Mercury is in retrograde. I should go slowly. But… 

But do ya ever wake up from *the* nap (you know… After a long hot day in the sun… late in the afternoon under the perfectly soft and warm but not smothering blankets, with no alarm clock to interrupt? Yeeeah, that’s *the* nap) and feel like you’ve suddenly got the clarity that only comes from the best sleep in your life?

That’s how this conversation left me feeling Monday. So ?? revived ??!

Obviously, Monday was the first day back to work after an extra long holiday weekend. And mostly, I was dreading the routine part of the day that you have to do (the meetings, the formalities of getting your groove back, etc.). But this day was different.

The workday was the same. But I had a phone call with someone who I didn’t expect to chat with on my way home. He’s a mentor from many years back, and I haven’t seen him since I left the organization. But he’s been a reliable font of wisdom since the day we met. When I look back on our relationship, he’s been an absolute brick; consistently encouraging me to work harder and strive for more because he never doubts me—even when I doubt myself. 

After catching up on many life events, he didn’t hesitate to remind me that I can do hard things. Including standing by decisions that don’t make sense to anyone else but me. (The word stubborn may have also been used but I’m paraphrasing.)

But boy, was that a breath of fresh air.

Realistically, I’ve been procrastinating my grad school application. It’s been lingering because I’m not sure if I’m ready to fail (or almost fail if Waitlisting isn’t exactly a failure) again. But after talking to someone I’ve respected not just as a friend, but also as a professional, I got the jolt I needed to finally hit the road. 

And I think I’m really, very ready—for whatever outcome I find. (Hi Universe!) 

In any case I know Mercury is in retrograde and whatnot. It’s supposed to be a time for planning or analyzing, but I feel so aligned that yup, not even retrograde can f with me. 

Sending some energy out to everyone who is deciding to buck the cosmos and follow their hearts, anyway.