lucycou

I kind of gave up on this blog a while ago. I just didn’t have the interest anymore. The passion got sucked out of me. How did this happen? I’m pretty sure the answer is: I moved to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is a fine city. I was born and raised here. However, I’m getting to the point in my life where I want to settle down in a place that truly resonates with what I’m really about. So far I’ve lived in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Henderson and Victora (Texas). None of these places have done it for me. I felt empty at each place.

Portland, however, is where I have wanted to call home for a very long time now. That dream finally came true for me about four days ago when I had a telephone interview for a job in Portland. Within 10 minutes I had a job. My entire life had just changed. Now it’s 4 days later and I’m 12 days away from actually setting foot (for the first time!) in Portland, Oregon. Just thinking about it brings tears of happiness to my eyes and my body shakes with excitement.

The most fascinating aspect of moving to Portland for me is the fact that I won’t be laughed at for being primarily a raw vegan. This is obviously a very important part of who I am, but it’s very difficult to maintain. Texas was a joke when it came to this particular part of me. About 9.8 out of 10 people, upon fully explaining to them what a raw vegan was, would look back at me and say one of the following:

• “Oh… Huh. But you still eat chicken, right? You need protein. Where would you get your protein?!”
• “What? You can only eat raw stuff? So you eat raw meat?!”
• “A ‘Green Smoothie’?! UGH! That sounds and looks DISGUSTING. I could never eat something like that!”
• “So… YOU WANNA GO TO MCDONALDS AND GET A BURGER?!?!?!?!??! HAHAHAHA!”
• “Well, come over to my BBQ this weekend anyway. Eat my steak. It’s the best you’ll ever have! Trust me! I’ll make it special for you and it will change your mind about being a vee-gan. Just try it.”

These are all seriously very common responses I would get on  daily basis. It was mind blowing. The most interesting part of it all was just getting used to the blunt rudeness of people. For example, I’d be sitting somewhere drinking my green smoothie (leafy greens and fruit mix; tastes like a fruit smoothie but looks green) and someone would walk past me, obnoxiously stop and stare at my drink and start with a loud gasp: “UGH! What IS that?!??!!?!” Of course, then I’d calmly explain what a green smoothie is, then they’d come back with a: “EWWWW!!! I COULD NEVER DRINK THAT. THAT’S DISGUSTING.” Really? A healthy smoothie made from 60% organic fruits and 40% organic leafy greens is DISGUSTING? I don’t get it. I would understand if I used weird ingredients like raw eggs, raw shrimp, POOP, rocks, vomit, frog legs, etc. Yeah. Then it would be pretty disgusting. But fruits and greens? People’s complete disregard for common decency never failed to astonish me.

So. Yes. I am very excited to move to Portland! The insane amounts of pure NATURE, the culture, the organic FOOD, the arts and museums, the marvelous public transit system, POWELL’S BOOKSTORE, crazy-fun events every weekend, being able to safely ride a bike in public! All these things and MORE. I keep hearing about amazing, only-true-in-my-wildest-dreams things that exist in Portland. For example, employers rewarding employees for recycling, bringing their own reusable mugs/containers to work instead of using the paper cups, paying 50% of your bus pass if you take the bus because they’d like to encourage green living, etc! I have definitely never lived in a place like this. I didn’t know a place like this EXISTED.

True story, while working in Las Vegas I was constantly mocked for 1) being a raw vegan, 2) bringing my own Sigg water bottle to work everyday instead of using the very wasteful coffee cups, 3) bringing my own lunch to work instead of ordering take out with the rest of my coworkers and 4) attempting to take the bus to work instead of driving my car. Yes, it might sound ridiculous, but all very true. I’m very ready to move to a place where all of these things won’t be ridiculous, but common sense.

Of course, the only bad thing about moving away is leaving behind family and friends that I care about. I could write about this forever and feel bad for a long time about leaving them behind, but to be honest, I’m done with feeling bad. I’ve moved 4 times already, so I’m very much accustomed to what happens each time I move. I’m just excited now. My friends and family will always be my friends and family no matter where I go. I need to take care of myself and focus on what will truly fulfill me in life. This is about making life count and taking an active role in my life to make my life the BEST THING EVER. If I’m not doing that, what’s the point of life? Why should I wait 8 months to make my dreams come true instead of making them come true RIGHT NOW? I could die in 2 months. What would I have to say for my life? That I waited too long to just be happy? I’m over the whole waiting part.

Most people ask me how I am able to move so often. How I can just up and decide to change my ENTIRE life from one moment to another. It’s easier than they think. Just go with it. Let the universe guide you. All of the opportunities are there. I don’t make an insane amount of money. But I still move whenever I want. I make it happen. It all just comes down to what is important to you.

Actually, this is kind of really hilariously interesting. I LITERALLY just got this e-mail from Neale Donald Walsch in my inbox:

On this day of your life, Lucila, I believe God wants you to know…

..that the greatest enemy of individual freedom is the individual himself.

Saul Alinsky said that, and he was right. In almost every case, nothing is stopping you, nothing is holding you back but your own thoughts about yourself and about “how life is.”

Your personal freedom to experience yourself and life as you wish is not being limited. Step into your choices and stop telling yourself that you can’t, when what you really mean is that you don’t want other people to feel the way you think that are going to feel when they see you making the choices you really want to make. Got it?

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Make it happen in your life. Just do it. Seriously. That’s the secret to everything in the universe. Just do it. Any and all obstacles come from you and only you. Change your mind about how you view the world and the world will become completely new. Just the way you want it. It’s really that simple.

Now, onto the new chapter in my life! I will update this with new joy and gusto! I will record everything wonderful in my life and hopefully inspire others to keep choosing the best things in their lives every day, all the time. Make life the best thing ever.

Much love!

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