Day 96: Electric Chair

 

 

Day 95: Jerry's Question - Inner Guide

As pretend Jerry Seinfeld wanted to know -

'so what's the deal with the Inner Guide?'

The Inner Guide can be considered the master of your domain - the captain, if you will.

"If it's the captain then why do we doubt ourselves or think we're not good enough?"

Excellent question, imaginary person! (Someone's been reading my previous posts!) For the answer, I would like to direct your attention to life. 

Life happens. That's why.

Think about when you were a young kid. You didn't care what anyone thought and did what you wanted, what felt good. You'd play butt naked on the slip n' slide at your neighbor's birthday parties regardless of who was around! 

No, just me? Well, you get my drift! 

Your Inner Guide was alive and well, encouraging you to explore, learn, enjoy, and just be You!

Then you got older and other people's ideas, beliefs, pressures, insecurities started to mix in with all of the other information you're absorbing from the world -

Don't act like that

Look like this

Strive for this career

and the list continues on and on and the snowball continues to grow bigger and bigger. 

Before you know it, you're just rolling around wherever the societal wind blows you. 

As this happens, as you become inundated by other people's crap, your Inner Guide becomes trapped and starts to atrophy. Meanwhile, your saboteur(s) grow stronger and stronger - they eat crap for breakfast!

So, life is happening. You're rolling, trying out different directions. And then at some point, something else starts to happen. 

A rattling starts - and it's coming from inside of you.

That's your Inner Guide. Poor thing has shrunk so much, it no longer takes up the full cavity it was trapped in. Now it's just rattling around in all of the empty space. 

Every time societal winds blow you farther away, the rattling gets louder. 

Some people don't hear it. But, eventually, most people feel it. 

A sensation they just can't put their finger on. It's like, like an emptiness - as if something was missing. But that's silly, you're doing everything you should be doing. How could anything be missing?

It's your Inner Guide. And it wants to reclaim control of the vessel so you can live an amazing life and see the insanely incredible and valuable human you are!

So that's the deal with the Inner Guide - really Living.

And when we take the time to connect with and nurse our Inner Guide back to full health, we become unstoppable!

Day 94: Mountain Man

In my latest session with my coach I was introduced to someone new.

She was to lead me through a guided meditation in which I would meet my 'Inner Guide' - the part of me that is confident, knows what to do, and makes things happen. 

Basically the best parts of me all rolled up into a neat personification.

I was excited to try this out!

I eagerly closed my eyes and took some centering breaths, then hoped the exercise would work and I'd see something in my mind's eye.

First, I was instructed to picture a safe space - noting my surroundings, any sounds, the temperature, everything about it.

A circular clearing, enclosed completely by tall thick bamboo, and a curved bench came into view. There was dappled sunlight and a nice warm breeze.

Am I making this up? How do I know what this looks like? Was I just thinking of peaceful things and forced this image to mind? - STOP! Just go with it and trust that whatever comes up is supposed to.

Next, I am informed that someone is approaching my safe space, and I'm excited to meet them.

The next thing I know, a large figure is coming into view as it travels down the bamboo lined pathway and into the clearing. I see my Inner Guide.

WHOA! What the heck?! Am I making this up!?!?! I would NEVER ever have pictured this as my Inner Guide! 

Before me stands a very tall, very large, very muscular, man with a beard. Clothed in an olive green tank, bandana, and hiker's backpack. Mountain Man.

Wow.

His energy is visceral - exciting, energizing, and magnetic. He has great posture and owns his space.

I'm then instructed to ask him some questions -

I learn that he gets excited by challenges. And if I want to call upon him all I have to do is take a deep breath and feel the energy in my body humming. He told me to remember, "If I'm alive, I can do this."

Finally, I'm told that he has a gift for me.
Oh boy, how am I going to see this one?!

He places something in my hand.
What the heck is that?!
I cannot for the life of me make out what it is. After a little while I can tell it appears to be made out of bamboo - then a sense of knowing tells me it's a whistle. A bamboo whistle - that apparently looks like a pipe, sort of.
Ok, I can roll with this.
But there's more - the whistle comes with a message: "Whenever you call, people are there to help you."

---------------------------------------------------------------

Dang. What a cool exercise!!! 

And that happened high on life - 100% stone cold sober.

Because coaching is the freaking bomb!!!!!!!!!

[Cue Jerry Seinfeld]
"So what's the deal with the Inner Guide?"

Well, Jerry, for the sake of length - I'll fill you in on a different day.

Day 93: Hazey

 This is Hazey.

She's the voice in my head that tells me I'm not good enough and makes me doubt myself and my abilities. She brings a fog around my head and torso that I can’t really see through and is very busy with a lot of chaotic energy zipping around. She can take my uniqueness and turn it into average. She keeps me from relaxing, valuing self care, and being really present in the moment. She blocks my intuition and tries to silence my body cues. She prevents me from fully trusting myself. And she keeps me from dreaming big and realizing the deep desires inside of me.

She's trying to protect me. Because she loves me.

She doesn't want to see me get hurt or disappointed or fail. 

She wants to see me succeed! And what better place for that than in the routine and familiar she's used to?

We all have a Hazey - also known as a saboteur/gremlin/judge/etc. It will look, feel, and sound different for all of us, but the function will be the same:

A personification of all of the limiting beliefs, interpretations, assumptions, and judgements we have that keep us from living our life to the fullest.

I met Hazey after taking some time to identify the times and situations where I am the hardest on myself, when any good or celebration is quickly replaced with lacking or judgement. The times when my Saboteur was fully active.

I took note of 

• the thoughts that came up in these situation and the beliefs connected to them. 
• how I felt in these situations vs. times where I felt good/happy/joyful.
• when and how my saboteur went away
• what my saboteur stopped me from doing

And, boy oh boy, was I surprised at what taking the time to do this did! 

After going over it with my coach, I learned more about how to use Hazey as a tool. She shared that when we get curious about our saboteurs and stand still with the fear [they are trying to protect us from], we can explore the reason behind it. 

The opposite of fear is want. So if your saboteur is hiding you away in some capacity, it's likely a real want in disguise. I never would have thought that moments of doubt and self-judgement were really Hazey's back-handed way of expressing a want for me.

From this reflection and awareness practice, I've learned a new way to communicate with my saboteur, Hazey.

I've found a new way to communicate and understand myself.

 

Interested in learning more on how you can do this, too? Let's talk!

Day 92: In the Kitchen

"You know what they say, abs are made in the kitchen"

'I don't think I have one of those kitchens...'

Day 91: Modern Day Connections

I recently set up an online dating profile.

But . . . I'm not completely bought-in to giving it my all.

 

I just REALLY love spending my free time on me. It's the BEST!!

If I were to start dating, would that mean I'd have to SHARE my 'Me Time' with someone else?!

I don't know if I'm ready for that.

After 18 years of sharing literally everything since exiting the womb - and handfuls of years perpetuating invisible beliefs and unhelpful relationship practices - it might take me a while to get caught up on my individual 'Me Time' contentment.

Plus, I have a number of limiting beliefs about dating that still need to be explored. . . (starting with the example above).

Speaking of exploration, have you ever really dug into the way you think about dating or relationships?

 

Or how things "are supposed to be"?

 

It's terrifying!!

 

Not in a spooky way, but in a -   
"oh my gosh, I cannot believe this is a belief I held!" or

 "oh my gosh, I cannot believe this belief skewed how I interpreted 'X'  & 'Y' and influenced how I reacted about 'Z'!"
- kind of way. In my experience, these gems can be quite horrifying to admit.

While scary to see in the light, these explorations are SO important.

• They help you better understand what you want and don't want.
• They help you get clear on your priorities and what you are willing to tolerate or not.
• They help you learn more about yourself.

This last point is key.

 

To everything.

Just think about it, the more you understand yourself and how you operate - not just knowing the likes/dislikes but knowing the reasons why behind them - the easier life becomes. 

 

Not only in making daily and life decisions, but in who you choose to give your time and energy to.

As I slowly feel this dating thing out, and continue to dismantle the secret hidden beliefs that hold my freedom and happiness captive, I'll amuse myself with some very honest dating app prompt answers (that I wish I were brave enough to use in real life).

Day 89 & 90: missed it & just made it

Well, I missed another day. Should I chalk it up to Covid? 

No, that was in January. 

Let's just say it was the rats . . .

They took hold of Day 89 and flushed it down the dry toilet. 

They tried to steal Day 90, as well, but I managed to wrangle it away . . .

Day 88: Just so you know

. . . the mail goes here.

Day 87: The Rest of the Story

I remember as a kid listening to the local radio and every week hearing Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story." If you're not familiar, it was a great program that highlighted the backstory of a current day staple of some kind - whether product or service. 

I loved it. 

So much so, that I can't actually recall what a single episode was about - BUT I do know I thoroughly enjoyed every episode and consistently "whoa"ed and "wow"ed out loud.

So, in honor of Paul here's my take (see if you can figure out which previous post you're getting background on) -

Cashew-Free Vegan Cheese Sauce featuring: Eggplant!!!

I recently came across a recipe for this and, as one who "likes to hide vegetables in things" as declared by an old roommate, I was intrigued. 

It was pictured on nachos and my friend, Vegan Sam, was coming over soon. It would be the perfect time to try it out! 

Twould be the perfect NACHO NIGHT!

**********************

Well, the cheese sauce didn't really work out . . . so we got some vegan cheese from the store. 

As we were preparing our feast Sam let me in on a little tidbit. 

Sam: "Vegan cheese doesn't melt the same as regular cheese."

Me: "Oh. ..Will it melt at all??!"

 

Sam: "Yeah, a little bit."

 

We put the nachos in the oven and knew it was time to take them out when the chips started burning!

The cheese didn't really melt.

After a few minutes of eating I exclaimed, "I found a melty part!"

 

This happened a total of once the entire night. 

 

**********************

Success depends on how you define it. 

Take vegan nacho night - to some it would be considered a total fail, but to us it was a win. 

We had ONE  melty part!! And we weren't expecting any! AND our chips eventually got soggy - just like dairy laden nachos!! And, most importantly, they tasted delicious! 

Would vegan cheese catch on as a suitable medium for the classic nacho base? For those looking to define their expectations by time with others, experiences, and surprise - I'd like to think, yes.

I'm Sarah Pietruszka, and now you know, The Rest of the Story.

Day 86: To care or not to care?

You shouldn't care what others think.

How many times have we heard or uttered some iteration of this concept?

How many times, if you're like me, have you found yourself thinking, "I know I'm not supposed to care what other people think, but . . ." as if caring what other people think is bad or wrong.

I get that if 'what other people think' is fuel for comparisons, self-doubt, feelings of lack or worthlessness, it might not be in one's best interest to listen too closely. But what about the other side of the coin?

What about the times when 'what people think' is largely positive? Or complimentary? Or validating?

Are we still open to hearing it?

What if caring what other people think could give a lens through which to view oneself in a positive regard from an objective perspective? Not only in the moment but going forward.

I think about many times in my life where I've received a compliment and immediately shot it down or minimized it:
"Oh it's not a big deal, anyone could do it."

Or questioned the sincerity or truth of praise received from others:
'They just said that to be nice - they probably don't really mean it.'

But here's the truth, people don't just make up good qualities in others so they can compliment them. They speak to what they see and experience.

Often it is our own fears, insecurities and, surprisingly, even our deepest desires, that block our ability to see our own greatness - our skills, strengths, gifts and talents. 

So next time you receive praise from someone, go a step beyond just accepting the compliment - and believe it.

Day 85: Nacho Night

"I found a melty piece!!"

Exclaimed once during Nacho Night.

And now I know what vegan cheese is like . . .

Day 84: One person's trash . . .

Apparently should STAY trash!!

" TRASH! DO NOT TAKE!! It has bugs :( "

I have mixed feelings about seeing this at the dumpsters of my apartment building.

On one hand - 

"Wow, that's SO nice of the person to leave a note!"

But on the other - 

"AHHHH, someone in my building has [bed]bugs?!"

Day 83: Happy Easter!

 

Nothing says Happy Easter like a hat parade!

You can't have Easter without springtime - and nothing says Springtime like nature!

Budding trees

Growing leaves

And Butterfly Ghosts!

With all new things that come with this time of year, it can be nice to reflect on our own lives. 

What are we ready to shed and leave behind with winter? 

What do we want to work towards and blossom with the warming weather?

Day 82: Answered Prayers

I never really knew what it meant for a prayer 'to be answered.' I think in my childhood mind I heard this and envisioned whatever it was the person was praying for to somehow just magically appear. Some people had to pray a lot longer than others to have their prayers answered. And still others never would.

To me, it seemed similar to the lottery. You buy your ticket(s) - say your prayer(s) - and hope that you'll be the winner. And if you 'won' - if your prayer was answered it would be in a big, profound, obvious(ly visible) way.

Yeah, that's never happened to me. So it's no wonder I didn't think any of my prayers were answered. Or, more importantly, I just thought prayers being answered was akin to the luck of the draw.

This is before I found coaching.

My mind up to this point had been trained to only register 'big' things, blindly overlooking the rest. 

I recall my older sister once responding to my questioning of what might be my blind-spots (in life). She said I often overlooked opportunities right in front of me. Fast forward five years later, I can clearly see that these opportunities that I overlooked right in front of me weren't 'big' enough to be picked up on my radar at the time.

It is overtime, with life and experience, that our radar and perspective changes. It is with coaching that this happens much quicker and by our choosing, rather than leaving it up to chance or fate.

So how does this relate to answered prayers? Because 'to see' is a choice. And I'm not literally talking about the cones and rods and light dynamics of eyes that make vision possible.

I'm talking about one's ability, or rather willingness, to perceive and be aware.

When I started learning about coaching and then working with my own coach, I greatly increased my awareness - across the board. Awareness of my thoughts, feelings, perspectives, beliefs, judgements.

It was with this heightened observation that I was able to understand information that, as a child, wasn't able to hit as it was intended.

You ever have the experience where someone's trying to teach you something and you're just not getting it? Then a different person comes around and teaches the exact same information, but from a slightly different angle and it all makes sense?

It's like that.

Coaching allowed me to expand my range of comprehension so things I didn't fully understand were now taking on a whole new meaning and providing substantial clarity along the way.

I was making the choice 'to see.' I was willing 'to see.' And as a result, I began 'to see' the world around me in subtle, but different ways.

An idea I've always championed is that every experience is a learning opportunity. It provides skills and information needed to navigate forward on your unique life path. 

Curious, that this strongly held belief had no association with answered prayers; at least until I was 32 years old (and almost 33 - my Jesus yr!).

Prayers are, by and large, offered up subtly; and so too, are the answers to these prayers. It takes a willing ear and open mind to fully see them. It might also require a different vocabulary, as answered prayers have many synonyms including insight, intuition, divine guidance - and heck, even coincidence!

Contrary to what childhood Sarah would have you believe, answered prayers don't instantly solve your problems or take them away. They don't grant all your wishes or magically  make your dreams come true. But they do give you the confirmation, tools & resources needed to overcome every hurdle & obstacle you come across and help you climb every ladder & mountain to the dreams of your heart.

Day 81: Wrinkles or Flawless

Young woman to her friend:

"Do you think Jesus had wrinkles?"

. . . or was he SO perfect that even his skin was flawless?"

Day 79: Wind-Proof

Friend 1: I just got some new biking gloves! They're not very warm but they're wind-proof.

Friend 2: Nice! I can't wait to see them.

 

 

 Are those . . . cleaning gloves?

Day 78: Daring Spirit

 

This is some cashew cheese "sauce" I made a while ago. I actually don't remember when I made it. I questioned if it was too old to eat, but the smell test doesn't work bc it smelled weird to begin with! So I tried it and ... it tastes better than it did before. . .

I thought you would appreciate this - and if I'm not at work tomorrow you'll know why!

A message sent to the type of co-worker you like to "wow" with your questionable food timelines. 

And earn the title of Daring Spirit for it. 😉

Day 77: Booby Beyond the Sea

I was listening to Pandora on the TV and was thoroughly enjoying my Big Band station. 

Then, all of a sudden, something caught my eye!

I did a double take.

Does that says Booby?!?

[Eruption of giggles] 

Not only is this hilarious, but (if this were real) whoever was in charge of editing really missed the mark...

Day 76: First Dates 4 Life

You ever see that movie, 50 First Dates? I didn't like it. I'm not a fan of movies with plots of recurring plots.

On first dates we are excited and eager to learn and see how things go. To learn about our date. To see how we present ourselves - and thus feel about ourselves. To understand how we act and connect in relation to another person and a new situation.

Everything about first dates is new. Even we are new, in a sense. 

We are presenting ourselves to a new person - we are showing who we are in a new time, and hopefully, in a new way than we have before.

This idea of first dates for life is not about finding a partner or coming off a certain way. It is about adopting the first date mindset for all of life.

Dates are great - but what about all of the other days of our lives?! There is always so much going on, so much to see, learn, observe and contemplate.

What if we were as eager and excited to really live in the world around us as we are to be in the moment in a date?

Maybe one day life takes on the form of a not so great date, such as eavesdropped over margaritas with my sister and recorded below:

Woman 1:  I mean he was a nice guy and all, but it just wasn't clicking. 

Woman 2:  What did you guys end up doing?

Woman 1:  . . . We went to an escape room . . .

Woman 2:  Did you at least escape?

Woman 1: No!

Or maybe a different day, life channels this VERY random date snippet - also eavesdropped over margaritas with my sister:

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Woman on date:   "Do you still drink a lot of milk?
                               -- I have a twin sister..."

[no pause for her date's answer or perceptible segue to the new topic]

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The point I'm getting at is, you never know what's going to come. But you've got to be paying attention to your date [life] so you don't miss the good stuff! When you do, you give every day the opportunity to be exciting, energizing, and just the right amount of nerve provoking.

Day 75: Foul

I walk into the bathroom at Mayan Palace and am immediately hit with a Smell.

I lock myself in my stall and utter under my breath, "it smells foul in here!"

. . . And then I hear a toilet flush in the stall next to me . . .

--------------------------------------

Did I just transport back in time to 6th grade?!

No? Not quite? 

I suppose that's true, because I would have had to say:

"It smells like Mrs. [Name] in here!"

Then I'd have seen her, immediately after, exit the handicap stall and make eye contact with me in the mirror.

*Shudder*

Not one of my favorite moments.

Why is it that I (and maybe you, too??) feel embarrassed or worried/regretful when I comment on something such as a stinky poop smell in the restroom and then get confirmation that the culprit is still within range?

I didn't say anything 'wrong' or 'mean'. I simply uttered an observation. 

Perhaps it's because the majority of our thoughts about others are really reflections of ourselves. 

I felt embarrassed, worried, regretful to have potentially been heard saying it smelled bad because I would have felt those things if I had been the one to stink it up - And that's without hearing anyone comment on the stench!

Knowing this tidbit - that we all are just responding to our own reflections as we go through life - can be quite helpful. Especially if we flip it! 

There's a very good chance that someone else's response to something or a situation has less to do about you or me and our role in it and more to do with their own perceptions and insecurities.

But back to public restrooms - the reality is EVERYBODY POOPS. And sometimes it doesn't smell the best - especially if you're eating cuisine rooted in beans (me encanta frijoles!!) - but I guess that's just a perk of being human.

74: Kara-oke?

 

--Rapidly flips through song book--

. . .

Day 73: Happy Hour

 

Day 72: Rough Days

Some days are like carrying too many moving boxes of different sizes all at once.

Some days are like your umbrella getting blown inside out.

 

And some days are like this, where everything happens at once. 

These days stink. 

Sometimes they frustrate us and make us angry. Other times they may make us sad and low.

But they always pass. And good always comes.

Even on the worst days there is learning to be gained. And it is through this learning that we may find purpose and meaning in everything.

Day 71: Coaching Rosary

I was praying the rosary and the thought occurred to me,

"A lot of the extreme things Jesus is going through (as depicted by the Sorrowful Mysteries), can be easily related to by the rest of us . . . albeit on a much milder scale."

1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony In the Garden
Perhaps this is what we experience in our lives when we encounter very difficult obstacles. Or we have begun our coaching journey of self discovery and the initial discoveries we are making - deep rooted beliefs we didn't even know existed - are quite hard to swallow, now that they've been exposed.

2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
This might be our internal Gremlin/Saboteur/Judging voice that picks us apart and makes us feel worthless, small, unimportant, etc. It keeps us playing small, thinking small, living small. It keeps us from walking in the light we naturally radiate. 

We're becoming more aware of this pesky voice - and at this stage it can feel a bit overwhelming and disheartening how frequent it is. We may judge ourselves just for judging ourselves!

3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning of Thorns
Here, we may be learning to understand, counter and quiet our Saboteur voice. It is difficult, because the voice still has so much power. But we also know, that the voice is not our own. We are building courage so we may be true to who we really are and what is right/true to us.

4th Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
In this stage, we are actively practicing our 'walking the talk.' This means, applying all of the skills we've learned so far:
1) Awareness
   - of our obstacles [that they are not permanent and can be overcome]
   - of our hidden beliefs
2) Recognition and acknowledgement of our Saboteur voice
3) Understanding and countering our Saboteur voice

This takes a lot of energy at first and can be quite draining! But this is often where substantial growth and learning occur.

5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion
The end of the road for struggle and beliefs that no longer serve us. It is at this last stage where we have gained a deep understanding of our Saboteur and how it uses our hidden (and limiting) beliefs to hold us back (or in it's mind, protect us). With this knowledge we have found and practiced ways to get what we really need in order to create new beliefs that serve us better. 

Here is where the old and no longer useful beliefs, thoughts, actions come to rest, while we ascend to a higher way of being.

Day 70: Screw your Golden Ticket, I want rare diamonds!

What once sent pandemonium rippling around the globe has upped the ante! 

Arthur Slugworth, Willy Wonka's arch rival, has just announced a sweet surprise of his own: 

The world's 5 rarest diamonds have been hidden inside jawbreakers!

Once the news broke, chaos exploded in every city.

In candy shops, adults were seen overtaking the stores and using their loot as weapons. Numerous incidents were reported of socks filled with jawbreakers - breaking more than just jaws.

Elsewhere, factories have repurposed their child labor in what should have been the stuff kids dream of - eating candy. But it quickly turned into a nightmare, as secret footage reveals:

******************************************

Factory forewoman (who will undoubtedly be played by Elizabeth Banks once this piece of history makes it to the silver screen) looks out over a large warehouse crammed full of small children.

Child laborer 1: " . . . . my tongue . . .it's bleeding!"

Forewoman: LICK FASTER!!

Child Laborer 2: ". . . my teeth hurt!"

Forewoman: You don't need teeth! Lick!!

****************************************** 

This seemingly innocent marketing tactic is steadily proving to have crossed the line somewhere along the way. 

With no way to know when or where the world's 5 rarest diamonds will be found, the world is beginning to plan for the worst. 

And with the ugly face of greed in broad sight, this is one test we hope humanity can pass.

Day 69: Must Be Spring

 . . . or maybe it's already summer, seeing as I saw a turtle sunning itself in North Pond this morning.

I think we're somewhere in between spring and summer and the trees have started making their own wedding bouquets.

They're still working on growing a little bigger though. But they have a few weeks until the calendar says it's May.

Day 68: What got you here, won't get you there

This quote has been popping up in my head a LOT lately - in virtually all areas of my life.

 

It's so true, yet sometimes hard to remember. 

But if you want to make any changes in your life, be it a new

• goal
• routine
• hobby
• financial status
• career
• relationship (to yourself, anyone, or anything)
• perspective in general

something's gotta shift in your current approach.

Continuing on in the exact same manner as you have been will not get you where you want to be. It will just frustrate, drain, and deplete you. 

At least that's been my experience.

Wanna know more about shifting your approach to get where you want to be? Let's talk!

Day 67: April Fool, Psychic Who?

Boy was I an April Fool, yesterday! 

Not in that I forgot it was April and the start of a new month, but in the fact that I forgot entirely about posting!

I went to a dance show at the Harris Theater yesterday evening. But surprisingly that wasn't the highlight of my night. Instead it was the time before the show that I spent with my friend.

I learned about many paranormal experiences she's had which led me to the conclusion that my friend is a Medium!

I am NOT that attuned to spiritual presence - and boy am I glad. Because some of the things she told me would have freaked me the fudge out!!

A cool and comforting thing to hear was that she's been told by multiple psychics that she has 'strong spirit' - meaning she has a lot of spirit guides and protectors always around her. 

Guardian Angel status?? Ok, now THAT I'm on board with!

It was interesting to learn that, though not a 'religious' person in any sense of the word, my friend always finds herself reciting The Lord's Prayer when sensing or feeling scared by negative spirits. 

"I don't even think about it, it just happens - and I learned [the prayer] when I was little, so it's not even like I really remember it right." 

Hearing this admission solidified even more to me that there are no requirements or prerequisites needed to ask for help or receive comfort/protection from a higher power - regardless of the title you give it.