Seattle

By Michelle Preble

For years I have always wanted to getaway to Seattle, Washington. Perhaps it was all the Grey’s Anatomy watching, Twilight, and 50 Shades of Grey fan-girling done in my early years, but I was drawn to the Pacific Northwest more than any place EVER. I was set to go weeks before covid first hit and the world shut down. So, like everything else we did in our lives at the time, I put that little dream of adventure on the back burner. But, I really think that it was meant to be, so I could be ready to be here. I had to grow.

A few weeks ago, I was working in a medical office with some pretty awesome people. One day, I woke up and felt that sense of adventure was missing. I felt like I wasn’t living my purpose and I needed to get away, I needed to be back to where I was made to be. In the water and in the yoga studio. I needed to get out of Colorado Springs for a little while and just go on an adventure. I was joking with a friend of mine, who asked where we could grab a beer..I jokingly said “Seattle!” and then I thought about it. Over and over Seattle rolled around in my head. This feeling of not where I am meant to be kept my mind replaying paths that I have taken and where I felt I needed to be.

Sometimes we go down paths only to learn that that’s not the path we wanted to take and that is completely OK, just…create a different path.

I had some personal things pop up in my life within the next week and I made the decision that I needed to take a Michelle break. I needed to get the heck out of the city and go. So, I bought my plane ticket, booked my hotel, and within a week I was about to go out on a solo adventure. ALL by MYSELF. For the first time ever in my life.

Who the heck just goes to a new city by themselves?

Me. I do that.

When I had Seattle planned the first time, I was supposed to go with a man. When I joked about Seattle the second time, it was about meeting a friend for a beer…Now, I’m sitting, drenched in sweat from hot yoga, at Top Pot Doughnuts. I am enjoying a lovely apple fritter and sipping on delicious coffee in the upper corner of this cute coffee shop. Today is my last full day here and I am absolutely so in love with myself and with my adventure. I did hard things this week.

Raise your hand if you are comfortable being by yourself in your own surroundings?

I’ll wait.

It’s hard! It’s hard to know what you need and how to communicate with yourself. It’s hard to tell yourself all those good and sweet things, to be patient with ourselves, to have compassion for ourselves. We are our biggest critic.

I only had a few things planned for my trip. I knew I wanted to see the Space Needle and Pike Place Market but, for the most part, I went wherever the day took me. I had yoga planned every day and found beautiful yoga studios with amazing instructors.

My adventures took me to aerial yoga where I learned that I kinda don’t like flying and being in the air. It was a huge thing to trust myself within the silk and forget about relaxing in that cocoon savasana, I felt much like a dracula and was giggling to myself often. But I also learned that it felt so damn good on my funky back and jacked up hip. The relief was worth the vulnerability.

I was led around the city by a donut connoisseur and tried several different donuts from several delicious spots. We eventually ended up at the Pike Place Market where I wandered around and watched men catching and throwing fish, I saw the most beautiful flower bouquets and I stumbled upon some jerky that just had to be had and some really great record shops where I browsed the aisle of my language. My little feet took me to the water and right to the bottom of a giant Wheel overlooking the pier and the water. Naturally, I had to go on it. I learned that I would much rather be in the water and on the water rather than in the air and possibly falling towards the water from great heights. So, I went on the little cruise boat next to the Wheel and took a tour of the city from the water. It was so fun and I had the ability to laugh at myself and talk to myself through the mind chatter that was working on telling me that I was crazy for being here. I am full of Seattle information that will later be used in random conversations and probably at the weirdest times.

I walked everywhere that I possibly could and I did some really random things some days and I loved every second of it.

I encourage every single one of you to learn about yourself and to continue to do all the things that matter to YOU. Stop waiting for life and the time to “be right” there will always be something going on. There will be stress, there will be work. Life does not wait and time and energy are things we do not get back in this world. Your loved ones and your biggest supporters will back you up and cheer you on. My tribe was so loud in the cheering section and I am all in my heart feelers over the man beside this woman. My support system was unbelievable and I am so thankful for all of them.

Go out and walk your path with grace, compassion and curiosity. You can do hard things!