How to Feel More Alive (without Flinging Yourself off a Mountain)


June 15, 2016

“I wouldn’t put it past me to fling myself off the side of a mountain.”

We were talking about hang gliding, in case you’re wondering.

There’s something I love about the things in this life that remind me how small and insignificant I am. That, in the grande scheme, I don’t really matter. Things like mountain peaks that tower so high above me I momentarily forget to breathe, and the ocean that runs so deep it throws off my sense of balance just to try and comprehend. And the stars… oh, how I love the stars.

I think it’s this same appreciation for immensity that triggers my inner daredevil. A desire to do the things that make you feel alive and remind you just how fragile life really is. That cause your entire body to buzz as every single cell is activated. Snapping yourself instantly out of the daze of the day to day and into the moment like you rarely ever experience.

Nope, I wouldn’t put it past me to fling myself off the side of a mountain.

There are often times as I’m climbing mountain trails and pausing to appreciate the many peaks that surround me that I think this very thing. How I just want to fly off the side of a mountain. That I want to see the world from the sky and feel the exhilaration that comes with barreling towards the earth.

That I want to be as alive as I possibly can be.

But there are better ways to feel alive… Simple ways really, and they all begin with presence and courage.

Presence is about being here now.

Presence is experiencing everything the moment has to offer… from the miracle that is breath to the beauty that is a sunset to the pain that is heartbreak and loss. Seeing the detail in the things that litter our everyday and the uniqueness of every individual that graces us with their presence. Feeling the feelings and experiencing the richness that is this life and world. Presence will make you feel alive and allow you to tap into a space in yourself that guides you to passion and love and fulfillment.

Miracles and inspiration and beauty are in the tiny details we often overlook because we’re in too much of a hurry to get on to the next. Depth and connection are in the simple looks and subtle phrases we can’t seem to register when we’re multitasking or thinking about our response. Divine guidance and intuitive hits exist in the body, which we fail to connect with when we’re mentally juggling the to do list and dinner menu and the calls we forgot to return last week.

Presence is about living life fully and completely, moment to moment. Because as cliche and overused as it may be, this moment is all we have.

Courage is about showing up fully.

It’s not just reserved for those that go to war and run into burning buildings. Courage is something we can all choose, every single moment of every single day. It’s about putting ourselves out there and risking what feels safe and comfortable for that which feels passionate and truly fulfilling on a cellular level. Courage is about putting yourself on the line and, as Brené Brown says, “vulnerability is our most accurate measure of courage.”

And the fact is, you’re not really living if you’re not getting vulnerable. Exposing your heart to the ones you love. Expressing your fears and failures. Speaking your truth and owning your story. You’re not living if you’re playing it safe.

The thing about flinging yourself off the side of a mountain is that you’re forced to face the moment. You’re forced to face the things you’ve been avoiding and the dreams you tucked aside. You’re forced to see that life doesn’t last forever, and that time really is limited.

Life is happening right now, and chances are you’ve lost yourself in the day to day and the many items that make up your to do list.

I’m not asking you to throw out the to do list or fling yourself off the side of a mountain. I’m simply asking you to pay attention as best you can… to bring yourself into the moment as fully as you’re able, and to be a little more courageous with the people in your life.

To live life a little more fully, and with a lot more intention.



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