Be Ready to Adapt (a family camping story)
I recently returned from a magnificent 10-day camping vacation with my family, but I’m having trouble BEING home. It was so much fun I want to be back there – camping, experiencing everything again, and seeing what other adventures we can create.
Writing these words and seeing the photos bring me back to the magical spots that entertained us daily. Northern California is truly a beautiful place.
Although I hadn’t been tent-camping for years, I was prepared. We’d planned the locations and logistics for weeks, and with self-help acupressure I prepared my body for what I was going to ask it to do.
I was super lucky I was with my ‘kids’ who set up my tent and got me situated. In many areas out in the boonies, we experienced supreme quiet as we talked around the camp fire and gazed at the stars. We created delicious meals in our campsites, and even treated ourselves to a few delectable dinners out.
We just hung out at camp a few times during the day, but we usually went on excursions, heading to some of the most amazing and phenomenal destinations imaginable.
Day One – Host Tent
GLORIOUS DAY ONE
Our first campsite was over five miles off the main road on a dirt road that was bumpy and rutted and thoroughly worked my Subaru. The destination was off the grid in a glorious spot in the forest where we enjoyed tents set up for us. And the camp hosts made us wood-fired paella for dinner!
What a great way to start our journey!
Deborah with binoculars
Shelter Cove
SHELTER COVE
We left our boonies campsite the next day and headed to Shelter Cove on the Lost Coast. I’d never visited before and was excited to find this to be truly one of the most magical places on earth! Many enthusiasts partake in a 2, 3, or 15-mile hike along the coast.
We chose to just hang out on the beach. That’s where we experienced true magic because the “normal” is fog, cold, and wind. But not for us! Shelter Cove was crystal clear, sunny, and warm.
Klamath River
KLAMATH RIVER
The next campsite was on the Klamath River. We opted to take a short drive to the Salmon River to enjoy a river beach and hang out.
The river was cold, but we were taking plunges into the pools. Yep – even me, who doesn’t like cold! I had to talk myself into it when everyone around me was diving into the water.
But I did it. And now I can say, “I did it, and I’ll do it again.”
We enjoyed it so much we returned to that same beach for a second day. Listening to the water and feeling the moisture in the air was so beautiful, especially when the overall temperature was pretty intense.
Fossil Cliffs
TRINIDAD CLIFFS
Another exceptional excursion was outside of Trinidad, where we investigated a beach cliff known for fossils. And there we sighted two otters playing in the water.
Check out the sunset we enjoyed at the end of the day.
Sunset View
AGATE BEACH
The last campsite was at Sue-meg State Park, formerly named Patrick’s Point State Park. The highlight was beachcombing along Agate Beach.
Agate Beach
We reminisced about the times 30 years ago when we’d hang out at the beach and collect agates that were memorable in quantity and size. This time there were fewer, and they were smaller, but it was still a fun adventure.
It was another magical moment because it was crystal clear, sunny, and warm, unlike the usual fog and cold. We were wearing multiple layers of clothing that got peeled off as the sun heated the air and the sand.
Village houses
We also walked to Sue-meg Village, a reconstruction of the Yurok village, and we investigated the buildings and garden. We enjoyed hiking up to the top of Ceremonial Rock. That was another walk down memory lane! You can easily imagine the Yurok people creating, living, and loving all parts of their village.
Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park
The second morning at Sue-meg, we drove north to experience one of the most beautiful drives through the redwood forest you could imagine. In fact, I requested that we drive through that stretch for a second time. We were in the Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park, and no one could ask for a more gorgeous way to fully experience the majestic redwoods.
FERN CANYON
The last morning of our ten days of camping was spent driving to Fern Canyon. I’d been told that it was magical. And it was! Situated in the Murrelet State Wilderness area, it’s a destination you don’t want to miss.
Deborah on fern forest trail
Fern wall
Imagine walking on a trail through this narrow canyon with steep cliff walls that are totally covered by ferns. And flowing down the walls, you see and hear gentle waterfalls seeping out of the canyon walls and flowing gently into the creek below. The sound of the water was beautiful and soothing.
BE READY FOR THE UNEXPECTED
Can you see why I didn’t want this 10-day adventure to end?
Every day was filled with magic. Plus, I got to spend it with my adult children. What parent could ask for anything better?
This trip was truly incredible, but it’s not totally where we initially planned to go.
Originally, we were to start in Lassen National Park for some hiking and fly fishing, but it was closed because of major fires. Trinity River was next on our list for more fly fishing, but the heat and smoke forced us to head west toward the ocean.
Agate Beach and the redwoods were in the first plan and were amazing to wrap up our memory-building trip.
And although I didn’t get any fishing in, the opportunity sparked my desire to return to that blissful experience. I will once again stand in a river in my waders and cast my fly rod! And hopefully, to more camping and enjoying quiet, joyful family time.
So, the message that I got was loud and clear — be ready to accept that change is always a part of life, even a vacation, and be prepared to go with the flow, no matter what you’ve planned.
Nicole and Deborah
And experience the FUN that life is ready to give you if you just allow yourself to be available for the possibilities and open to the opportunities!
And remember, be good to your body as you take it to new destinations and experiences. Prepare it for what you want to do, and know how to help it heal from any incidents that happen along the way.
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The Great Pain Escape
Check out my October workshop “The Great Pain Escape” to discover how to reduce and prevent pain in your body and build emotional balance.
Easy Stress-Busting Tips for Your Kids and You!
In this free webinar, you will learn how to use self-help acupressure to get ahead of anxiety and stress. You will experience how to find your breath, ways to relieve stress, what to do to get better sleep, and boost your immune system.
Kids Notice Changes In Energy
Kids Notice
Kids Notice all kinds of things. Ask young folks what they’re noticing different in their lives and you’ll get answers!
When I was in Minnesota visiting family, I showed my two great nieces the Daily Clean Your House Flow™ animated video. The 7-year-old was thrilled! Presley loved the video itself and with a great big smile said, “Aunt Deb, I’m feeling this buzzy happening.” Morgan, the 9-year-old who had been introduced to self-help acupressure through her mom and grandma, saw that it was a fun way to do her energy work. And she loved the book I’ve written.
In the Classroom
The next day, Morgan shared what she had learned with her teacher, and he invited her to teach her classmates. They sat around in a circle, and she walked them through the Daily Flow. The next day the same scenario took place. That happened to be the day of standardized testing. The teacher noticed something different in the room. His students were calm, focused and not in angst over the test. And they did better than ever before.
Mr. Weiss asked Morgan whether Aunt Deb would be able to come to the classroom, show the video and teach them about self-care. Well, of course, I’m going to show up for that and luckily there was one more day before I had to leave.
Mr. Weiss and I had a great conversation before the students filed into the classroom. He said that it really was noticeable how centered the kids were for the test the day before. And how the Daily Flow had helped with calming and breathing.
A Real Author
The 4th graders were thrilled that a “real author” was in their classroom, and they had lots of questions about writing a book. They, of course, were all over the animated video. I had to tell them I wasn’t the illustrator! But we spent time talking about the process of making the video. And they loved how much fun it was to do the Daily Flow to the video.
Questions and Answers
And then came the questions about acupressure and what they can do for themselves. Keep in mind that this group of kids had never been introduced to acupressure or energy balancing. They did not know about acupuncture, so I couldn’t make a comparison. So I had lots of fun teaching and sharing. I loved that the kids realized that THEY can make changes happen. Questions revolved around aches and pain, studying and tests, doing better in sports and activities.
In the end, I said, “So you’ve now done the Daily Clean Your House Flow three days in a row. I’m getting that many of you plan to continue doing the Daily Flow. Right??? So what changes have you seen that makes you WANT to do the Daily Clean Your House Flow?”
What Kids Noticed
Their responses brought smiles to my face:
- One girl said, “I slept last night. That is different.”
- Another said, “My brother and I are getting along. Now that’s crazy.”
- And a young man said, “I don’t like tests, and I never do good. Yesterday I did good on the test.”
Now, really? Nine-year-olds who are not sleeping? Nine-year-olds stressed over studying and tests? Kids recognizing that a relationship had changed in three days? That had to be a significant shift for the kids to take notice.
I’m excited that kids are seeing changes happening when they do their Daily Clean Your House Flow! Check out the website to read more comments from the children, their teachers, and their parents. To see the first 90 seconds of the animated video, go to www.dailycleanyourhouseflow.com and see how easy it is for both kids and adults to learn and then want to do their daily energy work!
Going Down Memory Lane
Life is made up of memories. In fact, it can be said that what we remember creates our lives. From the moment we start remembering our experiences our brains create memory pools that get accessed when we revisit information, behaviors, activities, and especially when we get reconnected to people from our past.
Connecting with the past
I am accessing those pools of memories this week! I’m visiting my hometown in Minnesota and spending time with my mom, my siblings, and their families. Just being with them easily brings up “do you remember this?” conversations and going down memory lane. I’m sure each and every one of us has that happen when we’re with family and friends we haven’t seen for a while.
This time around Mom brought out boxes of old stuff that my sister and I needed to go through. I was blown away by the stories that pictures, dolls, stuffed animals, books, and keepsakes brought up. We had fun sharing our memories!
Creating memories
And then there are the fun times with my grand nieces and nephews ranging in age from 5 to 9. I’m a big kid at heart, so my suitcase had all sorts of projects to do with them. I have to admit that I had an ulterior motive! I wanted my time with them to be memorable, so when I talk to them on the phone, they know who I am and how important they are to me.
Creating the desire to be healthy
A big part of that for me is introducing them to energy work and especially to self-help acupressure. I want them to know how easy it is for them to feel healthy, productive and happy. So I’m teaching them the Daily Clean Your House Flow and showing them how to feel good. They love the Daily Clean Your House Flow animated video, and that puts a smile on my face. I know that we have created some great memories, especially when the 6-year-old says to her mom, “I love how Aunt Deb spoils me. I’m going to do the Daily Flow now.”
Teach Your Children Wellness
Spoil your kids! Teach them how to be their care providers. They deserve to be healthy and happy!
Sharing the Wealth
H
ow can it already be Thanksgiving? Where has the year gone? And where are we going?
I’m not quite ready for it to be the holiday season, but I’m willing to go along on the ride. I love Thanksgiving Day and prepping and enjoying the feast with family and friends. It’s more than the feast. I love reflecting on how much has transpired this past year, the beautiful people I have in my life who have helped me get to where I am in this moment, and how thankful I am that I have joy and excitement in my days.
I am in the midst of creating an exciting and amazing project that will allow me to share how easy it is to walk around in a happy and balanced body. With LOTS of help and guidance, I am creating a program that will easily be used in school classrooms. It will teach children energy balancing self-help. It’s close to being released and I can hardly wait until the day I say, “It’s here!”
I have a long list of family, friends, and colleagues whom I want to thank but it would take up several pages. I am one very lucky woman to even be able to say that — and to be able to say that clients and students are included in that list of friends and connections!
What is very important for me to do is to say this: “I am blessed with knowing each and every one of you, with experiencing your guidance, your love and your desire for me to do well. I am thrilled that I get to do what I do in my world, and I am honored that you allow me to participate in your health and wellness.”
My desire for you is this, “Be in joy, be in balance and be in breath.”
Sending you blessings and best wishes for a fantastic Thanksgiving!
Deborah
