players. I landed amongst the beautiful palm trees, people and sunshine.

Heading to my hotel in Hollywood, I realized that right at that moment the ceremony for Vin Diesel getting his star on the Walk of Fame was taking place. There were so many people that all I could see was the top of his beautiful shiny head.

When you see pictures from these Hollywood events, all looks so glamorous. Don’t get me wrong, it really is glamorous. However, it is also an endurance event. Let me outline my day and night. We started standing online at 2:00 PM. We were told to stand there and they would let us in to get our wristbands. Since we had no concept of time, we were afraid to do anything, leave to go pee, get a drink of water, anything. We did (we being a good friend of mine and myself) start to really get to know the occupants of our line. We had a nice young couple who had left their child with grandma. We also befriended a lovely young lady who had been an extra in the movie. She had driven all the way from Northern California by herself. She was totally a fan.

As the day progressed, 2:00 turned into 3:00 and all the way to 5:30.   At 5:30, we started moving. Yes, I am going to get my wristband and then find the nearest restroom. Guess the April Fool's joke was on me. We were ushered right out to the red carpet. The red carpet in this case, was actually a black and white carpet which resembled a road. There were very cool cars parked all around. We stood on this area for several hours as all the celebrities and beautiful people cycled through their interviews, waving, coming up to us fans and signing autographs and taking pictures. I have to say, everyone was really nice.

We finally got in to see the movie at 11:00 PM.  The movie was amazing. So amazing, that I have already gone to see it again three days after the last viewing. What a beautiful tribute at the end for the late Paul Walker.

Several things became very apparent to me during this day long experience. The cast of this franchise are so close and love each other dearly. They also really care for their fans. Other things that became apparent were that after experiencing the movie premiere I can honestly say I may never do that again. The best thing that became apparent that night was that this movie brought together fans, celebrities, rap stars, producers, family members etc. from all different races, cultures, and for one night, it felt like all was right with the world. All was right with the world and we were one crazy big family. It was truly a feeling I loved and will carry with me throughout the future.

"My philosophy is: If you can't have fun, there's no sense in doing it." - Paul Walker

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

Second for Sedona

[Part Two] The rest of my journey to Sedona was one filled with beautiful scenery, long empty roads and lots of time to listen and absorb the CD's I had brought along. It was truly amazing to me that there is still so much empty space left out in the wilderness. It re-energized me to see not one Target, McDonald’s or strip mall for miles and miles. In fact, I didn’t see one Target all the way from Provo, UT to Sedona. I can’t tell you what a great feeling this was.

Even though there was nothing for miles and miles, I didn’t once feel “alone” if that makes sense. I carried such a peaceful feeling with me throughout the drive. I trusted that someone or something was out there keeping an eye on me. If I had broken down out there, not only was there no cell service but it could be a really long time until someone came along. Was I scared? No, because I just totally trusted that I was okay. It has taken me a long time to be in this peaceful place. It felt great and I was ready for a fun weekend in a beautiful place.

When you first drive into Sedona, you are met with the most amazing scenery right from the get-go. Case in point, please reference picture below.

The red rock formations are like nothing I have ever seen before. Such beautiful hues of color. During my weekend there, I got plenty of eye candy in the form of these rocks. I also had the most delicious meals at several restaurants. The first one that comes to mind is the Heartline Café (www.heartlinecafe.com). Definitely check out this restaurant. They have the most amazing French Toast stuffed with a delightfully light lemon crème. It was so good that I went back there twice. The second time I got talking to the owner of the restaurant.  Phyllis and her husband have run the restaurant for 20 plus years. She is such a great person and to make things even more special, we both realized that we had grown up in New Jersey. Her husband was from the very small community that I come from in the town of Wayne. What a small world. Phyllis gave me the official cookbook from their restaurant. Again, what a great place to eat. Not to be missed.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1rjZLZyyos#t=28[/embed]

The next day I had the pleasure of hiking for six miles round trip. Some would say too much, but it was so breathtakingly beautiful that I was blessed to be able to do this hike. Along on the ride was my cousin who resides in Arizona. She was a rockstar on this journey deep into the woods. We saw beautiful red rocks, trees, amazing vistas. It was called Boynton Canyon. The trail ran along side the property for the Enchantment Resort. What a special place tucked back into the wilds of Sedona, away from the touristic main strip. It was nice to get away from it all.

 

After this great hike, we treated ourselves to a lunch like no other at an organic restaurant called the Chocola Tree Restaurant (www.chocolatree.com). Their menu was a very eclectic mix of organic fare. I ended up ordering about four things just because they all sounded so good. The meal was finished off with a Pachimama latte. Such a delicious mix of ginger, cinnamon and love.

My time in Sedona came to an end very quickly. Before I knew it, I had to put myself back into the driver’s seat. I chose to push through and drive ten hours back to Park City. This time I went a different way and went through the Vermillion Cliffs area which is at the top of Arizona. Amazing scenery (again reference pictures). Unless you actually experience this part of the world, it is very hard to put into words.

The last hour of my trip was spent struggling up the canyon in a snowstorm. Snow, I just left 75 degree weather and sun. I was tempted to turn right around and go back to Sedona but figured I had a few folks back at home that might not be happy with that decision.

Until my next adventure,

P.A. Walker

A Four Day Adventure [To the tune of a 3 hour tour!]

[Part One] Continuing on with my 50.4.50 adventures, I found myself being called to the beautiful Red Rocks of Sedona, AZ.  I have been here before, so the first for this particular adventure is the fact that I have never driven there from my home base of Park City, UT.  People told me I was crazy to be driving ten hours by myself, but I was actually looking forward to slowing down and having more than a few hours alone in a car with nothing to do but pay attention to the road and listen to books on tape. The first day out had me driving six hours and spending the night in Kanab, UT.  I have never been in this part of Utah and was looking forward to seeing just what it had to offer. All the way from Park City to Kanab, I listened to the Audio CD of "The Secret".  This story was a documentary by Rhonda Byrne that teaches us that we create our lives, with every thought every minute of every day.  The Secret offers tools and ideas to help you live The Secret and create the life of your dreams.  I have seen the documentary but for some reason, this day the audiobooks were really speaking to me.  I enjoyed it so much that I listened to it on the way back from Sedona as well.

The first night of my trip in Kanab was a mixed blessing.  It was nice to stop after being in the car for that long.  I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express.  If you have ever been in Kanab, you will know that this is the hottest place to stay in town.  Case in point, the mixed blessing.  The walls were way thin and the "residents, aka screaming babies and barking dogs" kept me up almost all night long.

The blessing for me in Kanab was the Rocking V Cafe (www.rockingvcafe.com) Amazing food and amazing service.  I had the SXSW Salad for dinner which was a wonderful blend of black beans, toasted pumpkin seeds, jalapeño marinated chicken topped with a cilantro lime dressing.  I topped it off with a piece of key lime pie to go! My night in Kanab proved to be both satisfying food wise and restless in the sleep department.  However, the road trip the next morning, from Kanab to Sedona was both beautiful and awe-inspiring in terms of scenery.

Stay tuned for the next installment in this first ever journey on the road from here to there!

Until the next adventure,

P.A. Walker

The Circle of Influence

As I continue on with my new decade I keep having the feeling that my past no matter what I try and do, just keeps following me. I can resist it but it will persist. Case in point, I have been working on my circle of influence.  I keep hearing that you are the sum total of those five people that are closest to you. When I first heard that and looked around, I was kind of aghast and started really working on myself. I was attracting certain types of people that didn’t fit with my definition of success for myself. I was around some folks that were not very uplifting. Did I do this because I wanted to feel better about myself?  Most likely the answer is yes. After making this realization, I set about surrounding myself with some like-minded folks.  I went on retreats, took classes and did a whole lot of reading.  I sat down today for the first time and realized I had done just what I set out to do. I have succeeded in surrounding myself with a great group of people who are not only always there for me, but also uplift me.  So what is the problem? The problem is that my past keeps giving me pop quizzes. It keeps having people appear to throw me tests on how far I have really come.

After spending yet another lunch time with someone who just doesn’t want to look inside, I had had enough. I blurted out, "If you don’t change something, than why do you think anything is going to change?"   She stopped, looked at me and just keep babbling on with those words that I have forbidden my kid to ever use, “Yeah but….”. It was at that moment that I realized that not only did I have the tools to work myself out of this situation, but that I was ready to actually use them. I looked at her and again muttered, but louder this time, “If you don’t change anything, how do you expect this situation to ever change?”. I then got up and told her that I had to go and turned and walked away. This was a huge first for me. It might not have been the proper way to handle the situation, but in my gut, I think she may have gotten the message. Why do I sometimes continue to go back into these toxic situations that I know are not good for me to be in?  Simple, fear of letting the other person know how I feel and fear of conflict.

It has taken me a long time to get to this point of having these tools, but I know they work now and I certainly will not hesitate to use them if the situation arises again. In the meantime,  I made a point to reach out to my newest circle of influence folks and let them know how much I appreciate each and every one of them. I appreciate that they have come into my life at just the right moment and I truly thank them for that!!

I question if any of you have been in this same situation and how you handled it.

I leave you with a link to a great blog called The Evening Cup.  In this particular post, Nicole Taylor gives her readers some great advice!

http://theeveningcup.com/3-reasons-let-go-wrong-people/

Until My Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

Not So Fast and Not So Furious

I did it! I went to race car school. It’s been on my bucket list for years now and I finally made it happen.  I attended a class and training at Exotics Racing in Las Vegas. The staff was amazing and my experience was beyond awesome. I left the track that day saying that was one of the coolest things I have ever done in my whole life. It truly made me feel really alive.

After sitting in a class on technique and going around the track once to get some instructions from a seasoned professional, I was given the keys and allowed behind the wheel. For this adventure, I chose to go out in a Porsche Cayman.   Although it was referred to by some of the drivers at Exotics as the "go-cart", I was still thrilled to be able to get out and make some turns.

My instructor hailed from the U.K. and was a very patient man. He must have had nerves of steel. He instructed me all the way around the track five times.  I slowed way down going around the curves, but finally got up the gumption to turn on the speed towards the end of my session.  When I reviewed the video of my laps, I burst out laughing because I looked like I was slowing down to get a parking spot at the mall.  When I had originally heard that I was "only" going five laps, I thought to myself that that would not be enough.  It turned out I was very wrong.  It requires a lot of hard work and muscles to do even one lap.

As I left the vehicle, I was feeling like I hadn’t had the thrill of the speed. I realized that I had let fear hold me back and now I had regrets that I just didn't let it fly.  To satisfy my as of yet unmet need for speed, I decided it was time to take a few laps with the Professional Race Car driver. His name was Rudy and his credits included being one of the drivers in the first Fast and Furious movie. I thought I would be completely nervous going into this adventure, but the opposite was true. I had such a feeling of calm come over me that Rudy could see I wasn’t scared at all. In fact, I think he took this as a challenge and turned up the heat. During our last lap, we completely fish tailed and swung around. I still wasn’t freaked out. Sorry Rudy, you can’t scare this old gal!  I have made a vow to go back and do this again very soon.  This time I will drive the Lamborghini.

After completing this adventure, I truly left the track on such a high.  I also vowed that I would not continue to hold back because of fear.  I would put myself out there and feel the fear and do it anyway!

“If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough.” ― Mario Andretti

Until my next adventure,

P.A. Walker

Want-To-Be Writer Turns "Real"

I have always been a voracious reader.  I love to read books, magazines, you name it.  I am turning the tides and becoming a rabid want-to-be writer. Why do I keep labeling myself a want-to-be? I AM a writer. I have hit publish on several blog posts.  I have submitted several articles for review.  Now for one of my firsts, I am going to start not one, but two books. I have two distinct ideas for books and somehow they keep melding into each other. Should I combine them or separate them?  I am just not sure. Today’s adventure will be to surrender the ideas and see where the universe takes them. I have one of the books finished to the point of a raw manuscript.  I sent out word to two different people to help edit and got no response. Instead of stopping what I was doing and not going forward, I just surrendered. I will alternatively continue to seek out editors and also wait it out and see who comes to me. I have an idea of going to an author's event in Denver next month. I feel like this is what I am supposed to be doing and that this might answer this editing question. Again, surrender to the universe.  Why is it so hard to surrender to the universe?  I keep having this question come up when I try and do this.  Are you supposed to surrender completely or help the process along?  If you are to help the process along, what does that look like?

“I surrender this fear or desire. Thank you for taking care of it!”.

I ask you, the reader, to share with me any times in your life where you have just put your hands up and surrendered.  How did this work out for you?  Any thoughts on answering that universal question of how much should we be helping out?

"Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don't". - Steve Marabol, Life, Truth and Being Free

Until the Next Adventure,

P.A. Walker

As always, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram and my Facebook Page Kiva Wellness. www.kivawell.com.

Life Lessons from the Tubing Park

This adventure started out benignly enough.  I had a Groupon for a snow tubing session at Solider Hollow here in Utah.  Solider Hollow was the site of a lot of the cross-country ski events during the 2002 Winter Olympics.  After booking a session, I started out with my son and a friend and her family.  The evening weather was wonderful.  It was warm and the evening sky was filled with many stars.  We got into our tubes and headed up the rope tow towards what promised to be a night full of fun. The first run down was fantastic.  All five of us swapped ropes and bonded together for a joint ride down the hill.  It was so fast and exhilarating that I just remember screaming and giggling all the way down.  That was cool.  The next run down, it was me and my kid and the course was getting slick.  We screamed all the way down and thought that we would stop in time.  However, the course had a different idea for us.  In an instant, I just made the realization that we were going to go through the snow fence.  Sure enough, that was just what we did.  We both survived the scramble with nary a mark on us.  However, it kind of set the tone for the rest of the night.

I immediately shifted into a mental state of fear.  Pure, raw fear.  Each run had me so worried about the ending, that I skipped enjoying the ride down.  I kept going though because I was not going to let this stop my fun.  It was not until the last run that my fear came true.  This time I was all by myself, going so fast, that even when I dragged my feet down, I completely sped right by the course guy at the end.  I went through not one but two snow fences.  I heard my glasses shatter (or at least I thought I did), but got up and realized both me and my glasses were in one piece.  I put my fist in the air and yelled, "Thank God for Costco.  My glasses took the blow from the pole!".  I escaped with some minor abrasions and lived to tell the story.

Why am I telling you this story?  After my run, I decided I had had enough.  I sat and watched everyone else hooting and hollering and thought to myself - what a metaphor for life.  I was so focused and fearful of my ultimate end that I didn't enjoy the ride leading up to it.  I soon realized that perhaps this was mirroring my own personal life.  What am I doing to enjoy the ride leading up to my ending?  What can I do on an every day basis to enjoy the "ride".

I looked back on that final run and realized that right before I knew I was going to make an impact, I just surrendered and let go.  It probably saved me a few scratches by relaxing back into it.  Time to do that in real life!  I asked the course dude why he didn't stop me and he simply replied, because you were going way too fast. Time to slow down and enjoy the ride!!

Great Acronym to remember: FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real!

As Always,

P.A. Walker

Stuff Can't Fill the Heart

After unpacking loads of boxes during my recent remodel and move, it became very apparent that we just have too much “stuff”. What do I need all this stuff for? Why does my son need all these toys?? Why do I need closets and boxes full of clothes?  What kind of habits am I setting him up for as he gets older? After a family discussion, it was decided that for my son’s birthday this year, we would set up a donation page for one of our favorite charities Reach Out Worldwide (www.roww.org). My son surprisingly agreed to do this and as a result, his friends (or at least the moms) thought it was a great idea.  He got over $100 in donations for this great charity. He was excited to watch the total grow and I heard him telling his friends how he chose to do this and what the charity does.  I was overcome with that proud Momma moment.  I was glad to see that he hadn't tipped too far in the other direction!   Not once did he focus on not getting new toys or gifts but instead was very intent on watching the video on their website to learn more about this organization and where his raised donations would be put to use!

After seeing my son's selfless act, I decided that it was time for me to do the same and give to others. To be honest, I have had it pretty darn good thus far in life.  I have never wanted for much.  I have only ever wanted for the things that I thought I needed, to satisfy some ideal that I thought was important.  The American Dream - the house, the car, the 1.5 kids.  Funny what society throws at us and tells us that we need to uphold.

This year has been one of the very first where I have gotten myself into a new way of thinking.  Instead of worrying so much about what others think, I have, for the first time in my life, only worried about what I think.  It's been hard and it is still a work in progress, but I am gaining some ground.  It's been surprising how good it feels to give to others.  I heard a quote once that really spoke to this:

"When you put good will out there, it's amazing what can be accomplished." - Paul Walker, Reach Out Worldwide Founder

Paul was a great example of someone who could have given into the charms of Hollywood fame and it's perks, but he instead chose to turn that around and help out those in need.  After his untimely death, other family members stepped in to make sure that his legacy was upheld.  Again, another example of putting others first.

My lesson in all of this is that the time for me has come to turn my life from one of just being and doing to one of self-care and looking out for my fellow human beings.  I keep going back to the notion that we are role models for our children.  Simple as that!

As Always, P.A. Walker

In honor of Paul and his charity, please consider donating to Reach Out Worldwide.  For more information on what this charity is all about, head over to www.roww.org.  

Really, Braces at my Age?

I am not quite sure if this qualifies as an adventure, but my quest this week is going to be to finally get braces after years of having my teeth bonded in front. I have a huge David Letterman-style gap in my front teeth. I have fought it for years. I finally realized last month that it was time. Can you imagine I am 50 and will have braces for the very first time ever?   In order to do these braces, my current bonding has to be taken off leaving me with a huge gap. I cannot imagine what this will look like but am just going to go for it. Enough with the cover-up. This is kind of a metaphor. I have been working through my layers of emotion and old baggage. I am no longer afraid to expose certain things, so I guess whipping out a huge hole in my teeth will be symbolic. Hang on for the news! Today was B-Day, Braces day. I was having an anxiety attack going into the appointment. After all, I had no recollection of just how big this gap was going to be. Well, it was bigger than I ever remember. You know it is big when the dentist goes “Oh, yeah, that is a big one.” with his eyes wide open. I said I should have done this years ago and he agreed. Pulling off the bonding was not a big deal, much to my relief.

As I laid in the comfy chair and waited for the orthodontist to come in to start the next phase of fun, I rubbed my teeth along the newly freed gap and thought to myself, "Why wasn’t this taken care of after that horrendous 7^th grade picture when I had on my school uniform courtesy of Immaculate Heart of Mary School where my mom made me go?"  My mom pulled me out of public school in the 7^th grade and put me in Catholic School. Why, did she think she was going to save me? I was the only one of five siblings who had to endure this.

Getting back to present day, I decided not to get caught up in the regrets and anger of the olden days and realized that my path had me wait until this exact moment to go through this experience. The actual putting on of the braces was not bad at all. It took maybe an hour and I relaxed into my yoga breathing and all was fine, except for the dental assistant who kept reminding me that she would rather be home than in work today. Really, are you going to be that disgruntled that you would misalign my smile? At the end of the procedure she worked up enough energy to tell me that she was excited to see how it all would turn out.

After I was given my congratulations and my free Park City Orthodontics T-shirt, I was on my sore-mouthed way to lunch for a friend’s birthday. It became it’s usual giggle fest which was just what I needed after my morning. The ladies reassured me that my gap didn’t look all that big. Okay you all, I know you were lying. It was the perfect way to open up my mouth and show the world that it is okay. I am okay with how I look right now because I know it will all work out in the future. It is a powerful message to love each day and be patient. Be patient because it will take a year for my gap to close. In the meantime, I will be renting myself out as a beer bottle opener at weddings and other events!!

"Dear Past, thank you for all the life lessons you have taught me.  Dear Future: I am ready now!:

With love until my next adventure,

P.A. Walker

As always, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram and my Facebook Page Kiva Wellness.  www.kivawell.com

The First 50.4.50

It happened.  I turned the Great 5-0!  What an amazing day/week.  I felt the love from folks that truly mattered.  I had visits from cousins, gifts and lunch with some amazing ladies.  For the first time in my life, I arranged my own birthday lunch.  I knew who I wanted there and it all shook out exactly as it should.  The love and light was very evident that day! For my first 50.4.50, I conquered a long time fear.  It has taken me fourteen years to complete the hike that I have always started to do but never finished because of a raw fear of heights.  It is the Stewart Falls hike in the Sundance Resort here in Utah.  You take the chairlift up one way and the beginning of the hike has you clinging to the side of a mountain with shear drops on one side.  I had attempted this several times before and just could never do it.  That day I made a choice, I could go back up the way we came and take the chairlift down or I could continue on straight into my fear.  I had my son with me and the thought that he would see his mom back out on this hike because of a fear was just no longer an option to me.  I wanted to show him and myself that I could feel my fear and do it anyway. As I hiked along, clinging to any root or tree that would hold me, the F#$% word was flying through my mind.  Why the F#$% did I agree to do this?  How the F#$% am I going to make it around the next bend when it looks like it plummets to the bottom of the earth?  These thoughts swirled around and around in my head but all the time I kept going.  I had the goal of getting to the meadow where it was told to me that the trail flattened out and the views were gorgeous.  The problem was the distance to the meadow that was told to me was actually a crock of shit.  It was an incentive by my hiking buddies to get me to forge on.  Either way, I completed the hike and the views were well worth it.  Stewart Falls is absolutely stunning.   After I finished my hike, I was able to kick back on a rock and de-stress with some dark chocolate while watching all the folks that had come up the "easy" way.  Boy, they sure don't know what they missed.  As I completed my first "new" thing for my new decade, it became apparent to me that I could do this.  I can do it and I will.  It gave me a sense of purpose and awakened in me all the possibilities of the new things that I can try in my 50th year.  Stay tuned for the next adventure!

As I close out this post, what is something that you have accomplished where you felt the fear and did it anyway?  How did you feel after you pushed through it?

"By letting it go, it all gets done.  The world is won by those who let it go.  But when you try and try, the world is beyond the winning." - Lao Tzu

Peace Out, P.A. Walker

50 for 50

I turn 50 in just a few days.  50..Holy Shit..50.  It's a pivotal year.  It's going to be huge.  People keep asking me how I feel about going into a new decade.  You know what, I feel great.  It kicks ass!!  I am feeling so much better about going into my fifth decade than when I turned 40.  Life is opening up in so many great ways.  I have garnered such new information and knowledge that this decade is going to be one of the best yet.  With the milestone looming, I have decided that I am going to do fifty new things in my 50th year.  What does this mean exactly?  I am not quite sure.  I have many ideas swirling around in my mind.  Stay tuned for the next 365 days as things are going to get interesting.  There will be lots of changes, lots of fun and hopefully, lots of forward motion. One of the first things that popped into my mind when I came up with the idea of 50 for 50, was race car school.  I also came up with getting scuba certified among other things.  However, I didn't want this 50 list to be all about me and my pleasure!  I also want to combine it with service missions, doing things for others.  I want to walk away from this year feeling good about what I have done to pay it forward!

In the spirit of trying fifty new things, I would love feedback from you, the readers!  Are there any things you have accomplished that have been life-changing?  I would love to hear your stories and perhaps incorporate them into my journey!

I leave you with a great quote that I heard today from Amy Purdy (www.amypurdy.com) - author of the new book On My Own Two Feet:  

"If my life was a book and I was the author, how would I want my story to go?"

Best Regards,

P.A. Walker

Please follow me on Twitter, my Facebook Page (Kiva Wellness) or visit my website www.kivawell.com.