Today I began a trip around the world. Not because I’m searching for something I’ve lost… Or because I want an escape from “real life”… Not even because I am literally & metaphorically embarking on a brand new phase of my life. I am traveling simply for the Joy.

I want to be carried on an epic adventure of beauty & culture. I want to take an exciting journey into the unknown, and find out what might be waiting there for me. I want to discover. To learn. To experience. To grow…. And to breathe. I want to be open to any and all experiences, and to let them touch my heart and my soul. I want to take a GIANT step into the World, and see what it’s all about!

Today… I took my first step on a journey that will take me to Costa Rica, Isla Mujeres, Hong Kong, Thailand, Bali, Australia, and New Zealand. Today… I begin this journal with: “Costa Rica- Day 1″.

I am traveling with my friend Jamie, who (interestingly) was the first person I met after I took another giant step into the World 5 years ago when I moved to L.A. we land in San Jose airport in a frenzy, because our flight is an hour and 12 minutes late, which means we have missed our connecting flight to the coastal surfing community of Mal Pais. There are no more flights out this afternoon, so it is suggested we stay in San Jose & fly out in the morning. Now… While I’m sure parts of San Jose are quite lovely indeed.. The holiday inn near the airport is not EXACTLY how we envisioned beginning our epic adventure through the rain forests of Central America. So… We decide instead to see some of this gorgeous country by taking a car, to a ferry, to an ATV to reach our resort in Mal Pais. This means our 20min flight, has become a 6 hour cross- country escapade… But even after 10 hours of airports & planes, we are game for the challenge!

Our driver Alex is jovial & helpful, and even jokes by teaching us some useful spanish phrases for Americans such as “where is the nearest Denny’s?” (hilarious). Alex speaks unbroken English, and when his cell phone rings, it plays “Aerosmith”. This cracks me up.

As we drive on, we pass a car which has broken down on the side of the road, and I notice the first major difference from Los Angeles. I do not see a man wearing Ed Hardy & texting on his cell phone while waiting for AAA. I see a man underneath his car, fixing it himself as his 6 year old daughter passes him the appropriate tools for the job.

Alex starts to step on the gas, as we are cutting it close to catching the LAST ferry out for the night, and with our luck making connections SO far, we figure we MAY not be able to rely on good kharma to get us there in time. We make it with 3 minutes to spare, and as I am dashing for the Boat, I am sincerely wishing I did not pack so many cute pairs of cargo pants b/c my backpack feels as though it may crush my clavicle if left to it’s own devises.

By some miracle, we board the ferry in time to witness the most spectacular sunset. The air is heavy & humid, but somehow…. Not sticky or hot. The breeze was perfection, and I got lost in a mediative trance of loveliness, as I witness the undiluted beauty of nature. On the 2 hour ride across the ocean, we see mountains and islands, and clouds that catch the twilight in a manner that cannot be described in words. We see fishermen and pelicans, and before long I feel as though my mind has cleared, and my body has decompressed. I breathe in the sweet evening air, and meditate on gratitude.

When we arrive on the peninsula, we are whisked away in an ATV by Alex’s friend Luis, who has a sign which reads “Jamie + Elice”, and who has been designated to carry us on the remainder of our journey. We hop in excitedly, and off we go! Along the way, I notice another difference from L.A. Every house we pass- without exception- has the front door wide open. there are no TVs on, and families are conversing and playing games on porches. This way of life seems somehow refreshing… To live without locks and bolts and 97 inch screens. A way of life that seems fully based on defining families and  enjoying the moment. I love this.

Now- we were informed that Mal Pais is “off the beaten path”, but we were in for a bit of a surprise when the pavement became a dirt road, the dirt road became a trail, the trail became 2 tire tracks, and the tire tracks disintegrated into a barley perceptible path through the jungle. the vehicle was bouncing up and down and winding around bends for over an hour before we finally drove down the coast and came upon The secluded little private resort we booked online. It was…. In a word… Paradise! The pictures online made it look luxurious, but I had been convinced that at $40 a night each, it couldn’t live up to the expectations.

It FAR exceeded them! Our private cabana has it’s own hammock and the deluxe bathroom is open air, so I could see the stars as I showered off the long trip. Jamie and I were famished, so we went directly to the restaurant which is poolside under the stars. Here we were served fresh vegetables & fruits, which somehow taste better and richer than their American counterparts. We then ate the catch of the day, which was so fresh it was practically still swimming. To wash down all this island deliciousness I had an incredible local concoction that was simply fresh pineapple and crushed ice. No sugar. No additives…. Just divinity in a glass.

We went directly to the pool for a dip where I laid on a floating bed & stared at the night sky. It was here that I noticed a final stark difference from L.A…… The night sky. here in this secluded paradise…. Away from the big city, headlights on the 405 and smog…. The ebony sky looked like a gateway to another universe. I laid floating in awe. Enjoying the hypnotic effect of the dazzling stars. It takes a little time to develop the eyes to see this sky. First…. You are overwhelmed by the complete darkness of the night, and then stunned by the contrasting brilliance of Saturn, and the most prominent stars.

But then…. If you relax your vision and stare into the darkness with faith… more of the universe begins to reveal itself. Gradually… You begin to notice thousands of specks of light filling the darkness… Clusters of constellations and shooting stars passing so quickly that if you blink, you’d miss them. And all of a sudden, it seems as though something millions of light years away, is actually within your grasp.

Well……. It’s been awhile since my last blog. A long while, to be truthful. Many times in the past several months I have sat down to the computer to share words of wisdom, and found myself distracted by phone calls, or emails, or Facebook. I’ve made excuses (“but there’s a re-run of FRIENDS on”), I’ve procrastinated (“I’ll do it right after I watch this re-run of “FRIENDS”), and I’ve scolded myself for my laziness (“I’m Horrible for watching a re-run of FRIENDS when I should have been blogging!!!!”). All of this worry & stress still was not enough to motivate me toward my laptop, which was very busy gathering dust in the back corner of my closet, somewhere behind my box-set of FRIENDS. I would occasionally even get minor panic attacks at the mere thought of writing a blog…. “what will I write about??”, “what if it’s not good enough??”, “would Chandler think this blog was funny??”. Time and time again I avoided the dreaded task…. Wondering how something that I once enjoyed SO much, was suddenly more foreboding than the Mayans’ predictions for 2012. Then, one day in July, after a particularly tragic attempt at writing (I think that blog may have actually begun: “GLUTEAL WORK: Don’t get “Behind”. Yikes.), I realized. It wasn’t the phone, or the re-runs, or facebook. It was fear. Plain & simple. I was afraid that…. for the first time in my life… I might actually have nothing to say. This is because for the last 8 months, I have been going through a very challenging & contentious divorce. And on that particular day in July, I was afraid that the whole terrible process had stolen my voice.

Today it will be 237 days since I ended my marriage. 238 days ago, I was married. Today, I am not. For 236 nights, and 237 days I have fought with everything inside to hold onto myself, while at the same time trying desperately to allow myself , the space & forgiveness to grow and heal. Since this website is all about finding Bliss, I will keep it brief, and simply say that the past 8 months have been, without question, the most challenging of my life. In, fact I was watching a study on the news recently, which found that people who have gone through a divorce are 40% more likely to age quickly, and die sooner. Forty Percent. Great. How was I supposed to Blog about “Bliss” & “Wellness” when experts say I am clearly doomed to premature crows feet, and probably only have another 6 months or so to live? The thought of tackling inspirational blogging at this point seemed just overwhelming. WHY would anyone be interested in ANYthing I have to say? So I said nothing.

Over the past 8 months, I have been tried & tested. I have been shattered, hurt, disappointed, and stressed near my breaking point. I have cried, hyperventilated, yelled, and screamed (sometimes at those who didn’t deserve it). I have felt lost, exhausted, confused, manic, and occasionally….. even broken beyond repair. But it turns out…. I wasn’t broken. During those same 8 months, I have smiled and laughed. I have danced and surfed, and cycled. I have painted, and journaled, and dreamed. I have witnessed breathtaking sunsets and heartbreaking Art. I have read books… from the inane to the classics, from self-help to the Yoga Sutras. I have lived and loved and healed. I have grown and learned and soul searched. In essence… I have survived. And beyond merely surviving…… I have managed to find a deeper version of myself. A more authentic ‘Me’. Despite the nearly unbearable havoc that Divorce has inflicted (not just on me, mind you….. but on ALL those who love me the most), I have NOT lost my voice. Or my heart. Or my laughter. Rather….. I have actually FOUND these things again. and… in a more profound way than ever.

From this day… from this very MOMENT onward, I intend to develop a deeper, more personal relationship with my Joy. with my LIFE. I had lost so much during my marriage, that I simply refuse to waste another breath NOT being the best version of myself I can possibly access. This of course, begs the question “HOW do I access my best self?”. And this is when, (as I have so often done in moments of major life crises) I turn to my Father ‘s sage advice. During a particularly challenging time, my Dad reminded me that “Happiness is a choice”. A conscious decision to control our own thoughts, feelings, & destiny. Well… I found this extremely comforting. Happiness is not something that simply ‘happens’ to us one day. We have to choose it. We have to love ourselves enough to truly believe that we deserve it. and To CHOOSE happiness takes hard work, peaceful dedication & patient nurturing. To take care of others, we have to first take care of ourselves.

And Thus begins my brand new journey! My commitment to help others find their health, wellness & Joy, by remembering to nurture and cultivate my own. Each day, I am going to do something…. At least ONE thing … that exists exclusively to fill my heart & feed my soul…. and then Blog about it. A daily commitment to my Bliss. I am going to show my gratitude for this amazing LIFE I’ve been given, by seizing every opportunity to choose JOY. I’m going to “Carpe Diem” my little heart out!!! I’ll begin each Blog entry with “5 Things I am grateful for Today”… and then share my journey. I hope you’ll join me on an adventure of your own.

5 Things I am grateful for Today: 1) The courage to talk about the end of my marriage, and the beginning of my new life 2) My tirelessly devoted Family & Friends, without whom this transition would have seemed insurmountable. 3) my students, who inspire me EVERYDAY with their strength, integrity, dedication, and open hearts 4) gummi coke bottles 5) The profoundly limitless possibilities of Life