bravery

“When The Universe Opens Doors”

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leap of faith 1.jpgSometimes the Universe is hard at work opening doors for us that we never knew needed opening and more often than not, we don’t even realize it.

A few days ago as I sat with my morning coffee I realized it. Suddenly I began to think of all the things that have happened in my busy life in the last week or two and could see what was happening: the Universe was opening doors for me. It was offering me opportunities which I hadn’t even asked for and putting like-minded people in my path.

We all get so busy with day to day life that we forget to pay attention to what’s going on around us. We miss opportunities; we’re blind to the signs; and we run on adrenaline instead of intuition.

And I could see that so clearly on that particular morning.

All of a sudden I remembered that everything happens as it should, how it should and when it should and on that morning I could see all the gifts that were showing up in my life, all the doors that were opening, all the opportunities being given to me.

And I know that doors don’t always open when we need them to and I’m certainly not going to take these doors for granted.

I’m taking yet another leap of faith and allowing all these open doors to lead me to where I need to be…to where I’m supposed to be.

And I’m incredibly grateful to the Universe for paying attention to ME!

Pay attention to the signs that are all around you, my friends.

Believe in your dreams, believe in yourself, and be brave enough to take a leap of faith.

It’s a good thing.

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

 

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“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~

“Sad Souls”

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I sometimes see and speak with  people who seem to carry such a sadness about themselves and their lives. I call them the “sad souls,” and I understand where they’re coming from because I was there once myself.

They are the ones with a sadness so deep that they don’t know how to get out; they don’t understand that there’s always a way out and a path up.

They are the souls who have been hurt, abused, and been broken to  a point that they believe they can never be healed or whole again, that the damage is irreparable. They are the ones whose hearts have been broken, souls have been torn to shreds, and the ones who evil preyed upon.

They are the ones who have been taken advantage of, the ones who have been used, the ones who have been tormented.

And you know what my opinion is of them?

They will become the strongest, the most trustworthy, the ones who will take their experience and use it to be sure it never happens to others. They will be the ones who are gifted the ability to change themselves and change the world; they are the fallen angels who will rise to grace and dignity; they are the souls that bear the greatest hurt yet possess the most strength to overcome it.

Yet they don’t always see that…until they are meant to.

“Sad souls” are born to become “strong and happy souls,” yet the only way they can become this is by living the trauma, healing from it, and rising above it. It is then that they possess the greatness that they were gifted with at birth: the gift of “chance.”

They have to the chance to heal, to change, to discover, to become strong, and most importantly, the chance to change the world and those in it, including themselves. They are the believers, the optimists, the dreamers, and the fallen, and when you combine all of those things, you will see the soul that was meant for greatness.

“Sad souls” were gifted sadness for a reason, and that reason is that they were chosen for this purpose in life, because a Higher Power knew that the journey of their recovery would bring strength and goodness to them and to the world.

“Sad souls” were not born to be sad for eternity; they were born with a purpose of sadness that would breed greatness. They were born to be sad to learn, to experience, to heal, and to fly to a level of integrity and wisdom that would become a gift to those that surround them…and inevitably, would become a gift to the world.

There’s always hope…if you just believe there is!

Wishing you love, light and happiness,

~Anne Dennish~

“Be The One Who Dares”

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It seems to me that in this crazy world today, most people don’t want to “be the one who dares;” they’d rather someone else do the job! Yet, being someone who dares is quite an honor; it’s your gift of the right to be who you are, to excel at what you do, to make a change in the world, and to be “the one who dares.”

If you’re wondering what that means, then I’ll tell you my version, or opinion, of that…so here goes:

“Be the one who dares to…”14519653_315906848769234_232567940091283103_n

~Be different than all the rest

~Take a risk and a chance on something better

~Be a dreamer

~ Be a lover, not a fighter

~Be friend, not a matter of convenience

~Take a chance on love, even though you’ve been hurt

~Laugh even though your heart is hurting

~Remember the love of the ones you’ve lost, rather than cry bitter tears over missing them; cry with joy over having known them and loved them.

~Not care what other people think of you, but rather, of what you think of yourself

~Look in the mirror at yourself and know you did the best you could today.

~Dance in the worst of times, and dance in the best

~Stop and smell the roses, even though you have a million other things to do

~Say “I love you” as often as you can

~Accept that you are “perfect” for just the way you are

~Take a leap of faith in yourself

~Step out of your comfort zone

~Who removes toxic people and situations from your life, so that all that you deserve and want can come in

~And most importantly, be the one who dares to love yourself the most!

What about you? How would you fill in the blanks to “be the one who dares to_________? I’d love to hear what you have to say!

As always, I’m wishing you love and light, but today I also want to challenge you to “be the one who dares,” because I know that you can!

And I’ll “be the one who dares to say that I believe in all of you!”

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“A Broken Heart”

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“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~

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“What’s Your Agenda?”

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Good morning! What a weekend it was! My mind is still trying to process a dream coming true at Barnes and Noble this past Saturday… yet, there’s no rest for the weary and it’s time to keep moving forward. With that said… I have a question for all of you:

Do you have an agenda in life?

I’ve had this discussion with several people this week, so I’m assuming that the Universe is asking me to write about it! So, here goes:

Throughout the years I’ve heard men say that women all have an “agenda,” and I believe women feel the same about men. In fact, someone made that statement to me years ago, and as he lumped me in with all women in the world, I thought about it. Within seconds I answered him: “Yes, you’re right. All women do have an agenda, and mine is to be happy.” That stopped him right in his tracks, yet it didn’t stop me.

I’m curious about people and their stories, and about their “agenda” in life. I’ve come to realize that a positive agenda which is based solely on your purpose in life and your Highest Good is the agenda to have; this agenda involves you and you alone. Other’s will help it along, but the agenda you have is up to you.

Then there is the other type of agenda: the one that is self-serving and involves a manipulative or controlling behavior that involves someone else. I find that the people with this type of agenda are not living the life they want; they’re not as happy as they’d like to be, and they tend to want what others have. They tend to be martyrs; people that know they have a choice to change their life and their thinking, yet are too fearful to do so. They tend to control other’s lives because they can’t control their own.

And they’re not all bad people; they’re sad people who sometimes get so lost in their own tearsdespair that they have an agenda with those that are NOT lost, those that ARE happy, and those that ARE in control. Most times they don’t even realize what they’re doing, and that’s where we need to pay attention to our Highest Good to know what they’re doing and not allow it. It’s never selfish to do what’s best for you!

We can’t fix another human being; we can only fix ourselves. We can love them and stand by them, yet if they are unable to change, it’s okay to wish them love and light and walk away. Keep them in your thoughts, remember them in your prayers, but if their “agenda” is hurting you, then it’s time to love yourself more… and that is an “agenda” worth having: “to be happy.”

One more time: what is your agenda in life?

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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“I Won’t Back Down!”

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“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 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…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, you’re 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~

tom petty

“Catching a Dream!”

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It was a crazy day yesterday; one filled with cleaning, making Italian gravy, laundry and a million phone calls. Yet I knew what day it was from the moment I woke up: it was the day I was going to launch “Waking Up.” I knew it was published on February 25, 2016 and was making its’ way to Amazon and Barnes & Noble over the weekend, yet there were a few glitches that the publisher had to fix. I’ve been sitting on my hands from sharing this news, and only a few people knew at all, but yesterday was the day!

So, I created my life event and sent out my invites to my first book signing/launch/celebration party! The outpouring of “likes” and comments was overwhelming! I felt excitement and joy, but most of all, I felt blessed and grateful to have such an amazing support system! I have to pinch myself to believe that it’s all really happening; that a life I always wanted is here; that I found my niche; that I found my place.

“The reality is that I’m a writer for a reason; that writing is the gift I was given at birth and that this is my life purpose.”

It’s a good day when everything finally makes sense, and you can see why your life happened the way it did: it was to get you to where you are now. Dreams come true…I’m living proof that they do. Take a chance, take a risk, and show the world how big your brave is!

If you ask me where I am today in my life, this would be my answer:

“I’m exactly where I belong.”

Go out and be brave today! Catch a dream!

With love,

~Anne Dennish~waking up last page

“Waking Up” was published on February 25, 2016

You can find it on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and Xlibris.com

“I’m Having a Girl Moment”

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Sometimes it’s tough being a “girl.” Whether you’re a young girl or older one, we still have those moments in which even WE’RE surprised at our reactions to certain situations. I consider myself to be a strong woman, yet I’ll admit, there are times that the strength goes out the window and my “girl” moment comes flying in. It could be about feeling jealous, a comment that hurt my feelings, or because I was simply tired of being so strong.The truth is, sometimes I want my very own “girl moment!”

The moments aren’t always received well by the person on the other end, which sadly, is usually a man! Yet, as women, we need to embrace our “girl” moments, and honor the “girl” within us!

“You need to balance the strong woman with the girl tucked deep inside from another time in your life. Accept her, embrace her, and love her, because it was that “girl” that was instrumental in making you the strong woman you are today.”

“Love her insecurities, her tears, her fears and be grateful for the lessons that all of that taught you. She was there when you needed to find the strength in your time of weakness. She let you cry silently to yourself when you were hurt, and let you feel afraid when the darkness overshadowed the light. She grew up and along side of you, and the woman you are now is the woman that is ever changing to become the woman you long to be.”

Be proud of the strong woman you are, because that strength will help you through the rough roads of your life journey, yet take the time to be gentle with that “girl” inside of you; she’s the reason your became the woman you are.

Love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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