This weekend is the vernal equinox. That means it is spring, the change of season and a day where darkness and light are equal. It is a time of renewal, a symbol of rebirth in many religions and a time for refreshing the energy in our lives, our homes and our careers. Spring cleaning begins for many people, clearing out the physical clutter in their homes, clearing clutter from their lives.
This is also a time of energetic cleansing. It’s a good time to meditate, pray and envision the future that you want to unfold. We are also in an eclipse portal, which is a time of high energy and release of future plans coming to fruition. Focus on what you want right now, really spend time writing out your dreams and aspirations along with goals and steps that are needed to achieve them.
Maybe you have been ready for a career change or wanting to move your relationship to the next step. Maybe you have had a health issue that you need to address. Now is the time to do it. As I look back at my life, it is clear to see how this time of year has always brought about change with it. Five years ago, I decided to make a big change and leave Wisconsin where I had lived for 35 years since I was five-years-old and where I had built a home and raised my son. I knew, somewhere deep inside of me, that it was just time to go. There wasn’t anything specific that happened that brought me to that decision, but I just knew. I had done everything that I had set out to do while in Wisconsin. I raised my son who was then 21 at the time; I had built us a house when I was 29-years-old and paid my mortgage on-time for ten years. I put myself through two degrees and did a year of law school as part of a dual degree program; I was an endorsed legislative candidate in 2010; I had been an executive director of domestic abuse programs; worked in public policy to help women and families in need; and became a personal trainer and yoga teacher along the way. I did everything I had set out to do during that phase of my life. It was time to go.
It was very hard for me to put my house up for sale because I was always very proud of the fact that I had been able to build a house by myself having started out as a very poor, single mother and I was able to work hard and make a home for my son and myself. I was scared that I would never be able to have that again if I gave it up. But I also KNEW, just knew, I was being drawn elsewhere. Although I had done everything I had set out to, there was still a big part of me that was not yet fulfilled. I had some friends, but craved deeper, meaningful friendships. I had a successful career, but still never felt a sense of security or deep fulfillment from my daily work. I was almost forty and not married, although it hadn’t ever been a specific goal of mine, I had always said I wanted to settle down at forty and be with someone that I could spend my life with and grow older together. I have always been a fiercely independent woman and had been very noncommittal in most relationships, but I am also someone that needs to have a genuine connection and knew one day I would be with someone that would be a part of me. That’s not a reason that I left, but it made me become open to the possibility.
It was time to make a change in my career. I knew I wanted to help people and create wellness in people’s lives, and that I wanted to bring the gifts I have to offer to the world. I had started off as a high school drop-out and a teen mom at seventeen. I was able to finish my high school education with my son Jordan by my side. I remember the day I got my diploma in the mail, I said, “Look Jordan, Mommy graduated from high school.” When I went to college at twenty-one, I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I started as an art major and a dance minor because it was the only thing I like and was good at. Eventually I changed my degree to communication and writing because I loved to write and it was something that came naturally to me. I went on to get a master’s degree in organizational leadership and strategic management because I wanted to run women’s shelters and help victims of domestic abuse. So that is what I did.
After a few years of working in the shelters and doing a lot of work in the community on public policy issues on family violence, hunger, homelessness and mentoring teen moms, I never felt that we were making enough of a difference. Although I have deep respect and admiration for the people who continue to do the work in the trenches and work to end domestic violence and even more so, to the people who end the cycle of violence in their families and create a better life for themselves, I never felt that we were making enough, if any, progress. Our world became more and more violent; children continued to be exposed to rape and abuse and continued generations of trauma; women got out of the line of fire for 30 days, only to go back to their abuser or to another abusive relationship. There needed to be a better way to help people, to heal people. In my experience, the environments most domestic violence staff are working in is an unhealthy work environment and it is almost impossible to bring healing to the families in need without first addressing the internal trauma going on. I got burnt out quickly and angry about the world and felt very helpless to make a difference.
So, I dug deep and I knew I could do more. I had taught women’s empowerment and self-esteem workshops, yoga classes and personal trained people for many years around my full-time jobs. That is where I saw the most healing happen for people. I wanted to use my business experience and my education in organizational leadership to heal people.
I decided on Dallas because my older brother lived there and my nephew Pharaoh was two-years-old at the time, and I wanted to come help out with him. I put my house on the market, flew down to secure a loft to rent, and went back to load a U-Haul and make the 1,300 mile trip to Dallas- just me, my 100 pound Mastiff-pit, Murphy, and my car being towed behind a 17 foot trailer. I had never driven a big truck with a trailer before but it was like something was compelling me to keep going. I was not running from something but being pulled to something like a magnet. It was scary, and it certainly wasn’t an easy time. I worked hard to get the job that I wanted and then later moved on to a new position when the time was right. I am now in a new phase of my life, lots of things that will be coming about soon and I’ll keep my readers posted as plans progress. Also a scary, yet exciting time for me, but I know it is all meant to be.
So, as you approach your spring, your renewal and rebirth, what are you going to manifest into your life? What are you being drawn to? Look for more articles, videos and tips to come on wellness, yoga, fitness and empowerment coming to you soon.
Liz Jones
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