SuperStep 5: Getting Stronger

Welcome to SuperStep 5: Getting Stronger! Here is more info for you on the Everyday Superhero Method. Squashy story is right below! ⬇️

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Who will win: Heidi or the Squash?

The warm, autumn afternoon sunshine beamed down on our living room dog bed. Which was repositioned for the third time that day in its journey to stay with the sun. Olive, my Chiweenie, lay over the side with her front paws in prayer position, holding her orange chewy bone.

She pulls and pulls a nib on her bone. Finally, it releases under her tiny jaws. She opens her mouth and spits it out like a bad apple. She does this for hours. I wonder: will she ever get tired of spitting out the pieces? I laugh every time.

Not three feet away, curled up like a fox in a den, is Elvis, my Italian Greyhound. Cuddled under his baby-sized turquoise monkey fleece blanket. The sun’s rays warming his blankie.

I stood admiring my peaceful canines from the kitchen and smelled the hefty autumn prize in my hand. Butternut squash. Yep. We have a whole basket full from a local farm. We are so lucky.

“I’m gonna make you into risotto and other tasty things, my sweet,” I say.

I wash it and try to cut the top off. My sharpened knife sticks. I teeter-totter it back out.

“Hmmm, you’re a tough one. Into the micro you go!” I pat it and say, like I’m talking to my kids on the diaper changing table. No, I never put my kids in a microwave, in case you’re asking.

After a minute, I get the top and bottom off and separate the long shaft from the bottom.

“Who’s ready for a shave?” I say and upend the shaft and break out my could-be-50-years-old peeler. I start on a smooth part. As I peel, I pause to inhale the tangy smell.

But my eyes open wide as my peeler slams on the brakes mid-way down the shaft. It won’t peel off the scaly part of the squash.

“Well, there’s nothing a little more time in the micro can’t fix. That should soften you right up.”

After another minute, I try again. No way the scales are budging.

AHA! I have my wide peeler for such occasions. I grab it and put some weight down on the top of the butternut squash with my free hand. The peeler skips down the side like a kid sledding down moguls. My fist hits the cutting board with a loud thud.

Olive pauses her nibbling and looks at me.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. That was me.” I reassure her. Hmmm. What now?

I try another minute in the microwave. No luck.

“AHA!” I exclaim. “This is a job for a knife and…” I say and leave the room.

I come back with my reading glasses on and turn on all available lights. I am, once again, ready to go.

I slice the large shaft in two like a ninja. I take the smaller half, stabilize the top, and aim under the scabby part. The knife slices clean through and stops, like it hit a rock. The liberated piece jets off the cutting board, hits the ceiling, and lands three feet away from me on the floor. Woah.

Elvis’s long head and neck rise from the couch, like Lochness from the deep. Olive stops chewing, tilts her head, and gives me the is that a treat? look.

“No, that’s not for you.” I say to her in firm dogmom voice.

Hmmm. I’ve never had to try so many different ways to peel a squash. What next?

I dig in again. Another piece shoots off and hits the ceiling. Elvis gets up and shakes. He’s now watching me next to Olive, on the sun spot on the floor.

I dig in for a third time. A third piece hits the ceiling. I squeeze my eyes to see if I’m gonna have to clean the ceiling. Looks okay. The dogs start walking over. I put down the knife.

“Okay, okay. Let me get those out of your way.” I pick up the jettisoned pieces and go get another piece of middle-aged help from the TV cabinet. My headlamp.

I tuck the curious dogs back in but their eyes are still fixed on the counter. “We got this!” I say to reassure (myself? them?)

I aim my headlamp down and notice something. Under the scabby part is a micro-thin layer of grey-colored flesh. I run my finger over it. It feels dry. That’s what my knife keeps butting against.

“Ahhhh! So I need to go behind you to get to the good stuff. You are one tough shaft, do you know that?” I say while winking and nodding my head.

Fifteen minutes later, I have twelve cups of glorious semi-cooked butternut squash.

I put the knife down and take off my glasses and headlamp. I lay down on the living room floor sunspot, next to Olive. I do a full body stretch for my shoulders and lower back. Both tight from my squashy escapade.

“Your other mother is never gonna believe how many new skills I learned today!” I say to the dogs. I twist to the side, my lower back cracks in two places. I close my eyes in sweet middle-aged relief and enjoy the sun.

The EverydaySuperhero QUESTion

Superstep 5, Getting Stronger Exercise

The Dancing with Life Three-Step

Once you fully engage with the first four SuperSteps, you have dropped limiting beliefs. You have learned how to speak up for and take care of your needs. You know what your values are and you choose relationships and a path that honor them. And you would say that most days, you love yourself, quirks and all. 

But there’s one more SuperStep to take before you joyfully engage all of life. The step that ends in you Believing in Yourself. Completely.

The next time something happens, allow it. Do not judge it. Do not think about how it is related to any past or present interactions. Do not judge yourself for the situation being any way. Draw upon the faith you have in yourself that, no matter what happens, you will take care of yourself. You will love yourself. That everything is working out for a reason you may or may not understand. And it’s not your job to understand everything. It’s your job to live. 

So, here’s the Three-Step

  1. Open your mind to the question: what now?
  2. And listen.
  3. And follow.

Then, 

  1. And ask again: what now?
  2. And listen.
  3. And follow.

This is the dance with life. First practice Dancing with Life when you have no time pressures. Soon, you will tap into your intuition and flow most of the time. After that, you will notice more when you’re not dancing – like trying to control or figure out something. You’ll be able to pivot yourself back in the glorious dance.

YES! It is joyful and miraculous. And there are still all the full ranges of emotion here. The benefit: the pull to negative consuming emotions is no longer present. (Those like hate, anger, guilt, depression, despair, jealousy, worthlessness, etc.) So, what’s left? Your energy dancing with the energy of the universe.

Where will this dance lead you? To your purpose. Which is Joy. Which ALSO gives you (drum roll please!) your full Everyday Superhero Cape!! You, my friend, have the ability to Live In Joy and Save your Day, every day.

Author: Heidi Esther

Swimmer, cheerleader from the South Side. Three bros, mom and dad Can bait my own hook. Civil Engineer- turned-fundraiser. Mamma of two lights Everyday blessed. Divorce, job loss, plus codependence, Woman- loving-woman awakening. Boundaries, Forgiveness, Patience, & Grace. Today, Tomorrow, New chances for life.

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