Soulmates: Expanding the Definition...

Soulmates
The word conjures up a specific meaning within our culture. For women, it  has something to do with a happily ever after & a man on white horse gallivanting away with us.

But what if our "Soulmates," our REAL Soulmates, are more than just the opposite sex in a romantic relationship?

What if our Soulmates are the people planted smack dab in the middle of our lives, (with or without fair warning), that change us, that teach us valuable lessons, that when they leave our lives, leave us with an indelible mark that they were there?  What if they are some of the most aggravating, & antagonizing people that have crossed our path?

I think broadening our definition of the term Soulmate to include those people serves us well.  There is a manager I worked with who was so difficult, I couldn't stand the thought of him.  He taught me some of the most valuable lessons on how to manage people, practically, by my being dragged through the mud to do it.  I have notches on my managerial tool belt that I can contribute directly to him.  At the time, it was sheer hell.  In retrospect, I was attending some serious soul school with an amazing professor.

When we're in the midst of deep emotional turmoil with others & can't see straight,  it's beyond difficult to see the silver lining & think,  "Wow, some day I'll look back on this & be grateful he treated me like crap."

 I guess the best thing to keep your chin up is to just bear in mind, what my Soul Sister & I said as teenagers, "Everything happens for a reason."

So, the next time you get some deep, negative emotions stirred up by someone in your life, whether it be someone you just met, a person who may be temporarily passing through your life, or a long time friend,  take the situation out of the face value context & think,  maybe this is a Soulmate of another sort.

A New Year Prayer

A New Year Prayer For My Life

I Am Ready for a New Chapter in My Life

I Am Ready to Move On

I Am  Ready & am Willing to have Success in Each Area of My Life

I Am Ready for Prosperity & Abundance of Every Kind to Enter My Life Easily & Effortlessly from Sources currently Unknown to Me

Pleasant Surprises & Miracles are around All Corners I Now Turn

Adversity is a Thing of The Past

I Move my Soul Forward with Heaven Sent Earth Angels Inspiring My Path every Step of The Way

I Feel God's Presence & Steady, Gentle Hand Guiding me

I Have Faith & Believe in What I cannot Yet See for I Know The Universe is Conspiring Beautiful Miracles to Enter My Life.

I Now Allow Them as I Release All Resistance

And I Surrender The Future to God

My Holiday Wish for You......

My Holiday Wish for You.....
FEELING TIME PASSING:
Days & months fly by in the blink of an eye. But each of us, I believe, has his or her own personal Wake Up Call to Time's passing, whether it be Nature & the change of Seasons, our Birthday,  the Holidays, or something else. That personal Trigger can be a Time to be Startled into Contemplating, "Am I where I want to be?  Doing what I'm meant to be doing?  Am I Spending my Time on a Daily Basis pursuing My Calling? 

"SPENDING" OUR TIME
Where are we Spending our Time? Are we focused on our Career & working so hard we don't make ample time for those we care about?  During The Holidays our Culture dictates we spend time with Family & Friends, some of whom we haven't seen for some time.  When we gather together to re connect, we share The State of our lives through conversation. We can't help but to face, The State of Our Lives.

THE "HOLIDAZE"
It is so easy to be Entranced in the Commercialism & Materialism of the Season as we are bombarded from every direction through the media to buy, buy, buy.

Do we ever stop to think how challenging and simply disheartening The Holidays can be for those who can't buy?  Today, I overheard an interaction in the Laundromat between 2 acquaintances.  The woman asked the man, "How are your Holidays going?"  He replied. "I don't think we're going to be able to buy much this year, but we'll make it through."

MY HOLIDAY WISH FOR YOU
My Wish for You this Holiday Season is to get a Wake Up Call. Wake Up with Love and....

     Spend not only your Money on Material Gifts, but Spend your Precious Time on Love

Spend your Love on.....

Quality Time with those you care about
      Use This Holiday as an Opportunity to Reach Out to Mend Fences with those you've              lost over silly quarrels

Reconnect with Those you Miss but just haven't made Time for

     Tell people you Love Them

Traverse the Boundaries of "Traditional" Gift Giving and Give a Gift from The Heart...

Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen

      Give an extra donation to your favorite charity

Go out of Your Way to Be Generous in Kind Words to Strangers you meet. You don't know if they may be all alone this season or the challenges The Holidays bring to their life.

Life is Short. Spend your Precious Time on the Highest Calling we All have: Spend your Love.

Happy Holidays,

Annie

How do you Digest your Spirituality?

How do you "DIGEST" your "Spirituality??"

If you consider yourself a "Spiritual" person, what exactly does that mean to you?  You may believe there is something "out there" greater than you in charge of everything, or maybe you  Meditate. There are a number of individual definitions of you're being a  "Spiritual" person & broad continuum of interpretations.

But, how do you ""Digest"  that persona?  How do you "Metabolize" it into your life? Do you "Regurgitate"  it out to others as a Holier than Thou practice? Or do you keep it to yourself, & stuff it inside, afraid of how others will judge your beliefs?

Do you "Eliminate" (shit)  it out when, in conversation, you hear others that don't agree with you, discounting their opinion? Or are you open minded to others' perspectives?

Do you "Overeat"  your Spirituality, not knowing when to stop, letting it consume your life, &  feeling guilty when you don't go to a regular service or practice you promised yourself you would?

Or maybe, you're of the  "Binge"  Spirituality sort.  You get all wrapped up in it for a while, feel good, & then, forget about it, til you're life's in the toilet again & you're looking for answers.

Spirituality is most definitely a  nourishing food for The Soul that can give us vitality in countless ways.  Just like the food we eat is the fuel we put in the gas tank of our bodies to run it, so Spirituality can fuel our connection to each other, & to whatever label you put on a Higher Power, strengthening our sense of faith,  & manifesting, among countess other benefits.

So, here's to you're looking at the Spirituality in your  life.  Bon Apetit!
-Annie

Paralyzed....

If you ever thought you weren't good enough at something you truly loved to do that made your heart sing, that's the very thing you need to spend time doing.

I don't care if it's needlepoint or mountain climbing or presenting before a boardroom, standing in the face of your fear of failure and feelings of insufficiency, taking the leap of faith, and releasing for once and for all your procrastination of moving forward towards your goals really is, in itself, reaching the finish line.

It doesn't matter whether you fail or succeed in the end. What matters is that you moved.

When you look inside and search for what's holding you back from having that intimate relationship, from going for that promotion, from making the time to take care of yourself,  you will see it's not the external circumstances that prevent the manifestation, but something inside you may not have wanted to face or admit. 

So today,  dig a little deeper, go a little further, and take a baby step towards doing that thing your heart yearns for....
 

Introduction.....

As I write this 1st post, I am exactly 28 minutes from turning 50 years old.

I've decided to write a blog on....

•  What it means to be 50

• What  life is like up to 50

•  "Intentions" (goals is just a failure oriented word) for the next part of life

Aging is an inevitable process, and yet, we unfortunately live in a culture that worships youth.  I'm not sure what it will feel like reaching the 5 decade mark, but feel like it's pivotal for me personally.  Realistically, at 50,  2/3rds of your life is over.  And I don't mean that in a negative way.  It's simply  a    fact. Life  happens  & can go by so quickly.  We all plan and have goals to some extent, but for some reason, moving forward, time feels like it will be more precious after 50.

Annie's suggestion for the day:  Make a Bucket List!