I can't believe that April is just around the corner. Today should hit 60 degrees, so after I meet a few deadlines, I'm going for a long walk in the orchards behind my house to enjoy the day. This is one of many things that I love about the freelance lifestyle. I can come and go as I please. When I was tied to a corporate job, I could only break away for lunch and even then, I felt guilty leaving because I knew that once I returned to my desk, I'd have twice as much work, a penalty I'd pay for taking lunch. When you work for yourself, you can lunch anytime, go for a walk whenever you see fit, enjoy the simple pleasure of being in control of your schedule. It still feels like such a luxury to me to not go to the office everyday.

Today is about being grateful. Grateful for things I had to change in my life that were hard to walk away from, like a corporate job with a steady income. My check arrived every single Friday. There was safety in that. Safety can also be dangerous. It keeps you in a situation for the wrong reasons. You're doing it because it feels safe. But what really is safe? It's a feeling of comfort, that you've been there before and know it well enough to feel safe doing it again. Safe is not risk taking. Safe is not living your life in a way that gives you a chance to amaze yourself. Safe is just safe. I'm not knocking how important stability is in life. We need solid friendships and a good strong family. We need to come home at night to a safe loving environment. I propose that if you are reading this, think of a way that you can do something today that doesn't feel safe. I don't advocate running into traffic. Something less extreme. Buy a new lipstick, a color you've avoided in the past. Get a fresh new hair cut, you know you've had that style for years. Splurge on one really great pair of shoes and throw away the receipt. Paint your walls bright yellow.

Whenever I think about April, I picture daffodils, tulips, and baby animals. A time of growth. A time of change. Think about ways that you can grow and change. Break the comfort zone. Live. There is power in change. Look at the landscape around you, grass and buds are emerging. Let's all be a part of that growth.

('Flower Power' from Christy Kinard, image from the wonderful Jules Place, an exquisite gallery located in the South End, Boston, MA. Many of Kinard's paintings can be viewed at Jules Place. Contact them for details if you're interested in purchasing.)