My friend Maya set off on a 40-day journey on her 40th birthday. She's bicycling from Amherst to Milwaukee and trailing a typewriter behind her.

When I was talking to her on the phone about a month ago, I suddenly had this feeling that I just HAD to somehow be a part of her trip. Everything she was saying about slowing down and taking time to connect with people in a real-time way felt so inspiring to me. Our conversations about what it is to invite people to express themselves, to share their story, even with just one typed sentence, gave me the chills. I loved imagining the moment-to-moment unfolding of adventure in small town cafes, bookstores, and libraries.

Plus, Maya happened to be riding through Youngstown, Ohio, which is near where my mom lives in Ohio. I started to imagine what it would be like for this dear friend of mine from San Francisco to get to meet my mom. I just had to make this happen.

But as you might imagine, once the idea took hold, so did all the monkey-mind conversations about why I shouldn't do it. How expensive the trip would be. How it was back-to-back with a previously planned trip to Los Angeles. How I was going to be in Ohio in July with my son. How extravagant it was. How impractical.

I heard all that yammering in my mind and you know what? I just shurgged my shoulders, booked the plane ticket, and let myself be delighted at the idea of Maya + typewriter + my mom + adventure. I let myself thrill at the thought of being just a small part of something so creative and transforming. I let myself listen and respond from a place of vitality and not from fear.

And you know what? The last few days have been so exhilerating and the gates in my heart have been thrown wide open. This was so much the place for me to be right here and now. This was the exact "yes" the moment called for.

Tomorrow I'll share some more photos from our adventure. But for today, I just wanted to be that small voice of encouragement for whatever it is in your life that is calling to you from your belly but your head is trying to talk you out of it. Follow the yes. Hop on board whatever station inspiration whistles from.