Hello friend!

Greetings from the beautiful Arizona desert. (I know desert and beautiful are an oxymoron to many of you, but over the next 6 weeks, I'll try to convince you! :)

This was the week my husband and I were going to take a leisurely drive from Dallas to Phoenix.

And then the storm hit Dallas. Freezing cold, some snow, ice everywhere and the potential for frozen pipes every night.

So the plans changed. Since I already had (unrefundable) rooms booked, we decided I would drive with our loaded car, and he would stay home until next Monday when the danger of the low-teen nights had passed.

To say I was not expecting to poke along alone and turn a quick 2-day trip into 4 days on the road would be an understatement.

So I got to choose to see it as an adventure and began looking for the opportunities in this unexpected experience.

First up was the WalMart in Sweetwater. I braved the snowy parking lot to explore. You guys! Have you seen how cute WalMart clothes are this season? I've been ordering so many cute things, and it was fun to pick up a few new darling tops in this unexpected place.

Day two was wonderful! Even though it was my only long-driving day, when I saw a billboard featuring an art museum in Odessa, I stopped to take it in. I'm so glad I did!

Do you remember the designer Halston from the 70s and 80s? Well, they had a large exhibit of his clothes and their impact on culture. (Ultrasuede shirtdress anyone?) It was such fun to see, in person, these beautiful garments I had previously only seen in magazines. What abundance in the arid west Texas landscape!

Yesterday, on my way to Tucson, I took a detour down to the quirky art town of Tubac - literally a popup on the side of the road that has become a mecca for western art and artists. I'm so happy I took the time to go down and check it out. The end of February I'm attending an art workshop there, and now I know what to expect.

Today I'll head up to Phoenix, ending this trip with a pedicure and car wash. :) And the real adventure begins!

So my question for you is this - what is happening in your life that you get to look at and think about in a different way? In a way that benefits you rather than brings you down?

What unexpected circumstances can you choose to see as opportunities?

If you've been with me for a while, you might remember I used to talk all the time about living with an "Opportunity Mindset."

I've really enjoyed pulling that old nugget out for this week. And maybe you could do the same - take whatever you're dealing with - and see how you can find the opportunity in the middle of it.

I promise it will be worth it! You can hit reply and let me know - what new opportunity is knocking at your door?

For the next 6 weeks I'll be in Arizona. If you want to follow along with the fun, come on over to Instagram where I'll be regularly sharing this adventure.

Love you and cheering you on,

Christy :)

P.S. I just sent out the first month of my Pop of Joy art club pieces. If this is something you're interested in, or want more info on, just hit reply and I'll fill you in on the details.

P.P.S. Just for fun - this was this morning's sunrise...