It’s been a long while…I know. My life has just been so full lately: work, rest and relaxation, family ties, and yes…new connections. What I know for sure – I’m happier than I’ve been in the past ten years, and I owe it all to God, to patience, to accepting what I deserve (not merely what I can have). Connections are sustaining me in every single aspect of my life.

Since the new year has ushered in, I have been more intentional about how I spend my time, who can penetrate my circle, why I connect with others, and when I give freely of my energy. This purposeful protection has brought me so much more fulfillment, less stressful encounters, and controlled access to my time and my life. I no longer feel compelled to provide access to people who fail to support me in ways that help me grow as a woman, manage my career, or inspire me to be better in ways that add value. For example, as much as I love my sorority, after 30 plus years as a Delta, I’ve had to reassess what being a “true soror” means to me. Being connected by colors (socially) doesn’t always equate to being connected emotionally and spiritually. Sisterhood runs deeper, and I know my Sisters.

I love being a part of the experiences of people that I love and care about as they achieve their dreams. Participating in the ideas, thoughts, and seeing the follow-through, from start to finish, brings me a sense of connection to a greater purpose. Dreams really do come true, and those along our path, are active and divine players in how our dreams come to fruition. Those who know me well know that I loathe chit-chat and small talk; it’s why I don’t pursue friendships that don’t have a gravitational pull – I want profundity in all things. More important, if you show up differently with others than you do with me, our connection will remain on the surface.

Going beyond the surface has to do with how you probe others. You learn about others through their words and their actions. However, how you process both has so much to do with your upbringing, your expectations, and for me, my past relationships. I can acknowledge that bringing the best parts of me into any new connection is a work of art. It’s always the parts of me that need polishing, require Maturation, need correction, require Grace that I reflect on and work hard to improve. Recently, I’ve discovered that attracting who and what I need is tantamount to having the life and fulfillment I want. If I want affection, seek connections that offer that freely. If I want attention, don’t settle for connections that have too many distractions. If I want appreciation, return that same energy to connections that appreciate me.

Connections run deeply when you surrender yourself to the possibilities. I’ve been very transparent about my brief separation and subsequent divorce; in fact, it was around this time three years ago, that I internalized that my marriage was not going to survive the COVID-era. In the midst of that reality, I also knew that we both deserved to have happiness with someone else. We remain friends, intertwined by years of experiences that will forever change how we connect with others in the future.

Half of 2023 is over, and I can say without hesitation, that this has been a phenomenal year for me. I celebrate improved health and a healthier connection to food. I celebrate that I’m on the “other side” of my career; chasing real influence, the absence of stress, and pending retirement. I celebrate family and my desire to witness the collective and individual growth and success of my blood relatives. I celebrate enduring friendships and connections that are in alignment with my personal goals. I celebrate a new man in my life who brings nothing but goodness and sweetness. His very presence relaxes my nervous system to its core and spreads sparkly glitter, bedazzled hope, and hearts of love all over me. Connections…I celebrate connections.

Until next time,

Andi 😘