Wings of Change

On Fri, Jun 21, 2024 at 5:46 PM Jen M <meehan.jen@gmail.com> wrote:

If you were to find a butterfly that hadn't yet emerged from its cocoon, they say that the butterfly would never fly if you tried to assist them in breaking through the cocoon. There are many reasons for this, mostly because the wings need to flutter and struggle against the force of the cocoon to fill the wings with blood. Without the struggle of the emerging butterfly, the butterfly lacks the strength to fly and embark on her new journey in the world. Without this self-sustaining strength, she will perish quickly.

This reminded me of human birth as well. The baby should be strong and healthy before they can be delivered from the womb and begin their life in the best condition possible. Humans are averse to discomfort and change though; therefore, we all need to find additional ways to grow or experience metamorphosis well into adulthood.

While we might not think about it all the time, self-awareness is critical to our understand of our selves and our relationship with the world. This understanding starts to form early in life, and become increasingly important as we grow older and begin to gain greater insights into our own thoughts, feelings, sensations, and behavior patterns. Self-realization identifies, when you are entering into distractions and helps to eliminate them with sustainable creativity. By getting rid of the meaningless things in your life, you stay committed to what matters most and you begin to see real results as you reach your fullest potential.

One of the most essential benefits of self-realization is that it can have a positive impact on our relationships with others. When we understand ourselves better, we are better able to communicate our needs and desires to others. We can also be more empathetic and understanding of others’ perspectives. Additionally, when we have a strong sense of purpose, we are more likely to attract people who share our values and vision for the future.

At the tender age of 32, Gloria realized that she had created an unfavorable enviroment for herself by becoming a bit of a recluse. She had experienced mental health issues her entire life and finally decided after a difficult loss of a close friend, that she would avoid any situation that could cause her pain, abandonment or extreme anxiety by closing herself off physically and emotionally from the world. She stared at her reflection daily in her bedroom mirror as if to reassure herself that she continued to exist. As the years went by she locked herself in her room, avoided social functions, became indifferent to situations and others around her so that she could always feel safe and secure. This worked for her for a time; however, she realized that she was avoiding opportunities, that she no longer had people that she could confide in, she didn't trust anyone else to ask advice from or look to for help and support. She was isolating herself to protect herself, yet also preventing herself from fulfilling dreams, destinies, goals and a beautiful future.

Her struggles were not just skin deep; they cut into the core of her identity. The battle she internalized with her sef-doubt, and her negativity convinced herself that she was beyond flawed. This internal war alslo took a toll on her happiness and the ability to live free and authentically. Gloria was a bit of a chameleon in that she was a people pleaser whose opinions changed based off of the person she was holding a conversation with.

Gloria was realizing that she was completely isolated and was still riddled with anxiety and fear. She couldn’t just become a social butterfly, so she read about self-acceptance journeys where we learn to embrace our positive traits and to embrace our flaws and imperfections as well. She began this transition by learning to forgive herself for her past, by practicing mindfulness for future conversations, and by making friends by being open and humble again. She learned that she didn’t need to overshare and that she should observe these conversations to make sure she wasn’t seeing any red flags. She also found a therapist as a supportive ally, whom Gloria trusted for advice, guidance and whom has helped her flourish. While attending therapy, Gloria observed that we are in a world that often magnifies perfection and masks vulnerability, making the self-appreciative journey profound and transformative.

How often are you distracted, lost in your thoughts, or overwhelmed by difficult emotions?

Being in the present is more difficult than ever with the technology today. People are often buried in their smartphones or laptops while others around are craving their attention.

Most people spend so little time in the present. They’re usually either hurt and having trouble letting go of their past, or busy worrying about their futures. Make time for yourself and your own original thoughts.

The transition during this journey may not be seamless for you or those around you because it always costs you something to when you choose to lose your mask, allow hope to return, and to be vulnerable. And when you feel yourself start to backslide, dig into you pain, self sabotage, trauma, shame, and failures for fuel to keep going forward. You can also turn to the comfort of the new environment that you have recently created for yourself where you are amongst people that you are emotionally aligned with. Examine yourself so that you can believe in yourself again. Tap into the belief in yourself and the process. Look at vulnerability, humility, abundance and manifestation. 

And when you feel that you are ready to spread your wings and complete your metamorphosis by exiting this cocoon of protection you created for yourself, inhale deeply and then flap your courageous wings and fly! You can make this daring flight all by yourself because you learned that you can take care of yourself again, you're determined, and youve learned to persevere.

Just like bold and unique features butterflies are marked with, your "wings" can also teach others that butterflies aren’t just beautiful for their coloration or patterns but also because of their strength, uniqueness, independence, grace and strength.