Have you ever heard Albert Einstein’s quote “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”? If that’s true then there’s no question that we’ve all been a bit insane at one time or another. Today I realized that I’ve been slowly going insane over the past several weeks and decided it was time to put a stop to the madness.

On my way home tonight I got lost. Not by accident though, no, completely by choice. It was almost 1:00 AM when I exited the 710 freeway, turned onto an unknown street and ventured in the general direction of home. If you live in Los Angeles you might think what I did was a little crazy given that it isn’t usually a smart idea to drive through unfamiliar neighborhoods after dark. Sure, at any moment during my mini-adventure I could have picked up my GPS enabled cell phone and been directed immediately back to safe and boring familiarity, and you know what, it was tempting. But I was in no hurry and in no immediate danger, so I decided to take each turn in stride and just do whatever felt right.

Though it was relatively short-lived, in that 20 minutes of uncertainty I experienced a mixture of emotions, from fear and panic to laughter and reassurance. At one point I even discovered a very large, beautiful Buddhist Temple I never knew existed, the “Ming YA Buddhist Foundation.” Most importantly, my detour brought back the feeling of being alive that I’ve been missing lately and reminded me of how easy it can be to find our way even when we’re feeling a little lost.

It sure felt good to trust my instincts and try something new tonight. Stepping outside my comfort zone was such a great way to exercise my intuitive muscles and help me live in the present moment. I’m looking forward to sharing with you many more of these experiences over the next few months.

(Photo Credit: Google Street View)