Anne Dennish

“Do Life Happy!”

/ Anne Dennish

“Do life happy.”

Happiness is one of the best emotions in the world and in the last few days I’ve been on Cloud Nine, and I have to say, all this happiness is making me tired but I’m sleeping better than I ever have before. I find myself dancing in the kitchen while I’m cooking and cleaning, I’m singing out loud to the song on the radio while I’m driving and I’m smiling and laughing like never before. It’s so much more than happiness, I’m feeling “joy.” And I’m “doing life happy!”

So how am I doing it?

On January 1st, 2019, I made a decision to work on learning to let things go. I’ve always tried to do this but this year I am making a conscience effort to stay out of situations that aren’t my problem and truly let it go. There’s been moments I want to get involved to help, but now I remind myself that it’s not my problem, it’s someone else’s and truth be told, if I fix their problem they’ll never be able to learn the lesson they were supposed to.

I’ll always be there for anyone who needs me, whether it’s my advice, my shoulder to cry on or simply my ear to listen, yet I’m understanding more than ever that all of that is as is should be; fixing the problem for them isn’t as it should be.

We all have life lessons to learn, be it your children, family, friends or significant other, and when we interfere with their free will to handle their situation in their own way we’ve taken away their right to learn from it. We’ve allowed the negativity and toxicity of their situation to affect us as well. And that won’t serve anyone well.

Life would be so much easier if someone else fixed our problems, healed our hearts, and told us what to do to live a happy life, yet that’s not how life works, nor should it. We need to learn how to fix our problems, how to heal our hearts, and learn to know what we need to do (or not do) to be happy. We need to learn our life lessons so that we can live the best and happiest life possible.

We all have a choice to be happy or not, to face our demons and problems or not, and to learn from them…or not. I’m a person who decided to make those choices for my Highest Good. I decided to learn how to be happy; I decided to face those demons along the journey of my life; and I decided that all things happen for a reason and that I would take those lessons and learn from them. And the bottom line is this: we all need to learn to love ourselves and truly believe that we deserve all good things.

I’m here for anyone who needs me. If you need my shoulder to cry on, you got it. If you need an ear to tell your problems to, I’m listening. If you need to know how I handled my difficult situations in life and how I got through them, I’ll tell you. And if you just need to know you’re not alone, I’ll tell you that you’re not…because I’m here to love you through it and be there for you.

I’m still the same person I’ve always been and still working on growing into the best sense of self I can possibly be, and in order to do that I’ve learned that I  have to learn to let things go.

And it’s a good thing.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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“And So It Begins…”

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dreams
Today is the first day of another dream coming true: it’s the first day of writing my next book! And I can’t wait to get started and spend my days writing and editing until that very last page is written…it’s a process I absolutely love and one I’ve waited too long to get back into.
 
I spent the weekend organizing hundreds of index cards with notes on them about stories to be written, went through a few notebooks of thoughts written randomly throughout the pages, and cleared my space to focus on my writing. I could have started writing over the weekend but I wanted to wait until I had everything in place…and it’s in place now.
 
Writing is like breathing to me; it’s something I have to be doing or else I feel lost.
 
Writing is my passion and brings me so much joy; a day without writing feels a bit sad to me.
 
And writing is my life purpose, or should I say, “what” I write is my life purpose.
 
So here I go, my friends, onto the next adventure, the next book, the next chapter in my life, the next dream I want to become a reality.
 
Ready, set, go!
 
And so it begins…
 
And it’s a good thing! 
 
Wishing you love and light,
 
~Anne Dennish~
 

“Listen To How They Treat You”

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the way a person treats you

“There’s a message in the way a person treats you…just listen.”

It’s the saying I absolutely believe in: “actions speak louder than words.”

All those loving, positive words you speak to someone are only truthful when the actions back them up.

All those negative, hurtful words you speak to someone are truth. It’s how someone honestly feels about you because when you truly love someone you wouldn’t say things you know that would hurt them. And trust me, those words will stay with them for a lifetime.

If you really love someone, be it your significant other, friend, family or child, why would you say something hurtful to them? You can’t take those words back and if you said them you must have meant them. And if you didn’t mean them then why did you say them? Just to hurt them because you can? To push them away? Or maybe you use those words to put them in their place as a way to control them.

Think about why you say things to hurt someone you love. No human being has the right to hurt another, especially someone who loves you. It could be that you don’t really love them, that you don’t understand love, or that love is nothing more than a matter of convenience to you. And know this: each time you say hurtful words to someone you love you bruise their heart and that heart begins to shut down little by little.

We’re all human and none of us are perfect. We get annoyed sometimes, we get angry, we get cranky…that’s okay, we all have moments like that, but it’s NOT okay to hurt someone you love. It’s NOT okay to make them feel like your bad mood is their fault because it’s not, it’s yours. And it’s NOT okay to think you have the right to say hurtful words to someone because you want to.

We have choices in all areas of our life, especially in our relationships. You have a choice of which words you use, you have a choice in the tone of your voice when you say them, and you have a choice to talk things through calmly with the one you love instead of being mean and hurtful.

And you have a choice to walk away.

You have a bad day? Work getting to you? Are you unhappy? Did someone make you angry or hurt your feelings?

We all rough days now and then, but understand that it’s not fair or right to take YOUR rough day out on another.

Think about what you’re feeling and why…

Don’t take it out on someone who loves you…

Don’t bruise the heart of someone who truly loves you..

And remember that their feelings are just as important as yours…

Be kind or be quiet.

It’s a good thing.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“Let Go Or Be Dragged”

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Think about your life at this very moment: what is good for you and what isn’t?
 
Now, take what is good for you and embrace it, be grateful for it, and love it.
 
And take what isn’t good for you and let it go…or be dragged.
 
That which doesn’t serve your Highest Good will drag you down so be brave, say good-bye, and let it all go.
 
It’s a good thing…I promise! ❤
 
Wishing you love and light,
 
~Anne Dennish~

“Chemo Healed The Cancer But The Cancer Healed Me”

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My last book, “Waking Up: Lessons Learned From My Adventures With Life and Breast Cancer” was born over two years ago while lying on a radiation table for breast cancer.

I’m the type of person that loves meeting people because every single one of us has a story…we ARE a story! Some may not believe that, yet as a writer, I know it’s true. I was out to dinner with my love one night, along with his cousin and his love, and a table full of people I had never met. Yet by the end of the night, I knew them well.

You see, that’s the beauty of paying attention to people and speaking to them, yet more importantly, LISTENING to them. They were laughing at me last night when I said that the whole night of conversations was indeed a story!

So it’s no surprise that “Waking Up” was born; the idea may have begun on a radiation table, yet the stories were already taking shape in my mind, and for the last two years of writing it, more stories were born. Every story is true; most of them are of my personal experiences, and there are a few born out of situations with someone else who graciously allowed me to write about it

Yet, here’s what that one moment that woke me up was: “breast cancer!”

Yes, I had been on a spiritual journey for years, but finding out I had cancer was a big kick in the ass! I realized that as much as I had learned over the years, the lessons were far from over. Breast cancer changed my life and how I live it. That tumor was all the things I never said out loud, all the pain of allowing people to treat me badly. It was everything I never said that I should have, so I made a deal with the cancer: “I’ll open my mouth and use my voice, I’ll make better choices of who I surround myself with, I’ll rid myself of people and situations that make me feel less than good, and I’ll take all of this and write about it to help someone else as long as you leave my body when the time is right.”

I guess the cancer agreed with the deal, because it held up its’ end of the bargain. I did all those things and it left me the day they cut all that stuff out of my body. They did more than a lumpectomy on February 21st. As cancer and I were about to say good-bye that day, I could hear it speaking to me. Sounds crazy, but it wasn’t really. It said: “You’ve done the work and I know it wasn’t easy. I’m sorry to have had to come and visit you, but this journey is over. Remember the lessons, remember to love yourself, and finish up our deal: tell your lessons to everyone you can reach. I’m counting on you.”

Well, in a strange way, chemo may have healed my cancer, but my cancer healed me. It taught me more than I could imagined, and since then, I spread the word, I keep out as much drama and stress as I can, and I walk away from anyone or anything that tries to control and manipulate me. Cancer didn’t abuse me as much as some people have tried to, and I’m smarter because of all of it.

“Waking Up” is so much more than a book; it’s my heart and soul that simply wants to make a difference in someone’s life. Life get’s shorter as we get older, and my goal is to live everyday to the fullest, to show love and kindness to someone who needs it, and most importantly, to make someone laugh and smile.

Struggles will always happen in our lives, yet it’s your attitude and perspective that will handle it and teach you more than you could have ever imagined.  After all, “we don’t become who we are by chance; we become who we are by choice.”

Love your lessons, whether you like them or not, because in the end, miracles happen!

“Chemo healed the cancer but the cancer healed me.”

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

 

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“Go With The Flow”

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My apologies to all of you for my page having been so quiet, but life has a way of sneaking up on us and slowing us down…and that’s what happened to me in the last few weeks.

I had a few trips to the ER for a swollen Achilles tendon which put me on crutches and strict instructions to stay off my feet for a week or two. That was tough, I’ll admit, to have to sit with my foot elevated, watching mindless television day in and day out. I didn’t last a week or two, but a few days in my foot was feeling better.

Next was a beautiful family wedding on the beach which lasted for the weekend. My foot was feeling good enough to throw on low heels and dance with my love all night. The next morning I would find myself with a few numb toes and it was off to the ER yet again. This time it was torn ligaments and again, instructions to stay off my foot as much as possible.

In the midst of all of this I was getting my youngest back to junior year of high school and my other son off to college. They didn’t need much help but as a mom, I wanted to be there when they left for the day and here when they got home.

I was frustrated, to say the least, at having to say “no” to certain situations which I knew would take a toll on my healing foot. I was mad at myself for not heeding the strict instructions from the doctor. And I was suffering from a long “writers block.”

And then I began to realize that this was a test of patience, of will, and of strength. It was the Universe telling me to slow down, and it was “life” teaching me that I need to remember to “go with the flow.”

All too often we want to control our life and all that happens within it, and while that is certainly true at times, that we DO have control over our life, sometimes our life takes control of US when we’re not paying enough attention to what’s best for us; what’s best for our Highest Good.

And that’s what happened to me.

My foot is feeling better, my writers block is unblocking, and the house seems to be back in balance again. It was a rough road, but once I realized why it was all happening, I began to relax and accept what was and what will be once I do.

Sometimes  life has to remind us to just “go with the flow.”

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“What Happened To Humanity?”

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When did we stop thinking about the needs of other’s and only thinking of our own? When did we stop helping each other unless we had something to gain from it? When did we stop caring about each other? When did we start putting our own needs above someone who needs our help? When did we start being selfish instead of selfless?

It started when we stopped needing one another and only wanting one another when it was convenient, when it served us, when we had something to gain from it.

And that is the saddest thing in the world.

I can remember a time in my life when I had nothing and five children to take care of. It was the kindness of my closest friends that helped me out during that time and expected nothing in return. And when I had barely anything I still helped a family who needed my help. I sent food to their home during a difficult time and when those around me asked me: Why would you do that when you are in a bad way yourself? My answer was simple: because they were human beings who also needed the kindess of someone to help them, just like my friends had helped me. You see, that’s where the world has changed: we only give when it suits us; we only help when it makes us look good; we only need someone when we want something from us. The world stopped caring when they realized people took advantage of their kindness.

And again, that is the saddest thing in the world.

The world is in turmoil at the moment; there are hurricanes destroying lives, families and homes, and yet most people aren’t able to see the big picture: that the world needs us to stick together and help one another, and not because we “need” to but because we “want” to help another life feel better, get better and move on better.

If I do nothing else in this world except use my writing to help people understand and to try and make a difference in the world, then that is my success. My success comes from loving a stranger in need or a friend that needs my help, sharing what I have with them, helping them through a difficult time, listening to them and being there for them. My greatest success is when someone tells me that I made a difference in their life.

I sit here today with such a sadness and worry in my heart over friends on the islands that were impacted by Hurricane Irma, by someone I love that is in the hospital with no update on how they are from someone I know who is there and for a friend displaced by the hurricane that no one would help, so they helped themselves. For the love of God, what happened to kindness and respect? What happened to doing the right thing? What happened to thinking of other people and what they’re going through instead of focusing on only what we’re going through?

It’s time…it is absolutely time for everyone to get out of their own way and leave their selfish egos to the wayside. It’s time to see the big picture of what some are about to lose during these storms, to see what those did lose, to see what is happening to those around us. Does someone need a shoulder to lean on? Does someone need a listening ear? Does someone need a small, random act of kindness?

I know that I will do anything I can for anyone that needs me, whether it’s something big or something small. My mission in life is to make a difference in someone’s life and hopefully those random acts of kindness may actually make a difference in the world.

I know what I’m doing…what are YOU doing to make a positive difference in someone’s life, to help someone in need or to simply do what you can to make this world a better place?

There’s no better feeling in the world than to know you did something for someone else without expecting something in return.

The gift of helping someone else is how good you’ll feel when you do…and because you “wanted” to do it, not because you “needed” to do it for yourself.

Wishing you love, light, and peace,

~Anne Dennish~

“I Won’t Back Down”

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Here’s an excerpt from my new book, “My Collective Soul,” which will be released in October of 2017. ~Anne Dennish~

Photo by EVNFLO Photography

 

 

“No, I stand my ground, won’t be turned around,and I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down…gonna stand my ground and I won’t back down.” ~Tom Petty~

 

I’ve always loved that song, but while going through breast cancer, the lyrics rang more true than ever. Yet you don’t need to go through an illness or rough patch to understand that song: that no one should “back down” to anything or anyone.

Finding our strength isn’t the easiest thing to do, and truth be told, even when you find it, there will be moments that you’re too tired to stay that strong. You’re tired, your emotions are running rampant, or you just hit your wall to life. And all that is okay; we’re all human and there are just some days that people and situations get the best of us.

I have days like that, although as I learn my lessons in life, those days are far and few between. When I find myself faced with someone who’s draining my energy or trying to manipulate me, I hear those lyrics:

“Well, I know what’s right, I got just one life in a world that keeps on pushin’ me around but I’ll stand my ground and I won’t back down.”

Yes, there are times we feel like we “gave in” to someone, yet you need to remember, you didn’t give in, and you didn’t give up. You did what was necessary to remove yourself from it, even if you allowed someone else to think they got the best of you.

What you know to be true is your “truth.” And no one, and no situation, can take that away from you without your permission.

“Don’t back down” to anything or anyone…stand tall, proud and strong! Show the world how “big your brave is!”

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“Losing Sight Of What Really Matters”

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Social media can be a great tool to keep in touch with old classmates as well as friends and family that live far away.

Yet it can become a way of life for some; the people that base their life on the “number of likes, friends and friend requests” they get, and that’s sad because they’ve lost sight of reality and the people in their life.

My own personal feeling is that I would rather have human touch, a voice, and an interaction with someone in the real, physical world. It means more to me when I get a call from a friend or they stop by to visit  me than by any “friend request” I receive from someone who never game me the time of day over the years or put the effort in to reach out to me.  While social media can be a great tool, especially if you use it for business, I don’t base my life on it. I don’t take every “friend” request just because I receive one. I’m more cautious on social media than I am in the real world.  My love, my children and my close friends mean the world to me and I will never let social media take priority over them.

So today I want you to look at your life with a different perspective and ask yourself these questions: Are you more in touch with the physical world and the people in it or are you more focused on your social media page? Where is your priority…with people you don’t know well on social media or with the ones you do know well in your life?

And the most important question to ask yourself is this: Do you spend more time on social media than you do with the people you love?

Don’t base your life on “likes and friends” on social media; base your life on the people in your life that love you.

I know I do.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“Life And Your Water Bottle”

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water bottles

I was talking to a friend the other day about her life and all the changes she wants to make, when suddenly I found myself saying to her: life is like a water bottle, if it’s filled to the top with all the negative people and situations in your life then there’s no room to fill it with the water of the positive.

She loved the analogy and I thought about it further. It’s always a good thing to be able to visualize things in a way that you can see it and understand, and my “water bottle” analogy is just that.

Imagine that we’re given one water bottle in our life, and that bottle represents our life. It’s filled with water, which is all the people and situations in our life. At the time those things may be purposeful in our life and best for our Highest Good, yet as time and life marches on, it changes. Suddenly you’re left wanting more, wanting something different or wanting to let go of certain people and situations.

But you can’t seem to do it, and that is the human nature of being afraid of change or of the unknown. We know what we need to leave behind yet we wonder what will happen if we let go. Will our life be worse or will it be better? Should we leave someone not knowing if someone better is waiting for us?

It’s a leap of faith in your Higher Power and in yourself.

I explained to her that at this time in her life her water bottle is filled with negativity, both with her job and personal life. I told her that unless she started emptying that water bottle of the negative she wouldn’t be able to fill it with anything new or more positive. She couldn’t replace the negative water until she poured it out and replaced it with the positive.

After all, you can’t put more water into a full bottle until you dump some water out.

And that is my analogy on letting go and moving forward.

Sometimes you have to visualize your life in a way that you can actually picture it, and the water bottle is simply one way to look at it.

Is your water bottle filled with all that is for your Highest Good or do you need to dump some of the water out so that the “good” water can be poured in?

It’s the same no matter how you look at it. When you keep the wrong people in your life or are in a situation that is not good for you then there’s no room for what’s in your best interest to come in.

I’ve been taught by my spiritual teachers throughout the years that you have to let go of that which no longer serves your Highest Good in order for something better to come in. Holding on to negativity in any way, shape or form will prevent anything better and more positive to come in.

Dump out your water bottle if your life isn’t the way you want it and fill it with all the good that the Universe has just waiting for you.

After all, I believe that once we rid ourselves of negativity, whether it’s people or situations, the world opens up with more positivity than we can imagine.

I know this for sure…

And it’s a good thing…

I promise.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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