Out of the Shadows...

Earitha Anderson
Publisher of Back2Basics: Spirit.Soul.Body Blog

Well...today I did it!!!

I decided to emerge out of the shadows and put my face with my name.  Today this thought exploded in my mind...If I'm going to get back2basics: spirit.soul.body then why am I hiding?  Why am I afraid of people associating my name with my face and my feelings, heart or vision?  After all, I have NOTHING to fear or be ashamed of!

So HELLO world...My name is Earitha "Chani" Anderson.  Welcome to my commitment to locate and live back2basics: spirit.soul.body!

You may be asking, what is back2basics: spirit.soul.body all about?  Glad you asked!  For me it's about going back to the place where my life seemed to get off track...where I ceased being my authentic self and started living as someone I eventually couldn't recognize.




I knew it was time to change when I found myself feeling stressed, unhappy, lost...like a square trying to fit in a circle.  A health challenge helped me to finally me find the courage to live the way I was born to.  On the verge of a complete meltdown, one day, I decided enough was enough!  I just had to STOP!

This journey has taken me back decades...at least four.  Put it this way, if I were a cruise ship headed to the Caribbean, I would have found myself docked somewhere in Australia at the onset of my journey back2basics.


After realizing I did could not and did not want to continue existing so far off my natural course, I made the executive decision to retire from the circus of my former life to locate and embrace the AUTHENTIC one for me.  Off the hamster wheel I went.

I must say, so far, though liberating, living according to my natural bending is quite foreign to me.  In this book I'm reading called ("Dream" by Dutch Sheets) there is an excerpt which describes both the ability and agility of the gazelle.  A gazelle can jump upwards of 30 feet in distance, however, if you place it behind a mere 3-foot wall, it won't jump for lack of seeing where it will land.

That was me for most of my life and before I decided to pursue wholeness of soul.  Even after being a christian for years, I realized that I wasn't experiencing the full benefits of my faith due to my lack of authenticity.

I'm relearning everything!  I'm discovering that some of my likes are really dislikes and vice versa.  I couldn't believe how much of who I had become was based on what was expected of me or what I was told was best for me.  I've retraced my steps to a time in my life when I was most sure of who I was, aspired to be and how I wanted to serve humanity.

Today, I took my personal vision back2basics to the next level.  I allowed myself to break free of
incredible barrier of fear by allowing myself to be seen.  I feel like a marathon runner who stuck out their chest and broke the ribbon just seconds ahead of her competitors to win the race.

In fact, if you want to know the truth, I hear the roar of the crowd screaming, whistling, congratulating me and throwing roses at my feet as I type.  This is not arrogance.  I - and a select few - know how significant this is for me.

What may appear as such a small gesture of faith is a huge leap for me.  For years I was trapped in the addiction of performing for the approval, acceptance and affirmation of others.  I was so lost in the expectation and boundaries set by my relationships, employment and affiliations.

I was dying on the inside.  The visual that comes to mind is that of a once burgeoning flame dwindling to a mere flicker of light.  The light in my candle was almost gone before I realized I had to make a change.  Despite the rumors, writing about my journey to freedom is NOT a testament of my rebellion.

A friend on a similar journey made an attempt at being transparent in a Facebook post last week and lost a few "friends."  I say, if you can't at least express yourself authentically with your friends (whether right or wrong) without fear of consequence were they really your "friend" to begin with?

Based on the (Free Dictionary Online), a friend is defined as a person with whom you are intimately acquainted; it's a comrade, best bud (buddy), pal.  A friend is an advocate, supporter, confidante...one who isn't hostile towards you even when they may not agree with you.  If my "friend" discourages me from being genuine, are they really my friend?

Ralph Waldo Emerson expressed it best when he said "the only way to have a friend is to be one."  If you ever think you might one day need the unconditional love and acceptance found in a place like friendship, practice being a friend and allow another to express themselves

Why is it that people become so off-ended (offended) when people express themselves?  I learned recently that my husband and I both leave a situation with two different accounts of the truth.  Not that one is lying necessarily.  It's just that we both may have our own perception of the reality of the situation.  Guess what...that's okay.

My thoughts, feelings, dreams, aspirations all make me who I am.  My Creator made them all uniquely mine as were my fingerprints.  There may be some that share some of my same thoughts however no one thinks, acts, feels and is motivated in exactly the way I do therefore I no longer feel the need to compete for validation.

No one can beat me being me.  AND who I am is infinitely good no matter where I am in my journey or how imperfect I appear to be!

Emerging out of the shadows into my bliss!  Taking a deep breath in.  I am journeying back2basics: spirit.soul body!