Category Archives: growth

Blessings in Disguise

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A writing prompt from Journaling Further Within: 50 More Prompts for Self Exploration.
Sometimes the hardest times in our life turn out to be the biggest blessings.
Can you think of a time when you struggled
but are now thankful that everything happened the way it did?
Spend some time today looking back at your life. 
Think of a hard time that you went through. 
Can you now see anything good that came from it? 
Were you able to learn any lessons from it?
Are you a better person somehow because of it?
Are you stronger? More sure of yourself? Wiser?
We all can grow from our past hurts and past experiences.
I believe that everything happens for a reason. 
We can grow from and learn from each situation that comes into our lives. 
Just like you, I have had some really hard moments in my life where at the time I truly couldn’t imagine them as a blessing. But having perspective can really change everything, can’t it? 
Wouldn’t it be great if we could take that perspective and apply it to our lives while we were in a hard situation? 
Instead of waiting until everything was healed and good again, what if we could look for the lessons while we were experiencing the difficult time? What if we stepped out of ourselves for a moment and looked to see how we might be able to learn and grow from this situation? 
We can all turn struggles into blessings – we do it all of the time. 
By changing our perspective and looking at each experience as a way to grow, the struggles become lessons instead of hardships. 
Give it a try in your own life and see how it goes. 
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Letting A Good Idea Incubate

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Dan and I were playing Pictionary the other night and I picked the word, incubate. I drew test tubes, a beaker, and a thermometer to show the heat. While we weren’t able to guess it before the time ran out, it did get us thinking about the other meanings of the word. 
The meaning that stuck with me and is still here days later is, 
to develop, grow, take form.

I love thinking about this definition in terms of a plan, goal, or idea.

There is something very satisfying to me about sitting on it for awhile rather than immediately acting on it. 
Let it germinate – let the seeds start sprouting before taking any action. 
We have been given a wonderful opportunity to put this concept into action immediately. 
And before we probably would’ve acted right away – but this time we are sitting, pondering, weighing the options, and just letting the idea of it grow and blossom inside of us before we put it out into the world and act on it. 
Can you think of an idea, goal, or plan that you can let incubate? 
Is there anything in the back of your mind that you are ready to “give birth” to?
Have you ever tried to think of a word and the harder you tried to think of it the harder it was to remember?
And then did you notice when you gave up the struggle of trying to think of it, it just suddenly came to you? 
You can do the same thing with your idea or dream. Instead of struggling to bring it to life, let it simmer inside of you for awhile. Put it on the backburner and when it’s ready – it will emerge beautifully.
Here’s to all of us just sitting on our ideas for awhile – letting them incubate and grow and come to life when the time is right!

Saying Goodbye So You Can Say Hello

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Sometimes in life we have to make tough choices if we want to grow and live the life we know we are meant to live. We may have to give up a part of ourselves that we have grown comfortable with, even if we know that it isn’t the self we want to bring on our journey. 
I was watching Peter Walsh’s decluttering show the other day on the OWN Network, and I love his approach to physical clutter. He first has you create a vision for your room. Then you only bring in the things that reflect that vision. Everything else has to go. I was thinking that this system could also be applied to mental and emotional clutter. 
Let’s try this exercise together:
Think of the person you strive to be: your best self. 

Now create a vision for this new self.

How do you look (e.g., peaceful, radiant, rested)
What do you think about (e.g., the present moment, happy and positive things)?
What kind of friends do you surround yourself with (e.g., supportive, nurturing)?
How do you spend your days (e.g., reflecting, laughing)
What else can you visualize about this new self?
Take some time with this and get as specific as you can. 
Write it all down, and then hang it up where you will see it frequently.
Once you are clear on your vision, you can start the process of decluttering all of the emotions, thoughts, activities, friends, etc. that no longer fit into your current vision. 
This can be a painful process, and change can be hard.
If you keep your vision at the forefront, though, and remind yourself that in order to grow into the person you know you can be, you will need to let go of the person you have become. (At least parts of you.)
It’s your rebirth – and it’s a beautiful thing!
Goodbye to you.
And hello to you.