Guest Post: How To Manage Life In Transition

I hope you will enjoy this guest post from Women on Fire member Dyana Robenalt of Stockbridge, MA. I found it inspiring and uplifting and I thought you might, too. I’ll be back next week! xo Debbie

Switching Hands: How to Manage Life in Transition
By Dyana Robenalt

When I was 13, my mother died.

Within days, I was plucked from her and my stepfather’s loving home. This began a lifetime of planned and unplanned transitions.

Resiliency became my invisible middle name.

Being in a transition can feel scary. Imagine switching hands from your dominant side to your other one. Being open to this adaptation created a huge awareness for me.

My ex-husband and I used to periodically switch sides of the bed just to keep ourselves open to the concept of change.

Fear ruled many of my transitions and often took the form of crises. Witnessing 9/11 created a string of devastating transitions and luckily, many earth angels and soul guides helped me to overcome my serious pain.

I am currently in one of the more radical shifts I’ve experienced in years. While I tried to plan it, there are still many unknown elements creating the mystique and excitement I crave after years of knowing that virtuous “rewards” often come at the end of seemingly difficult times.

This one has BIG potential and I’m ready! Learning to trust the process and flow like the rising and falling of tides, no matter what, has taken years of practice.

Letting go and letting God run the show is still challenging. I keep my favorite saying from Wayne Dyer handy to help with this:

Over time my thinking shifted from:
Forget
Everything
And
Run

to

Feeling
Excited
And
Ready!

For the past ten years, I’ve focused on taking responsibility for mistakes I made. I adjusted the sails and redesigned my outlook. This translated to patience and understanding that I am always where I am supposed to be at the time – an ongoing reminder.

Humility has become the new badge of honor I seek, and living with a strong moral compass as my foundation has helped me to navigate even the most turbulent waters. We’re all connected and we never know the pain someone else is in or has endured.

It makes sense to always be kind and realize that we’re all just trying to make it through the day. Last year, keeping a gratitude jar did wonders for me. The act of writing down one thing I was grateful for every day created a revolutionary shift in my positivity!

Here are a few other practices and reminders I try to do daily for smooth transitions:

  • Believe something great is about to happen
  • Pick “winners”
  • Be open yet expect nothing
  • Seek higher guidance
  • Always be the first to say hello
  • Keep favorite books handy. Read new inspiring ones
  • Listen more than talk (My hardest!)
  • Catch and “flick” negative thoughts away with my hand
  • Be willing to try new things
  • Keep 3-4 months of savings on hand!
  • Do random acts of kindness, volunteer or help someone
  • Meditate, be in nature, be still
  • Do the WORK

Transitions allow me to reflect and plan how I will react differently next time. Every minute and every day provide opportunities to start over. Learning to “switch hands” in transitions no matter when they come, or how long they last, has given me more peace, freedom and happiness!

More about Dyana Robenalt~

Dyana is a Western Massachusetts Master Gardener (recently transferred from Rutgers) with over 40 years of experience and a major foodie and spititual being. She provides garden coaching and estate management services. She has served on the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Advisory Council for the Backyard Wildlife Habitat program and is a NJ Learns Fellow graduate from the Cloud Institute for Sustainability.

Her experience also includes former careers in hospitality and teaching in private independent schools. She recently relocated to the Berkshires and can be reached at dyana(at)dyanarobenalt(dot)com. You can follow her on Twitter @greengardenlady.

Shine your lights, Women on Fire!

I firmly believe when you see another woman on her path, you can be inspired to know what is possible for you.

And for our Women on Fire members highlighted today, I hope you will feel us cheering you on for your work and dedication to follow your dreams!

First up, we shine the light on a collection of women. They are the 21 co-authors of Vol. 2 of our book Women on Fire: 21 More Inspiring Women Share Their Life Secrets (and Save You Years of Struggle!) 


Women on Fire Book co-authors gathering in New York City — Front row: Mary Kay Purdy, Susan Kruger, Marilyn Brown, me!, Tricia Simpson, Leah Hamilton, Marge Snyder. Back row: Heike Vogel, Maria Verroye, Sophfronia Scott, Lisa Arundale, Linda Neff, Kacy Cook, Kim Davis, Beth Bryce, Laurel Hodory, Jenifer Madson, Kay Raypholtz, Carrie Saba, Sarah Elizabeth Greer, Michelle Whittaker and Meredith Schoenberger. Co-authors missing from the photo were Jan Allen, Nicole Friedler Brisson and Mary Carran Webster. (Photo by Rob Berkley)

Together with publisher Sophfronia Scott, editor Kacy Cook, communications and marketing manager Meredith Schoenberger, we all met recently in New York City to share a day of inspiration, connection and personal stories.

 

Our co-authors have all written their transformative chapters of struggle and triumph — and they all did it by our deadline.  (What an accomplishment:-) The book will be published this summer and I promise you are going to be inspired!


Dyana on her Sunday shift at the 9/11 memorial

For Dyana Robenalt of Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, life has now come full circle.

After witnessing the collapse of the World Trade Center towers from the rooftop of her Manhattan office building,  she abandoned her executive sales position with UPS.  And she went to work to rebuild her spirit.

She moved to the Poconos and developed her gardening skills and expertise. She now manages the gardens of large estates through the Estate and Enhancement Division at Statile & Todd in Far Hills, New Jersey.

And to prove how healing it is to give back, today Dyana volunteers at the new 9/11 memorial.

If you visit the memorial, she’s happy to help you or provide information and you can reach her dyanarobenalt@gmail.com.

Personal style consultant Holly Getty of New York City, was featured on New York’s WPIX-TV morning show for her styling expertise. She led a segment on denim that WOWed the producers and audience!

How fabulous is this illustration above of Holly? Another example of an amazing Women on Fire collaboration as it was a gift to Holly from Lara Licharowicz of New York City created by the talented Rosemary Fanti of Chicago.


Siiri Morley (in the green top and necklace) during her recent visit to Haiti

Siiri Morley of Boston was recently in Haiti launching a new pilot program for the company she founded to provide jobs for refugee women and that Women on Fire champions — Prosperity Candle.

Many of you met Siiri at our retreat in Chicago last fall, and she has tirelessly worked to promote Properity Candle, which was recently featured on NBC’s Today Show!

Congratulations, too, to Woman on Fire Dana Frost of Chicago for becoming a powerful supporter of Prosperity Candle with her own unique brand of candle scent.  “Share the light, Change a Life” is Properity Candle’s motto and Siiri and Dana are doing just that!


Phoebe Lapine dazzling television hosts with her healthy, easy cooking style

Private chef and cookbook author Phoebe Lapine of New York City is receiving a ton of buzz — and deservedly so! — for her celebrated food blog Feed Me Phoebe.

Even if you don’t like to cook, the pictures alone make it an enticing read!

Phoebe marked the first anniversary of her blog with a segment on New York City’s CBS affiliate’s “Cooking on The Couch.” Check out the clip and recipe for Phoebe’s yummy Fusilli with Asparagus-Radish Leaf Pesto here!


Christina Haag with the adorable Danny Pino in Law & Order: SVU

Christina Haag of New York City appeared on NBC’s Law & Order: SVU when she starred in “Girl Dishonored” on April 24. She portrayed the Dean of Students in this riveting episode, so set your DVRs because it’s sure to replay soon!

Nicole Lovett of Columbus, Ohio has signed on to help coach the parents in the popular show Six Little McGhee’s on Oprah’s OWN Network.

Not only is Nicole making her national television debut, but she’s doing it while she’s 7 1/2 months pregnant!  She is expecting a little girl soon.

Nicole was a member last year of Jan Allen’s Women on Fire coaching group. In 2012, Nicole also was Women on Fire’s  Theo Scott Scholar in honor of the late sister of Sophfronia Scott.

Congratulations to another Women on Fire member in Jan Allen’s group — Jane Juergens of Columbus.

Jane recently married her extensive experience in human resources with the need for companies to implement and optimize cloud-based HR systems — and launched her own  company — PeopleGen.

Jane has a passion for helping others tap into their true potential and we are thrilled to see PeopleGen take life and we look forward to watching it grow!

Wendy Taucher of New York City and Martha’s Vineyard, has debuted her latest opera “Impresario Now! 90% Theater, 90% Musicale, Very Mozart Most of the Time.”

Talented Wendy co-wrote, directed and choreographed the entire show!  Her company — Wendy Taucher Dance Opera Theater — will be presenting the show from May 3-18, 2013 at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on 407 W. 42nd St.  You can buy tickets here!

Congratulations to each of you for moving your dreams forward. You are an inspiration!  Sharing your gifts with the world full-out as you are doing WILL change the world.

We love hearing what you’re up to so please tell us so we can shine the light on YOU in an upcoming SPARK!

Believing in you and all that you bring to the world ~