“Relationships Are Like The Ocean”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

the sea

Every relationship we’re in is like the ocean; some days rough, some days angry, some days gentle and smooth. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a friendship, marriage, life partner or even a job. What matters is that we have to understand that these relationships are similar to the waves in the ocean, and we must choose to weather the storm or jump ship.

My love always says that every wave carries a story, and I believe every relationship does as well. We are ALL a story that’s always changing, just like the ocean. Yet as humans, when the seas get rough we’re ready to get out of the water and back onto the safety of the shore. And why is this? Why do we feel the need to leave a relationship when it gets rough?

Yes, there are some relationships that aren’t meant to last, and when we learn the lesson from it it’s best to wish it love and light and then drop it. And no, that doesn’t mean we jumped ship, it means we’ve moved onto another part of the ocean.

Then there are the relationships worth weathering the storm; the ones’ with a sharedstorm history or a love like we’ve never known before. These are the ones that you have to grab a life preserver and hang on until the sea get’s calm. With each “angry” wave there’s a lesson and a story, and when we understand it and learn from it, the “gentle” waves begin, and the relationship strengthens.

And that’s why I believe that our relationships in life are like the ocean: always changing, always different, yet always constantly in motion.

Yes, I’m a true Jersey girl, and the ocean has always been my place of peace and serenity. Every wave I sit and watch carries a story and message I need to hear, and I can tell you it has never disappointed me yet.

Close your eyes and listen to the voice of the sea; hear the stories and messages it needs to tell you. And when you open your eyes, the world will look and feel different, because YOU do.

Life isn’t meant to be “smooth sailing” all the time; it’s those rough seas that allow us to see who we truly are and just how strong we are, and when you can do that, you’ll know which relationships are worth “weathering the storm.”

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“Don’t Die Before You Try”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

It hurts me to hear people talk negatively about their lives and about just “giving up.” It’s as if the situation that life has handed them just isn’t worth the fight, the struggle, or the time to learn the lesson.

Sadly, I’ve heard a lot of this lately and it makes me a bit angry as well. We all have things to go through, and what makes one person’s journey any less than someone else’s? As my uncle used to say: I never say “why me,” I always say “why not me?” And I guess that’s where my way of thinking comes in.

I’ve gone through many, many difficult situations in my life, as well as breast cancer, and truth be told, I never thought “why me.” I knew that it was a situation life chose to hand me to learn from, and with those lessons I decided to share them with others.

In my author bio on my book, “Waking Up,” I say: “I don’t mind what life hands me as long as I learn something from it and can help to make a difference to someone else.” And that’s how I live each day of my life.

It’s not always easy to stay positive, yet it’s a gift of “choice” we’re given to choose to be don't die before you trythat way.

It frustrates me to see people who give up so easily, whether it’s a life situation or cancer… it’s as if they’ve “died before they tried.”

Live each day of your life to the fullest, no matter what difficult situation life hands you. Embrace your challenges with grace and dignity…have faith and believe that you are stronger than the difficulties of the challenges you face.

And when you feel as if you can’t find the strength, let the strength find you. Trust me… it always does!

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

Finding Your “Inspiration”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

rainbow

How do you get “inspired?”

Most people think “inspiration” is just for creative people, such as writers, musicians, or artists. Yet we all wake up in the morning knowing what we have to do that day, whether it’s going to work, taking care of your children, or getting your “to do” list accomplished.

And all those things take some “inspiration.” You need to get yourself in the mindset of doing what needs to be done, and while most people don’t see that as “inspiration,” I do. Some of you may be thinking “how do you get inspired to go to work, or get motivated to do all the things on your to do list?” You may be thinking “where’s the inspiration there?”

Well, I’m here to tell you it IS there…it’s all in your perspective. As a writer I need to be “inspired” to write and create, yet I also need that same inspiration to help me get my other responsibilities done.

“Inspiration” is calming and peaceful, and it’s also exciting; it’s our soul taking a passion and turning it into a reality; it’s our mind making something mundane seem rewarding; and it’s our heart learning to love all that we do.

As I sat under my “magic tree” this morning having my coffee, I was inspired to write this post; I was inspired to organize my day into one of getting things done; and I was inspired to let go of the things that no longer serve me, and focus on the things that do!

My wish for you is to find “inspiration” in every thing you do; to change your perspective on the mundane into one of accomplishment; and to love yourself enough to find your “inspiration.”

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

magic tree 3

“Making A Miracle For Matthew”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

It’s been awhile since I’ve written in my column,”Need for Speed” for Wall Stadium, yet life get’s busy and we find ourselves moving along in different directions. That holds true for bn1me. I’ve been promoting my new book, “Waking Up: Lessons Learned Through My Adventures With Life and Breast Cancer.” It’s filled with motivational stories of love and hope, stories of relationships and life changes, as well as my personal breast cancer journal.

But I didn’t stop at just publishing a book; it has turned into so much more than that, and my true desire of helping others has presented me with an incredible opportunity to do just that.

It wasn’t my intention to write song lyrics, yet it happened, along with meeting and joining eric brennnnnnnncreative forces with an extremely talented musician, Sutton Thomas. So on July 1st, our “Waking Up” CD of songs that I wrote the lyrics for, and he wrote and recorded the music for, will be launched and available to the public. But the journey doesn’t stop here…

Together, Sutton and I have become “The Collaboration of Hope Tour: A Journey of Music, Motivation and Miracles.” We share the same belief:

“that it’s time to make a difference, and we can make a difference together.”

And now is the time…

One of our Wall Stadium Family members needs our help, and they need it now. Eric ericBrennan, the announcer at the track, has reached out through friends and social media that his 2 year old nephew, Matthew, has been diagnosed with a rare liver cancer. This sweet baby has started a long road of chemotherapy and radiation, which I know from personal experience, can be difficult.

Eric and his family need our prayers and our support, and Sutton Thomas and I have stepped in to help.

On July 28th, Bar Anticipation in Lake Como,NJ, has allowed Sutton and I to perform from 5-9 pm, and along with our own performance, they have graciously allowed us the chance to have a fundraiser for Matthew. Tickets will be $20, and includes dinner and drink specials as well. I will be posting the specifics as we know more of them on my page, as well as in my column for Wall Stadium.

The Wall Stadium Family was there for me during my journey with breast cancer, and we need to be there for Eric and his family as Matthew begins his journey.

I believe that one person can make a difference, yet I know that all of us together can make a miracle.

“Let’s make a miracle for Matthew.”

Mark your calendars for July 28th from 5-9. Spend an evening with Sutton Thomas and I as we perform a night of music and motivation, and your support will be the “miracle.”

Tickets will be sold in advance on http://www.intervalmediagroup.com, where you can also visit the “Collaboration of Hope” store for my book, our newly released CD, and t-shirts.

You can also support the “Collaboration of Hope” tour by “liking” the following Facebook pages:

http://www.facebook.com/annedennish

http://www.facebook.com/collaborationofhope

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

thumbnail_Book-CD

“Dear Children”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

If you want to see time pass quickly, become a parent. Nothing speeds up time more than watching your child grow into an adult, and suddenly, you’re left with a profound timeunderstanding of how precious time really is. And if you are a parent, you know exactly what I mean.

In my book, “Waking Up,” I wrote a story called “A Letter To My Children,” and together with Sutton Thomas, we wrote a song called “Dear Children.” Here’s just a small excerpt from the story:

“Life changed from that exact moment that you took your first breath, and with that breath, I held mine. I held my breath out of excitement of a new baby placed in my arms and out of fear as to all the responsibilities that were now a part of my life, from that day forward.

You, my children, were all my dreams come true, yet with each one of you came the nightmare of hoping that you’d always be okay, that you’d never get hurt, that your life would be without any feelings of low self-esteem, or anger, or sadness that I had ever felt. I could teach you how to protect yourselves, but I wouldn’t be able to stop the outside world from coming in.

The love of parent never dies, not with time, not with distance, not with death; the love of a parent grows stronger with each passing day; with each new milestone you reach and each heartache you encounter. Your mistakes and mine becomes lessons for us, and with each mistake, together we become better and stronger for it.

You, my child, are forever and always within and around my heart.”

Time and our children are precious…embrace them both.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

dear children 3

“A Broken Heart”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

“A broken heart is proof that it still works.” ~Anne Dennish~

Ah, the broken heart…we’ve all had one at one time or another in our life, and it’s never easy to get through.

But you can get through…if you choose to.

Life is what happens when we’re not paying attention, and what that means is that we’ve recite-1rs96tblost sight of the blessings in our life, and in some way, taken them for granted, always believing that if they’re there in the first place, they’ll never be taken away. And that’s how a broken heart happens: we weren’t paying attention.

Broken hearts are our greatest teachers, yet there’s a few things you have to understand to realize that.

Let’s be honest, broken hearts happen because of “love.” They happen when something suddenly rocks our world, and what we believed to be true suddenly looks very different….but maybe it isn’t different. Maybe it’s the same as it always was; we just didn’t take the time to see it.

We’re all human and we all make mistakes, but if you want to start to heal a broken heart you must throw away the “list of wrongs” and write the “list of rights.” Sure, when you’re heart is broken you feel betrayed, angry, hurt, even confrontational; all valid feelings yet negative emotions only bring negative reactions. So, when the the dust settles from these emotions, and you can put them aside, the real healing begins.

“Forgiving” is the hardest thing in the world to do; “loving” is the easiest. Yet, by forgiving, we release our anger and negativity; it doesn’t excuse someone’s behavior, but it allows us to move forward with clear eyes and an open heart.

My worst broken heart was my greatest teacher; I could sit here and go on and on that he treated me badly, hurt my feelings, disrespected me, and so on and so forth. And I used to wonder why someone could treat me badly, or break my heart; I didn’t feel like I deserved it. But here’s the truth:

I didn’t deserve it; I allowed it.

Hearts are broken from miscommunication, biting our tongue and not standing in our truth. I learned that the hard way; I should have used my voice, stood in my truth, and set clear boundaries of what I would allow and what I wouldn’t.

I know to do that now.

Time-to-change-myBroken hearts happen for many reasons, yet when you can put the hurt and blame aside, that’s when the reality comes in and the healing can start. When you take your own accountability in the brokenness, you heal, you become stronger, and you learn something about yourself…and with that, you’re given the gift of changing yourself.

I can promise you that your broken heart will mend; and it will mend stronger…but you have to do the work and LET IT!

“Broken hearts are the reality of what we lost sight of.” ~Anne Dennish~

Life as we know it can change with a broken heart, but why not let it change for the better? Look at the positive in a hurtful situation; something wasn’t working, the Universe whacked you with a 2×4 to wake you up, and now you’ve been given a chance to learn and change.

I believe that there’s always something good to be found in the storm; it will take time to see, but it’s there. The choice to see it is up to you. And sometimes, just sometimes, maybe it’s the “storm before the calm.”

Life’s an adventure with ups and downs; how you handle it and move forward is your gift of choice…choose wisely!

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

recite-1oe1bq1

“Standing In Your Truth”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

“Standing in your truth…” it’s not for the weak of heart.

I learn more and more ever day that standing in my truth isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Sometimes you gain friends and sometimes you lose them, yet the Universe will always see that things happen as they should.

“Standing in your truth” requires you to be honest with yourself; to know who you are, say what you feel, and accept all that you are. We’re all a “work in progress,” learning lessons through experiences and situations, and it’s all those lessons that teach us to be a better person; to understand why we react as we do; to allow us the vision to see where change may be needed.

Your “voice” is the most powerful tool you’ve been gifted when “standing in your truth.” It’s your voice that holds the words of your truth; that expresses the tone of your feelings; and it’s that voice that can change the world.

Truth isn’t negative or mean, hurtful or vindictive; truth is the loyalty of honesty to yourself and others.

Yes, there are times that your truth can hurt another person, but in the end, the truth is who you are, and their truth reveals who they are as well.

This is how we learn about people and ourselves. This is how we know when it’s time to let someone go. This is how we see the true colors of people and situations…and a concept as simple as “truth” is our gift, our teacher.

We’ve all been hurt by someone at times throughout our life, yet that pain taught us valuable lessons that made us a better and stronger person. I would much rather be hurt with the truth than deceived by a lie.

The Universe has taught me a few tough lessons in the last two days, and while I’m still a bit upset by them, I feel a peace at knowing that this new change is for my Highest Good, and I have to believe that it is for the other person involved. My choice is to learn from it; their choice is to learn or live in anger.

I’ve never seen anything good happen with negative emotions or behaviors. We attract what we put out there.

“Stand in your truth” with strength, kindness and compassion, because anything less will bring nothing more to you.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

Stand-in-your-truth-with

The Strength of Knowing “Who” You Are

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

There’s a story in my book, “Waking Up” entitled “Beautiful Boy.” It’s about my son who chose to tell me on the night of his high school graduation that he was bisexual. I wasn’t upset, I wasn’t shocked, and I wasn’t judgmental…I was proud of him for knowing “who” is at such a young age. I know people that are in their 40’s and 50’s that still don’t know who they are…they only know “what” they are, and there’s a big difference between the two.

Yes, my son is bisexual, and I know many people who are gay, and you know what? I don’t noah graduationsee that as a “what,” like so many others do…I don’t see it as anything more than that’s “who” they are.

What happened in Orlando was a tragedy, and what almost happened in California is a tragedy as well. It breaks my heart that anyone could be that hateful to another human being…and it worries me for my son.

He’s a young man with the kindest soul, the biggest heart, and the intelligence to be concerned and proactive toward saving the environment and animals. Anyone that knows him tells me that they’ve never met such a sweet kid, and I’m blessed to call him my son.

So why a hatred so deep that the only answer is to hurt them? Well, my belief is that it’s someone’s fear of the unknown…the unknown of knowing this community, and perhaps the unknown of not knowing “who” they are. Perhaps the fear is of the strength of these men and women who know “who” they are, that stand proud of it, and that embrace their lives with passion.

My son once told me that being bisexual isn’t a choice; it’s “who” he is. The “choice” wasmothersday when to tell me, and the “choice” was who he would tell. No truer words were ever spoken.

It’s not our job to judge anyone for anything; we either accept people for “who” they are, or we walk away from them. That’s the gift of choice.

Pray for the lives that were lost due to ignorance; pray for the ignorant to become less judgmental and fearful, and remember:

“It’s time to make a difference, and we can make a difference together.”

And that time is now!

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

gay-pride

 

 

“Just Believe”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment
It’s been quite a week for my love and I! So many amazing things happening, and as I sit here this morning thinking about it, I’m filled with gratitude at what the Universe has brought into my life… into all our lives! I love those “waking up” moments!
 
And I wondered: “How did I get here?”
 
Then I remembered: “I believed, kept the faith, and let go of trying to control things.” And then amazing things began happening!
 
My life has been one grand adventure after another, whether it be meeting new people, or finding myself being gifted with opportunities I would never have imagined. I believe that everything happens for a reason: “it happens when it should, how it should, and as it should,” and that belief hasn’t let me down yet!
 
Stress, worry and fear are the biggest obstacles in our life, and only you can change that. Once those words are out of your vocabulary, you will be amazed at what the Universe will bring to you! Those words keep the door shut to good things coming into your life, and who wants that?
 
Open the door to the life you deserve with words such as “belief, faith, and love” and you will soon be sitting in gratitude at what comes through it!
Wishing you love and light,
~Anne Dennish~
believe

“Life Is Always Changing…”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

“Life is always changing, time to turn the page,
The story continues, it’s mine to create.
So what do I do now? Where do I go?
Do I let my mind lead me backwards in time
Or move ahead slow?”

lyrics from “What Now” by Anne Dennish & Sutton Thomas

It’s true, life is always changing, and while change can sometimes be difficult, it’s certainly proof that we’re still breathing! Life is an adventure, and lessons for our Highest Good are everywhere, just waiting for us to see them and learn from them.

We’re always having “waking up” moments; that moment when you suddenly become aware of something you never saw before; never realized before; or never knew before.

Yet again, maybe those “somethings” were there all along; it was YOU that changed! You cleared your mind; you listened to your intuition; or perhaps you learned something new about yourself that allowed you the clear sight to see something in a different light.

It’s called “change.” And while life is always changing, so are we. We’re changing for our Highest Good; changing to live the life we always wanted and so deserve; changing to pursue our dreams.

So why are some so scared of change? It’s because we don’t always know where the change will take us…so we will “let our mind lead us backwards in time.” Yet when you embrace the change of the lessons you learned, it’s time to “move ahead slow.”

During our time here on earth, we move into many different lives. We grow, we mature, and we learn as we go, so why go back in time? Go, if only to remember for a moment while you left it in the first place, but jump back quickly into the present; it’s the present that will help build your future.

Let life change you; embrace the lessons your are gifted; release the past with love and light, because what once served you has done its’ time, and something “new” is waiting for you…it always is.

Wishing you love and light and a grand adventure,

~Anne Dennish~

I-know-where-Ive-been