temporarily moving backward- with intention

We all need words from people who inspire us, encourage, and motivate us in a new way. It’s one of the many reasons I push people to read and journal. It truly manifests deep within us when we start focusing on the words of someone we trust, and then use that to thrust us towards our goals, self-love, and, even sometimes just forgiveness.

I started reading from a new author Cara Alwill Leyba, and to say i’m already in love with her work is an understatement. Cara has pink hair, obsessed with working from home for freedom, wants to give women confidence, and oh has an obsession with Stevie Nicks. Honestly, I’m halfway through this book “Like she Owns The Place” and I just felt compelled to write to the author a huge thank you already, so I did. she wrote back within an hour, and I about fell out of my chair.

It might not be monumental, but sometimes it’s WHEN we read the words that matter, when our hearts and mind are open and it’s manifested in a whole new way. I have been on the verge of rearranging some of my life. (I know, how much more could it be rearranged with all the changes in the last few years?) and it lead me down some serious paths and conversations about how I feel sometimes i’m moving backward. It’s hard for me to even type that to you. But it’s true. don’t get me wrong, i’m happy, I love what i’m doing and who I am but I guess in the comparison of life, it’s just not where I thought I would be at 31. Then I read these words just two days after I told someone I feel like i’m going backward.. and the author said “Sometimes moving forward means moving backward, at least temporarily.” yup. it’s exactly what I needed in that moment. The Ah-Ha moment that the direction i’m going and about to go is still the right one for me. It’s hard and draining, and I work my butt off. But words from someone I connected with, lets me know this is the right path still. The hard work I put in, will pay off, and all the gut feelings are of sound reason even if from the outside, they aren’t a normal path.

so now the reason for this post for you, because believe it or not, it’s not just for me to babble about my life. Being authentically you is going to look vastly different from every single person around you. For me, it’s pink hair, lifting heavy, reading books, being extra,and wearing pink practically everyday while willing to work 80 hours a week for my passion so I won’t always work 40 hours a week for someone else. The best non-monumental but true words I can share today is, to learn who you are inside and out, and embrace whoever that is. Learn self love and practice it daily (because it is a DAILY practice), and then listen to those gut instincts. Living life according to the needs of your inner body, the things that make you happy and make you beautiful..I mean that make you sparkle and shine and glow, all of those energies that make you beautiful on the outside because you are on the inside. And if you’re thinking about putting pink in your hair.. DO IT. 80 year old you will be so glad, and also I fully intend to have pink hair at 80. I mean, i’m guessing i’ll still be extra then too. So, figure out what makes you light up from the inside out, and even if it looks not normal to those around you, and go for it so 80 year old you can look back and know you did everything you wanted to pursue your purpose.

Keep Shining

Shanna Star