As I was driving through the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks, I couldn’t help becoming totally present. The lush, rolling hills spoke to my soul from the moment I first saw them. Moving to Arkansas was never something I had to adjust to. Ozark nature is irresistible.

Driving along, my happy heart suddenly sunk to my feet? There, on the side of the road was a pile of garbage. How could someone deposit their trash in this pristine setting? And, that’s when I got a crazy idea. At that very moment, I was inspired to walk across the state picking up litter to raise awareness and educate the public. As futile as it sounded, it WAS an opportunity to be outdoors in Arkansas!  And, I figured,  maybe some people just do what they’ve always done because they’ve never considered another way. It seemed like reasonable logic that I could show folks another way.

So, I thought about it. And, I thought about it some more. I told a few friends about it. Crickets. Then, I thought about it a bit more. It became a regular past time. Then one day, I shared it with a different person. Oh wow! He heard me…and it resonated with him! What’s that, he says? So, do it?! Oh really?! I can…DO it? Why not? So right then and there, I decided! And, in 4 short months, I was making a life-changing trek across the state, living some of the best and most educational 15 days of my life. But, that’s another story.

Let’s examine something that might be even more important than saving the planet. Really? Yes! Let’s talk about your hopes and desires. What do you want to do? What’s calling your name? What have you been dwelling on forever? If there’s one thing I realized through this process, it’s the importance of giving yourself permission. Don’t put your hopes and dreams in a box labeled “someday”. You do not need to wait until someone else can see and believe in your dreams with you. You are enough. Nothing in this life is more enriching and empowering than giving yourself permission to follow your heart. Write your own story. Validate yourself. If you desire it, if you can dream it, give yourself permission to do it, to become it.