positive vibes

“I’m Not…But I Am”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

just breathe 1

I write books, short  stories’s, poetry, posts and even song lyrics about being positive. I write to inspire others, to make a difference in their lives, to make someone feel better about themselves and their life. I write the words to help someone find hope and faith, and to release fear. I write about the lessons I’ve learned about negative thoughts and actions bringing only negative things into our lives.

Yet  something happened to me in the last week, and I found myself in the hospital for the last two days under observation for my heart.  After countless tests and a five hours stress test the verdict was in: my heart and my brain were completely fine. No signs of heart attack, blockage, stroke or any other medical condition. So what the hell was wrong with me? Why had I been feeling “off” for the last week?

I left the hospital with my love late in the afternoon, came home and showered, did my hair and make-up, and went out to dinner to celebrate my son’s 19th birthday. I kept thinking to myself:  “What just happened to me?”

This morning the answer came, and I wanted to share it with all of you. The answer was this: All I have been saying in the last two weeks is:  “I’m not.”  And I know better than that! I know that thinking that way and saying that out loud only brings negative to me. Wow, I just had an enormous “waking up” moment, and truth be told, didn’t see this one coming!

I thought about all the “I’m not’s” I’ve been saying: “I’m not getting my writing done, I’m not getting anything done that’s on my  to do list, I’m not getting the housework done, and I’m not feeling like myself!” Wow, it makes me feel tired just thinking of all of that. And it makes me angry with myself for doing that because I don’t believe in negative thinking. Yet, it happened, and I’m sharing it with you to let you know we’re all human, and we all fall. And we all have a choice to “get back up.”

And this morning, I’m back up. First things first: forgive myself for the “I’m not’s.” They happened for a reason, and taught me something. They taught me that I lost sight of myself, and was doing everything for everyone else except me. And I know for fact, if I don’t take care of myself, no one around me will benefit from it. Lesson learned there!

Next, it’s time to replace all those nasty, little “I’m not’s” with powerful “I AM’S.” No i ammore negative thoughts, only positive affirmations, thoughts, words, feelings and actions!

“I am well, I am healthy, I am taking care of myself, I am getting things done when they need to be, I am happy, I am balanced, I am myself and most importantly: I am loved.”

Whew, I feel so much better already! All those unwarranted “I’m not’s” brought me to the hospital, and as I sit in my house today, I know this is where I want to be, not in an emergency room with a crazy heart! I am where I belong.

You see, this is how we learn, this is how we grow, and this is how we take the lessons we learned and use them to help someone else. This is how we make a difference.

My “waking up” moment was brief, but powerful enough to put me back on track and allow me to see what I was blind to: “myself”.

This is my story, and I’m sharing it with you so it doesn’t become yours. Focus on the “I AM” thoughts and actions for yourself and forget about any “I’M NOT” moments; they don’t exist unless you allow them to.

Be well, my friends, and stand in your power of “I AM!”

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

“And The Dream Goes On…”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

Look whose signed book, “Waking Up” is on the shelf at Barnes & Noble in Eatontown, bn2New Jersey! It was a good day yesterday as my son and I made our way to the store, signed the copies they had, and watched them go back up on the shelf! I love being a writer, and I love this adventure I’m on!

I always say: “Dream big and make it happen!” And I’m living, breathing and watching it all happen…with love and gratitude!

Every day I wake up and realize that this “dream” has given me more opportunities to make a difference to someone… and every day I realize more and more why I was born.bn

Follow your heart, my friends, and catch your dreams!

 

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

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“Waking Up”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

“It takes but one moment in your life that you find yourself waking up…
To all that you’ve been through, to all that you still want to do,
Well the journey begins and the road may get rough…”

It’s time to “wake up” to the latest song by Anne Dennish and Sutton Thomas: “Waking Up!”

Once again, Sutton Thomas created a beautiful song that is the essence of my new book and the theme of what its’ all about…waking up to lessons learned through my adventures with life and breast cancer.

“Just believe, just have faith, everything else will fall into place.”

Everyone can have the life they want and deserve, but you must believe in yourself and have faith that everything that happens is a lesson for you to learn more about yourself. When you love yourself the way you want to be loved, love will find you. When you surround yourself with positive people, positive things will come to you. And most importantly, when you believe in yourself, all things are possible!

I hope you enjoy this new song, and that you find yourself “waking up” to all that you deserve in life; truth be told, we all deserve the best that life has to offer us, we just need to make the choice to have it.

Once again, my heartfelt gratitude to Sutton Thomas, a creative musician that can take any lyrics and turn them into a beautiful song! Check out his Facebook page at Heart2Song!

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne  Dennish~

Author of “Waking Up: Lessons Learned Through My Adventures With Life and Breast Cancer”

Available at Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon.com

“You Had A Bad Day”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

A tone in the voice, a look of the eyes, and a distinct difference in the body language… yes, you’ve just been part of someone’s bad day.

It happens all too often, but the trick is to understand the behavior and realize that it has nothing to do with you.

We get frustrated, angry, or annoyed, and when we feel those negative emotions, it’s the people around us, which are usually the one’s we love the most, who feel it as well. Your unhappy mood can affect someone else’s good mood…but only if they let you.

You see, negative emotions bring negative reactions and responses, and if I’m wrong on this, please let me know. Positive brings positive; negative brings negative. Pretty simply concept, isn’t it? Yet, life get’s to us all now and again, and we feel some negative things, but don’t feel them too long. Take a breath, and think about why you feel that way…and if you’re the recipient of the bad mood, understand that it’s nothing you’ve said or done; it’s their fear, insecurity or unhappiness with themselves, not you.

If I find myself on the other end of someone’s “bad mood,” I’ll only allow myself about 30 seconds to hang my head and feel badly about it…yes, it does make me feel bad, but as soon as those 30 seconds pass, I say to myself: “It’s their bad day, not mine. If I can help them, I will. If they just need to vent, I’ll listen. But no, I’m not taking the blame for their feelings.”

I know, sounds easy, and it’s not always that easy. But this is where your “love of self” is so important! We can’t control another person’s behavior, but we can control what we allow: our feelings, our responses, and our tolerance.

Life isn’t perfect and neither are we. We all have a bad day once in awhile, but the important thing is this: don’t take it out on someone else. That “someone else” just may be the one to help and love you out of that bad mood.

So, on with the day, my friends. Stay strong, stay positive,and know that you are in complete control of your own actions and emotions. In the end, bad moods don’t last forever, and as the saying goes: “Don’t sweat the small stuff!”

Wishing you love, light and a happy mood,

~Anne Dennish~

life is too short

“The Bully Free Zone?”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

“Bullies:” they’re not just for kids anymore!

Every time I walk into my sons’ school, I see the large banner hanging across the hallway that says: “Bully Free Zone.” And I have to wonder…is anyplace really a bully free zone?

I know there’s bullies everywhere, and it doesn’t pertain simply to children. Adults can be the most ruthless bullies in the world, except we choose to call them by other names (and I’ll leave those words up to you!) Yet the bottom line is this: adult bullies are mean, they’re spiteful, and they do as much damage emotionally to another adult as a child bully does to another child.

Yet I’ve learned one thing about these types of people: they act that way because of their own insecurities and fears; they can’t find their own power and control, so they subject others to it. No, it’s not fair, it’s hurtful, and yes, sometimes even painful. But I’ve noticed throughout the years of one thing that will stop them in their tracks: your strength.

“My strength is their weakness; my weakness their strength.”

That’s right, the moment you become weak and allow them the control to treat you badly is the very moment they become strong. Watch the difference in their behavior towards you when you stand up for yourself and are strong.

Experience has taught me that this is true; walk away from the “bullies” in the world; send them love and light, keep them in your prayers, and walk away. They have their own lessons to learn about themselves, and until they’re willing to do that, their life will never be anything that they want it to be. They’re losing out on love and happiness, and all good things.

Listen, you don’t have to allow someone to treat you badly; you choose who you are surrounded by. Keep a healthy, positive, and loving “vibe in your tribe.”

Here’s a little food for thought: maybe your “strength may be their weakness,” yet it may also be the message for them that no one else has ever said to them. In fact, you showing them what love and respect for oneself and for others’ looks like may be a perfect way to make a difference in their life.

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

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

strength and weakness.jpg

“When Cancer Wakes You Up”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

My new 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 last 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 experience, and there’s a few born out of situations with someone else that  I was involved with, 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 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. Love your lessons, whether you like them or not, because in the end, miracles happen!

“Just believe, just have faith, and all good things will fall into place.”

Enjoy the journey and allow yourself to “wake up,”

~Anne Dennish~

choice and chance

Author of “Waking Up: Lessons Learned Through My Adventures With Life and Breast Cancer”

copyright 2016

Available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, and Xlibris.com

 

 

“What a Feeling!”

/ Anne Dennish / Leave a comment

As I sit here this morning having my coffee, I’m feeling overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude. In two days I will be having my first official “book signing and launch” for my new book, “Waking Up: Lessons Learned Through My Adventures With Life and Breast Cancer.”  Wow…it’s all happening so fast, yet more importantly: it’s  really happening!

You would think as a writer I could express all these emotions with ease, yet at this very moment I’m finding it difficult. Not because I’m feeling anything negative, but because I’m feeling everything positive.

I’m feeling loved, supported, excited, blessed and more grateful than I could have ever imagined. So many people were a part of the reason that this book was written from my friends to my children to my love, Rob.

I sit in awe of how much my life has changed in the last year. A year ago I was still trying to get this book written; I was single and sure that love would never find me; I was a one year breast cancer survivor; and I was trying to find my niche and my life purpose.

This morning the reality hit me knowing that in that year my book has been published, that love found me, that I’m now a two year survivor, and that my niche is in writing. My life purpose? Well, I believe it’s to make a difference in someone’s life; to make them feel less lonely, to help them heal, to help them love themselves. If I can do that for just one person, I will know that I made a difference.

Breast cancer. In a family with no history of having it, I was the lucky one, so to speak. Yet as I receive posts and messages from women going through the disease and from those blessed enough to have survived it, I know why I was chosen. I was chosen to have breast cancer, live through it, and tell my story in the hopes that it will help someone else going through the journey with it.

I love my life, and while far from perfect, I sit in complete gratitude to God for all that he’s blessed me with. I’m grateful that I was given the gift of being a writer, of being able to touch someone with words; I’m grateful for having met Rob, because through him I’ve found myself a part of two beautiful families that I would never have thought possible; I’m grateful for my children, his children, and his granddaughter, because they have all taught me so much and there’s no better love than that from a child.

Count your blessings as often as you can…every day, all day. Be grateful you have another day to make a difference in your life or someone else’s life. Sit in gratitude and love for all that life has gifted you, and you will be amazed at how many more blessings will fall into your life. Smile from your heart, smile from your soul, smile because you are loved.

 

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

got books

Author of “Waking Up: Lessons Learned Through My Adventures with Life and Breast Cancer”

copyright 2016

Available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com

“The Right Love”

/ Anne Dennish / 4 Comments

As I sit here this morning watching the sun rise, I’m filled with an overwhelming feeling of love and gratitude. How did I get here? When did this all happen? Questions flowing through my mind, yet deep inside, I know the answer: I got here when I loved myself the way I wanted to be loved, and it happened on a snowy night last February. It happened when I met Rob.

We were two broken souls who found one another. Both of us believe that the ones’ we loved most that passed away conspired to get us together…and I believe that’s true. It wasn’t love at first sight, but it was love. And how do I know this? Because out of our relationship came some amazing things!

Perhaps the key to knowing the “right love” is paying attention to what your life together becomes and what it has brought you. Through our love he’s found a job he loves and strained relationships he had in the past became a smooth ride. I found more stories to write for “Waking Up” and found myself part of a family that I would have never imagined I’d be part of.

I found a close friendship with the mother of his children, one that isn’t built on his prior relationship with her, but on “our” relationship as two women who love and respect oneliz and i 1 another. I found myself part of her family as well, and while most think that’s crazy, I think it’s beautiful…and so does he. I found love in his children and in the laughter and love of his granddaughter, and he found that in mine.

The “right love” taught us who the right people were to have in our life; it also taught us who the wrong ones were. It taught us that we had settled for less than we deserved before we met. And it taught us that with the “right love,” miracles happen; amazing adventures become a reality; and that true love really does exist.

“The right person doesn’t want something FROM you; the right person wants everything FOR you!”

After all these years, I truly understand what love is, and I found it for the first and last time in my life. I found it on that snowy night over a year ago, and with each day that passes, I sit in gratitude of what this love has brought into our lives and the lives of those around us.

“It’s funny that the moment you stop looking for something is the very moment you find it.”

Believe in love and believe in yourself. If you can do this, the rest will fall into place…it always does!

Wishing you love and light,

~Anne Dennish~

robnanci