I have lived in my new house for two weeks and just finished my first week of commuting. I have learned a lot about mountain life,  and in this short time,  I have grown in ways I never imagined.

Here are the things I have learned so far:

1. To drive on the freeway next to large trucks without being nervous or irritated in sharing the road. I just keep my distance and respect the job they are doing to bring supplies that maintain our sustainability.

2. To plan ahead in my grocery shopping and buy two of everything so I do not run out of things.

3. To get up at 3:30am to give myself time to get ready and drive safely to my 6am classes.

4. To allow myself to enjoy my downtime between my classes in SCV. Instead of frantically running from place to place, I am learning to enjoy the breaks in between to just breathe.

5. To stop and look around at the magnificent nature all around me. Living in the mountains reminds me of how big the world really is and how small some of my problems are. I can take a step back and see my life so clearly now. I can see how blessed I am and feel deep gratitude for all of the great things in my life.

6. To use technology without panicking! I can use my cruise control, use my Bluetooth panel in my car, use a computer outside of my home to check my email, and utilize more functions on my smart phone. ( BTW- these are huge things for me!)

7. To reach out to my new community and take actions to start teaching up here. It is hard to start from scratch and introduce myself, but I have set up a trial yoga class at the local gym so people can meet me.

8. To load my car, lay my clothes out, and gather my food  the night before so that I have everything I need for the next day of work.

9. To drive on the s-curves in the mountain without feeling nervous. I actually look forward to them now! I must say my new Mini Cooper handles like a dream and has made my drive a lot better.

10. To ALWAYS have a flashlight with fresh batteries close by. Especially in the bathroom so that when the power goes out and I am caught naked, I don’t panic and run around in the pitch black looking for a flashlight! ( True story!)

Here are a couple of pictures from this mornings snow fall.