Enjoy some random excerpts from my book "When Women Awaken...Becoming the Woman you were born to be"...coming this fall! 

It is not fair to give the end of the book at the beginning, but I feel that I must.  I don't want you to wait another minute to find out what the end say.  In the end, YOU WIN!  By the time you reach the end of this book you will recognize that you are and have become who you know yourself to be.  You had merely forgotten.  Took a wrong turn somewhere and couldn't find your way back.  Rocked at the core by life and couldn't get your footing back.  Instead of asking for help you just kept going in the wrong direction and you took the long way home.  Nevertheless, even if you have taken a wrong turn, or find yourself on the wrong path or taking the long way around, this book will get you back to where you need to be.  It will take you "home" again.  The end of the story is this...you become the woman you were born to be!

You have been through enough.   You have hurt enough.   You have kept quiet enough.  You have pretended enough.  It has been long enough and ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

~

I had on the mask.

For years I held my story and my life deeply inside my heart. I smiled and put on my game face until the one day when I could no longer do that any more."And the day came when the pain that ti took to remain closed tightly inside the bud was greater than the pain it took to change."  I longed to be genuine and authentic.  I longed to show on the outside who I really knew myself to be on the inside, despite there being no outward evidence of it.  Then I became frustrated that the picture reflecting back to me in the mirror was what was really on the inside.  So with faith and grace, and God's help, I followed my heart when I approached this cross road in my life.  I took the straight and narrow path.  I always thought I was on the straight and narrow path but as my life unfolded I realized in some ways I was on Average and Ordinary Avenue or the path that leads to  "here we go again."  Although the answers were obvious to everyone else, to me it was "hidden in plain sight."

I searched and became a seeker trying to uncover the truth of myself and my life.  I wanted to know all that I could know about me.  To fuse myself back together again as a whole person.  I worked with myself and on myself.  Slowly little by little I released every thought, behavior, action that did not feel real or authentic and I begin to see the unveiling of myself -- the real me.  Everyone had gotten so used to the old me or what I call my coping personna .  The new me wasn't  as hyped, was much more tranquil and serene, not very much fun at all.  I even had to acclamate my own self to this new and genuine way that was unpretenscious and even, and which did not draw attention to myself as usual.  I started to feel good in my skin again.  I became vulnerable again, gave up the right to be right, didn't have to voice my opinion on everything, started seeing life lessons for myself all around me, gained compassion, practiced forgiveness. I saw the happy part of me, the inner joy, the confident person, the nurturer, the encourager, the humanitarian.  I became delighted with myself and my own progress.  God's symphony that had been locked up on the inside of me finally started to play and what wonderful music it was.  He had restored my soul.

~

When I took stock of myself, I knew therein would lay a much needed answer for myself.  I knew I needed to take a deep look within to find what needed to be adjusted, what needed to be finetuned, what needed to be removed, retooled or handled.  My thinking was the main culprit.  A shift in my mindset would be the vehicle to transport me to where I truly desired to go to, deep down inside.  I discovered my missing pieces to my puzzle in books, The Bible, conversations, meditations, bumper stickers, bill boards and I knew it in my heart.  I  had found my prescription to make this malaise go away from me.  It was easier than I thought

~

That's when I received the revelation.  Thousands of women are at this same point in their life.  Some will make it.  Some will need help and encouragement.  Some will choose to remain stuck or in despair.  Some will come forth and blossom.  I had a road map and something to share.  I had uncovered the gift, the blessing that my life held and I was excited about sharing what I knew to empower others.  Be encouraged as you turn these pages.  You will find yourself therein and thus you will know that you are at the exact right place on your journey and that it has been especially designed to transform you into the woman you were born to be.

~

I had accomplished something with my life.  I had turned it around.  Brought myself full circle.  But my past was still trying to hold me hostage.  Things did not feel right within me.  I had my game face on, but still things were not right.  I pretended that all was well and covered up using my knowledge and my business, but all was not well within my soul.  I was a center of influence and people relied on me for a lot.  One day it felt as though my bone marrow was drying up.  I felt drained  like I was on empty.  That day I stayed at home and could not work another 12 or 14 hour day.  It felt like I needed a vacation.  Not just a vacation but a sabbatical.  My inner reserve was so overdrawn.   I was depleted.  I was approaching 50 and I was looking at the goals I'd set for myself.  They would have to wait now.  I just had to hold on until I got to 50.  So I danced the dance and talked the talk.  I tried to walk the walk, but my energy was so unbelievably low.  My battery was running down quickly.  I was worn out and yet I was yearning for signficance in my life. 

I celebrated my 50th birthday with a cruise and tried to think about the next phase of my life, my life purpose, my sense of significance and how I could impact the world to make it a better place.  I loved writing and speaking so I made the announcement  to clients and friends that I would write a book and speak.  And then it happened...all of a sudden I had NOTHING to say.  No words would come. From my mouth or from my pen.  I was truly in a dry space.

I loved writing monthly inspirational letters to my clients.  But writing monthly letters and a book were two totally different things.  But because I had been writing them for  4 years, I just thought it would be an easy transition for me.  The voice of fear kept whispering to me" who wants to hear what you've written" or "do you even have anything to say".  That's all it took, listening to those thoughts which were not in alignment with my goals and my intentions.  Pretty soon I started thinking "how am I going to make any money doing this?" I had lots of titles for a book, but I could not connect with my "message" to share in a book. 

It seemed that no message would come for almost a year.  But that's not really true.  I lost my confidence for a while.  So  even though I had the message, it didn't feel like the message.  God had already written the book with my own life and I merely had to chronicle all of the miracles and life lessons and inspirations with others.  That's what happens when you  are guided by your  "feelings" instead of what you know.

~

I love being a writer.  I feel like I am playing music on a piano. I listen to  soothing music, light a candle, whisper a prayer and then get in the zone.  The words are downloaded to  my heart from on high and then onto the paper.  Sometimes I can literally feel my hands moving but I know that the Spirit is doing the typing.  It is divine writing and I am grateful for this gift from God.

~

Who am I writing to?

I am writing first and foremost to myself.  I am probably the biggest beneficiary of everything I have written.  As I write for others the words rebound to my own soul.

I am writing to the young woman who is full of promise, but may not be sure of herself.  My message to you is to know who you are and stand for that.  Don't allow yourself and your purity to be compromised.  I am writing to the woman in her 40's who may have  been married a time or two in hopes of filling up the aching hole in your heart.  You are enough and you can bask in this new knowledge of yourself.  Even if no one "validates" you, God already has.  I am writing to the woman in her 50's who  has been married for 25 years and you still feel unfulfilled.  You can reinvent yourself and still be true to yourself.  I am writing to the single woman who may have lost her self esteem because she feels she has not been chosen and that something may be wrong with you.  You are not unworthy; you are taking a stand for what you want in a soul mate.  My message to you is begin right here, right now and walk yourself through your own personal retreat and experience a metamorphosis. Love yourself unconditionally and lavishly and don't hold back.  You will attract him into your life as you become your true self.  Bring your whole self and he will bring his whole self.  No 50/50 split.

~

When you begin the journey to becoming the woman you were born to be, prepare to roll up your sleeves and buckle your seatbelt.  I knew I was called to do this, but how unqualified I felt on some days!  I did a lot of work that I was extremely proud of.  Shaping and cleaning up the loose ends of my life.  Peeling away the layers.  As I peeled them away, I found yet more layers awaiting me.  How scary! At times I was afraid at what I would find at the core of me. And you know what they say about peeling onions...the more you peel away, the more you want to cry. Deep within I knew it would be something special and profound and delightful, but I was still concerned.  I had gathered so much momentum in the last 10 years of my life and then it seemed that I was either running out of gas or desperately needed to come in for a pit stop.

I looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the person looking back at me.  I continued to focus on my eyes and the picture I had of myself in my mind.  The one where I am deliriously happy and giving the welcome speech at my grandmother's anniversary party from the podium.  That is such a happy memory for me and I can recall today standing there in that white silk dress as if I was a highly paid corporate speaker mesmerizing the crowd.

~