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I once heard someone refer to August as the “Sunday of Summer.” It’s truly the final countdown to a season I am most fond of.

August is also a big month in my household, where birthdays of those I love are celebrated weekly: Kellan, My Dad, My mentor, Liz and yours truly.  It’s one of my favorite things to do – celebrate and honor those that I love on their big day.  However, celebrating my own birthday has always been a bit spiritless. It never had anything to do with aging, I just never found the joy in it.  I’ve always been embarrassed by the singing and attention, and uncomfortable with the gifts and well-wishes.  What it comes down to is that I never felt worthy of the celebration.  So, August 31st has always been just another day on the calendar.

Fast-forward to today, as I begin my 47th joy-ride around the sun, and it’s party time, baby! I have arrived (finally!): whole, happy, and ready to seize the cake.    I was put on this earth with a purpose and passion to celebrate all that’s good.  So here I am, in all my fullness, ready to celebrate the day the world welcomed me.

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So, where does a newly self-lovin’, balloon-carrying woman start? I know…setting a brand-spankin’ new, year-long intention.

When I turned 40, I started to treat birthday’s like most people treat New Year’s Eve.  I call in a resolution of sorts, I like to call it an intention.  If you follow me on Facebook, you probably recall that I set my yearly intention on my birthday.  It is the start of anew, to flourish into this next year of life.  Have you ever set an intention?  It’s powerful shit.  It’s like your soul knows what it needs and provides you with this guide, a guide to betterment.  Every time I set an intention, it’s a road map for me towards my next level up.  If you have never done it, I highly suggest it.  It keeps you honest, dedicated and accountable to improving yourself and your life.

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Last year, my 46-year-old intention (posted below) focused on ‘surrendering’ .  That was ‘my word’ and my work for the past 365 days.  It was a full year of releasing, revising, reevaluating, healing and couraging up.  I am proud of how truly far I have come.  I’ve changed and my growth-game is the strongest it’s ever been. After a year of living with this intention, here’s what I learned:  surrendering is a life-long journey.  Here I thought I could master the ‘art of ‘in a year.  Ha!  I mean, I worked my ass off on letting go of what I can’t control, but to say I am a scholar at surrendering would be a straight up lie.  Surrendering is my work and will always be, as I practice and become more aware of what is mine to carry and what I can offload to the universe.

intention46my 46th birthday intention

However, whereas surrendering is what I awaken to and practice daily, I have a new intention that has become powerfully present during this past month.  My intention for my 47th joy-ride is Nourishment.

I am not necessarily speaking about what I consume nutritionally (although that is part of it).  It’s more what I consume mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  The people, places, and things I allow in my space that promote me vibrationally.  This is nourishment on a soul level.

I realize as I get older, and as I grew further into my 46th-year old self, how very protective I have become of my space and the people I allow in it.

Every time I lower my frequency to meet someone on their level, I end up paying for it greatly.   Now, with nourishment as my guide, I intend to attract people who can rise up and meet me.  No more settling, no more compromising.  I know what I bring to the table in all my relationships, and as the saying goes, “I’m not afraid to eat alone”.

I now have two qualifiers when it comes to feeling nourished:

  1. I ask myself the question: “Is this person/place/thing enhancing my life or extracting from it?”

and

  1. I now take inventory of how I feel after leaving that person/place or thing. Do I feel renewed and inspired, or drained and unfulfilled? It is my greatest intention to leave people a bit better than when I found them.  And finally, F-I-N-A-L-L-Y, I expect the same in return.

I am slowly but surely surrounding myself with people who feel like home.

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I mean, shouldn’t we all get to a place of feeling soulfully fed, where we’re full and fulfilled?  Sitting in peace knowing that those people, places and things in your life are there inspiring you to rise.  I don’t know how much more time I have on this great earth, none of us do, but I set intentions for this reason.  I want to be better.

I want to continue to grow and learn.  I want to bathe in joy and laughter whenever I can.  I want to witness and experience love on the deepest level.  I want to see those in my tribe soar to great heights.  And what’s so incredibly awesome is, all these ‘wants’ are achievable.  But they start with me and feeling fed & full is the gift I unwrap for myself this year.

As I set that intention in place, I made a feeding plan of sorts.  A plan of all those things I will add to (and subtract from) my soul diet that will help nourish my 47-year-old self:

  • More play. (Kickball anyone?  No, seriously.)
  • More self-check ins (taking inventory of my mental/emotional/physical state)
  • Being more care-FULL (making sure my self-care tank is full before caring for others)
  • Practicing the pause. (Stop. Restore.  Repeat.)
  • Less self-doubt (all the damn doubts that I’ve ever had. Every single one of them.)
  • Expecting less (equates to less disappointment)
  • Meet new people who spark goodness and ignite magic
  • Less Fixing. (The only person I will spend time fixing is moi)
  • Minding my own business
  • Attracting lightworkers
  • Trying new things
  • Celebrating me
  • Doing purposeful work, grounded in my belief system
  • Worrying less, Wondering more
  • Feeling waves crashing around my feet
  • Surrendering more. And then even more
  • Less forward-thinking. Presence is where the payoff is
  • Forgiving (my mountain to climb)
  • Trusting in that it’s all unfolding as it should
  • Connecting deeply with nature
  • Relishing the moment
  • Less screen time
  • Petting more dogs
  • Reading what matters
  • Less scrolling
  • Looking into the eyes of love
  • Counting my blessings
  • Chasing no one but my better self

As I walk through the door of my brand-new year, I am excited for the magic that lies ahead.

Happy Birthday, you sugar-coated, unicorn-spirited, mother-lovin, hot piece of sass.  I love you.  Now, let’s go eat some cake.

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Janis Gaudelli is The Founder of The Daily Feels.  She started this passion project to reveal the magic behind storytelling, and how truth-based narratives bring people together in the most heart-warming of ways.  Fascinated by soul, depth, intellect, raw truths and rebellion with a cause. Often captivated by the awe of nature: star gazing, moon manifesting, sunset chasing, waves crashing, crickets singing. Fiercely curious about the inner-workings of the human psyche… she professionally studies human behavior for a living.  Forever proud and grateful for being a mom to the force that fuels her life: her 7-year-old son, and greatest professor, Kellan.

FOLLOW JANIS AND THE DAILY FEELS TRIBE @:  FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM

 

 

 

 

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