Hello Everyone!
I know I said I was going to write more regular newsletters and I have not done that and I am sorry!
To reframe that - at least I am not adding to the overload of emails these days! Hahahahahaha!
I don't even know where to begin with all that has happened - are any of you noticing that time is disappearing? It has been going faster for ages but now it’s just vaporising!
I can’t believe it’s nearly 6 months since I wrote that last newsletter - it feels like about a month!
The big news is that I bought a house in Virginia Beach! Although Charlottesville is a truly beautiful mountain area that has lots of lovely wineries and glorious scenery, I was missing the beach in Australia so much I branched out! I have a lovely home now on a river so I can still see the sparkling water! And it’s only a short drive to a beach.
Below is a photo of my beach in Australia and those sparkles just used to fill me with joy and energy. Walking on the beach was my life energiser! And now I sort of have that again!
What do you do that is a ‘life energiser’ for you? It seems to me now that it’s even more critical to do this in today’s chaotic world. Something that fills you with joy or peace (an aspect of joy!). Sitting on my back deck, looking at the river is so tranquil. I see ducks and eagles and birds and rabbits and even a racoon visited last week!
I was listening to a podcast this morning and the woman suggested we focus on things that bring us joy because they raise our level of vibration - which we feel as lightness, positivity and a sense of ease and flow.
Moving country at this age and stage of life has been more challenging than I had anticipated - but - I have grown so much and am so grateful for that growth. Even though I have been working on myself forever it seems - at least since I was 21 and I have just turned 70 (EEK!) - I have reached much deeper levels thanks to the wonderful mentors I have.
I will write more on this later, but I was oblivious to the depth that my sense of worthlessness. It turns out, not surprisingly, that it has unconsciously impacted every aspect of my life and I am feel like I have finally - finally - found the source of my very irritating (for other people) desire to ‘fix people’! They didn’t have to be broken! But I could see how I could ‘help’ them!
So I am in the depths of that deeper understanding of myself. I wish I could give you some good skill to practice to do this for yourself - before you hit a ripe age! But I am not sure I can yet….but what I can say is that your perceptions are a clue; the life you find yourself living is a clue; how you feel inside is a clue!
If you start to look at your life and see patterns that are repeated, it’s a clue!
Once you have some clues - then examine how you perceive people, situations and events. How much you are judging others? And as importantly - how much are you judging yourself?
What I have discovered is that challenges are never about us and are always about us!
By that I mean, my deep fears which have become stories and then beliefs are causing everything that happens in my life! My sense of worthlessness, my deep seated fear of being unsafe and not worth loving, are at the root of behaviors that have consequences for others. Although I have diligently worked on these for a long time, I feel I am finally able to see the consequences of those beliefs in my life. And I have decided to stop this living with false stories!
And then there are the actions of others driven by their own stories that are actually not about us! So discernment is another skill I am developing. Instead of assuming everything is my fault and blaming myself and judging myself, I am working at being more conscious and aware of my contribution.
So do you see - our actions are based on our stories / beliefs so our part is about us and their actions are based on theirs and the only thing we can do is reflect on ours and get to the root, apologize for what is ours and then allow them to own their perspective.
I hope this makes sense - and the question I have really been wrestling with is 'Who am I? Really.’
And that might be the next instalment!!
This was a tough newsletter to write but it’s as authentic and vulnerable as I can be - and if it has value for you I am very grateful!! And if not, thank you for reading it, recognizing we are all on a journey, no matter how old we are or how much we have been ‘working’ on growth and development!
I am grateful for the help I have had along the way; the opportunity and continued desire to grow; the chance to create something different in my life and all of you!
Until the next newsletter - focus on things that bring you joy; be aware of the stories/fears that are driving you; and go find your ‘life energiser’!
Sending you hugs and...
Zooties
Amanda xx
PS. Pop over to my Youtube channel (https://youtu.be/s-RswHqaWn4?si=uVU2FuhaYZFlwYoN) to watch my latest video - Who are you really....a series of videos which I hope you find useful.
