Herewith is some background info into my rationale. (Shhhhh, don't tell anyone I used rationale - it might give me a bad reputation, lol)
Then came my first husband's name. I only changed my name to "meet social expectations". I look back now and realise the "social expectations" were simply my fear-of-judgement misleading me into decisions I was making for the sake of others and not for me.
Nevertheless, the surname "Ryan" represents 14 years of growing up, coming of age, some pretty funky handbags and most rewarding of all, being a mother to my gorgeous Connor.
Now I'm entering the beyond-mother stage. Yes my son is still in high school and I'll be his mother for the rest of his life. However, he is growing out of his need to have the same surname as me. My second husband is also growing -- out of patience that is! He's tired of being called "Mr Ryan" when we go to restaurants.
So anyway, while "Anita Ryan" might be my brand as an author and website creatrix, on a personal level it is unsustainable. It is a residue of a life that has served its purpose - a time of amazing and positive growth, mind you - but the time has come to adopt my "adult" name for life.
I know this isn't the end of the line of "me" growing as a person, (heaven forbid!), but I do look forward to stepping into the goddess power I feel resonating in the name, "Anita Revel".
(Pronunciation tip: re-VEL)
Initially you'll start seeing me sign my InnerGoddess broadcasts with a hybrid of my new name. You'll also see my hybrid name on my books and articles from today also, and with 50+ years of writing left in me I'm hoping you'll see hundreds of these!
As a verb, 'revel' means to celebrate with unrestrained merrymaking and great pleasure or delight. This is certainly energy that I look forward to carrying forward with me from this point onwards.
I hope you join me for many years to come as we weave a merry dance back to a world-wild state of "goddess-ness"!
:-)
big loves,
Anita Ryan-Revel
8 comments:
I revel in your ability to shapeshift into Revel. Bravo! Best of luck to you in your newest form.
Debbie
Congratulations Anita on your beautiful name change!! As someone with a similar story I understand your message and appreciate it completely. I am curious though, is Revel a new name, your second husband's name or a return to your maiden name?
Karen
Karen,
Revel came to me as a celebratory name, and one deserving of the happiness I have found in life. But as a happy coincidence, it's also a combination of my maiden name and my husband's surname, and with a V in the middle for balance :-)
thanks for your note and your story!!!
xx
Anita
Wow! What an amazing start to 2007 for you as Anita Revel!!!!! And the name sounds great and suits you “to-a-t”. This is obviously a step you needed to take to move your life onwards so bloody good on you for identifying this and doing something about it.
What a beautiful message Anita, I really respect and understand your decision and needs. Go forth and dance Anita Revel and have a beautiful life!
congratulations on your name-changing project. Women should have the right to have the name they want. Recently, a grandmother was "teasing" two of her granddaughters who live near her that her third granddaughter in another location was her favorite and that the brother of that girl, her only grandson, was her favorite of all because he would carry on the "family name." Then she laughed and told them she didn't mean it and loved them all "the same" (except the part about carrying on the family name and the boy being the favored grandson because he was the only one). One of the girl's mother said the girls could keep their own name when they grew up and got married and the grandmother scoffed because that is not the accepted way to "carry on the family name." I know it upset the mother though she let it drop. I thought why not? Especially today, why shouldn't a young woman be able to keep her own name and give it to her children if she wants?
You'll always be Maneater to me!
Love the new name and congrats on finding it. We all need changes sometimes, and before MoonMama I was Foxy_Lynn....so see how I have changed. Love to you Anita and can't wait to see it on my next newsletter.
Goddess Bless,
MoonMama(AKA Linda)
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