Why Hawai’i & Snow Storms Are Good For The Soul

What does Hawaii & Snow Storms In NE have in common?

Well, they’re both paradise ( depending on if you’re a lover of sun & waves or snowy slopes & trails for snow shoeing, skiing and snowboarding), they both ask you to slow down & they both grab your attention & force you to be a little bit more appreciative of the present moment.

I’ve been to 3 of the Hawaiian Islands between two trips and I’m not going to lie. Half of the time on these trips I spent talking to myself trying to convince myself that I was actually in HI. The landscapes are so beautiful that you really do feel like you’re in a movie. In fact if you remember any of the Jurassic Park movies, the island of Kaua’i is where it was filmed.

At peak season (Feb-May) in Maui & the Big Island you can look out over the ocean from your hotel, from the road driving, even from a beach side restaurant and actually see whales breaching out in the distance. Like all over the place. It’s crazy.

I thought the best way to talk more about my experiences in  HI was through stream of consciousness.

Mahalo, Lush forest, green velvet mountains, roosters, Spirit, not-to be-messed with ocean, rich tangible native culture, art, freedom, flow, ease, respect, community, sun, untamed, wild guava, whales, hibiscus, plumeria, Norfolk pine, mimosa, blue vervain, pineapple, red crested cardinals, hula, peacock doves, family time, myna birds, ancient green sea turtles, love, wind, gratitude, authenticity, strength, proud, love, honest, wisdom, rummy, harmony, palm trees, lava rock, macadamia nuts, Kona coffee, lunch trucks, beach, breeze, monsoons, calm, surreal, magical, red mud, music, aloha, ukulele, surfers, “no swimming”, rip tide, rouge waves, coral, kindness, plastic bag free, farmer’s markets, awe, simplicity.

Yup, that pretty much sums it up.

Having been back from my most recent trip to HI for several weeks now and having been slammed this past week with a pretty huge snow storm, I was joking with my husband saying, “Who needs HI honey when we’ve got blizzards?!”

But in that moment I realized that there was some similarity. The blizzard was a forced day at home for my husband and I. There was no way to drive safely anywhere, I had to reschedule my clients and most office buildings were even out of power.  So, we decided to get bundled up and go snowshoeing into Downtown Dover just for fun and see if anything was open for a cup or tea or a snack. And you know what? It was not only an awesome workout, it was such a beautiful walk together. We saw the sweetest little lone loon floating on the Cocheco river, which was half frozen fresh water and half unfrozen salt water coming together in fun swirly patterns through the currents. We gawked at the crazy people still deciding to drive out in the storm. We laughed as we walked into the wind being pushed back in the opposite direction with ice crystals covering our faces (which was actually refreshing at times), and laughed even harder when we walked with the wind pushing us faster behind us giving us a “boost” in our snowshoeing gait. The only footprints on the streets were our own and it was such a fun adventure- one we wouldn’t have had without the blizzard.  I felt so grateful.

I spent part of my snow day morning on Facebook reading everyone’s posts that were either joyful and excited for the day at home or cranky and upset ready to move to someplace warm.  Reading my facebook feed with different peoples responses made me realize two things. First, is that we need more “forced days off”, and second, when you fight with “what is” you’re only hurting yourself. That’s another funny thing about New Englanders…. this kind of crazy erratic weather happens EVERY YEAR. And yet, people will still complain about it like they didn’t see it coming. I’ve lived in NH my entire life, so I get it but the mind set also seems kind of silly.

Which brings me back to the similarity of the practice of presence that I experienced both in HI and particularly during the blizzard in NH.  In HI no one is in a hurry, stores only open at 10 sometimes 11am in the morning, restaurants close by 9:30 or 10pm.  Everyone truly does live by the “take it easy”, “hang loose” sort of mentality, and when your on vacation you “roll with it” a bit better because “Hey! We’re on vacation!”, and really there are so many other lovely distractions.  When we’re stuck in a situation like a blizzard / “forced day off” we’re faced with a similar issue… things are the way they are, so we may as well “go with it” because there’s nothing we can do to change it. Accepting what is in any given moment, no matter what is happening is our biggest gift to ourselves.

I’ve been trying to incorporate this practice of acceptance and presence in my every day life with more intention and awareness as of late. If something that’s happening is unpleasant, not what I’d wanted or intended, or simply challenging me in some way, I try to catch myself and ask these questions:

1. What is the problem with this moment?
2. How would I like for it to change?
3. Can I do anything RIGHT NOW to make that change?
4. If I can actively do something to change it… I do it
5. If I can’t actively do something to make a change, then  I surrender to it.

#5 is the hardest one, but I promise you that in every difficult situation there is a silver lining. And if we can focus on that silver lining it will create more ease in flow in the moment. For example:

*You forgot to make that important call to the office, and now they’re closed~ Perhaps type them an email instead for the moment with an apology (it’s better than nothing!) and then call first thing in the AM… then move on with your day.

*You left the trash outside and raccoons got into it and made a mess. Put on your headphones and blast your favorite music (or podcast), grab those rubber gloves and make the clean up a dance party for a few minutes. It will be over before you know it.

*Your car is dead. Like really dead and you need to buy a new one and you are SO NOT happy about it.  Accept it. You need a car. (Unless you don’t… maybe you decide to start up biking to work???). Start searching online. In magazines. On Craigslist. Make a “vision board” about it. Make it fun, write down everything you could ever want in a car, color, design, “bells and whistles” and then start printing out images & cutting them out of magazines and collecting them- maybe even making collage on a piece of paper. Let the creative, manifestation juices flow and just let yourself have fun with it. Who knows what the Universe will send your way…it may be exactly what you’re dreaming up and exactly what you can afford.

The more we practice accepting what is… (Not forever mind you, but for now…) we make space for what’s waiting for us… which is almost ALWAYS better, if we can just settle into the ease and flow of life’s challenges.

It’s not always easy, but I promise there is a plan. We can’t always see the plan, but it’s there. The Universe/Great Spirit/God… whatever you call the forces of this life… they’ve got us covered… they’ve got the perspective and master plan, and it’s always in our highest and best interest. I promise.

So, what do you think? How can we do better with being more present in life? xoA