That’s a thing you can do???

I’ll never forget when Michelle said to me, “You know, you should really put a website together and start offering copywriting services. You’d be great at that.”

Me: “Copywriting? What’s that, exactly?”

Her: “You know, it’s when people hire you to write blog posts, website text, marketing materials, things like that. You can earn really good money doing that.”

Me: [amazed] “THAT’S A THING YOU CAN DO???”

Life: changed forever.

I never realized. Who knew?

Then there was that time that Paul said to me, “I won’t be working this summer. I’m taking a long sabbatical to do an intensive yoga retreat and tour the country with my wife. We have a band and we’re going to do a bunch of gigs in the States.”

Me: [stupefied] “THAT’S A THING YOU CAN DO???”

You’re allowed to just STOP WORKING for multiple months in a row and tour with your BAND that you have with your WIFE?! Just because it’s FUN?? You’re allowed to design your life however you want? For real?

Astounding.

Then there was that time that Nicole said to me, “Your hair looks really pretty. I never bother to blow-dry and style my hair because I have two workouts per day to prepare for my ultra-marathon coming up later this year.”

Me: [mind exploding] “THAT’S A THING YOU CAN DO???”

You’re allowed to work out TWICE A DAY and just DECIDE that you’re going to become an endurance athlete? Just like that? Even if you’ve never been an athlete before?

I. Can’t. Even.

I have a “THAT’S A THING YOU CAN DO???” freak-out moment about once a year, triggered by the strangest and most unexpected things.

I love that kind of moment. I treasure it. It feels like lightning. It feels like a portal opening. It feels like my body realizing something that it secretly wants but never knew how to describe. It feels like jealousy (in the original etymological sense of the word: “fondness, love, desire”). It feels like an awakening.

Pay close attention when you have that kind of response.

It might be a clue.

A clue about what you really want.

A clue about who you could become.

A clue about the architecture of your heart.