Stardust and Magical Things: A Journey of Coming Home to Myself

By Eli Bauer

Right at that moment, when I was at my lowest,
I somehow found strength to look into my heart and see I had a choice.
And at that moment I made a decision that would stick with me,
a decision that I could not take back, a decision I could not turn away from.

I decided to choose joy.

Imagine being a bullied and insecure fifteen-year-old but finding the beauty of life at every step. Imagine living a life of accomplishment and success, only to feel depressed, anxious, and stuck. Imagine knowing there is more to life and understanding with absolute certainty that there is magic, especially in making a difference and living with open heart.

Within a poignant collection of reflections, Eli Bauer shares a glimpse into her decade-long journey to find alignment. As she leads others down a path inward that provides insight to the magic she wanted to share with the world as a fifteen-year-old and how, at age thirty, she found the magic again and started living a life she had long forgotten, Eli reminds us of the importance of living authentically and with an open heart.

Stardust and Magical Things shares insight into a woman’s journey of authenticity as she overcame her doubts and came home to herself to embrace a life of acceptance and self-love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Feb 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781982263324

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 Eli Bauer.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-6331-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-6333-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-6332-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021903444

Balboa Press rev. date: 02/24/2021

C ontents

Introduction

Meet Thirty-Year-Old Me

A New Beginning

My Heart List

A Story of a Butterfly

The Magic within Me

Goodbye Life in Fear

The Choice to Be Myself

To Love Unconditionally

The Hour before Sunrise

Discovering the Web of My Life

Hearts Are Meant to Heal

The Trap of Perfection

The Sounds of the Ocean

Unconditional Acceptance

The Need to Be in Control

The Story of Judgment

For the Love of Sunrise

Magical Mornings

Life Is a Never-Ending Journey

Conversations with the Moon

Vulnerability Is Where Your Strength Hides

The Lesson of the Storm

The Choice to Let Go

On Resilience

No Plan B for Your Dreams

The Magic of the Rain

Embrace the Magic of Life

Finding Appreciation

Breaking through the Mundane

My Next Chapter

I believe in a world full of love and kindness.

I believe in a world where our actions are motivated by care and compassion.

I believe in a world full of stardust and magical things.

I ntroduction

H ello, dear re ader,

I want to start this book with a very special note. Know, dear reader, that you’re not holding just a book in your hands.

You are holding a dream come true.

Allow me to take you on a journey through time and introduce you to someone special. This person was the inspiration behind where I stand today. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have had the strength to take bold steps to live my dreams and love myself as much as I do today. She is my inspiration, my strength, my comfort in hard days, and the person I want to make proud above all: fifteen-year-old me.

Fifteen-year-old me was an amazing person, if I dare say so myself, confident in herself, a little chubby, and far from being in the popular crowd at school. She only had a few friends, but they were true ones. Fashion was not her strong suit. And her hair was always a messy disaster.

But this girl loved herself and didn’t let anything get to her: the bullying, the constant being made fun of, the struggle of finding herself in a world she didn’t fit in.

Fifteen-year-old me lived in a world of her own. It was a world filled with books, classical music, endless dance parties, and laughter. A world filled with kindness and compassion. But above all, a world full of stardust and magical things.

She believed in dreams coming true.

She believed in true love, and she believed in the goodness in people.

She believed that deep inside us we hold the power to achieve our biggest and boldest goals, live up to a higher purpose, and create a world filled with love and light.

Fifteen-year-old me had big dreams for her life.She was wise and brave.

Now, years later, when I look back at fifteen-year-old me, I admire her strength, her resiliency, and her determination. I have grown to know that girl for all she was. She had the strength to build herself up in a world she never fit in, she held her head high, and she didn’t let anyone or anything but herself determine