By Guest Blogger Pamela Bishop
I recently bought Marianne’s book Supernova Woman: Reimagining Life After 50 from my local bookstore which is located on our quaint and peaceful main street. I settled in at home in my comfy recliner with a cup of tea with Marianne! I was planning to spend about a half hour reading and then get back to the tasks I was planning for the afternoon. I became so absorbed in the powerful words, concepts and stories in the book, however, that I lost track of time and read almost the entire book in that one sitting.
“Supernova Woman” is a powerful tool of entertainment, inspiration, and practical impact. One aspect that struck me from Chapter 7 (Find New Energy) was Marianne’s humility in presenting this material. In this particular chapter, she discusses the concept of the energy we, as well as others, bring to the planet. This is an important and potentially life changing awareness. However, one description Marianne uses to talk about her presentation is “a tiny bit of knowledge.” It is refreshing to come across a down-to-earth knowledgeable and confident person. This grew my respect and appreciation for her; she is humble, safe, transparent, and gets results. I love this combination!
The ”tiny bit of knowledge” that Marianne provides for us is actually big, life-changing and empowering. If you adopt it as your personal philosophy, your life will be rock-solid and grounded. The basic questions to ask yourself is “what energy do I desire to bring to the world?” Another way to ask is, “what is my disposition?” Are you guarded or open? Curious and gracious or staunch and unyielding? When you think about it, begin with how you treat yourself. What is your self-talk when you make a mistake? Can you accept that you have gifts and flaws, and extend yourself grace? Are you open to your own myriad of thoughts and feelings? Can you explore them and know you can accept them? And THEN you have the power to change them to be more of the person you want to be in your life.
Once you do this with yourself, you’ll be able to allow others to be all of who they are, with their gifts and flaws, but not be affected or moved (not be a tumbleweed).
The idea is that your self-concept will be so strong that nothing outside yourself has the power to change your energy or disposition unless you give the permission. How do you desire to show up this holiday season? Personally, I want to intentionally be an agent of peace and joy as I navigate the next month or so. Lots of circumstances and people will enter into my life space and try to steal my peace and joy. Not going to happen! I’m ready to not hurry and not worry. Sometimes I worry about things that are completely out of my control. That is a waste of energy; I choose instead to accept my powerlessness and believe that my powerlessness is not a problem.
This lesson in humility can keep me grounded in my reality, even if it isn’t what I would like it to be. One other technique that keeps my energy where I want it is choosing to feel confident in my decisions. Second-guessing myself is a go-to for my brain based on some of my past experiences but I will choose instead to move forward with confidence in my decisions, so my peace and joy are assured. So, what disposition do you choose for yourself? Other people and circumstances don’t have to decide for you; you have the power to be who you desire to be and to take care of yourself.
ACTION STEP: Evaluate where you might be in the “energy levels” from the following list that Marianne quotes on pages 42-43 of her book (David R. Hawkins). Here they are: enlightenment, peace, joy, love, reason, acceptance, willingness, neutrality, courage, pride, anger, desire, fear, grief, apathy, guilt, shame. Are you at the energy level you would like most of the time? If not, remember that you can shift to the levels you prefer, ground yourself there, regardless of outside influences, and be rock-solid! If you need some support as you navigate a change, or you need encouragement to keep trying to be the person you want to be, Marianne is available for a call.
