Soul in Control: Reflections of a Reformed Superwoman

 

By Janet M. Neal

 

Janet Neal is a single mother of three, plus two dogs and in Soul in Control, she shares her ups and down, joys and frustrations, experiences and insights, with earned and learned wisdom and humor. Janet tackles many questions throughout the book that many of us have asked ourselves at one time or another. Questions such as: Why do I put myself down instead of stepping into my greatness? Why am I uncomfortable with being acknowledged for doing a good job? What is it that doesn’t allow us to see ourselves as others do? And what Janet reveals about her own inner turmoil, all women, (mothers or not), can relate to. 

 

In this highly entertaining collection of vignettes, Janet comes to realize the absurdity of her thoughts. She also notices that the reason we close our eyes when we dream, cry, pray and kiss is because the most beautiful things in life are not seen, but felt by the heart. And when she looked at herself from a higher perspective, she finally saw a magnificent one-of-a-kind piece and that her flaws made it so.

 

On being stuck:

• I was carrying a mountain of things with me – to do lists from the present, expectations for the future, burdens from the past. I had to let go of all these things that were doing nothing but weighing me down

• When I plot and plan how something should be, I’m disappointed. When I release my attachment to the outcome, then things have a way of working out

• I know the signs are there but I just can’t see them, so I ignore them and keep going

• When I think negative thoughts, use negative words or expect negative actions, that is what I get - life has a way of accommodating your mindset

• I am good at the stressing part but don’t often remember the resting part

• I have been conditioned to think that resting is unproductive time or a waste of energy

• I was too stuck in my story to see my life through her eyes instead of through the victim’s blinders I’d become comfortable wearing

 

Offering up some challenges:

• What if you didn’t wear your ego armor for a day? What would that feel like?

• What if you tried doing the opposite of what you normally do? If you’re an extrovert, what if you spent the day being quiet and listening and if you’re an introvert, what if you spent the day striking up conversations?

• Are you living in the future and ignoring what’s happening right now?

• Make a list of intentions but be sure to be specific when asking for something

 

Words to live by:

• Be a human being not a human doing

• Life lived in resentment is wasted time

• It’s not having what you want but wanting what you have

• It’s always a choice about how you see things

• By changing how you look at something you can change how you feel about it

• Real freedom is learning to escape from the machinations of your overactive mind

• We all need an Emotional Advisory Board to hear what you can’t hear and see what you can’t see

• The answer appears when you have faith and allow it to emerge

• We are given a manual for living if we only look around and notice its lessons

• If you create a space for people to help you they will

• Realize the attitude from which you operate

• An attitude of gratitude does wonders for your spirit

• Be grateful for what is and not wonder about what could be

• Stand proud in your uniqueness