the problem with looking too far ahead ....

she sells seashells metal cuff

I want to know what's going to happen.

(even though I know that thoughts are things and currents of infinite possibility run deep through my bones)

I want to know that everyone is going to have a happy ending and that things are going to all work out.

(even though I know that nothing real can be threatened and nothing unreal exists)

I want to know if what I am doing is going to work before I do it.

(even though ... well, because I'm kind of lazy)

I want a guarantee and yes, I want it signed in permanent ink and notarized.

The problem with this way of going through life is when I look too far ahead:

1. I miss all the stuff I don't do now because it looks like it might be a bad idea later

(if I skipped everything in life that looked like a loser, I surely would have missed the sidesteps that took me to the winners)

2. I miss the cracks in the sidewalk that are right at my feet awaiting my tiniest misstep

(and I am clumsy enough with feet firmly planted on the ground - you know that twitchy/jerky thing that happens sometimes just before we fall asleep - well, I have been known to do that wide awake)

3. I miss the excitement of life surprising me

(since I cannot count on hubs to do this - we both forgot our anniversary last week)

The problem is even knowing these things with an absolute certainty:

I still want to know what's going to happen.

and so she posted this ....

I have a new series ready to go about lining up with what we want while we make stuff and save the world and all that jazz ... but it feels too heavy for a Friday in the summer.

The waning weeks of summer I should add ... sniffle.

So I'm just going to post this (for you, for me, for Olive) ... you're welcome.

happy hump day from the universe ...

You could always send a golden thought balloon Cat, to the most rocking possible version of your future self

to thank you for reaching back with inspiration, hunches, instincts, and impulses to help you bridge all gaps, connect all dots, and leap tall buildings ...

Happy Hump Day,
The Universe

once in a blue moon ... a second full moon in Aquarius

laura peyton print

Although my memory of a blue moon (from classes years ago) isn't the definition being used by most astrologers today - we will just go with today's astrologers and call tonight's 2nd full moon in Aquarius a Blue Moon.

Every 2 or 3 years we have a 2nd full moon in the same Astrology sign which creates a little bookend for the first one - you may be putting to bed a project started between the new moon of July 8th and the full moon of July 22.

(of course most projects are put to bed about as easily as 3 year olds)

When the full moon is in Aquarius the sun is in Leo - so the more we love and value ourselves (Leo) - the more we have to offer the world (Aquarius). We also have all the polarizing themes that go along with that.

It only looks like there are 12 astrological signs - there are really only 6 polarities (or 326 if you are looking here) . Every sign's opposite isn't really it's opposite. They are more like the 2 sides of a coin; they may appear different, but they are still the same coin.

Ultimately (after that hero's journey stuff we all came for) with the Leo/Aquarius polarity we learn that the group is dependent on the individual, and the individual is dependent on the group.

As always during full moons stuff will bump up against our stuck emotional points - in an effort to help us release them -

going through life with sharp edges is not very practical after all. 

Although it may feel like a sumo wrestler has settled onto our solar plexus at times - there is the energy for some real creative stuff to be happening now.

Anyhoo, even if the skies are cloudy tonight, get out and walk in it for a while - it's a wonderful time (although there's never a bad time) to practice gratitude.

Carving out a Niche Without Paper Cuts .....

'cause girls don't wanna grow up either

We don’t have to worry about the millions of people out there who will not like or want or need our makings,

we just have to focus on reaching the people who will love us.

Popular doesn’t mean what it used to mean.

Everyone can be popular now. Yes, everyone. The cool kids may still be sitting at the best table, but guess what – we don’t have to look at them anymore.

(with their perfect skin and their perfect clothes and their perfectly straight teeth - wait, actually I have perfectly straight teeth, don't hate me)

We have our own table. We have always had our own table. But now thanks to this amazing thing called the internet there are a whole lot more people sitting with us and we only have to see each other.

The days of everyone seeing the same TV shows on a Friday night are gone; now everyone sees different things – the things we want to see. 

(yes, the world is like Facebook now)

Those different things are niches.

(pronounced neeshe rhymes with quiche or like geese with a lisp, although here in New Jersey most people rhyme it with fish or itch)

Your niche is what separates you from the pack. It is also what helps the right people find you.

Forget the internet and Etsy for a minute and think of it like this – you are a chiropractor in a small town. If you focus exclusively on golf injuries you will probably be out of business, your small town will not support this type of specializing – you probably need to be more general.

But let’s say you move your practice to the big city – suddenly your general practice is getting lost in the shuffle. There are gazillions of clients for you now, but they can’t find you because there are gazillions of other chiropractors, too – suddenly a golf injury specialty becomes a good thing. In the big city you need a niche.

As cuddly and down home local as it looks, Etsy is the big city folks, yes, we need a niche. But there are some tricks to this niche thing.

Pop over to the  TEAM ECOETSY BLOG for my niche tricks.

(and then say that five times fast and come sit at my table and check out my teeth)

a note from the universe and a magical weekend wish for you ....

Remember, Cat , you're always granted lots of leeway, wiggle room, and tolerance when engaging life's magic.

You pretty much just need to have a dream and show up, then wands start waving all over the place.

Have a magical weekend everyone .....
the Universe