What’s been tapping on you…
On your shoulder
Your soul
Your mind…
About your health
Your home
Or your habits?
That thing that you keep waiting for more time
Or less holidays to finally take the plunge
To actually take care of yourself?
Yeah…
That thing.
It’s time.
While you’re waiting for the perfect time
Or the perfect circumstances
Life keeps moving on.
And you
Keep putting you
On the back burner.
I get it.
I just got back from a month in Italy — leading my beautiful retreat in Southern Tuscany for extraordinary women, all focused on the theme of “Self-Care” and then, traveling for my own pleasure and purpose.
It was a beautiful time and a clarifying time
And it all went so smoothly
Until the flight home…
—————-
As we boarded the 787 and took our seats in first class, it all seemed smooth as glass.
Comfortable seats, kind people, and a courteous crew.
All good.
The weather was clear and I couldn’t wait to see my husband and two sons after they supported me and took on their independence while I was on la mia bella avventura (my beautiful adventure) for the last 4 weeks.
When I found myself bored on the flight or uninterested in another show, I would just close my eyes and smile as I imagined seeing them standing and waiting for me at the airport in a few hours more.
As we were flying over the Atlantic about 5 hours in to our 11 hour flight, I heard a rustling a few seats away from me and people scrambling to unbuckle their seatbelts as they whispered in anxious tones.
I smelled the strong smell of red wine and someone calling for a doctor. I didn’t know what was happening but a French woman near me turned around. I asked, “Are you a doctor?”
She nodded a serious, “Yes.”
I said, “They need you.”
She made her way quickly over to a woman in her late 60’s who was having a seizure.
The crew and two other doctors made their way to her aid. Her husband and sister were standing by closely with grave concern as the doctors were asking questions about her health history and medications while the crew was taking notes of blood pressure and blood sugar readings to give to the pilots so that they could know how to proceed.
“She hasn’t really eaten.”
“She wasn’t drinking enough water.”
“She’s on Metformin and thyroid pills but didn’t take her thyroid medicine today.”
“She drank a good amount of wine.”
I have to be honest…
I went from compassionate to feeling cold.
Especially after I saw our flight path, which had finally reached land, turn south east for a tiny, tiny town in Nova Scotia.
“We’re being diverted.”
I turned and said to the two celebrities I had met earlier, whose faces, names, and show I didn’t recognize — not even a little — after being in a home without a TV for the last 23 years.
They gazed up at the screen and saw what I saw. Drawing in deep breaths, we all knew we were in for something none of us had a script for…
—————-
As time passed by, and the plane changed directions two more times, I started having that loose and vulnerable, uncomfortable feeling… and, if my husband had been there, I would have leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes while he reached his hand silently toward my lap and laced his fingers through mine.
I turned to the woman on the TV show and got real,
“Can I just talk to you for a minute? I’m feeling really uncomfortable with some of what’s going on and I would normally reach out to my husband but he’s not here right now, so, can I just ask for some comfort from you as I share, stranger-to-stranger?”
She leaned toward me with earnest eyes and shook her head up and down as if she really understood and answered, “Absolutely.”
“I’m bummed out.” I confessed, “I’ve been gone a month and I’ve had a wonderful time. It’s just that I’m ready to be home and to see my boys. That expectation was so strong in me and right now it doesn’t seem like we will be getting home any time soon. I just feel sad. Disappointed. And honestly, more than a little frustrated that this was avoidable.”
She nodded knowingly as we had both heard the same run-down that the doctors heard about the passenger’s last 24 hours of choices with her food, drinks and medication.
I sighed and wiped some of the tears that were starting to surface, “I get that we’re all safe and fine and I’m glad things are stabilizing and better for the woman in need, and I’m grateful for all the help that is on the plane to meet the need… I’m just feeling emotional right now.”
She smiled and said the very best thing she could have ever said,
“Tell me about your boys… how old are they?”
I smiled back, “15 and 17. And they’re not just any teenagers… they’re extraordinary and loving… my husband and I have raised them in unconventional ways… so, they have such a purity of heart and presence to people…”
I closed my eyes, happy just thinking about them, “They’re the finest people I’ve ever known.”
She said, “Unconventional how?”
“Well… we raised them without a TV and with a lot of nature. I wasn’t sarcastic with them because I wanted them to know they could trust me when I spoke to them and not confuse them with a joke that may or may not be hiding the truth… oh, and I didn’t want them to tell them that Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny were real because I didn’t want them to wonder what else I was lying to them about. I just wanted them to know that they could come to me and I would tell them the truth as I knew it. And as a result, they look you in the eyes, they are kind, loving, compassionate people who truly would help in anyway they could — like in this situation right now — they would be available and ready…
It was probably too much information and I could have gone on but I didn’t want to bore her with something that interested me endlessly but would maybe not have the same appeal to her.
She smiled and said, “It sounds like they are people who are safe and make other people feel really safe.”
Oh my gosh, that was such a perfect description of how you felt with them but all I could say was, “Yes” and nod my head reverently with a deep smile in my heart.
“Thank you, Shelley.” I said with sincere gratitude.
“Any time.” She answered. “I really get being there for each other in weird moments, Stacey. I clawed a stranger to the bone last month on a flight when we were in heavy turbulence and the food and drinks ended up on the ceiling of the plane as we dropped down and then, back up again for about 15 minutes straight. So, seriously, I’m glad you said something because I know it makes a difference when we reach out to each other.”
She really did understand and in the space of those 5 minutes, I felt myself come back into my skin.
And reconnect to my heart.
—————-
The Judgment Changed to Revelation of ONE THING
I began to ask myself some honest questions:
Have you ever drunk too much, Stacey?
Yes.
Have you ever not eaten the right foods or the right amount of foods?
Yes.
Have you ever missed taking your medications or remedies when you knew you needed to?
Yes.
Has that ever affected the people you love?
Ugh. Shit.
Yes.
And maybe even people you didn’t know?
Sigh.
Yes.
And so, in the space of all that, along with this experience, what’s the ONE THING you can learn from this situation, Stacey…
My answer is what led to you being here, reading this today.
—————-
The last few years have been huge for me:
– I’ve written and released new books
– Coached clients from across the world
– And led gorgeous boutique Italian retreats.
– I’ve conquered creative homelessness after an unexpected job loss left us in a lurch
– Healed a child through bullying
– Healed my other child who got injured and was temporarily in a wheelchair
– Celebrated 30 years of marriage
– And I’ve lost over 100 pounds (that I had gained when a thyroid and autoimmune condition were misdiagnosed)
I know what it’s like to take life to the next level
To take hard things and make them good
And to own my choices and my results.
I live that
I coach that
And I parent that
Every
Single
Day
So, when I asked myself, “What’s the ONE LESSON YOU’RE GETTING FROM THIS?”
The answer came quickly,
“Take care of yourself. It affects you and the other people in your life when you don’t.”
That’s it.
Not fancy.
Not sexy. Not complicated.
Just the truth.
——–
There are things that tap on all of us to make a change but that we put off.
Whether it’s backing off of social media
Or pressing into a project
Taking certain supplements
Or removing certain foods…
Whether it’s speaking our truth
Or drinking more water
Or going to sleep earlier (instead of binge-ing Netflix)
We wait for the right time or right circumstances
In order to do what we KNOW we need to do.
It’s our highest self calling us to take ourselves to the next elevation.
But it’s also reminding us:
That we don’t live on an island.
Other people are affected by what we’re not taking care of.
It might not be a plane full of 350 people
And all of their families and loved ones
Or the three captains
And all of the people on the ground: The air traffic controllers making flight plans
And the airports clearing runways and making sure medical personnel are available
And all the legalities
And expenses
And inconveniences
It might not be all that…
But it could be.
So, the lesson I got in really bold letters with Broadway lights at 40,000 feet in the air, was to take care of myself.
And you know me, I don’t want to do it without you, so, I’m taking you with me on this trip.
——–
For 21 days, I’m inviting you to join me in the intention and gift of Self-Care. To get into the DRIVER’S seat instead of the passenger one in your life wher you’re going to pick ONE thing that’s been tapping on your soul and we’re going to put it in a container of intention of Self-Care.
In those 21 days, you will receive:
- Access to our Private Facebook Group
- Community Encouragement
- Support
- Accountability
and - Coaching
- Daily reminders and inspiration from my team
- Weekly FB Live coaching broadcasts from me
- And encouragement from each other
So that you can be with other strangers and friends who understand and help hold you together while you’re taking your life to a higher place.
Just like I’ve done for thousands of people all over the world
And just like Shelley did with me in that tender moment on the plane.
I’m excited to be with you as you take this on.
It’s time.
And you know it.
Your heart is calling…
Answer it.
Love,
Stacey
Start Date: Thursday, November 7th, 2019
Price: $51 — in honor of my upcoming 51st Birthday!
(This special price ends on Tuesday, November 5th at Midnight Pacific time. Price after midnight: $99)
(No refunds, returns, or exchanges)
Click here (or the image below) to sign up
