I Decided to See If the Universe Would Catch Me

Dear Friend,

This week I spoke at the United Nations, slept in a sketchy Airbnb in New Jersey, and rolled my suitcase through Manhattan with absolutely no idea where I was going to sleep.

Welcome to the road.

I’m writing to you from New York, where I had the Godsend of a gift to speak at the United Nations Headquarters at the inaugural World Mental Health Leadership Summit.

The truth was, I felt underprepared and unsure of what I would meet when I got there.

Being on a shoestring budget, and with New York somehow being very busy due to Comic Con and a Harry Styles concert, I selected (badly) an Airbnb room somewhere sketchy in New Jersey.

It wasn’t the nicest, with a smashed-in, broken lock and repetitive beeping from a fire alarm with a low battery.

Also, it was just really awful.

But I didn’t have the kind of spare cash to get an overpriced hotel. All my money is saved for my mission.

I decided to go and explore the area and walked downtown into Newark. I passed people openly using drugs and witnessed poverty and hardship on the streets. It was a sobering reminder of some of the very real challenges facing our world, and the very issues we were gathering to talk about at the United Nations.

I just wanted to paint the picture a little bit because I slept about three hours after a full day of travel and then headed into New York to get to the UN.

I was last on the programme of speakers, and sitting there listening to some of the greatest pioneers in science, medicine, and people sharing their personal stories, the weight of the issues facing not only the USA but the world felt very heavy to hold.

I didn’t really know what I was going to say.

I was going to share my story briefly, explain my comedy therapy angle, Hilarapy, and officially launch She’s Proof.

The moment I got in front of the mic, a beautiful energy entered me, and I released all my expectations and attachment to the outcome and shared.

The room was with me. They agreed with me. They loved the idea.

And right there, at the United Nations, I announced the official launch of She’s Proof.

Even more than that, afterwards, some amazing people came to talk to me and offer their expertise and support.

Then I ended up having a big dinner with the organisers and major players of the entire event.

I wasn’t supposed to be there.

And the sharing, ideas, and love continued to snowball in the direction of She’s Proof, which was met with such enthusiasm and good energy.

So, if you haven’t heard, and you’re just finding out now, She’s Proof is a global movement making women’s recovery from addiction visible.

When we make women’s recovery impossible to ignore, when we can normalise talking about it, celebrating it, and seeing it, we can turn our attention to the women still stuck in addiction.

I’m attempting to go on a big journey across the USA in a van to meet and gather with women in recovery, shine a light on the women who are living free from active addiction, and I have zero idea of how exactly I’m going to make that happen.

But what I do know from this trip to New York is that anything is possible.

And the more I let go and make myself available, however sketchy my accommodation gets, I will be supported by the universe to make this happen.

FYI, I did three nights with barely any sleep, and yesterday I just gave up and decided I could not do another night.

I took my suitcase and rolled my way into New York.

I decided I would see if the universe would catch me.

My day took me to a meditation event in the middle of Manhattan, where I met with friends from the United Nations event, and I got not one offer of a bed for the night, but three.

Which was a gift, because $800 for a hotel in Manhattan was just not going to happen.

I felt content and in full faith all day yesterday.

Somehow, having my little suitcase and rolling through New York gave me the feeling that I am really on the road.

Thanks for rolling with me,

Lizzie

P.S. If you’re a woman in recovery and you’re feeling bold, share your proof here: www.shesproof.com