Fully Shining Woman

Three words uttered by a sage 10-year old whippersnapper altered the trajectory of my life. Impressive and true, considering I did not know this powerful wise guy at the time and he lived on an opposite ocean from me.

A decade ago, my now-husband Jamie was a single dad, divorced three times, and a bit of a lady slayer. He had met a hottie who he was hoping was “the one.” After a phone call of drama, miscommunication, and misunderstanding, Jamie grumbled to Nick, then age 10, “Women! Totally maddening…”

Nick listened to his dad’s lady woes, then quietly and intentfully said, “Look dad, it’s like this. You meet these women and get all excited about them. Next thing you know, you want to marry them. But you need to wait until you meet your Fully Shining Woman. That’s who you marry. Until then, just have fun.”

Jamie was stunned. His heart pounding as the truth of Nick’s words sunk in. He tripped over himself in a rush to write down his mandate. In that moment, he resolved to find his Fully Shining Woman as his marveled over Nick and his astute advice.

Fast forward a few years. Jamie and I go on a first date. He asks me to marry him. I say yes. (Let that sink in.) But… I’m jittery about Jamie making this sudden and life-changing announcement to Nick, now twelve. My head was spinning and I wasn’t sure how my soon-to-be-son was going to take this unexpected newsflash. To my amazement, I watch as Nick’s face lights up. “Yes!” he fist-pumps. “Dad, you found your Fully Shining Woman.” The two embrace and perhaps I catch a glistening in their eyes as I wait for them to fill me in. Fully Shining Woman?

“Me or you?” Jamie asks Nick. “You,” Nick, replies as Jamie regales me with the Fully Shining Woman tale. Tears slide down my cheeks by the end of their story. I feel myself expand in recognition of the truth of who I am.

Yes, I am a Fully Shining Woman. Whole, complete, and in my feminine power. I am welcomed into an instant family and leap into living juicy, loving fiercely, parenting mindfully, and working purposefully. With plenty of detours, twists, and overcoming doubt thrown in. A Fully Shining Woman is spiritual, committed to her growth, authentic, intuitive, inclusive, compassionate, caring, funny, daring, direct, honest, creative. I live in my integrity, play by my own truth and manifest wildly. I’m fired up about creating the life of my dreams that uniquely expresses the life force that moves through this body and mind.

And yes. I’m messy, vulnerable, and constantly growing. Trust me I so am. (Jamie will vouch on that one!) But I love and accept all of me, especially the “not together” bits. I whisper sweet encouragements to myself when I fall down and scrape my knee emotionally. I ask for help. And I refuse to close my heart or be bound my own little limiting beliefs for more than a hot minute or two.

For the last 15 years, I’ve been shining as a mindful mama, a soul mate to Jamie, a tender of our home and hearth, and a support to Jamie’s business ventures while I took massive steps toward creating my own. Now, I’m on a mission to create a tribe of Fully Shining Women (and a few brave men) who dance between worlds. We live juicy, love fiercely, parent mindfully, work purposefully and wildly support each other. Wheeeee-hoo!

I see a Fully Shining Woman Movement with millions of woman around the world. I see myself sharing my inner light with YOU and watching our dreams and challenges and triumphs ignite hearts on fire so that we light up this world with our passion and purpose and inner peace.

I envision laughing until our bellies ache, joy dancing, yoga stretching, art making, deep dropping in. There are hikes and spas and insightful conversations and breathtaking risks in our future. There is the relief of knowing we are not alone in navigating this crazy wonderful challenging world and the shrieking delight of hugging someone who gets you and doesn’t think you are too out there or off your rocker. Oh yes, there is fun to come.

Oooo, I can feel it. I’m ready to shine, ready to play.

Are you? In your own life? In your own business? In your very own way?

It’s time.

Let’s spread our sparkly Fully Shining Women dust all over this planet. It needs more Fully Shining Women like me and YOU, don’t you think? Especially now?

I am taking a cue from Bodhi, my son who at five years old, would often walk into a room and say in his most booming voice, “Announcing!” and then fills us in on his latest accomplishment.

So here goes. World, listen up! ANNOUNCING! We’re ready to shine fully.

Whoosh!

A big warm hug, Meghan