Every ending is a new beginning, but it doesn't always feel that way--and it didn't in the spring of 2017. I was freshly divorced, with a storage unit full of stuff but no house to put it in, a job that I was just about to quit and no future plans at all.

So I decided to ride my bicycle across the United States of America. On my own.

Four and a half months later, I realized that the hardest part of any adventure--whether it's by bike, by car, in our minds and hearts, the result of a change we chose or one that was thrust upon us--is the beginning. It can feel nearly impossible to start, and many of us don't know where to even begin. And so we get stuck there.

We get stuck on making things perfect. On choosing the right moment. On being ready. On what others might think. On being old enough (or too old), or not having the right skills, the right gear, the right state of mind. On what we should have or could have done.

And yet, what I on learned on this journey and what my body taught me was this: Go anyway. Keep moving, day by day, breath by breath, pedal stroke by pedal stroke. Choose and then choose again. What's the worst that could happen?

Actually, what's the best that could happen?

Years later I can tell you: Only the most incredible of things. Things that you once only dreamed of. Things that you once never even dared to dream--like moving across an ocean. I had to ride my bike across a country, though, before I could rebuild my life on my own terms.

So what is your bike ride across America? Where will it take you, if you just dare to begin?

P.S. Listen to the end for reflection questions, resources and a quick breathing exercise to help you get started!

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So, what’s your story? This is one of the many ways that we modern humans get the conversation going. It’s one that I use a lot, actually. Maybe because I’m a writer, and a trained journalist. And because I'm a curious person, which is probably what drew me to that work in the first place.

This podcast has been quieter than usual for a bit because I’ve been following my curiosity to see where it leads me. I feel as if I am molting, and also being asked to step up, so I've been sitting on that. I also feel like the world is crumbling around us—new atrocities, new wars, new human rights violations flash across my screen every day, even if I open up my Instagram for just two seconds. I’ve been ruminating a lot on what it means to be American, now that my country of origin has become intent on destroying itself and the world in the ugliest, most backwards, most hate-filled way possible. More than that, I’ve been thinking about what it means to be a woman in a world still dominated by men, and one which I am convinced is falling apart largely because of that.

A very important note: I know plenty of very good men, including my own father and the man I married. Men are not the enemy. The toxic patriarchy is. In fact, going forward, we’re going to need those good men to stand with us so that we can build something better.

And just how do we build something better? Us little people, the powerless ones? First of all, we have to stop thinking that we’re powerless. Big changes are made in small ways by many, many “small” people every single day.

Second of all, women and women-identifying humans, we need to make our voices heard. We need to provide the compassionate and nurturing leadership that the world so desperately needs—starting in our communities, our families, our homes. Make them a place of love and acceptance where all are welcome, where domination has no place, and where each living thing has a place at the table.

How do we do this? It all comes down stories. Stories are THE way that humanity has been learning, growing, and passing down wisdom since the dawn of time.
So, you’ll be hearing a lot more from me in the weeks and months to come, as I do what a writer does best and put my life experiences into words. As I answer the question: What’s my story?

So, pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea and let me tell you a story.

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"In strange and uncertain times such as those we are living in, sometimes a reasonable person might despair. But hope is unreasonable and love is greater even than this." (Musician Robert Fripp)

Whose heart doesn't hurt these days? We might, in this turbulent period, find it logical to believe that the darkness has won. However, as Robert Fripp said so beautifully, hope is not logical, and neither is love. And as long as we don't slip into despair, we continue to be stronger than the forces that want nothing more than for us to give in.

In this very special 50th anniversary podcast episode, we're going to tackle a very important and timely question: How do we find peace and purpose in such uncertain times? Where can it take root, and how can we cultivate it? How do we not only survive, but thrive when our personal and collective lives are in chaos?

I personally find that one of the answers lies in community. It's so important to listen to and learn from each other--especially in times like these. Times that really do make us feel like we're back in Suckville (and those of you have been with me from the beginning will know this is in reference to the podcast's original name: Live From Suckville!).

That's why I put out a call asking for your wisdom. Furthermore, that's why you'll hear not only my voice on this episode, but those of other magical humans with wisdom and hopeful messages to share.

As another example of how to find peace and purpose, and in homage to the transformative journey of this podcast--which has, in fact, contributed greatly to me finding my purpose--I'm going to take you on a little trip down memory lane :)

So, join me to celebrate the 50th episode of Magic, Medicine and Mayhem by gathering together--whether you're at home, driving your car, walking through the park or the city. Thank you for being here, and thank you for having been here with me through the good times and the tough times. I can't wait to see where the next 50 episodes take us!

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