A Woman's Way

by Karen Ely

It may be our destiny to play an infinity of roles,

but we are not the roles we are playing.

~ Deepak Chopra

Imagine the possibility that we are more, much more, than our roles as wife, mother, daughter, partner, volunteer, friend, attorney/accountant/beautician/artist/etc.

In truth, we are not the roles we play or the voices we hear in our head.  We are the observer, the essence inside who watches and listens and is truly us.  

How do we find and get in touch with that woman who is really Karen or Linda or Kathy or Sharon or Kathleen?

The answer is quite simple . . . we find enough quiet space to begin listening to the whispers of our own heart . . . that essence that really is US . . . that voice that will always lead us home.

When I began my personal journey 27 years ago, all of this was new to me.  And it might be new to you as well.  I thought the neurotic thoughts (primarily negative) that spiraled endlessly in my mind were me talking to me.  I thought there was no real "me" and that I was simply defined by my roles as daughter, wife, mother, friend, etc. 

And then I woke up, at 40, and began to ask "Is this all there is?"  And that simple, yet profound, thought led me on a journey of self-discovery that continues today.

I've learned many things over the past 27 years that have given me the opportunity to get to know me and allowed me to live (at least most of the time) from an authentic, joyful space.    

And there are several simple, but life changing, practices that will provide that space.  They are fundamental to my daily life and to my sanity.  They have delivered me back to me over and over and over again.  So I know these practices will work for you as well.  

Begin the following practices today by:

• Buying yourself a journal you love and writing to yourself first thing each morning (when you are the most egoless).  It's the most important conversation you can possibly have . . . you talking and you listening. 
• Adding a gratitude practice to your morning journaling.  Find time each morning to list at least 5 things you're grateful for that day . . . some days it'll be a stretch to get to 5, other days you'll breeze past 25.  A gratitude practice is a powerful form of prayer. 
• Finding time each day for quiet.  If you can spend that quiet time in nature at least twice each week, that would be lovely.  Walk around the block, walk through a park, stroll along the water . . . but quietly notice the size and majesty of your world, and the sights, sounds and smells.  Breathe deeply and thankfully. 
• Turning off the TV and reading books that change your prospective, that open your heart and mind, that calm and enliven you.  You can download my recommended reading list by clicking here:  http://www.awomansway.com/subjects/links/links-books.htm.  All of these books sit on my book shelves and have truly changed everything about me and my world. 
• Attending a personal growth/spiritual retreat with like-minded women where you’ll find a safe space and some support and guidance for your journey back to your self.  They can truly be life changing.  You can visit www.awomansway.com to see upcoming retreats I’m offering.     

Imagine how your life might change in wondrous ways if you began a daily practice of being present to yourself . . . Namaste.