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Caterpillar, Cocoon, or Butterfly?

This analogy of choosing between being a caterpillar, cocoon, or butterfly is, in fact, not a nebulous thing — it is a choice we get to make every day of our lives.

How can this be? You may ask that question honestly.

The answer is actually quite simple:

The caterpillar is interested in just crawling along, eating, and doing its thing. How many times have you looked at your life and felt that way? Too much to do and not enough time to do it, as a rule. Each one of us faces the struggles presented by daily life. The boss just reset your deadline, necessitating the need for you to work overtime or at home in order to get it done. Forget attending the daughter’s play tonight, or taking your son to soccer practice. A job is a job in today’s marketplace, no matter whether you like it or not. You sing these same old songs to yourself, day after day, night after night. Whatever vicissitudes happen in a day seem to keep recurring. It changes very little. Can you see the caterpillar now?

The cocoon represents a big change is coming, whether you want it or not, like it or not. Perhaps a relationship is ending. Perhaps a sudden accident has taken a dear one from you, or perhaps you have endured one, causing a physical disability which will take time, effort, and rehabilitation to achieve a modicum of what once was taken for granted. We usually react in anger, taking even more precious energy and wasting it. The cocoon is a time for reflection about what needs to change, contemplating ways to achieve it, and gathering resources to carry you forward into what comes next.

The butterfly is a true metamorphosis. It is becoming who we are meant to be. It is a time of freedom, joy, and looking forward with zest.

We can look back on the past, take from it those lessons which will help us to blossom, and let the rest go.

That is not an easy lesson. If you take a pencil and place it in your palm, gripping it tightly. Ask someone to remove it as you tenaciously cling to it. The likely response is that you get to keep that pencil. You then open your palm, revealing the pencil, and the other person picks it up easily. Letting go is just that easy and that hard, depending on your point of view.

It is up to each one of us to choose to remain a caterpillar, enter the cocoon of change, and emerge as the butterfly into new expressions of life. We might be each one of these stages in different areas of our life. It is up to you to contemplate them, seeking a new way to live your life in lieu of crawling along in the same old way, day after day.

What will your choice be?

God’s blessing upon your journey!

Colorful Caterpillar

Caterpillar

Yellow Caterpillar

Caterpillar

From Cocoon into Butterflies

From Cocoons into Butterflies

Beautiful Butterfly Each one unique! Blue Morph

Butterflies, each one unique!

Upside Down Thinking

How often do you perform Upside Down Thinking? Some call it Inverted Thinking. In real life, people call it, “Having a Bad Day!

If you were to look at each day from a spectator’s perspective, analyzing how much time you spend fussing, fuming, angry, afraid, wondering if something bad is coming your way, etc., ad infinitum ad nauseum, you might get a big surprise. All of the spectrum of negative emotions are included in Upside Down Thinking/Inverted Thinking. You spend so much time emotionalizing over the bad stuff, that the days just pass you by. Your life passes you by in the same way. Nothing changes…or it seems to get worse.

Which, in fact, it does…because the more you use your brain/mind/emotions, pondering all the horrible stuff in your life and in the world, that is what you are adding the multiplication factor to…each thought, each emotion, each agony. How long can you do this? Answer: Forever. Then you wonder why everything seems to be falling apart, getting worse, etc.

How can you stop yourself from participating in Upside Down Thinking?

Like the old song says, “Accentuate the positive, Eliminate the negative, and don’t mess with Mister in between!”

It is both harder and simpler than it seems. It is harder because we form habits based on our thought patterns and dwell upon everything that is not working in lieu of trying to figure out what needs changing. It is simpler because you can take conscious control of your mouth, your mind, and speak: “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be an virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

Why? Because what you think about, you bring about!

In this example, you can add the idea of emotionalizing over the bad stuff, which does not change a thing. Your soul is not refreshed by any of it.

In short, “Let it go!” If you feel like you are being drowned in the pool of negativity, cut off the anchor you tied to your own foot. The second you cut that rope, you will begin to rise into newness of life.

You can feel the light energy filling your heart and mind. Light dispels darkness, always! No exceptions!

The only question is: Are you so tired of what is not working in your life that you would be willing to try something different? The choice is yours.

My husband loves a saying by Albert Einstein: “Insanity: doing  the same  thing over and over again and expecting  different results!Is this you? Answer: You cannot keep doing what does not work. Are you willing to turn your mind around so you are doing Right Side Up Thinking? (Also called Vertical Thinking.) Turn from Pessimism to Optimism! You have the Power, so use it!

God’s blessings on your journey!

 

 

Change Your Orbit?

Your orbit/life path has been created by all the choices you have made to date. Your trajectory is thereby something that can be projected from today into the future. Is that a scary idea (if you are not happy with your orbit/life path)? Or is it something to look forward to and anticipate? Perhaps some of each, like the Pushmi-pullyu from Doctor Dolittle?

Sometimes, our orbits/life paths are greatly affected by other people in our lives. Sometimes it is a mate, a child, a boss, a supervisor, a job, or some other important person like a parent. Sometimes we give our power away to others…we let them dictate to us what our lives should be like and do what they want in lieu of what we know, innately, is best for us, whether they agree or not. Sometimes we want others to tell us what to do because we feel hopelessly lost in the wilderness. That can be anything from psychic readings, tarot card readings, or even a priest or minister.

The message here is that each person is a Divine Creation of God, Unique, Special, with lessons to be learned on this planet, which is the third rock from the sun. The Truth is that each person controls his/her destiny, which is revealed every day though the choices that are made.

Have you always wanted to take a class to improve your mind, expand your awareness, or just for fun? What is keeping you from achieving that? Have you a list of books to read…someday, when you have time? These books not only add energy and knowledge, but they can give you the momentum to escape your current orbit and create a new one.

The difference between an old orbit/life path/trajectory and a new one is that something has to change.

W. Foster Welborn has a saying: “You cannot keep doing what you have been doing and expect you will get different results!”

In order to get different results, something has to added to your life that becomes the new beginning you seek.

If you want to be more healthy, you have to put down that donut or Danish and select a protein and a fruit. In lieu of that bottomless cup of caffeine, you need to drink more water. Instead of catching the elevator or escalator, you need to walk some stairs. Instead of collapsing on the couch at night with  a remote in your hands, you need to set aside some time that fits your schedule and actually do something physical: Take a walk, ride a bike, take an exercise class, lift some weights, get on that exercise machine you bought (which is now a clothes hanger) and actually use it! Consistent effort here will pay off in so many ways, from a healthier you to a much happier you because, yes, exercise actually does lift the spirit!

Life’s daily demands of living, tasks to be done, obligations that we feel are required, etc., can use up every second of every day, with no room for anything else.

Your family, loved ones, and friends are important to you. Caring for them is vital. Do you take the time every single day to sit down and look into that person’s eyes and communicate with him/her, touching them like a hug or a kiss on the cheek? Your presence is a gift that no one can take away. Even a few minutes can make a difference over time. If you start when the child is young, for example, by the time they are a teenager with other priorities, they will still accept your presence. It is never too late to start.

I have read statistics that say that families are much more liable to text each other, even in the same room or in the same house, than they are to get up and go communicate face-to-face. One can laugh about this, but think of the opportunities you miss by doing it! Perhaps you might save some time, but at what cost? I have even heard that there are couples who can sit across from each other at a table and actually be texting each other!

Conversation is a lost art in our society, for the most part. Over a hundred years ago, they knew how to use words. They utilized a lot of words that have fallen out of use today because no one bothers with them anymore.

Are you willing to take a look at your orbit/life path to see if there is something that needs changing? Perhaps a choice that could be made differently if you took a class, like Assertiveness Training? Make a list – write it down. It takes it out of your head and gives you an objective to examine.

Only you have the power to change your trajectory. Are you willing to do that? It has power, Synergy, and life-fulfilling moments just waiting for you!

God bless your journey!

 

Procrastination

PROCRASTINATION is a foible that we are all guilty of at one time or another… some experience it more than others.

Items of unfinished business that are laying around create disorder, and that causes PROCRASTINATION.  As one envelope invites you to put more there…so does a chaotic environment procreate itself ad infinitum ad nauseum.

One element of procrastination that generates chaos is a lack of organization…a pile of anything, be it paperwork, clothes, or something else. If one has not used the idea of “a place for everything and everything in its place,” piles of stuff accumulate. A pile is just an invitation to procrastination. A lack of prioritizing also contributes to it.

Putting first things first sounds simple and uncomplicated…until you take a look around at your surroundings. Most of us live in a state of unfinished business…a project not quite done in one place; dirty clothes that have not yet made the wash basket; a hat here, a glove or two there; unopened mail where one put it, still lying in a stack a couple of days later.

Sometimes we overburden ourselves with expectations. We surround ourselves with disorganization that makes it looks insurmountable, so why even start?

Every single item on a To Do List actually holds a piece of your energy. Just looking at it will not release that energy. It must be completed to free the mind and energize the soul so one can do something else.

When I find myself procrastinating, I purposely choose ONE THING and BEGIN to accomplish it. Synergy then gives me the  ability to continue on with my day, doing whatever it is that I choose to do.

One of my simple organization methods is: “Try to handle something only once.” If it is in your hand, make a quick decision to “put it in its place.” If it is dirty clothes, put them in the wash basket immediately and decide to not just dump them wherever. If it is unopened mail, determine what is junk mail, ready for recycling; open real mail and sort it…put bills with the bills and the rest into a suspense area to be dealt with later. Dirty dishes can get rinsed off as soon as you are done eating as food dries quickly and makes it even harder to get off…put them in the dishwasher  OR get them washed, dried, and put away.

If you are already living a state of unfinished business, pick one room or area. Begin to take care of the problem. Prioritize, put stuff away, and simplify your life. Soften your viewpoint and focus it on a smaller goal that you can achieve.  Break a pile into its parts and handle each one individually. With enough consistency, you can see the piles shrink before your very eyes.

Unfortunately, we do not have a Mary Poppins in our lives to put things in order. The clothes do not hang themselves up, and toys do not jump into the toy box.

Habits are difficult to change. They are created by continually making bad choices. They remain because we do not consciously make a decision to change our actions.

So, how about you? Do you want to continue to beat yourself up for your Procrastination? Do you really want to put out the effort to change? If you do, write it down. It begins there. Then pick an area to begin and decide to get moving. Are you willing? If you do, you may find your breakthrough!

Try to remember: God created Divine Order and Harmony in your mind as a natural state of being, bringing Peace to your Soul. This happens when you create order from disorder in your environment. All you have to do is look at a waterfall, a rainbow,  beautiful flowers, an osprey in flight, or a lovely landscape to understand this Truth.

Best wishes as you begin to change. Enjoy your day! 🙂

Bridal Veil Falls, Idaho Springs, CO

Bridal Veil Falls, Idaho Springs, CO

Rainbow Signifying Peace

Rainbow Signifying Peace

Beautiful Flowers

Beautiful Flowers

Osprey in Flight

Osprey in Flight

Mt Evans, Front Range, CO

Mt Evans, Front Range, CO

God Is A Chameleon

The nature of a chameleon is to become like its surroundings. Its color changes accordingly. If you put one on a green leaf, it will become green…if put on a branch, it will become brown or tan. It will assume whatever color it needs to in order to fade into its background.

Humankind loves complications. It creates creeds, rules, regulations, ad infinitum, just to ensure that condition. It loves the words, “Right,” and “Wrong.” It continually wants “Mini-Me’s” in its surroundings.

God is simple. If one says, “God Exists,” that person then looks for his personal perceptions of reasons to believe it. However, if one were to say, “God Does Not Exist,” that person would not be able to see God as He would then become invisible to that person. It did not change the Nature of God, the Principles of the Universal Laws,  or the Identity. It would only limit the perceptions of that person. It would be like Harry Potter’s Invisibility Cloak…Harry still exists, but he cannot be seen. If one needs visible proof that God exists before you believe it, you are out of luck.

The essence of God is faith. The definition of faith is belief in the unseen. The dictionary defines it as: “unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence, complete trust, confidence, or reliance.”

Quantum Physics proves daily that God is present everywhere and manifests from the invisible to the visible. He is energy becoming form. What is the connection and where does it begin? Prayer.

The Bible says:  “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:22

Personally, I have prayed for things, looking for the answers, yet not being able to recognize them when they are there right in front of me. The joke is on me. Finally, I analyze it and change my perceptions. The answer then appears as if by magic. Is it magic? No, I had to grow into the answer. As I grow, I ca perceive differently. If I resist the growth, it will happen, just more slowly, or not at all if I resist too much.  Sometimes, my growth has happened quickly…and sometimes I have been drug there, kicking and complaining all the way. Nobody said we had to like the process.

How about you? Do you want to believe that God Exists? Go for it because only good can come from it. Do you want to cling to the opposite? God then becomes the chameleon and disappears into the background. What then? Guess who has to take that first step?

However you circumscribe Him, that will be what your connection is. Are you a miserable sinner, unworthy and undeserving? Guess what you get when you pray.  Not much. You set the parameters. What will they look like? It is all up to you.

As for me, I see the Presence of God all around me every day: Magnificent mountains, deer, beautiful flowers, colorful birds, the kindness of a stranger’s smile, the laughter of a child, a hug, a kiss, etc. He is not hard to find if you believe in one of His Names: Emmanuel–God Within Us. Are you willing to seek His Presence?

Vaughn Lake, CO

Vaughn Lake, CO

Mule Deer

Mule Deer

Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon

Red Winged Blackbird

Red Winged Blackbird

Pair of Wood Ducks

Pair of Wood Ducks

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