The following is written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.
I’ve been experiencing a lot of weird stuff lately. Maybe it is because I moved to a city whose motto is “Keep Austin Weird.” Don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing none of my recently acquired daily angst episodes are without merit or coincidence. My life has drastically changed. From simple tasks like going to the grocery store to trying to get a good manicure, my old normal is under assault and my adaptation skills are being tested.
Transitions are always difficult, I get it. My friends say I should give myself a break. After all, I did leave an apartment I absolutely loved, an area of Houston (Clear Lake) which fed my soul, a bunch of friends who I adored and a job which gave me great satisfaction and made my life feel quite meaningful and just like that, it all came to a full stop.
So here I am now. For the last four weeks hanging out in my new digs, I have been navigating a variety of thoughts and internal conflicts. To me it feels kind of like emotional whiplash, up and down, high and low, definitely not my normal self.
By day I grope in the valley of the lost and lonely looking for like-minded human connection, but in the evening the sky suddenly changes when my soulmate of 40 years comes home and we enjoy rich conversation while sipping on a cocktail and breathing in the beautiful view of the nature preserve surrounding our third floor balcony.
Austin is a crowded space, from the highways to the lines to get a street taco on Congress St. your patience and tolerance of strangers will be fully tested. But I am a connector, one of those very weird individuals who rarely meet a stranger. In fact, in my core, I am an unapologetic people lover who desires to engage and explore the most unique character in the room.
The problem is I am struggling for the first time to actually make those meaningful connections. People are in a hurry, on a mission, living in a bubble which is already full enough. As I am being forced to explore my own bubble, I now understand, so much of my joy comes from giving others joy. In Houston, my role as the Fairy Zenmother was so much more than a fun label. Being the one other’s rely upon to bring them calm, relaxation and healing touch is not only my passion, it is how I thrive. I want to thrive again.
Cruising towards 60, starting all over in a millennial driven tech-centric city where no one is really asking for my brand of fairy dust, I am forced to reinvent my wand. But I do believe I will find my path and my people who want and need what I have to offer. It just may take more time than I had anticipated and require me to be very patient with myself, to listen, learn and grow, to embrace the process and enjoy the adventure of going weird.
The Zen Den
Hello and welcome to The Zen Den. My name is Alison and while I am passionate about many things, my most inspiring driving force is human connection. Blogger, content writer, orthopedic exercise specialist, motivational speaker, international yoga pro, published songwriter, avid poker player, mom and wife are just a few of my titles. But when I do my job at NASA, I am known simply as “The Fairy Zenmother” a role I deeply love because people invite me into their space to help them find their center, relax and stretch their muscles and destress their mind. Here in the blogosphere version of The Zen Den, I invite you into my world where I will explore ideas for creating a better tomorrow and a kinder today. And hopefully, with insight, authenticity and humor; my words, observations and experiences will help you feel calm, centered, intellectually challenged and spiritually enlightened. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to see covered in The Zen Den, just let me know. Your feedback is welcome and valuable to the success of this blog. Finally, my heart is filled with gratitude to have this opportunity to share with all of you.
