Day: January 19, 2014

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Day 19: Pay for the Starbucks Order in the Car Behind Me

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This was a simple and yet fun first to do. And it was a great way to finish the Pay It Forward Weekend. After showing property this afternoon, I swung through the drive through of a local Starbucks. The time of day was not exactly peak coffee drinking time but several cars were in line. I trusted that another car would pull in behind me.

I was watching in my rear view mirror as the people in the car ahead of me received their purchase, wondering if I was going to have to go elsewhere to complete this first.  Then a car turned the corner and pulled up behind. A young driver sat at the wheel, bobbing her head to music only she could hear. Perfect!

The guy in the window smiled, in a conspiratorial way, and commented that he loved it when people paid for the purchase of the customer next in line. I smiled in return and exited the parking lot quickly, hoping to be away before the girl behind me cleared the building. Success!

I hope she enjoyed her coffee. And that she will pay it forward when the time feels right for her to do so. I intend to repeat this first, often!

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Day 18: An Evening With Theresa Caputo

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Today’s first was exciting for me. I attended an event in Tulsa, Ok featuring Theresa Caputo, otherwise known as The Long Island Medium. Theresa is engaging. She’s petite and wears extremely high heels with lots of bling. Her sense of humor and laughter are infectious. She is high energy, compassionate, confident, and she makes a living talking to the dead.

Sitting in the audience, listening to her deliver messages to people from their departed loved ones, I was touched by the comfort and peace that she imparted. Her accuracy was undeniable. I believe she has a God given gift and after years of denying her abilities, she has obtained peace for herself by embracing fully who she is.

The real power of this first isn’t that I attended the event. It is that I am writing about it and will publically post that I did. I have lived most of my life abiding by other people’s rules and adapting myself to please others. I don’t like to displease others or be controversial. And yet, in the adapting and shifting and suppressing myself, I lost, for a very long time, who I really am and what’s true and important for me to embrace. This year of firsts is about moving beyond my comfort zone and into freedom in all areas of my life.

Tonight, posting about an event that I enjoyed, I am uncomfortable, knowing that not everyone will accept who Theresa is and what she does to bless others. And not everyone will understand why I would go watch her and even appreciate her gift. Coming up to the edge of this discomfort, it would have been easy to back away and choose another first to write about. But backing down is not what I am doing this year. I am pushing through. I’m growing into the person I am meant to be. I am allowing myself to be Divinely guided on how to best challenge my limitations and break through. And so, I share, from a full and joy filled heart, that tonight, I attended a Theresa Caputo event, and I am grateful for the opportunity to hear her speak and grateful for the opportunity to go BEYOND my fear of what other people think.