Everything happens for me.

Just when you think everything is going ok, just when you feel like your life is on track, something out of the blue can turn everything upside down. 

That's what happened to me a couple of months ago. 

On a cold Friday afternoon, just a few days after the new year made its mark, I stopped to check my mail on my way out to dinner with friends to discover a letter from a law firm waiting for me in my mailbox. That's never a good sign. I opened the envelope as I walked towards my car to discover an eviction notice from my landlord. 

"Your lease will expire in two months and we have chosen not to renew it" read the letter without any explanation or reason why. 

I was shocked. And furious. 

I stood there in my parking garage, reading the words on the page in disbelief, feeling a wide range of emotions overtake me. The thought of moving out seemed daunting. It had taken me months to settle into my apartment and now I have to move. Again. 

The feelings of anger were mixed with a touch of victimness. How could this happen to me? I've been a model tenant and with no reason, I was being forced to leave. 

My instinct was to fight this decision. I stayed up all night reading every web page relating to tenants rights, searching for local attorneys I could hire and plan my next move against this injustice. 

Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep. 

The next morning, I decided to go out for a hike. Walking in nature helps me reflect. I took myself to my favorite hiking trail at the bottom of the Hollywood sign, water bottle in hand, and began to walk up the hill.  It was early on a Saturday with no one else around. Just me, fresh crisp air and a gorgeous sun to light my way.

Years ago, during my Jewish spiritual direction training, I was taught to go out in nature and talk to God. According to Jewish tradition, this practice, called HITBODEDUT (in Hebrew, means "being alone with") allows us to speak our truth out loud into the universe. And when we allow ourselves to hear ourselves speak our truth, we create an opening to hear our soul's voice. 

This voice may be a new thought that has never appeared before. It could be an intuitive gut feeling that will help us get an answer to a problem we are facing. 

When I first practiced HITBODEDUT I felt totally awkward. Here I was walking by myself talking to no one and looking for answers to my life's biggest challenges. But to my surprise, the practice was a powerful one. I found myself receiving ideas and thoughts that surprised me. I would return from these walks feeling calm, energized and at peace.   

I walked up the hiking trail, still feeling frustrated and angry, carrying the sense of the unfairness of what I was facing. I got to the top of the hill and shouted out "why is this happening to me?".

I stood there and as soon as the echo of my scream faded away I suddenly heard "Everything happens for you, not to you". 

This new thought emerged out of nowhere and was louder than any other thought occupying my mind that morning. 

"Everything happens for you, not to you."

Now it was the only thing I was thinking.  And the more I thought this, the calmer I felt. 

 If things are indeed happening for me, then what am I not seeing in this situation that I need to see?

As soon as I asked myself this question I began to reflect on my life and my year in Los Angeles so far. Something I haven't taken the time to ask myself so far. The more I reflected the more I realized that actually, I haven't been happy or fulfilled living in LA since returning from my two-year travel sabbatical. 

Yes, LA was a familiar place. A place where I grew up, a place where I had many friends and family, a place that allowed me to professionally thrive. But when I listened to my heart, I realized that I've outgrown the big city and that my soul was seeking a quieter space to nest in. 

I stood there at the top of the hill, Hollywood sign behind me, the entire city at my feet and realized that it was time for me to move on. 

It took an eviction notice to wake me up and realize I am living in the wrong place. That I've outgrown living around so much concrete, traffic, and noise and that my soul is asking for a change. 

My feelings of anger and victimness immediately disappeared and turned into deep gratitude. I sensed a wide opening of possibility and creation, a feeling that energized and motivated me. 

As I walked back down the trail, I felt calm, connected and empowered. 

"Where do I want to live?" was the question on my mind now. 

I didn't have to think about it too much. All I had to do is listen to my soul that said: "Go to the desert, to the big sky, where you belong". 

And so I did. 

I decided to move to Santa Fe, New Mexico where I can devote more time to my art and my writing as well as begin to take steps towards fulfilling a dream of opening my own retreat center. 

From the moment I made the decision to move, everything fell into place like magic. The move was smooth, easy and with no glitches. 

It's now been two weeks since I've arrived in Santa Fe. And it's absolutely gorgeous here. I rented a small house where I wake up every day to the sound of birds singing and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. 

It's quiet. And peaceful. And serene. And I'm feeling more focused than ever before. I'm creating a life that is aligned with my soul. And I'm excited to share what's next with you. 

Things do always happen for me. 

Indeed.