Creating Life Anew

This month I was asked to speak to a group of “wisdom keepers”. All of these people are over 50. They wanted me to talk about reinvention at any age. I was excited because this is a topic I knew a lot about. I have reinvented myself many, many times.  If I were to put everything I had done in my life on paper, some people would question if that was the truth.  Here are a few of the things:

• Debate team member
• Chess club member
• Airline hostess
• Media sales rep
• Inner City Development Assistant
• First Lexie on Days of Our Lives
• Open act for Rich Little and Jay Leno
• Corporate Communication Specialist (Media Management Company)
• Minister
• Bestselling Author
• International Speaker
• Sought after Teacher
• Pilgrimage leader

Most of these things occurred because something was going on in my life that was a crisis or an uncomfortable experience. Each time I had to choose whether I was going to get up and start over or give up. It wasn’t always easy. In fact, sometimes I had to crawl before I could walk or even think about running.

The great gift in all of these experiences was my growth. I got to learn about myself, question my beliefs and stretch into the unknown. This month I want to share with you some tips on what has made my life a grand adventure.

I learned to reinvent myself because of my ancestry. Sometimes I shifted because of challenge and crisis, other times it was because I had an inner calling that would not leave me alone. Sometimes it was the universe telling me it was time for a change. In every case, I had to decide to be obedient to my guidance.

I want to share a little about my LINEAGE. My familial patterns were a catalyst for me seeking change and expanding my life options. I grew up poor and my family believed in struggle because of where we came from.

My great-great grandmother was brought to the US from Indonesia as a slave. She was raped by plantation owner in Macon, GA and became pregnant with my great grandmother, Susie – whom she hated and treated her badly. Susie–also had a hard life and gave birth to 4 children: Three were still born and then….she gave birth to….My grandmother, Mary. She was a 4’11” firecracker”. She raised four kids on her own in the south and she was a fighter.

Mary (mama) was the model for reinvention. The family moved to the north and took the first steps towards breaking the cycle of being a victim. Mama got a job and bought her own house. Then, she went to nursing school in her late 40’s and became and LPN (licensed practical nurse). All three of her daughters had challenging lives but they were also seekers. All of her kids got some sort of education. My mother believed that education was a path to freedom.

I was always a creative and would sing, make up stories and dance around the house. One day, I was 12 years-old, and I saw a Bette Davis movie. I was instantly struck. That is what I wanted to do. ACT. It never dawned on me that Bette Davis was not black. I just knew I wanted to shine and be more than the queen of my church or visible in my high school.

Mama saw me and she knew I wanted to act and so she took me to plays where I could see Black people on stage acting. She was my biggest fan when, years later, I became an actress.

Every time my life would hit a wall, I would think about my grandmother and how many times she told me that I could do anything I wanted to do. She always said, “you are here to do great things.”

Reinvention Tools

You may not want to start a business or another career, but you can create a life full of joy, freedom and expansion. Here are some tools.

1. Connect to what you love – passion is a powerful fuel for igniting a vision and moving it into manifestation.
2. Dream Big – what have you got to lose? Dreaming allows us to tap into the inner calling of greatness.
3. Activate curiosity – possibility and potentiality live here. Ask powerful questions and then watch the universe answer you in unexpected ways.
4. Write down your intention – scribing helps you sense and feel into the energy that wants to come forward. Seeing it on paper is a gift.
5. Do something every single day for your vision – this does not have to be a huge endeavor. This is really about placing your focus on your intention.
6. Bring your vision into your spiritual practice – pray about it, meditation on it, journal about it and visualize you having the life of your dreams.
7. Dare to leap – this is the hardest because it means moving into the unknown without a map. However, this is a beautiful space to activate adventure.

Whatever you do, make it fun. Make it something that creates enthusiasm and excitement within you. Learn to dance, play outdoors, write for the fun of it, volunteer in a place that touches your heart, get a puppy, or learn to play chess.

Connect with a community that lights you up. I love working with my women’s groups and programs. These ladies love each other in powerful and dynamic ways.

This pandemic has no power over you. You get to create your life and express joy every day. If you need support take a journey around my website. OR ladies: my podcast “Women Awakening” has fabulous interviews with women that re-created their lives.

Please know that I love that you are a part of my community and I hold you in my heart and prayers daily. I invite you to take some time and connect with your beautiful inner being. Treasures live there and also extraordinary ideas that just need to be awakened to reinvent YOU.

Much love,

Cynthia