As I reflect on the results of the mid-term elections, I felt compelled to share a poem I wrote over twenty years ago. I wrote it when a friend came over after a devastating break up. And some of the losses last night were very hard to accept. But sometimes in life, we have to accept what happened, celebrate the good, look ahead and
Are you considering a major change in your life? It can seem daunting. Should I start that business? Move to another city? Try a different career?
Well, you are reinventing yourself. Like a caterpillar shedding it’s skin in order to emerge as a butterfly, we shed our skins several times at different stages of life. I remember when I became a mother. A totally new life for me. I had to re-invent who Amy was. All of my ambitions, goals and desires had to be re-calibrated because I now was responsible for another life. But re-calibrated–not eliminated.
What was challenging was not only to re-think who I was, but also not to LOSE who I was in the process. It wasn’t easy. I’ve always been ambitious. Sold homemade perfume from petals in my mother’s rose garden at 10. I’ve had paying work since I was 13 years old, so working was in my DNA.
I was not in a position to be a stay-at-home Mom. That didn’t bother me, as my role model, my mother, always worked. I saw her re-invent herself from a nurse, to an entrepreneur, to a college grad, then a math and science teacher who went on to get a graduate degree. And she did all this reinventing AFTER having four children. So, I grew up thinking women could work and be a mother. And that’s what I did. I continued to work, have a corporate career, became an entrepreneur, and still relished motherhood. Wife-hood didn’t work out as well…but that’s another post. Lessons learned.
What I understand now and didn’t then, is how much COURAGE it took for my mother to re-invent herself. It took tremendous courage for her to pursue her ambitions in the 1950’s and 60’s. She recognized what her spirit was saying she needed to manifest…she didn’t ignore it. How often we IGNORE what our inner spirit is saying to us! We ignore at times due to fear. Yet, if you tell fear to step aside, you can take the time to go within to make some important decisions.
Choosing to re-invent requires introspection and action. During those introspective times, don’t let your thoughts go down a path of regret. “I wish I had tried X.” Well, it’s not too late! Don’t waste time in What If-Ville.“What if I try X and this happens. What if I don’t try?” Time will march on either way, so choose to move from thinking about re-invention to taking steps to do it. All of a sudden, your energy to achieve shifts–and your mind becomes freer to create a new reality for yourself.
You start jumping into your day, buoyed by the KNOWING that you are getting into alignment with your gifts. Wow. When this happens to me, it’s like having a mind orgasm. Ha!
We can CHOOSE TO RE-INVENT. It can be an exciting journey, even when you can’t see the end of the trip. Take action on your dreams. Don’t waste moments on things that shift your energy into a negative place. Click on your mind app that says ONWARD AND UPWARD!
It’s never to late to SIZZLE! Talk to you next week. Hugs, Amy
It’s interesting. This process of Sizzling. To me, it is so much more than how I look. It’s how I feel about my life, and the many aspects of it. You see, there’s is so much to live for. It’s about consistently making the decision to step toward the good. Step toward God’s gifts inside of you.
I wrote a guidebook, called Tap Into Your Juice – How to Find Your Gifts, Lose Your Fears and Build Your Dreams some 14 years ago. In it’s 4th printing. Endorsed by Michelle Obama. It’s based on ten principles–my 10 P’s–philosophies I live by. The first is Believing in Possibilities. I’ve found that if you have a dream, a vision, a goal–even if you’ve never done it, if it is on your heart to do, try or become–well, it was put there for a reason. Keep walking toward it. Your belief is your energy source–align to it. No matter what your age.
You see, to me, your Juice is the energy of your gifts–the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional vibrancy that gives you the momentum to accomplish anything. And since our gifts are uniquely individual, your Juice can be too. Tapping into it is a way of plugging into your smarts, strength, creativity, courage, resolve and resiliency to move forward through fear to build your dreams.
I had fears about starting this blog! As the posts show, it’s not my first time. Life happened. You run hard and and the currents can be rough. But I’ve found that turning within to align with the intuitive guidance we all have been given is energizing. It’s like putting your boat in the river in the direction of the currents–your currents. Learning to believe in and trust what feels right to you is a process. But guess what? When you get into the rhythm of it, the possibilities start coming.
Don’t fight the feeling! Go with your gut. Have less fight and more right with yourself and see what happens. You’ll figure out the logical stuff.
And actually, as I’ve gotten older, this is becoming easier to do. It’s freeing to realize that you can connect right into higher levels of energy. Click on to it like an app–it’s electric! It’s a mindset. Be your OWN lottery ticket.
When negativity pulls, I remember to start tapping and Stand in My Power–my God-given gifts and shift my energy into gear. I want the possibilities of a vibrant life, so I’m believing they are mine to have. What about you?
At each stage of life, you shift. Priorities, plans, dreams. You rearrange the chairs on the deck to fit the motion of the ocean. Always pressing on, but pressing in a different way. You sail on while things calibrate, energy moves, and then exciting horizons can appear. I’m shifting gears now. Higher!
When energy moves in a different direction, it’s hard sometimes to catch the rhythm, and may be a shock to your expectations. But then, as you catch the rhythm, you make different decisions and change the map. New destinations ahead! Staying open to possibilities can sizzle! It keeps momentum in life when you look at the positives of shift happening.
Shift. What’s shift? The stuff that can make you mad, delays that can frustrate, new information that changes your perspective and can throw you off your square. But within the swirl of it, take another look, and find something new. Another way of getting to success. Even with situations where you thought you had figured out all the angles.
My friend Norma and I talked about this–that Shift Happens. It does. Why fight it? Norma had a great party celebrating her Level 7–seven decades of living life—and looks fabulous! Part looking good is letting things matter that really matter now. The rest–well, leave it alone. Letting shift happen and staying focused on the positives is Better than Botox! Less worry lines. Keeps the forehead smooth. Just sayin’.
Making a strategic pivot can really turn out well. It’s hard to let old frameworks go, but when leveling up, that’s what is required. When riding the wave, even if a turn takes you on a longer road, keep pedaling. Let the fresh air hit your face. The air around you is changing to go with the flow of opportunity. God’s timing always shifts you in the right direction.
So, don’t get mad when Shift Happens. Just roll with it. Then make the choices you need to find the current and RIDE!
I’m good at a lot of things, but I don’t have a green thumb. While I love the looks of plants, most of the ones in my home are of the beautiful silk variety! The pictures above are of the only plant I’ve been able to grow. Would you believe it’s the same plant? It is.
This is a ten-year old Peace Lilly, saved from my Dad’s Homegoing. His spirit is in there! I talk to him regularly. After repotting it twice, I realized the plant was not thriving at all. I called my good friend Cj, who has a totally green thumb and got her steps to repot–the right way. So I did. And—NOTHING. Daddy’s plant still wasn’t responding.
I didn’t know what else to do, so I just started pruning it. Cutting off the old leaves. I figured the old leaves and stems were holding on to old rotted roots, and weren’t doing any good. So I watered with Miracle Grow, pruned and asked Daddy to come on back to life. All summer.
Funny thing–once I started pruning back the old leaves that were not producing, NEW leaves started growing. It was as if after all this time, my plant was saying to me “Time to start something new. Time to change your position in the pew.” And, about this time, I brought back my Sizzling After 60 Blog too and I’m loving it!
We’ve all heard that pruning plants can cause new growth, and I have PROOF!! But also, how many of us apply that concept in life? Sometimes, I’m finding as I get older I have to prune back people, projects, food, clothing…choices in order to grow. Everyone can’t be in your life for the long haul. Some are there for a reason or a season.
As Susan Taylor once told me, “Everyone can’t have a front row seat in your life”. I’d add, “Everything can’t either”. So I’m embracing pruning.
Back to my plant. The healthy plant on the bottom is all totally new. It’s Sizzling, right? I just kept cutting it back and new sprouts kept growing until I may have to repot it again soon! It’s overflowing with vitality. It’s thirsty, too. But, I discovered an important lesson. I don’t over water it anymore. I just give it what it needs and it grows from there. Hmmm. Just give your life what it needs and let it grow from there. Sounds like a plan to me.
So, Sizzlers…get out those pruning shears and make room to GROW!
Welcome to Sizzling At 60! I’m looking forward to that milestone in 17 months, so let’s countdown together. Let’s share our thoughts, affirmations and techniques to be sizzling and stay that way! As women we do so much for others…here’s where we can share what works for US! Who wants to ease on down the road when you can shimmy! Sizzling knows no age!
As I reflect on the results of the mid-term elections, I felt compelled to share a poem I wrote over twenty years ago. I wrote it when a friend came over after a devastating break up. And some of the losses last night were very hard to accept. But sometimes in life, we have to accept what happened, celebrate the good, look ahead and
sizzlingafter60.com 