This past week I had the pleasure of spending time with some highly influential people who deeply inspire me and push me to live better.  If someone could die of over inspiration I would be dead this morning, no kidding.  I feel like God opened heaven and plopped in my lap the most powerfully motivating people he could find.  Someone was praying for me.  I think it might have been Annie!  She got to hear my sad story of how worn out I was just a week ago.  Which brings me to today when I am remembering just 5 years ago the massive difference and turn my life has taken since then.

I would say the best way to describe my life 5 years ago when compared to today would be to say that I was "almost living."  One of the people at dinner with us on Saturday, Tim Storey, author and "life coach to the stars", wrote about the tragedy of "almost living" in his book, Utmost Living.  Whenever Tim speaks it's like a river of life pouring from his mouth and anyone lucky enough to be in earshot gets to feast on freedom, celebration, life etc... I noticed on his website this morning that he advises, "Do not go where you are tolerated, go where you are celebrated."  And celebrating others while impacting them greatly is what he does best.  This week 10 people (no kidding) brought deep inspiration to my heart which confirmed the hard decision I had to make just a few years ago.

It's the most difficult choice for most people and therefore usually never made.  It's the choice to dissociate yourself from people who are dragging you down or keeping you where you are.  John C. Maxwell, in his book 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, advises to make a list of the 6 people not including your spouse and children, in which you spend the most time associating.  He boldly says that where these 6 people are right now in their lives, emotionally, professionally, relationally, spiritually etc., is where you will be in 10 years.  Looking back just 5 years, I see the drastic truth of this statement.  In fact, since I decided to take Maxwell's advise, I can clearly see that the new set of friends in my life have literally pushed me forward 20 years in maturity, success and significance.  All of the good was accelerated while everything bad diminished.  

What happened to the dissociated people?  I saw one of them last week.  She is still complaining, refusing to celebrate the blessings right before her. Me, I still smile, give her a hug and tell her that she is loved.  But I refuse to go with her.  This may seem mean or calloused, but may I remind you how much the world needs you to be fully alive.  The world needs you to be your utmost.  Your children need a mommy who is awake, attentive and deeply beautiful and your husband needs a wife who is childlike and unashamed just to name a few.

This week I am meeting with three people who will change the world of MTV.  No kidding!  One of them decided he was done with the "you are a slut, you are a whore, you have no value" mentality of MTV.  He left his poverty stricken home in Africa to attend school at the Music Institute of Hollywood perfecting his skill and talent.  A story that blows my mind but could have only happened for him by hanging with people who celebrated the same vision of letting love and truth reign.  

Friends, this is huge!  It doesn't matter where you come from or how little resources you have; it matters who you are with.  Challenge yourself to make changes within your circle of friends.  It will make a world of difference.  Here's a few pictures of Miranda Rose, a friend who changes my life every time I am with her.  These were taken while photographing beautiful table tops for Nisie's Enchanted Florist to be submitted to Wedding Style Magazine Fall/Winter issue.

Utmostly Yours,

Annette 

God is faithful!!!  A few weeks ago God brought a wolf-like husky to compliment our Little Red Riding Hood shoot.  This time it was a frog!  My friend Lynnda said,"Next time it will be a Unicorn!"  She is one of my fellow "dreamers".