I began my Manifest Me blog a little over a year ago. It’s hard for me to fathom how far a person can travel on the inner journey in such a short period of time. When going through change and upheaval the passing of time seems interminable. The thing I’ve noticed over the years, however, is that real change does take time. It also takes a serious commitment and focused attention. When we dabble in change nothing really happens. If we dive in with full intention and commitment and well-placed support and guidance, deep and lasting change can occur.
When I decided to start this blog, I only had a vague idea of what I was meant to do here. I knew intuitively that I needed to be more honest in my writing – to write more from my heart and less from my head, thus Manifest Me became my focus. But, beyond that I didn’t have a clue what it would look like in terms of content or where it would go.
COMING OUT OF THE SHADOWS
I lived my life in the shadow of so much that was not me. I wanted to dig deep to excavate and express the real me, and not use the voice that was molded to fit cultural norms. The universe, or God, or whatever exists to see us through these things, always shows up to meet the deep desires and yearnings of our heart and in a way that proves to be exactly the thing we need. Crystal was the angel that delivered the goods in this regard. She knew where to lead me and what to do to give me the support and direction I needed.
If you’ve read my Manifest Me posts, now on Aging Abundantly, you know some of what has transpired and some of what I’ve learned along the way. It has been an experience that continues to spin in ever-widening circles with me and my life, and there is still work to be done. There will always be work to be done, always a deeper level of awareness to attain, and a higher consciousness to aspire toward. For me, this is the true joy of living: knowing there is always a richer, deeper, fuller life experience ahead. As time goes on, I find most often it is the inner experience I crave.
A HEALTHIER ME
Over the last year, on a practical level, I have changed my eating habits. I am now gluten, dairy, sugar-free much of the time, striving always for better than 80% free. I’ve increased my level of exercise and as a by-product lost 20 lbs. Crystal insisted that I not focus on my weight, and I didn’t. It’s always been a lost cause anyway, until now. Her message: “When we are aligned physically, mentally and emotionally with our true selves, the weight will come off.” She is right.
More importantly, my brain is clear, I’m managing my PTSD better and better all the time. I feel centered, anchored and happier more of the time, and perhaps most importantly, I have made great strides in developing resiliency. I’m learning to ask for support and to allow myself to receive support when it’s offered. It’s okay to give myself what I need when I need it. In turn I have more to give to others. I’ve learned to listen to myself more carefully, to follow my intuition more often and to trust that I know who I am. Is life perfect? No, and that’s okay, it’s not supposed to be. I do believe, however, that we can feel better than most of us do, most of the time.
THE PRACTICE OF BEING FULLY PRESENT
It’s time once again to raise the ante. To Manifest Me I must reach just beyond my comfort level as often as I can. To Manifest Me I must own who I am, as I am, and continue to reach for more clarity and honesty. It’s a lifestyle of matching my outsides with my insides, removing masks, facades, and mental constructs. It requires being fully present within and without. A tall order, I realize. Still a worthwhile endeavor. Authenticity. When we are our authentic selves we can offer up the very best of who we are to the world.
The next step on my journey is to raise the ante on my outward expression of true self. I am taking on this challenge by continuing this conversation more openly on my website: DorothySander.com. It will be me owning my experience in body, mind and spirit – in the world. It will be me saying what I think and feel without hiding behind an artifice or an idea. There, if you follow me, and I hope you will, you will find more of what you found here, more about what I have learned and am learning as time goes on. You will find guidance as I discover it on topics such as overcoming trauma, the body/mind/spirit connection, developing deeper levels of self-awareness, and more on my own spiritual journey as it unfolds.
JOIN ME, WON’T YOU?
I hope you’ll join me there and/or add your name to my mailing list below to keep apprised of new posts, workshops, book reviews, and more. I value your presence in my life. Your experience informs mine as much as mine may inform yours. We have so much to learn from one another and so much love and support to offer one another. Please join me and thank you for being with me here throughout the last year.
Dorothy
